SA Mechanical Engineer September 2019

S MECHANICAL A ENGINEER Cel

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NOT A PIMPLE OR DIMPLE IN SIGHT MATERIAL SPECIALISTS ASSIST IN EARLY PROJECT DEVELOPMENT

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

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Sept 2019

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THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER

VOL 69 September 2019

S MECHANICAL A ENGINEER Cel

ating br

YEARS

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

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Sept 2019

S MECHANICAL A ENGINEER Sept 2019 VOLUME 69

Contents NOT A PIMPLE OR DIMPLE IN SIGHT MATERIAL SPECIALISTS ASSIST IN EARLY PROJECT DEVELOPMENT

On the Cover

Laverick Media Communications Tel: 079-949-1090 sonia@laverickmedia.co.za www.laverickmedia.co.za

Electric Motors

Project Development

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24 Physical Test Work Best

Cost Effective Complete Control

SA Institute of Tribology

Power Management

10 The Mule-Train of Namaqualand

28 The Power of Remote Monitoring

Lubrication

Maintenance

15 Avoiding Contamination

30 Quick Machine Health Monitoring 31 Great Scott, the Flux Shield is Down

3D Printing 16 Not a Pimple or Dimple in Sight

Young Achievers 19 An Influence and Inspiration to All

Pumps

Regulars 33 Market Forum

23 Getting Dewatering Right

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.

Disclaimer

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.

Printed by: Typo Colour Printing, Tel: (011) 402-3468/9 FSC (Forestry Stewardship Accreditation)

Official Publication of

THE SA INSTITUTION OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING and endorsed by:

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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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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

Amoricom

Osborn Engineered Products SA (Pty) Ltd

Autodesk as represented by Worldsview Technologies

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)

Babcock Ntuthuko Engineering Pty Ltd

Procedures.......................................................... SZ Hrabar (Steve) Communications and Marketing..................G Bartholomew (Bart) TBC...........................................................MAE Black (Malcolm) TBC..............................................................HG Bosman (Tertius)

Portfolios:

Chief Executive Officer..................... Vaughan Rimbault National Office Manager................ Anisa Nanabhay 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

Eskom Rotek Industries SOC Ltd

Plant Design & Project Services (Pty) Limited (PDPS) PPS Insurance Co Limited Proconics

Esteq Group (Pty) Ltd

Redheads Engineering Services (Pty Ltd)

Exxaro Resources (Pty) Ltd

S.A.M.E Water (Pty) Ltd

Festo (Pty) Ltd

SA Power Services (Pty) Ltd

Fluor SA (Pty) Ltd

Sasol Technology (Pty) Ltd

Kelvion Systems (Pty) Ltd

Siemens (Pty) Ltd

Hatch Africa (Pty) Ltd

Spirax Sarco (Pty) Ltd

Howden Power (a div of Howden Africa)

Tenova Mining and Minerals SA

Howden Projects (a div of James Howden)

Thyssenkrupp Engineering (Pty) Ltd

MBE Minerals (SA) (Pty) Ltd

Vital Engineering (Pty) Ltd

Megchem

Weir Minerals Africa

Mod-U-Flow CC

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

ELECTRIC MOTORS

Cost Effective Complete Control Being part of the broader Hudaco Group allows BI to leverage synergies across a broad range of companies, meaning it can offer a complete product basket at its extensive branch network countrywide. One of these areas is electronic motor control solutions from Hudaco Group company Varispeed, which has just launched the VDrivePlus and AlphaDrive-Micro VSDs.

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he AlphaDrive-Micro VSD from Varispeed is a compact frequency inverter ranging from 0.2kW to 5.5kW, and available in 240V and 400V. Together with the VDrivePlus, these VSDs offer the best performance-to-cost ratio on the market, without compromising on quality and reliability.

“Due to the current economic environment, the market is very price-sensitive. Therefore, any energyefficiencies or cost-savings we are able to offer is hugely beneficial,” says Marketing Manager Victor Strobel.

Suited to most applications

Certified in accordance with the latest European standards and regulations, the Alpha Drive Micro and Micro Plus are ideally suited to most applications in the South African market, including mining, food and beverage, manufacturing, and agriculture.

A larger more advanced drive

The compact design of the VSD means it is easy to integrate into an electrical panel, as it mounts directly onto a DIN rail.

A built-in software menu caters for optimised parameters for basic functions and applications such as fans, belts, conveyors, and pumps. Applications range

Marketing Manager Victor Strobel

from mining plants to water reticulation, HVAC, food and beverage, canning and bottling plants, and injection moulding plants.

The AlphaDrive-Micro VSD is based on the Modbus protocol for open networking, with an EMC filter as standard. A feature of both of the drives is a parameter copy stick that allows for an automatic back-up of parameter settings in the event of load shedding. It also means that the same set of parameters can be transferred to many drives and even multiple sites.

The bigger brother

The VDrivePlus from Varispeed is a much larger drive, ranging from 0.4kW to 400kW, available in 240V and 400V. This more advanced VSD features an advanced motor control based on DSP technology, together with ‘smart’ auto-tuning. Additional features include flexible inverter control, dual high-resolution analogue inputs, and free mappable I/O channels.

A universal function set is available for a range of industrial and residential applications, including integrated PID/pump controller routines. ‘Smart’ PC tools allow for quick inverter control, parametrisation, and troubleshooting. Here the size and range of the VSD makes it ideal for harsh operating environments from mining to industrial and even agricultural.

Victor adds that BI staff has received training on the new VSD products, while further information can be gleaned from the BI website. Looking at future scope for synergy, he points out that the VSDs can be easily supplemented with the Bauer electric motor range from BI. BI, Phone: (011) 899-0000 Email: info@bearings.co.za, www.bearings.co.za

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Our icing on the cake:

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 69 September 2019 7 sonia@laverickmedia.co.za • www.laverickmedia.co.za

“THE LINK FOR AFRICAN TRADING”

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TRANSNET FREIGHT RAIL

www.transnetfreightrail-tfr.net

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TRIBOLOGY

The Mule-Train of Namaqualand On a recent trip to Namaqualand, I noticed railway embankments, dry stone bridges and broad-based stone turrets at the side of the endless, winding road and was reminded; this was the railway line from O’Kiep Copper mine to Port Nolloth.

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fter hearing reports in the early 1680s of copper ore in Namaqualand, Simon van der Stel, Governor of the Cape, sent mineral prospectors to seek viable deposits in the hinterland. They indeed found good copper deposits in the Springbok area in 1685. However, due to the remote location, technological challenges and costs of exploitation, the deposits were not mined for nearly two hundred years, being listed as ‘rediscovered’ in the 1800s when mining started.

Viable deposits

In late 1854, when the price of copper had reached an all-time high, the mining companies started mining these very viable deposits at O’Kiep. For several years, the only way to get the ore to market was overland by ox wagon, 200km to Hondeklip Bay, slowly over very poor gravel tracks and from there by ship.

It was realised that constructing a railway line to Port Nolloth was essential to the economic development of the area and to the mining industry.

Refuelling station: steel tanks and water pipes

Early steam locomotive with passenger coach at Port Nolloth

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British pioneer Railway Engineer, Robert Thomas Hall, was engaged in 1865 to design and construct the Namaqualand Railway. The railway, or as it was known in its era ‘Tramway’, was built between 1869 and 1876 from O’Kiep to Port Nolloth, a distance of 146km down the escarpment.

The first 70km of rail was laid on the gentle slope of the desert between which and this took two years to complete. The next 76km included the

pass, where the line climbs 405 metres up the escarpment in only 12km, an average gradient of 1 in 29.6 and a maximum grade of 1 in 19. It was completed in 1873.

The track was narrow-gauge: 2ft 6in (762mm) built specially for mules to pull the train. Sleepers were not installed in the conventional way but were laid beneath and parallel to the rails which were light gauge, only 9kg per metre.

Mule train with ore wagons descending Anenous Pass

Condensing steam locomotive

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A railway embankment was built over the full distance with dry stone bridges, cuttings and culverts, and two bridges were built over ravines 18 m deep.

The first condensing steam locomotives in southern Africa were put into service on the line in 1886 but did not fare well due to the usually high ambient temperature The area is arid, desolate and freezing cold in winter, harsh and hot with temperatures of up to 37°C in summer but is regularly transformed into a kaleidoscope of colourful spring flowers in years of good rain.

The wagons were small, double-axle units with low centres of gravity, each capable of carrying up to three tons. Passenger wagons, known as “specials” had to be requested if one wished to travel on the line; initially they were boxes with a canopy and side curtains. In 19O9 a proper three compartment passenger coach, with a real toilet, was introduced.

Public railway

During construction, the mine stockpiled huge amounts of copper ore; there would have been great celebration of the shareholders when the mule train took the first load of ore down to the port.

Although owned by the Cape Copper Company,

Recent photograph of displayed wagon at Port Nolloth Museum

Wagon currently displayed at Port Nolloth

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Refuelling station

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the railway always operated as a public railway.

The railway was a considerable feat of ‘modern’ engineering, given the desert climate of the area and its mountainous topography.

For most of the railway’s existence, it remained a ‘Mule Train’ through the gruelling Anenous pass and desert.

Teams of four mules hauled each of the ten ore wagons. It took 40 mules to pull one train; the 146km journey took two days to complete with an overnight stop at Klipfontein Hotel at the top of the Anenous Pass. Fresh mule teams were stationed along the line; the Company owned 220 mules, 18 donkeys and 23 horses.

Entire distance

The topography gave certain advantages; the loaded ore wagons were powered by gravity, travelling a declivity for almost all of the route to Port Nolloth and, on the return journey, although the ascent from sea level to 930m was heavy going, at least the wagons were lightly loaded with materials for the mine and only a few passengers.

In 1882 a French Priest, Jean Marie Simon arrived by ship at Port Nolloth on a cold, foggy day to travel to O’Kiep. He wrote:“We were hoping to jump into a compartment and at least have some shelter. But nothing came in sight except some mules with harnesses on their backs. We wondered what these beasts were doing in the African sand.

I cannot describe our amazement when we saw that the mules were firmly harnessed to a few little carriages. Yes, this was the train. These rolling boxes were our dining and sleeping cars, these mules were our engines. Each passenger carriage had three mules, and the freight cars, which were coupled in groups of three, were pulled by six mules harnessed in single file and trotting between the rails.

The whole train consisted of about sixty mules”.

The first steam locomotives were introduced in 1886, on the Port Nolloth section of the line; a steam-hauled train covered the entire distance for the first time only in 1893. These locos’ faced many problems. The track was laid for light wagons and mules operating with hoof-traction against compacted gravels. Massive locomotives require adhesive mass to achieve maximum friction between wheels and rail, which placed huge forces on the track structure. Water was in very short supply for steam; the first condensing steam locomotives in southern Africa were put into service on the line in 1886 but did not fare well due to the usually high ambient temperature. The condensing coils (which relied on atmospheric cooling) were largely ineffective.

Dribbling sand

On the steep section, up Anenous Pass, adhesion to the rails was critical. It’s recorded that a man would sit between the buffers at the front of the locomotive, armed with a long handled scoop, with this, he scraped up sand from the track, which he THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER

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then dribbled onto the rails in front of the driving wheels to reduce wheel spin. This apparently worked very well but one wonders at the abrasive wear on the wheels and rail!

It’s reported that one locomotive did the work of 500 mules. The mules used less water than the locomotives so during times of drought, mules were still used.

The railway remained in use as a copper ore line until 1942, it finally closed in 1944. The rails were collected, the sleepers were taken and no maintenance was planned on any part of the infrastructure.

British soldiers boarding mule train at Port Nolloth

A trip to the west coast of Namaqualand, from Springbok to Port Nolloth, via the N7 and R382, is potentially hot and uninteresting, until one notices the railway embankment and abandoned refuelling stations - one has been renovated as a historical monument - and the very well-built dry-stone bridges, culverts and cuttings.

Even today, we would consider transporting ore over this distance and terrain a logistical nightmare; this was a masterpiece of engineering in its day.

Leon E Bradley SAIT Committee Member

‘Special Senior Officers Coach Drawn by Mules, about 1894’

much more than just a pump in a

BOX

complete pumping solutions Email. info@pumptechnology.co.za 14

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LUBRICATION

Avoiding Contamination According to Lubrication Engineers (LE), 90% of all lubrication contamination occurs before the lubricant is ever applied. “Only 10% of lubrication contamination happens after the oil has been applied to the machinery, mainly thanks to human error or cross-contamination within the machine itself,” says Callum Ford, National Marketing Manager at LE South Africa. “The major contamination risk is actually created by poor lubrication management, especially storage and distribution.”

B

y focusing on improving these areas, organisations can drastically reduce the risk of lubricant contamination and spills, thus protecting their equipment and ensuring operational health and safety compliance.

Storage a priority

“Traditionally, lubrication storage has not been a

All storage systems come with top-mounted level gauges to allow for easy and safe viewing of tank fill level

priority for companies, but it should be,” says Callum. “They might be buying the ideal product for a plant, but if the lubricant is contaminated before it’s even applied, it’s a waste. Organisations need to move away from haphazard lubrication storage and dispensing to a systematic approach. This sort of simple house-keeping is the foundation for good asset reliability management.”

LE’s Xpel oil bulk storage containers have been designed around optimising lubrication management so that it is clean, organised, safe, efficient and reliable. “Basically, the ideal is to have a closed loop system,” explains Callum. “This minimises risk at every stage of the lubrication management cycle, right from taking delivery of a lubrication to storing it and applying it. The more chance the oil has to be exposed to the elements, the more chance it has to be contaminated before it is added to the machinery.”

Motors included

All LE Xpel bulk storage systems come with topmounted level gauges to allow for easy and safe viewing of tank fill level, as well as a retractable cable reel grounding kit and system earth lugs to mitigate static-electricity build up. They are suitable for storing machinery lubricating oils and glycolbased coolants and come standard with 110V single phase TEFC motors (although they can be configured for other power supplies as required).

LE Callum Ford Tel: (011) 464-1735 Email: callum@lubricationengineers.co.za www.lubricationengineers.co.za

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3D PRINTING

Not a Pimple or Dimple in Sight Pimples are a teenager’s nightmare. It’s the same for 3D printing enthusiasts.

most often accredited to Chuck Hull in the 1980s, costing $100 000, over $300 000 in 2019 prices.

Thankfully, most of the zeroes have dropped off the price of the more modern versions.

We eliminated the need for greasing with our bearings, which extends the life of the printer and removes maintenance headaches 3D printing is touted to revolutionise industries such as medicine, construction, fashion, aviation, food, consumer goods and rapid manufacturing.

It has already made a big difference to many manufacturers in the design and development of prototypes. 3D print your idea to see if it works and you can change, modify and adapt until it is near perfect before doing a physical assembly production run.

Reducing noise, improving accuracy

You can, theoretically, print anything from a car to an office block to a power station. Theory doesn’t always translate into practice, at least not without a few challenges. Here’s the 3D printing challenge - noise and accuracy.

Noise may seem like an irritant but, with some print jobs taking months, it’s a real problem. “I printed a box that took two weeks. The noise will drive you crazy after the first few hours,” says Juan.

Juan van Wyk

D

impling, pimpling, ghosting, prints that don’t align and noise are some of the problems they encounter. A machine that is changing our world shouldn’t have these problems. Mechanical engineer Juan van Wyk of Vesconite Bearings sat down with “SA Mechanical Engineer” to show us why Vesconite’s 3D printer bushings eliminate many of these problems.

3D printing has been around for a while. The idea dates back over a century, but the first 3D printer is

He explains that the cause of the racket is the contact between the ball bearings and linear rod when the moving printer head or the bed undergoes rapid linear movement. While an option may be to slow the print down, this is far from ideal.

The solution Vesconite developed is 3D printer sleeve bearings made from Vesconite’s super durable, tough and self-lubricating polymers. These replace bronze sleeve bushings or linear ball bearings.

“We eliminated the need for greasing with our bearings, which extends the life of the printer and removes maintenance headaches,” says Juan.

Lubrication

He explains that traditional bronze bushings and steel linear ball bearings need to be lubricated. “Lubricants act as a dirt trap, so any debris will accumulate and become abrasive to the shaft. This eventually causes an inaccurate print due to wear.”

Vesconite bushings are precision machined so they are less prone to contact stress. Contact stress can cause misalignment, and accelerated wear, affecting the overall appearance, safety and functioning of the printed item.

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In the thousands of hours

“We’ve got some customers testing the lifespan and they’re still going, so we haven’t seen how far they can go,” Juan tells us. “I believe they will outlast the life of the printer.”

Ghosting, dimpling and layer shifting

Juan identifies three further problems 3D prints tackledwith Vesconite’s 3D printer bushings: ghosting, dimpling and pimpling and layer shifting.

You need to layer the bricks on top of one another directly, not slightly over or underlapping. When your printer layer shifts, your layers end up uneven with the next layer slightly offset, and the next Ghosting happens when there is too wide a gap between the static and dynamic co-efficients of friction, which causes stiction. This, in turn, causes vibrations when the printer prints, and it looks like your print is fading into itself. Ghosting is also known as echoing or rippling. You avoid ghosting by eliminating friction, as much as possible, to have a smooth print.

Dimpling and pimpling is caused by a clearance between the bushing and the rod. Too much play, or slop, and you literally have a print job that looks like a bunch of pimples.

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Improper support

“Think of this like building a house using bricks,” explains Juan. “You need to layer the bricks on top of one another directly, not slightly over or underlapping. When your printer layer shifts, your layers end up uneven with the next layer slightly offset, and the next.”

Juan says there are other competitors manufacturing 3D printer bushings but some of these have big running clearances and a lot of slop. This doesn’t provide proper support for the printer head and, with 3D printing, the slightest deviation can cause errors.

Online marketing success

“3D printing is for the hobbyist or the corporate manufacturer, with printers ranging in price for the different markets ,” says Juan. And this trend is global especially using social media.

One such customer is Kent Thoresen, based in Norway, who has around 8 000 hours of 3D printing using Vesconite bushings on a self-designed test printer, in a climate with temperatures ranging from -25 to +25 degrees Celsius.

“All the other parts are breaking down, but the bushings are basically untouched, as if they were new.”

According to Kent, his previous roller bearings needed to be replaced at around 500 – 600 hours.“I have tested a lot of bearings and Vesconite’s are a lot better.

“I have very big printers and can clearly see that

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using the right bearings means that prints come out perfectly with no shift on layers.”

Refining

Using social media to promote their bushings is somewhat unusual in the engineering space. But given users enthusiasm for 3D printing and desire to improve, it has opened new markets and introduced new customers to Vesconite bushings. Plus, you can discuss problems online and get feedback to refine your product, as Juan has found.

Such enthusiastic customers demand quick service and, although orders have been via email, Juan advises an online order system has been developed with a full online store in the pipeline. Orders are delivered in a few days.

“We had a satisfied client in Germany who ordered on the Friday and received his bushings the following Tuesday.”

The bushings are available in Vesconite’s Hilube, the white-colour bushing material, and Vesconite Superlube, a pink lower-friction advanced-grade material. Juan concludes by saying that end users can decide if they want the standard grade, which is excellent, or the advanced Vesconite Superlube that offers even less friction. Both are perfectly suited for 3D printing and are self lubricating.

Vesconite, Juan van Wyk Tel: (011) 616-1111, Email: vesconite@vesconite.com www.vesconite.com

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YOUNG ACHIEVERS

An Influence and Inspiration to All Jeshika Ramchund, Lead Engineer of developments for Bosch Projects, has been awarded the Consulting Engineers South Africa (CESA) Young Engineer of the Year Award.

J

eshika, who is passionate about the consulting engineering industry, has 11 years experience in the planning, design and implementation of water and sanitation infrastructure projects.

She sees herself as an advocate for change, working closely with clients to improve the lives of many South Africans.

Through my work, I have had the honour of representing my country on international stages and the chance to serve the engineering profession and our people

“I have had the privilege of serving several organisations in promoting and growing the engineering profession and enhancing the business of consulting engineering in South Africa, Africa and internationally,” says Jeshika. “Through my work, I have had the honour of representing my country on international stages and the chance to serve the engineering profession and our people. I also appreciate having the opportunity to be able to positively influence young professionals.”

Various degrees

Jeshika has a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering and is currently completing her studies towards a Master of Science in Environmental Engineering at UKZN. Jeshika’s journey at Bosch Projects began as project leader in the wastewater division on a large, multi-phase, project for the eThekwini Municipality.

She is the immediate past chairperson of the Group of African Member Associations (GAMA) Young Professional’s Forum, an executive committee member of GAMA and a member of FIDIC YPFSC and the FIDIC Conference Advisory Group. She has been actively involved with Consulting Engineers South Africa (CESA) since 2008 and has served CESA as chairperson of the Young Professional’s Forum and a council and board member.

Jeshika has recently been appointed to the position of chairperson of CESA’s gender diversity forum, aimed at driving the diversity and inclusivity agenda in the consulting engineering space.

During June 2019, Jeshika won the South African Institution of Civil Engineering (SAICE) Durban Branch Young Engineer of the Year Award. She was also presented with the 2018 South African Professional Services Awards (SAPSA) Engineering Young Professional of the Year Award earlier this year and was selected as one of the Mail and Guardian’s 200 ‘Young South Africans to Watch’ in 2018, in the science and technology category.

Developing young professionals

Jeshika is committed to expanding the Bosch Projects team’s reach into integrated and smart developments. With the support of senior management, she drives the Bosch Interact programme, an initiative that aims to develop young professionals in the business as the next generation of leaders to take the industry forward. The company launched this programme to enhance and encourage interpersonal skills, professional development and participation in industry initiatives.

Jeshika Ramchund, Lead Engineer in Developments for Bosch Projects, wins the 2019 CESA Young Engineer of the Year and SAICE Durban Young Engineer of the Year Awards

Bosch Holdings Melanie Elsworth Tel: (031) 535-6192 E-mail: elsworthm@boschholdings.co.za www.boschholdings.co.za

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TRACE In is a glo antio leading party ri

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nternational, Inc. obally recognized bribery business organization and provider of third isk management solutions.

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PUMPS

Getting Dewatering Right Pit dewatering remains a vital activity for all opencast operations, as ground water not only poses an operational challenge but can also become a safety hazard if not attended to appropriately.

I

nterestingly, it is not a simple case of one pump fits all dewatering application.

Lee Vine, managing director of Integrated Pump Rental, explains that there is no such thing as a standard pit dewatering system as each instance requires a site-specific solution.

Making the choice

“There are numerous options available in terms of the actual pump and ancillary equipment, as well as the choice between rental and outright purchase,” he says.

There are several factors that can have an impact on the pump selection, and this includes available power sources, the volume of water to be pumped, the condition of the dirty water including size and type of particles in the water There are several factors that can have an impact on the pump selection, which includes available power sources, the volume of water to be pumped, the condition of the dirty water including size and type of particles in the water.

“What adds complexity to pit dewatering applications is that, in many cases, the need to dewater a pit can be urgent and customers are forced into making an incorrect pump selection or tying themselves into a contract that does not work in the longer term,” Lee warns.

Size is crucial

Diesel driven pump sets are ideal for pit dewatering

He says that while the decision to hire or purchase is an important commercial one, so is the actual selection of the pump itself. “If the pump is not sized correctly for the dewatering application at hand, it will not perform as required. This, in turn, leads to further operational challenges including production losses and sometimes even the need to change the pump resulting in further costs.”

One of the most important factors to consider is the available energy source, and if there is no access to power options such as diesel-driven or pumps fitted with hydraulic power packs must be explored.

When selecting the pump, it is also important to understand the specifics of the water ingress conditions and whether this is a long-term issue or simply a short-term challenge. This scenario will dictate the pump size, its rated output and what ancillary equipment is required.

Integrated Pump Rental Tel: (011) 894-2906 Email: admin@pumprental.co.za www.pumprental.co.za

Responsiveness to pit dewatering needs

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PROJECT DEVELOPMENT

Physical Tests Work Best Multotec’s Technology Division recently hosted journalists on a tour of its specialised testing facilities. “SA Mechanical Engineer” was there to find out what tests the minerals processing specialists conduct and how they help improve efficiency.

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aan Bornman, technology manager, says much of the company’s testwork comes from customers who are in the early stages of project development.

“They need to understand more about how their minerals or material will separate under given conditions. Often there is no mathematical model that can predict accurately what they can expect.

“Physical testwork is usually the best way of finding out how particles will behave in a process plant,” he adds.

The R&D laboratory prepares samples and conducts particle size analysis using equipment such as pressure filters, drying ovens, sieves, shakers, sizers and separating funnels. When chemical analysis is required, samples are sent to outside laboratories.

Samples have come from as far afield as Russia, India and Canada. Tests can take from a few weeks to a year, depending on the tests required.

Four areas

Faan took us through four testing areas at the company’s premises in Kempton Park – the cyclone test rig, screening test rig, the centrifuge and spiral test rig.

Our screening test rig can considerably reduce operational risks by proving any changes before they are implemented on site The large scale cyclone rig can test the performance of a range of cyclone sizes, up to 450mm diameter. Tests related to classification, desliming and dewatering, as well as dense medium separation using density tracers can be conducted.

Benefits include the ability to test large volumes of samples as the rig includes a 1 750 litre sump and a 6/4 pump. Flexibility is provided by a variable speed drive connected to the pump, to vary the flow rates as required by the cyclone size.

Dry samples usually need to be blended before testing - wet samples may need to be dried before blending. The resulting samples from the test must also be scientifically prepared for particle size and chemical analysis. The precision at each stage is vital, as bulk samples as large as 200kg may need to be reduced to as little as 100g.

The rig’s infrastructure includes two Multotec vezin samplers that help minimise common errors of manual sampling and ensure the integrity of the

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sample is retained.

Multotec also uses the cyclone test rig for its own product development. This has resulted in a range of cyclones that are lighter, more cost effective, environmentally-friendly and energy efficient. The end result for customers is lower cost per ton in a low footprint, sustainable plant operation.

Main benefits

The screening test rig helps prove screen panel product efficiency at no risk to customer operations.

Chris Oldewage, technology manager at Multotec Manufacturing identifies two main benefits of this testing.

“Firstly, it facilitates the in-house development process of screening media products. Secondly, it allows screening media to be tested against customer requirements to ensure the right solution is delivered.

“The ongoing research and development behind our screening media products gives the industry opportunities to optimise efficiencies and recoveries,” he says.

This configuration works particularly well when dealing with fine material, hence its application in tailings “Changing anything on a plant brings risk of unexpected downtime. Our screening test rig can considerably reduce operational risks by proving any changes before they are implemented on site.”

The screening rig is made up of three test platforms: a vibrating screen, a sieve bend and a static drain screen platform. The vibrating screen can conduct classification tests, wet and dry dewatering tests, product development tests and plant screen simulations.

The static drain screen and sieve bend screening test platforms are wet classification, drainage and dewatering tests.

Accuracy

Multotec process engineer PJ Pieters describes how accurate scaling of a customer’s on-mine process is vital for achieving representative and relevant test results.

“We gather a range of key data from customers on our test work questionnaire,” says PJ. “This includes their material tonnages, volumes of water, screen sizes in operation and aperture sizes on panels among other information.”

This ensures that sample sizes are representative and that the tests accurately reflect what is taking place in the mine’s processes. Tests are conducted in triplicate runs to ensure a sound scientific basis for the findings.

The screening test facility at the company also includes a small Lucotec screen and a small wedgewire trommel screen for small-scale verification test work.

Tailings

Jeantelle Rust, Multotec Process Equipment R&D engineer, took us through the centrifuge and spiral test rig area. The centrifuge is used to separate liquids and solids, and is fast and silent. The sample THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER

VOL 69 September 2019

25

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we

used took 20 seconds to separate.

Multotec’s full-scale spiral test rig allows eight to 10 different spirals to be erected at a time.

“With the drive to process tailings in the chrome sector, we have been running tests on a more compressed spiral with a reduced pitch,” says Jeantelle. “This reduces the velocity of the very fine particles.

“This configuration works particularly well when dealing with fine material, hence its application in tailings,” she adds. The spiral could offer a cost efficient way of separating ultra-fine chrome material and recovering valuable product.

“Such a solution presents an attractive commercial proposition to industry, and will also address environmental concerns presented by tailings dumps.”

Using a mouth-organ product box, the material being tested on the spiral rig is split into eight product fractions, not just the usual three for product, middlings and tailings. This helps optimise the mass balance for reporting purposes.

Beaching

The spiral test rig has also been used to evolve designs that deal with coarser material. Customers were looking for a solution to the ‘beaching’ of coarse coal product on the spiral’s surface, for example.

“We were able to modify the angles and diameter of the trough to address this challenge,” Jeantelle tells us. “Our ability to make small adjustments to the equipment, and to test material repeatedly at full scale, is the key to finding practical solutions.”

The company has conducted research for producers of mineral sands – or heavy minerals – where head grades were steadily dropping. This necessitated the treatment of larger tonnages, requiring higher capacity spirals.

“Space constraints on the customer’s site meant that adding spirals to their process was not an option. Wider spirals were tested for higher throughput, with different angles to minimise losses.”

While the spiral appears to be a relatively simple piece of equipment, she highlights that the variety of forces at play makes it impossible to accurately model a spiral’s action and results. The kind of testing conducted

by Multotec is therefore vital to achieve optimal separation efficiencies.

Invaluable

Faan highlights other areas where testwork is invaluable. “Extensive test work is especially relevant when a customer is wanting to mine and treat less traditional minerals like lithium or graphite,” he says.

“As demand grows for commodities like these, we have had customers bring samples to test how our equipment would perform. In these tests, we trial various methodologies and scientifically record and compare the results.

“With the growth of environmental awareness, there is also considerable scope for applying separation technology in the field of recycling,” he adds.

Multotec has successfully conducted testwork on electronic waste, for example, and has also been requested to separate metal from plastic in milled material.

“We research the application of different methodologies to customer material, often leading to the development of a new product or improvements to our existing products,” Faan concludes. “In addition to providing a solution for the customer, we are able to contribute to the efficiency of the industry as a whole, with an updated and commercialised product.”

Multotec Faan Bornman Tel: (011) 923-6000

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POWER MANAGEMENT

The Power of Remote Monitoring South Africa is an increasingly energy-uncertain country. With the national utility facing daunting financial and technical challenges, consumers can no longer bank on uninterrupted power supply.

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or businesses and facilities that cannot afford downtime, such as IT data centres, factories, construction companies, mines, banks and telecoms providers, the situation calls for alternative solutions.

Master Power Technologies (MPT) specialises in turnkey solutions that include uninterruptible power supplies (UPSs), generator sets, fuel systems, battery and energy management processes, however they admit that not even the best backup power solutions are infallible.

A solution

In response to this, MPT has developed its automated remote monitoring feature.

“The heart of our remote monitoring offering is the master power universal controller (UC). The UC is a range of application-specific hardware and software that controls and monitors all components of our backup power solutions,” says Rory Reid, sales and marketing director for MPT.

When the UC detects an issue, which can be anything from a mains failure to a battery failure in a UPS installation, it raises an alarm The UC provides real-time hardware and software monitoring, and internal intelligent automatic action to mitigate potentially critical issues that could cripple essential functions. “Our team monitors customer systems from our 24/7/365 network operating centre, and deploys site assistance before a situation reaches critical points. Be it breakdown support or routine maintenance.”

its remote monitoring capabilities. These include triple change-over controls, which select and then operate any of the three sources connected to them in order to provide power to the site.

In addition, the base transceiver station (BTS) remote monitoring is a desktop and mobile phone app that remotely monitors sites and generates equipment reports. Finally the remote management system monitors all alarms and the condition or status of secure power equipment in critical areas such as data centres. This includes environmental monitoring, humidity, temperature, intrusion detection and CCTV monitoring.

Watch the batteries

“Every UPS is only as reliable as the batteries providing the back-up power, hence companies must ensure that their batteries are functioning optimally at all times,” continues Rory. BattSure is a battery manager that provides customers with surety of site performance according to design specifications. The technology protects a site by monitoring the safe and correct operation of its batteries, which is vital for a site’s uninterrupted power supply.

When the UC detects an issue, which can be anything from a mains failure to a battery failure in a UPS installation, it raises an alarm. In response, the operators at the remote monitoring centre follow standard operating procedures to deal with the issue. “As the UC monitors the situation in real time, a log is kept of the performance of all electronic equipment under observation, providing customers with a clear understanding of the status and performance of their systems,” concludes Rory.

Master Power Technologies Rory Reid Tel: (011) 792-7230 Email: sales@kva.co.za www.kva.co.za

With the UC as the backbone, MPT developed several product applications to improve and expand

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MAINTENANCE

Quick Machine Health Monitoring Customers are empowered to monitor machine health without the need for extensive training or diagnostic expertise through its Enlight QuickCollect.

D

esigned to make it easy to collect and interpret machine data, SKF Enlight QuickCollect is helping customers optimise their rotating equipment performance.

Previously, in order to collect machine and process data, customers needed expensive equipment and had to depend on in-house expertise to understand the data and diagnose machine problems effectively. The SKF Enlight QuickCollect makes it easy for customers to get started and its entry-level setup costs means that the capital expenditure is eliminated. As an affordable addition to the maintenance programme, customers can collect machine data and inspect and process this data swiftly and simply.

A combination of apps and sensors

This innovation combines a SKF QuickCollect Sensor with mobile SKF QuickCollect apps to simplify inspection, process and machine health data collection and analysis. By utilising the sensor and the

apps, customers can easily start checking the ‘on the spot’ condition of their rotating machinery. In addition to rapid identification of machine condition, this solution assists customers to capture, share and store inspection as well as process machine health data across the company.

Previously, in order to collect machine and process data, customers needed expensive equipment and had to depend on in-house expertise to understand the data and diagnose machine problems effectively The simple and rugged SKF QuickCollect handheld sensor monitors a wide array of issues relating to vibration and temperature. The sensor transmits data to an app on a mobile device, providing instant machine diagnostics.

SKF Samantha Joubert Tel: (011) 821-3500 Email: samantha.joubert@skf.com www.skf.com

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MAINTENANCE

Great Scott, the Flux Shield is Down Marthinusen & Coutts recently provided a solution to an irregularity that occurred in the stator of a large 36MW compressor motor deployed at Sasol’s Secunda plant.

I

nitially a Sasol maintenance team discovered during a routine inspection in January 2018 that the flux shield mountings on the stator were faulty, whereupon Sasol awarded M&C a contract to identify the cause of the irregularity and offer a remedy.

The electrical current, had started flowing in the mounting bolts, so causing wear by electrical arcing A defective flux shield

a recurrence of the defect in the future,” Rob says.

“On investigating the defect we found that the electrical current, instead of flowing only in the flux shield as it ought to have done to prevent the core from overheating, had started flowing in the mounting bolts, so causing wear by electrical arcing in the mounting holes and the mounting studs,” he explains.

The solution M&C’s repair team provided was to fit copper braid straps from several points on the flux shield to the stator body to reroute the current in such a way as to prevent a repeat of the damage as witnessed.

Results in

“We tested the stator winding, which we found to be fine, but confirmed that there was a defect in the flux shield and recommended that it be repaired, as there was a risk of it damaging the winding if left to continue operating in its existing condition. To repair the flux shield meant also having to remove the winding and perform a rewind on the stator,” says Rob Melaia, M&C’s engineering and technical executive.

Partial discharge and Tan Delta tests were conducted, being the recognised tests for determining the integrity and efficiency of medium voltage windings.

Sasol accepted M&C’s recommendation and assigned it to perform the required repairs. “In addition to replacing the old bars with new, we did a very specific modification to repair the flux shield to prevent

Marthinusen & Coutts Rob Melaia Email: support@mandc.co.za www.mandc.co.za

The results were a maximum partial discharge of below 250 PicoCoulombs (pC) at 120% of phase voltage and in the Tan Delta tests, the dielectric dissipation factor was found to be 65 x 10-4 at 20% of phase voltage and 105 x 10-4 at 100% of phase voltage.

M&C undertook specific modifications to repair the flux shield

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Transport Evolution presents

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THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER

Raising output and quality After significant upgrades and expansions to its manufacturing facility at Potchefstroom, OMV has boosted its supply capacity while improving its gypsum quality.

OMV produces synthetic gypsum from the phosphate waste-product of the fertiliser industry, supplying the cement, agricultural and industrial sectors. According to OMV mechanical engineer Marinus van den Berg, the company has upgraded and automated its washing plant, while also adding a kiln drier and a calcining plant.

“The redesign of the washing plant included changing to a continuous lime batching system,” Marinus says.

“This improves the controllability of the process and the product quality.”

The washing plant upgrade meant full automation and higher availability. It also included a completely new laboratory, now staffed with a chemical engineer and chemical technician to focus on quality control.

A key enhancement of the gypsum facility has been the addition of a rotary drying kiln. This allows reliable supply to customers even during the rainy months, with the kiln reducing the moisture content in the gypsum by an extra 10%.

An important part of the technology employed in the kiln is optimised fuel economy for lower carbon emissions. Along

with the kiln installation has come the construction of an undercover gypsum warehouse with 30 000 ton capacity.

“All these facilities operate within our total quality management system and we continually optimise processes so we can pass the cost savings on to customers,” concludes Marinus.

OMV Marinus van den Berg Tel: (018) 484-1312 Email: sales@omv.co.za, www.omv.co.za

Acoustics to detect damage South Australian company, Ping Services has launched a device that uses acoustic analysis, machine learning and the Internet of Things (IoT) to continuously detect wind turbine blade damage.

“The key piece of technology is the algorithm that can rate the health of a bearing based on its acoustic signature and monitor changes over time,” says Ping Services CEO, Matthew Stead.

“Something as simple as replacing a noisy bearing could prevent more serious damage occurring if the problem is not addressed so Ping is ideal for listening for things like wheel bearing damage,” he adds.

The device magnetically attaches to wind turbine towers and actively listens to the blades’ acoustic signature while rotating to detect blade faults such as pitting or cracks caused by lightning strikes or hail.

Its conical shape protects its microphone from rain, debris such as bird droppings, and ground level noise.

Mathew concludes by saying that information picked up from the Ping device is sent to the cloud allowing the wind farms to keep a close eye on the turbines.

Ping Monitor Matthew Stead Email: info@ping.services www.pingmonitor.co

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MARKET FORUM

Correct gas measurements Emerson has introduced the Daniel 3418 Eight-Path gas ultrasonic flow meter, which delivers highly accurate flow measurement in natural gas custody transfer applications with reduced upstream piping requirements and without flow conditioning. The Daniel 3418 compensates for flow distortions that result from pipe bends, shorter straight runs or smaller design footprints, allowing it to operate in more design configurations without sacrificing accuracy and longterm performance.

The 3418 is the first ultrasonic flow meter to pass all perturbation tests for OIML R-137 Accuracy Class 0.5 with only five pipe diameters in front of the meter and without a flow conditioner. It features eight interlocked direct chordal paths, positioned as two British Gas path layouts where the second is the mirror image of the first, allowing the meter to cancel out asymmetrical velocity effects. This design enables the meter to measure flow with greater resolution and accurately calculate swirl, reducing the need for flow conditioning and long upstream piping configurations.

Emerson Tel: (011) 451-3700 Email: devesh.roopnarain@emerson.com www.emerson.com

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MARKET FORUM

Monitor water levels and flows from mobiles A new water monitoring station that measures levels, flows, flumes and stage discharge via cloud networks has been launched to assist in the mitigation of the effects of floodwaters, stormwater, and protect against compromised storage dams.

Distributed by Euca Technologies on behalf of Onset Computer Corporation, the Hobo MicroRX Water Level Station delivers near real-time water level and flow alerts. The new cellular, web-enabled station uses the same 4G cellular technology widely adopted for mobile devices, to provide fast, reliable communications.

Pre-programmed water flow formulas for select weirs, flumes, and a stage discharge table result in an easy and intuitive configuration.

Euca Technologies managing director, Ernest Campling, says the new water flow and accumulated rainfall calculations, which are performed directly on the station at time of measurement, trigger immediate notifications of critical water level conditions. Combined with Onset’s ceramic water level sensor, this delivers calculated water level and flow data through the powerful cloud-based Hobolink software for remote reporting and management.

Euca Technologies Ernest Campling Tel: (010) 007-5278 Email: ernest@euca.co.za www.euca.co.za

Catching CO2 leaks Across many industries CO2 leaks in equipment resulting from non-maintenance, mechanical damage or wear and tear can impact on the wellbeing and safety of not only employees but also on the manufacturing processes involved, for example in the food, beverage and refrigeration industries.

Greisinger’s new G 1910-2 and G 1910-20 CO2 mobile, handheld measuring devices offer benefits to the user such as a compact CO2 monitor with an integrated sensor and an optical and acoustic alarm function with a large rechargeable battery life, easy charging and a wide measuring range.

“From breweries, wine presses and dispensaries to heating, ventilation and air-conditioning to energy management in buildings and use in research and education, this compact CO2 handheld measuring device fits perfectly into the hand and can be taken anywhere,” says Jan Grobler, Managing Director, of GHM Messtechnik South Africa.

“Every mining or pulp and paper plant, for example, has to monitor the environment and this device offers a wider measuring range than usual that can reach up to 2 000 ppm in the G 1910-02 version and as much as 19 999 ppm with the G 1910-20 model. Additionally, having a calibration connection enables the customer to recalibrate the device themselves, or we can do it for them,” concludes Jan. Messtechnik South Africa Jan Grobler Tel: (011) 902-0158 Email: info@ghm-sa.co.za

The new RX2100 Station provides flood warning via SMS

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MARKET FORUM

Increased automation for improved efficiency The fact that the bulk of materialshandling equipment in South Africa is imported means that the industry will eventually fall in line with the global trend of increasing automation. This is according to Shumani Industrial Equipment managing director, Victor Nemukula. “There is a constant flow of new technology into the local materials-handling industry, in line with international trends. The growing requirement for efficiency and cost-effectiveness is a key driver in the uptake of automation,� Victor highlights. Other factors are increased health-and-safety and the reduction of human errors, thereby boosting overall quality.

Advanced equipment such as selfdriving vehicles (SDVs) and the Internet of Things are two core technologies at the vanguard of automation in the materials-handling industry. Automation begins with how materials are received, stored and transported from the instant they enter a warehouse.

Simultaneously this has to be balanced by the fact that any new technology introduced must have a sound return on investment.

Technological developments in this industry are critical, as manufacturers are under constant pressure to carry out Shumani, Victor Nemukula, Phone: 0861 748 6264 SA Mech eng year planner ad.pdf 1 2018/11/01 12:36 PM tasks faster and cheaper, without compromising on quality. Email: vnemukula@shumani-industrial.co.za

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MARKET FORUM

A big win with solar The commercial rooftop solar photovoltaic (PV) market is growing rapidly in South Africa, with solar systems providing an ideal solution for commercial landlords looking to reduce both electricity costs and their carbon footprint, says Lance Green of SolarSaver.

“Solar installations make particular sense for retailers as they require energy consistently during the day, seven days a week, with demand usually peaking at midday. This mirrors daylight hours when the supplementary energy produced by grid-tied solar installations is available.”

“Forward-thinking landlords, retailers and property developers are catching up with international counterparts in seeing the potential to use solar installations to help attract and retain tenants. Solar installations allow landlords to pass utility cost savings to their tenants, in addition to providing them with an attractive, eco-friendly offering. Tenants are increasingly conscious of their carbon footprints and greener buildings regularly attract higher rentals,” says Lance.

Shopping malls also need consistent electricity supplies to do business, and while grid-tied solar does not offer protection against load-shedding, adding batteries to the installation is the logical next step for many of these businesses. “Retailers are taking a long-term view as by installing a solar solution they get the immediate cost-saving benefits, as well as the potential to link batteries to the system that is already in place to be able to go off-grid in the future,” concludes Lance.

“Retail malls or commercial properties with lots of under-used roof space are ideal for solar power generation,” he adds.

SolarSaver, Lance Green www.solar-saver.net

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And with direct access to world-class software, analytics and support through SKF @ptitude or SKF Enlight, it’s the cost-effective route to high performance.

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MARKET FORUM

Forklifts for a tight fit Why Bendi B320? Garrick Spray, Area Sales Manager at GLTC, explains that the battery electric multi-purpose articulated forklift truck is designed to give optimal aisle performance while retaining many of the features which have made the Bendi the first choice in articulated forklift trucks.

“The B320 is capable of storing pallets in aisles as small as 1,6 metres, offering great space savings over counterbalance and reach trucks. Bendi can achieve a storage density that exceeds that of a very narrow aisle (VNA) installation,” says Garrick.

Goscor Lift Truck Company (GLTC) recently delivered two Bendi B320 forklifts to Two-a-Day (TAD), a fruit growing, packing and marketing company. The Bendi B320’s narrow aisle area, which increases pallet space on given floor area, influenced TAD’s buying decision.

For increased uptime in handling its produce, TAD went into the market for two forklifts. As a major consideration, the company specifically wanted a unit that could take the task head on in its narrow aisles. GLTC offered its Bendi B320, which fit the bill for the customer.

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THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER

The B320 has a nominal lift capacity of 2 000 kg and lift height of 9 metres. With full AC and electronically switched valve bank, the B320 has greater efficiency with faster lift and lowering speeds. The operator’s cabin is based on the Bendi B420 and comes with a large footwell, low step for easy access and a tortoise button for controllable reduced speed operating. Additional features include highly manoeuvrable and safe drive style in aisles, purpose-built articulating-specific triple stage FFL masts, four post OHG to maximise operator safety and visibility, no guidance or super-flat floors required and servo assisted brakes.

Goscor Debby Marx Tel: (011) 230-2600, Email: dmarx@goscor.co.za

VOL 69 September 2019

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 September 2019

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Your boutique business destination Surrounded by lush gardens in the hub of Johannesburg’s northern suburbs, The Peartree in Craighall Park caters for groups of fifteen through to 100 guests in three well-appointed and equipped business suites.

Breakfast meetings, working lunches, indoor or outdoor dining, half-day and full-day packages including all welcome refreshments, teas and lunches are offered in Standard, Gold and Platinum packages.

Secure parking, Wi-fi, lockable space, all underpinned by highly qualified and helpful staff dedicated to ensuring your event is a success, make The Peartree a destination of choice.

www.thepeartree.co.za e-mail: info@thepeartree.co.za Tel: 011 781 1401 41 St. Albans Ave, Craighall Park