SA Mechanical Engineer September 2018

S MECHANICAL A ENGINEER

September Publication of the SA Institution of Mechanical Engineering, incorporating News of Associate Organisations 2018

Anti-Bribery Compliance Solutions all in the paperwork

mining data in the manufacturing sector

SA Mechanical Engineer 6 April.pdf 2 2018/04/05 10:09:55 AM

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AN ENGINEER’S VIEW

Why we Need Engineers

N

inety-nine percent of everything people interact with daily, is man-made. By manmade, I mean nearly everything is:

• the result of a technology innovation either created or applied by an engineer.

• built, manufactured or generated by value-add processes both developed and managed by engineers.

• shipped and handled by thermodynamic miracles invented and improved by engineers

a small group of individuals. To get to these points we had to build upon the knowledge of the William A Hadley known and research and collaborate among millions of the brightest minds. But as we progressed, the scale of problems also increased exponentially.

• powered by energy generated by petrochemical, nuclear and natural wonders like wave and wind energy harnessed by engineers.

To tackle these problems, we need more numbers of people collaborating and working together on these issues. So yes, to tackle these problems, we need more engineers, just to boost the odds of solving the problems.

• used by people fed, clothed, housed and cared for via mechanised agricultural and industrial systems, including healthcare, characterised by continuously improving productivities and advances which reward us with generous free time, greater health and longer lives.

If we successfully meet all the current demand and then generate an army of unemployed engineers, an unemployed, bored engineer will literally make their own opportunities, and we will all benefit

We need more Science Technology Engineering and Mathematically (STEM) educated people in every field, as a technology-driven society and innovation-based economy, it is a given.

For example, for every R1 of economic value directly generated by engineering intensive innovation and value add processes there is approximately R20 generated downstream in other fields such as law, banking, real estate, insurance.

If we are to accommodate billions more people on the planet and address issues such as waste or material limits, we need more and more engineers and others to make it happen.

We need all the engineers we can get. Even if we successfully meet all the current demand and then generate an army of unemployed engineers, an unemployed, bored engineer will literally make their own opportunities, and we will all benefit.

Views and analysis

An example is global warming which is often the impetus for people to take up engineering. So, let me pen down my views and analysis.

Engineering marvels have enabled us to attain better food security by improving the yield per area for farming. Engineering marvels have helped us have a better quality of life in terms of both health and wellness overall by providing us with access to better equipment. Engineering feats are what have enabled us to communicate with each other from virtually anywhere.

These are not the feats of a single individual nor

Two-person economy

As for the other professions such as law, accountancy, or even entertainment, I agree they are important, they just don’t push the frontiers of humanity to a better level. In my opinion, we as an organism, can afford entertainment only after we have secured the safety of our existence. I read a story that may help to illustrate this. Consider a two-person economy.

One-man fishes with a rod and line and suppose he catches two fish per day. The other man chops down trees and makes firewood. They exchange, each day, one fish for one bundle of firewood.

Now suppose the fisherman invents a net which allows him to catch ten fish per day. Then, because he has always had a good relationship with the lumberjack, he decides to pay two fish for the same bundle of firewood.

After the invention, both men are richer: the fisherman has eight fish and a bundle of firewood, and the lumberjack now has two fish (and of course his firewood).

The world needs more engineers because they invent the nets. Every engineer is compensated based on his or her ability to build something new or improve upon something that already exists. They optimise, research, and improve everything, constantly.

The world doesn’t just need engineers, it desperately needs them.

William A Hadley

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER

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Invincible Valves (Pty) Ltd was established in 1982 and since has grown to a medium sized enterprise located in Knights, Germiston Invincible Valves prides itself on service excellent and flexibility by striving to enhance our customer’s bottom line.

Our 6,500m² facility in Knights is made up of 4,500m² under roof being our stores and workshop. The facility is fully equipped to offer a one-stop resource for valves and ancillary equipment which we transport globally.

As an approved BBBEE Level 4 supplier to all major industries within South Africa, we maintain expertise and experience across a broad spectrum of industries and applications with a wide range of products. We offer a comprehensive range of local and imported valves and accessories for the mining, petro-chemical, power generation, water, sewerage and general industries. We have agents in all major centres around the country and service all four corners of the globe.

We offer an in-house rubber lining service for valves, pipes, fittings and vessels which is utilized by many of the country’s major valve manufacturers. In addition we offer complete service, repair and valve reconditioning services for all types of valves.

Our Core Values: We believe in treating our customers with respect. We grow through creativity, invention and innovation. We integrate honesty, integrity and business ethics into all aspects of our business functioning.

Our Mission Statement: Build long term relationships with our customers and clients, to provide exceptional customer services by pursuing business through innovation and advanced technology.

Our Purpose: To be a leader in the Valve Industry by providing enhanced services, customer service and profitability.

Our Vision: To provide a quality service that exceeds the expectations of our esteemed customers.

Invincible Valves is a proud supplier of quality valve products and ancillary equipment backed by service excellence around the globe. It is the combination of these values that allows us to form lasting business relationships.

Invincible Valves (Pty) Ltd

If it's not INVAL®, it's not Invincible 33 Shaft Road, Knights, Germiston TEL: +27 (0) 11 822 1777 | FAX: +27 (0) 11 822 3666 EMAIL: enquiries@invalve.co.za | WEB: www.invalve.co.za

S MECHANICAL A ENGINEER September 2018

On the Cover

Trace International www.traceinternational.org

VOLUME 68

Contents Water Conservation

Power Transmission

10 Near-waterless Laundry Systems

33 Regenerative Drives

Transport Industry

Project Management

34 Are you Wearing your Seatbelt?

12 Lessons that Should be Learned

SA Institute of Tribology

37 Tribology is Alive and Well

Valves

Global Supply Chain

14 Build a Business, Build an Industry

38 The Impact of 3D Printing

Automotive

Steam, Turbines and Boilers

39 Press for Light Commercial Vehicles

16 Fifty Years in South Africa

Asset Management

20 Fabulous for Facilities

Regulars

Manufacturing Sector

22 Machine Learning Specialist

First in Africa

27 Skid-mounted Chlorine Plant

Piston Seals

30 Centre of Pressure

3

An Engineer’s View

6

Institution News

40 Market Forum 46 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: Anne Rotteglia Circulation: Belinda Siegruhn 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

Official Publication of THE SA INSTITUTION OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING and endorsed by:   

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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.

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

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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 2016 - 2018

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)

Amoricom

Megchem

Autodesk as represented by Worldsview Technologies

Mod-U-Flow CC

Ainsworth Engineering (Pty) Ltd Alstom Power Service SA (Pty) Ltd Babcock Ntuthuko Engineering Pty Ltd Bosch Projects Pty Ltd

Western Cape .............................................. Dr M Venter (Martin)

Eskom Rotek Industries SOC Ltd

Portfolios:

Esteq Group (Pty) Ltd

Communications and Marketing .................G Bartholomew (Bart)

Exxaro Resources (Pty) Ltd

Technology Programme and Procedures........... SZ Hrabar (Steve)

Festo (Pty) Ltd

TBC...........................................................MAE Black (Malcolm)

Fluor SA (Pty) Ltd

TBC.............................................................G Bartholomew (Bart)

Kelvion Systems (Pty) Ltd

Chief Executive Officer: Vaughan Rimbault

Green Plan Consultants (Pty) Ltd

National Office Manager: Anisa Nanabhay PO Box 511, Bruma, 2026 Tel: (011) 615-5660 Email: info@saimeche.org.za

Hatch Africa (Pty) Ltd Howden Power (a div of Howden Africa)

Website: www.saimeche.org.za

Howden Projects (a div of James Howden)

Membership Email: membership@saimeche.org.za

MBE Minerals (SA) (Pty) Ltd

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Osborn Engineered Products SA (Pty) Ltd PaCMan Projects & Maintenance Plant Design & Project Services (Pty) Limited (PDPS) PPS Insurance Co Limited Redheads Engineering Services (Pty Ltd) S.A.M.E Water (Pty) Ltd SA Power Services (Pty) Ltd Sasol Technology (Pty) Ltd Siemens (Pty) Ltd Simera Technology (Pty) Ltd Spirax Sarco (Pty) Ltd Tenova Mining and Minerals SA Thyssenkrupp Engineering (Pty) Ltd Vital Engineering (Pty) Ltd Weir Minerals Africa

SA INSTITUTION OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

2018 Forthcoming Training Workshops SAIMechE Training Events should be viewed by members and the industrial community as service benefits. Only events which have attracted sufficient delegates will take place. Events which do not have sufficient delegates by their bookings closure dates will be cancelled and all relevant parties will be notified accordingly. Therefore, if you book on an event, we recommend that you delay making your travel arrangements until you have been notified that the event will take place as planned.

Workshop programmes, 2018 Delegate registration forms, and Fees structure may be obtained from Carey Evans Tel: 031 764 7136 or email: carey@saimeche.org.za Code

Days

Start Date

End Date

Region

Bookings Closure Date

Pressure Equipment - An Effective Guideline to SANS 347 Workshop CPD Validation Number: SAIMechE-1091-07/20 Developed and presented by: Dr. Herbert De Vries, BSc (Mech.Eng), Pr.Eng. G.C.C., MSAIMechE, MBL, DBL Z4718

1

9 Oct

9 Oct

Gauteng

28 Sep

Cape Town

28 Sep

Value Engineering; Value Management Workshop CPD Validation Number: SAIMechE-1067-06/20 Developed and presented by: Kurt Huber, Pr. Tech. Eng., CVS (Life) C4618

1

10 Oct

10 Oct

Technical Communication and Report Writing Workshop CPD Validation Number : SAIMechE-1098-12/20 Developed and presented by: Jac Spies, B.Sc. Mathematics & Mathematical Statistics, Grad. Business and Project Management (UNISA Business School), MMCSA, MSAIMechE E6218

2

17 Oct

18 Oct

East Rand

5 Oct

How Technology Evolution Enables Inventive Engineering Designs Workshop CPD Validation Number : SAIMechE-1009-12/19 Developed and presented by: Jac Spies, B.Sc. Mathematics & Mathematical Statistics, Grad. Business and Project Management (UNISA Business School), MMCSA, MSAIMechE E0818

2

24 Oct

25 Oct

East Rand

12 Oct

Steam Trapping; Condensate Removal; Condensate Recovery Workshop CPD Validation Number : SAIMechE-1006-12/19 Developed and presented by: Malcolm Black, B.Sc.(Mech.Eng.), G.C.C., MSAIMechE, Th.B. E0418

2

7 Nov

8 Nov

East Rand

26 Oct

Leadership and Management Roles in Engineering Workshop CPD Validation Number : SAIMechE-1109-12/20 Developed and presented by: David Ramsay, B.Sc (Civil Eng.), MEngMan, MSAICE, COMENSA E0718

2

19 Nov

20 Nov

East Rand

9 Nov

Leadership and Management Principles and Practice in Engineering Workshop CPD Validation Number : SAIMechE-1101-12/20 Developed and presented by: David Ramsay, B.Sc (Civil Eng.), MEngMan, MSAICE, COMENSA E6118

2

21 Nov

22 Nov

East Rand

9 Nov

Special Offer on In-House Training Workshops • Save up to R2,735.00 per delegate by booking workshops totalling 6 days or more.

• Save paying delegate travel costs. We will travel to you!

• Work as a corporate team by sharing and solving common problems as you learn.

• Ask the developer to tailor the material or training methods to suite your corporate requirements.

To learn more about our 2018 special In-house training offer, please contact: Linda Robinson at Tel: 031 764 7136 or email: linda@saimeche.org.za

Pompetravaini, a market leader in the manufacture of Liquid Ring Vacuum Pumps – A&VT are the Sole Agents for Southern Africa.

info@vactech.co.za

SALES, SPARES AND REPAIRS

0861 VACTEC (822 832) www.vactech.co.za

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COVER STORY

TRANSFORMING FREIGHT LOGISTICS

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COVER STORY

www.transnet.net

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WATER CONSERVATION

Near-waterless Laundry Systems “A new laundry system saves up to 80% on water usage, and up to 50% on energy and detergent usage. This is a major shift and the first real breakthrough in commercial laundry technology in over 60 years,� says Charl de Beer, founder of Fanute Hospitality Solutions.

T

he new polymer-based system from Xeros changes the most basic operating principles of the washing machine by replacing the large quantities of hot water used in traditional washing machines with polymer XOrbs made from a special stain-absorbing polymer material.

These revolutionary orbs absorb stains, stray dyes and soil, carrying them away from fabrics, resulting in a superior cleaning process that uses less water and detergent than traditional commercial washing machines.

The machine also washes fabrics at energy conserving lower temperatures. By combining the lower wash temperatures with the XOrbs ability to absorb stray colours, the risk of colour being re-deposited in the wash is minimised. For a laundry processing large volumes each day, the shortened sorting time into blacks/whites reduces labour costs and improves productivity.

This specially-designed washing machine introduces orbs at the beginning of a wash cycle and then automatically removes them at the end of the cycle,

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WATER CONSERVATION returning them to a special compartment where the XOrbs are stored.

Science of polymer

The proprietary XOrb cleaning technology is the product of years of research and development which began at the School of Textiles at the University of Leeds. The realisation that certain polymers with dye-absorbing properties could also be used to remove stains from fabrics set researchers on the path to change the future of commercial laundry forever.

With thousands of XOrbs for every square metre of fabric, the system provides a gentle, uniform mechanical action with the fabric’s surface, gently massaging the dirt out. The orbs also act as a buffer to prevent excessive folding, reducing the occurrence of tangling in the wash therefore lessening the possibility of creasing – and thus the need for additional finishing.

Thousands of cycles

Amazingly, some polymers (such as Nylon 6) can absorb as much as ten percent of their weight in water. When nylon is introduced to a damp environment it expands, creating microscopic cavities in its structure. These cavities both adsorb and absorb water, soils and dyes, trapping them inside the polymer so that they cannot be re-deposited elsewhere.

Orbs never leave the washing machine and last for thousands of cycles so there is no threat to the environment. And the orbs are one hundred percent recyclable per day possible, the machines can launder many hundreds of kilograms of linen daily which makes them ideal for mid-size laundries or on-premise hotel operations.

Monitoring

The X-Connect portal, which forms part of the aftercare package, is a cloud-based laundry solution that provides real-timer monitoring in a browser on any smartphone, tablet or computer. It keeps the user informed on equipment usage showing water and electricity consumption and graphically displays accurate water savings.

The system accurately manages detergent dosing to reduce over-usage and identifies potential issues before they occur. Says David Eisenman, a Hyatt GM, “The Hydrofinity Technology is truly amazing.

It has absolutely delivered on promises of savings and superior performance.”

Fanute, Charl de Beer, Tel: 071 681 1165 Email: charl@fanute.co.za, www.fanute.com

In other words, the polymer orbs act similar to a sponge, soaking up stains and dyes.

XOrbs are constantly extracted from the wash drum during the cycle, refreshed in the wet sump and then re-introduced to the wash drum to ensure maximum cleaning performance. One of the amazing things about the Xeros system is that the orbs never leave the washing machine and last for thousands of cycles so there is no threat to the environment.

And the orbs are one hundred percent recyclable.

After thousands of washes, they are replaced in the machine. The used orbs are then managed by Xeros for future recycling.

Into South Africa

Fanute Hospitality Solutions launched its market-first Linen Rental service for the AirBnB market in Cape Town in May 2017. However, a few months later, faced with a potential shut-down of the laundry industry as local water supplies dried up, Fanute went looking for sustainable solutions to protect its fledgling rental business.

Research led to Xeros, a UK based company, with a mature revolutionary technology capable of radically altering the landscape of laundry sustainability.

Fanute was subsequently appointed as the Xeros Channel Partner for Southern Africa in early 2018, offering the market Xeros laundry machines as well as its after-care package.

The after-care package provides all of the laundry operational requirements for a customer, including servicing, parts, detergent as well as the polymer orbs.

Machines are available in two sizes: 16kg and 25kg dry-weight linen capacity. With 20-25 cycles THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER

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Lessons that SHOULD be Learned If I look back at all the projects that I have been concerned with, workshops are held called “Lessons Learned�. Sometimes they are held several times during the contract period and sometimes at the end of the project. Most of the issues discussed concern problems specific to the project and many are personal, but I find that the real important issues are not brought up.

Repeat the same mistakes

Because they are seldom mentioned, they don’t come up in future projects and we tend to repeat the same mistakes.

It is true that if we do not learn from history, we are obliged to repeat it.

I ask myself why this happens? The answers I come up with are: 1. The persons who are responsible for the mistakes are often not part of the workshop.

2. The workshop is held at a workshop floor level.

3. Management is not committed to this workshop.

4. At the end of the contract, too many persons leave the company either because the company does not need them anymore or because another contract looks more promising.

5. What happened with the previous project is not going to happen with this one.

6. We know what we are doing.

What is the result?

The memories of the persons on the project are short and when a new project is started, the focus is on the new information and most of the history is blissfully forgotten.

The preventable mistakes that I have identified are: 1. The contractor does not read and heed the specifications.

2. Shortcuts are taken wherever possible.

3. Cash-flow is not managed well.

4. Paperwork is not considered to be an important expenditure.

5. Information goes with the employees when they leave.

It stands to reason, that the longer the project period, the worse these problems get. So let us see if we can really learn from the past.

PROJECT MANAGEMENT Specifications

The client goes to much trouble to provide specifications for the project. These are important as the specifications determine the cost of the product. In order for the prospective contractors to quote on the same basis, the specifications are laid out allowing the client to compare the various tenders.

Therefore whatever the contractor delivers must live up to the specifications.

What constitutes the specifications? The most visible are the drawings, so most contractors tend to stay with this and conveniently forget the rest. The written specifications cover several areas but the contractor quickly glosses over most of them, remembering only the general issues that go with most contracts.

The foremost specifications obviously are the legal requirements - OSH act and all its regulations. Regardless of the client specs, everything must comply with the legal requirements of the country and the local authority. Not keeping to these could lead to legal action, criminal charges and fines.

These specifications are good standards for safety, health and environmental well-being.

Standards

The next line of specifications is the standards. These are national or global standards that have been developed to provide guidelines to the contractor as to generally accepted and good quality work. Adhering to these documents will ensure that the client receives a product that will withstand wear and tear over time as any good investment should.

Another set of standards is that of the local authority. These have been developed with the local conditions and inhabitants well-being in mind.

Not keeping to the client’s specifications might not bring the contractor in breach of the law but could have serious financial implications if discrepancies are found. These specifications are developed to ensure that the client gets a product that will conform to his requirements, for reasons that the client might sometimes not be prepared to share with anybody, not even the contractor.

Shortcuts

Contractors often try shortcuts. The reasons are many but are mostly due to poor site management, greed, under-pricing or trying to make up for lost time. Taking shortcuts that are not taken in good faith usually end up being just the opposite.

It does happen that due to site conditions, shortcuts can be taken at times which should also benefit the client, but these should be cleared with the client beforehand.

Cashflow

Why is it that we have a beginning of the contract, a middle and an end of the contract cash flow? When the contract begins, it often allows the contractor to claim large amounts for site establishment, material delivery etc which requires little input from a construction point of view.

As the contract matures, more input is required for a lesser reward. As a result towards the end of the contract, the cash flow is under pressure. This is an unwanted condition as it is in this phase that shortcuts are taken, specifications are ignored and safety is disregarded.

One of the reasons for cash flow discrepancy is that delays happen and the project takes longer than expected, but more often than not it can be blamed on the contractor being too lavish with the funds at the beginning.

Paperwork

During tendering the emphasis is on coming in with a better price. The cost of the paperwork is considered to be of lesser value and should be kept low to improve the chance of being successful.

This cost is also one of the items that is addressed at the end of the contract when financial resources are already stressed. It is however true that the client is often very vague about the format and content of the required paperwork and the contractor hides behind this hoping to get away with it.

What paperwork is normally required? The first set is the ‘As Built’ documentation and the second set is the Quality (and Legal) Certifications with the Operations and Maintenance manuals coming in last.

To provide good paperwork, the ISO 9001 standard has been developed, but if this is seen as smoke-screen to hide behind, it will not benefit the organisation. We often have the right tools but refrain from using them correctly. The proof of the pudding lies in the eating.

Lost information

During a project many employees and sub contractors may leave the employ of the contractor because their part of the work is completed or other opportunities arise. When these people leave, information gets lost and by the time the contract comes to an end, big gaps in documentation can no longer be filled.

This is an unwanted condition as it is in this phase that shortcuts are taken, specifications are ignored and safety is disregarded It would be prudent for an employer to conduct extensive exit interviews with those leaving the project and to document as much information as possible that could be used later on.

Fat lady sings

The old story about the job not being finished until the paperwork is done keeps popping up. It must be understood that technical people are seldom good administrators. They can design, plan, scheme, organise, construct but paperwork is not their forte.

Top management often relies on the contract management to take responsibility for what happens during the project and do not fully get involved to ensure that the company’s wellbeing is given top priority. This leads to ‘petty’ problem management while the real important issues are side-stepped in the hope that they will solve themselves. If I look around, I see many companies who find themselves in dire straits because of this attitude.

It would be beneficial for companies to compile a ‘lessons learned’ library with a person or team responsible for obtaining the facts and investigating the reasons for problems arising. A pre-empt plan can then be put together on how to manage this information in such a way that it gets to be re-considered at the beginning of every new contract, or even better, at the tender stage.

Too often the reason for a company or project failing gets blamed on the obvious and visible facts, making scapegoats of the cannon fodder, those who can easily be replaced, rather than looking into the problem in depth to arrive at the bigger picture and to remedy the root of the problem.

Pr Ing. Johan van Niekerk MSc(Eng)(Mech), GCC Mechanical Engineering.

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VALVES

Build a Business, Build an Industry If you want to go fast, go alone, if you want to go far, go with others. “We want to go far,” says Kagisho Bapela, CEO of Mokoena Holdings, the company which acquired Paltechnologies at the beginning of the year.

Kagisho and his team are determined to build the industry and are committed to developing local skills.

“

SA Mechanical Engineer” meets Kagisho to find out why the valve industry caught his eye and what plans he has in store for this Centurion-based valve manufacturer.

Mokoena Holdings has a fifteen year track record as a diversified investment firm with a focus on

construction and mining. Looking for new areas to grow, valve manufacturing seemed like a good fit.

“We have done some work in manufacturing thus building good business development capability and gaining general industry knowledge,” says Kagisho.

“We can offer these skills in the valve manufacturing industry and take advantage of localisation, which stipulates 70% of valves must be local, to contribute to job creation and industrial development and competitiveness.

We need to differentiate for policy purposes between local producers and distributors, and we need to address the belief that local is more expensive “Paltech is a local manufacturer, has the right products with the right certifications supported by a passionate team.”

Business and financial skills

A former academic and chartered accountant, Kagisho doesn’t fit the typical valve manufacturer profile, but his business and financial skills are an asset.

“We get it right by getting the basics right.

You don’t all need to be rocket scientists, you need the right support and you need to be curious enough to find out.

“The more you get into an industry, the more you appreciate elements you were previously unaware of,” he explains. “Our strengths coming into the industry are our business development ability and financial acumen.

“I have to build systems for growth and raise funding to make sure Paltech is a thriving business,” he adds.

It’s a long-term journey, but there are some immediate benefits to customers in the form of preferential procurement because Paltech is now a majority black owned company with a 100% local product.

Local, inside and out

“Many black valve manufacturers are distributors for internationally-manufactured products. We didn’t want to be like that.

Kagisho Bapela, CEO of Mokoena Holdings

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VALVES

We believe we have the internal capacity to scale up and compete with imports, and be a dominant force in the market.”

Building a thriving local industry is great news for the economy, but Kagisho mentions a more personal business benefit - you get to know your customers really well.

“In the current structure, people rely on middle men which makes it difficult to keep a finger on the pulse with customers. We want to be a solutions provider, work with our clients, get to know them really well and find innovative solutions together,” he stresses.

The emphasis is on creating strong engineering capacity and mining new technologies to improve efficiencies and quality systems. Medium to longterm plans are to improve competitiveness.

Short-term, there’ve been some significant developments. Paltech recently received approval from the Pressure Equipment Directive, and are en route to producing and supplying pressure equipment locally.

In 2017, the company applied for API accreditation so they can support the petroleum industry, which is actively looking for local suppliers.

In addition to product accreditation, Kagisho says they are looking at Paltech becoming SETA accredited so they can roll out apprenticeships.

“We are committed to bringing younger artisans into the market.”

Collaboration is key

Mokoena’s business skills and capabilities aren’t just benefiting Paltech either. The company is a member of Vamcosa which serves as a platform where Kagisho and his team share their business development skills, understanding of the financial landscape, expertise on governance issues, and experience interacting at a political level.

“Vamcosa is a very important body in which we will participate in formulating policies, and interacting so we can make more room for local participation,” he explains.

Addressing industry concerns, Kagisho says we need to differentiate for policy purposes between local producers and distributors, and we need to address the belief that local is more expensive.

“The state of the industry is worrying because there is immense pressure to compete with imports. There is also a tendency to be called a manufacturer when

you are a distributor which distorts the picture. For example, when everyone is called a manufacturer, everyone gets the same attention and treatment from policy makers. This isn’t a level playing field for local manufacturers.”

Concerning on the one hand, on the other great opportunities can be created for local manufacturers, who Kagisho encourages to speak out.

“You can’t afford to keep quiet. You must participate in the structures and ask who is a genuine manufacturer so we can all open our books and see who should be in the same basket when it comes to policy.

The plan isn’t to wake up tomorrow and own half the market but there is space where we can participate “Then there are complaints about price, but we haven’t done comprehensive comparisons showing the value and cost of buying local versus buying an import. Consulting firms need to do more research to understand the dynamics,” he advises.

Multinationals

As much as he is committed to local development, Kagisho believes collaboration will be key to achieving growth in different markets, starting with Africa.

“Most African countries do not manufacture products, particularly valves, yet all these countries use valves. We need to compete with multinationals who bring their products into Southern Africa, it’s about getting a bigger share of the local market.”

But that doesn’t mean crowding out multinationals because many are keen to assist and build a local industry.

“They have a lot of learnings to share and are open to localisation and skills transfer. These are conversations we need to have. We can be good corporate citizens together, create new products and a more robust local competitive industry,” Kagisho explains.

“The plan isn’t to wake up tomorrow and own half the market but there is space where we can participate. The scope is massive, so we need local partners to start doing trade missions and building capacity together,” he concludes. “We are always open to discussions, and we are here to stay.”

Paltech, Kagisho Bapela, Tel: (011) 328-1600 / (012) 653-1126, www.paltech.co.za

Pompetravaini, a market leader in the manufacture of Liquid Ring Vacuum Pumps – A&VT are the Sole Agents for Southern Africa.

info@vactech.co.za

SALES, SPARES AND REPAIRS

0861 VACTEC (822 832) www.vactech.co.za

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STEAM, TURBINES AND BOILERS

Fifty years in South Africa This year marks the 50th anniversary of quality air pollution control products and innovative solutions supplier, John Thompson Air Pollution Control, a business unit of John Thompson (a division of Actom (Pty) Ltd).

“

SA Mechanical Engineer” visited the team in their Cresta, Johannesburg office to learn more about their 50-year success story.

You might not have known the name John Thompson Air Pollution Control for 50 years, there’ve been several name changes, but the core personnel have been with the business unit for many years, says general manager, Gerard Pretorius.

“This deep-reaching expertise has been retained within the business unit, with staff passing on their

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experience and knowledge to new employees.”

Gerard shares three success stories that showcase the business unit’s ability to innovate and meet customer needs.

“Located in Phalaborwa is the largest product collector in Africa in terms of size and capacity. We completed the project in 2000. The bag filter has 3 520 filter bags 6 metres long, and straddles two silos 30m high,” he says.

“It was designed to collect 600 tons per hour of

September 2018

STEAM, TURBINES AND BOILERS

pyroxenite from an air classifier mill, processing 1 000 000 m3/hr of air. Special pre-separation and inlet technology was applied for the large capacity.”

From MikroPul to John Thompson Air Pollution Control

MikroPul started its operations in the U.S.A. in the 1920’s, registered under the brand name Pulverizing Machinery. The pulse-jet dust collector was invented in 1956, followed by the establishment of offices throughout the world, including Australia, Canada, Germany and France.

“MikroPul products were first marketed in South Africa by Thomas & Taylor, and in 1968 MikroPul South Africa was established, headed

by Des Tuck,” explains Gerard.

Removable

Another equally impressive project, a movable lancing booth, was completed in the same year for a customer in Middelburg. This

MikroPul went through a few more name changes, but the focus was, and remains on quality products and solutions.

Gerard Pretorius

Gerard elaborates, “Following the purchase by MikroPul of Ducon USA, an agreement was entered into whereby both Ducon and MikroPul products would be sold under licence by Brandt Engineering (Pty) Ltd. Brandt was taken over in 1987 by Edward L. Bateman, who, in the name of ELB Brandt Contracting, continued with the MikroPul licence until July 1995 when MikroPul owners Hosokawa established their own company in South Africa.”

Hosokawa focused on providing a complete advisory service from system design through to operation and maintenance. “They provided a complete package blending proven quality well known products into an integrated system,” Gerard says.

The Johannesburg Hosokawa office was established by the late Geoff Craig and Jack McClinton, who were joined by Des Tuck soon after opening. “The offices set up in 1995 are still used today by John Thompson Air Pollution Control,” Gerard tells us.

At the beginning of the century, the company saw another name change when Hosokawa decided to focus on powder processing, subsequently selling the environmental side of the business to Beacon US Holdings Inc, with the name changing to MikroPul. The South African side of the business acquired local dust-control and collection specialists Air Cleaning Equipment that same year.

This boosted the company’s services, enabling them to offer the full range of products from large turnkey installations to unit dust collectors.

Alstom SA and Actom

Then Alstom SA acquired MikroPul SA in January 2007. Alstom was a well-established major supplier of gas and dust emission control systems, but only for coal-fired power stations.

“Acquiring MikroPul extended its involvement in environmental controls into the mining, metallurgical and industrial markets where the group already supplied a variety of products and services,” according to Gerard.

Alstom rebranded to Actom (Pty) Ltd in September 2009, and the company name changed to Actom Air Pollution Control – a division of Actom (Pty) Ltd. That same year, Beacon sold the MikroPul brand name, which could then no longer be used by Actom Air Pollution Control.

The most recent change took place in November 2014, when Actom Air Pollution Control became a business unit of John Thompson, a division of Actom (Pty) Ltd. John Thompson’s Air Pollution Control and Package Boiler business units combine their expertise in the design of high efficiency bag filters for fossil fuel-fired firetube boilers.

This looks like a lot of corporate activity, but a lot can happen in 50 years. And while some of the changes have been in name only, the reason for many has been improving the products and services to customers and offering them complete solutions.

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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 two through to 100 guests in nine well-appointed and equipped business suites.

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STEAM, TURBINES AND BOILERS

project was unique because the booth had to be ‘removable’ to accommodate offloading of the stainless steel that is cut by a lancing process in the booth.

Gerard explains, “The entire roof and walls of the booth are hinged away from the working area using hydraulic cylinders and are removable so it is easy to get to the unit and offload material.”

Baghouse

John Thompson Air Pollution Control also completed the largest suction reverse air baghouse installations for a customer in Steelpoort in 2006 (phase 1) and 2013 (phase 2). “Each phase consists of three large suction reverse air baghouses: two off for the rotary kilns and one off for the dryer.”

Be careful of going to a new cheap start-up because they may not be around when you need service, maintenance or may be nowhere to be found when something goes wrong Historically fume capture in the ferroalloy industry was done by pressure type reverse air baghouses, where the technology places the extraction fan on the contaminated side, resulting in heavy abrasion on the fan impeller. In addition, emissions cannot be accurately measured.

The recent trend is to install and use suction reverse air baghouses with the Steelpoort installation as a prime example.

Containerised bag filter

The business unit also recently added to its innovative product accolades with the development of a containerised reverse pulse bag filter.

“This isn’t a filter in a container, the container is the filter,” says Raymond Hopkins, head of department for projects. “This makes it much cheaper and easier to transport, and a lot quicker to install.”

According to Raymond the cost of transport is about a fifth cheaper than a standard filter, and installation time is about two days compared with a week.

“Our HPC range is available in multiple modules of 12/12, and depending on volume needed increases

in 12/12 multiples. It’s quick, convenient and suitable for a wide range of industrial de-dusting systems. This is effectively a ‘plug and play’ solution which is most cost effective for its application,” Raymond adds.

Also on the industry’s agenda is the 2020 deadline for reduced emissions set by the National Environmental Air Quality Act. “We know what the Act requires and work with our clients to develop solutions so they can comply. The intention is to make sure our air quality is good for future generations and we want to help our clients work towards this by reducing emissions.”

Reference list

Upgrading and changing systems to meet the new requirements can be expensive, but Gerard cautions businesses against taking the cheapest route.

“Be careful of going to a new cheap start-up because they may not be around when you need service, maintenance or may be nowhere to be found when something goes wrong. We have fifty years of product experience and we never walk away.

“Look for an ISO 9001 accredited supplier, most importantly, ask for a reference list,” he advises.

With over 21 000 installations mostly in Southern Africa but also in the rest of Africa, the Middle East and South America, the business unit has strong references matching its track record.

The country’s economy is somewhat depressed, as Gerard points out. “There is business out there, but not many large projects are envisaged in the near future. I expect investment in our sector to improve once the economy recovers.”

He concludes, “We have a strong team who are positive about the future and looking forward to contributing to the company by growing the business unit’s after sales services – spare parts and maintenance in particular – and expanding further into the African market.”

John Thompson, Gerard Pretorius, Tel: (011) 478-0456 Email: infoapc@johnthompson.co.za www.johnthompson.co.za/apc

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ASSET MANAGEMENT

Fabulous for facilities

Jane Thomson, MD at Softworx

E

In facilities management, inspecting large institutional, engineering, manufacturing, mining and commercial facilities and assets can be a challenging, dangerous, and dirty job, says Jane Thomson, Managing Director at Softworx, Infor’s Master Partner in Africa

nsuring that assets are performing reliably to design standards means balancing tight budgets and aging infrastructure or finding new ways to maximise the value of existing assets.

By putting drones to work, managers are given visual, thermal, light detection and ranging (LiDAR), heavy-duty engine oil (HD-EO), corona, hyperspectral, gamma, and magnetometer inspections of hard-to-access spaces As digital technologies merge with unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), otherwise known as drones, maintenance and engineering managers maintain assets and facilities while reducing costs and safety risks.

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The commercial applications market for UAS and vehicles is projected to grow from $2 billion in 2016 to more than $127 billion by 2020. Infrastructure has been identified as one of the business areas that can best benefit from the use of drones. In fact, the value of prospective drone applications in global infrastructure projects is expected to reach $45 billion in the next few years.

In South Africa, the use of drones has escalated to the point where the Ministry of Transportation and Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) recently added a chapter on remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS) to the Civil Aviation Regulations, including technical standards and aeronautical information circulars.

Under these laws and standards, South Africa permits different forms of RPAS operations: private, commercial, corporate and nonprofit operations.

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ASSET MANAGEMENT

The potential benefits of drones have received a great deal of attention, as more and more uses have been identified. Drones give managers easier access to data, lower cost and risk, and the ability to document asset conditions in an automated fashion. As the technology to support drones progresses, facilities, infrastructure, and asset managers will be better able to use drones to perform fundamental maintenance and security activities.

Inaccessible locations

By putting drones to work, managers are given visual, thermal, light detection and ranging (LiDAR), heavy-duty engine oil (HD-EO), corona, hyperspectral, gamma, and magnetometer inspections of hard-to-access spaces. Using remote-controlled cameras, drones can relay images of buildings, rooftop machinery, or a vital piece of equipment in an inaccessible location.

With the use of this advanced technology, field technicians monitoring equipment performance can obtain valuable visuals and details about critical assets, all without risking their well-being. The ability to compare prior inspections with current results to rapidly identify changes can also give the manager more actionable information on which to base decisions.

To keep facilities and infrastructure operating effectively and extend their performance lives, it is crucial to monitor performance and conduct preventive maintenance. This is particularly true of mission-critical equipment that cannot fail, such as generators, security systems, wind turbines and electrical towers.

Drones can perform functions such as perch-andstare, video capture, and laser scanning, which make them effective methods for handling many of the dull, dirty, and dangerous functions of inspection and surveillance. They also offer flexible

flying capabilities, as well as the ability to capture high-quality images and footage.

With both tethered and untethered types of drones, technicians can safely and cost-effectively inspect and maintain large assets and infrastructure, as well as parts, tools, equipment, stations, and underlying information technology assets.

Safer working environment

However, use of drones only solves one part of the challenge managers face. The data and images drones gather need to be shared with a sophisticated enterprise asset management (EAM) solution that incorporates historical records, maintenance standards and specifications, repair instructions, diagrams, warranty information, and other data to assess condition levels and determine maintenance needs.

By sharing the information collected by drones with an EAM system, managers can improve their asset maintenance programmes By sharing the information collected by drones with an EAM system, managers can improve their asset maintenance programmes, more efficiently schedule maintenance and track assets, inspect locations where it is difficult and time-intensive to send workers, and create a safer working environment.

Comparisons

Beyond photographic images, drone technology can supply infrared and X-ray images to detect structural issues or dangerous leaks in an environment that might be unsafe for humans. The drones can also capture input sensor data, such as colour video, thermo-video, still frames, and Lidar three-dimensional data and send it directly to an EAM system.

Capturing information in real time allows managers and technicians to compare the condition of assets today with previous imagery and sensor readings, and then compare them to manufacturing or industry standards to determine the next course of action in the asset management lifecycle.

Managers can then schedule maintenance and repair activities directly from the EAM system, causing minimal disruption to operations.

Softworx www.softworx.co.za

Pompetravaini, a market leader in the manufacture of Liquid Ring Vacuum Pumps – A&VT are the Sole Agents for Southern Africa.

info@vactech.co.za

SALES, SPARES AND REPAIRS

0861 VACTEC (822 832) www.vactech.co.za

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MANUFACTURING SECTOR

Machine Learning Specialist A Cape Town based machine learning company has received a multi-million dollar funding round from Knife Capital - a leading venture capital firm with offices in Cape Town and London. Knife Capital invests via a consortium of funding partnerships, including SARS section 12J Venture Capital Company KNF Ventures and Draper-Gain Investments.

D

ataProphet develops and implements bleeding-edge product development solutions to a wide range of industries, with a specific focus on the manufacturing sector. They assist data-heavy businesses to discover the insights and predictive capabilities hidden in their data.

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The funding will be applied to boost the company’s innovation capabilities and accelerate global expansion. DataProphet has already successfully delivered on many local and international projects.

Key clients and revenue drivers are largely international and the company has earned a reputation of competing at the highest level, outperforming

September 2018

MANUFACTURING SECTOR

blue-chip corporates on project deliverables in many instances.

No additional cost

Machine learning and Artificial Intelligence (AI) is already helping manufacturers achieve yields that they hadn’t thought possible through intelligent automation and much more dynamic control methods. These technologies are key to achieving the goals of Industry 4.0 by allowing manufacturing plants to be far more responsive to market demands without incurring additional costs.

“Those who don’t adapt will fall behind, to be replaced and supplanted by newer and more dynamic companies that use machine learning to drive their growth,” says Frans Cronje, MD and co-founder of DataProphet.

“We are delighted to welcome another credible investment partner like Knife Capital on board to become actively involved in strategic elements of the business and to open up their market access networks in pursuit of growth.”

DataProphet previously raised funding from private investment group, Yellowwoods.

Scale-up journey

The Cape-based startup has established itself as an aspirational work environment for AI and machine learning talent in South Africa and has become a magnet for these key resources. ”DataProphet is a prime example of the kind of cutting edge technologies South African entrepreneurs are capable of developing with global relevance

in a fast-growing market. We were impressed with every aspect of the business during our due diligence and subsequent deal closing process, and look forward to the scale-up journey as part of the team” says Andrea Bӧhmert, Investment Partner at Knife Capital.

In one client’s case, their AI solution doubled their profit within the first month of it going live.

Knife Capital’s investment in DataProphet comes at a time when the manufacturing industry is being revolutionised by combining emerging technologies such us the Internet of Things, AI, and machine learning.

Substantial savings

In applying advanced machine learning to optimise and control manufacturing processes, DataProphet’s customers have realised substantial savings and increases in yield.

In one client’s case, their AI solution doubled their profit within the first month of it going live. The company now plans to bring these benefits to a wider client base.

Andrea Bӧhmert, andrea@knifecap.com 082-893-2520, www.knifecap.com Dataprophet, Frans Cronje frans@dataprophet.com 084-219-0333 www.dataprophet.com

Frans Cronje, MD and co-founder of DataProphet

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WHAT TO EXPECT? 600+ Attendees: Network and build new relationships with fellow attendees from across the continent.

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30 Top speakers: Hear some of the top business minds share their tips and stories on how to build a global business.

• Meet trade partners and associations who can help you to reach new markets

50 Leading service providers: Learn about the latest technologies and services on offer from leading service providers participating in the expo showcase.

• Network and build new relationships with fellow attendees from across the continent

15 Countries:

• Hear some of the top business minds share their tips and stories on how to build a global business

Meet with global trade partners and associations from: Africa: Botswana / Ethiopia / Ghana / Kenya / Lesotho / Mauritius / Mozambique / Swaziland / Tanzania / Zambia / Zimbabwe China / India / Turkey / UK / USA

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FIRST IN AFRICA

Skid-mounted chlorine plant The Process Industries business of thyssenkrupp Industrial Solutions South Africa was successful in securing the engineering and procurement contract for a 45 tonne modular skid-mounted chlorine plant in Tanzania, the first of its kind to be installed in Sub-Saharan Africa.

P

rocess Industries’ General Manager, Neville Eve, and Senior Manager for Special Projects Bruce Bassett, are spearheading the project and were instrumental in winning the contract. The duo are working in close collaboration with thyssenkrupp Uhde Chlorine Engineers based in Milan, Italy, who are responsible for the design, development and manufacture of this new lean method of project delivery for Philipp Nellessen, these standardised projects.

The skid-mounted chlorine plant will boast the most up-to-date technology and emissions according to world class standards

CEO Industrial Solutions South Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa, thyssenkrupp

The company’s modular skid mounted 15 and 45 ton capacity chlorine plants are particularly suited to the African market as they offer a cost-effective and practical solution to industries on the continent who require small chlorine alkali plants for applications such as water treatment and mineral processing.

An alternative

Many African countries import chlorine and caustic but the quantities are not large enough to sustain chlorine alkali plants. Small quantity requirements, coupled with the vastness of the continent, makes importation expensive and economically unviable.

An on-site chlorine production solution thus presents a better alternative to import.

In the modular solution, electrolysis is built on multiple skids that fit into 40 foot containers that can be easily, quickly and cost-effectively transported

to site. Construction and assembly is also fast and easy and requires only a small team, leaving only the non-modular plant sections to be stick built.

Rapid project implementation and plant start up time result in substantial savings in terms of construction time and costs.

Around the world

“We have installed of over 600 chlorine alkali plants around the world but the Tanzania project is our first involvement,” comments thyssenkrupp Industrial Solutions South Africa CEO, Sub-Saharan Africa, Philipp Nellessen. “We are extremely excited about this project because it will help us to gain experience in one of our flagship technologies.”

“This project also demonstrates the strategic importance of our presence in Africa through its South African subsidiary,” continues Phillipp. The skid-mounted chlorine plant will boast the most up-to-date technology and emissions according to world class standards.

Exporting nation

Any successful business, irrespective of industry, is able to develop the local community through employment and upskilling its people which ultimately helps to stimulate the economy of the country where the business is operating. The chlorine plant will be a significant step forward for Tanzania’s industrialisation efforts.

The chlorine that will be produced by the plant will be used for disinfection and water treatment and is the basis for many industrial processes. With the help of this plant, Tanzania will evolve from an importing to a self-sufficient exporting nation for

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FIRST IN AFRICA

The modular skid mounted chlorine plants can be cost-effectively transported to site

The chlorine that will be produced by the plant will be used for disinfection and water treatment and is the basis for many industrial processes these chemicals. “It is clear that there is enormous potential for the development of similar plants in Africa,� notes Phillipp.

Joint venture

Oil and gas services company Serba Dinamik Holdings Bhd in a joint venture agreement with

Junaco (T) Ltd, is responsible for the set up and running of the chlor-alkali plant. Janaco is part of the Junaco Group of Companies, a Tanzanian dynamic group with interest in varied businesses including water treatment, agriculture, technological solutions and logistical services. www.thyssenkrupp-industrialsolutions.co.za

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER SAMechEng.indd 1

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12/12/2017 18:17:18

PISTON SEALS

Ce n t r e o f P R E S SU R E

The development of a range of hydraulic piston seals has given rise to tailor-made materials and advanced analytical techniques.

T

he piston seal lies right at the heart of hydraulic cylinder performance. Located in a groove on the outer diameter of the piston, this seal must contain the high pressure hydraulic fluid without impeding the motion of piston along the length of the cylinder. Since most hydraulic cylinders operate bi-directionally, the seal must be able to handle pressure from either side.

The design of piston seals requires engineers to tread a fine line between friction and sealing performance.

If the seal allows too much fluid to leak from the high pressure side of the cylinder to the low pressure side, performance is compromised.

On the other hand, excessive friction on the cylinder wall leads to accelerated wear and a reduced operating life. Outright failure of a piston seal, known as blow-by, can have significant operational and safety implications, potentially causing construction or materials handling equipment to lose control of its load, for example.

Constructing a polyurethane seal that could match the performance of the best PTFE seals was far from straightforward If the basic operating requirements weren’t demanding enough, piston seals also present a significant materials engineering challenge, with hydraulic fluids at high temperatures and pressures that are tough on sealing materials and which can cause other components to expand and contract during operation.

Plasticity

The material often chosen to meet those demands is PTFE. It has many characteristics that make it suitable for the role, including exceptionally low static and sliding friction characteristics and good chemical resistance.

then be calibrated back to the correct diameter, a process that increases time and cost for equipment manufacturers and maintenance teams alike.

Furthermore, the plasticity of PTFE means the material can be reluctant to spring back into shape under continually reversing loads, which limits its sealing performance.

It was a quest to overcome the disadvantages of PTFE seals that lead a team of engineers at SKF to attempt the development of an alternative sealing technology, based on the company’s well-established Ecopur polyurethane material.

Hardest grade

Constructing a polyurethane seal that could match the performance of the best PTFE seals was far from straightforward, explains Wolfgang Swete, Head of R&D for the Fluid Seals Strategic Product Line at SKF. “The large extrusion gap between the piston and cylinder wall means you need a material with sufficient extrusion resistance to hold its shape under the full range of operating conditions.”

When SKF tested prototype seals manufactured from its hardest existing grade of Ecopur polyurethane, it found they weren’t up to the task. Undeterred, the company took advantage of its in-house material development and manufacturing capabilities to produce a special grade of Ecopur specifically for the piston seal application.

The new material, X-Ecopur PS, is the hardest grade of polyurethane currently manufactured by SKF.

Durability

To test the durability of its new material, the company performed a series of static extrusion tests, install-

PTFE seals have some important limitations, however.

Notably, the limited elasticity of the material means PTFE seals can be difficult to install without damage.

PTFE seals require special sleeves to stretch them prior to installation, and they must

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PISTON SEALS

ing samples of material into a fixture that applied oil at 500bar to try and push the material through extrusion gaps of various sizes ranging from 0.15 to 0.7mm.

Test samples were kept in the fixture for two weeks at temperatures of between 60 to 100º C and at the end of the test, the permanent deformation of the samples was measured.

“X-Ecopur PS performed significantly better than commercially available alternatives across the full range of tests,” says Wolfgang.

With a suitable material in place, the SKF team then had to create the right sealing geometry. This was familiar territory for the company’s engineers, who have a well-established product development process that combines extensive computer simulation using finite element techniques, rapid prototype development using CNC machine tools and physical testing on custom-made static and dynamic test equipment.

Final design

This iterative process led the company to its final design, in which the geometry of the outer surface of the polyurethane slide ring has a shallow “M” shape with two carefully optimised sealing lips.

“A seal profile with pronounced sealing points provides more effective sealing forces than a flat surface, improving seal performance while reducing the amount of frictional drag that is created by the seal,” says Wolfgang. “And concentrating the forces on two sealing edges rather than one means the seal won’t tilt in use, which can lead to early failure.”

Further design refinements in the new seal range relate to the operation of the seal energizer. This is a softer rubber component that sits underneath polyurethane glide ring inside the piston groove, pushing the glide ring out against the inner wall of the cylinder.

On light duty seals, this energizer is a simple O-ring, while designs for medium and heavy duty use a specially shaped nitrile rubber energizer.

Validation

In the new design, side vents are incorporated into the radial side walls of the slide ring to ensure pressure activation of the energizer. This enables the seal to rapidly shift position as the direction of pressure changes, reduce the potential for blow-by and loss of cylinder functionality.

In addition, the side vents reduce the likelihood of a pressure trap occurring when the slide ring seals against the radial walls of the seal gland, which can also result in the loss of cylinder functionality.

To validate the designs, prototype seals underwent further arduous testing, involving more than 200 km of movement up and down a 400 mm test cylinder at pressures of up to 250 bar and temperatures of

80ºC. Friction and leakage were measured during the test, and after the tests seals were measured and examined to check extrusion and surface wear.

“Our testing showed that our new seal offered better performance than commercially available alternatives,” says Wolfgang. “Indeed, some of the benchmark seals we compared ourselves against actually failed before the end of the testing process.”

In the new design, side vents are incorporated into the radial side walls of the slide ring to ensure pressure activation of the energizer.

Three ranges

SKF has now developed its innovative piston seal design into a full offering for a broad range of hydraulic applications. The light duty LPV range with an O-ring actuator is aimed at indoor, stationary applications like manufacturing machinery. The seals are suitable for pressures of up to 250 bar, speeds of up to 0.5 m/s and temperatures of between -20 and 100ºC. The medium to heavy duty MPV range is aimed at more demanding applications such as those found in mobile agricultural and construction machinery.

Sized to fit into metric-sized housings, MPV seals are suitable for pressures of up to 400 bar, speeds of up to 1m/s and temperatures of -20 to 110ºC. A third range of seals, designated DPV, offers the same operating specifications as the MPV range for inch-sized housings.

Added advantage

“I’m satisfied that we have created a piston seal that not only outlasts any polyurethane alternative,” concludes Wolfgang. “It also performs at least as well as the best PTFE seals, with the added advantage of quick and easy installation that will benefit OEMs and maintenance personal alike.”

SKF, Samantha Joubert Tel: (011) 821-3602 samantha.joubert@skf.com

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THESE BRANDS to All SUPPORT RESPONSIBLE RECYCLING OF USED OIL

Support brands that care for the environment Use ROSE approved collectors and recyclers to dispose of your used oil.

021 448 7492 • usedoil@iafrica.com • www.rosefoundation.org.za

POWER TRANSMISSION

Regenerative Drives ABB’s new drive generation capture braking energy from electric motors and return it into the network as an almost harmonics-free current.

I

n industry, electric motors are often used in applications with frequent brake applications. A braking chopper and external electrical resistors dissipate braking energy as heat which is lost or even has to be cooled using additional energy.

Regenerative drives, on the other hand, can feed this braking energy back into the mains improving energy efficiency significantly.

ABB’s series of regenerative drives, the industrial drives ACS880, cover an output range of 4 to 3 200 kilowatt (kW), the broadest range in the market. They can cut energy consumption considerably, reduce space requirement by up to 85 percent thanks to their compact design and cut investment costs by up to 30 percent. Moreover reduced heat dissipation significantly reduces the need for electrical room air conditioning.

The braking energy dissipated as heat in traditional methods such as resistor and mechanical braking usually requires additional cooling Energy saving

Recovered energy is ‘clean’ and has a high quality. It can be used by other loads increasing plant efficiency significantly. This new generation of industrial drives is able to control cosine phi of the fundamental to unity under all load conditions so that the reactive power and energy consumption are optimised.

The braking energy dissipated as heat in traditional methods such as resistor and mechanical braking usually requires additional cooling. Reduced heat dissipation due to regenerative braking considerably reduces the need for air conditioning of the electrical room.

The following example illustrates how much energy can be saved by means of such solutions. For a crane used in waste handling with a 55kW hoisting motor, a 9kW long travel motor, and a 4.5kW trolley motor, the use of a regenerative drive results in annual savings of approx. 15.6 megawatt hours (MWh). This reduction by 32 percent corresponds to the annual energy consumption of four households.

voltage and current distortions in the networks.

These harmonics result in unreliable operation and can heat other loads such as motors, transformers and other electrical equipment excessively. This requires additional cooling, causes energy loss and in the worst case, premature failure.

Although additional electrical filters may attenuate such harmonics, it is however preferable not to allow them to be created at all. This is exactly what ABB’s new variable speed drives do, they prevent harmonics before they appear. ACS880 can control cosine phi of the fundamental to unity under all load conditions optimising reactive power and fully meets harmonics standards such as IEEE519, IEC61000-3-12 and G5/4.

Fewer downtimes through higher reliability

The new drives feature high immunity to system disturbances and can stabilise and even improve motor voltage in case of unstable supply. This ensures reliable operation even if supply voltage drops below the normal value.

Compact package optimises costs and saves space

Since there is no need for external brake components, the drives are significantly more compact than conventional solutions. Reduced engineering and material costs and a smaller footprint in the electrical room deliver considerable savings potential when it comes to the cabinet building costs.

The wall-mounted ACS880-11, the ACS880-14 modules and the cabinet-built ACS880-17 are equipped with all the required components installed in a compact enclosure ready for connection. This further facilitates and accelerates cabinet installation because there is no need for the subsequent wiring of various components.

Multiple readings

In addition to these advantages, the drive can be used as a multiple sensor reading important data such as motor speed, motor torque, motor currents, various temperatures and many other parameters.

This data is then available for diagnosis, remote monitoring and process optimisation via ABB Ability which bundles all products, services and solutions into ABB’s digital offering including cloud connection.

Eliminating harmonics

Non-linear electrical loads, also including variable speed drives, cause harmonics leading to unwanted

ABB www.abb.com

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TRANSPORT INDUSTRY

Are you wearing your seatbelt?

Cities are having to serve increased populations with the same networks (energy, water, transport etc) that were planned to serve populations of prior decades, maybe even centuries.

T

his is a recipe for much frustration and stress. Take public transport for example; everyone has an opinion about public transport in South Africa. To middle class commuters, a taxi or a bus is a lawless menace. To passengers, they’re the only way to get to work on time. To the drivers, they’re a rare opportunity to earn a decent if not outstanding wage in a country with chronic unemployment.

For taxi owners, there’s the issue of trust. Where are their minibuses at any point during the day? How many fares did the driver really pick up? And when it comes to the issue of bad driving, how do they monitor real behaviours on the road?

One of the key challenges is that driver incentives are at odds with good on-the-road behaviour. They need to exceed their fare targets to keep the owners happy, while ensuring that they can pocket a little extra at the end of the day. Every extra passenger picked up and kilometre driven in rush hours counts,

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and laws are poorly enforced. Some are almost impossible to comply with anyway. There simply aren’t enough places for taxis to legally stop and pick up passengers, for example.

This leads, sadly, to a classic ‘tragedy of the commons’. It makes more business sense for the driver to risk a fine than miss out on a lot of fares, because the chances of being the one vehicle that does get pulled over is low.

What if there was a way to vastly increase the odds of being caught and penalised, and to ensure that those tasked with the movement of citizens were incentivised to do so with full consideration of their passengers and other road users?

It makes more business sense for the driver to risk a fine than miss out on a lot of fares, because the chances of being the one vehicle that does get pulled over is low Retrofit

It’s certainly technically feasible. “At Ansys, we have developed a Connected Car platform called AiDR (Automotive Intelligent DriveR), working with fleets, transport firms, insurance companies and municipal authorities to improve the way ‘machine to machine’ (M2M) communications can be integrated into vehicles,” says Jaco Basson, Business Development Manager at Ansys.

AiDR can retrofit almost any car, taxi or van with an intelligent device that can communicate with a company-wide, city-wide or even nation-wide network.

September 2018

TRANSPORT INDUSTRY

“We have partnered with Vula Telematix which holds the South African licence for global innovations company Ingenu,” Jaco explains. “The Machine Network is powered by Ingenu’s patented Random Phase Multiple Access (RPMA) technology, which allows us to guarantee that our partners devices will work on the network for over 20 years,” adds CEO of Vula Telematix, Max Makgoale. “The Machine Network also covers areas that cellular and other network providers are unable or unwilling to cover, and coverage is consistent, regardless of where devices are located” he adds.

“M2M transmissions consume much less data and power, which is why a dedicated M2M network makes sense, since the objective of smart cities is maximising efficiency and reducing waste.”

Transmit and receive

And there’s a lot of data that can be communicated.

AiDR, and other systems like it, can access all of the vehicle’s on-board sensors. From the travelling speed to oil levels readings and who is wearing a seatbelt, everything is tagged with accurate GPS information. It’s a wealth of information that can be made useable for both drivers and owners alike, improving performance and monitoring of a fleet.

In-vehicle telematics are nothing new, but what separates the new generation from what’s gone before is the ability not just to transmit data, but to receive it as well.

“From pushing weather and traffic alerts based on the location of a vehicle, to issuing safety alerts when a seatbelt isn’t fastened, systems such as ours are bringing real-time data analysis to our roads,” says Jaco. “Not only can they monitor speed against legal limits, they know when temporary speed restrictions are in place too. They can monitor for impact and indications that the car has been involved in an accident.”

Such systems are an essential part of our evolution to driverless cars, and the management of ever more complex municipal transport networks. And they’re here now.

All vehicles connected

“At some stage in the future, we envision a time when all motor vehicles are connected to each other via a city-wide network of smart traffic lights, dynamic speed restrictions and other smart traffic management systems. As our urban areas continue to grow and more and more people move to our cities, the pressure on an already strained transport network will only be eased through automation and ‘smart city’ technology.

Partly because it’s one of the biggest issues that needs fixing but also because solutions such as AiDR please everyone “But in South Africa, we may well start with public transport,” says Max. “Partly because it’s one of the biggest issues that needs fixing but also because solutions such as AiDR please everyone. On-board intelligence will not only allow vehicles to warn drivers of unsafe conditions and owners of bad driver behavior, they can be used to automate the process of issuing fines for obvious offences such as speeding or driving without a seatbelt.”

Simultaneously such a system would give taxi owners a real-time overview of the state and position of their fleet, but most importantly would incentivise competition within the bounds of the law – since non-enforcement would become the exception rather than the norm.

Ansys www.ansys.co.za

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The Local Manufacturing Expo Aims to:

21 – 23 MAY 2019

Promote local manufacturing

EXPO CENTRE, NASREC,

Demonstrate Southern Africa’s export potential

JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA

Provide access to global markets

A Showcase of Southern Africa’s Manufacturing Capabilities Who Will Exhibit?

Networking opportunities Develop public / private partnerships Public / private sector collaborations Identify industry challenges and opportunities for growth

Manufacturers across a variety of sectors, including:

Agriprocessing

Automotive

Business Process Outsourcing

Capital Equipment

Chemicals

Construction

Engineering

Food and Beverage

Furniture

ICT and Electronics

Metals

Mining

Plastics

Textiles/ Clothing/ Footwear

Transport

www.localmanufacturingexpo.co.za In association with:

Endorsed by:

Implemented by:

Brought to you by:

h

Tribology is Alive and Well Tribology is an interdisciplinary science and of great importance in all walks of life. It is necessary in so many engineering, manufacturing, medical and transport fields, with the purpose of improving maintenance, conserving energy, reducing costs, downtime and stress.

E

nergy consumption is a critical issue in South Africa today and SAIT has recently contributed to ASSAf’s report to the DST, “The State of Research, Development and Innovation of Electrical Energy Efficiency Technologies in South Africa” and when government has formalised and put this into operation, the country can only benefit from vast savings to the natural resources.

The South African Institute of Tribology continues its drive to further Tribology within South Africa and neighbouring countries, through transfer of technology, training and discussion.

The Cape Town “Lubrication Engineering” course was the fifth run by the Institute this year, and the 117th course to date in the main centres of Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban. But that number is not the total.

In addition to these courses held in the main centres, there have been some 30 in-house courses held at various companies. These include Anglo Platinum, ArcelorMittal, Eskom (Kriel, Medupi, Koeberg power stations), Holcim, Iscor, Rotek, Saldanha Steel, Sasol, Tau Lekoa Mine, Xstrata, with a total of just over 804 students. These courses benefit the companies as they do not have the extra costs and inconvenience associated with sending the delegates to one of the main centres. The only drawback is that it is easier for classes to be disrupted by delegates being called out into the plant for problems.

It is aimed at anyone concerned with the operation maintenance and design of plant and equipment, and the selection of wear resistant materials.

Then there is the two day SAIT CLS Study Overview, held immediately prior to the CLS exam. This course is held annually, to give students an idea of what to expect from the CLS exam. The SAIT hosts and invigilates the CLS, the OMA and the CMWF exams of the STLE, which saves candidates from travelling to the US to write. Reading material is available for these exams which are prepared and marked in the US. Since 1985, through 204 courses, 3 761 delegates have learned about Tribology through the South African Institute of Tribology.

Gill Fuller, SAIT Secretary

Three courses

The three Introductory courses “Introduction to Lubrication Engineering”, “Introduction to Wear & Materials” and the “Introduction to Lubricating Oils” numbered 36 and were held at Science Park, and also in-house for Black Mountain Mine, Sasol Secunda and Holcim in Lichtenberg. These numbered 412 students to date.

The “Introduction to Wear & Materials” replaced the three day “Materials & Wear” course, which was held from 1991 to 2003, as this shorter course seemed to be more suited to the South African market. The course introduces the different wear mechanisms such as sliding and fatigue-related wear, abrasion, erosion, corrosion and cavitation, and the wear resistant materials such as ferrous and non-ferrous metals, hardmetals, ceramics, rubber and polymers.

Air Pollution Control A business unit of John Thompson

Your partner for industrial air pollution control solutions for half-a-century.

John Thompson, a division of ACTOM (Pty) Ltd Tel: +27 (0)11 478-0456 | Email: infoapc@johnthompson.co.za | www.johnthompson.co.za/apc

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GLOBAL SUPPLY CHAIN

The Impact of 3D Printing As part of its 2017 supplychainforesight report, Barloworld Logistics investigated and identified the key technology tools and platforms that are shaping the world’s supply chains. With highly disruptive forces now coming into play in the corporate sphere, it is essential that leaders and decision makers plan for the close integration of certain technology tools and trends. Chief among the trends to emerge this year were 3D printing and its extension, ‘factory-in-a-box’ style production.

“

It is clear that 3D printing is going to have a major impact on the supply chain, and as a company that enables smart supply chain management, we believe that now is the time to investigate how and where this technology can be leveraged most effectively, ” says Kamogelo Mmutlana, Chief Executive Officer, Barloworld Logistics.

While it has been in the incubation stage for some time, 3D printing appears to be entering mainstream consciousness, in every sphere. Around the world, businesses, governments and educational institutions are embracing this technology.

Billions per year

According to the Wohlers Report 2016, the 3D printing or additive manufacturing (AM) industry grew 25.9% to reach $5.165 billion in 2015. The report notes that industry growth consists of all AM products and services worldwide.

Looking ahead, management consultancy McKinsey has forecast that 3D printing could have an economic impact of up to $550 billion a year by 2025.

“The benefits are endless, and include unlimited freedom with regard to product design and manufacture, as well as lowered production costs,” adds Kamogelo. “From medical implants and prosthetics produced in a day, to low cost housing, this technology will change our world.”

Major brands and corporates are already harnessing additive manufacturing to get ahead in competitive markets. For example, Nike is partnering with HP and using the HP Jet Fusion 3D printer to produce 3D printed footwear at greater speeds than ever before, reaching a dizzying new height of customisation and innovation.

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Notably, US corporate juggernaut GE has invested $50m in a 3D-printing facility at a plant in Alabama, designed to print up to 40 000 fuel nozzles a year for the new Leap jet engine. It is making in partnership with a French company.

“While 3D printing or additive manufacturing has yet to make a significant impact in South Africa, business leaders need to start thinking about how this trend will impact the supply chain, and also where the risks to their own business lie,” cautions Kamogelo.

‘Factory-in-a-Box’?

“With additive manufacturing firmly on the horizon, some analysts are predicting the rise of a ‘factoryin-a-box’ scenario, whereby we will no longer need multiple machines to make a single product.

Instead of serving big, complex networks, we may soon be tasked with enabling nimble, innovative, garage-sized industries

40 000 fuel nozzles

As The Economist reports, 3D-printed objects are increasingly being produced ‘as finished items, rather than as models or prototypes.’ The publication cites a PWC report which states that ‘more than two-thirds of American manufacturers are now using 3D printing in some form or the other.’

“In the near future, each individual 3D printer could print several different materials using multiple processes in multiple, decentralised locations,” he explains. “As a result, logistics and supply chain management could be drastically transformed.

Instead of serving big, complex networks, we may soon be tasked with enabling nimble, innovative, garage-sized industries.

“Although the emergence of a ‘factory-in-a-box’ era may seem unlikely and perhaps too far away to even consider, the onus is on every leader to make calculated decisions that will protect existing businesses from such disruptive forces. Without doubt, the key is to move with the changes, not against them which means thinking outside the proverbial box in every way,” Kamogelo concludes. www.barloworld-logistics.com

September 2018

AUTOMOTIVE

Press for light commercial vehicles A servo-driven automotive press has been designed, manufactured and commissioned for Auto Industrial (AI). The application-specific automotive press is used by AI to assemble various front suspension linkages for a local range of light commercial vehicles in such a way that it produces one part every 40 seconds for 22 hours a day.

T

ectra Automation was responsible for every aspect of the automotive press aside from the tooling, which was manufactured in-house by the client. To facilitate the production of one part every 40 seconds, a Rexroth L25 motion PLC was used with control provided by a Rexroth VEP40 HMIK with on-board PC. Tectra designed and manufactured the control panel as well as the operation software. The Rexroth EMC-125-HD electromechanical cylinder, driven by an MSK101D servo motor, was selected for control instead of using a hydraulic cylinder due to its cleanliness, high degree of controllability and operational quietness.

cated to on-the-job operator and technical training for maintenance and supervisory staff.

“We kept Auto Industrial constantly informed of the project status and liaised with them regarding proposed changes and additional features,” Kevin concludes. “They appreciated this professional approach and we were subsequently commissioned to engineer a customised wheel stud press for another of their local automotive clients.”

Tectra Automation, Kevin Lombard Tel: (011) 971-9400, Email: kevin.lombard@tectra.co.za www.hytecgroup.co.za

Non-conformance

“The press has an integrated load cell to control and record the press-in force in order to guarantee consistent quality,” explains Kevin Lombard, General Manager, Tectra Automation. “The ram is guided by heavy duty linear bushes running on hardened and ground linear shafts. The rotary table is driven by a MSK050C servo motor driving a GTM planetary in line gearbox.

The project duration was only four months and commissioning took place onsite over a fortnight.

“By utilising various sensors, the programme will alert a supervisor in the event of an operator error.

Any parts not conforming to the required press-in force specification will require intervention to ensure that no rejects pass through the system.”

Training

The automotive press’ mechanical structure was subcontracted to longstanding Tectra Automation customer, Machine Tool Promotions (MTP), and assembled on its premises. From here, final assembly and testing took place at Tectra’s facility and the press was subsequently delivered to client.

The project duration was only four months and commissioning took place onsite over a fortnight. The first week of operation was dediTHE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER

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MARKET FORUM

Exclusive distribution deal In line with its philosophy to continuously improve its value add to its various markets, leading comminution solutions provider IMS Engineering has entered an exclusive distribution deal with General Kinematics (GK), a world leader in vibratory equipment for mining, coal handling, recycling and other industries. IMS will be the exclusive distributor for GK’s products throughout Africa.

Paul Bracher, Managing Director of IMS Engineering, says that the synergies between the two companies are very strong. “IMS has always stressed the importance of providing its customers with reliable value add solutions that match machines to their specific material. We will certainly be able to do this with GK products.”

GK’s unique offering is its two-mass vibratory technology which refers to a style of vibratory equipment where one mass (an exciter) is used to drive a second mass (trough). The exciter mass typically contains a motor and is connected to a trough using a combination of springs. Combining the two masses and the springs, creates a responsive sub-resonant system which responds to

changes in load without dampening performance.

The main advantage of the two-mass system is that it requires up to twothirds less horsepower to achieve the same amount of work as a single mass (brute force) system. This reduction in horsepower significantly reduces energy consumption and related electrical costs. two-mass equipment is also more cost effective to maintain, as belts, large motors, and bearings are eliminated.

One of GK’s products, its STM screen, has also been a significant contributor to GK’s reputation for efficient, bottomline boosting technology.

In addition to being a two-mass machine, it enables users to increase screening production capacity by up to 20% even when constrained by the existing space envelope of a structure. This is achieved by multiple cascading decks increasing

yet maintaining the single-deck design for full visual and physical accessibility.

IMS Engineering, Paul Bracher Tel: (011) 571-6702 Email: pbracher@imsgroup .co.za www.imsengineering.co.za

much more than just a pump in a

BOX

complete pumping solutions Email. info@pumptechnology.co.za 40

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MARKET FORUM

Food-and-beverage applications designed specifically to deal with frequent washing, contaminants, exposure to cleaning agents, and constant temperature changes.

The KML range of corrosion-resistant, food-grade ball bearings, distributed exclusively in Southern Africa by leading supplier BI, continues to set the quality and hygiene benchmark in the food-and-beverage industry.

“Food-and-beverage processing machinery is the most challenging for bearing-unit performance. However, the KML housings more than meet the specific requirements for materials used in food-and-beverage equipment,” Gerhard highlights.

With over 35 years’ experience in power transmission, KML Bearings has developed a high level of technical competence as a leading international manufacturer of high-quality bearing products, which is why BI is proud to be the company’s local distribution partner.

KML offers two types of mounted units for the food-and-beverage industry, namely standard composite and thermoplastic units. The mounted composite housings resist corrosion from processing chemicals and frequent washings. The units also have greater shock resistance than typical cast iron, comprising high-grade glass-filled thermoplastic polyester.

In addition, they are interchangeable with conventional cast-iron housings.

KML bearings are filled with FDA- and HACCP-approved Mobil FM22 foodgrade grease, while the insert bearings are made from 440C stainless steel for optimum raceway and ball bearing heat-treatment hardening. The flingers and retainers are made from 304 grade stainless steel for high corrosion resistance.

SaatchiCPT451126

All housing units have smooth surfaces that can be cleaned easily with highpressure washing equipment. The housings include stainless steel sleeves for fixing bolts and stainless steel grease fittings.

BI Agriculture Product Manager, Gerhard Pienaar, explains that KML’s thermoplastic and stainless steel mounted food-processing bearings have been

BI, Tel: (011) 899-0000 Email: info@bearings.co.za www.bearings.co.za

ENGEN TURBINE OILS. UNCOMPROMISED PERFORMANCE.

At Engen, we understand the need for higher productivity.

With higher operating temperatures, higher pressures and potential water contamination, you need an oil that you can rely on. Engen turbine oils meet the most rigorous industry and OEM specifications, ensuring your machinery runs smoother, for longer. And with a supply network across South Africa, our products and expert services are always on hand to keep you going.

Engen Customer Service Centre: 08600 36436 | www.engenoil.com

With us you are Number One

RR451126 Engen Turbine Oil_130x180mm.indd 1

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MARKET FORUM

Fluid Technology surement sensor range now includes new pressure, flow, temperature, speed and force measurement devices, designed for extremely accurate analysis of hydraulic or process systems.

BMG has been appointed as exclusive distributors of the Hydrotechnik range of analogue and digital test and measurement equipment in Southern Africa.

“Through this agreement, BMG has extended its range of fluid technology products to include Hydrotechnik measurement sensors and datalogging equipment for digital hydraulic testing and analysis,” says David Dyce, business unit manager, Fluid Technology, BMG.

High precision Hydrotechnik equipment, which is manufactured to stringent international quality standards, is known globally for reliability, ease of use and flexibility in diverse industries, including arduous conditions.

“We also now distribute Minimess test points and adaptors, high pressure microbore hose assemblies, pressure gauges and test kits for analogue testing, charging, bleeding and sampling of almost any fluid or gas.”

BMG David Dyce Tel: (011) 620-1530 Email: daviddy@bmgworld.net Thinus Prinsloo Tel: (011) 620-1500/ (011) 955-1119 Email:thinusp@bmgworld.net www.bmgworld.net

patent infringement action

BMG’s fluid technology division’s mea-

Cummins Inc. announces that a settlement agreement has been reached with JM Turbo Technology Corporation precluding the manufacture or sale of products that infringe Cummins patents.

As part of the settlement agreement, JM Turbo Technology acknowledged it illegally marketed and sold turbochargers protected by Cummins’ patents and other intellectual property rights registered in multiple countries.

In addition, Cummins patents were

infringed, valid and enforceable. Conditions of the settlement include JM Turbo Technology’s agreement to stop all manufacturing, importation, exportation, advertising and/or sale of all infringing products. The settlement also calls for JM Turbo Technology to destroy all existing inventory of the infringing products.

“Cummins is committed to defending our intellectual property as we continue innovating for our customers to power their success,” says Shon Wright, Ex-

ecutive Director and General Manager of Cummins Turbo Technologies.

“Integrity is one of our core values and we take great pride in doing what is right for our customers and our products.

Cummins, with support from our global partners, will continue to examine the marketplace to ensure the company’s intellectual property is protected,” he concludes.

Cummins Inc. www.cummins.com

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BOOk yOur space nOw Transport Evolution presents

2 - 3 October 2018 | Durban International Convention Centre, South Africa

engage with over 15 african ports and rail authorities secure one-on-one meetings with African port and rail authorities and government officials.

showcase and launch your latest products, technologies and services.

raise your brand awareness by positioning yourself in front of your key buyers and partners.

Generate qualified leads by networking with key stakeholders who attend the event.

There are only a few stands available. Book now!

Daniel Bloch:

Host city

Host Ministry

danielbloch@dmgevents.com or

In partnership with

www.transportevolution.com

Platinum sponsor

+27 21 700 5504

Official mobility partner

Co-located event

MARKET FORUM

Independant Third Party TRI has announced the establishment of TRI Africa Environmental Services (Pty) Ltd, headquartered in Johannesburg. TRI is a global independent third party geosynthetics/geotechnical testing and research company with operating service centres in the United States, Brazil, China, Australia and India.

The company’s test centres provide services that include routine conformance/verification testing services, interaction and transportation related

research, leak location and related field services, manufacturing auditing, forensic investigations as well as sponsored geosynthetic R&D supported by government and industry.

Sam Allen, Director of TRI’s global operations, explains, “TRI has benefitted substantially from our relationships with the African engineering and installation communities. Our mutual growth has taught TRI that there is much to learn from the African experience, and we look forward to contributing directly to the

African goals of environmental protection and sustainable development.

“In this context, it was important to establish TRI Africa in the same culture as all other TRI locations. That is, TRI-Africa is unassociated with any engineering, consulting, manufacturing or construction company so that we may work in non-competitive concert with all industry participants.”

TRI Africa Environmental Services Tel: 079 875 5691 Email: NMinnaar@tri-env.com

Super-precision bearings Machine tools and other precision applications require superior bearing performance. Extended speed capability, a high degree of running accuracy, high system rigidity, low heat generation, as well as low noise and vibration levels are just some of the challenges.

Rolling bearings for general indus-

trial applications can only partly fulfill these requirements. Consequently SKF manufactures a comprehensive assortment of super-precision bearings which help original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and end users to further optimise performance parameters of their equipment and applications.

The benefits differ depending on the bearing series and applications but include high speed and load carrying ability, long bearing service life, long maintenance intervals and low energy consumption.

SKF, www.skf.com

Authorised Agent Middleburg based firm, Water Analytical Services (WAS), has entered into an agreement with Kurita, to become the global water technology solutions provider’s official distributor for South Africa.

As one of the world’s leading water treatment companies, Kurita of-

fers exceptional technology suited for application in the automotive, steel, power, mining and petrochemical sectors. They have unique technologically advanced patents on various products, including paint detackification, polymers, amines, and biocides, among others.

with regard to wash-outs, boilers, RO’s, effluent and cooling water management. Through this partnership, WAS will be buying commodities and raw material directly from the source which will make a substantial difference to clients’ operational costs

This technology will have the benefit of significant savings and value to clients

WAS www.wateras.co.za The WAS team

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MARKET FORUM

Value-added screening

Innovative screening and vibrating equipment solutions and services provider, Aury Africa, can advise coal-plant operators on the correct screen size to maximise operational efficiency, coupled with comprehensive aftermarket support to assist with all proactive maintenance requirements.

The manufacturer produces a complete range of high-quality vibrating screens for the coal and minerals-processing industries. Banana vibrating screens are available in single- and double-deck configuration, from 1.8m x 4.8m up to 4.8m wide and 8.5m long.

Horizontal vibrating screens are available

in single- and double-deck configuration, from 1.2m x 2.4m up to 4.3m wide and 8.5m long. High-frequency vibrating screens are available from 0.9m x 1.8m up to 2.4m x 3.7m.

Circular motion vibrating screens are available in single- and double-deck configuration, from 1.8m x 3m up to 3m x 6.1m. Flip flop vibrating screens are available in single-, double- or tripledeck configuration, from 1.5m wide up to 12m long.

Aury Africa is also able to supply a range of exciters to fitmost OEM screen types.

Consumable products available include intertank/interstage cylinder screens for

classification, sieve bends and static panels for separation, and centrifuge baskets. “The fact that we can access technical expertise from our international group is a major advantage for our customers, as we have extensive experience coupled with expertise, due to having worked with vibrating equipment in the mining industry for many years,� Aury Africa Director Sydney Parkhouse comments.

Aury Africa Sydney Parkhouse Tel: (011) 026-6642 Email: syd@auryafrica.co.za www.auryafrica.co.za

Bearings International (BI) has promoted Hilton Woest to couplings product manager, and appointed Frikkie Ras as product manager for its chain and gears product portfolio

On the Move Hilton Woest

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September 2018

THREE LETTERS. TOTAL QUALITY. NSK sets many things in motion – for example in the pump and compressor industries. As a leading global manufacturer of rolling bearings, NSK combines 100 years of success and a total quality approach.

www.nskeurope.com nsk-sa@nsk.com

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14.03.18 10:12