SA Mechanical Engineer May 2019

S MECHANICAL A ENGINEER May 2019

Publication of the SA Institution of Mechanical Engineering, incorporating News of Associate Organisations

NEW SIM CARD TO SIMPLIFY LOGISTICS AND OPTIMISE COSTS

LARGEST BULK WATER SYSTEM OVERHAUL IN SOUTH AFRICA

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AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER

VOL 69 May 2019

KseliJ

AN ENGINEER’S VIEW

Understanding The New Engineering Qualifications

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n 2013, the Higher Education Qualification Framework was published that completely changed the higher education qualifications landscape in South Africa. The well-known NATED-151 curriculated NDip and the BTech will be completely phased out by all institutions by 2020 and are no longer part of the possible mix of qualifications.

The “old-style” qualifications being offered by Universities of Technology have been (or are in the process of being) replaced by an “integrated national framework for learning achievement” that includes, in the case of engineering, the introduction of the Bachelor of Engineering Technology (BEng Tech); Diploma in Engineering (Dip Eng), the Diploma in Engineering Technology (Dip Eng Tech) and the Advanced Diploma among a number of others.

Meeting international standards

The Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA) has developed qualification standards for these new qualifications that are outcome-based (like the existing BEng programmes) and that meet the requirements of the International Engineering Alliance – a necessary requirement to be a signatory to the Sydney and Dublin accords. These accords (focused on Technologists and Technicians respectively) are international agreements between bodies responsible for accrediting engineering academic programmes and confirm that graduates of these programmes have met the necessary educational requirements to be registered as professional engineering practitioners.

thing, the entry requirements for the BEng Tech at National Qualification Framework (NQF) Level 5 are typically higher than those for the old NDip, also at NQF Level 5. Brandon Collier-Reed In brief, the graduates of the two sets of programmes are very different.

A fundamental difference between the old NDip and the new Diploma qualifications relates to the duration of the workplace-based learning (i.e. inservice training). In years gone by, graduates of Universities of Technology could be assumed to have been exposed to a minimum level of practical workplace-based experience. This requirement is now significantly reduced in the new Diploma in Engineering and largely absent in the new Diploma in Engineering Technology qualifications and the graduates of these qualifications typically graduate with far less practical workplace-based experience.

The Universities of Technology indicate that the intention is to have different work-integrated learning modalities scaffolded into the curriculum of these new Diploma qualifications, but time will tell how well this is enacted.

The well-known NATED-151 curriculated NDip and the BTech will be completely phased out by all institutions by 2020 and are no longer part of the possible mix of qualifications

Lack of understanding

My engagement with a cross-section of engineering professionals in recent ECSA workshops suggests that there is a lack of understanding about what this change is actually going to mean in practice.

It is important to recognize that the “old” BTech and the “new” BEng Tech are two completely different types of qualifications – with different types of graduates. It is not possible to envision the level of competence of a BEng Tech graduate by drawing on one’s experience of BTech graduates. The BEng Tech is a structured, outcomes-based qualification with International Engineering Alliance-aligned graduate attributes and completed over three years; the BTech is a content-focused qualification.

In practice, the BTech often followed a NDip, together being completed in four years. The BTech and BEng Tech are therefore not equivalent qualifications simply repackaged and rebranded. For one

The consequence of this transformation in the qualification landscape is that companies that employ graduates with a BEng Tech must be aware that they can no longer assume that these graduates will have the same level of workplace-based experience that could be assumed of the BTech graduate and will need to be inducted into engineering practice through carefully managed training programmes – much like the current Engineer in Training model that is used for BEng graduates. With the first of the “new” graduates already in the market, employers will need to reconsider just what they require from a potential applicant to demonstrate that they have met the requirements for the job.

Prof. Brandon Collier-Reed Pr. Eng FSAIMechE

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S MECHANICAL A ENGINEER May 2019

Publication of the SA Institution of Mechanical Engineering, incorporating News of Associate Organisations

S MECHANICAL A ENGINEER May 2019

VOLUME 69

Contents NEW SIM CARD TO SIMPLIFY LOGISTICS AND OPTIMISE COSTS

LARGEST BULK WATER SYSTEM OVERHAUL IN SOUTH AFRICA

On the Cover

Kelvion Tel: (011) 861-1500 africa@kelvion.com www.kelvion.com

Communication

Education

7

19 Discover your Element

The Evolution of the SIM card

Cover Story

Manufacturing

8

23 Finding the Gap

From GEA to Kelvion

Maintenance

Business

10 Bulk water systems overhaul

24 Adapt or Die

Energy

Assembly-Line

12 Diversify or Disappear

27 Contactless Energy Tranfer

Environment 15 Filter cubes could help avoid driving bans

Regulars

Upskilling

30 Market Forum

16 Africa’s first Mechatronics Academy

3

An Engineer’s View

38 On the Move

Copyright

All rights reserved. No editorial matter published in “SA Mechanical Engineer” may be reproduced in any form or language without written permission of the publishers. While every effort is made to ensure accurate reproduction, the editor, authors, publishers and their employees or agents shall not be responsible or in any way liable for any errors, omissions or inaccuracies in the publication, whether arising from negligence or otherwise or for any consequences arising therefrom. The inclusion or exclusion of any product does not mean that the publisher or editorial board advocates or rejects its use either generally or in any particular field or fields.

Produced by: PROMECH PUBLISHING, P O Box 373, Pinegowrie, 2123, Republic of South Africa Tel: (011) 781-1401, Fax: (011) 781-1403 Email: samecheng@promech.co.za, www.promech.co.za Managing Editor Susan Custers Editorial Contributors Liesl Venter/Patricia Holburn Advertising Sales: Louise Cresswell Cell: 071 886 1263 DTP: Sanette Badenhorst Circulation: Netta Janse van Rensburg Subscriptions Please email us at accounts@promech.co.za if you wish to subscribe to “SA Mechanical Engineer” at R550,00 (excl postage and VAT) per year; R1 380,00 per year for Africa/ Overseas.

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PROMECH Publishing and The South African Institution of Mechanical Engineering as well as any other body do not take responsibility for the opinions expressed by individuals.

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CONSULTING ENGINEERS OF SA CORROSION INSTITUTE OF SA INSTITUTE FOR CERTIFICATED MECHANICAL AND ELECTRICAL ENGINEERS NATIONAL SOCIETY OF BLACK ENGINEERS NUCLEAR INSTITUTE SA ASSOCIATION FOR ENERGY EFFICIENCY SA CAPITAL EQUIPMENT EXPORT COUNCIL SA INSTITUTE FOR NON-DESTRUCTIVE TESTING SA INSTITUTE OF TRIBOLOGY SA PLASTIC PIPE MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION SA PUMP MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION SA VALVE AND ACTUATORS MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION VALVE & ACTUATOR MANUFACTURERS CLUSTER OF South Africa

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May 2019

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SA INSTITUTION OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

Council 2018 - 2020

Company Affiliates

Office Bearers

President.....................................................Prof D Blaine (Debby) Vice President ...................................... H Makwarela (Hangwani) National Treasurer............................Prof JL van Niekerk (Wikus)

Branch Chairpersons

Central .............................................................. A Celliers (Alicia) Eastern Cape .......................................... G van den Berg (Gideon) KwaZulu-Natal ....................................... Dr J Padayachee (Jared) Mpumalanga Highveld ....................................N Lecordier (Noel) Vaal ............................................................. N Swanepoel (Niekie) Western Cape .............................................. Dr M Venter (Martin)

Portfolios:

Procedures ......................................................... SZ Hrabar (Steve) Communications and Marketing .................G Bartholomew (Bart) TBC...........................................................MAE Black (Malcolm) TBC..............................................................HG Bosman (Tertius) TBC.................................................C Molomo-Mphephu (Cillia) TBC..............................................................R Tshitahe (Rudzani) Chief Executive Officer..................... Vaughan Rimbault National Office Manager................ Anisa Nanabhay National Office Co-ordinator…….....………….. Carey Evans PO Box 511, Bruma, 2026 Tel: (011) 615-5660 Email: info@saimeche.org.za Website: www.saimeche.org.za Membership Email: membership@saimeche.org.za

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Tel: 0861 009378

VOL 69 May 2019

www.zestweg.com

2018/11/20 04:46

COMMUNICATION

The Evolution of The SIM Card Anyone connected to the Internet of Things (IoT) and M2M communication industries will be aware of the levels of ambition and investment being set for the Embedded Universal Integrated Circuit Card, more widely known as eUICC, or the eSIM.

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2017 report from IHS Markit suggests that eSIM shipments will increase from 109 million in 2016, to 986 million by 2021.

This growth will be driven by continuing IoT development, with eSIMs set to play a major role in ensuring the connectivity of billions of connected devices.

The automotive industry is a prime example of a sector that has been keen to drive the technology.

With connected cars becoming mainstream, the eUICC-compliant eSIM has the potential to empower manufacturers by offering new opportunities to simplify logistics and optimise costs.

But industry ambition doesn’t stop there. The eSIM is being hailed as the next evolution of the SIM

card, prompting vendors, operators and service providers to trial new eSIM-based edge solutions.

Perception

Undoubtedly the most important benefit of eSIM technology, and the one most widely referred to, relates to enhanced provisioning.

The eUICC compliant eSIM has the potential to empower manufacturers by offering new opportunities to simplify logistics and optimise costs Traditionally, SIM cards have been provisioned with the profile of a single mobile network operator (MNO), which once locked in, cannot be changed.

This means customers must replace their SIM card every time they want to change operators. While this is a manageable task and something we are all used to when talking about a personal mobile phone, it has massive cost implications for IoT customers managing thousands, if not millions of remotely located edge devices.

With new, eUICC-compliant eSIMs, the plan is for MNO provisioning to be managed over-the-air, with no physical access to the device required.

Additional benefits

Jeremy Potgieter, Eseye

There are also benefits for both manufacturers and operators to consider. As eSIM-equipped devices are ready to go straight out of the factory, IoT business managers and technologists can, in theory, streamline their logistics by removing the need for local device set up and configuration further down the supply chain, no matter where they are deployed.

With IoT customers being promised an improved cellular supplier negotiating position, increased management convenience and the removal of a considerable amount of complexity and risk of ongoing costs from operators, it’s easy to see why they are drawn to the eUICC-compliant eSIM.

Still some time to go

However, despite these benefits, the current eUICC specification doesn’t yet solve all the problems of IoT. The problem currently facing potential eSIM customers is that while industry discussions have so far focused on the potential benefits offered to businesses, there are also several technical challenges that will need to be understood.

Eseye, Jeremy Potgieter, Tel: (087) 551-8200 www.eseye.com

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COVER STORY

From GEA to Kelvion A brand and business evolution

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uilding products that last for more than a decade is an impressive achievement. But it can throw up a few challenges through the years, especially if you’ve rebranded.

Kelvion’s Alex Dreyer and Pieter Herbst spoke to “SA Mechanical Engineer” about the evolution of Kelvion, rebranding and how to adapt to an everchanging world.

name, with its 1975 start in South Africa giving it a long time to become an established brand in the country. GEA Nilenca, a BEE entity, was set up in 2004.

Change is good

There were a few more changes along the way globally after the rebranding of GEA to Kelvion, where the group split the current production portfolio into three businesses – DencoHappel, concentrating on HVAC and filtration, Enexio, focused on dry and wet cooling systems mainly for the large power industry, and Kelvion.

The Kelvion name has been in South Africa since 2016 when GEA Aircooled Systems and GEA Nilenca became Kelvion Thermal Solutions and Kelvion Services. GEA is perhaps the more well-known

Even with local content stipulations, new business is not going the way of South African manufacturers

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In 2016, Kelvion was introduced to the market with the two businesses, and last year Kelvion Thermal Solutions amalgamated with Kelvion Services. The business currently operates as Kelvion Services.

We’re talking quite a few changes and unless you’re following the brand closely, it can become confusing.

VOL 69 May 2019

Taking care of your GEA unit

Kelvion MD Alex Dreyer acknowledges this. “You have a whole lot of heat exchange systems with the GEA branding on them in the country, but if you want to service your unit or replace a part, you can’t find GEA. So it’s important for us to tell our customers that if you’ve got a GEA system, you can come to us for any servicing, repairs or maintenance.”

Kelvion’s evolution in South Africa hasn’t only been about the name change, they’ve continually remained agile to meet new demands and adapt to new market conditions.

“When we started in 1975 we were focused on large power stations. Our drawings and engineering were done in Europe,” Alex explains. “We were basically a sales office.

Local engineering and manufacture

“That changed in the late 80’s when we started doing the engineering ourselves and all the manufacturing. Today we undertake all our engineering in-house and we manufacture locally,” he says.

“Most of our clients are in the petrochemical, power, mining and minerals processing industries.”

“Over the last 40 years we’ve had boom and bust times,” adds Kelvion’s Pieter Herbst.

“In the boom, the mid 1980’s to 2000’s, there were a lot of new projects and expansion with new plants going up left, right and centre. That’s changed.

Now it’s about maintenance,” Pieter points out.

“As far as new business goes, it’s almost impossible to compete with international suppliers from China and India who can come in at 60% of a local manufacturer’s price. Even with local content stipulations, new business is not going the way of South African manufacturers. Unless it’s a rush job with less than eight months delivery time,” he explains.

The number of South African manufacturers, such as Kelvion, has dwindled, with many well-known businesses closing.

Kelvion’s success is due in large part to their skill and willingness and ability to change.

Outside the comfort zone

“You can’t go through this environment with blinkers on thinking everything will be the same,” Pieter says. “We’re doing quite well, but it has been a case of adapt or die.”

New projects for the business include debottlenecking, aftermarket work and surface condenser units. Debottlenecking is simply getting rid of the bottleneck that is restricting the system.

You can’t go through this environment with blinkers on thinking everything will be the same “We’re currently busy with a project in the petrochemical industry where we need to redesign the system. We can’t change the footprint, but the replacement equipment must be 30% more efficient,” Pieter elaborates. “We can also replace materials to improve systems.”

Another new venture for the business was refurbishing surface condenser units. The first was at Komati Power Station. “Surface condensers are big animals, between 30 000 and 50 000 tubes.”

“This was completely out of our realm when we started, but it was a success - a billion rand project - and led to more business of its kind,” Alex says.

Large success

“Over the last eight years we’ve successfully completed 100% of all Eskom’s surface condensers that have come up for refurbishment. We learned a few lessons early on and now we compete with international names.”

Success with such large units again poses a problem.

When you’ve done them all, what’s next?

“You have to reinvent yourself constantly as a manufacturing entity,” Pieter concludes. “You need to always be on the lookout for any new potential for something similar to what you do, but also a little outside your comfort zone.”

Pieter Herbst Tel: (011) 861-1500 africa@kelvion.com

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MAINTENANCE

The bulk water infrastructure has 78km of bulk pipelines and the bulk wastewater infrastructure has 45km of bulk pipelines

Bulk Water System Overhaul Overstrand municipality in the Western Cape has awarded Veolia Water Technologies South Africa the contract to carry out operations and maintenance on its bulk water services infrastructure.

T

he population growth in the Overstrand area has been one of the fastest in the country.

In order to meet the demands and service levels of a growing population, the Overstrand municipality embarked on the expansion of their major bulk water and waste water infrastructure.

The municipality implemented newer technologies in the process like reverse osmosis, ultrafiltration, Nerda and biofiltration of ground water.

This contract is the largest of its kind in South Africa in terms of equipment and the number of facilities to be maintained Largest of its kind

Veolia was awarded a new 15-year operations and maintenance contract in last year. This contract is the largest of its kind in South Africa in terms of equipment and the number of facilities to be maintained, which consist of five surface water

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sources, one river abstraction plant, 17 boreholes and three springs. Its bulk water infrastructure is made up of nine water treatment plants, 19 pump stations, 44 reservoirs and 78km of bulk pipelines.

The maintenance contract also extends to its bulk wastewater infrastructure comprising 45km of bulk pipelines, 36 pump stations and six waste water treatment plants. The total water treatment capacity is 59 ML per day, and the total wastewater treatment capacity is 18 ML a day. Veolia will continue to manage the day-to-day operations of the water and sewage treatment plants.

No interruptions

Veolia’s expertise ensures that the maintenance and replacement of spares and consumables are carried out efficiently and on schedule. This helps to prevent unscheduled interruptions and ensure water quality in accordance with local legislation.

The company is also responsible for supplying all water treatment chemicals and a comprehensive laboratory facility which is used to control water quality and support the operational team.

Plant ownership remains in the hands of the Overstrand municipality and the main advantages of the contract for them include long-term asset preservation, local skills development, availability

VOL 69 May 2019

The bulk water infrastructure has 19 pump stations and the bulk wastewater infrastructure has 36 pump stations

of full-time technical expertise, and optimisation of treatment and maintenance processes.

Veolia Water Technologies, South Africa Chris Braybrooke Tel: (011) 974-8161 Email: chris.braybrooke@veolia.com www.veoliawatertechnologies.co.za

Expertise ensures that the maintenance and replacement of spares and consumables are carried out efficiently and on schedule

Veolia manages the day-to-day operations of the water and sewage treatment plants while the municipality retains responsibility for their reticulation and infrastructure.

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ENERGY

Diversify or Disappear?

This year, energy and utility companies face the challenges of an industry rapidly diversifying, decentralising and digitising.

The sure-fire way to keep up? Make sure you stay ahead.

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y 2040 the equivalent of a whole new China and India will have been added to the planet’s global energy demand, a 30% increase on today. The IEA (International Energy Agency) reports that by 2040, renewables will meet 40% of the planet’s energy demands. This will also be driven, the report says, by ‘enormous efficiency improvements on the supply side’.

Diversification, beginning now, is key to seizing the opportunity. And as the table on the next page shows, this is not just a European trend. Worldwide, the direct use of renewables to provide heat and mobility will double by 2040.

For proactive consumers, diversification means more options over which energy they use, how much they pay for it and even how they can store and sell it back The last mile hots up

As countries compete to capture the green euros of more proactive, eco-conscious consumers, energy and utilities companies will focus more and more on smart grid management and customer service.

Take National Grid Smart, in the UK for example.

Its solutions support the UK based National Grid’s new smart meter initiative. The initiative expects to fit 26 million domestic smart meters in the country by 2020, powering national energy efficiency.

These advanced capabilities in the last mile deliver

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a powerful competitive edge for energy providers.

For proactive consumers, diversification means more options over which energy they use, how much they pay for it and even how they can store and sell it back. For energy and utility companies, it also means more complexity. And the urgent need for accessible data throughout. A recent IDC report says that over the next five years the need to power predictive maintenance and extend asset life cycle will drive 75% of critical utilities assets to be digitally connected. But it’s how well integrated AI and IoT technologies are that will ultimately turn all this data into value.

Mining

Last year, most mining companies invested heavily in IoT sensors and technology. 2019 will be the year these investments begin to deliver, but integration is critical.

According to the IDC, companies that fail to integrate at least 50% of their operations and IT systems by 2022 will gain no value from digitalisation regardless of strategy, organisation, or technology focus. Furthermore, 50% of mining companies that prioritise an integrated approach to tracking yield will achieve an industry-leading performance by 2022. Finally, companies that embrace continued improvement and digital innovation as a single integrated business process will outperform peers in terms of profitability by up to 20% by 2021.

The customer comes first

As we’ve already seen, the customer is priority one in the energy and utility sector right now. The competition to enhance customer experience by

VOL 69 May 2019

improving convenience, customisation, and control is intensifying.

As energy and utility providers compete on customer service, they’ll look to provide a more retail-like customer experience model. One where customers can get the right personalised energy solution, on the channel they want, in just a few clicks. Take HomeServe in the UK. They install gas residentially and carry out approximately 300 000 calls and 200 000 visits a year. When they installed IFS’s AI-powered omni-channel contact centre solution it included all customer, asset, field service scheduling and parts information, meaning HomeServe Gas agents no longer had to search in multiple screens or systems for different data. All contextual data they needed to resolve customer requests is delivered to the agent as and when they need through their service desktop. This transformed the experience that agents were able to offer customers.

AI wins the customer war on two fronts

AI delivers a double benefit: it enables better

customer experience, as well as significant savings and efficiencies on the operational side. And cutting supply costs will be essential to cutting prices and winning customer loyalty in an increasingly crowded marketplace. But, just as before, integration will be critical to winning that war.

By 2040, 66% of the global energy market will be in renewables, driving an urgent race to diversify Energy and utility companies need omni-channel customer service centres, offering voice and digital self-service. And they need to integrate all supply and enterprise data into one system. Being able to join up the dots instantly, from the field to the last mile of the consumers’ home, is non-negotiable if you’re going to win customer engagement. Again, AI will be a powerful driver, with the right integration.

IFS Colin Beaney Tel: (012) 687-0300 www.ifsworld.com

GLOBAL GREEN HOTSPOTS

India and China: By 2040, solar will be the largest source of low-carbon energy capacity in the world. A major factor will be the rapid deployment of solar photovoltaics (PVs) in China and India.

China: 33% of the world’s current wind and solar PV power is currently in China. The country accounts for more than 40% of global investment in electric vehicles. “The scale of China’s clean energy deployment, technology exports and outward investment makes it a key determinant of momentum behind the low-carbon transition.” (IEA) Brazil: The share of direct and indirect renewable use in final energy consumption will rise from 39% today to 45% in 2040 in Brazil, (compared with the global rate of 9% to 16%).

European Union: By 2040, renewables will make up 80% of new power capacity in the EU. Wind power will become the leading source of electricity soon after 2030, with strong growth in both onshore and offshore.

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VOL 69 May 2019

ENVIRONMENT

Filter Cubes Could Help Avoid Driving Bans Mann+Hummel recently presented technology which reduces nitrogen dioxide (NO2) at locations with high levels of pollution.

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t the end of last year, Filter Cubes from the company were successfully installed at the Neckartor road junction in Stuttgart to reduce the level of fine dust pollution.

They have now further developed the technology and integrated a newly-developed combifilter medium.

The medium retains fine dust and also filters NO2 out of the air, helping to protect the user’s health and possibly lifting driving bans in inner city areas.

They reduce the local particle concentration by 10 to 30 percent, which corresponds to 40 percent of all fine dust particles caused by heavy traffic at the road junction

amount of energy. The Filter Cubes also include fans to draw in the ambient air and are able to bind more than 80 percent of the NO2 and fine dust.

Depending on the requirements, using a modular system means a number of cubes can be installed on top of each other to form a filter column. A filter column with three further cubes is able to clean 14 500m³ of air every hour.

Werner Lieberherr, CEO of Mann+Hummel says, “With our technology for reducing NO2 and fine dust pollution, we can offset 40 percent of trafficrelated emissions.”

Tackling NO2

The cubes at the Neckartor road junction in Stuttgart are now being adapted to also absorb nitrogen dioxide from the ambient air. Previously the limit values for NO2 were regularly exceeded, but now thanks to the Filter Cubes the nitrogen oxide content has dropped dramatically, says Christoph Erdmenger, head of the department for sustainable mobility in the Ministry of Transport, Baden-Württemberg.

Less NO2 through use of activated carbon

The newly-developed combifilter includes a filter layer that retains particles and additional activated carbon layers to adsorb NO2. In this process, highly porous activated carbon media are used, and due to their large surface area, are able to efficiently absorb NO2. The technology is characterised by a particularly low drop in pressure. As a result, it is able to efficiently clean the air while using a low

Patrick Löffel Tel: +49 7141-982391 Email: patrick.loeffel@mann-hummel.com www.mann-hummel.com

The Cube III filter in front of the Mann+Hummel Technology Centre now also captures nitrogen dioxide from the air.

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UPSKILLING

Africa’s First Mechatronics Academy ElectroMechanica (EM) has set a new benchmark in the automation industry by collaborating with Polytech Africa in establishing the first Mechatronics Academy to be accredited by the Manufacturing, Engineering and Related Services Sector Education and Training Authority (merSETA).

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reating such a unique Mechatronics Academy has been the lifelong dream of Polytech Africa Founding Director, Astrid Straussner, who has over 20 years’ experience in the education and engineering fields.

Upon completion of the NQF Level 2 qualification, certificate holders will be able to gain entry to highly-skilled sectors like mechanical and electrical engineering, pneumatics and hydraulics “I have always wanted a full-time academy, ever since I began lecturing. Apart from being known as a trainer and a lecturer, I also have distinct project management and consultancy skills. However, I

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knew from the outset that I had to get both the private sector and the government onboard,” Astrid points out.

Qualifications In addition to her numerous qualifications, she was Chairperson of the South African Roads Agency (SARF) Education Committee and Astrid continues to be a beacon of hope to all women in the engineering field, championing her cause at diverse platforms such as the Women in Engineering Conference, the IDC Skills Crisis Conference, and the Western Cape Province Workplace Integration for Engineering Lecturers.

The Mechatronics Academy will focus on the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) Level 2 learner-

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ship. This is based on essential aspects of precision mechanical engineering, electronics and computer design systems used to control and automate mechanical products with electrical signals. Here EM plays a vital role, as its specialised products include the Delta industrial automation range.

Mechatronics is a combination of mechanics and electronics, comprising a multi-disciplinary engineering field that is a key player in Industry 4.0

Incorporating technology

Mechatronics is a combination of mechanics and electronics, comprising a multi-disciplinary engineering field that is a key player in Industry 4.0, the current trend of automation and data exchange in manufacturing technologies. It encompasses cyber-physical systems, the Internet of things, cloud computing and cognitive computing.

and developments, especially given the fact that Industry 4.0 and the Internet of Things are a reality in South Africa,” Astrid stresses.

Addressing the skills shortage

Upon completion of the NQF Level 2 qualification, certificate holders will be able to gain entry to highly-skilled sectors such as mechanical and electrical engineering, pneumatics and hydraulics, robotics, Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs), Computer Numeric Control (CNC), industrial Information Technology (IT), the automotive sector and precision welding.

She adds that the Mechatronics Academy will play a vital role in addressing the skills shortage in the automation industry, particularly in Africa. “While we have a good skills base in South Africa, the main problem is the pipeline of younger people entering the field. We definitely need to enhance the existing skills and develop new ones. This is important to ensure that we are able to cope with the skills requirements of Industry 4.0 throughout the continent.”

“Educational institutions cannot be islands on their own, and require the cooperation of both the government and the private sector. Here is where our active involvement is so crucial, as it is important that students are exposed to the latest products

ElectroMechanica Karen Zotter Tel: (011) 249-5000 Email: karenz@em.co.za www.em.co.za

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South Africa’s perfect blend of ingredients provides the ideal backdrop for this international Congress: adventure, wildlife, magnificent scenery, rich cultural diversity, and efficient infrastructure. Few countries in the world can match the fun, beauty and excitement you will find in South Africa.

At the foot of the vast continent of Africa is Cape Town, host city of the FIATA World Congress 2019, also known as South Africa’s “Mother City”. Cape Town is set in a dramatic landscape of exquisite natural beauty, nestled between the majestic Table Mountain and the sea, and is widely regarded as one of the most beautiful cities in the world.

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This is your chance to experience a unique once-in-alifetime Big Five Safari.

Track these wild wild animals, live in luxury, dine under the starry Southern skies and immerse yourself in Africa.

To book email: info@africabespoke.com

Consistently named one of the best conditioned courses in South Africa Golf Digest Annual Top 100 – playing at Steenberg Golf Estate should be on every serious golfers’ bucket list. The golf package includes green fees, transport, meals and drinks. Signup for the tournament when you register for the Congress.

DAY TOURS It’s not all hard work and no play! A varied selection of day tours in and around Cape Town is available for participants and partners who find that they have a free moment during the Congress week.

To book visit: www.kingdomtt.co.za/ fiata-2019/

FOR REGISTRATION ENQUIRIES CONTACT:

register@fiata2019.org

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EARLY ACCOMMODATION SPECIAL Choose from among some of Cape Town’s most convenient Congress hotels, with prices and star-ratings to suit all budgets. Participants that book and pay in full before 30 April 2019 will benefit from special discounted accommodation rates.

EDUCATION

Discover Your Element Hundreds of South Africa’s brightest minds made their way to Makhanda (Grahamstown) for the annual Scifest Africa festival. Celebrating its 23rd year, the event was established to promote the public awareness and appreciation of science, technology and innovation (STI) among the country’s youth.

T

his year’s theme ‘Discover your Element’ coincided and celebrated the 150th anniversary of the periodic table’s creation by Dmitry Mendeleev in 1869. Scifest Africa comprises two components, the National Science Festival as well as the regional and national outreach programmes which take place throughout the year.

Accessibility

One of the key objectives of the festival is to make science and learning accessible to learners from across the country, which is why, since the festival’s inception in 1996, the Rhodes University High School Quiz has formed part of its annual programme, for which RS Components sponsored prizes.

This year’s theme ‘Discover your Element’ coincides and celebrates the 150th anniversary of the periodic table’s creation by Dmitry Mendeleev in 1869 Mellisa Govender, Marketing Director for RS Components South Africa says, “One of the key priorities for us has always been contributing to education and being involved with Scifest Africa is a great

opportunity for us to provide much-needed support.

Such partnerships are critical towards making a positive impact in ensuring science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) learning is accessible to learners throughout the country.”

Winners announced

Annually, Scifest Africa hosts the Rhodes University High School Quiz, where national and provincial high schools participate in preliminary rounds to qualify for the final, which takes place during the week-long festival. Each member of the winning team wins a one-year scholarship to study Science at Rhodes University. This year, RS Components South Africa sponsored Raspberry Pi kits for the top performing scholars.

This year’s winners hailed from Port Elizabeth’s Grey High School. Led by their teacher Carla Barclay, pupils Alam Nafi, Jonathan Hughes and Luke Weddell walked away with a full year scholarship to study Science at Rhodes University, which was handed to them by the institution’s Dean of Science, Professor Tony Booth. The boys were also awarded Raspberry Pi products from RS Components South Africa.

RS Components South Africa Vishal Ramphal Tel: (011) 691-9300 Email: vishal.ramphal@rs-components.com

Limaine Pungan from RS Components South Africa with winners of the Scifest Africa National Quiz. From Grey High School, Alam Nafi, Jonathan Hughes, Luke Weddell and their teacher Carla Barclay

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International, Inc. globally recognized ti-bribery business organization and g provider of third risk management solutions.

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MANUFACTURING

Finding The Gap On the face of it, the prospects for manufacturing in South Africa continue to look bleak.

G

etting our manufacturing sector growing again is clearly a priority if we are to begin pushing back the tide of joblessness that fundamentally threatens our social stability.

Understand your customers

Basic, but your success depends on how well you understand what customers want. Manufacturers tend to spend less time on this and more on streamlining their processes. “We are devoting a lot of energy to understanding our customers and then how to respond to their needs. Holding stock is too expensive, so we have to be able to do shorter runs in order to get the right product to the right outlets at the right time,” says Gavin Young of Bridgstone.

Specialise

“We are one of two manufacturers of truck and bus tyres in Africa, and we also make tyres for SUVs and luxury vehicles.

Close relationships with the relevant car manufacturers gives us a good baseload on which to build.

“However, because we have a relatively large number of vehicle models and a small market, we have had to get very good at being able to change over our lines quickly. This is in contrast to the typical manufacturing strategy of long production runs and thus large economies of scale.

“Our truck and bus business provides us with the capability to supply product to other African countries. As those consumers climb up the aspiration curve to their first BMW or SUV, we will be well-placed to go with them,” adds Gavin.

Build ecosystems Gavin Young

“We are lucky enough to be part of a global company, and we have learned to use that to our advantage. Because of our small market and the need for relatively small runs, we find it’s better to source tyres for ordinary sedans from our facilities in Europe, where high volumes yield great economies of scale. In return, they tend to rely on us to make and supply tyres for the relatively small numbers of SUVs in those markets,” he concludes.

There is no reason why manufacturers that are not from the same group should not craft a similar kind of approach, playing to each other’s strengths.

The trick is to identify these convergences.

Bridgestone South Africa Gavin Young Tel: (011) 923-7500 www.bridgestone.co.za

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BUSINESS

Adapt or Die Small, Medium and Micro-sized Enterprises (SMMEs) are earmarked as the future of the economy, representing about 40% of all business in South Africa. The National Development Plan estimates that by 2030, 90% of all new jobs will be seated within SMMEs.

H

owever, despite being the driving force behind the economy, this sector is continually facing challenges to reach its full potential.

In this year’s budget speech, Finance Minister, Tito Mboweni, allocated R481.6 million to the Small Enterprise Development Agency (SEDA) to expand the small business incubation programme. This is another positive step for stimulating entrepreneurship

A study by Twinword found that collectively, 30% of the world’s population spends 35 billion hours a month online or the equivalent of 3,9 million years

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in the country and increasing chances of survival for SMMEs. Another R3,2 billion was allocated for the small business and innovation fund to assist entrepreneurs.

Guaranteeing longevity

But, Innovative Solutions Group CEO, Arnoux Maré, believes business owners cannot just rely on government to create a conducive environment.

Entrepreneurs should contribute to creating their own entrepreneurial ecosystem that will allow them not only to survive but to thrive.

“For any organisation to guarantee its longevity it needs to satisfy various criteria, the crucial one being an organisation’s ability to adapt to the constant changing business landscape. Failing to do so will result in imminent death,” he says.

The fourth industrial revolution

“The advancement of technology and public access to it has led to an increase in innovations. Businesses need to leverage these technologies if they

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wish to remain relevant,” continues Arnoux. A study

by Twinword found that collectively, 30% of the world’s population spends 35 billion hours a month online or the equivalent of 3,9 million years. Any entity that is not utilising social and digital media to interact with its customers is missing out on a huge chunk of business.

Employ a holistic view “As a business owner you need to pay attention to trends, but not only of those in your industry.

Employers need to be aware of what legislation is being drafted and how these laws will impact their businesses. They need to be aware of technological advancements made by their suppliers.

Skill upskill and reskill “In today’s forever changing business landscape, skills go beyond simply having an understanding and ability to deliver on your mandate. Employees possess a multitude of skills which allows them to be transmuted from one department to another without needing extra training. Profitable organisations require both employees and employers to be flexible and well versed in more than one thing.

“If you studied IT ten years ago, most of the cutting-edge advancements you learnt have become either outdated or a staple by now. Skills can and do become obsolete. Always keep yourself well informed,” he says.

Business owners cannot only rely on government to create a conducive environment Outsource non-core business.

Outsourcing the non-core aspects of the business allows employers to focus on creating strategies which will grow the business. A company whose business is not in the IT space should not be burdened with managing IT related queries or trying to anticipate what the next wave in the IT space is.

“Organisations with a focus on their core mandate are not only well suited to react to change but can be proactive, leveraging on new technologies and driving innovation in their relative industry,” concludes Arnoux.

Innovative Solutions Group Arnoux Maré, Tel: (011) 540-0171 www.isg.co.za

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ASSEMBLY-LINE

Contactless Energy Transfer The Movitrans contactless energy transfer system from Sew-Eurodrive, in conjunction with its Movipro SDC decentralised drive, position, and application controller have played a critical role in an assembly-line extension at an automotive producer.

T

he big advantage of the Movitrans system is that it is based on contactless energy transfer. In this system, electrical energy is transferred without contact from a fixed conductor to one or more mobile consumer. The electromagnetic connection is made via an air gap.

Not being subject to wear has the added benefit of it being maintenance-free. In addition, this type of power supply is emission-free, and therefore environmentally-friendly.

Movitrans is the ideal supply system for most mobile applications, and has been tested according to BGV B11 Ideal for mobile solutions

“Movitrans is the ideal supply system for most mobile applications, and has been tested according to BGV B11. It is perfect for equipment that has to cover long distances at high speeds, for example, or if maintenance-free operation is required. It is also suited for applications in sensitive environments where outside contaminants are not permitted, and in wet and damp environments,” Sew-Eurodrive

Electronics Support Technician, Juandré La Cock, explains.

Wherever a trolley/skillet (conveyor) system is implemented, such as with an automotive assembly line, a custom-designed drive concept is required that must correspond to the necessary load-bearing capacity, the desired transport speed, the existing space restrictions, and the specific ambient conditions of the application.

Robust and reliable

Here the Movipro SDC is an ideal solution for both horizontal and vertical trolley/skillet (conveyor) applications. It not only integrates all necessary functions, but allows for decentralised installation of up to 15kW. The solution is characterised by its design robustness, especially in terms of reliability and precise positioning requirements. With its modular, standardised design and freely-configurable software components, this decentralised drive and positioning control system facilitates the integration of numerous functions, while reducing the complexity of the machine or system.

Sew-Eurodrive, Juandré La Cock Tel: (011) 248-7000, www.sew-eurodrive.co.za

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TRANSFORMING FREIGHT LOGISTICS

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TRANSNET FREIGHT RAIL

www.transnet.net www.transnetfreightrail-tfr.net

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MARKET FORUM

From prototype to production The number of production-ready Additive Manufacturing (AM) platforms that ship each year will increase more than 10 times by 2030, as the technology’s use in structural and mission-critical commercial applications comes to fruition.

“Additive manufacturing is moving from the prototype to the production market in a big way,” says Ryan Martin, Principal Analyst at ABI Research. “A new set of technologies is breaking out to create net-shape parts in a variety of build platform sizes that significantly broaden the overall scope of applications where AM can compete, and ultimately win.

“3D printing has been around for more than 30 years in specialised aerospace and medical applications (for prosthetics, hearing aids, and dental implants). The latest round of innovations is an entirely different breed. Specialist AM

Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) are still in the mix and have primarily led the charge due to their market tenure and resulting credibility with a wide range of companies and applications, but there are also a number of emerging players, such as Carbon, Desktop Metal, Digital Alloys, and Markforged that need to be taken just as seriously,” adds Ryan.

ExOne, GE Additive, and HP (which plans to start shipping its Metal Jet production system in 2020) are another tier in the middle, but breakout growth across Aerospace & Defence (including commercial aviation), automotive, consumer goods, and machinery makes it anyone’s game, he concludes.

Ryan Martin Tel: +44 203 326 0142 www.abiresearch.com

Gas to power generator series Cummins has unveiled the HSK78G natural gas generator.

The series offers a total package of gas generator capabilities and innovative gas technology for prime and peaking power applications.

With a power density of up to 2.0MW from a 78L engine,

the HSK78G generator series is designed to provide reliable power, regardless of the natural gas source or the climate, including extreme heat and altitudes.

“The HSK78G models are suitable for a diverse set of industries from mining and manufacturing to shopping malls and hospitals,” says Craig Wilkins, Director of Cummins Prime Power Segment and Global Sales Support. “The new generator series have been designed to push the boundaries of performance to extremes while achieving a low total cost of ownership.

A high electrical efficiency of up to 44.2 percent (50Hz) and 43.5 percent (60Hz) is achieved on a wide range of pipeline natural gas down to 70 methane number (MN) without impacting power output and efficiency.

The barrier-breaking fuel flexibility of the HSK78G enables the utilisation of low-cost, low-BTU and free fuel sources, that would otherwise be considered waste products, delivering robust power even with very aggressive fuels with minimal derating.

By eliminating the need and the space required for gas-cleaning systems, customers can optimize their capital (CapEx) and operational (OpEx) expenditures.

Cummins, Angela Papageorgiou, Phone: +441843252099 Email: angela.papageorgiou@cummins.com www.cummins.com

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MARKET FORUM

Increasing mine productivity DRA Global recently implemented an advanced milling control system, using the MillSlicer instrument, on the Asanko Gold Mine. The Asanko Gold Mine is a large scale, multi-pit asset located on the Asankrangwa belt in Ghana.

Operations at Asanko prioritise efficiencies, with minimal downtime. Unplanned or forced mill stoppages and breakdowns can often lead to costly setbacks for overall mine operations.

According to Val Coetzee, DRA’s Senior Vice President for Process, “This MillSlicer Control instrument provides accurate signals via a number of strategically positioned vibration sensors that are used by DRA’s comminution and control specialists to develop bespoke control systems specific to an

operation. The programme allows for accurate mill charge toe-angle measurement and real time polar plot determination, which is used in the customised control system.

“We are is able to provide remote operational support, data analysis and reporting to assist clients in reducing liner damage, media consumption and ensure that mill operators efficiently maximise throughput at all times,” Val concludes.

DRA Global Christo Visser Tel: +6140-290-1555 Email: christo.visser@draglobal.com www.draglobal.com

Checking all the nuts and bolts A tamper-proof vibration-warning indicator paste that can improve safety and reduce inspection time across a number of industries is now available locally from leading supplier Bearings International (BI).

“Applications for Dykem Cross-Check Torque Seal ranges from haul trucks to head gaskets in vehicles, gearboxes, and even conveyor belts,” explains BI Product Manager Richard Lundgren. “When a piece of equipment vibrates, whether it be a car, airplane, crane, or water supply pump, there is always the chance that the torque of any nuts and bolts may loosen. It is essential to be on the lookout for this when servicing equipment or carrying out routine maintenance, in order to prioritise safety and reduce downtime.”

the process dramatically and reducing the possibility of any loose bolts being missed.

Bearings International Richard Lundgren Phone: (011) 899-0000 Email: info@bearings.co.za, Web: www.bearings.co.za

With Dykem Cross-Check Torque Seal, the artisan literally draws a line of the paste from the bolt head and along the threads of the screw, once perfect torque has been achieved.

At the next inspection, the artisan checks to see if the brightly-coloured mark is still in alignment. If not, action can be taken there and then on that specific bolt, instead of having to retighten all of the bolts, thereby speeding up THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER

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A guard for network and system attacks Emerson has received the industry’s first ISASecure System Security Assurance (SSA) Level 1 certification for cybersecurity. This certification, for the company’s newest DeltaV distributed control system, is the latest step in Emerson’s commitment to help provide secure digital transformation solutions for customers.

ers securely optimise their operations across the globe in an environment of increasing cyber threats.”

The certification, issued by industry consortium ISA Security Compliance Institute (ISCI), independently certifies that Emerson’s DeltaV distributed control and safety systems are robust against network and system attacks. DeltaV, an advanced automation system that simplifies operational complexity and lowers project risk, provides smart control capabilities for key industries in oil and gas operations, refineries, chemical plants, power and life science facilities.

“The world’s leading industrial manufacturers are leveraging transformative digital technologies and methods to improve production reliability, safety and overall performance while focusing intensely on cybersecurity,” says Peter Zornio, chief technology officer for Emerson’s Automation Solutions business. “We are committed to helping our custom-

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Rob Smith Tel: (087) 701-3860 Email: Rob.Smith@emerson.com

MARKET FORUM

This diving system, designed and manufactured by Hyflo - is used in applications where divers are lowered to deep sea levels

Merger enhances sales The Engineering Solutions Group (ESG) of Invicta Holdings Limited has incorporated Hyflo Southern Africa into BMG’s Fluid Technology division.

“As part of this re-structure, all Hyflo’s customer and supplier trading activities will be integrated into BMG, yet Hyflo will retain its brand presence in the market,” says Wayne Holton, Business Unit Manager, Fluid Technology division, BMG. “Apart from new customers and markets

which are being leveraged through BMG, we are rolling-out our Hyflo product offering through BMG’s network of 106 branches, thereby enhancing sales and creating new opportunities for both companies,” he continues.

Hyflo’s operations in Bloemfontein, Cape Town and Vredenburg will continue to operate from their current locations, but these branches will eventually become BMG Regional Service Centres (RSCs), each with a focus on engineering, sales

support and the manufacture and repair of hydraulic systems, pumps, cylinders and associated products.

“Hyflo’s Durban, Johannesburg and Port Elizabeth branches are being absorbed into BMG’s existing RSCs in these regions,” concludes Wayne.

BMG Wayne Holton Tel: (011) 386-5800 Email: wayneh@bmgworld.net www.hyflo.co.za

Where rubber and digitisation merge Continental has unveiled its smart crimper for hydraulic and industrial hoses. The CrimpIQ controller can be remotely maintained and have updates loaded, saving customers time and money. Efficiency, safety, quality and speed are increased while the process can be monitored via a securely protected website.

10-inch touchscreen interface. Its simple operation helps the user navigate through specifications, notes and relevant crimping instructions. Complete integration with the MyCrimp app ensures updated crimp specifications, while the CrimpCloud integration permits software upgrades and data backup.

In addition, users find the correct specifications via the touchscreen interface and can store their presets to Continental’s CrimpCloud

ContiTech Antje Lewe Tel: +49 511 938-1304 Email: antje.lewe@contitech.de

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MARKET FORUM

Polishing up a diamond mine

National Asphalt’s new 120 tonne capacity asphalt plant ready for action

The Slurry Sucker offers optimum versatility to the diamond mine as it can be moved from one location to another with ease.

SlurrySucker has resolved a process water challenge for a diamond mine in Botswana. According to managing director, Lee Vine, attempts by the mine to desilt the main process tank using different methods of dredging had proved inadequate and the challenge of this reservoir continually filling with slurry remained a concern, especially with regards to storage capacity.

Initially Integrated Pump Rental proposed a SlurrySucker rental unit as this was deemed the quickest solution and there were also some reservations on the part of the mine due to failures with other equipment. The rental unit was installed on the main process tank for a trial period of two weeks.

The SlurrySucker dredging unit was required to pump 250 cubic metres of mixed material out of the forty metre diameter by eight metre deep process water tank. This translates into 60 tons of dry material per hour.

Integrated Pump Rental Lee Vine Tel: (072) 627-6350 Email: lee@pumprental.co.za www.pumprental.co.za

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Asphalt plant gets environmentally friendly The in-house design of National Asphalt’s new asphalt plant at its Laezonia site north of Johannesburg will give customers the comfort of lower environmental impact while still enjoying competitive pricing of asphalt supply.

The 120 ton capacity plant incorporates several improvements. According to Dave Bennett, general manager at National Asphalt, among these is better burner fuel efficiency and reduced hydrocarbon emissions.

“The plant design reduces emissions from the combined aggregates, efficiently burning this up before it goes to the bag house,” Dave says. “This gives our new installation a far cleaner and environmentally friendly stack than a conventional plant.”

Dust is removed using both a pre-cleaner and a bag house.

In the pre-cleaner, material sized between 0,6mm and up to 2mm is dropped into a rotary valve, from where controlled volumes are fed back into the plant. Material smaller than 0,3mm, and right down to 0,075mm, is caught in bags, removed using pulsing and similarly fed back into production.

National Asphalt Dave Bennet Tel: (012) 562-9500 Email: info@nationalasphalt.co.za www.nationalasphalt.co.za

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MARKET FORUM

Sound optimisation The SAGwise, a total process control solution for semi-autogenous (SAG) mills, developed by FLSmidth, aims to offer effective SAG mill optimisation with lower energy consumption and wear part costs.

Winston Mokoena, key account manager at FLSmidth, highlights that the solution reduces critical impacts inside the mill by up to 45%. This adds life to wear liners and grinding balls, helping to prolong liner life between maintenance and giving mills more uptime.

“SAGwise can improve mill production by 6% and substantially reduce process variability,” he says. “This ensures that the mill provides a constant and

optimal feed to the next stage of the process, effectively facilitating better performance of downstream operations.”

Among the challenges that mill optimisation tries to address is too little material in the mill, or too much. Too little leads to critical impacts between the grinding media and the mill liners, damaging both elements without producing value. If the mill is over-filled with mined material, on the other hand, this results in grinding inefficiencies.

FlSmidth Willie van Wyk Tel: (010) 210-4820 Email: marinda.kerr@flsmidth.com www.flsmidth.com

Winston Mokoena, FLSmidth Key Account Manager

Leak-free piping systems in sub-Saharan Africa Hytec South Africa and GS-Hydro have entered into a partnership endorsing Hytec as a sub-Saharan Africa distributor for all GS-Hydro components and piping systems above 42mm.

The distributorship increases Hytec South Africa’s product and service capabilities and presents new opportunities for distributing non-welded, leak-free piping systems. This is especially the case where projects include design and engineering, as GS-Piping Systems’ assemblies can be prefabricated to a high degree prior to installation, which speeds up the installation process and reduces overall costs.

Cost savings through the lifetime of the piping systems are gained because there is a lower total installed system cost, a shorter installation time, less flushing time and reduced need for maintenance and repairs. “These benefits lead to fewer production interruptions and much shorter downtime when interruptions do occur,” says Hytec South Africa Engineering Manager, Andre Lindeque. “The GS-Piping System’s flexibility facilitates fast and easy installation which translates to significantly

lower installation costs when compared with a welded piping system.”

Hydraulics & Automation Warehouse Andre Lindeque Tel: (011) 281-3800 Email: andre.lindeque@hytec.co.za www.hytecgroup.co.za

A 3D schematic of a typical GS-Hydro pipe installation layout design. The new partnership increases product and service capabilities while presenting new opportunities for distributing nonwelded, leak-free piping systems.

Ceramics boost uptime An order of 24 ceramic impellers destined for pumping equipment in a copper mine in the Democratic Republic of Congo signals the value this technology brings through longer wear life and less plant downtime.

Designed and manufactured in South Africa by Multotec Wear Linings, the ceramic impellers can be a viable alternative to conventional pump impellers and, in the right application, are expected to last up to five times longer.

“The impellers will be used in slurry pumping applications where particle sizes are less than 6mm in size,” says Mark Jarrett, business development manager at Multotec Wear Linings. “The ceramic solution

is particularly effective in resisting abrasion, and also deals well with high levels of either acidity or alkalinity.

“The key advantage of our ceramic technology is to lengthen the replacement intervals for these wear parts,” he continues. “This, in turn, reduces downtime on the plant and raises productivity, invariably delivering positive impacts to the bottom line,” concludes Mark.

Multotec Vivienne Murray Tel: (011) 923-6000 Email : marketing@multotec.com www.multotec.com

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MARKET FORUM

125 years of separation 125 years ago was when the GEA factory started. Now, it is touted as one of the most modern separator plants in the world, with an export quota of 3 500 processes and 2 500 products for various industries ranging from food

all the way to environmental technology.

Although the company prides itself on new processes and products every year, many of its applications are behind the scenes – meaning they are not easily seen, but still play a crucial roll.

A prime example of GEA equipment working behind the scenes is The Palm in Dubai. The artificial islands in the shape of a palm tree, visible even from outer space, are man-made, and thus produce wastewater. They are cleaned in an underground sewage treatment plant with GEA decanters.

The plant has a capacity of up to 15 cubic metres per hour.

Another good example are cruise ships.

GEA separators are used here for heavy oil treatment as well as for treating bilge water, an oil-water mixture. Simple discharging into the sea is strictly prohibited, so solutions have to be found, and GEA is developing them.

GEA Group www.gea.com

26 Nagington Road, Wadeville, Germiston 1400, South Africa Tel +27 11 824 4810 / Fax +27 11 824 2770 E-mail info@apepumps.co.za / info@matherandplatt.com Website www.apepumps.co.za / www.matherandplatt.com

Split Case Pump • Sugar and Paper Mills • Refineries • Petro Chemical

Horizontal Multistage Pump

Vertical Turbine • Cooling Water • Circulation • Irrigation

• Power Generation Plants • Cooling and Heating Systems • Mining Applications

Locally Manufactured

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MARKET FORUM

Calculating bearing costs NSK has unveiled two new calculation tools that can predict potential savings for end users. The quality and longevity of the company´s bearing solutions ensures that significant cost savings are achieved over the operating life of the products. NSK´s development of the web-based calculation tools, which are linked to its AIP Added Value Programme, means end users are now made aware of the savings on offer, as well as the

time required to achieve amortisation.

The two new calculation tools, Cost Saver and Cost-Benefit Analysis, are available in multiple languages and multi-currency options can be selected, while PDF reports can be downloaded and sent by email to the end user.

The tools help to identify all bearingrelated costs, comparing and calculating the total saving, whatever the industry

Bearings get an overhaul

When a long-standing customer in the platinum mining space required urgent

assistance to salvage its spherical roller bearings, SKF readily came to the fore.

Through its in-depth remanufacturing expertise and capabilities, SKF was able to successfully refurbish twelve pallets of bearings for the customer.

The subsequent replenished bearing stock not only delivers substantial savings on Capex but also improves operational uptime for the mine in Limpopo.

or application. To complement the cost saving, the Cost-Benefit Analysis tool (MTBF) examines the total maintenance costs of a machine and calculates the point when investment payback will be achieved after adopting the NSK bearings.

NSK South Africa Geraldene Govender, Tel: (011) 458-3600 Email: nsk-sa@nsk.com www.nskeurope.com

“As a global bearing and rotating technology specialist, SKF is committed to delivering best-in-class solutions to meet our customers’ individual requirements,” says SKF Account Engineer, Reinhardt Joubert. “We work in close collaboration with our authorised distributors who are located close to our customers and we recognise that they are the face of SKF.” SKF Samantha Joubert Tel: (011) 821-3602 samantha.joubert@skf.com

find out if you qualify to #joinourtable at pps.co.za PPS is an authorized Financial Services Provider.

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MARKET FORUM

On the Move

Supply chain hub excellence As Weir Minerals Africa’s hub for central and east Africa, the newly upgraded Kitwe facility in Zambia is offering customers world class supply chain efficiency.

The branch officially opened in early 2018 and boasts great logistics and supply chain management systems to match those at the company’s main distribution hub near Johannesburg.

Jacques Marais Heavy duty packaging manufacturer, Kimmo, has appointed Jacques Marais as its CEO.

“Our Kitwe branch now has a 100% location-controlled warehouse that runs off our enterprise resource planning (ERP) system with WiFi enabled scanners in place. This has resulted in the achievement of inventory accuracy rates in the high 90s,” says Luhann Holtzhausen, Weir Minerals Africa supply chain director.

Luhann Holtzhausen, Weir Minerals Africa supply chain director

“The technology and technical capacity in this facility enables us to pick and bin items in real time. This will match any other system that customers may have seen globally and is also a benchmark within Zambia.”

Weir Minerals Africa Rajen Govender Tel: (011) 929-2701 Email: rajen.govender@mail.weir www.minerals.weir

INFO: VDW – Generalkommissariat EMO Hannover 2019 Verein Deutscher Werkzeugmaschinenfabriken e.V. Corneliusstraße 4 · 60325 Frankfurt am Main · GERMANY Tel.: +49 69 756081-0 · Fax: +49 69 756081-74 emo@vdw.de · www.emo-hannover.de 19147_ARBT_Africa_180x130_za.indd 1

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THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER

VOL 69 May 2019

02.04.19 11:50

High security welded mesh

Pallisade

Gates

Gate Automation

Razor wire and more ....

What is High Security Weld Mesh HIGH Security Weld Mesh is wire fused and welded at a Horizontal distance of 76.2mm and a vertical distance of 12.7mm also known as 35B/3510 where 3 denotes 3”(distance between vertical wires), 5 denotes 0.5” (distance between horizontal wires), and B or 10 denotes gauge of wire

Salient Features • Difficult to Climb: The spaces between the Horizontal wires are too narrow for fingers to have grip • Impregnable: Extremely difficult to cut with a hand cutter as the beak of a wire cutter will not be able to penetrate the horizontal wires • Excellent Replacement option to Solid Wall as: 1. More economical than a solid wall 2. Faster to install than a solid wall 3. CCTV Camera has a clear view • Further upgrade possible with electric security system • Anti-corrosive & low maintenance

Standards

• Manufactured according to BS EN 10016-2 • Wire Sizes in accordance with BS EN 10218-2 • Tolerance on Mesh Size in accordance wiht EN 10223-7 • Tolerance on Panel Size in accordance with EN 10223-4 • Welding Strength in accordance with BS EN 1461 • Zinc Coating in accordance with EN 10245-1 • Anti Corrosion in accordance with BS En 3900 E4/F4

Tensile Strength • Wire has a tensile strenght of min 550 MPA

MARK: 083 454 6488

Email: mark@palifence.co.za

www.palifence.co.za THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER

VOL 69

May 2019

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