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RML Automation
Overview
Introduction
The Knowledge
Pre-gained Knowledge
Project Specific Knowledge

Intellectual property issues

Video downloads

RELATED LINKS
RML Automation website

IN THE NEWS
New innovative robotic system for the dairy sector
TVNZ Business News 1 July 2009 (3.42)

PDF version to view and print
PDF version (164kb)
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Published:
June 2007
Technologists' Practice June 2007
Materials Manufacturing Systems YEARS 11-13

Cover image of case study

RML Automation

RML automation is a Hamilton-based engineering firm that focuses on automated production lines. RML build and market machines globally, and also specialise in developing one-off solutions for companies when required. This project began when Nestlé Ice Cream, a confectionary company based in Melbourne Australia, approached RML with an issue – supermarkets had requested that their ice cream cartons be supplied in a new format that Nestlé's production line machines could not support.

Focus points include: Additional Material:

Characteristics of Technology

  • Interdisciplinary practice

Technological Modelling

  • Functional modelling
  • Prototyping

Company website

RML Engineering innovates dairy industry
tvnz.co.nz video

Teaching Activities

Discussion starters:

  • Explain how the collaboration of technologists from different disciplines impacted on the technological practice leading to the production of the s540 collator
  • What forms of functional modelling were used to inform the development of the collator? Explain how this evidence informed the development.
  • How was prototyping used to identify and mitigate risk? What refinements were made to the collator as a result of prototyping?