Industry News

Rockwell Automation has launched Logix SIS, a cutting-edge safety instrumented system (SIS) designed to address the evolving needs of modern industrial environments. The introduction of the Logix SIS from Rockwell Automation provides a modern and integrated safety solution, offering both SIL 2 and SIL 3 certifications for enhanced process and hybrid safety. Logix SIS delivers all components of a safety instrumented system, including the process logic solver and I/O. The system is engineered to provide high availability with proven Rockwell Automation hardware, leveraging the latest 1756 controller, FLEX 5000® I/O platform, and Studio 5000 Logix Designer® application for a truly integrated user experience. "Logix SIS represents a significant step forward, offering exceptional flexibility for process and hybrid safety applications while leveraging our proven hardware to target the highest safety levels," said Dan DeYoung, vice president of product management at Rockwell Automation. "Its intuitive interface, consistent with our other solutions, minimises complexity and empowers partners to deliver high-level safety solutions." Key capabilities of Logix SIS: Modern SIL 2 and SIL 3 solutions deliver comprehensive safety across various industrial applications;…

Advanced Navigation, a world leader in navigation and autonomous systems, has announced the expansion of its versatile Certus range, with the new Mini series. Available in three variants, the Certus Mini series includes a GNSS-aided Certus Mini D and Certus Mini N inertial navigation system (INS), while Certus Mini A functions as an attitude and heading reference system (AHRS). Weighing no more than 55 grams, the series delivers impressive performance and cost-efficiency, defying expectations for its weight and size. Advanced Navigation CEO Chris Shaw said, “Manufacturers and system integrators often face trade-offs between performance, size, cost, and weight. The Certus Mini series is a testament that these attributes do not need to conflict. This value-driven breakthrough lowers the entry barrier to precise and reliable navigation for customers deploying land-based vehicles. It also unlocks new possibilities for lightweight airborne platforms, such as drones, where every gram counts towards flight efficiency and power consumption. Designed with flexibility in mind, the series is easily integrated into existing and new system builds with simple plug-and-play…

For 35 years, National Resources has sourced and supplied local Australian manufacturers with an extensive range of specialist products from around the world. The business has long served the industrial, building, and health industries by trading in rolled aluminium, flexible packaging, PVC films, and medical products. Across its global supply chain, National Resources annually sources 233 products from 139 partners in 22 countries. Each supplier is carefully selected for its superior quality standards and responsiveness. Inventory distribution begins in its large warehouse in Victoria and is then routed through storage and logistics networks across Australia. Maintaining a complex supply chain while driving the business’s financial performance relies heavily on cash flow management. National Resources Managing Director Leon Cox says that having access to working capital to bridge any delays in cash conversion is vital. “Working capital is critical to our business. We buy materials from overseas suppliers and pay when the goods are shipped. It’s on the water for 30 days, and then we offer customers terms of trade locally. That’s a transition period between 90 and 150 days between paying for goods and being paid…

Enforcing drug and alcohol policies in the manufacturing industry is a crucial task that requires a careful balance between safety and fairness. In environments where machinery operates and safety is paramount, stringent drug testing policies are common. Recent rulings have shown that enforcing these policies must consider the nuances of employee conduct outside work hours. Key Case: Sydney Trains v Goodsell [2024] FWCFB 401 (‘Goodsell’) A landmark case this year, the Goodsell case, provides valuable insights. In this case, an employee with a spotless 26-year record tested positive for cocaine during a random drug test. He was dismissed for breaching the company's "drug-free" policy, which mandated that employees must not use drugs at any time. While the Fair Work Commission (FWC) acknowledged that the company had a valid reason for dismissal, it also deemed the action unfair due to the employee's long service and otherwise clean history. Important Takeaway: Positive drug test vs. fair dismissal A positive drug test can justify dismissal, but it does not automatically ensure it is…

Australia's manufacturing sector is at a crossroads. A confluence of economic factors – namely a soft foreign exchange rate, moderating inflation and a promising outlook for lower interest rates – presents a unique landscape for manufacturing business owners. For those considering succession planning, now is an advantageous time to consider divesting their manufacturing business. Here’s why. The current economic landscape Over the past three years, Australia's interest rates have risen sharply, climbing from a record low of 0.10% in November 2020 to 4.10% by October 2023, reflecting the Reserve Bank of Australia's (RBA’s) response to rising inflation. This aggressive tightening aimed to curb inflation, which peaked above 7% in late 2022. Rates are expected to stabilise as inflation moderates, with projections suggesting rates will begin to trend downwards from Q1 CY25. The Australian Bureau of Statistics published the September 2024 quarter Consumer Price Index on Wednesday, 30 October. The index shows Australia’s annual inflation rate falling back to 2.8%, significantly within the RBA target band for the…

HVAC systems run almost constantly, leading to an increased risk of belt failure - and a potentially costly ripple effect on sensitive, temperature-controlled facilities. HVAC systems are often exposed to extreme ambient temperatures and environmental conditions, which can strain equipment. Maintaining your facility is already complex without adding in additional maintenance or unexpected part failure. Gates has engineered high-performance belt solutions that can withstand high temperatures, chemicals, and humidity without re-tensioning and at a lower upfront cost than comparable belts.   V-BELTS - TRI-POWER™ & QUAD-POWER™ 4 MOULDED NOTCH V-BELTS V-belts are essential power transmission components in industrial applications worldwide. Excessive belt slippage, stretching, and wear can result in big problems for facilities, with disproportionate resources spent re-tensioning, maintaining, and replacing underperforming belts. Gates offers high-performance v-belts engineered to save energy, minimise maintenance, and have a longer lifespan than competitive belts. Raw edge, moulded notch construction saves up to 3% on energy costs over wrapped belts. Specially designed moulded notches dissipate heat better than standard v-belts and are engineered to increase flexibility for improved energy efficiency. FEATURES: Innovative…

The Gaia EnviroTech business is the Bioenergy and Waste Management division of Gekko Systems, based in Ballarat, Victoria. The company has partnered with Jock Charles from the Berrybank Farm, who has successfully operated an Anaerobic Digester (AD) on piggery effluent in the Ballarat region for 30 years. The modular biodigester design was developed by Gaia EnviroTech and is manufactured onsite at their local facility. The expandable configuration is targeted to treat 5-20k tpa organic waste and upwards. Objectives The system in this case study was installed as a 12-month research and development project to establish the viability of an anaerobic digestion plant designed to convert dairy effluent to energy and minimise odour. The secondary objectives were to increase the nutrient value of the manure and ease handling constraints (e.g. allow longer-term storage). This was required to provide the dairy with a viable option for future herd expansion. The family-owned dairy houses cattle in a large shed and periodically takes them to pasture. In addition to milk production, potatoes are grown on-site and benefit from the nutrient value of the manure.…

The Australian food industry is poised for continued growth between 2024 and 2028, driven by several key factors, according to the report Australia: Food Manufacturing Market Overview 2024–2028. Among the most significant trends are the rising demand for health-focused, sustainable food products and more premium and convenience foods. The report states, “These shifts are anticipated to spur product development and packaging innovation, catalysing growth across various market sub-sectors. “Simultaneously, sustainability and transparency are becoming increasingly important in food manufacturing, with consumers demanding more eco-friendly packaging and clear, honest labelling. Manufacturers who successfully respond to these demands will likely enhance their market shares during this forecast period.” Regulatory changes, trade agreements and macroeconomic factors will further influence the market. Therefore, understanding the competitive dynamics, market segmentation, and growth opportunities will be essential for food and beverage manufacturers to navigate this evolving market landscape successfully. The Australian food and beverage industry also increasingly benefits from technological advancements, particularly in automation, digitisation, and artificial intelligence. These technologies, which aim to increase efficiency and reduce costs, are expected to reshape the…

Enel X is the only contracted party to provide 95MW of Demand Response firming capacity in NSW, to help meet the energy security target. With increasingly challenging grid conditions due to weather conditions, low wind and hydro output, coal outages, and spiking electricity prices, flexible demand is an increasingly critical resource for firming the grid and putting downward pressure on electricity prices for all consumers. Businesses and organisations in the greater Sydney region can provide flexible demand—the inherent ability to adjust when grid power is used—as part of Enel X’s Virtual Power Plant (VPP) to help ‘firm’ the grid and keep the lights on. Firming capacity helps the grid integrate renewable energy assets safely. Participants are paid both for committing to be available and for reducing grid energy consumption for set periods, generally only a few times a year. “Western Murray Irrigation has supported the grid across multiple Demand Response programs with Enel X’s VPP since 2020,” said Judith Damiani, Chief Executive of Western Murray Irrigation. “Participation is straightforward and works well for us. An automated system…

Pick-and-place robots are increasingly important in automated processes, such as assembly lines. With its EXPT, the automation specialist Festo offers an exact and dynamic solution for this. Operating at up to 150 picks per minute, the robot works continuously. For this, safe and gentle feeding of the cables to the gripper had to be guaranteed. The unique feature—a rotating additional axis—led to increased wear of the cables. With a unique energy chain for tight installation spaces and dynamic applications, including a rotation module, the cables are now safely guided at high rotation angles Problem Festo SE & Co. KG is a leading provider of automation solutions for processes and entire production plants. The manufacturer also includes its universal parallel robot, "EXPT," in its extensive product portfolio. The tripod-based pick-and-place robot works with high performance and precision and manages up to 150 picks per minute. Its design and control system enable flexible and cross-application use, enabling convenient implementation in applications with several robots in the production line. An A5 axis was to be implemented at the lower end…

Servo systems are increasingly finding their way into applications used by industry; everything from simple vertical filling machines to high-speed printing presses are using servos to improve their output. Harry Mulder, Product Specialist for Motion Products at Beckhoff Automation, explains that while some believe all servos are the same, there are, in fact, some clear differentiators. “It’s these differences that yield big benefits.” What sets Beckhoff apart from the rest, according to Mulder, is its wide selection of motors and matching gearboxes. “Each motor offers a range of feedback options - everything from resolvers for harsh environments to 24-bit multi-turn absolute encoders with SIL 2-rated safety. Beckhoff also supports EnDat, SSI, BiSS and other protocols, as well as providing input for secondary feedback systems.” One feature that rates very highly among end users is a single connecting cable between the motor and the drive, commonly known as One Cable Technology or “OCT”. “Using just one cable to carry power, braking and encoder signals is more cost-effective and so much more convenient than running separate cables. In addition, not having a…

Aluminium remains a key structural material used in multiple industries worldwide, and Tiwai Point is New Zealand’s only smelter. A significant investment in new robot welding equipment shows that Rio Tinto is firmly committed to a future in the Deep South. According to long-serving staff member Paul Cavanagh, Rio Tinto’s Tiwai Point has always been about its people, and that’s the driving factor in a recent upgrade and doubling of its robotic welding equipment. "It’s about keeping people away from the load. People and safety first,” he said. Tiwai Point has used robotic welding since 1995, and this is the second upgrade since 2008 – but this time, the number of robots has doubled, along with the addition of an extra robot for loading heavy steel pins, a previously manual task. Cavanagh, the crew leader for the rodding process, says recent uncertainty was in the rear-view mirror, with the smelter securing a 20-year deal for electricity supply. For some time, it was clear that the old system used to weld anode rods in aluminium production—around 550 are…

Hydraulic tooling and bolt tensioning specialist, Technofast is adding a new pipe fitting technology to its range as the exclusive distributor for HAELOK® in Australia and New Zealand. Swiss-engineered HAELOK® pipe fittings can be swiftly installed in under a minute, providing a secure metal-to-metal gastight connection without sealing elements and welding, which add time and cost to the process. Proven in service for more than 20 years in major European markets, the durable and efficient HAELOK® fittings apply to a broad range of applications, including power stations, high-pressure hydraulic lines up to 1270 bar for smaller sizes (up to four-inches at 250 bar), oil, gas, and petrochemical refineries (including offshore), navy, marine, and defence, acidic environments, heavy mine sites, steam and biogas lines in sugar mills, and hydrogen piping. “The HAELOK® range is a natural extension of our Technofast range, which is already focused on saving downtime by efficient bolt tensioning technologies applicable to similar industries,” said Technofast Founder and CEO, John Bucknell. A better connection HAELOK® fittings function using an axial crimp. They have a tapered press…