Manufacturing Technology

Will fine circuit traces soon become ubiquitous?

In the manufacture of industrial applications, more and more industry sectors are turning to a new technology as an alternative to classic PCBs. The revolution is called 3-D MID (Moulded Interconnect Devices or Mecha-tronic Integrated Devices) – injection-moulded plastic parts with conduc-tive traces integrated by using laser direct structuring (LDS). This technique adds power to the trend towards miniaturisation in the electronics industry and provides product developers with new design op-portunities. The projects from Multiple Dimensions, illustrates the diversity of possible ap-plications for 3D-MID. They simplify the operation of household appliances, improve driver experience in power steering systems and open new ways of saving space — for example in sensing and industrial electronics. These fine, golden traces on formed plastic are transforming industrial produc-tion. The basis of all 3D-MID applications is a thermoplastic material: Using injection- moulding, first manufacture the part to fit the customer’s application, using different types of thermoplastic, which contain an additive that can be activated by laser. A laser ray then engraves the surface of the plastic and activates the additive. A copper bath then follows, which lets the conductive traces form directly on the thermoplastic. Depending on the type of application, the MID parts may have to be extremely robust or temperature-resistant. Some even must be acid or sweat-resistant, for example applications for hear-ing aids or headphones. In a final step, a barrier layer of nickel is applied and then conditioned with a thin layer of gold to ensure good solderability. What differentiates the company from the competition is that it produces trac-es in almost microscopically small dimensions. Their manufacturing expertise can compete with anyone in the world, especially their uniquely fine trace width and the narrow spacing between traces. Most suppliers are currently working with 300 – 400 µm spacing between trac-es. At Multiple […]

The Interview: FARO

Spokesperson: CHEW Beow Kwan, Product Marketing Associate Manager, Asia Pacific, FARO Technologies. Please tell us what BuildIT Construction is all about? The BuildIT Construction software leverages on FARO’s cutting-edge 3D metrology capability. FARO is to first to offer this fully integrated building lifecycle Quality Assurance (QA) and Quality Control (QC) management tool empowering construction professionals to continuously evaluate projects with real time comparisons against CAD designs using 3D scan data. The software from FARO uniquely enables laser scanner users to perform immediate, real-time build and verify analysis throughout the entire project, and facilitates a new level of cost management and operational efficiency. BuildIT Construction can be fully integrated with 3D data collected from FARO Focus Laser Scanners, optimised for the FARO Tracer Laser Projector for placement and layout of structural components and is compatible with the FARO Laser Tracker for prefabricated modular positioning. It can also be used seamlessly with other third-party hardware. Where do you see this software being used most? Application areas that will benefit most from the BuildIT Construction software include Architecture, Civil Engineering/Surveying, Construction, Facility Management, Historical Preservation, and Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing (MEP). AEC professionals will find the software useful for: Verifying accuracy of scan data to design models Detecting incorrect placement or missing features such as walls, columns, beams, pipes, etc. Performing important measurements accurately and quickly Inspecting construction for adherence to building standards Verifying shifts and movements within structural performance over time with 4D analysis Performing real time monitoring of adjacent structures throughout the project lifecycle Is there much construction underway across ASEAN? Prospects for construction in the ASEAN region is generally bright. According to the Global Construction 2030 Report[1], the ASEAN construction market is expected to exceed US$1 trillion by 2030, with growth predominantly driven by labor intensive light manufacturing industries moving to […]

Revolutionary new beam welding technology to fast-track large manufacturing projects

A new technology could improve the efficiency of large-scale manufacturing projects by enabling firms to perform electron beam welding without a vacuum chamber. EBFLOW, which features a local coarse vacuum that can be transported to and operated on site, has been developed by Cambridge Vacuum Engineering and was launched on 1st January 2018. The technology is designed to simplify the process of thick section welding in the manufacture of a wide range of large structures including ships, pressure vessels, wind farms and towers, nuclear plants, and many of the structures involved in oil and gas exploration and civil engineering projects. To date it’s only been possible to perform electron beam welding – a key technology in the fabrication of large, heavy wall structures – at sites equipped with a vacuum chamber large enough to house the structures under manufacture. But EBFLOW’s coarse vacuum can be mounted on tracks and operated locally. The technology can be used in any plant where large components are welded. In tests, EBFLOW has been shown to be 20 to 30 times faster than conventional arc welding, offering transformational gains in productivity. At the same time, it uses less power than conventional arc processes, lowering a plant’s carbon footprint. Among the myriad of other benefits are the ability to perform low-heat input welds that result in reduced distortion – ensuring quality – and the option to perform NDT testing immediately after welding, fast-tracking the manufacturing process and driving down costs. Speaking ahead of the launch Bob Nicolson, Managing Director at Cambridge Vacuum Engineering said: “This technology will transform the productivity of fabrication processes throughout the world of heavy engineering. In many cases the speed of welding can be 30 times faster than current methods. “The technology has been fully developed and pioneered in Britain and we are now ready to […]

Innovation hub to fast-track Industry 4.0

An innovation hub to help Australian companies make the shift from traditional manufacturing to more advanced, value-added products has opened in Adelaide. The Tonsley Manufacturing Innovation hub in Adelaide is designed to accelerate the national adoption of ‘industry 4.0’ technology among hi-tech and manufacturing businesses, as well as foster research and development. The hub’s February 9 launch in the South Australian capital comes at a time when the nation’s economy is transitioning from a traditional manufacturing base to more digitalised, knowledge-based industries following the closure of Holden’s Adelaide plant late last year, which brought an end to automotive manufacturing in Australia. Professor John Spoehr, Director of the Australian Industrial Transformation Institute at Flinders University, said the adoption of new age digital technology was crucial due to the highly competitive environment of manufacturing internationally. “Without the automotive industries we need new sectors and new industries that will be at the forefront in the uptake of new technologies,” he said. Professor Spoehr said the hub would enable closer collaboration between educational organisations and businesses to better understand digital technology in new age manufacturing and its impact on the performance of companies and workers. The term ‘industry 4.0’ refers to the growing trend of automation and the use of the Internet of Things, Cloud computing and cyber-physical systems in advanced manufacturing. Situated on the ground floor of the Flinders University building at Tonsley, one of the key facilities at the Tonsley Manufacturing Innovation hub is the modular Future Factory. Made in Germany by technology giant Festo and funded by the South Australian Government, it showcases the latest automation, sensor, monitoring, robotic and cobotic technologies and is one of only a few Future Factories in the Southern Hemisphere. Professor Spoehr said the platform was modularised and could be reconfigured in a variety of ways. […]

FARO Design ScanArm 2.0 improves product design workflow

FARO’s next generation Design ScanArm 2.0 is specifically designed to address the most demanding challenges and requirements faced by product design and product engineering professionals. It offers an exceptional combination of flexibility, reliability, value and performance through best in class accuracy, resolution and ergonomics. Performance Design ScanArm 2.0 delivers up to 25% improved system accuracy compared to the previous generation. Design and product engineering professionals can now have increased confidence that the real-world design output conforms even more tightly to the look, feel and complex geometry of the source object. Furthermore, productivity is enhanced with the addition of FAROBlu Laser Line Probe HD that incorporates advanced blue laser technology and rapid scanning of up to 600,000 points per second. Flexibility and Portability Design ScanArm 2.0 is now available in three highly maneuverable arm lengths – 2.5m, 3.5m and 4m – to ensure that end users can select the option that optimally fits with the specific design objectives for their projects. It includes the option of dual, hot swappable batteries that enable continuous operation wherever needed without the requirement for external power. Users can now bring the scan to the project rather than needing to bring the project to the scan. Usability Enhanced ergonomics and a 25% overall weight reduction enables less operator fatigue. This leap forward in comfort, combined with improved maneuverability, significantly increases productivity by facilitating continuous use over extended periods during the workday. Design ScanArm 2.0 enables a new level of efficiency with integration of a kinematic intelligent probe system for projects that require contact measurement. This system includes a tool less quick release for fast connect/disconnect and allows operators to quickly transition from contact to non-contact projects without needing to spend any significant additional time and effort to switch out or recalibrate probes.

Fourth Industrial Revolution book calls for upgrade to the way we govern technology

A new book by Klaus Schwab, Shaping the Fourth Industrial Revolution, highlights the urgent need for new action and thinking on the governance of emerging technologies. The speed at which technology is disrupting economic, political and social life means that leaders must act immediately to avoid negative impacts and harness its positive potential Adaptation requires governments and businesses to shift to “systems leadership” to ensure governance and values are developed alongside technology as part of a wider system Released at The World Economic Forum, the book aims to help leaders develop the techniques necessary to harness technological advances to solve critical global challenges. The book is a sequel to Schwab’s bestselling 2016 book, The Fourth Industrial Revolution. The new book provides a practical guide to understanding 12 sets of emerging technologies from a systems perspective and better appreciating the rules, norms, institutions and values that shape their development and use. Such an approach is necessary, Schwab argues, given the unprecedented speed at which technology is developing, which makes outdated and redundant the approaches of governments, regulators and companies on which we rely to manage the impact of technologies. Schwab’s response is for leaders to adopt a “systems leadership” approach to ensure that developments in technology are not able to occur without parallel consideration being given to rules, norms, values and infrastructure. Unless technology develops within an inclusive and sustainable governance system, the Fourth Industrial Revolution could exacerbate income inequality and leaving billions of people behind, while wasting the opportunity to deploy technology to help address global challenges. “It took the world more than a decade to develop a collective response to climate change. “If we take the same amount of time to respond to the Fourth Industrial Revolution, we will have lost the opportunity to influence the development of the technologies that shape […]

The year renewables became mainstream

Jim Plouffe, The Lead South Australia South Australia’s lithium-ion battery grabbed the headlines in 2017, first when Elon Musk announced he’d build the world’s largest battery in 100 days or it would be free, then again when he accomplished it, and yet again when the battery reacted to power surges in record time in December. But the big battery is really just part of the ongoing renewable energy story of South Australia. The year kicked off with the South Australian government launching the $550 million South Australian Energy Plan, which includes a $150 million Renewable Technology Fund that will provide $75 million in grants and $75 million in loans to help private companies and entrepreneurs develop eligible projects. Musk’s now famous battery was one of the first projects to be funded, receiving $20 million to story the energy from the Hornsdale wind farm in South Australia’s Mid North, which is owned by French renewable company Neoen. Tesla CEO Elon Musk and South Australian Premier Jay Weatherill announce the world’s largest battery at Hornsdale Wind Farm in the state’s Mid-North. Picture: Andre Castellucci/InDaily Global energy companies have taken notice of South Australia’s leadership in renewables and began investing in the state in earnest in 2017. In August Solar Reserve announced it would build a 150MW solar thermal in Port Augusta, incorporating eight hours of storage or 1100MWh, allowing it to operate like a conventional coal or gas power station. Electricity retailer Snowy Hydro and Singapore-based renewable energy developer Equis will also build a 100 MW solar farm near Tailem Bend, 100 km southeast of Adelaide. Reach Solar currently have the 220 MW Bungala solar farm about 12km from Port Augusta under construction, with Origin Energy entering a power purchase agreement for the output of the project. Lyon Group also plans to […]

FactoryTalk Analytics from RA

Cloud-based system from Rockwell Automation provides intuitive access to machine information The Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) has increased the availability of information throughout the enterprise by orchestrating data from multiple sources and applying machine-learning applications. But the power of new IIoT tools to improve machine performance is limited when those with access to information are not experts on the machine, leaving powerful machine information untapped. To better connect industrial producers with expertise outside their production environment, Rockwell Automation offers the FactoryTalk Analytics for Machines cloud for OEMs. Cloud-enabled analytics provide machine data organised in intuitive dashboards that pull from machines deployed across the globe. “By bringing the expertise of OEMs into a producer’s ecosystem, smart machines perform better, and critical process anomalies can be quickly resolved,” said Todd Smith, product manager at Rockwell Automation. “Cloud-based machine analytics give OEMs real-time and historical insights into how their equipment is operating from anywhere, so they can collaborate with customers to help reduce downtime.” An IIoT-enabled packaging machine from Cama Group showcases the value of increased collaboration to both OEMs and end users. The machine offers independent cart technology for fast changeovers, while the FactoryTalk Analytics for Machines cloud relays critical KPI data to the cloud. Real-time performance insights are displayed to Cama Group service engineers in five, easy-to-navigate screens. A primary display shows a global map indicating every machine at all customer sites the OEM has subscribed to the service. In addition to the display is summary information on machine status and recent OEE performance. A simple search function then allows service engineers to filter by specific end users, locations or machine types for further analysis. At the machine level, OEMs can also view information about machine states, top events, production counts, cycle time attainment, and custom process variables and counters […]

Nuance Power PDF fuels efficiency and productivity at NZ food company

The merger between Foodstuffs Wellington and Foodstuffs Auckland Co-operatives prompted Foodstuffs North Island Limited to review its software. This process included assessing the various PDF solutions which were already in use by staff, as well as alternative PDF solutions available in the marketplace. Foodstuffs North Island’s goal was to identify and implement a PDF solution that delivered value for money, capability and easy deployment. Their quest led them to Nuance Power PDF. “As a result of the merger we discovered that staff were using a mix of software particularly when it came to PDF solutions. These included various versions of Adobe Acrobat, Nuance PDF Converter, PDF Create and a whole host of other PDF software. Supporting all these PDF solutions was untenable and we needed to identify the best PDF fit for our people,” explained Rachael Butterworth, Foodstuffs North Island, Software Asset and IT Administrator. One of the key criteria the chosen PDF solution had to deliver was value for money. “We have a large number of finance staff who are our primary users of PDF software, so we needed a solution that was monetarily viable given the quantity of licenses required. We looked at the free PDF software available but it lacked functionality. This was also true for many of the cheaper PDF products on the market. “Some of the other solutions we looked at were cloud based and required both a license fee and an annual subscription, making them an expensive option. So we focused on non-cloud options and zeroed in on Nuance Power PDF. This solution was highly competitive. In fact, after examining costs we found that Nuance Power PDF was up to 80% cheaper than some of its competitors,” said Rachael. However, while Nuance Power PDF was cost competitive, Rachael was also keen not to […]

Seequent launches Leapfrog EDGE for mineral resource estimation

Seequent, world leader in visualisation solutions for earth, environment and energy challenges, has launched mineral resource estimation solution Leapfrog EDGE. Leapfrog EDGE supports and advances industry practices in mineral resource estimation by applying the highly dynamic, intuitive and visual capabilities that Leapfrog 3D geological modelling solutions are world-renowned for. In a streamlined workflow, Leapfrog EDGE introduces innovative 3D visualisation to resource estimation alongside industry standard tools for estimating, domaining, geostatistical evaluation and reporting. Seequent’s solutions turn complexity to clarity by transforming complex data into clear geological understanding. Leapfrog EDGE was developed in collaboration with industry experts and is available either within the Leapfrog Geo geological modelling solution, or as an individual product. Shaun Maloney, Chief Executive of Seequent (formerly ARANZ Geo), says “Reliable resource estimation is critical to create confidence for all levels of decision makers. The geological model is the foundation of any resource estimate so it was a natural progression to develop a Leapfrog solution for resource estimation. “Leapfrog EDGE builds on the success of Leapfrog Geo which allows 3D geological models to be built in a very dynamic and intuitive way.” Integrated workflow Using Leapfrog EDGE within Leapfrog Geo creates a fully integrated workflow between the geological model and the resource model, allowing users to stay in the very visual and dynamic Leapfrog environment. Estimates are built from the Leapfrog model, avoiding data corruption and error. A key feature of this integration, is ‘dynamic updating’, where users can add data or revise their interpretations at any stage in the workflow and these changes will automatically flow downstream and update. Seequent Director of Product and Innovation Tim Schurr, says, “This seamless connection increases confidence as the user can give a stronger emphasis to providing a robust geological model to underpin the estimate. Introducing this simple but substantial step delivers […]

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