Manufacturers today operate in a highly complex, distributed and fragmented environment. On one hand, globalisation has created tremendous opportunities to develop new products, serve new customers and pursue new markets. On the other hand, competitive stakes are getting higher than ever. You face unprecedented pressures to cut operating costs, deliver on time, optimise use of available assets and adhere to regulatory and compliance edicts.

A Perth resources company is using Panasonic Toughbooks to help repair essential mining equipment in the depths of some of the world’s largest underground mines.

OPC technology relies on Microsoft’s COM and DCOM to exchange data between automation hardware and software; however, it can be frustrating for new users to configure DCOM properly. If you have ever been unable to establish an OPC connection or transfer OPC data successfully, the underlying issue is likely DCOM-related.

Processes for creating products and services are being scrutinised carefully for any negative contribution to overall carbon footprints, and carbon accounting and management has fast become a part of the Australian business landscape.

System integrators and OEMs are faced with the challenge of designing machines that are more compact, less expensive and more reliable. This is a challenge that is greatly impacted by the components available to design into the machine.

Compressed air is often the highest energy cost for many businesses, but unfortunately this resource is often seen as unlimited. It is, therefore, important that this valuable energy source be utilised efficiently, in all processes, at all times.

Oil contamination is an invisible enemy in all bottling installations and aseptic environments. Atlas Copco’s ZD high-pressure compressors are suitable for PET packaging production and now offer the security of 100% certified oil-free air with a Class 0 certification.

It looks like a menacing multi-barrel cannon of the type slung beneath fighter jets, but the purpose of this dark cylinder is constructive, not destructive. The Enerpac 900-tonne hydraulic stressing cylinder, supplied and customised by Jonel Hydraulics, will be used by Post Tensioning and Grouting to simultaneously tension dozens of high tensile stressing strands for bridge sections of the $NZ250 million-plus Tauranga Harbour Bridge crossing in New Zealand.

The convergence of PLC and DCS technologies has created a situation where it is more challenging than ever for process manufacturers to select the best technology for their application. A successful evaluation should start by developing a clear picture of the requirements of your application and the needs of your engineering, maintenance and operations personnel. To help clearly define these requirements and needs for your company, this paper outlines the seven key questions that will lead you to making the right choice.

The Antarctic Plateau is considered the most inhospitable inhabited place on Earth. At Dome C, within the Australian Antarctic Territory, mid-winter minimum temperatures drop to -81°C and access to and from the outside world becomes impossible outside the very small window of 12 weeks, during which time the sun rises above the horizon.

Materials handling specialist Industrial Conveying Australia (ICA) has heightened its recycling technology capabilities by becoming the first in Australia to provide ‘turnkey’ solutions for the sector.

Innovation is crucial to long-term success in the manufacturing sector. It enables companies to offer unique solutions and stand out in the marketplace, while at the same time providing the continual improvements in productivity demanded by manufacturers.

Operating a mining operation in a remote area, especially in a country with significant infrastructure shortcomings, presents a series of challenges which must be addressed at a strategic level, in order to ensure the long-term sustainability and viability of such operations. A reliable communications platform directly back to the corporate head office provides a solid foundation for effective command and control, supporting not only day-to-day administrative and production operations, but also as-needed communications pathways for emergency management.

Protection tubes and flexible sensors make it possible to replace thermocouples without shutting down the entire process for days or weeks.

There is no doubt that the changing face of the world manufacturing industry is presenting enormous challenges and opportunities to the automation and process control industry. Can we, in Australia, be innovative enough to continue to prosper while meeting our environmental and social responsibilities in the future? This article is an excerpt from a forthcoming feature in What’s New in Process Technology magazine.