http:// 2012-09-24T07:34:36Z 2012-09-24T07:34:36Z mining-oil-amp-gas-maintenance-onsite-weld-preparation-for-maximum-equipment-uptime

Mining in Australia is still booming as a result of soaring demand for commodities from resource-hungry economies such as Indonesia, China and India. Consequently, maximum equipment uptime is essential. For maintenance and repair of equipment which cannot be move to the workshop, Advanced Robotic Technology (ART) now offers a portable, multi-function CNC machining system, providing a broad range of machining functions onsite. Mining is on a precipice of exciting change. Volatile and emerging markets, new technologies, increased customer demands, a dynamic workforce and riveting business model change poise the modern miner to become different, to become smarter. Looking forward, mining companies will have critical choices to make about every aspect of their business. They can either innovate or stagnate. One important area for innovation is maintenance: Massively capital-intensive, mining business performance is tied to the availability, maintenance, financing and deployment of assets. Every moment without the right equipment or transportation can have severe effects on productivity and profitability for miners. Repairs often create “double jeopardy” for mining companies as emergency fixes have high costs while the asset is simultaneously down and not producing revenue. Downtime, and the clock is ticking. As a result, it is important to have the right equipment at hand and onsite if a piece of critical mining equipment, which cannot be moved to the shop, is broken. Some workpieces are simply too heavy to be transported to the machine or even too large to be machined on a conventional CNC machine. Portable CNC plasma cutters Consequently, the machine has to be transported to the workpiece, which is a very common scenario in industries working with large machinery, such as the mining or oil & gas industries. For these industries, Brisbane-based Advanced Robotic Technology (ART) now offers the Metaltek modular multi-function CNC machining system. This new breed of machine is fully portable and is able to provide a broad range of machining functions in the field and workshop. Processes such as face milling, drilling, pocketing, bevelling, thread milling, tapping, plasma and oxy profiling as well as surface mapping (probing) and reverse engineering through digitising are all available with this product range. One of the Metaltek developments is a portable 5-axis CNC weld preparation machine. The machine is fully portable and is able to process both curved and flat surfaces. The latest advancements in portable CNC plasma profile cutting gives customers faster feeds, higher acceleration and advanced motion control algorithms. Integrated 5-axis 3D torch control Moreover, innovative 5-axis technology ensures the machine is ideal for weld preparation, allowing bevel/contour cuts up to +/-45° in a single pass, drastically reducing time-intensive afterwork operations. Precise 5-axis motion control enables hole cutting and weld preparation on curved or flat surfaces. Accurate pierce height and cut height are essential for high-quality cutting and long consumable life. Automatic surface tracking along with the ART 3D motion controller enable previously unheard of capabilities in the field. According to ART Director David White, plasma technology is ideal for all grades of pressure vessels, boiler plates or tubes, which can be cut, edge prepared, ready to be welded. “The plasma cutting process is best-known for its simplicity and its ability to cut virtually any metal,” Mr White explains. “These qualities plus the productivity it yields have made plasma cutting a universally accepted metal cutting process with a range of capabilities and applications. Our new Metaltek range of portable CNC machines are built to the highest plasma technology standards.” The machine features high-torque servo drives, active dry fume extraction and filtration, intelligent torch height control, monocoque chassis design, auto sensing drill tools and rigid tapping, just to name a few, all developed to increase productivity and performance. Flexibility and automation ART’s ProfileShop V3 touchscreen controller combines ease of use with advanced features to automate all cutting settings, resulting in optimum cut quality. The touchscreen controller gives ultimate control over every job and user log-in enables functions suitable to each operator’s capabilities. Users can modify jobs at the machine, start, stop, adjust parameters and more with a touch of the finger. The optional pendant hand controller gives access to most functions when the operator is away from the main controller, which is often the case using a portable machine onsite. “We are very excited about our new range of portable CNC machines,” Mr White concludes. “Mining in Australia is still booming as a result of soaring demand for commodities from resource-hungry economies such as Indonesia, China and India. Consequently, machines need to be working 24/7 to keep up with demand. Our portable profile cutters can be very valuable for the mining industry, enabling significant improvements in equipment uptime, which means greater return on capital investment translating to millions of dollars a day increase in production.”About ART Advanced Robotic Technology (ART) is Australia’s premier manufacturer of CNC routers and plasma cutters, based in Brisbane, QLD. Since 1997 all ART machines have been manufactured to the highest standards in our purpose-built factory.  ART's range of CNC routers and plasma cutters are custom-built to meet industry specific requirements. Most ART machines in our CNC router or plasma cutter range can be modified to our customers’ specific business needs in regards to material dimensions and additional tooling requirements.   Contact: Advanced Robotic Technology (ART) Pty Ltd 57 Trade Street, Lytton, QLD, 4178 Ph:         07 3393 6555  Fax:        07 3393 6533  Email:  sales@advancedrobotic.com Web:     www.advancedrobotic.com  

2012-05-17T01:55:16Z art-releases-nesting-software-toolshop-2-0

Brisbane, 14 May 2012 - Advanced Robotic Technology, Brisbane, QLD, Australia’s premier manufacturer of CNC routers and plasma cutters, has released version 2.0 of its popular toolpathing and nesting software ToolShop. ToolShop, ART’s in-house developed and industry leading CAM package, has undergone a major re-engineering and now offers a whole suite of new features. “The primary focus of version 2.0 was on the integration with factory processes,” says ART Director David White. “ToolShop 2.0 can now talk to MRP software (manufacturing scheduling software) and enables manufacturers to schedule parts in the office and have them automatically cut in the factory.” ART ToolShop is a Windows-based software package that allows users to draw and import components using standard CAD tools. Using the many automated features found in ART ToolShop, users can quickly apply machining toolpaths and nest into material for minimal waste, ready for output to their CNC router or plasma cutter. ToolShop 2.0 can be fully integrated in existing processes and manages all necessary data such as CAD drawings, parts libraries or customer data. The software now features a full remote material library on the company network that allows the entry of sheet and plate stock levels, which are automatically subtracted when a nest is created on that sheet. “Although our customers have consistently been able to reduce production times with the current version of ToolShop, we realised that there was still room for improvement, particularly in inventory and off-cut management,” Mr White explains. “If a remnant is left over for instance, it is then added back to the material library as a unique one-off sheet. Priority is given to using remnants up first. Moreover, the software gives information about tool life and costs, so users have more control over their processes.” The extended material database can be hosted on a central server, so multiple ToolShop users can simultaneously get up-to-date information of current stock levels. The intelligent post processor is suitable for different machines, brands and processes including plasma cutters, lasers, routers or waterjets. Improved features include fully automatic toolpathing, auto nesting function, automatic cut order, auto lead in sizing and position, nest reports, cut time projections, remnant cut-off and full material management, excel and CSV file importing, improved true shape nesting algorithms and many more. “While ART is committed to producing high-tech solutions, we endeavour to keep the user controls as easy to use as possible,” Mr White explains. “Users will find that the simple and direct functionality of ART ToolShop is fast to learn and gives them excellent control over all production processes.”www.advancedrobotic.com

2012-02-09T04:37:49Z art-introduces-new-cnc-retrofit-service-expands-sales-network

Brisbane, 09 February 2012 - Australia’s premier manufacturer of CNC routers and plasma cutters, Advanced Robotic Technology (ART), is introducing a new service, which will allow manufacturers in Australia to retrofit their outdated CNC routers and plasma cutters with new state-of-the-art CNC motion controllers. A CNC retrofit counteracts the signs of ageing and modernises outdated flatbed machinery to improve productivity, enable new functions, and increase energy efficiency. “If the mechanics are still in good condition yet the control unit or drive is no longer state-of-the-art, CNC retrofit often is much more cost effective than buying a new system,” ART Director David White explains. “Also, a CNC retrofit will provide significant performance improvements, increased efficiency, and greater spare part availability.” The comprehensive package involves replacing the motion controller board and all relevant wiring inside the control box, as well as a new high end Windows 7 touch screen-based controller interface. Company Director and co-founder David White took over full ownership of the company in late 2010 and has since introduced many new services and products to lead the company’s expansion efforts into new and existing markets. “While we see huge potential for growth in the local oil & gas industry, I believe we will see long-term growth coming from overseas markets such as the United States,” he explains. As part of these efforts, ART has recently appointed a new distributor in the U.S. to support the local target market. Consulting and Field Service Engineer Brad Westenhover (www.cncminimills.com) together with ART’s ToolShop software distributor Dean Fowell will support ART’s move to increase export business as part of the company’s strategic plan to grow markets outside Australia. Additionally, Mr White expects positive impacts on sales through a new business structure, including a new re-organised marketing and sales team and improved production processes.“2012 is going to be a big year for us,” he says. “Our existing tried and tested machinery as well as our extended product and services range have generated a lot of interest amongst our customer base and our order books are really starting to fill up.” The company’s constant investment in R&D and its commitment to quality has secured a global recognition in the market and has resulted in an ever-expanding product range. Currently, ART is developing a revolutionary new portable CNC Engineering Solution under the metaltek brand, designed to take the workshop into the field, and will soon release version 2.0 of its popular toolpathing and nesting software ToolShop. Stay up-to-date with developments and news from ART here www.advancedrobotic.com/blog/and visit our website for further information www.advancedrobotic.com.

2011-08-11T04:48:08Z austech-2012-encouraging-investment-in-new-technology

Austech 2012, Australia’s premier advanced precision manufacturing and machine tool exhibition, is now open for bookings. Companies are invited to secure their stand for next year’s show, which will once again line up with National Manufacturing Week (NMW) at the Sydney Showground from 8 to 11 May 2012, to gain exposure and recognition within the industry.Austech is the absolute leading trade show for the sector, displaying an unequalled width and depth of products and services throughout all production areas in Australia, from machine tools to precision tools, automation components to customised systems and additive manufacturing techniques. While the machine tool industry remains cautious when it comes to capacity upsizing –not least in view of the resurgent uncertainty generated by current financing problems in Europe and the U.S. – for the year’s second half and the current financial year, AMTIL CEO and exhibition Director Shane Infanti expects demand to increase and to be further boosted by Austech 2012. However, he also encourages government to implement measures to create incentives for investment in new technology. “Encouraging investment in new technology is essential if Australia is to keep pace with international competition,” he says. “We need a major incentive program developed, and quickly. We have reached a critical time and we need to implement some measures now.” “Austech plays its part in showcasing the latest technology and provides a stimulus for investment. A government program around accelerated depreciation or another incentive to invest in capital could provide the final key.” While Australia continues to be globally competitive in the design and manufacturing of products, Mr Infanti continues to say that “we are slowly falling below par in our investment in technology. The GFC, interest rates, access to finance, order uncertainty and the carbon tax have all played a role in creating an environment where confidence and willingness to invest is being eroded.” The government has an important role to play in reversing this trend, and AMTIL also runs several initiatives and projects aiming to improve the performance and output of Australia’s advanced manufacturing industry by helping companies to fully integrate new technology or processes into the entirety of their business operations. Austech forms a central part of these initiatives and is a ‘must-attend’ event for every manufacturer looking for efficient technology to be competitive on the global market. Please visit our dedicated website www.austechexpo.com.au, which provides exhibitors and visitors with an online forum tailored to their needs, including easy online registration and stand booking information, a list of exhibitors, as well as the latest related news and floor plans.Contact:Australian Manufacturing Technology Institute Limited (AMTIL) Ms Kim Warren Ph: 03 9800 3666 Email: kwarren@amtil.com.au www.austechexpo.com.au, www.amtil.com.auMore manufacturing news

2011-07-12T07:02:57Z manufacturing-opportunities-abound-in-expanding-mining-sector

There is not a day that goes by that you can’t find an article about the challenges Australian manufacturers are facing in order to remain globally competitive. But there are many believers in the sector who see opportunities despite the extraordinary rise of the Aussie dollar. It’s that positive vibe which saw a leading manufacturing index last month hit positive territory for the first time in four months. And for just the second time in 10 months, the AIG/PricewaterhouseCoopers Australian Performance of Manufacturing Index scraped above the magical 50-point level separating expansion from contraction – improving from 47.7 to 52.9 in June.Business sentiment is more positive compared to a few months ago, particularly for suppliers to the mining industry, which is expanding to meet Chinese demand for raw materials and pushing the job market near a level the government views as full employment. In the period from March quarter 2005 to September quarter 2010 new private capital expenditure increased by 73.0% (or $12,140m) to $28,768*. The mining industry accounted for 66.2% (or $8,034m) of this increase. Given this, there has been growing interest in the mining industry and its impact on the Australian economy.The performance of the mining industry in recent years has had positive downstream effects on other industries. The resource processing industry (a part of the manufacturing industry) is a clear example of positive downstream effects from increased mining activity. A large proportion of mining related manufacturing occurs in the industry primary metal and metal product manufacturing. The initial upswing in mining capital expenditure was matched by capital expenditure in this downstream manufacturing industry.Local communities in Queensland and WA are also benefitting from the mining and resources industries. The inaugural Surat Basin Mining and Energy Expo ended last month with organisers hailing the event a total success. Advanced Robotic Technology (ART) were among the 400 exhibitors, and according to National Sales Manager Rod Brown, who attended the two-day event, the show was a tremendous success for the specialist supplier of CNC routers and plasma cutting machines based in Brisbane, QLD.“There have been many people interested in becoming involved with the mining and energy sectors,” he says. “The Toowoomba region hosts many manufacturing shops servicing the booming mining sector, and those companies have a huge demand for quality equipment to manufacture parts on time and to the desired quality.”For heavy-duty manufacturing environments as frequently found in the mining sector where power, precision, speed, quality, low cost, productivity and durability are demanded by business owners, ART has developed a high definition CNC plasma cutter series. “The HDP CNC plasma cutters are highly accepted in Australian heavy-duty manufacturing shops and generated a lot of interest among leading engineering companies for the mining industry during the Toowoomba show from 22 to 23 June 2011,” Mr Brown says.The HDP plasma cutter offers precise heavy-duty cutting of steel, stainless steel and aluminium and comes with a process area from 3700mm x 1900mm up to 15000mm x 3200mm. “The machine delivers economic processing of high-standard cut components with an edge quality that is comparable with laser cutting,” Mr Brown explains. “Moreover, an efficient fume extraction system ensures the air is kept clean at all times.”“The expo has certainly highlighted the opportunities that are available in the mining and energy sectors,” Mr Brown says. “From now on, the event will be an annual fixture on our business calendar as we continue to develop our heavy-duty range of plasma cutters to even further contribute to our customers’ success by giving them a competitive advantage.”www.advancedrobotic.com *Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics

2011-07-12T07:00:44Z art-releases-affordable-feature-rich-and-precise-smart-xr-plasma-cutter

Manufacturers are tightening their belts in a tight economy. But there are good reasons to make equipment investments and bring cutting jobs in-house. In order to remain competitive, shops have to provide their customers with the best combination of product cost, quality and delivery time. Investing in an in-house CNC plasma cutting machine can help meet delivery deadlines and improve product quality while high productivity ensures lower costs. Getting started in in-house plasma cutting is now affordable: ART has introduced the new SMART XR plasma profile cutting machine, designed with a small footprint to suit small to mid-sized shops. Getting started in in-house plasma cutting is now affordable: Advanced Robotic Technology (ART), Brisbane, QLD, has introduced the new SMART XR plasma profile cutting machine, designed with a small footprint to suit small to mid-sized shops. The SMART XR plasma cutter offers reliable plasma technology at a low investment cost, yet featuring a high level of performance and features. Available in 1.6 and 1.9m wide process areas, the machine is designed to work with most commonly available sheet and plate sizes and thicknesses. The large user-friendly touch screen controller runs the latest version of ART’s ProfileShop software. ART has developed this world-leading front-end CNC machine software for use on all ART machines. ProfileShop allows unparalleled usability over all machine functions through the company’s innovative touch-screen interface, giving the user control over each job while maintaining simplicity of use. On-screen displays give up to date information on settings and plain-English messages warn of low gas pressure and other information. The controller features a comprehensive internal database which is optimised with settings for each material to make cutting a breeze. Moreover, the SMART XR plasma profile cutters are fully integrated with Hypertherm’s fourth generation PowerMax plasma torches. Operators now can easily cut metal that may have been hard to process in the past. Smart Sense technology automatically adjusts gas pressure to the cutting mode and consumable selection. Spring Start technology in the electrode increases reliability by eliminating moving parts in the torch body. In addition to reducing production costs by improving productivity, PowerMax systems run on shop air. There’s no need for bottled gases. And the technology improvements incorporated in new plasma systems can result in lower costs from longer consumable life. ART’s intelligent torch height control (THC) ensures correct piercing and cutting by providing optimal height during cutting for good results and long consumable life. The integrated THC includes an initial height-sensing mechanism and voltage control settings. Therefore, before every cut, the torch senses the plate so that it can pierce at the correct pierce height. The arc voltage is set so that the cutting height remains constant for the duration of the cut. Multiple stage pierce height allows the torch to pierce low, then retract to a safe distance to allow spatter to escape during piercing, then return to the optimum height to begin cutting. This feature also adds to the already impressive consumable life, as well as enabling piercing of thicker plate. The new SMART XR plasma series features high-speed AC servo motorscoupled to quality German planetary gear and rack and pinion drives; these work in conjunction with theadvanced motion control algorithms to give the highest quality cut available with air plasma. ART offers comprehensive on-site training, phone support and long warranties.To find out more about ART’s SMART XR plasma profile cutters as well as other CNC plasma cutteroptions and the company’s range of CNC routers, please visit www.advancedrobotic.com.

2011-05-10T08:22:38Z automated-duct-board-and-fibreglass-cutting-boosts-productivity

10 May 2011 - By nature, manual processes can be far more costly than those that are automated with the right tools. However, for certain types of operations, the motivation to automate goes beyond potential cost and time savings. Cutting a batt or sheet of fiberglass insulation can be messy and frustrating. The fiberglass is fuzzy and difficult to cut straight. At NT-based Veetemp, a manufacturer of heating and airconditioning systems, company director Stephen Howe realised the potential of an automated duct board and fibreglass cutting process and went on a journey to find the best solution for the established business, specialising in commercial installations, and decided to invest in an ART XR4800d SMART router. Until recently, no one had developed an automated system dedicated to manufacturing duct board, fibreglass and other insulation material used in the HVAC&R industry. In 2010, Australia’s premier manufacturer of CNC routers and plasma cutters, Advanced Robotic Technology (ART), launched its SMART Router series XR4800d with additional features designed to suit all applications within the heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration (HVAC&R) industry – and there is no other machine currently on the market offering the same advanced features and tools. “The HVAC industry is a very competitive industry,” says Mr Howe. “That’s why we decided to automate our duct board and fibreglass insulation cutting process in order to be more competitive and increase productivity.” Mr Howe looked at different machines from various manufacturers but says that there’s no alternative to the ART SMART router, which simply ticks all the boxes. “The tooling on it is amazing,” he comments. “There is nothing like it that I saw on the market. The toolchanger with the ten tools is superb, the software is brilliant, and having all the tools including a pizza cutter to cut fibreglass insulation available is ideal for our production needs. We can cut circular holes into duct board for our spigots, all done in one piece.” The gantry-mounted covered automated toolchanger turns creasing, variable-angle cutting, V-grooving and routing of insulated duct board into one efficient fully automated process. Other benefits include the elimination of mistakes and second cuts, no more marking out by hand, simplified complicated-angle cutting, complete dust removal for V-grooving and complete panels ready for joining done in one process. By adding the fourth axis, ART has created an all-rounder for more cost-effective applications in the air conditioning, heating, sign writing, ventilation and ducting industries, as well as many other manufacturing fields. With the capabilities of cutting most materials such as insulated duct board, plastic, wood, aluminium and foam to name a few, the ART SMART Router is a complete solution for financially sensitive applications. For Veetemp’s Stephen Howe there is no doubt his investment will pay off. “We expect the return on investment in under two years; and that's maintaining our normal profit level on our ductwork,” he comments. “The monthly costs for the machine are less than the costs for a worker, in fact, the machine gives us the equivalent of three workers. I’m very happy with it!”

2011-03-03T11:43:23Z optimum-tool-path-strategies-reduce-production-times

There are many components to an effective CNC machining process for fabrication shops. While a high-quality CNC machine is an important factor for the efficient machining of quality products, a good automatic tool pathing software package is equally as important and sets you apart from the competition by improving your product quality and value. No matter how sophisticated a CNC machine is, it can’t do anything without a tool and a tool path. Australia’s premier manufacturer of CNC routers and plasma cutters, Advanced Robotic Technology (ART), believes that sometimes full productivity gains have not been made by the latest CNC machine technology because of the inherent shortcomings in the off-line generation of tool paths. Increased productivity “The tool path has always been the weak link in the chain,” says David White, Director and co-founder of ART, Brisbane. “A high-quality cutting tool, driven by innovative tool path programs can increase productivity by as much as three times.” ART works with different software companies to match the correct tool path software to the production needs of each customer. Among these is the in-house developed multi-purpose ART ToolShop software, CAMduct/PM2000 for plasma cutters and large format routers in aluminium (including automatic patterns for ducting applications as an option), as well as ProNest for plasma cutters and EnRoute for advanced 2D and 3D CNC routing applications. EnRoute software for CNC routers EnRoute is able to take most CAD files and rapidly process them into NC files suitable for use on ART CNC machines. Specialised modules are available for 3D modelling, cabinetmaking, engraving, advanced nesting and most types of machining processes. “Generating an optimum tool path, optimum speed and feeds ensure a customer a heightened return on investment,” Mr White continues. “With the use of EnRoute Software for router applications, we discovered that it not only streamlines the CAD/CAM production cycle, it also takes on a whole new aspect of affordability, accuracy and uncompromising technical support allowing for maximum productivity.” Automatic tool pathing By utilising EnRoute Smart Tool Path technology, users can create a toolpath strategy that best fits their needs. This refers to the different types of toolpath creation methods. Users can set parameters for routing offset, hatch fill, island fill, drills, slots, pyramid and engraving. Powerful tool path techniques can be easily applied to any text or vector art. Text can have a bevelled "pyramid" effect that also includes a rough pass option to clear out extra material and an offset pass to cut out letters when completed. EnRoute software is designed to save time and make production processes more efficient. Automatic tool pathing (ATP) brings together many of the disciplines required into a fully automated environment. The software package is able to make many decisions on behalf of the operator by following predefined strategies – which means operators spend less time preparing design files for output to the CNC machines. EnRoute's ATP engine connects seamlessly with any CAD software to process layered DXF files and batched files into nested sheets, complete with drill holes, dados and layers ready for output to the machine. Minimising material waste How parts are positioned on the material plate is another important factor for increased efficiency in CNC machining. Parts positioning impacts both the amount of material that the job will consume and the machining time required to cut the parts. A shop’s profit margin is directly connected to part nesting.That's why it is important for CAD/CAM software to have a complete set of nesting algorithms that can find the optimum geometrical arrangement to simultaneously minimise material waste and maximise cutting times. Behind EnRoute's easy-to-use interface is a powerful CAD tool with a complete nesting suite that automatically finds the optimum geometry that minimises material waste and maximises machine efficiency. EnRoute will nest parts efficiently even on non-rectangular workspaces and automatically compensate for tooling fixtures or material flaws. With EnRoute, you can prioritise parts before nesting for an efficient workflow. To find out more about ATP software packages, nesting and tool path generation strategies please visit www.advancedrobotic.com. Please download our White Paper on that topic http://www.advancedrobotic.com/wp-tool-pathing.html

2010-12-07T08:11:32Z art-appoints-national-sales-manager

Brisbane, 07 December 2010 – Advanced Robotic Technology Pty Ltd (ART), Australia’s premier manufacturer of CNC routers and plasma cutters, has appointed Rod Brown to role of National Sales Manager. Rod has been previously employed by the company as its Sales Manager for plasma cutters.Rod's comprehensive career encompasses a number of technical roles in steel fabrication, mechanical engineering and hydraulics, before moving into the sales side of the Brisbane-based business. Rod also previously owned and operated an earthmoving contracting business with contracts in civil engineering and agricultural fields. In his new position, Rod’s responsibilities will include building strong relationships with clients, using his extensive knowledge of the industry to focus on delivering customer-driven solutions to ensure ART remains the dominating force in the flatbed CNC machine industry. “Rod has proved very successful as one of our leading sales people over the previous four years,” ART’s Director David White says. “Seeing the effort and personal interest that Rod has displayed towards his clients convinced us that he was exactly the right person to lead our sales team into the future. Rod is personally involved with every sale from an administration level to ensure that the customer is getting the best solution for his needs.”“We expect Rod to lead our enthusiastic sales team to new performance highs and develop our market throughout Australasia and the rest of the world,” says Shaun Gorman, ART’s Managing Director, and David adds “We are excited to see the energy and experience that Rod brings with him to the position of National Sales Manager.”“Since taking the reigns, Rod has already been instrumental in a complete overhaul of the sales department including the implementation of new sales tools and educational programs for all sales persons. We look forward to a new era of productivity that is going to be driven by Rod's determination and enthusiasm. Contact: Advanced Robotic Technology (ART) Pty Ltd57 Trade Street, Lytton, QLD, 4178 Ph:07 3393 6555 Fax:07 3393 6533 Email: sales@advancedrobotic.com Web: www.advancedrobotic.com

2010-09-08T03:05:11Z art-meets-changing-demands-in-trade-education

07 September 2010 – Australia’s premier manufacturer of CNC routers and plasma cutters, Advanced Robotic Technology (ART), has recently attended the Engineering TAFE Senate conference at Southwest TAFE, Warrnambool, VIC, to show how partnerships between ART and tertiary education providers around the country will be schooling up the next generation of Australian apprentices. According to ART’s Victorian Sales Manager Guy Gareffa, the conference proved to be a great success with a lot of interest generated from local Engineering TAFEs. “ART strongly believes educational facilities can value greatly from having this state-of-the-art machinery for students to train on,” he says. “ART’s CNC machinery has enabled manufacturers, both here in Australia and around the globe, to make huge increases in their productivity.” Peter Schreiner, Head of Department Engineering & Automotive, School of Manufacturing Services, University of Ballarat, VIC, recently acquired an ART 4800XP plasma profile table for the TAFE division to keep up with technology. “Many of our clients are upgrading to this type of technology and we needed to upgrade our equipment train our apprentices on industrial-level machines,” he says. “The ART plasma cutter is well-established in industry and our instructors find it easy to learn how to operate the machine, which is fully Australian-made – which is not a must-criteria for us, but certainly something that I pushed for.” Among many other education providers around the country, the Canberra Institute of Technology trains around 100 students a year on its SMART 4000 CNC plasma cutter, using computer aided drawings (CAD) to create various designs, in preparation for their chosen careers. “In times gone by, the accuracy of metal fabrication was limited to how steady your hand was,” says metal fabrication trades teacher Steven McMahon. “Tradespeople experienced particular difficulty cutting circles, notches, holes and angles. That’s not an issue anymore. If it can be drawn, it can be cut.” Mr McMahon explains why purchasing the SMART 4000 CNC plasma cutter was so important: “It is so important for education providers to keep up with changing industry practices in order to ensure we are meeting current industry standards. If we’re not keeping up with technology then we’re not able to provide students with the skills they will actually need once they reach the workforce.” Contact: Advanced Robotic Technology (ART) Pty Ltd 57 Trade Street, Lytton, QLD, 4178 Ph: 07 3393 6555 Fax: 07 3393 6533 Email: sales@advancedrobotic.com Web:www.advancedrobotic.com

2010-07-09T06:08:26Z art-launches-all-in-one-cnc-router-for-the-hvac-amp-r-industry

06 July 2010 – Australia’s premier manufacturer of CNC routers and plasma cutters, Advanced Robotic Technology (ART), has launched its SMART Router series XR4800d with additional features designed to suit all applications within the heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration (HVAC&R) industry. Combining the proven performance of its CNC flatbed routers with an additional fourth axis to run tooling suited to process insulated duct board, ART has developed a versatile machine that is set to automate the once very labour intensive cutting process of duct board panels. Duct board is a composite product manufactured from rigid, high-density Polyurethane or Phenolic and facing foil, gaining increased interest in duct insulation applications due to its high performance, cost-effectiveness and energy efficiency.By adding a fourth axis to its SMART Router series, ART transforms a once very messy job into a clean, automated process, offering the following and many more special tools designed for duct board cutting:-Variable angled knives,-steered reciprocating knives for duct board & fibreglass insulation etc.,-steered pizza cutter wheels for creasing and cutting a variety of insulation materials.The machine comes with a process area of 4000mm x 1600mm, perfectly sized for insulated duct board supplied in 4000mm x 1200mm as a standard. According to ART’s Director Peter Nolan, the SMART Router series is unique in the Australian marketplace, as the only 100% Australian-made machine designed for HVAC applications featuring an additional fourth axis for automatic tool changes including special tools such as knives. “By adding the fourth axis, we have created an all-rounder for more cost-effective applications in the air conditioning, heating, sign writing, ventilation and ducting industries, as well as many other manufacturing fields. With the capabilities of cutting most materials such as insulated duct board, plastic, wood, aluminium and foam to name a few, the ART SMART Router is a complete solution for financially sensitive applications.”To decrease production time, ART has equipped its SMART Router series with a gantry-mounted covered automated toolchanger, which turns creasing, variable-angle cutting, V-grooving and routing of insulated duct board into one efficient fully automated process. Other benefits include the elimination of mistakes and second cuts, no more marking out by hand, simplified complicated-angle cutting, complete dust removal for V-grooving and complete panels ready for joining done in one process.Other applications for the XR CNC router in the HVAC industry includes routing aluminium grilles and diffusers, brackets, components and louvers, just to name a few.ART is the only Australian manufacturer able to offer complete solutions for the HVAC&R industry by offering CNC routers and plasma cutters from a single source. Contact: Advanced Robotic Technology (ART) Pty Ltd57 Trade Street, Lytton, QLD, 4178 Ph:07 3393 6555 Fax:07 3393 6533 Email: sales@advancedrobotic.com Web: www.advancedrobotic.com

2010-06-06T22:25:56Z austech-2010-a-positive-atmosphere-and-customers-willing-to-invest-1

26May 2010 – Austech 2010 exceeded all expectations with increased visitor numbers signalling economic recovery. As one of the largest exhibitors, Advanced Robotic Technology (ART) registered more visitors than at previous Sydney shows, a positive sign for local industry slowly recovering from the crisis, ART Director Peter Nolan said. “Our innovative purpose-built CNC profile cutting machines on display, including modern automation, tooling and software solutions, attracted a lot of attention from visitors, and we are very pleased with the amount of generated high-quality leads, inquiries and orders placed during the four-day event.” The Brisbane-based company presented four of its latest model Australian-made CNC profile cutters during Austech 2010, held at the Sydney Showground from 11 to 14 May 2010, including the High Definition Plasma Table series with the newly released “True Hole” technology from Hypertherm in combination with rigid tapping, its popular SMART series of profile cutters, as well as the newly released RT series heavy duty router, which attracted special attention during the show.“This machine is the heaviest production router manufactured in this country by far, with an extremely rigid drive system and ART’s outstanding Profileshop control system,” Mr Nolan said. “The RT series will head up the line of innovative equipment and has already received attention from major overseas ship builders and manufacturers.”Affordable technologyAffordable but reliable profile cutters and accessories designed to increase efficiency at lower overall costs were also a major feature of ART’s stand.The SMART router XR4800, which was released at the previous Austech show, has been designed for more cost-effective applications in the air conditioning, heating, sign writing, ventilation and ducting industries, as well as many other manufacturing fields. With the capabilities of cutting most materials such as insulated duct board, plastic, wood, aluminium and foam to name a few, the ART SMART router is a complete solution for financially sensitive applications.The SMART router XR4800 uses Advanced Robotic Technology's very own ProfileShop controller software. ART ProfileShop is compatible with industry standard G-Code and NC Code, and is also compatible with most tool path generation software. Mr Nolan explained how ART supports its customers to be more efficient and competitive. “To decrease production time we offer our integrated tool changing system. The 10-tool linear bar allows our routers to complete highly complex jobs, using multiple tools with no user interaction, fast, clean and safe. Along with this, ART had on show its new patented 4th-axis steering system.”High-performance plasma cuttersART’s Smart XP for light sheetmetal and plate fabrication and the HDP CNC plasma 7500 profile table were also on display. The HDP CNC plasma is specifically designed for heavy duty manufacturing environments where power, precision, speed, quality, low cost, productivity and durability are demanded by business owners. Power is supplied by HyPerformance Plasma HPR130XD and HPR 260XD from Hypertherm, combining ultra fast cutting speeds, rapid process cycling and consistent superior quality. Coupled to the HDP series of high performance cutting tables is Hypertherm’s “True Hole” cutting technology. This advanced technology for mild steel produces significantly better hole quality than what could previously be achieved using plasma. This is delivered automatically without operator intervention, to produce unmatched plasma hole quality. With a hole quality at such a high standard, the ART HDP series, fitted with the drilling & tapping combination head, can with ease tap directly into the plasma-cut hole. This significantly reduces production times as multiple processes can be carried out on one machine. Contact: Advanced Robotic Technology (ART) Pty Ltd57 Trade Street, Lytton, QLD, 4178 Ph:07 3393 6555 Fax:07 3393 6533 Email: sales@advancedrobotic.com Web: www.advancedrobotic.com