Wenglor takes over 3D specialist ShapeDrive Wenglor has recently bought all shares in ShapeDrive GmbH to expand its innovative portfolio for 3D measuring technology and offer new solutions for automated manufacturing and quality assurance. ShapeDrive is an internationally leading manufacturer of components and systems in the field of 3D coordinate measuring technology for industrial, medical a n d s c i e n t i f i c a p p l i c a t i o n s. Automation and digitalisation are advancing with Industry 4.0, in which 3D image processing systems are expanding the opportunities provided by process automation and quality assurance. With Wenglor being a global leading supplier for industrial image processing, Treotham’s customers will gain from their expanded portfolio o f c a m e r a - b a s e d s e n s o r s and 2D/3D imaging sensors. The new camera systems from ShapeDrive are based on the projection of structured light patterns. The pixel sensors with various resolutions, working distances, measuring volumes and dot pitches create 3D point clouds by means of light, from which object sections can be quantitatively evaluated or reference model comparisons can be generated. The camera systems are above all distinguished by their high levels of precision, a comprehensive software package and numerous interfaces. www.engineeringnews.co.nz 9 Students use design thinking to solve industry problems Making breakfast and keeping the coffee coming for a room full of industry partners and Wintec staff was one of the easier challenges given to the first intake of students at Wintec’s Design Hub. The students were asked to cater for an industry breakfast to present the Design Hub, a new kind of creative environment where students with varied skillsets solve problems presented by industry partners. The Design Hub launched this year with 12 students who study Wintec courses from engineering to digital design. They are all in the final year of their degrees. Design Hub director Margi Moore will further develop its innovation activities over the next few years as a problem-solving project based at Wintec. “We decided to start small to test our approaches, gain confidence and learn by doing,” she says. “We have based our teaching model on the global network of design factories that began in Aalto University, Helsinki, Finland. They have a great track record for innovation which focusses on creating a solution through human-centred design, progressive teaching in positive learning environments, and working together with industry partners.” Industry partners Paul King and Russell Kean from Opus International Consultants challenged the students to come up with low-cost solutions to enable the remote monitoring of water supply networks. Paul says the experience was rewarding for the students, who put forward many smart solutions. “The student groups were given several significant real-world problems which they approached with both a professional attitude and great gusto. Without the shackles of a traditional design process (driven by cost), their concept proposals explored new themes that challenged the usual paradigms,” says Mr King. “Opus International Consultants was delighted to share its expertise with these up-and-coming designers and engineers. We see this partnership as a fundamental part of growing New Zealand’s pool of future talent,” says Mr Kean. The concept which engages students in design thinking, operates in a dedicated space that is open 24-hours a day. For the students, it’s a new learning concept which operates away from the traditional classroom-based learning. It’s also an opportunity to work in ways they never have previously and prototype new approaches to problems they may not encounter in their chosen field of study. In their first semester, Wintec’s Design Hub students are working in teams to solve industry problems for Opus and Waikato District Health Board (DHB). For Waikato DHB this includes how students can look at new ways to create interconnectedness online with patients through technologies like SmartHealth, and how Midland Trauma Systems can explore different ways to reduce quad bike incidents on farms. Of all quad bike injuries in the Midland region between 2012 and 2015, 76% were males, 70% occurred on farms, 10% on the road and 76 people sustained spinal injuries. The walls of the Design Hub room are covered in Post-it notes, ideas are formatted into groupings and inspiration is flowing. The Design Hub bridges the gap between Wintec and industry, challenging students to think, learn and collaborate in new ways. EN143 N E W S
EN-June2017-eMag2
To see the actual publication please follow the link above