MTA2013 Show Daily Brought To You By

Day4FridayApril 12, 2013

show daily9 –12 April 2013 • Singapore Expo

The 19th Edition

www.mta-asia.com

www.metrologyasia.com

Event Highlights

Held alongside MTA2013 is

MetrologyAsia2013

MetrologyAsia2013 provides the

following technologies:

• Test and Measurements

• Optical Test & Measurement Devices /

Instruments

• Optics & Photonics

• Coordinate Measurement Equipment

(Sensors & Scanners)

• Material Testing

• Monitoring Devices

Venue: Hall 3

MTA2013 Capabilities Hub

This designated area will showcase

a cohort of enterprises that serve

the precision engineering industry in

sectors like:

• Aerospace

• Medical Technology

• Oil & Gas

• Complex Equipment

Venue: Hall 4A

Day 1•April 9 + Day 2•April 10 + Day 3•April 11

No. Of Visitors (22% Overseas)

,

MT A 2 0 1 3 w i l l conclude today after four days of intense business

activities that brought the metalworking community of Singapore together. The show may have been slightly smaller compared to i ts previous edit ions, but i ts targeted nature more than makes up for the perceived lack of size.

A number of exhibitors the Show Daily Team spoke to have indicated that they have benefited from this approach. F r o m t h e i n t e r n a t i o n a l machine tool manufacturers and metro logy OEMs, to Singapore distributors, they al l received quality leads during various points of the show.

O n e c o m p a n y t h a t spec ia l i ses in workshop s t o r a g e s o l u t i o n s , T Y T Corporation (Singapore) can testify to that point. Steve Tan, assistant sales manager of the company said: “TYT has par t i c ipa ted in MTA countless times. This year, our business objective is to reach out to potential buyers from Singapore and Malaysia, and from our evaluation of visitorship at our booth over the past three days, MTA2013 has successfully attracted the right kind of buyers.”

W i l l i a m L i m , p r o j e c t director for machinery events, Singapore Exhibition Services, the organiser of MTA2013, has also weighed in with his comments. He commented that quality visitors turned out in a big way, where key buyers like Cameron, CEI Contract Manufacturing, GE Aviation,

MTA2013 Registers A Solid PerformanceQuality leads from highly qualified trade visitors are something most exhibitors at MTA2013 can agree on. By Joson Ng

Hamilton Sundstrand, Honda, Pratt and Whitney, Stelcomms and many others were seen combing the show floor.

Quality leads stem from qualified visitors and it helps that they too, have a targeted, measured approach when they visit trade shows, because b u s i n e s s m a t c h i n g n o w becomes a natural process that can happen easily.

For instance, Teo Sin Huat,

manager of MM Precision Engineering (Singapore) , a visitor to the show said: “ I c a m e h e r e t o l o o k a t machinery-related exhibitors to w iden my ne twork o f vendors and suppliers and I achieved that a im. The exhibitors were friendly and responded well to my queries. I had the additional benefit of being updated on the latest technologies as well.”

William Lim

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Improving Efficiency Through MeasurementsExhibiting for the first time in

Singapore is Vici Vision’s MTL 300, an optical measuring machine for cylindrical parts like

shafts. Exhibiting over at OGP’s booth at MTA2013, the machine is dedicated to the measurements of parts directly on the shop floor, said Erick Fantini, sales manager of Vici & C.

Measuring parts directly on the shop floor is a concept of measurement designed to optimise the production. This philosophy, as aptly pointed out by Mr Fantini, should not only focus on providing quality inspection, but also improve efficiency in production.

He added that the machine is capable of inspecting roundness, run-out and cylindricity in addition to other static or geometric measurements. The data collected can later be used to set up a CNC lathe. The value in doing so, according to Mr Fantini, is to prevent rejections and downtimes during production. This is a pertinent point as far as he is concerned, because he noticed a trend of producing cheaper parts with higher quality.

Echoing the sentiment, Melvin Ng, GM of Hunting Energy Services International, Singapore said: “I have been coming to MTA for years and it has been a great platform for me to see the latest developments in the machinery industry, to witness product demonstrations, and to widen my network of business associates. It has also been a great way to explore business ideas and opportunities.”

Adding Value & Exploring New FrontiersSingapore’s manufacturing sectors are facing competition from neighbouring countries like Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam and Thailand. In order to stay in the fight, many companies have chosen to be focused in various industries. Focusing on core industries has also become a strategy on a national scale as Singapore is currently enjoying the status as a regional hub for oil & gas and the aerospace sector.

The ethos of the country can be seen on the show floor of MTA2013. Mr Lim said: “Despite a very challenging manufacturing environment that we are faced with, we are pleased to see companies exhibiting high-end technologies catering specifically to sectors like the oil & gas, aerospace and medtech.”

T h e P r e c i s i o n E n g i n e e r i n g (PE) industry is an integral part of Singapore’s manufacturing climate and its development is crucial to the oil & gas and aerospace sectors of Singapore, which are heavy consumers of cutt ing edge technologies. I t is

therefore important to keep people in these industries informed on the latest technologies the world of metalworking has to offer, a role that MTA2013 plays very well.

“Undoubtedly, the PE industry has evolved quite a fair bit and shows like MTA, which addresses high value manufacturing, needs to address the changing needs of PE industries,” said Mr Lim.

One good example of evolution is the advent of Additive Manufacturing (AM). An exciting technology that has gained in popularity and recognition, AM has found itself to the show floor of MTA2013, giving visitors a different insight into manufacturing.

“MTA has allowed me to find new 3D printing suppliers and vendors, and has been a great platform for me to learn about the latest in 3D printing and also a new type of 3D printing — 3D metal printing. Exhibitors were reputable, professional and efficient in their dealings,” said Toh Cher Lek, R&D director of New Kinpo Group.

The next edition of MTA is scheduled to take place in 2015 from 14 to 17 April. Looking at what the organiser has in mind, it will be another event that is highly focused and packed full of high-end technologies.

In conclusion, Mr Lim said: “I would like to see high-end technology on the show floor. This time round, we are seeing more CNC vertical lathes catering to the oil & gas industry. I hope to see more for the aerospace and medtech sectors.”

has one axis movement, so basically you don’t get the same trouble that you have while on the CMM. In addition, we have anti-vibrating feet and the exposure time of the camera is quite fast.”

In terms of reliability, the machine has a step-master to constantly correct variations. The mechanical construction of the machine, according to Mr Fantini, also adds to its stability. He said: “The machine

MTA2013 has proved to be a successful event with many ‘sold’ signs seen around the show floor

Erick Fantini

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For news coverage, publicity and advertising matters, please contact MTA2013 Show Daily Press Room

MTA2013 Show Daily is produced and published by Eastern Trade Media Pte Ltd exclusively for Singapore Exhibition ServicesEditorsJoson NgWong Tsz Hin

WriterSherlyne Yong

Business Development ManagerRandy Teo

Sales ManagerMelvin Wong

Graphic DesignerJeffrey Pimentel

Managing DirectorKenneth Tan

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connect with APMEN on

Speak The Right Language With Software Programs

Multi sensor measuring systems like the SmartScope ZIP has a video system, a laser system and also the option of

adding a tactile probe when necessary. Laser can carry out scanning on freeform surfaces, the touch probes can go deep

As many of the exhibitors have reflected to the Show Daily Team in the past few days, the quality of MTA2013 visitors has

been good, which is shown by the many machines that have been sold on the show floor itself.

E c h o i n g t h e s e n t i m e n t i s K Ba lanagendra Rao , d i r e c t o r o f F l e x s p e e d Te c h n o l o g y, w h o h a s successfully found buyers for all three machines they brought to the exhibition.

MTA2013: Successful Market Place & Platform For The Future

He said that on top of that, the company has received many quality enquiries from visitors.

M r B a l a n a g e n d r a R a o a l s o highlighted the importance of trade exhibitions like MTA2013, as they can provide valuable feedback on market demand. Through direct interactions with visitors, they are able to get a bigger understanding of the market and make future arrangements accordingly.

Looking ahead, he remains positive

that this year will be a strong one for the industry. “Compared to last year, where most of the people said that they have no immediate plans to buy, this year, a lot of visitors are telling us that they intend to buy the machines in the next few months.”

The show not only creates sales, but also enables companies to get potential leads for their businesses. Mr Balanagendra Rao added that the company will follow-up on the contacts they have gathered at the show and address the needs of these prospective customers.

Elsewhere, Ann Koh, product manager of IM Machinery Asia, said the show creates an opportunity for the company to network with customers from other parts of the region, like Indonesia.

She added that as a distributor of high value machines, not many customers would make a purchase decision on the spot at the company’s booth. However, they have managed to sell their exhibition set already.

On top of that, the exhibition proves to be effective in helping the company expand its business network. “We are able to reach out to new customers, as well as get in touch with our existing ones,” Ms Koh said.

Other companies who have enjoyed similar success at MTA2013 include Ichi Seiki, Newserv Machinery, ST Machinery and Taipei Industries.

Booth Number: 3F2-01

into holes and the optic system is suitable for the measurement of visible contour.

While these features are standard on a multi sensor, according to Karl Jürgen Lenz of OGP Messtechnik, the world of metrology, particularly in the software program segment, can benefit more from the concept of standardisation. For example, software programs can help make things easier for operators by streamlining and customising certain measuring operations on the shop floor.

These software programs are particularly relevant when the item to be

measured is a hob, gear or something that does not speak the ‘same language’, ie: parts that do not fall under the ISO 1101 (Geometrical product specifications (GPS) — Geometrical tolerancing) umbrella.

“If you have a gear, it looks simple, but unfortunately, it is not according to ISO 1101. It is a device where complex definitions from 200 years ago were used. Now, we have to learn a whole new ‘language’. We provide software programs that speak the language.”

Karl Jürgen Lenz

Quality visitors naturally translate to sales. At MTA2013, many companies have found success in selling their products, even those that are found on the show floor itself. By Wong Tsz Hin

4Wenzel: Compact Measuring System

W enzel has brought to MTA2013 a measuring and analytical equipment. Touted as a “bridge” between CMM and NDT equipments, CP Chuah, regional sales manager of Wenzel Asia Pacific,

said: “The Desktop-CT exaCT XS mainly targets plastic components. In Singapore, we are targeting small plastic components manufacturing in the high value medical sector. The machine is also suitable for R&D.”

He added that it is also possible to carry out reverse engineering with the Desktop-CT exaCT XS and he has received a few enquiries for the machine, which made its debut in Singapore.

World Premiere:The Makino U6 Heat

A Wire EDM that is designed and built in Singapore, the

U6 Heat is shown to the world for the first time at MTA2013. It is said to be able to carry out high-speed machining with fine surface finish.

While the hardware part of the machine is instrumental in the performance of the machine, its control system arguably stole the limelight.

Known as the Hyper i, the intelligent controller is based on a touch screen principle. According to George Lim, sales and marketing VP, Makino Asia, this design appeals to the younger generation of operators. He said that based on feedback gathered from their customers, the younger operators prefer things to be simple and intuitive.

The control system also allows the users to do simple calculations like part cost, and logs information like job run and setting time, which can be used to gauge the productivity of an individual operator. Finally, the system can also provide assistance to users. The EDMAssist is a digital manual that allows fast access to documentation, which in turn facilitates troubleshooting, programming and operation.

Booth Number: 3D2-05

Booth Number: 4A2-01Booth Number: 3L1-06

N ew at MTA2013 is the Contestor XL bi-metal band saw blade from Lenox. Featuring a high speed steel on the edge tip according to Vincent Chai, sales manager (Bandsaw) Malaysia, Singapore & Vietnam of Lenox,

the blade is said to be capable of longer life.“This bimetal bandsaw would be different from the M42 but

equivalent to the M51 (grade). It is also hardened, has higher wear resistance and less susceptible to fatigue stress,” he said.

Designed for large and difficult-to-cut metals like titanium and Inconel, the blade mostly targets the oil & gas industry. It is also suitable for the aerospace industry where again, the difficult-to-cut metals come into play.

Mr Chai also revealed that the company carried out some tests and the blade fared well. “There is more than 30 percent increase in tool life when comparing with our top bi-metal series,” he said. Finally, he said the Contestor XL will be available around the world in the beginning of June this year.

Satisfied ExhibitorExhibiting alongside Metalis, Lenox’s local distributor at MTA2013, Mr Chai is one of many exhibitors that have commented on the quality of leads they received during the show.

“I like MTA Singapore, most of the people that come in here are looking for specific things that are related to metal. Some 80 percent of visitors actually need something from here. In Singapore (MTA2013), I can find people from India, Indonesia, Middle East and Europe,” he said.

Mr Chai’s glowing assessment of the show can probably be attributed to the number of enquiries he received, which currently stands at an excess of 50 (1030 hrs, April 11). He also remarked that most enquiries were made by existing and potential users, and he is confident that his distributor is capable of providing a one stop solution for his customers in Singapore.

Lenox Ready To Contest The Bandsaw Market

Vincent Chai

CP Chuah

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Booth Number: 4C1-01

Studer: Providing Ease In A Complex World

With the opening of the Seletar Aerospace Park, amongst other efforts to attract investors, Singapore is fast

becoming a hub for the aerospace industry. This is precisely why Studer brought in its latest grinding machine for the very first time, the Studer S41, displayed at the DKSH booth during MTA2013.

According to Rolf Grossenbacher,

sales director at Fritz Studer, the machine is equipped with linear motors in all axes, along with high precision and speeds of up to 20 m/min. He added that for machines with linear motors, this “is the first machine in such a size, on such a high precision level.”

While the machine benefits those from the aerospace industry most, it is applicable for universal processes and

designs. As such, it is also useful to those from the automotive, tooling and mould and die industries. “The reason is that this machine offers such a wide variety of possible configurations, that any customer can find a solution from the machine,” Mr Grossenbacher explained.

The rise of such adaptable machines is in part, a response to changing demands. With increasing globalisation and a greater emphasis on education and training, Mr Grossenbacher said that Asia is now delving into complex machining, “which can operate several operations at one go, in one set up, to keep the lead time short and to produce very precise parts.”

To tackle these demands, he reveals that his company is embarking on research that involves the integration of several technologies into one machine. “It is very important that we tackle the demands of these customers who go for high precision and high complex parts,” he said. Yet, there is no use for the latest machining technologies if people do not know how to use it. “We still need to teach the engineers to utilise this machine to the best extent,” he advocated.

Rolf Grossenbacher (R)

W ith a global economic slowdown, together with increased competitiveness from emerging markets in

Asia, how does Singapore maintain its edge in the manufacturing industry?

Becoming Partners Through InnovationDespite increasing competition, Singapore’s manufacturing industry still manages to hold its own by venturing into high growth industries and focusing on innovative and high value production. By Sherlyne Yong

Sharing his vision for the future, Tan Hui Khim, director of Supplier Development at the Economic Development Board (EDB) said: “We want to develop Singapore to be a globally competitive

supplier ecosystem, to support the PE manufacturing industries in Singapore. How do we engage the region? By being a control tower for more resource-intensive manufacturing in the region.”

Speaking at the Precision Engineering Centre of Innovation (PE COI) conference 2013, Mr Tan, along with other presenters, shared their hopes for the future as well as potential ways to get there. While the topics differed and speakers were from various aspects of the industry, they all shared the theme of innovation and challenging the unknown.

Building PartnershipsThe path towards greater sustainability and progress lies in high value industries such as aerospace, oil & gas and biomedical, which have a CAGR of more than 10 percent over the past 10 years. What this implies for SMEs is a paradigm shift from high volume manufacturing to that of high mix low volume manufacturing.

“We might not do production, but there are still many things in the manufacturing chain that Singapore can do,” Mr Tan assured. He believes that SMEs in Singapore’s manufacturing industry can leverage on the region to create a holistic

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solution, and encourages them to take on the role of co-designers with MNCs.

“Your customers have the product know-how, you have the process know-how. You know how to make it. Can you help them to design for manufacturing? How do you translate the blueprint into the product?” he asked.

The answer to these questions is innovation. Only by investing in technological know-how can an SME’s capabilities be enhanced. As Dr John Yong, director of PE COI, aptly phrased it: “SMEs can also be a technology leader. They can provide new technology solutions to companies. So if you can do that, the MNC will see you as a partner rather than supplier, because you offer them something they can put in their product to make them unique.”

Closing The GapsEven though the outlook for the industry is generally positive, there are still some areas that can be further improved on. Dr Yong revealed that the PE SMEs are currently facing a labour shortage, are strongly dependent on MNCs, and also lacking in unique capabilities, engineering design capabilities, R&D activities and SME partnerships.

In contrast to this, the PE COI envisions PE SMEs to be specialised and to have a strong innovation culture along with close SMEs partnerships by 2020. By collaborating with each other through partnerships, SMEs can better engage MNCs with total solutions. Such integration will also drive cross innovation and inculcate a strong innovation culture.

Dr Yong believes that for big jumps in margin, innovation is required. This comes in five different forms, namely that of materials, process, product, operations, and business model innovation, and each aspect has been exemplified during the talks at the conference.

Adding Value To ManufacturingOne example of process innovation is 3D additive manufacturing (3D AM), an up and coming process that fronts the ‘third industrial revolution’. “This topic is quite hot worldwide, not just in Singapore,” said Dr Wei Jun, group manager at SIMTech.

Elaborating on its popularity, he explained that it is all due to the process’ ability to be employed in many different sectors, including that of aerospace, automotive, oil & gas, PE, and bioengineering.

In addition, 3D AM is advantageous for uses like producing low volume products, where costs are much lower as there is no need for moulds. In terms of design, it provides much more geometric freedom, and can measure and cater for complex geometries unlike conventional casting.

To top it off, it has high part functionality where one component may boast the use of different materials or densities, in addition to product customisation and improved environmental sustainability as compared to subtractive manufacturing.

However, he adds that 3D AM is more of a complementary technique, which should be used together with other manufacturing techniques, the result of which is hybrid manufacturing. As an example of how this process has gained traction, GE has plans to

produce turbines manufactured by 3D AM, together with Airbus, which aims to produce fuselage with that process in 2050.

Exemplars Of InnovationInjecting innovation into one’s business is typically more than an act of serendipity. It requires effort, as well as determination and courage. This can be seen in the case of Bioscaffold International, where Dr Margam Chandrasekaran, CEO of the company shared how they turned their focus into R&D, the process of technology commercialisation and the hurdles faced in obtaining regulatory approvals.

“Innovations and integrations can be a strategy,” said Philip Loh, MD at PJI Contract, who believes that development efforts should also be focused on creating integrated products that combine existing capabilities with other technologies. This, he achieved by combining material innovation with integration, thereby making his core technology available in a variety of products targeted at both business and consumer levels.

In another case of product innovation, Berne Chung, MD of Component Tech, illustrated how his company transitioned from an equipment distributor to an equipment manufacturer. Venturing into wire bond inspection systems, the company launched the world’s first 3D wire bond system and now occupies 95 percent of the 2D/3D wire bond inspection market. “However, ideas and technology alone is not enough,” said Mr Chung, as he reminded the crowd that a stable and functional product is still more important than fancy ideas.

Tan Hui Khim Dr John Yong Dr Wei Jun

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I n a typical takeoff roll, once a plane reaches the ‘V1’ speed, this is arguably known as the speed that the aircraft can no longer stop

with the amount of runway left. In a way, this aviation term aptly describes where the Singapore aerospace industry is at the moment. It is currently taking off and it has to lift off no matter what. As to what will happen during the flight, nobody knows for sure but the ‘weather forecast’ for the industry according to Dr Aloysius Tay, chief executive of the Association of Aerospace Industry Singapore (AAIS), is going to be fair for now.

“This year (2012) has been generally good. CAGR will probably be 10 percent, like it has always been. With the Seletar Aerospace Park now up and running, 2013 will be better as companies who have been establishing themselves this year (2012) would have started productive operations. Big companies like Rolls-Royce should ramp up production cycles from 2013 as they become more settled in their new home,” he said.

Despite several dark clouds on the horizon, namely the Europe debt crisis and the talk of China’s growth slowing down, Dr Tay is confident the industry is poised to weather the turbulence.

“In fact, the problems in the US and Europe pose good opportunities for Asia. As the US currency is weak, this means purchasing becomes cheaper for us. With Europe being unstable, we see European companies coming here to establish a presence,” he added.

For China, Dr Tay feels that the market is “self-sustaining.” He said with increasing affluence in the Chinese

Singapore Plots A Stable Flight PathThe Singapore aerospace industry is expected to cruise even with some light turbulence expected ahead. By Joson Ng

society, the demand for air travel will increase as well. The Chinese engineering companies and some of those outside the country will stand to benefit.

Technology Trends Dr Tay pointed out a key trend in the industry that will affect the manufacturing job shops in Singapore; it is the usage of composite materials. Said Dr Tay: “We see, in terms of airframes, that we have moved away from sheet metal to composite materials. Therefore, there will be a big demand for skill sets in composite materials. Our workers need to equip themselves with relevant skills as we are talking about bonding rather than riveting now.”

Composite materials bring obvious advantages from a designing and application point of view but when it comes to machining, it introduces a new set of challenges. New technologies and techniques will have to be learned quickly in order for local job shops to keep up. Although companies in Singapore are investing in new technologies, they need to use them in a correct manner, according to Dr Tay.

“Companies are using five axis machines to manufacture sophisticated parts. However, it is not the technology that we are worried about today. It is the people who handle the technology. For example, workers who can handle three axis machines perfectly may still handle the five axis machines like a three axis machine, resulting in the underutilisation of the technology,” he said.

He hopes companies will send their operators for training to use their high-tech machines efficiently because it defeats the purpose of investing in new

technology when companies are not getting the most out of it.

Staying AheadA stable government, good IP protection, modern infrastructure, skilled workforce and stable currency are some of the strengths of the Singapore aerospace industry according to Dr Tay. However, he did warn that these attributes can be emulated by any country if they wanted to. As such, Singapore needs to better manage cost and manpower issues in order to stay ahead of the chasing pack.

At the moment, Singapore is the Asian aerospace hub of choice with many MNCs setting up regional headquarters in the country. Her place as the premier aerospace hub will soon be challenged by neighbours Malaysia and the Philippines who, according to some reports, are eyeing a bigger share in the aerospace market.

When asked, Dr Tay expressed some concerns. He said: “In the short term, we should still be viable. However, if we do not try to understand our neighbouring aerospace industries, we will be caught by surprise once they start to unveil what they can do. As such, we should start looking at these countries, their supply chain and explore ways we could collaborate with them to enhance our value. We need to engage them.”

Productivity RulesAAIS is very active in promoting ‘AeroProductivity’. In his interactions with the industry’s players, Dr Tay has picked up that workflow is an important concept in many of Singapore’s aerospace shops.

He said: “In the last two to three years, a lot of shop managers have been talking about processes and systems. Like the metalworking industry, it is the system and the process flows that directly influence output. It is therefore important for us to always ensure our systems and processes are at their optimum productivity levels.”

He added that shop managers are looking at the prioritisation of tasks and many shops are now looking at using systems to help them see which tasks are priorities.

Besides productivity, repeatability in manufacturing is also crucial. In conclusion, he said: “If companies want to serve the aerospace industry, they need to ensure quality in their products. Accuracy in production is very important because we cannot afford gaps that are not supposed to be there in an airplane. The accuracy of component manufacturers is the key to success.”

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Singapore owed much of its economic growth to manufacturing. With cost being an issue more than ever, remanufacturing has become an attractive proposition as the country tries to position itself as the remanufacturing hub of Asia. By Joson Ng

Remanufacturing Singapore

The Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned about 400 years from the 14th to the 17th century. It began in Italy and

later spread to the rest of Europe. Fast-forward 300 years, another renaissance is happening, this time in Asia, and in manufacturing. A popular technology in the US and Europe, remanufacturing has been knocking on Asia’s door for sometime now and for Singapore at least, the door has been truly opened.

The country has established the Advanced Remanufacturing & Technology Centre (ARTC) to look into R&D of remanufacturing technologies that can be adopted by the industries.

The centre is modelled after successful manufacturing R&D centres in the UK and will provide a platform for SMEs to work with MNCs to develop capabilities and ultimately seize business opportunities in remanufacturing. It will also tap on A*STAR’s SIMTech R&D expertise in automation, manufacturing systems and processes along with capabilities from local universities.

Three Tiers Of PartnershipThe structure of the consortium is divided into three tiers with the MNCs holding tier one and two positions and the SMEs, which currently stand at eight, grouped into tier three.

The tier one companies will no doubt provide the main thrust in terms of technology and finances. Currently, Rolls-Royce, Gamesa, Boeing and Siemens Industry Software have committed themselves to the project. For the big hitters in the aviation industry, Rolls-Royce and Boeing, this is only part of their strategy in developing a global network of advanced manufacturing

research centres.Said Dr Hamid Mughal, chairman of

ARTC programme board, who is also Rolls-Royce’s executive VP in manufacturing engineering and technology: “Rolls-Royce have joined hands with universities, research organisations and industrial partners such as Boeing to promote a collaborative model of manufacturing research. The advanced manufacturing research centre at Sheffield (UK) is an example of this model. In the last few years, we have championed the development of a global network of these centres, we call these the AxRC network.”

Siemens Industry Software is another company that has prior collaborative experience in a remanufacturing research facility.

“We have had successful relationship in a similar context in other places in the world, namely the US and UK. They are similar collaborations between governments and the industries. We participated in those ventures because we have enough ambition as a company to be in the forefront of initiatives,” said Rajiv Ghatikar, VP and GM, ASEAN/Australasia, Siemens Industry Software.

Green Is The New GoldRemanufacturing impacts the environment in a positive way with many pointing to the reduction in pollution, material depletion and landfill demands. In addition, it also helps save energy. Although saving the environment is a worthwhile cause, attaching a good business proposition to it makes pursuing remanufacturing all the more compelling.

According to a report by Global Industry Analysts, the global automotive remanufacturing market is to reach US$104.8

billion by 2015. When going green is rewarded with

gold, in this case billions of dollars, it is easy to see why people are jumping onto the remanufacturing bandwagon whatever their motivations are.

In addition to business and environment, the technology is also apparently useful to the economy as it is believed to create more high value employment and plays a supporting role to other industries.

The Automotive Parts Remanufacturers Association (APRA) estimates that there are more than 500,000 jobs in the remanufacturing industry and they include products as diverse as automotive and truck parts, toner cartridges, electronic equipment, cell phones, office furniture, locomotive, electrical transformers, air conditioning compressor units for office buildings, off-road construction equipment, agriculture and mining equipment, hydraulic pumps for all types of applications, and the list goes on.

Technologies On OfferWith remanufacturing defined as the practice that recovers products from commercial usage and transforming them into like-new goods to be reintroduced into the marketplace, repair and restore have become the key enablers for remanufacturing to take place.

Coupling these with the centre’s mission in providing the evolution of high-value technologies in repair and manufacturing and bridging the gap between innovative ideas and production ready solutions, it comes as no surprise that ARTC is loaded with such technologies in order to enable the complete repair of valuable and complex parts.

• Repair & RestorationThe centre is expected to provide three technologies, namely Laser Aided Additive Manufacturing (LAAM), laser coating removal and adaptive machining dynamics. LAAM adds material in the form of powder or wire to produce fully dense components. This enables the repair of aero-engine components and machine tools among others.

Laser coating removal uses laser beam to ablate unwanted materials such as coating and surface contaminants. Finally, adaptive machining dynamics develop a toolkit to identify optimal machining parameters. It can help eliminate chatter marks on machined surfaces and result in better surface integrity.

• Surface Enhancement Surface enhancement is also an important part of remanufacturing. The ARTC provides three technologies in this respect. They are physical vapour deposition system, magneto-rheological finishing and drag finishing.

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Optical Gaging (S) Pte Ltd21 Tannery Road, Singapore 347733Tel: 65 6741 8880Fax: 65 6741 8998

Singapore • Malaysia • Indonesia • India • Hong Kong • South China Thailand • Philippines • Vietnam • Taiwan • Australia • New Zealand • Middle East

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SmartScope ZIP 250 is available with an optional 300 mm of X-axis travel.

Visit our OGS Booth at 3F2-01

E-mail: sales@smartscope.com.sgWeb: www.smartscope.com.sg

The physical vapour deposition system involves the transfer or deposition of coating material on an atomic level in a vacuum chamber. PVD coating is used to reduce friction or improve tooling performance. Rapid magneto-rheological finishing uses magneto-rheological fluid-based media for surface finishing of external freedom surface. It contributes to improvement in the uniformity of product quality and reduction of production cost through automation.

Drag finishing is able to provide both aggressive deburring and pre-coating finishing. It is a precise mass finishing technique for surfaces that complements other abrasive process. It provides a solution for components that cannot tolerate part on part contact.

• Product VerificationInspections are essential in almost every stage of remanufacturing. Technologies like intuitive robot teaching, sonic NDT and predictive health monitoring will no doubt be of use.

Intuitive robot teaching can be implemented on an industry robot for many processes. Sonic NDT is a hand-

held NDT system that allows users to scan a composite for detecting defects like delaminations, disbands, kissing bonds and crushed core. Finally, predictive health monitoring uses processing algorithms and a statistical model to detect faults in machine tools. Also used to detect faults in spindles and cutters, the quality of the machining process and the tool usage can be prolonged.

The Road AheadRemanufacturing restores expensive used

parts to their original luster and gives them a new lease of life. With support from both the public and private sectors, this technology targets real problems and provides real solutions and fits nicely into Singapore, a country that is seeking to reinvent itself.

It would be some time before the completion of ARTC at Greentech Park two but the remanufacturing die has been well and truly cast in Singapore. With more companies poised to join in the future, this green movement looks set to gain real momentum in the country.

Predictive health monitoring uses processing algorithms and statistical model to detect faults in machine tools

10 Snapshots From Day 3

Signed and sealed: business concluded at MTA2013

Tuerxun Simayi showing the benefits of 3D scanning

Future Cho and Kelly Yoon, the dynamic duo of Better Tools

Showing cutting edge technology is Sutton Tools A bird’s eye view of MTA2013

The great minds behind Hurco

Providing CAM solutions at MTA2013 is Techtown

The folks at TYT giving the thumbs up

Ready to answer any enquiries

11

For more information, please contact: Randy TeoBusiness Development ManagerTel: (65) 6379 2867HP: (65) 9101 9995Email: randyteo@epl.com.sg

Melvin WongSales ManagerTel: (65) 6379 2866HP: (65) 9747 7208Email: melvinwong@epl.com.sgwww.equipment-news.com

Indonesia’s Burgeoning Automotive Industry Making Headlines

Toyota To Increase Production Capacity In IndonesiaToyota City, Japan: PT Toyota Motor Manufacturing Indonesia (TMMIN), Toyota Motor Corporation’s (TMC) vehicle production subsidiary in Indonesia, plans to increase the annual production capacity at its currently-under-construction Karawang Number two plant to 120,000 vehicles from an

originally planned 70,000 vehicles.

The plant is scheduled to start production in early 2013 with an initial capacity of 70,000 units. The capacity at the No. 2 Plant is planned to increase to 120,000 in early 2014, bringing the number of new employees to approximately 1,500. The total

investment for the construction and capacity increase at the plant is expected to be JPY41.3 billion (US$520 million).

Together, the Karawang plant one and two will give the company an annual production capacity of 230,000 vehicles in Indonesia in early 2014, with further exports to be considered.

Suzuki To Construct A Plant In IndonesiaJakarta, Indonesia: PT Suzuki Indomobil Motor (SIM), subsidiary of Suzuki Motor Corp in Indonesia, has acquired site for constructing a plant in Indonesia, a growing market of automobiles and motorcycles.

The site acquired by SIM is in the industrial zone located east of Jakarta with an area of approximately 1.3 million sq m, and the investment for this acquisition is approximately JPY10 billion (US$126 million).

The acquisition is aimed to increase the local content rate by bringing forward the internal production. It is scheduled to construct the engine manufacturing plant, which includes manufacturing of parts by forging, casting, and aluminum die-cast.

The company currently has two plants in Indonesia with production capability of 1 million motorcycles and 80,000 automobiles per year. With this acquisition of the site, Suzuki will be capable of consolidating the plants and enhancing the production capability in the future.

A cornerstone of metrology, the CMM has evolved with time and even as the basic set up of the equipment has largely

been unchanged over the years, new developments are available usually as ‘add-ons’. These auxiliary attachments generally improve the whole system by bringing in new applications that open up new possibilities.

The adoption of these accessories not only makes the CMM more versatile, it also helps the age-old machine cross the threshold between contact and non-contact metrology. In today’s world of

metrology, the newly acquired versatility has high significance as advancements in electronics, computers and sensors have indirectly set the bar higher for manufacturing tolerances. This ultimately translates to a need for a more flexible CMM.

Breaking New GroundsWhen mounted to a Bridge CMM, a laser scanning probe is suitable for situations where there is a need to inspect similar parts repeatedly. These probes, such as the ScanShark V4ix laser scanning probe by Brown & Sharpe works by laser triangulation

according to the manufacturer.Where multiple measurements on

certain features are required using tactile probes, this technique allows certain features to be measured in a single pass as typically a laser line consisting of several hundred points are reflected off the surface to the camera chip. On easy to dent surfaces, this technology may be worth adopting.

Increasing PerformanceAttachments like laser scanning probes increase the CMM’s base of operation. However, CMM can be retrofitted with vision probes to magnify its range of accuracy as well.

The QVP Vision Probe from Mitutoyo brings functions to the CMM when it comes to measuring flat surfaces, elastic materials and small dimensions.

With its vision processing speed, the probe improves the total throughput time of inspection, thereby improving efficiency and cost effectiveness. According to the manufacturer, when used together with a CMM, the equipment can measure a hole less than 1 mm in diameter. This feature is typically out of range for traditional contact type probes.

It is time to change that default setting on the CMMs as the influence of non-contact metrology sweeps into the traditional realm of tactile measurement. By Michael E Neumann

Touch Free Is Now The Perfect Touch

David Jones, London, UK

If your phone is equipped with QR-code recognition software, you will be directed to our homepage.

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/ / simply more success

MTA 2013, Singapore

9 – 12 April 2013

Hall: 4B, Booth: 4B2-01