A plasma cutter from Advanced Robotic Technology has helped a
sheetmetal processing company enhance its production levels multi-fold
with ROI on the equipment achieved in just six months.
Progress
Air, based in Hoxton Park, NSW makes sheetmetal parts for
air-conditioning systems, servicing the local HVAC&R industry for
more than 16 years. To serve their customers better in an increasingly
competitive industry, Progress Air carried out a careful evaluation of
various CNC plasma cutting machines before deciding to install an ART
CNCXRP4800 plasma cutter in June 2012.
The ART CNCXRP4800 plasma
cutter is well-known for its simplicity and ability to cut virtually any
metal. Added to its productivity, these qualities convinced Company
Director Rod Peters about the machine’s suitability.
Since the
installation of the ART plasma cutter, the company’s production levels
have gone through the roof. Additionally, Progress Air has managed to
cut the monthly material expenses by more than half, mainly due to the
nesting function, which leverages the mathematical processing power of
the PC to optimise material usage and reduce cost. The company processes
mild steel, galvanised steel, aluminium and stainless steel with the
plasma cutter.
While Mr Peters is very happy with the CamDuct
software being used at present, he is also considering investing in
higher-level nesting software such as ART’s in-house ToolShop software
because nesting software can play additional roles in three other areas:
integration, automation and part quality.
Though the company did
consider cheaper Chinese and American equipment, they decided to go with
an ART machine, manufactured, sold and serviced in Australia by local
people. Mr Peters explains that ART’s machines are serviced from
Brisbane and are Australian-made.
According to Mr Peters, it took
as little as six months for the machine to pay for itself, which is
definitely worth the investment for the small workshop. Though he
regrets his decision to opt for a small 3m table, he plans to get a
bigger table to process two sheets at once, when they move to bigger
premises. More information about the program is available on the web
site at www.careel-tech.com.
ART’s
CNC plasma cutter is also being used by Progress Air on subcontracted
jobs from other sheetmetal companies. Mr Peters is very pleased with
ART’s service and training, saying that it only took about two hours to
run the first job on the machine after installation.
Our client is
one of the leading global service providers within the Oil and Gas
industry. They are currently seeking experienced CNC machinists to work
in an exciting team in an impressive workshop. The firm is actively
expanding internationally and work with all of the global Oil Majors, so
this would be an excellent move for a qualified CNC specialist to
advance their career.
In this position you will be responsible for
programming, setting as well as operating a wide variety of special
purpose and conventional CNC and Semi NC machine tools. This will
include reading and interpreting engineering designs and drawings. You
may be required to provide support for other members in the team, to
help the development of the team.
2013年5月30日 星期四
2013年5月28日 星期二
Opened Advanced Technology and Academic Center
The Advanced Technology and Academic Center (ATAC) which will be
based in Rochester, New Hampshire, US will offer traditional academic
courses and programmes in advanced composites manufacturing.
The 17,000 square foot ATAC will provide programmes in advanced composites manufacturing starting from 17th June 2013 and Great Bay say the centre is the largest single project under the statewide Advanced Manufacturing Partnership in Education initiative, formed by the Community College System of New Hampshire under a $20M federal grant.
The College say the new advanced composites manufacturing curriculum has been developed to fit the needs of area manufacturers, among those, Albany Engineered Composites (AEC) and Safran Aerospace Composites (SAC), who will be co-locating a new manufacturing plant in Rochester at the Granite State Business Park. The plant is being built by SAC and is expected to add about 500 jobs to the local market. It is scheduled to start operations later this summer.
Debra Mattson, Advanced Manufacturing Program Director and Designer for Great Bay describes the training as structured around a six month tiered programme. "At the end of the six months, full-time students earn a certificate in Composites Manufacturing and are qualified for positions as high level machine- operators with options for continuing into an Associate Degree in Technical Studies. It's a great way to get into the aerospace industry." Students first take three courses; Introduction to Advanced Composites, Applied Math & Measuring for Manufacturing and Technical Blueprint Reading.
At the end that term, they identify an area of interest and start training for positions as high level machine operators/technicians in one of eight areas of specialisation. Specialisations are paint operator; 3D weaving & pre-form finishing technician; resin transfer moulding technician; bonding/finishing operator and quality inspection and laser engraving machine operator, and composites milling/CNC set-up operator. In addition, training for aerospace composites repair technician and high-performance composites fabrication technician career tracks or positions will be offered.
During the programme, students will spend half their time doing hands-on work in the centre's state-of-the art composites lab. According to Mattson, the lab will house the newest equipment for high tech composites manufacturing including a clean room, Autoclave, RTM press, Curing Oven, a 3D weaving loom, a full range of CAD, CAM, 3D printer, CNC and CMM equipment as well as other commonly recognised equipment used in aerospace manufacturing facilities. The lab is slated for completion by the end of this summer.
A full time instructor, a lab technician as well as five adjunct faculties has been hired for the new training programme. During the course development phase and lab installation, they will be supported by internationally recognised composites expert Andre Cocquyt. In addition, the programme will take advantage of on-line course content such as offered by SME owned ToolingU, an on-line education provider. This will provide future alignment with the SME certification programme.
To make the public more aware of the composites industry and aerospace composites manufacturing at Safran and Albany, as well as job trends, Great Bay will be hosting free informational session on Advanced Composites Manufacturing on 7th and 8th June at the new ATAC in Rochester. At the event Andre Cocquyt will provide information on the composites industry and representatives from SAC and AEC will be on hand to talk about their companies, the aircraft engine components they are manufacturing in Rochester, and the job opportunities at their new plant opening this summer.
The 17,000 square foot ATAC will provide programmes in advanced composites manufacturing starting from 17th June 2013 and Great Bay say the centre is the largest single project under the statewide Advanced Manufacturing Partnership in Education initiative, formed by the Community College System of New Hampshire under a $20M federal grant.
The College say the new advanced composites manufacturing curriculum has been developed to fit the needs of area manufacturers, among those, Albany Engineered Composites (AEC) and Safran Aerospace Composites (SAC), who will be co-locating a new manufacturing plant in Rochester at the Granite State Business Park. The plant is being built by SAC and is expected to add about 500 jobs to the local market. It is scheduled to start operations later this summer.
Debra Mattson, Advanced Manufacturing Program Director and Designer for Great Bay describes the training as structured around a six month tiered programme. "At the end of the six months, full-time students earn a certificate in Composites Manufacturing and are qualified for positions as high level machine- operators with options for continuing into an Associate Degree in Technical Studies. It's a great way to get into the aerospace industry." Students first take three courses; Introduction to Advanced Composites, Applied Math & Measuring for Manufacturing and Technical Blueprint Reading.
At the end that term, they identify an area of interest and start training for positions as high level machine operators/technicians in one of eight areas of specialisation. Specialisations are paint operator; 3D weaving & pre-form finishing technician; resin transfer moulding technician; bonding/finishing operator and quality inspection and laser engraving machine operator, and composites milling/CNC set-up operator. In addition, training for aerospace composites repair technician and high-performance composites fabrication technician career tracks or positions will be offered.
During the programme, students will spend half their time doing hands-on work in the centre's state-of-the art composites lab. According to Mattson, the lab will house the newest equipment for high tech composites manufacturing including a clean room, Autoclave, RTM press, Curing Oven, a 3D weaving loom, a full range of CAD, CAM, 3D printer, CNC and CMM equipment as well as other commonly recognised equipment used in aerospace manufacturing facilities. The lab is slated for completion by the end of this summer.
A full time instructor, a lab technician as well as five adjunct faculties has been hired for the new training programme. During the course development phase and lab installation, they will be supported by internationally recognised composites expert Andre Cocquyt. In addition, the programme will take advantage of on-line course content such as offered by SME owned ToolingU, an on-line education provider. This will provide future alignment with the SME certification programme.
To make the public more aware of the composites industry and aerospace composites manufacturing at Safran and Albany, as well as job trends, Great Bay will be hosting free informational session on Advanced Composites Manufacturing on 7th and 8th June at the new ATAC in Rochester. At the event Andre Cocquyt will provide information on the composites industry and representatives from SAC and AEC will be on hand to talk about their companies, the aircraft engine components they are manufacturing in Rochester, and the job opportunities at their new plant opening this summer.
Glasgow studio shortlisted for 500k Google Global Impact Award
Not only does MAKLab support the country’s budding designers and business people by providing low-cost production technology, it also teaches our throwaway generation of flat-packed furniture fans and bargain shoppers how to repair our broken belongings.
The groundbreaking company, based in Glasgow’s iconic Lighthouse building, assists hundreds of young Scottish entrepreneurs to build their businesses every year and has been shortlisted for the prestigious Google Global Impact Challenge award for its efforts.
The award recognises the work of British not-for-profit organisations that use technology and innovation to tackle difficult human challenges. MAKLab has been shortlisted alongside ten finalists including War Child, a charity that uses crowdsourced digital mapping to improve child safety, and an Age UK initiative that gives older people training in digital technology.
With the 500,000 prize money that’s up for grabs, MAKLab hope to expand their studios outside Glasgow and strengthen their international network of makers.
“On a daily basis there's a constant flood of thousands of ideas in the MAKLab, a cross-over from architecture to jewellery and fashion,” said Richard Clifford, Studio Director at MAKlab.
“We already have an established network of makers in Scotland, but we want to create a backbone for that network with physical locations so that it spreads internationally.
“In Glasgow we have a physical studio, but we want to create other hubs so a greater network can feed around that.”
Among MAKLab’s many success stories is Caroline Nadzanja, an Edinburgh College of Art student whose textile knots are due to appear in Vogue magazine.
The existence of the MAKLab allows students, graduates and young people access to facilities that are usually beyond their budget, allowing them to apply their creativity and skill to their business ideas.
“If you can imagine being a jewellery or architecture grad - you’re learning CAD and milling techniques at college, but then when you leave, buying a machine can cost between 8000 to 20,000,” said Richard.
“We provide machines at their running cost for makers, graduates and school leavers.”
The studio has also aided entrepreneurs David Kellock and Michael Corrigan create prototypes of their unique travel pillow scarf, Powernap, which won them the attention of BBC documentary The Entrepreneurs and allowed them to create a special Powernap product for Virgin owner Sir Richard Branson.
“MakLab were fantastic when Michael and I were prototyping our product,” said David Kellock, 26.
“They let us use a machine called a CNC router, which without them we wouldn’t have had access to.
“We managed to get a product to Sir Richard Branson - the whole thing was made in MakLab. The Velcro and internal support were laser cut there, we electronically embroidered ‘Virgin Atlantic’ into the product with their electronic embroidery machine and made a really nice box combining the logos for Virgin and Powernap on the cover.”
The groundbreaking company, based in Glasgow’s iconic Lighthouse building, assists hundreds of young Scottish entrepreneurs to build their businesses every year and has been shortlisted for the prestigious Google Global Impact Challenge award for its efforts.
The award recognises the work of British not-for-profit organisations that use technology and innovation to tackle difficult human challenges. MAKLab has been shortlisted alongside ten finalists including War Child, a charity that uses crowdsourced digital mapping to improve child safety, and an Age UK initiative that gives older people training in digital technology.
With the 500,000 prize money that’s up for grabs, MAKLab hope to expand their studios outside Glasgow and strengthen their international network of makers.
“On a daily basis there's a constant flood of thousands of ideas in the MAKLab, a cross-over from architecture to jewellery and fashion,” said Richard Clifford, Studio Director at MAKlab.
“We already have an established network of makers in Scotland, but we want to create a backbone for that network with physical locations so that it spreads internationally.
“In Glasgow we have a physical studio, but we want to create other hubs so a greater network can feed around that.”
Among MAKLab’s many success stories is Caroline Nadzanja, an Edinburgh College of Art student whose textile knots are due to appear in Vogue magazine.
The existence of the MAKLab allows students, graduates and young people access to facilities that are usually beyond their budget, allowing them to apply their creativity and skill to their business ideas.
“If you can imagine being a jewellery or architecture grad - you’re learning CAD and milling techniques at college, but then when you leave, buying a machine can cost between 8000 to 20,000,” said Richard.
“We provide machines at their running cost for makers, graduates and school leavers.”
The studio has also aided entrepreneurs David Kellock and Michael Corrigan create prototypes of their unique travel pillow scarf, Powernap, which won them the attention of BBC documentary The Entrepreneurs and allowed them to create a special Powernap product for Virgin owner Sir Richard Branson.
“MakLab were fantastic when Michael and I were prototyping our product,” said David Kellock, 26.
“They let us use a machine called a CNC router, which without them we wouldn’t have had access to.
“We managed to get a product to Sir Richard Branson - the whole thing was made in MakLab. The Velcro and internal support were laser cut there, we electronically embroidered ‘Virgin Atlantic’ into the product with their electronic embroidery machine and made a really nice box combining the logos for Virgin and Powernap on the cover.”
2013年5月27日 星期一
Private school raising sustainable classroom
A private school for students with special needs is developing what it hopes will be one of the greenest buildings in the world.
On its 11-acre campus in Spring Branch, the Monarch School has started construction on a 1,120-square-foot stand-alone classroom designed to get its power from the sun and wind; its heat and cool air from the earth; and water to nourish its vegetable garden from harvested rain.
The small building, which is expected to cost more than $400,000, will serve as an environmental laboratory, with students controlling its daily energy use. For example, they will determine when the sun's rays are strong enough to light the building, or when the wind turbine is needed to supplement power.
Other natural elements can be found throughout the campus, which houses about 127 students with autism, attention deficit disorder and other neurological differences.
There's a working beehive, vegetable and flower gardens, and an outdoor plaza where butterflies congregate.
"The students have a lot to learn about their neurology, and we wanted to provide them an environmentally safe atmosphere to do that learning," said Debrah Hall, head of the K-12 school near Kempwood and Gessner.
The school received numerous donations for the classroom building and has been raising additional cash to pay for the systems that will make the structure self-sufficient when it comes to water and energy use.
It is nearing the end of a $100,000 campaign through Kickstarter, a fundraising website. The campaign ends Saturday.
The classroom is being built to achieve certification through the Living Building Challenge, a program that requires structures to meet seven ambitious performance areas, including water and energy usage.
That program is administered by the International Living Future Institute, a nongovernmental organization that promotes environmentally friendly architecture. Less than a handful of buildings have been certified since 2010.
Living Buildings have stringent material requirements, eliminating anything toxic. Wood must be sustainably and regionally forested.
The Monarch project will include siding made of beams salvaged from an old building.
Used materials, said Shannon Bryant, co-owner of general contractor Tend Building, is one of the best ways to be green. They also come with a story. "It's way more fun than drywall," she said.
The construction budget for the base building is estimated at $315,000 with another $35,000 in architectural, engineering and related fees, according to architect Shelly Pottorf, who is leading the project. GreenNexus Consulting is also involved.
That $281 per square foot cost doesn't include the solar panels and some other features required for Living Building certification. While the total cost will be relatively expensive, it will be less than the $500 per square foot cost of some other Living Building projects.
Pottorf, principal of Architend, said the goal was to find ways to more affordably meet the standards so people "don't dismiss the Living Building Challenge as being financially unattainable."
"While we haven't achieved that goal yet," she said, "through this effort we are making significant progress."
On its 11-acre campus in Spring Branch, the Monarch School has started construction on a 1,120-square-foot stand-alone classroom designed to get its power from the sun and wind; its heat and cool air from the earth; and water to nourish its vegetable garden from harvested rain.
The small building, which is expected to cost more than $400,000, will serve as an environmental laboratory, with students controlling its daily energy use. For example, they will determine when the sun's rays are strong enough to light the building, or when the wind turbine is needed to supplement power.
Other natural elements can be found throughout the campus, which houses about 127 students with autism, attention deficit disorder and other neurological differences.
There's a working beehive, vegetable and flower gardens, and an outdoor plaza where butterflies congregate.
"The students have a lot to learn about their neurology, and we wanted to provide them an environmentally safe atmosphere to do that learning," said Debrah Hall, head of the K-12 school near Kempwood and Gessner.
The school received numerous donations for the classroom building and has been raising additional cash to pay for the systems that will make the structure self-sufficient when it comes to water and energy use.
It is nearing the end of a $100,000 campaign through Kickstarter, a fundraising website. The campaign ends Saturday.
The classroom is being built to achieve certification through the Living Building Challenge, a program that requires structures to meet seven ambitious performance areas, including water and energy usage.
That program is administered by the International Living Future Institute, a nongovernmental organization that promotes environmentally friendly architecture. Less than a handful of buildings have been certified since 2010.
Living Buildings have stringent material requirements, eliminating anything toxic. Wood must be sustainably and regionally forested.
The Monarch project will include siding made of beams salvaged from an old building.
Used materials, said Shannon Bryant, co-owner of general contractor Tend Building, is one of the best ways to be green. They also come with a story. "It's way more fun than drywall," she said.
The construction budget for the base building is estimated at $315,000 with another $35,000 in architectural, engineering and related fees, according to architect Shelly Pottorf, who is leading the project. GreenNexus Consulting is also involved.
That $281 per square foot cost doesn't include the solar panels and some other features required for Living Building certification. While the total cost will be relatively expensive, it will be less than the $500 per square foot cost of some other Living Building projects.
Pottorf, principal of Architend, said the goal was to find ways to more affordably meet the standards so people "don't dismiss the Living Building Challenge as being financially unattainable."
"While we haven't achieved that goal yet," she said, "through this effort we are making significant progress."
2013年5月20日 星期一
Homeowners think small
Tiny houses fall into two categories. Some, like Cantori's, are technically travel trailers - tagged and road-ready. Others have foundations and aren't going anywhere.
The houses usually manage a lot of function in a little bit of space - kitchen, bedroom, bathroom, laundry room - and they're often cute to boot. Gables. Wood siding. Even porches.
"These are beautiful works of art," said Joe Coover with Tumbleweed Tiny House Co., a California firm that sells tiny homes - as small as 65 square feet - and tiny-home designs.
U.S. houses got bigger for decades, ballooning from a little less than 1,700 square feet in the early 1970s to 2,500 square feet last year, even as household sizes shrunk, according to Census Bureau figures. But the housing crash, foreclosure crisis and rough recession have pressed some to think differently about how much space they need. And a house you can move with you has a certain appeal to anyone stuck in a place worth less than its mortgage.
But whether you can actually live in a tiny home depends on more than your ability to pare down your possessions. Location matters. Zoning, building codes, health codes and even private covenants in subdivisions can effectively render a tiny house illegal.
In the eyes of the law, there's such a thing as too small. Some jurisdictions bar people from living in travel trailers, too, no matter what they look like.
"That's the No. 1 issue - zoning," said Steven Harrell, owner of Tiny House Listings , where 20,000 to 50,000 people visit per day to check out tiny houses for sale. "There are a lot of people advocating, 'Hey, what's the big deal? Why don't you ease square-foot (regulations)?' Times have changed, the economy has changed, people are having to make choices. And tiny houses are one of them."
Tiny houses aren't the only example of small living. "Micro-apartments" of a few hundred square feet are popping up in some expensive cities, such as San Francisco, for young professionals who'd rather spend their free time downtown than in a sprawling living room.
Matt Hoffman, vice president of innovation at Enterprise Community Partners, the Columbia, Md., affordable-housing giant, said small dwellings aren't a solution for everyone. But they're a useful choice to have. More than 10 million people in America are "housing burdened," paying over half their income on rent, he said.
Cantori has spent his life in modestly sized places. At 19, he bought a dilapidated sailboat, fixed it up and lived there for nearly five years - all 180 square feet of it. His next move was to a studio apartment in Baltimore. Living cheaply has allowed him to pursue the nonprofit career he wanted, save money and go sailing on the side.
His tiny home was built by a lawyer from Kansas who intended to live there with his family of three. Then the family grew by one. So he sold to Cantori, who flew west with his brother two years ago, rented a U-Haul and drove back to Maryland with his new home hitched to the back.
For Cantori, the affordability of a tiny house is part of the draw, but also the ability to use less energy, take up less land and generally be "lighter on the environment." A 6,000-square-foot house not far from his neighborhood baffles him.
His future retirement home is robin-egg blue, with a porch out front. Inside, there's a tiny stainless-steel fireplace, a closet and a combination washer-dryer. A table in the living room/dining area seats two, or up to five if folded out. The kitchen has an RV stove, microwave and small refrigerator. In the bathroom is a full-sized shower and a composting toilet. And up top, two lofts - each a bedroom.
The houses usually manage a lot of function in a little bit of space - kitchen, bedroom, bathroom, laundry room - and they're often cute to boot. Gables. Wood siding. Even porches.
"These are beautiful works of art," said Joe Coover with Tumbleweed Tiny House Co., a California firm that sells tiny homes - as small as 65 square feet - and tiny-home designs.
U.S. houses got bigger for decades, ballooning from a little less than 1,700 square feet in the early 1970s to 2,500 square feet last year, even as household sizes shrunk, according to Census Bureau figures. But the housing crash, foreclosure crisis and rough recession have pressed some to think differently about how much space they need. And a house you can move with you has a certain appeal to anyone stuck in a place worth less than its mortgage.
But whether you can actually live in a tiny home depends on more than your ability to pare down your possessions. Location matters. Zoning, building codes, health codes and even private covenants in subdivisions can effectively render a tiny house illegal.
In the eyes of the law, there's such a thing as too small. Some jurisdictions bar people from living in travel trailers, too, no matter what they look like.
"That's the No. 1 issue - zoning," said Steven Harrell, owner of Tiny House Listings , where 20,000 to 50,000 people visit per day to check out tiny houses for sale. "There are a lot of people advocating, 'Hey, what's the big deal? Why don't you ease square-foot (regulations)?' Times have changed, the economy has changed, people are having to make choices. And tiny houses are one of them."
Tiny houses aren't the only example of small living. "Micro-apartments" of a few hundred square feet are popping up in some expensive cities, such as San Francisco, for young professionals who'd rather spend their free time downtown than in a sprawling living room.
Matt Hoffman, vice president of innovation at Enterprise Community Partners, the Columbia, Md., affordable-housing giant, said small dwellings aren't a solution for everyone. But they're a useful choice to have. More than 10 million people in America are "housing burdened," paying over half their income on rent, he said.
Cantori has spent his life in modestly sized places. At 19, he bought a dilapidated sailboat, fixed it up and lived there for nearly five years - all 180 square feet of it. His next move was to a studio apartment in Baltimore. Living cheaply has allowed him to pursue the nonprofit career he wanted, save money and go sailing on the side.
His tiny home was built by a lawyer from Kansas who intended to live there with his family of three. Then the family grew by one. So he sold to Cantori, who flew west with his brother two years ago, rented a U-Haul and drove back to Maryland with his new home hitched to the back.
For Cantori, the affordability of a tiny house is part of the draw, but also the ability to use less energy, take up less land and generally be "lighter on the environment." A 6,000-square-foot house not far from his neighborhood baffles him.
His future retirement home is robin-egg blue, with a porch out front. Inside, there's a tiny stainless-steel fireplace, a closet and a combination washer-dryer. A table in the living room/dining area seats two, or up to five if folded out. The kitchen has an RV stove, microwave and small refrigerator. In the bathroom is a full-sized shower and a composting toilet. And up top, two lofts - each a bedroom.
Die Cutting Machine Star at Odyssey in Nashville
Masterwork USA, a leading manufacturer of folding carton and packaging equipment headquartered in Charlotte, NC, is pleased to announce its strong success at the IADD FSEA Odyssey trade show in Nashville, Tennessee where it exhibited its new MK21060 STE Duopress automatic foil stamping and laser cutting machine with stripping. The Odyssey show took place from May 1-3 in the Nashville Convention Center.
“We were the stars of the show,” says Carol Jiang, Vice President, Masterwork USA. “Our new Duopress foil stamping and die cutting machine was in production throughout the three-day show. Everyone was talking about our equipment because we brought something new that no one else had. We were able to demonstrate to a targeted audience how the Duopress can improve production and reduce downtime in the print and packaging industries with an integrated design that processes multiple functions in one pass. We felt that the quality level of attendees was very high and we had a number of major packaging firms that showed great interest in purchasing our equipment. We heard over and over from attendees how impressed they were with our price versus performance ratio--the high performance of our Duopress versus its economical price. “
The MK21060STE Duopress foil stamping and die cutting machine with stripping is designed with a one-pass integrated system combining the platen through the embossing and foil stamping onto the die cutting and stripping functions. The two-platen system makes the machine a versatile production platform for creating high-quality packaging or decorative greeting cards with elaborate designs.
The machine boasts a maximum output speed of 6,000 sheets per hour, but because multiple passes with two platens run at one time, users realize an output of 12,000 sheets per hour. Its optimized pressure adjustment provides a better foil stamping result. Its patented design of the adjusting mechanism ensures that the two units have high register accuracy. A separate power-driven waste conveyor belt is capable of removing waste at a high speed.
“Folding carton and packaging firms were able to see in person that our new all-in-one machine offers faster speeds, more precision productivity, and less waste,” says Jiang. “On the show floor, we were able to demonstrate how easily it is to produce high-quality boxes with enhanced designs for high-end customers in the cosmetic, fragrance, tobacco, and music/film/gaming markets.”
IADD FSEA Odyssey is the converting industry’s premier three-day education and technology expo uniquely focused on diemaking/diecutting, folding carton, corrugated, converting, foil stamping, embossing, and specialty industries. It is sponsored by the Foil and Special Effects Association and the International Association of Diecutting and Diemaking.
Masterwork USA Inc. is the US headquarters and demonstration facility located in Charlotte, North Carolina. The parent company, Masterwork Machinery Co., Ltd is based in Tianjin China, was established in 1995 and operates from a 90,000 square meter factory employing over 500 people. The firm has been a premiere provider of corrugated package printing solutions and has over 800 partners stretching around the world including Europe, Japan, and the Americas.
“We were the stars of the show,” says Carol Jiang, Vice President, Masterwork USA. “Our new Duopress foil stamping and die cutting machine was in production throughout the three-day show. Everyone was talking about our equipment because we brought something new that no one else had. We were able to demonstrate to a targeted audience how the Duopress can improve production and reduce downtime in the print and packaging industries with an integrated design that processes multiple functions in one pass. We felt that the quality level of attendees was very high and we had a number of major packaging firms that showed great interest in purchasing our equipment. We heard over and over from attendees how impressed they were with our price versus performance ratio--the high performance of our Duopress versus its economical price. “
The MK21060STE Duopress foil stamping and die cutting machine with stripping is designed with a one-pass integrated system combining the platen through the embossing and foil stamping onto the die cutting and stripping functions. The two-platen system makes the machine a versatile production platform for creating high-quality packaging or decorative greeting cards with elaborate designs.
The machine boasts a maximum output speed of 6,000 sheets per hour, but because multiple passes with two platens run at one time, users realize an output of 12,000 sheets per hour. Its optimized pressure adjustment provides a better foil stamping result. Its patented design of the adjusting mechanism ensures that the two units have high register accuracy. A separate power-driven waste conveyor belt is capable of removing waste at a high speed.
“Folding carton and packaging firms were able to see in person that our new all-in-one machine offers faster speeds, more precision productivity, and less waste,” says Jiang. “On the show floor, we were able to demonstrate how easily it is to produce high-quality boxes with enhanced designs for high-end customers in the cosmetic, fragrance, tobacco, and music/film/gaming markets.”
IADD FSEA Odyssey is the converting industry’s premier three-day education and technology expo uniquely focused on diemaking/diecutting, folding carton, corrugated, converting, foil stamping, embossing, and specialty industries. It is sponsored by the Foil and Special Effects Association and the International Association of Diecutting and Diemaking.
Masterwork USA Inc. is the US headquarters and demonstration facility located in Charlotte, North Carolina. The parent company, Masterwork Machinery Co., Ltd is based in Tianjin China, was established in 1995 and operates from a 90,000 square meter factory employing over 500 people. The firm has been a premiere provider of corrugated package printing solutions and has over 800 partners stretching around the world including Europe, Japan, and the Americas.
2013年5月15日 星期三
Company looks to place a bet on its future
Williams and White Machine Inc. has history on its side, but it’s thinking about tomorrow. A third-generation family business, the Burnaby, B.C.-based company was founded in 1957 by the grandfather of current chief executive officer Justin Williams.
Mr. Williams oversees three divisions. The oldest and biggest is a manufacturing shop offering services that range from computer numerical control (CNC) machining to fabrication and welding. The manufacturing equipment branch builds machinery for clients such as sawmills. Automation, the smallest and newest division, includes an industrial robotics venture called Remtech Systems.
Business is good for privately held Williams and White, which states its annual revenue as between $5-million and $10-million. In the past two years the company has almost doubled in size, to about 45 employees from 25. “We’ve found areas that were growing,” Mr. Williams says, pointing to mining in particular. “The guys in the mining sector had a really good tear the last few years.”
One of the company’s biggest challenges is how best to use its capital. “There’s a limited resource of funds,” Mr. Williams explains. The manufacturing shop accounts for much of the company’s revenue, but Mr. Williams notes that each piece of big machinery costs about $1-million. “The machine shop probably has a limited amount of growth that it can have, just because it’s such a capital-intensive business.”
In the equipment division, research and development is the main expense. Williams and White spent several hundred thousand dollars on a recent R&D project. “We’re very bullish on it,” says Mr. Williams, an electrical engineer by training. “We think we’ve developed a technology that’s game-changing, but it definitely takes a capital-intensive investment.”
Then there’s robotics, which could be the future – or maybe not. This business started to take off only in the past two years. So far, Williams and White has sold about 20 robots to customers in B.C. and Alberta that include manufacturers and postsecondary institutions.
Although automation has the highest personnel and training costs of the three divisions, it tends to require less capital. But Mr. Williams thinks educating potential customers about robotics would call for a costly marketing effort with no guaranteed results. “Machining tends to be a bit safer,” he says. “Whereas with the marketing, it’s an investment, of course, but it could pay nothing.”
So, where to invest for the future? “It’s easy to say, ‘Oh, put it where it’s making the most amount of money,’” Mr. Williams says. “But that’s not always the most forward-looking way of approaching it. Because something that makes money today might not be the best thing to invest in for tomorrow.”
Murata Machinery's automated turning centers will now be available even more widely in the central United States with the addition of Technical Equipment Sales as a CNC machine tool dealer for the Muratec brand in Ohio, Indiana, and Kentucky.
“We couldn't be happier about this new partnership,” said Steve Landrum, Sales Manager at Murata's Turning Division. “Technical Equipment offers decades of experience selling machining products, a stellar reputation in the industry, and a strong core of customers we're eager to work with.”
Technical Equipment Sales was founded in 1952, narrowed their focus to CNC machine tool technology in 1982, and were acquired in 1992 by Morris Group, Inc., “the largest fully integrated supplier of machine tools and related engineering and support services in North America,” according to the company website.
Mr. Williams oversees three divisions. The oldest and biggest is a manufacturing shop offering services that range from computer numerical control (CNC) machining to fabrication and welding. The manufacturing equipment branch builds machinery for clients such as sawmills. Automation, the smallest and newest division, includes an industrial robotics venture called Remtech Systems.
Business is good for privately held Williams and White, which states its annual revenue as between $5-million and $10-million. In the past two years the company has almost doubled in size, to about 45 employees from 25. “We’ve found areas that were growing,” Mr. Williams says, pointing to mining in particular. “The guys in the mining sector had a really good tear the last few years.”
One of the company’s biggest challenges is how best to use its capital. “There’s a limited resource of funds,” Mr. Williams explains. The manufacturing shop accounts for much of the company’s revenue, but Mr. Williams notes that each piece of big machinery costs about $1-million. “The machine shop probably has a limited amount of growth that it can have, just because it’s such a capital-intensive business.”
In the equipment division, research and development is the main expense. Williams and White spent several hundred thousand dollars on a recent R&D project. “We’re very bullish on it,” says Mr. Williams, an electrical engineer by training. “We think we’ve developed a technology that’s game-changing, but it definitely takes a capital-intensive investment.”
Then there’s robotics, which could be the future – or maybe not. This business started to take off only in the past two years. So far, Williams and White has sold about 20 robots to customers in B.C. and Alberta that include manufacturers and postsecondary institutions.
Although automation has the highest personnel and training costs of the three divisions, it tends to require less capital. But Mr. Williams thinks educating potential customers about robotics would call for a costly marketing effort with no guaranteed results. “Machining tends to be a bit safer,” he says. “Whereas with the marketing, it’s an investment, of course, but it could pay nothing.”
So, where to invest for the future? “It’s easy to say, ‘Oh, put it where it’s making the most amount of money,’” Mr. Williams says. “But that’s not always the most forward-looking way of approaching it. Because something that makes money today might not be the best thing to invest in for tomorrow.”
Murata Machinery's automated turning centers will now be available even more widely in the central United States with the addition of Technical Equipment Sales as a CNC machine tool dealer for the Muratec brand in Ohio, Indiana, and Kentucky.
“We couldn't be happier about this new partnership,” said Steve Landrum, Sales Manager at Murata's Turning Division. “Technical Equipment offers decades of experience selling machining products, a stellar reputation in the industry, and a strong core of customers we're eager to work with.”
Technical Equipment Sales was founded in 1952, narrowed their focus to CNC machine tool technology in 1982, and were acquired in 1992 by Morris Group, Inc., “the largest fully integrated supplier of machine tools and related engineering and support services in North America,” according to the company website.
Kodak showcases range of digital solutions
Kodak is showcasing a range of digital print solutions at the show and has partnered with more than 10 companies to launch new applications. Kodak drives the restructuring to focus on the commercial and transactional, publishing, packaging, and enterprise management segments.
Lois Lebegue, managing director of Asia Pacific Region, Eastman Kodak Company, said, “In the past year, Kodak Asia-Pacific business maintained a fast growth in the commercial and transactional, publishing, packaging, and enterprise management segments.” Lebegue further added that, “Kodak’s complete solution and service portfolio helps our customer to provide the value-added services to their customers and grow their business.”
Kodak Prosper 1000 Press, a monochrome digital inkjet press and Kodak Nexpress SX3300 digital colour press is on display at the show. Kodak Nexpress SX3300 which was launched in 2011 targets the commercial printing, personalised imaging product market, and a variety of labels.
Kodak also displayed Paper Rating Program and optional Image Optimizer Station wherein customers can choose Kodak’s prequalified papers or treat any off-the-shelf paper for more flexible application options.
In the pre-press solution for digital, Kodak showcased Kodak Trendsetter 1600 Platesetter, Kodak Flexcel Direct System which provides direct laser engraving for flexographic sleeve production; Also, Kodak Achieve All-in-One CTP System and Kodak Sonora XP Process Free plates.
In addition to the solutions above, Kodak also shows the security, service and support solutions. The Kodak stand at the show highlights collaboration with more than 30 key partners, including Taiyo, Dragon and Konica Minolta, to create targeted solutions across all markets.
It has been almost a decade since the launch of smart identity (ID) cards in June 2003. Some members of the public have pointed out that with the advancement in technology, the encryption and anti-forgery technologies adopted for smart ID cards have become outdated. They are concerned that the personal data of members of the public might be leaked.
Moreover, a total of some 400 forged smart ID cards were seized by the authorities in 2011 and 2012, reflecting that the risk of smart ID cards being forged by law-breakers should not be overlooked.In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(a) whether the authorities have conducted any review on the use of smart ID cards, including the quality of the materials, security features of the computer chip, as well as the development and application of other functions, etc.; if they have, of the outcome; whether the authorities have kept abreast of more advanced technology so as to improve the current design of smart ID cards; if they have, of the details; and
(b) given that for those persons who were issued smart ID cards in the early stage, their photos on the ID cards may look significantly different from their facial appearances at present, whether the authorities have plans to arrange for replacing the ID cards of members of the public by second generation smart ID cards in order to update their photos thereon, so that smart ID cards can effectively serve their functions as identification and travel documents; if they have, of the implementation timetable and progress of the preparation work?
The existing smart identity card has a number of anti-forgery features, such as optical variable ink, multiple laser image, kineprint with colour-changing images when viewed at different angles, and high-quality laser engraved photograph on the polycarbonate card body, all of which make it difficult to alter or counterfeit the card.The chip of the smart identity card is made of durable alloy and is designed with a number of security measures that could effectively prevent various forms of intrusion.Moreover, the chip is designed with segregated compartments to separate immigration applications from other value-added non-immigration functions and access to chip data is protected by various security controls.
Lois Lebegue, managing director of Asia Pacific Region, Eastman Kodak Company, said, “In the past year, Kodak Asia-Pacific business maintained a fast growth in the commercial and transactional, publishing, packaging, and enterprise management segments.” Lebegue further added that, “Kodak’s complete solution and service portfolio helps our customer to provide the value-added services to their customers and grow their business.”
Kodak Prosper 1000 Press, a monochrome digital inkjet press and Kodak Nexpress SX3300 digital colour press is on display at the show. Kodak Nexpress SX3300 which was launched in 2011 targets the commercial printing, personalised imaging product market, and a variety of labels.
Kodak also displayed Paper Rating Program and optional Image Optimizer Station wherein customers can choose Kodak’s prequalified papers or treat any off-the-shelf paper for more flexible application options.
In the pre-press solution for digital, Kodak showcased Kodak Trendsetter 1600 Platesetter, Kodak Flexcel Direct System which provides direct laser engraving for flexographic sleeve production; Also, Kodak Achieve All-in-One CTP System and Kodak Sonora XP Process Free plates.
In addition to the solutions above, Kodak also shows the security, service and support solutions. The Kodak stand at the show highlights collaboration with more than 30 key partners, including Taiyo, Dragon and Konica Minolta, to create targeted solutions across all markets.
It has been almost a decade since the launch of smart identity (ID) cards in June 2003. Some members of the public have pointed out that with the advancement in technology, the encryption and anti-forgery technologies adopted for smart ID cards have become outdated. They are concerned that the personal data of members of the public might be leaked.
Moreover, a total of some 400 forged smart ID cards were seized by the authorities in 2011 and 2012, reflecting that the risk of smart ID cards being forged by law-breakers should not be overlooked.In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(a) whether the authorities have conducted any review on the use of smart ID cards, including the quality of the materials, security features of the computer chip, as well as the development and application of other functions, etc.; if they have, of the outcome; whether the authorities have kept abreast of more advanced technology so as to improve the current design of smart ID cards; if they have, of the details; and
(b) given that for those persons who were issued smart ID cards in the early stage, their photos on the ID cards may look significantly different from their facial appearances at present, whether the authorities have plans to arrange for replacing the ID cards of members of the public by second generation smart ID cards in order to update their photos thereon, so that smart ID cards can effectively serve their functions as identification and travel documents; if they have, of the implementation timetable and progress of the preparation work?
The existing smart identity card has a number of anti-forgery features, such as optical variable ink, multiple laser image, kineprint with colour-changing images when viewed at different angles, and high-quality laser engraved photograph on the polycarbonate card body, all of which make it difficult to alter or counterfeit the card.The chip of the smart identity card is made of durable alloy and is designed with a number of security measures that could effectively prevent various forms of intrusion.Moreover, the chip is designed with segregated compartments to separate immigration applications from other value-added non-immigration functions and access to chip data is protected by various security controls.
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