SAME: Oct 2010

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AN ENGINEER’S VIEW
Chris Reay
Chairman of the Working
Committee: Communications
(SA Institution of Mechanical
Engineering)
S
kills shortages’ is an amorphous
concept that encapsulates many
specific components, but at the
heart of the matter is the idea that
the demand for certain skills exceeds
supply. Instead of elaborating on the past
and all the reasons that we have a degree
of skills shortages, it serves us better to
contemplate how to move forward.
If we look ahead and assemble some sort
of connect between the demand status and
the supply, this must include that which
we experience at present ie, the day to
day difficulties in locating suitable skills as
well as the estimated demand that would
arise from future growth policy.
It should not be beyond us to intuitively
identify the type of skills we will need to
support an industrial or social development policy,
or one that in our case should be implemented to
reduce the current high levels of unemployment and
its looming deterioration.
Could get worse, not better
Government has via its usual unsupported spin decreed
that unemployment will be halved by 2014. The
problem with that statement is that is has no rational
change model to convince me that it will happen.
In fact, unless there are some radical interventions
in education and skills development, I predict that
unemployment will in fact get worse, not better.
A major, if not the major, constraint on enabling the-
fast-track scale up of all technical skills is the lack
of the redeployment of the large number of retired,
retrenched, emigrated and disillusioned engineering
resources. Via structured and NSF and private sector
remunerated programmes we would not only add to
the line roles in deficient organisations battling with
the location of the perfect candidate, but provide
mentorship to the younger resources taken on in a
trainee capacity. Here we talk of the proven need for
experiential skills transfer.
Too old
I experience on a regular basis the rejection by cli-
ents of the recommendation to consider an Engineer,
Technologist or Technician on the basis that they are
“too old” at, for example, the age of 61! Not only is
this ridiculous from the perspective of experience and
Using Available Skilled
Capacity
An extensive and well researched paper un-
dertaken by the School of Economics at UCT
demonstrated that Government departments
have different views concerning the defini-
tion of skills shortages. This is largely due to
the omission in any official government lit-
erature of tying the concept of “skills short-
ages” to productivity.
the relevant qualifications, but it begs the question
as to who makes this call? Well, Mr Perfect is not,
even in the existing less active times, standing on
the street corner awaiting your call. He has got a
good job, and even if not busy, the smart employer
is holding on to them because when the music really
starts again, they will not be available. Most good
resources only move to better positions. With acute
shortages, this can become a sort of revolving door
process that rapidly escalates pay levels.
If one needs some evidence that the retired genera-
tion are well equipped to enhance skills develop-
ment and in effect help to reduce unemployment,
then do no more than study the success that the
SAICE Projects team has achieved in providing
retired Engineers including Septuagenarians and
in some cases Octogenarians to the functions in
local government and municipalities to mentor the
Civil Technicians and provide line roles.
If we fail to implement this process across all engi-
neering disciplines, then consider this. Time does
not stand still. The demographics show a serious
dip in well experienced and qualified engineering
resources in the 30 to 50 age group. Then consider
the numbers of candidate engineering resources
emerging at the age 20 to 25. Who is going to
mentor those academically qualified candidates
who lack experience in the trenches? In the quali-
fied artisan ranks, the average age is about 53.
Studies estimate that some 20% of artisans are less
than 40 years old. The same profile exists across
most disciplines.
Paradigm shift
So to those who live with the blinkered view that
60 plus year old Engineers are “too old”, consider
that in most developed countries now the retire-
ment age is being raised, not only to extend the use
of skills, but also on the grounds that prescribed
benefit pension systems have disappeared and
working life has had to been extended. The para-
digm has shifted.
Most good resources only move to better positions
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Monthly Column
8 Surviving a Sinking Ship
Cover Story
11 Enhanced Strength and Reliability
Computers in Engineering
13 Computers for Machines
15 Next Generation
Pipes, Pumps & Valves
17 Pumping the Thick Stuff
19 Which Pump to Choose?
POWER GENERATION TODAY
23 Harnessing Natural Forces
26 Power Generation News
Produced by:
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Website: www.promech.co.za
Managing Editor Susan Custers
Editor Kowie Hamman
Advertising Susan Custers
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THE SA INSTITUTION OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING
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 CORROSION INSTITUTE OF SA
 SA PUMP MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION
 SA VALVE AND ACTUATORS MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION
 THE SA INSTITUTE OF TRIBOLOGY
 NUCLEAR INSTITUTE
 SA INSTITUTE FOR NON-DESTRUCTIVE TESTING
 NATIONAL SOCIETY OF BLACK ENGINEERS
 INSTITUTE FOR CERTIFICATED MECHANICAL AND
ELECTRICAL ENGINEERS
 SOUTH AFRICAN ASSOCIATION OF CONSULTING ENGINEERS
 ASSOCIATION OF SOCIETIES FOR OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY
AND HEALTH
Power Transmission
29 Geared for Quality
32 What’s in a Gearbox?
Regulars
3 An Engineer’s View
6 Institution News
22 SAIT
22 SAINT
28 Nuclear Institute (SA Branch)
35 Market Forum
42 On the Move
Contents
The monthly circulation is 4 242
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particular field or fields.
Oc¦ober 'O´O \O¦LMF oo NLMEFF ´O
Featured on the cover:
BMGs Chain Division
Tel: (031) 576 6200
Fax: (031) 576 6582
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.bmgworld.net
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Council 2010/2011
Office Bearers
Presiden¦ .......................... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C Earbic (Ceorce)
Presiden¦ F¦ec¦ ........................... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ... L Findeis (Lir¦)
Na¦iona¦ Treasurer ................................. ¦ Nvanconi (¦ud.ai)
Branch Chairpersons
Cen¦ra¦ ..................................... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . M Cra·er (Mi¦e)
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¦wa/u¦u/Na¦a¦ ........................................... /C Fi¦ec.¦i (/¦e)
\es¦ern Cape ........ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pro¦ E Co¦¦ierFeed (Erandon)
Portfolios:
Co··unica¦ions .............................................. CL Feav (Cnris)
Fduca¦ion Lniversi¦ies................... Pro¦ )¦ van Nie¦er¦ (\i¦us)
Fduca¦ion. Lniversi¦ies o¦ Tecnno¦ocv............... F /awi¦s¦a (Fwa)
Me·bersnip .................................................... F /awi¦s¦a (Fwa)
oe·inars and \or¦snops.................................. L Findeis (Lir¦)
Tecnno¦ocv Procra··e ................................. o/ Hrabar (o¦eve)
Chief Executive Officer: \aucnan Fi·bau¦¦
National Office Manager: /nisa Nanabnav
PO Eo o´´. Eru·a. 'O'o
Te¦. (O´´) o´ooooO. Fa. (O´´) o88oooo
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\ebsi¦e. www.sai·ecne.orc..a
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Company Af filiates
Alstom Power Service SA
Babcock Africa Limited
Bateman Engineered Technologies
Bosch Projects
Fluor SA
GEA Air-cooled Systems
Hansen Transmissions SA
Hatch Africa
Howden Power
Howden Projects
Industrial Water Cooling
MBE Minerals (SA) (Pty) Ltd
(previously KHD Humboldt
Wedag SA
Megchem Eng & Drafting Services
THE SA INSTITUTION OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING
Osborn Engineered Products SA
Rotek Engineering
RSD a division of DCD-Dorbyl
S.A.M.E Water
Sasol Technologies
SEW Eurodrive
Siemens
SNC-Lavalin SA
Spicer Axle SA
Spirax Sarco SA
Thyssenkrupp Engineering
Transvaal Pressed Nuts & Bolts
Ultra-Flow Engineering Services
Vital Engineering
Weir Minerals Africa
Winder Controls
A new lease on life
“SAIMechE’s Events Department has a new
lease on life having taken occupation of its
new offices in Kloof, just outside of Durban.
The compact office is located in the San-
yati office development adjacent to the Kloof
Country Club. With masses of parking, the
new location is ideally suited for both staff
and visitors. 24-hour security and an on-site
standby diesel generator added to the attrac-
tiveness of the offer.
The SAIMechE Training Events Calendar: Mid-Oct to
Nov 2010
Whilst every effort is made to ensure that events take
place as scheduled, SAIMechE reserves the right to
change the schedule as circumstances dictate. A reg-
istration form and full terms and conditions may be
obtained from Carey Evans on email: carey@saimeche.
org.za or call (031) 764-7136. Also, detailed individual
event programmes are available from Carey. Corpora-
tions wishing to book In-House Workshops may contact
Linda Robinson on email: [email protected] or
call (031) 764-7136.
Ev e nt
Code
Workshop & Seminar
Names
Dates Region
E4610 Value Engineering &
Value Management
17-Nov-10 East Rand
CPS10 Piping Seminar 19-Nov-10 Cape Town
ELL10 Key Labour Legisla-
tion
19-Nov-10 East Rand
A3610 Project Management
- A Review of Es-
sentials
24-Nov-10 Durban
E1310 Structured Problem
Solving Techniques
24-Nov-10 East Rand
A4710 Capital Budgeting for
Projects
25-Nov-10 Durban
ALL10 Key Labour Legisla-
tion
30-Nov-10 Durban
News!
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THE SA INSTITUTION OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING
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MONTHLY COLUMN
U
nlike in the mov-
ies, a ship sinks
very quickly, so
the deployment
of lifeboats has to be quick
and faultless, independent of electrical mechanisms
that may not function because the electricity supply
on the ship has died. Hence the davits on which
lifeboats are secured are usually mechanically
activated to lower the boats into the water. These
mechanical systems have to be maintained on a
regular basis to ensure a smooth rapid launch at
any time.
Special skills
“SA Mechanical Engineer” visits Bosss Marine
Services in Durban, a company that specialises in
service and maintenance of lifeboats and safety
equipment on vessels. “Bosss is the first approved
lifeboat and davit service in Africa, currently holding
fifteen major agencies for lifeboat and davit systems,”
says Karl Engelbrecht of the Lifeboats and Safety
Equipment division of the company.
“Our highly skilled technicians are certified with
the various major European, Japanese, Chinese and
Korean ship manufacturers and we have SAMSA
(South African Maritime Safety Authority) as well as
all major classification society approvals, allowing
us to cover all the major ports in Africa.”
Surviving
a Sinking
Ship
A vessel out at sea functions as an island
for the crew for days on end. But it’s also a
vulnerable island prone to rough seas that
can cause even a large vessel to sink to the
bottom of the ocean in minutes. The only
life-line are the lifeboats. These rugged self-
contained little boats dangling on cranes off
the side are as much part of the ship as the
chimney.
New law
Because lifeboats are fitted in place and ‘forgotten’
about until there is an emergency, there have been
many incidents over the years where the release
systems have failed which people have paid for with
their lives because the boats could not be launched.
“The law governing issues around lifeboats is only
about four years old,” says Karl. “One of the main
reasons the law came about is due to many people
dying just in lifeboat practice drills, never mind a
real emergency.
“This is mainly due to the lack of maintenance on
the mechanical equipment which holds the lifeboat
in place such as the lifting hooks that operate on
the on-load release principle,” elaborates Karl. “If
not maintained properly or the crew are not trained
in using the system, there is going to be an ac-
cident. What often happens is that one hook will
open but the other doesn’t and the lifeboat pivots
on one end, hitting into people waiting to get into
the boat. Generally such an accident results in
fatalities.”
Lifeboat maintenance
The manufacturers of lifeboats, life rafts and safety
The deployment of lifeboats has to be quick, faultless
and independent of a ship’s electrical mechanisms
Karl Engelbrecht
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equipment have to ensure that training service
companies like Bosss carry out operational train-
ing for the crew as well as doing the inspection
and maintenance work on the equipment at the
required intervals. “In essence, the new law means
only companies like us are allowed to work on the
equipment and not just any general engineering
company or the ship’s crew,” Karl says. “We’ve
come across some hair-raising alterations that crews
make to davits and hook systems over the years.
Then they forget all about them and the systems
never get fixed properly.
“A good example is the North Sea incident a couple
of years ago where 140 people died, entirely due to
a winch failing and the hooks on the lifeboats not
opening. In contrast, during a recent oil rig disas-
ter in the Gulf, everything on the lifeboat systems
worked like clockwork and thirty-odd people got
off the rig without a single problem.”
The equipment
Ship-launched lifeboats are lowered from davits
on the deck and cannot be sunk in normal cir-
cumstances. In situ, the boat is usually covered
with a heavy duty cover serving as protection from
sun, wind and rain. The cover, which is normally
made of a reflective or fluorescent material that is
highly-visible, can also be used to collect rainwater
when in operation. Lifeboats have oars, flares and
mirrors for signalling, first-aid supplies and are
stocked up with rations of food and water. Certain
lifeboats are more capably equipped to permit self-
rescue operations and will contain supplies such as
a radio, an engine and a sail, heaters, navigational
equipment, solar water stills, rainwater catchments
and fishing equipment.
Some ships and oil rigs have freefall lifeboats,
stored on a downward sloping slipway from where
they drop into the water as a holdback is released.
These lifeboats are considerably heavier in order
to withstand the impact of the water as they fall
anything from ten to a hundred metres on an oil
rig. Freefall lifeboats launch nearly instantly and
are highly reliable. Since 2006, freefall lifeboats
are required on bulk carriers that are in danger of
sinking too rapidly for conventional lifeboats to be
released in time.
Covering Africa
“We prefer to carry out inspections and tests offshore
so that the lifeboats can be dropped all the way as
opposed to just some of the way on one side when
the vessel is alongside at the dock,” says Karl. “In
Durban we handle about forty vessels a month, but
we also travel into Africa to service customer’s ships
that don’t necessarily come down here.
“Although our core business is servicing lifeboats
and training crews on how to operate the launching
systems, we’ve also become involved in other safety
aspects over the years,” Karl says in conclusion.
“Life rafts and fire systems form part of our service
offering and we also work on oil rigs. Generally, our
technicians must have a feel for engineering before
they are trained in the finer detail of the product
by the manufacturer of the equipment.”
Contact: Karl Engelbrecht, Bosss, Tel: (031) 205-5565,
Email: [email protected]
One of the main reasons the law came about is due to
many people dying just in lifeboat practice drills
Lifeboats are Voyager’s link to the rest of the world
Life rafts come in various sizes and can contain emergency equipment
like radios and flares
A typical life raft in it’s container on deck
MONTHLY COLUMN
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COVER STORY
T
he new fourth generation Tsubaki BS/DIN
RS roller chain, the Tsubaki GT4 Winner
series, boasts new manufacturing and ma-
terial developments and the precision and
strength of the components of this series far exceed
other chains on the market,” says Scott Larson,
general manager for BMG’s chain division. “Four
key features of this range include lube grooves,
a seamless bush which is perfectly cylindrical,
a centre sink rivet and a Tsubaki’s patented ring
coined connecting link.”
Precision components
Tsubaki lube groove seamless bushes are precision
components that hold oil at the point of contact
where the chain needs it most, providing an internal
reservoir for the lubricant. The result is a chain that
lasts longer, with lower maintenance costs. The Tsu-
baki GT4 Winner chain has a surface finishing that
improves surface contact between the pin and bush,
which means enhanced lubricant retention.
Chain design
The design of the rivet heads of this series enables
easy disassembly, and in the event of the chain be-
ing overloaded, markings on the rivet head clearly
identify pin rotation. In addition, the ring coined
connecting link allows the chain to be specified up
to its full kW rating.
Furthermore, Tsubaki’s ring coined technology has
overcome the problem of typical standard slip-fit
connecting links which are usually much weaker
than other links. The Tsubaki GT4 Winner chain is
available from BMG in sizes 06B to 48B as stan-
dard, with larger sizes on request. Single, double
and triple strands are also offered.
Clutches
Also new are Tsubaki’s back stop cam clutches,
which are designed for high-speed, high-performance
applications and have many critical features not
found in conventional models.
The new BS-HS series has an upgraded cam cage
and bearing supported design which provides
a higher torque/speed capacity than other cam
clutches. Other advantages include the use of a
smaller clutch which provides cost-savings, and the
Enhanced Strength and
Reliability
BMG’s power transmission division has
announced the availability of a new range of
Tsubaki high performance chains and clutches.
The result is a chain that lasts longer,
with lower maintenance costs
Tsubaki lubrication-free free roller chain is designed for high power transmis-
sion efficiency and reduced downtime in diverse industrial applications
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COVER STORY
use of high-quality clutch component parts made
from heat-treated alloy steel means better wear
resistance and an extended life performance.
Selection of the proper cam clutch for each ap-
plication and appropriate installation and usage is
critical for optimum performance. For enhanced
service life, correct lubrication methods and dust
prevention care are also critical.
These back stop cam clutches also have an anti-
rollover cam design that ensures durability against a
heavy shock load in back stopping. The dust-proof
construction of this series, with the combination
of a double-lip oil seal and dust protective plate,
keeps grease in and dust out.
Another important feature of the BS-HS series is
High-quality clutch component parts made from
heat-treated alloy steel means better wear resistance
Tsubaki back stop cam clutches, designed for high speed, high performance
applications, have many critical features not found in conventional models
reduced maintenance. Because heat resistant grease
is packed into the unit as standard, only minimal
maintenance for the lubricant is required.
These back stop cam clutches are designed for use
in applications that include belt conveyors for min-
ing, metals, timber, pulp and wood chip, as-well-as
for bucket elevators for cement and grain. These
units are also installed to enhance performance of
large drift conveyors and screw pumps.
Lubrication-free
Tsubaki has also announced its new lubrication-free
roller chains which are designed for high power
transmission efficiency and reduced downtime in
diverse industrial applications.
The new lubrication-free Lambda chain series with
enhanced wear resistant performance is suitable
for use in environments which need to be clean,
for example, in food processing, pharmaceutical
and electronics manufacturing, where product
contamination cannot be tolerated.
The easy disassembly design of the Lambda series
retains full chain strength in the connecting links
and also includes better wear life. This extended
life service is achieved because of superior sinter-
ing, bushing and an improved bushing-lubricant
combination.
The chains operate efficiently in a wide ambient
temperature range of between -10°C and +150°C
and make use of shot-peened parts for higher fatigue
strength. The surfaces of the outer and inner link
plates are Fe403 blackened for better corrosion
resistance and the durable roller offers a smoother
engagement with the sprocket and less wear on
the sprocket teeth.
There is also a significant reduction in the risk of
chain breakage because a specially selected steel
alloy has undergone effective heat-treatment.
BMG’s national branch network offers a technical
advisory service on correct chain selection.
BMGs Chain Division, Scott Larson, Tel: (031) 576 6200,
Fax: (031) 576 6582, Email: [email protected]
Web: www.bmgworld.net
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O
ne of the emerging technologies in
the field is HMI (Human-Machine In-
terface) systems where software and
hardware components are combined
into an interface to make human interaction with
machines much easier and a lot more pleasant than
in the past. HMI’s vary widely, from control panels
for nuclear power plants to the screen and input
buttons on a cellphone. Designing such interfaces
is challenging, requiring a great deal of work to
make the interface functional, accessible, pleasant
to use, and logical.
The interface
Two main components are needed in a human
machine interface. The first is an input where the
human user needs some way to tell the machine
what to do, to make requests from the machine,
or to adjust the machine. Examples of input de-
vices include keyboards, toggles, switches, touch
screens, joysticks, and mice. The interface also
requires an output, which allows the machine to
keep the human user updated on the progress of
commands, or to execute commands in physical
space. To simplify the use of this interface, espe-
cially in the industrial machine context, it usually
is a graphical representation of the plant, lately
even including animated graphics to show that a
fan, for example, is actually turning.
To catch up on trends and developments in HMI
technology “SA Mechanical Engineer” visits Micro-
power in Kya-Sands near Johannesburg to talk to
COMPUTERS IN ENGINEERING
Computers
for Machines
The world’s skills shortages have had many
negative influences on industry in terms
of costs, but on the positive side they have
also had a direct influence on technological
developments aimed specifically at filling
the vacuum left by the lack of skilled per-
sonnel who used to look after machines on a
plant. As there are no longer engineers and
artisans who faff and tinker around a plant
all day to ensure the machines are healthy,
failures have increased dramatically, costing
plant owners dearly.
Vaughn Venter
project manager, Vaughn Venter. “The use of HMIs
has risen sharply over the past couple of years,
spreading across all industries in a number of dif-
ferent applications,” he says. “In South Africa, for
example, many people use an HMI system purely
to monitor production line efficiency on a plant.
Live data
“One specific client was considering a new pro-
duction line in order to handle higher production
throughput, but after installing an HMI system
that provided complete live data on downtime and
efficiency on the line while running, they could ad-
dress the problem immediately and it turned out
that they did not need a whole new production line
after all,” Vaughn says.
“We designed the system to display current plant
running efficiency on a huge display on the factory
floor which provides the means to react imme-
diately when something goes wrong. Previously,
data was monitored manually by a person walking
the floor with a checklist which meant that data
only became available at the end of an inspection
round and the problem was then addressed. This
application of HMI technology has become very
popular locally.
The ideal world
“In an ideal world, all your devices, equipment and
process should seamlessly communicate with each
other, sharing, collecting and displaying process
data in a centralised portal,” explains Vaughn. “It
In an ideal world, all your devices, equipment and
process should seamlessly communicate with each other
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COMPUTERS IN ENGINEERING
that seamlessly relays data between all makes of
devices including PLCs, drives, PID controllers and
serial peripherals from all vendors. The G3 Series
HMIs move data freely across over 170 different
industrial protocols including DeviceNet, Profibus
and CANopen/J1939.
Protocols
“Not all makes of HMI systems have the feature
of protocol conversion and data acquisition tools
that can transparently capture and refine the data
you need to trend and monitor in order to control
processes efficiently,” adds Vaughn. “Yet, with
this level of sophistication, the G3 Series is eas-
ily configured with free software featuring drag-
and-drop data mapping and extensive libraries of
pre-configured device drivers as well as graphical
interface elements.”
Micropower supplies system integrators with the
hardware and software for these systems but often
also gets involved directly in the customisation of a
system for specific out-of-the-ordinary applications.
“Each system is purpose built for each application,”
says Vaughn.
“Being software driven, it’s a matter of programming
exactly what the client wants out of the HMI system
including the extent of the graphic representation
of his or her plant components on the screen. We
have extensive graphic libraries of standard machine
components, but we often have to create the graphic
of a machine or component so that it looks exactly
like the one installed in the plant.”
Automation
HMIs are set to become as much a part of future
industrial plants as the machines themselves. “I
foresee that HMIs will play a bigger role in the
future besides the monitoring and alert functions
of today,” Vaughn says in conclusion. “They are
already beginning to play an important role in
managing automation processes such as controlling
the mixing of ingredients that go into processes.
This role is bound to be extended to control an
entire plant, no only in terms of machine health,
but also in running the processes carried out by
the plant as a whole.”
Vaughn Venter, Micropower, Tel: (011) 462-1106, Email:
[email protected]
should create a window providing a continuous
view of all processes and be the hub connecting
multiple device types while converting the diverse
languages of industry to Ethernet.
“It should be an agent consolidating vital data into
universal business platforms, revealing valuable
insight through a scheduled daily e-mail, dynamic
web pages or FTP downloads and should also be a
sentry, continually monitoring processes for potential
problems and delivering alerts via text message or
e-mail to a mobile device.
Really exists
Today this ‘ideal’ world exists and it’s brought to-
gether by an HMI system through a series of input
and output (IO) ports connected to PLCs, sensors
and control components on machinery throughout
a plant. “We have a system, the G3 Series HMIs
from Red Lion in the United States that contains
all the elements to achieve such an ideal configura-
tion,” says Vaughn.
“It incorporates communications, data manage-
ment and remote access into a single product
Many people use an HMI system purely to monitor
production line efficiency on a plant
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T
here’s been a lot of discussion about the rise
of Direct Modelling in the pages of DEVEL-
OP3D this past year. Ever since Siemens
launched Synchronous Technology in the
summer of 2008, there’s been a renewed interest
in non-history based modeling methodologies all
across the industry.
IronCAD has been there from the very Tri-Spectives
a decade ago and the system has proved that there
is a viable alternative to history-based processes.
Its flexible modelling technology allows users to
define design intent with ease and use feature-
based modelling to great benefit. The product has
evolved over the last few releases to grow into an
impressive modelling system.
Highly interactive
Its approach has always been highly interactive,
using a combination of direct manipulation of ge-
ometry, standard forms and user defined features
to enable users to get their thoughts down digitally
in the shortest time possible. The fact that IronCAD
contains not one, but two modelling kernels has
Next Generation
IronCAD has been a leader in direct modelling methodologies for many years, but the latest release sees this
enhanced with more traditional history-based design tool. We take a look at what’s new and how it works.
also set it apart. The use of both ACIS and Para-
solid within a single application is still something
unique to IronCAD.
This can bring benefits in problem modeling situa-
tions. If one can’t build the geometry, the chances
are the other can. With ACIS and Parasolid under the
hood, plus PTC’s GraniteOne technology, the other
huge benefit is that IronCAD has a very rich native
data translation capability, allowing users to work
with geometry from a much wider set of systems
and with a much reduced chance of error.
Historically, IronCAD hasn’t seen the mainstream
success of the modeling system-but this has begun
to change somewhat in the last few years. IronCAD is
now part-owned by Chinese software solution power
house CAXA and the system has begun growing in
adoption in the company’s home market. This has
led to increase development resources and funding
and the next release looks to bring the company
from one of the also rans’ to perhaps achieve a
bigger place in the grand scheme of things.
The irony is that this release sees a new direction
for IronCAD.
While IronCAD has been distinctly non-history-based
for years, the next release entitled IronCAD Next
Generation sees the introduction
of a history-based modeling ap-
proach for the first time. Alongside
this there’s been an overhaul of
the interface and extensive work
done to bring greater tools for
downstream processes, such as
drawing and annotation. So let’s
dive in and have a look.
A new look
The first thing that’s noticeable is
that adoption of the windows rib-
bon interface scheme. While there
are still the IronCAD favourites,
such as the catalogues to the right
hand side of the screen for standard
features, parts, and rendering
materials, the system now looks
much fresher and more modern.
Commands are segregated into
panels for sketching, features,
surfaces, assemblies, visualization
(for display states and rendering),
annotation and add-ins. Each is
logically ordered and you’ll find
The fact that the programme contains not one, but two
modelling kernels has also set it apart
COMPUTERS IN ENGINEERING
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COMPUTERS IN ENGINEERING
that you adapt to the ribbon with ease.
Adding history
With the introduction of the new history plus fea-
ture-based approach, users now have to make a
decision when starting work-whether the part lends
itself to a feature history based approach, where
action is recorded and available for editing, or is
suited to the world of direct modelling.
This decision depends on the form of geometry and
the experience of the user, but as a rule of thumb,
complex shapes lend themselves to a history-
based approach (where feature shape may become
obscured, meaning editing may be problematic),
whereas more prismatic parts, where feature forms
are maintained lend themselves to direct model-
ling method.
Whichever route is chosen, the user still has the same
highly dynamic method of dragging and dropping
geometry features, faces and edges that IronCAD
mastered some years ago. And if the sketch/build
feature/repeat method is preferred, the two can
be mixed and matched within the same design
environment.
New draughting tools
Alongside to huge change to how part and assembly
geometry can be constructed, this release also sees
a change in how IronCAD handles drawing produc-
tion. In previous releases it used some home-brewed
technology to build up a drawing environment.
While it was perfectly capable of producing produc-
tion-ready drawings, with all of the annotation and
documentation required, the deal with CAXA gave
IronCAD a more advanced tool that sold very well
in the Far East. CAXA is known for its CAXA Draft
application that brings a complete and extensive set
of draughting tools, working as you would expect
from any modern 2D CAD systems.
The IronCAD team has integrated this application
directly within the IronCad interface making that
rich set of tools available to its users. This provides
a fully-integrated, bullet proof drawing system that
allows 3D parts and assembly geometry to be
used for the creation of documentation required
to move a product into production. It follows a
similar user interface style to many of the leading
2D design tools on the market today. Alongside this
integrated 3D/2D approach, adoption now offer it
as a standalone application, for those looking to
maintain separate 3D and drawing seats within
their design office.
Conclusion
IronCAD will also provide an additional
license of CAXA Draft free of charge that
can be used alongside it (or installed on a
different machine as its not tied to the host
IronCAD license). There is a much lower
cost version of IronCAD, called innovate,
and this is a pure modeling system costing
$1,295, which represents great value for
money.
So what does the introduction of history-
based modeling mean for users? There’s a
huge resurgence of interest in direct model-
ling at present and almost every vendor is
jumping in with its answer. Autodesk has
its fusion technology preview, Siemens has
Synchronous technology, PTC acquired
CoCreate and you’re seeing the filtering
of direct modeling, History-less modeling
introduced into Pro/E. Finally rumors have it
that the next release of solidworks will have
more direct modelling tools. I’m convinced
that a combination of Direct and History-
based modelling represents the future of
3D design.
The two, seemingly disparate approaches will merge
over the coming years in release cycle from every
vendor. What’s more interesting is that IronCAD
started from the opposite end to most. It has
mastered direct modelling and the introduction of
history-based modelling can only serve its users
better, giving them the freedom to work how they
want. If you are looking at direct modelling as a
potential weapon in your armoury, then IronCAD
certainly has impressive wealth of tools at your
disposal. There will be a trial version of IronCAD
Next Generation available on www.ironcad.com
and I’d encourage you to take a look.
Article provided by Develop3D, www.develop3d.com
While it may have been considered one of the minor
players
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Daan Louw
PIPES PUMPS & VALVES
I
n the process of treating waste water, lime
and other chemicals are used to rectify the
pH levels of used water. The high viscosity of
lime, for example, often causes pumps to clog
up, resulting in elevated maintenance costs. To
examine solutions for this problem “SA Mechanical
Engineer” speaks to Daan Louw, sales engineer at
Verder Pumps SA (VPSA).
No build up
“VPSA can help with this problem in that our Verder-
flex range of peristaltic pumps uses the process
of peristalsis to pump products through a hose in
the same way blood, food and oxygen is pumped
around the body,” says Daan. “The pulsation ef-
fect means that solids are kept in suspension and
no build up can take place. Build up in the hoses
are eliminated by using rubber Verderflex hoses
that are designed to maximise life expectancy and
performance.
“These hose pumps are designed to handle tough
operating conditions, they reduce downtime,
minimise maintenance costs and provide easy to
operate and reliable solutions in difficult pumping
environments,” Daan adds. “You only need two Al-
len keys to dismantle the pump on site and attend
to the problem there and then.”
The current focus on the environmental impact of
Pumping the Thick Stuff
Access to water is one of the
most important issues for any
mining process in South
Africa today. Natural
resources are becoming
scarcer and legislation is
forcing all industries to take
a closer look at the impact
of their processes on the
environment, especially the
mining companies who are
forced to look at ways of
optimising processes in order
to recycle and reuse water.
waste water and water quality makes it essential
for mines to invest in pilot plants where tests can
be conducted on a smaller scale and this is where
Verderflex tube pumps come into play. “These chemi-
cal dosing pumps accurately and repeatedly deliver
a wide range of chemicals while performing under
the same tough conditions to provide a reliable and
controllable pumping solution,” says Daan.
Industries
The company provides a wide range of pumps and
accessories on the basis of application and need,
covering a wide range of industries including min-
ing, water treatment, chemicals and paints and
coatings. It also supplies pumps to the textile,
ceramic, paper and pulp and cosmetics industries
and is involved in recycling and remediation, food
and beverage and agriculture.
“Providing solutions in pumping technology is
what we strive for,” says Daan. “We aim to source
the best possible solution to suit the application,
providing customers with the best products, solu-
tions and support available. In addition, we offer
extensive consultation services to discuss pumping
difficulties with clients.”
New series
At the recent Electra Mining show VPSA also pro-
moted a comprehensive new series of Verderair
diaphragm pumps. “The new VA25 series, based
on the established and reliable Verderair concept
is easy to repair and boasts features like less air
consumption, higher fluid output and lower pul-
The new model offers 30% higher air efficiency than
other AODD pumps, and a 20% flow increase
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“The new polytetra-fluoroethylene (PTFE) dia-
phragms are over-moulded and last up to 5 times
longer than previous diaphragms, resulting in less
maintenance downtime,” adds Daan. “The excel-
lent material strength and more efficient, leak-free
operation, makes the use of the Verderair VA25
diaphragm pump ideal in applications such as
drum fluid transfer, unloading fluids, chemical
evacuation, ceramic glaze supply, dewatering and
sump evacuation and repackaging of fluids from an
original container to smaller receptacles.
Features
“The new model is easy to install, with up to
eight ports on the new aluminium models and the
option of flanges or threaded connections on the
polypropylene models, it offers maximum instal-
lation flexibility to suit any application,” explains
Daan. “We provide a wide range of pumps and
accessories on the basis of application and need,
and are a trusted supplier to the mining, water
treatment, chemicals, process and food and bev-
erage industries.”
“The new model is designed with additional fea-
tures for optimal performance, including a stall-free
modular air valve for low pulsation and a smooth
changeover,” says Daan.
“We are committed to ensuring that the best suited
pump is selected for the right application,” Daan
says in conclusion. “As energy efficiency and lower
operating costs dominate the agenda during the
current global economic downturn, we remain
determined to provide the most efficient and cost
effective pumping solutions.”
Laetitia Möller, Verder Pumps SA, Tel: (011) 704-7500,
Email: [email protected]
PIPES PUMPS & VALVES
sation,” says Daan. “The new model offers 30%
higher air efficiency than other AODD pumps, and
a 20% flow increase. “It is designed with addi-
tional features for optimal performance, including
a stall-free modular air valve for low pulsation and
a smooth changeover.
You only need two allen keys to dismantle the pump on site
Pumping the thick stuff
The new polytetra-fluoroethylene (PTFE)
diaphragms are over-moulded and last
up to 5 times longer than
previous diaphragms
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PIPES PUMPS & VALVES
T
here are reciprocating or positive displace-
ment pumps, centrifugal or hydrodynamic
pumps, slurry pumps, sump pumps, peristaltic
pumps, spindle pumps, diaphragm pumps
which all come in different configurations, mak-
ing it nearly impossible to make a choice if you’re
not a pump expert. This is probably why there’s a
high likelihood of ending up with the wrong pump
being used in some applications, which is even
more reason to consult an expert when having to
make a choice.
To talk to such an expert “SA Mechanical Engineer”
visits Predator Pumps in Lonehill near Johannes-
burg where Neville Kurz tells us more about pump
selection. “Being a pump supplier who can choose
from any one of the pumps OEMs manufacturer
makes our lives a lot easier in the first place. We
then use our experience to narrow the field and
eventually select the correct pump for the applica-
tion,” he says.
Selecting a pump
The function of a pump is to transfer a liquid/product
from one point to another by converting mechani-
cal energy from a rotating impeller/gear/rotor/lobe
etc into pressure energy, or head. The pressure
applied to the liquid forces the fluid to flow at the
required rate and to overcome the system head,
which includes the losses in the piping, valves,
fittings and process equipment.
Therefore the pumping system designer must consider
fluid properties, determine end user requirements and
understand environmental conditions. In addition,
pumping applications include constant or variable
flow rate requirements, serving single or networked
Which Pump to
Choose?
Selecting the right pump for a specific job can be a harrowing task. Not only
is there a vast range and types of pumps available, but there are many
manufacturers who each have dedicated pump ranges for a particular
application. To top it all, they all come in many different sizes and variants.
loads, and consisting
of open loops or closed
loops.
Software
When selecting and sizing a pump Neville relies on
the experience he has gained in his 16 years in the
local pump industry working for several pump OEMs
and re-sellers before starting his own business two
years ago. “We make extensive use of the OEM’s
software to narrow the selection of the right pump
for a specific duty,” he says.
“However if there is even the slightest doubt, we use
independent software packages just to confirm the
calculations, and in a lot of applications, specifically
if they are challenging, we often revert back to basics
by sizing and selecting everything manually, in spite
of it being tedious and much more time-consuming
than using the available software,” says Neville. “I
like doing this because it gives you an opportunity
to almost visualise what will be happening in the
system as opposed to just entering numbers on a
computer and getting the results.”
“In order to achieve maximum efficiency, you have
to collect as much information about the pumping
system as possible, and what the client wants to
achieve with it,” explains Neville. “To size the pump,
pipeline and system correctly you have to sit down
with the client, not only to get all the necessary
information, but also to ensure that both parties
understand and agree to all the dynamics behind
sizing the system correctly.
We like to get involved right from the beginning and
then systematically go through the design with the
client to ensure that the pumps we eventually specify
fit into the layout and meet the requirements and
purposes of what they were wanting to achieve.
Suction problems
This is a tall order in any engineer’s book and
Neville Kurz
The pumping system designer must consider fluid
properties, end user requirements and environmental
conditions
'O THF oOLTH /FF¦C/N MFCH/N¦C/¦ FNC¦NFFF \O¦ oo Oc¦ober 'O´O
PIPES PUMPS & VALVES
line requirements as well as NPSH, only
looking at the delivery requirements and
then blaming the pump if the system is
not operating correctly. Generally, if you
can get the product into the pump and the
system has been calculated properly, then
the pump will get the product through the
system, but if it doesn’t get into the pump,
it doesn’t stand a chance.”
“If, for instance, I get a client who is ada-
mant about the type and size of pump he
wants to install and I know it’s wrong for
the application, I’d rather walk away than
risk our good reputation,” Neville says. “Es-
pecially as the majority of the OEMs see us
an independent extension of their business
and we have their full support in terms of
guarantees and technical support. Such a
relationship has to be maintained by deliver-
ing good design and quality workmanship
continuously.”
Personal touch
Besides having the flexibility to select and supply
pumps from any of the wide number of brands avail-
able on the market and having the support of these
OEMs, Neville is a hands-on man who likes to be on
site whenever he can to make sure subcontractors
fulfil Predator’s promise to the client. “Although
we don’t do installations ourselves, we like to be
involved throughout the installation and have a good
understanding with the subcontractors we use in
terms of overseeing the work,” he says.
“If there are any hitches afterwards I personally
sort them out, but so far we haven’t had a major
problem with any of the our installations and we
have never needed to change out any pump that
we have selected and supplied. This is purely due
to our philosophy of doing our homework properly
in the first place.
“Business wise, we live by our promise that we
are able to engineer solutions for every pumping
application in the mining, industrial and agriculture
sectors as well as provide all spares and acces-
sories with peace-of-mind in terms of after-sales
backup and service,” he says in conclusion. “With
confidence, we undertake to honour our agreements
and foster a relationship of loyalty and trust with
both our suppliers and clients.”
Contact: Neville Kurz, Predator Pumps. Tel: 082-773-2672,
Email: [email protected]
A pump assembly ready for delivery
In order to achieve maximum efficiency,
you have to collect as much information
about the pumping system as possible
even more reason why pump selection is more of
a science than just picking one off a catalogue.
“Ninety percent of pumping problems occur on the
suction side of the pump,” says Neville. “There is
a tendency to miscalculate or overlook the suction
THF oOLTH /FF¦C/N MFCH/N¦C/¦ FNC¦NFFF \O¦ oo Oc¦ober 'O´O '´
T
oday, maintenance is not only a high priority among
plant owners around the world, it has been extended
with sophisticated monitoring and control technologies
to carry out predictive maintenance to achieve reliable
enhancements and life extension of plant and equipment
while optimising maintenance budgets.
Predictive maintenance is made possible by a host of in-
novative new technologies which can forecast the future
condition of plant. A conference aimed at promoting these
technologies was recently held at ABB headquarters in
Longmeadow near Johannesburg. ABB, the leading power
and automation technology group and Martec, a specialist
reliability enhancement company, co-hosted South Africa’s
first predictive maintenance and reliability engineering-based
maintenance (PdMSA) conference, with “SA Mechanical
Engineer” as a media partner.
Local event
“Martec’s managing director and organiser of the conference,
Mario Kuisis, tells “SA Mechanical Engineer” during a tea
break. “Conferences like this are held elsewhere in the world
on a regular basis, but not much is happening in South Africa
on this front. We felt that the time had come to stage such a
conference locally to encourage awareness and the adoption
of predictive maintenance technologies.
“We’ve included a wide spectrum of the disciplines involved,”
Mario adds. “We therefore have three streams over two days
covering a broad range of topics on predictive maintenance
technologies and systems across all industries.”
Pick and choose
The eighty-plus delegates were addressed by 13 international
speakers and forty-five presentations and case studies were
showcased at the event, with delegates from over 25 com-
panies participating, including the CSIR, Eskom, forensic
engineering specialist Innopro, paper producer Sappi, insur-
ance broker Marsh, Martec, ABB and engineering company
Rotek Engineering.
“Based on the interest and
support we’ve had this year,
this should become an an-
nual event because there
is a lot more that can and
needs to be said in terms
of predictive maintenance,”
says Mario. “Our delegate
profile covered attendees
from medium to large size
organisations including city
councils, each with their own specific interests, be it electri-
cal or mechanical, large plant or small and even individual
plant requirements.
We walked through the exhibi-
tion area where companies displayed the latest in monitoring
systems, cameras, control panels, testing equipment and
all sorts of goodies to make any maintenance engineer’s
life a lot easier. Most delegates we spoke to were satisfied
with what they had learned and judging by the number of
questions in presentation we sat in on, they were hungry for
more information.
Meat on the bone
The only criticism we heard was from one engineer from the
petrochemical industry who wanted more practical informa-
tion on how problems were solved on the ground rather than
the presenter purely advertising a specific product. “It is very
costly to come here just to learn about what certain products
can do - that I can get on the internet,” he says.
“To get value for our money we need to walk away with more
knowledge from case studies in how they identified a problem,
solved it and what benefits were achieved. Understandably,
certain problems can’t be solved without the right equipment,
but we need more meat on the bone.”
Mario Kuisis, Martec, Tel: (011) 326-2708, Email: mario@martec.
co.za
Info for All Engineers
The maintenance of industrial plant is no longer a case of slogging around with
an oil can in hand to ‘listen’ to the drone of a machine and then either applying
a few drops of oil to get rid of the ‘knock’ in the bearing, or tapping it with a
hammer to get it ‘aligned’ and humming smoothly again.
Mario Kuisis
'' THF oOLTH /FF¦C/N MFCH/N¦C/¦ FNC¦NFFF \O¦ oo Oc¦ober 'O´O
T
he main aim of the Conference is to provide partici-
pants with an opportunity to present their work and
to exchange ideas and results, and to meet people
with similar tribological interests.
Guest speakers
Our plenary guest speakers are Professor Bharat Bhushan,
Director, Nanoprobe Laboratory for Bio- & Nanotechnology
and Biomimetics, Department of Mechanical Engineering,
Ohio State University, and Professor Kristian Tonder, of the
Faculty of Engineering Science and Technology at NTNU,
Trondheim, Norway.
Topics
Experimental, theoretical and case studies on the following
topics can be submitted:
Industrial Tribology - Problems and solutions.
Lubricants Testing and Condition Monitoring
Wear Processes and Tribology of Materials
EHD, Boundary and Fluid Film Lubrication
Biotribological applications
Tribology and the environment.
SAIT, Tel: (011) 802-5145/6/7/8, Fax: (011) 804-4972, Email: secre-
[email protected], Website: www.sait.org.za
•
•
•
•
•
•
“Tribology 2011”
First Announcement & Call For Papers
10th International Tribology Conference
5-7 April 2011, University of Pretoria
Tribute
Too many times we wait until
a friend and colleague has
died to tell the world what
they meant to us. Like most of
you, I too am guilty of this. It
was with great sadness that I
heard of Pauline’s passing and
I would like to pay tribute to
what a gifted woman she was.
As a colleague I dealt with
Pauline for over eleven years
and during this time grew to
know her as a dedicated and
committed professional. She was always willing to go
the extra mile for her clients, irrespective of whether it
would bring her a monetary reward.
Pauline had the uncanny knack of being able to see what
lay beneath and she developed strong ties with many of
her clients through her caring and thoughtful approach.
She had a kind word for everyone and understood what
true friendship is. Pauline’s untimely death is a great loss
not only to the business to business publishing industry,
but also to those of us to whom she was a friend and
confidante. She was an inspiration to all whose paths
she crossed, and I, like many of you, will remember her
for touching my life.
Coral Fraser, Coralynne & Associates cc
Pauline Bouwer
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POWER GENERATION
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Advertising Pauline Bouwer
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DTP Zinobia Docrat/Sean Bacher
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T
his principle has been used by design engineers
the world over in their ongoing search for
alternative ways of utilising available energy
forces to generate electricity. Many designs of
‘kites’ and similar devices ‘flying’ in the wind have
seen the light to date. From large balloons with fins
that make the balloon rotate to drive a generator, to
‘ladder mills’ configured to power a generator and
even a kite-driven merry-go-round system turning a
generator, are some pioneering designs.
Launched and retrieved
However, some ideas work and some just don’t, but in
principle, the idea of a winged craft driven by natural
winds holds a huge promise as an alternative method of
power generation. One of the more successful designs
in this respect is
where the winged
craft has genera-
tors mounted on
the wings. These
are driven by pro-
pellers as the craft
flies in circles on
a tether fixed to
the ground. How-
ever, there still
are quite a few
problems with this
system, called the
Airborne Wind Tur-
bine (AWT), as
the craft has to
be launched and
Harnessing
Natural Forces
Anyone who has ever flown an ordinary old-
fashioned four-cornered kite on a piece of
string will know that the string needs to be
strong, especially as the kite gains height
catching the strong air-streams further up.
You’ll also remember having to put a tail on
the kite to keep it upright otherwise it tends to
go into a spinning dive as the forces up there
play havoc on the surface of your winged craft.
What the flying wing or kite will look like
Anton Cordier
Becker van Niekerk
'4 THF oOLTH /FF¦C/N MFCH/N¦C/¦ FNC¦NFFF \O¦ oo Oc¦ober 'O´O
POWER GENERATION
retrieved as winds come up and die down.
A South African design company has now come up
with a huge improvement on the basic principle of
the AWT, not only eliminating the need to launch
and retrieve the winged craft or kite, but
the system can also be utilised under
water to harness the enormous energy
of sea currents to generate electricity on
a large scale. “SA Mechanical Engineer”
speaks to Anton Cordier, founder and
director for engineering and design at
Design Thinking Solutions (DTS) based
near Pretoria.
Horizontal
“In a major step forward in the search for
sustainable renewable energy sources,
we have now found a solution for the
design and construction of large sea
current and wind driven turbines, which
when used in combination, will provide
a large base load and peak power avail-
ability,” he says. “This design allows
us to manage the load bearing parts
effectively,” adds Anton. “It enables us to design
and build very large wind turbines that are less
complicated to run and require a smaller capital
investment to manufacture.”
The underwater ‘kite
The untis can be used under
water to harness the energy of
sea currents
THF oOLTH /FF¦C/N MFCH/N¦C/¦ FNC¦NFFF \O¦ oo Oc¦ober 'O´O 'o
The kite design with generators
fitted on the wings to generate
power
POWER GENERATION
Anton has coined the design as being a ‘HAWT
Kite’, a Horizontal Axis Wind Turbine Kite. “Cur-
rent commercially available HAWT designs reach
cost and construction limitations from about 3 MW
upwards,” he says. “By removing these restrictions
we believe there could be much larger cost effective
HAWT’s on the market. As of 2010, the maximum
power capacity of a HAWT design is 7 MW based
on very high wind speeds.
Sea turbines
Anton conceived the HAWT Kite concept and, jointly
with Dr Becker van Niekerk, developed the DTS
wind and sea current turbines. Becker shows the
mathematics and equations he’s worked through
to compare their design with the rigid wind turbine
mounted on a tower that has become a familiar
sight on wind-swept horizontals all over the world.
“Our constrained flying wing HAWT Kite can sweep
through a larger sky area and generate more power
per unit of time than static ground-based three
blade wind turbines,” he says. “Our design will
comfortably handle 20MW at 40 kilometres per
hour wind for the HAWT Kite and 400MW for the
Sea Current Turbines (SCT) Kite at a sea current
design flow speed of approximately 7 kilometres
per hour.”
The difference between the DTS HAWT Kite and
those currently in operation is the use of multiple
propeller-driven generators mounted on the leading
and trailing edges of one or more free pitching wings,
which are supported on aerofoil blades. “The blades
in turn are connected to a centrally-mounted idler
shaft capable of pivoting around a support tower,”
explains Anton. “All the thrust loads generated by
the wings and blades during operation are transmit-
ted to the ground through a tether connected to a
mobile-mounted anchor point on the ground. This,
in turn, travels in a circle around the wind turbine
in order to follow the wind direction.”
Control tail
The design obviates the need to control rotational
speed of the main rotor assembly to ensure a
constant alternating current frequency of RSA 50
Hz. “It is also not necessary to use variable pitch
controlled propeller blades to maintain electricity
supply frequency as is the case in a fixed tower,
three-blade wind turbine,” says Anton. “The con-
trol tail fitted to the wings ensures a lift to drag
ratio designed for optimum electricity generation.
Electricity is then transmitted via cables to a sup-
ply substation.”
The company further proposes that by utilising
pumped storage schemes in combination with
their solutions, it would be possible to store the
extra energy available in the integrated system to
adequately power peak demand in the grid at all
times.
Running steady
“We’re presently developing additional types of
A model of the
system designed
by DTS
Being submerged in the sea, power is available on a
continuous basis unlike wind turbines
SCT Kites, all of which fly
similarly to a wind kite,
but are mounted in ocean
currents running steady at
around two metres per sec-
ond with a tether anchoring
the system to the sea bed,”
says Anton excitedly about
two of these designs. “One
option ‘flies’ from side-to-
side in the current, while the
other remains stationary as
prop-on wing turbine genera-
tors rotate around an idler
spindle. In all instances,
large power outputs are
possible. Being mounted
in the sea current off-shore
and submerged, power is
available on a continuous
basis, and not prone to the
non-availability of wind
supply problems associated
with HAWT farms.
“The designs will not harm
any sea life at this stage as they are deemed as
appropriate as ship propellers,” he adds in con-
clusion.
Anton Cordier, Tel: 083 384-1116, Email: cordiera@
mweb.co.za or Dr Becker van Niekerk, Tel: 083 458-0021,
Email: [email protected]
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POWER GENERATION NEWS
Increasing productivity
Incledon has obtained exclusive distributorship of USA-based
ValvTechnologies, a global leader in the design and manufac-
ture of severe-service ball valves, parallel slide gate valves
First column delivered
DSE seemed an obvious choice for the fabrication of the
columns for the new Kusile Power Station since it has been
involved in the construction of some 90% of all power stations
in South Africa. However, as Kobus Marais of Grinaker-LTA
points out, the last time any power station was built was
some 15 to 20 years ago so, a steep learning curve was still
part of the equation.
Fast, easy and safe
To respond to the basic power demands of the
markets outside Europe and North-America, Atlas
Copco has launched an extra variant of QAS gen-
erators with basic standard specifications. This
new version of QAS generators, the QAS flx, is
ideal for all kinds of heavy duty applications like
rental, construction, mining and shipyards. It will
be available in 50 and 60 Hz.
The QAS range has been designed for fast, easy
and safe transportation and on-site handling on
virtually any unprepared surface.
The actual QAS range has a proven track-record and
already comprises a wide variety of models rated
between 14 – 571 kVA. The standard specifications
of the QAS flx variant are more basic than those of
the actual QAS range. Starting from these standard
configurations, the end-user can however further
complete this with a wide list of options to meet
his or her power demand. This new variant of QAS
generators will first come in the models from 13 to
45 kVA. Later more models will be added.
Housed in a noise-attenuated enclosure made from
zinc plated steel and painted with powder coating paint,
the QAS range is ideally suited for applications in noise
sensitive areas.
The enclosure also provides optimum resistance against
corrosion ensuring that it remains in good condition and
retains an improved resale value.
Atlas Copco, David Stanford, Tel: (011) 821 9000, Fax: (011) 821
9106, www.atlascopco.com
The QAS flx, is ideal for all kinds of heavy duty
applications
“Not only have there been advances in technology,” he says,
“but the sheer size and weight of the columns involved meant
that no existing facility could handle the project. We had to
expand and upgrade our facility substantially to deal with
the width and weight of these columns.”
The new revamped facility at Vanderbijlpark was designed
with an extra-heavy bay so that DSE could undertake the
contract successfully within the tolerances required.
“Because of the challenges involved and the new processes
which we had to master and implement, it was generally
predicted that we would overrun the delivery of this contract
by four to five months,” Kobus continues. “However, thanks
to our commitment, and I believe the expertise and profes-
sionalism of each individual member of the team we were
able to deliver the first column to the Kusile site during the
first week in May – five days ahead of schedule.”
“The column supports the actual boiler,” Kobus explains. “So
delivery of this first one was crucial in enabling the project
to get underway. The columns rise 120 metres into the air
and support the boiler and pressure parts, so structurally for
the project they represent the critical path. If the structural
steel is not supplied timeously, construction of the boilers
and the pressure parts cannot be started on time.”
This is the first of some 40 columns which must be delivered
over the duration of the contract which amounts to about
R900 million.
Kobus Marais, DSE (a division of Grinaker-LTA Mechanical & Elec-
trical), Tel: (011) 871 4111, Fax: (011) 871 4141
The first column ready for dispatch
THF oOLTH /FF¦C/N MFCH/N¦C/¦ FNC¦NFFF \O¦ oo Oc¦ober 'O´O '¯
and control valves. The
products are manu-
factured from
specialised ma-
terials, includ-
ing chrome
mol l y – a
durable, low-
alloy steel that
can withstand
high-temperatures
and high-pressure
applications of up to 4
500 bar.
Incledon VTR control valves
managing director, Alli Alberts,
explains,
“These valves are best suited to power
stations and petrochemical plants,
and can be applied to high-pressure
and high-temperature applications
in the power market, such as steam
applications, and steam and catalyst
applications in petrochemical plants.
The major advantage of this technol-
ogy is in its energy saving capability,
as ValvTechnologies offers a 4 year
‘zero-leakage’ guarantee on steam
applications the only product in
South Africa that provides this type
of guarantee.”
Alli points out that internationally-
recognised ‘integral seat terminology’ is
what sets ValvTechnologies apart from
its competitors. “Integral seat termi-
nology differs from traditional floating
and trunnion-mounted designs, as the
seat is an integral part of the body and;
therefore, has no cavity areas.
Valves range from ½ inch to 36-inches
in size and are rated Ansi 150# to Ansi
4500#; however, Alli notes that any
size valves can be custom-made to suit
customers technical requirements. He
points out that Incledon now has the
largest stockholding of severe-service
ball valves in South Africa, with stock
POWER GENERATION NEWS
currently standing at around 250 units.
Alli says that as the South African power grid continues to
expand, ValvTechnologies’ ball valves will become increas-
ingly-recognised as the safest and most cost-effective industry
option, as all products are SIL 3 and SIL4 (Safety Integrity
Level )certified – the highest safety certification and require-
ment for industrial plants.
Incledon, Alli Alberts, Tel: (011) 323 0800, Email: info@incledon.
co.za, www.incledon.co.za
'8 THF oOLTH /FF¦C/N MFCH/N¦C/¦ FNC¦NFFF \O¦ oo Oc¦ober 'O´O
NUCLEAR INSTITUTE (SA BRANCH)
D
uring the investigation into TMI it trans-
pired that a very similar incident had
occurred a few months earlier in the
USA at the Davis-Besse nuclear power
station, which is of a similar design to TMI. There
they also boiled all their steam generators dry but
were able to restore core cooling before there was
fuel damage. Had personnel at TMI been aware of
this precursor incident, TMI would probably never
have happened.
The American response to all this was to create
an industry-wide watchdog organisation called
the Institute of Nuclear Power Operations. INPO
assumed the responsibility for disseminating op-
erating experience and for setting standards for
excellence throughout the industry. All American
nuclear utilities participated.
INPO influence rapidly spread throughout the
western world, including South Africa, but unfor-
tunately evidently didn’t reach the Eastern Block
and the then USSR.
Death knell
Then, in 1986, we experienced the Chernobyl di-
saster which almost rang the death knell for nuclear
power for ever. The nuclear industry response to
this was to form the World Association of Nuclear
Operators (WANO) with similar goals and ideals to
INPO but with a totally global approach. All nuclear
utilities worldwide duly joined. Both bodies now set
standards, disseminate operating experience and
carry out peer reviews in order to increase safety
standards throughout the industry.
There are surely lessons in all this for other major
industries. The petrochemical industry, for ex-
ample, has experienced its share of disasters over
the years.
The Exxon-Valdez Tanker spill in 1989 created an
environmental disaster while the Bombay High
North fire in 2005 cost thirteen lives. The recent
oil pipeline burst in the Yellow Sea in China is an
environmental disaster with oil spreading over 180
square miles of the ocean.
The current Deep Water Horizon disaster in which
eleven people died can be considered the petro-
chemical Chernobyl. The effects on the environment
of both accidents will be long and far reaching
The questions therefore to be asked are “who is
carrying out the watchdog function performed for
the nuclear industry by INPO and WANO? Who
is acting as the conscience of the petrochemical
industry as a whole?”
The oil companies themselves have their own
monitoring organizations and BP carries out internal
peer reviews, but nuclear experience suggests that
there has to be independence.
In Britain the Health and Safety Executive (HSE)
perform the regulatory function and in America it
is Minerals Management Service (MMS) but this
oversight function appears to be minimal.
Blaming culture
The current situation with the Deep Water Horizon
accident seems to have become a blaming cul-
ture with the companies pointing fingers at each
other. This is typical after such an event. The four
companies directly involved are BP, Transocean,
Halliburton and Schlumberger.
Initial indications with respect to the “root cause”
seem to indicate a culture of taking short cuts to
meet production deadlines in order to placate top
management. This was more or less the same root
cause for the Chernobyl accident for which two
people spent a long time in jail.
The overall message is that accidents can happen
to the best. The enemy is complacency. That is
why a WANO-like Big Brother is necessary in every
high risk industry!
Tug Wilson
The Need for
Independence
The Nuclear Industry experienced a complete catharsis during
the 1980’s as a result of the accidents at Three Mile Island
(1979) and Chernobyl (1986). Prior to TMI the monitoring of
safety standards at American stations was carried out solely
by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). Furthermore,
there was only one international body monitoring nuclear
power operation and producing standards — the International
Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
Culture of taking short cuts to meet production
deadlines in order to placate top management
THF oOLTH /FF¦C/N MFCH/N¦C/¦ FNC¦NFFF \O¦ oo Oc¦ober 'O´O 'O
POWER TRAMISSION
W
hen “SA Mechanical
Engineer” arrived for
an interview, it was
therefore a refresh-
ing surprise to find that one of the
owners of SKS Gear Specialists in
Benoni was a hands-on lady who
didn’t shy away from the technical
side of the business. “It was a fam-
ily business which my grandfather
started forty-five years ago,” says
director, Sandra Law. “My father,
Charles Saville, is now the MD and
when he asked me to join the busi-
ness over a decade ago, it was all
very new to me,” she says.
The female touch
“To familiarise myself with this very
technical environment I went off to
college to do engineering drawing
as well as fitting and turning, end-
ing up as the only female in a class
full of young men,” she adds with a
chuckle. “It was all a bit shocking in
the beginning to be called ‘tannie’ by
my class mates at the college, but I
quickly overcame that.
“These courses provided me with
basic engineering knowledge, the rest
I am learning here on the workshop
floor of our facility. In the beginning
it was a steep learning curve, but it
never stops, you learn more every
single day.”
Geared for Quality
Gear cutting, especially on heavy industrial
gears, is a messy business usually associ-
ated with burly sweaty men in overhauls
intently stooped over huge lathes and grind-
ing machines with metal shavings scattered
all over the place while milky oil pours over
their creations in a constant stream. At the
same time, it’s a fine art which takes the
craftsman many years to perfect as he works
his way up the ranks from artisanship to a
specialist who can cut a gear out of solid
metal to within the finest tolerances.
Sandra Law
Gonnie Padayachee
Charles Saville
Hall of fame
Sandra’s father, Charles, concentrates on the technical
design and the solving of uncommon challenges in
terms of gear cutting technology and gearbox as-
sembly. This we witnessed first hand as he took us
through the boardroom where photos and samples
of gears were neatly exhibited in a hall-of-fame
style, each with its own unique story.
This tour confirmed that Charles gained his engineer-
ing experience and design wisdom by not shying
away from the challenges that have crossed his path
during a lifetime in the gearing business.
Quality control
The third director of the company, Gonnie Paday-
achee, manages production execution and oversees
the stringent quality control systems they have in
place at SKS. “I joined the company as a young man
and now, thirty-one years later, no-one can pull the
wool over my eyes when it comes to manufacturing
quality gears to the highest specifications,” Gonnie
says, smiling proudly. “From just a handful of people
we have grown to the forty people who now work in
a facility that just kept on growing and expanding
over the years as the need dictated.”
Quality control is paramount in our
book, that’s what has kept us in
business for forty-five years
oO THF oOLTH /FF¦C/N MFCH/N¦C/¦ FNC¦NFFF \O¦ oo Oc¦ober 'O´O
POWER TRAMISSION
“Our staff complement is relatively small but we’re
all hands-on and we all get involved,” adds Sandra.
“Most of the staff has been here for years and are
very loyal. We don’t have industrial action problems
and the like, making our business stable and trust-
worthy.”
As we strolled through the workshop divisions behind
the office block we walked through a new section under
construction. Charles explained that they are building
a bigger tool room where the tools for the cutting,
grinding machines and lathes will be kept under lock
and key. This facility will also house a department
that makes the most of the tooling they use. “Most
of the tooling for our single point cutting machines is
made in-house,” Charles explains. “Imported cutting
tools are expensive and not having huge volumes of
the same cut, we can make and customise certain
cutting tools cost-effectively.”
‘Old’ machines
Although there are several new modern CNC machines,
gear cutters and grinding machines throughout the
plant, some machines we passed seemed to be very
Modern CNC machines lined up in the SKS workshop
Gear cutting at SKS
We can make and customise certain cutting
tools cost-effectively
THF oOLTH /FF¦C/N MFCH/N¦C/¦ FNC¦NFFF \O¦ oo Oc¦ober 'O´O o´
One of the old machine in the the SKS museum
old and when we asked about this, Charles took us
to the oldest machine in the workshop. Like many
others in the workshop, Charles has modified the
internal mechanical workings of this one to function
within the fine tolerances required for the precision
gear cutting of today.
“This is the first machine my father bought and
with just a few refinements over the years it can
do what any modern machine can do,” he explains
with a glint in his eye. “Similarly, I’ve often made
simple design adaptations in gearboxes to change
an old imperial gearbox for a mining application,
for example, to a metric one for which spares and
bearing are then more readily available.”
Reverse engineering
In sharp contrast we walked through the gear testing
section where it was not only super-clean and tidy,
but we could see that the machines used to measure
tooth gear tolerances were new and computerised
with outputs that showed tolerances on the gear
teeth being tested within sub-micron precision
measurements. “Besides our very strong capability
to reverse engineer gearboxes, quality control has
become our forte,” Gonnie says in conclusion.
“We even go as far as analysing the material to
ensure that material specification is the same as
the original and that the correct heat treatment will
POWER TRAMISSION
be used when the gears are made. Our informal
manufacturing procedure entails full documentation
that allows full control of traceability of every part
that is made here. Quality control is paramount in
our book, that’s what has kept us in business for
forty-five years.”
Sandra Law, SKS Gear Specialists, Tel: (011) 845-2670,
Email: [email protected]
o' THF oOLTH /FF¦C/N MFCH/N¦C/¦ FNC¦NFFF \O¦ oo Oc¦ober 'O´O
B
ut it actually starts long
before this. The design of
the gear tooth often has
subtle refinements that
differ from one manufacturer to the
next, in an effort to arrive at the
optimum meshing of gears which
in turn provides optimum transfer
of power without wasting energy in
the process. A slight curve, literally
sub-microns wide and undetectable
to the naked eye, makes all the difference in achiev-
ing the optimum transfer of energy when one gear
meshes with another to transfer energy.
On a visit to Eickhoff ’s manufacturing facility in
Wadeville near Johannesburg, “SA Mechanical
Engineer” witnessed such a high precision gear
manufacturing process first hand. “The success of
a good gearbox lies in the detail,” says managing
What’s In a Gearbox?
The performance and durability of a gearbox is determined by the precision
with which each individual gear is made. In turn, the precision of each gear is
determined by the accurate cutting and grinding of every single tooth on ev-
ery gear, including the heat treatment the gear goes through in the process.
director, Reinhard Jahn while showing us gear profile
graphs on a test bench in the factory. “If you walk
up to a gearbox and you feel heat radiation, you
just know energy is being wasted. With an Eickhoff
gearbox you won’t feel such radiation because our
gears are designed for energy optimisation resulting
in very little wastage in the form of heat.
Energy transfer
To achieve optimum energy transfer with very little
losses, the company strictly follows high precision
manufacturing and quality control procedures. In
addition, it follows European gear design standards
which generally call for more metal in a gear than
other international standards. “The European gear
profile design standard is completely different
from the American standard, for example,” says
Reinhard. “Apart from the fact that the European
design results in a much stronger gear because it
has more metal in it than the equivalent American
gear, the profile is cut differently as well.
Eickhoff has made its mark in the mining indus-
Reinhard Jahn
A test rig for gearboxes in the Eickhoff’s facility Measuring tolerances during the cutting process
If you walk up to a gearbox and you feel heat radiation,
energy is being wasted
POWER TRAMISSION
THF oOLTH /FF¦C/N MFCH/N¦C/¦ FNC¦NFFF \O¦ oo Oc¦ober 'O´O oo
The continuous miner technology was used to solve other gearbox problems
try in South Africa over the
last couple of years with the
continuous mining machines
it is now manufacturing in
Wadeville. “With our machines,
for instance, we make use of
spiral bevel gear technology as
opposed to the straight bevel
method,” Reinhard adds. “This
means that for the same size
bevel, you can transfer a lot
more energy because the tooth
in the spiral bevel is longer and therefore presents
a larger contact surface for better energy transfer
between the gears.”
Wind turbines
The production of high-performance planetary
gearboxes has made Eickhoff one of the leading
suppliers of gearboxes specifically for wind turbines.
“Highly-specialised gearbox technology developed
over the years for wind turbine applications is now
permeating through to our industrial gearboxes as
well,” says Reinhard. “At the core of a wind turbine’s
function of converting kinetic energy into mechanical
energy, is the dedicated gearbox that’s responsible
for transferring huge amounts of mechanical energy
in a relatively small space. These gearboxes are so
specialised that we only manufacture them at the
main plant in Germany.”
Reinhard is a hands-on mechanical engineer with
a long history of working with all types of mechani-
cal equipment in the mining industry, so when it
comes to gearbox problems he welcomes a new
challenge.
Solving problems
“Because we more often than not manufacture
purpose-built gearboxes for specific applications,
we’re constantly facing new challenges, but we have
the facilities and the expertise right
here in South Africa to always find
a solution,” he says with a touch of
pride. “A mining company recently
came to us with a leaking gearbox
that no-one could fix in spite of the
double seal arrangement they had
on the shafts.
“On our continuous mining machine,
the cutterheads are in fact planetary
gearboxes on a shaft and for this we’ve
developed a toric seal arrangement
that just does not leak,” explains
Reinhard. “The mine’s leaking gear-
box works more or less on the same
principle and we suggested a design
change using our toric seal arrange-
ment on their gearbox. Even though
it cost considerably more because
it is expensive technology, it solved
the problem and they haven’t had
an oil leak since.”
Standard boxes
Apart from building customised gearbox solutions
for unique applications, Eickhoff also makes a
range of standard gearboxes for a wide variety of
industrial applications. “At just one of the power
stations in South Africa, for example, there are
140 of our gearboxes running and we have to keep
spares of all the gears for installations like that,”
says Reinhard. “We promise our clients prompt
service around the clock on repairs and overhauls,
necessitating a large stockholding on our part.
“From a mechanical engineering point of view, the
gearbox industry is a highly challenging field, es-
pecially if we start delving into the reasons behind
gearbox failures,” Reinhard says in conclusion.
“We’ve gained so much experience over time in
terms of the root causes of gearbox failures that
we can confidently tackle and solve even the most
complex problems that come our way. As far as
technology is concerned, we strive to utilise the
latest methods available to test quality and analyse
vibration before a gearbox leaves our facility.”
Reinhard Jahn, Eickhoff, Tel: (011) 902-5630, Email: md@
eickhoff.co.za
Cut gears ready for delivery
POWER TRAMISSION
Can confidently tackle and solve even the most complex
problems
o4 THF oOLTH /FF¦C/N MFCH/N¦C/¦ FNC¦NFFF \O¦ oo Oc¦ober 'O´O
13 leading international
trade shows at one venue,
will be happening in
Hanover, Germany, from
4 to 8 April 2011.
Technology is shaping
tomorrow’s world today!
As a driving force behind
future technological de-
velopments, Hannover
Messe sends out decisive
signals and offers exten-
sive scope for showcas-
ing your products and
services all along the
industrial value chain.
Hannover Messe 2011
will be at full strength
and will underline its
global importance as a
showcase for tomorrow’s
technologies and ideas.
No other event presents
as many ground-breaking
innovations and inte-
grated solutions.
By attracting exhibitors
and visitors from all
over the globe, the show
will provide the perfect
platform for presenting
technical innovations
and visions. In Hanover,
visitors will encounter top
decision-makers from all
over the globe and benefit
from the role of the show
as an accurate economic
barometer.
Hannover Messe,
www.hannovermesse.com
At
Full
Strength
THF oOLTH /FF¦C/N MFCH/N¦C/¦ FNC¦NFFF \O¦ oo Oc¦ober 'O´O oo
Market Forum
Important features
Goscor Power Products (GPP), part of the
Goscor group of companies has launched
the PTX series of Subaru pumps. The
newly-launched range includes the PTX
220 two-inch pump and the PTX 320
three-inch pump.
According to GPP national sales manager
Mark Bester, there are several important
features in this new pump series. First,
it will come standard with an oil sensor.
“This is a low-level cut out mechanism
preventing the engine from seizing,” he
says.
Second, the crank case, being ribbed
inside and out, transfers the heat from
inside the engine to the outside. “As a
result this engine runs 30% cooler than
any of its competitors. This maintains
the protective integrity of the oil for much
longer periods, significantly lengthening
the engine’s lifespan,” says Mark, adding
that another feature that helps in the cooling of the engine
is a specially constructed cover over the flywheel.
Third, the entire lubrication system on the PTX engine series
is superior because of the new L shaped conrod oil pickup,
which lubricates the timing chain, which, in turn, lubricates
the valves and the upper part of the engine. “This system is
a patented design and unique to the Subaru OHC system,”
says Bester.
Fourth, the PTX 2” (220) has a 4,5hp pump as opposed to
the 3,5hp of its competitors and the 3” (320) has a 6hp
engine compared with the 5hp of its competitors.
Goscor Power Products, Mark Bester, Tel: 0861 (467 267), Fax: (011)
483 2194, E.Mail: [email protected], www.goscor-power-
products.co.za
The crank case on the new Subaru PTX series is ribbed inside and out helping to keep
the engine 30% cooler than any of its competitors
Ideally suited
BMG Hydraulics, formerly Goldquest and
now part of BMG (Bearing Man Group) has
increased its operations by approximately
70% in the last 18 months.
The division has extended its range of
Vickers products to include the latest
vane pumps, designed for high pressure
applications. These pumps are ideally
suited for use in smelter operations
and are also used extensively on
mobile trackless mining equipment
in fiery mines.
“Eaton has recently upgraded the pressure ratings
of its water-glycol Vickers V-series industrial vane pumps from
125 bar to 180 bar, to match the current pressure rating for
mineral oils,” says Mark Johnson, national sales manager for
BMG Hydraulics. “As pressures in fire hazardous applications
have increased, the need for higher pressures from hydraulic
components has become more critical.
“Eaton’s Vickers V-series vane pumps, the only vane pump
available with full ratings for water glycol, is set to further
penetrate the primary metals and die casting sectors. The
company is also planning to soon announce ATEX certifica-
tion of the complete Vickers range, for reliable and safe use
in hazardous applications.”
BMG Hydraulics, Mark Johnson, Tel: (011) 614 2004, Email: markj@
bmghydraulics.net, www.bmghydraulics.net
Adding Value
Citi Bearings and Seals based in Vereeniging,
one of SKF South Africa’s leading Authorised Dis-
tributors, received a repeat order for SKF Planetary
Roller Screws one of South Africa’s largest metal
manufacturing plants.
“The Tundish Car Screw Jack Application at the customer’s
Vanderbijl plant, can pose a high fire risk due to hydraulic
fluids mixing with molten steel,” explains Neil Logue, sales
manager, Citi Bearings and Seals. “The application required
an immediate solution for reducing the serious potential fire
hazard and we recommended SKF planetary roller screws
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for the screw jacks in order to
eliminate the chances of fire
in the application,” remarks
Neil.
This is Citi Bearings and Seals’
second order for SKF roller
screws from the metal manufac-
turer and Neil says that he has
no doubt that the first order for
SRC roller screws proved that
the product delivered excep-
tional value to the customer’s
application.
Installation of SKF Planetary
Roller Screws has largely
eliminated fire hazards in the
Tundish Car application and the
metal manufacturing plant has
recorded increased machine
efficiency and reduced main-
tenance requirements.
SKF South Africa (Pty) Ltd,
Samantha Joubert,
Tel: (011) 821 3500,
Fax: (011) 821 3501,
Email: [email protected],
www.skf.co.za
From left to right: Marc Fritsch, Bronwyn Smit and Neil Logue
Market Forum
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Drastically reduced
Ecochem Pumps is to launch
a well-known range of cen-
trifugal slurry pump products
and spare parts, distributing
them to South African mines
via Becker Engineering.
The two companies signed
the distribution agreement
on September 10.
Ecochem’s new pumps will
utilise existing productive
capacity in China, where a
company sub-contracted to
manufacture by a well known
North American firm, has
had its agreement terminated
because of decreased global
demand. The Chinese have
been manufacturing the
North American products
since 1990. There are no ap-
plicable patents in effect.
Ecochem Pumps’ managing director Ed Lemke describes the
new range as identical in all respects to centrifugal slurry pump
models installed at many mines across South Africa.
“We have dovetailed the local need for shorter delivery times
The Ecochem centrifugal slurry pump
with a glut of spare
productive capacity
in China,” Ed adds.
“This allows us to
quickly channel one
of the world’s most
comprehensive ranges
of centrifugal slurry
pumps directly into
South African mines.
“This is an excel-
lent product backed
by the entire line of
spare parts, at pric-
es comparable with
those of commonly
available equivalent
slurry pumps. “De-
livery times will be
drastically reduced.”
“We will be able to
supply any part that
the customer wants
within ten weeks of
order, even for parts we do not hold in stock,” claimed
Lemke.
Ecochem Pumps, Ed Lemke, Tel: (011) 455 5710, Fax: (011) 455
5842, E-mail: [email protected]
Market Forum
A Vital link
Air Products is involved with yet another application of
bulk gas in the mining industry – again with positive re-
sults for the environment. The company has had a great
deal of success with the use of ozone in the destruction
of cyanide in gold tailings slurry.
By adding ozone, the cyanide in the slurry is effectively
broken down, allowing the tailings to be safely re-intro-
duced underground to be used as backfill.
This has significant benefits to the mine in terms of re-
ducing the quantity of tailings sent to surface dumps and
allowing water draining from the talings to be recycled
back into the mine’s system. The overall benefit is the
minimising of the release of heavy metals and cyanide
compounds into the environment.
Sachin Kulkarni, Air Products’ National Sales Manager for
Bulk Gases, explains that when it comes to dealing with
cyanide tailings, Air Products offers a complete solution
for its customers. While the process is operated by the
customer, the system is owned and maintained by Air
Products.
“This is a tailored, value-add to our customers: we look
after the system and maintain it, making it easy for the
customer and giving him complete peace of mind,” he
adds.
Air Products South Africa, Sachin Kulkarni, Tel: (011) 977 6498,
Fax: (011) 392 1637, www.airproducts.co.za
Local manufacture
Dynamic Fluid Control has fol-
lowed up its March purchase of
USA-based RF Technologies by
initiating local manufacture of
key RF valve components at the
company’s Benoni works.
First steps comprise a re-design
of valve bodies to reduce weight,
and the production of initial
sleeve samples from locally
made moulds. These samples
are currently under test.
DFC Mining director Tony Roberts explaines that finite
element analysis of the re-designed valve bodies in the
range up to 16 bar is now complete.“We will manufac-
ture to DIN specifications for the European market and
ASME specifications for the American market,” he says.
“Manufacture of the sister aiRFlex valve will be rolled out
as a second phase of the programme.
“With regard to sleeves (or tubes in USA parlance), we
will manufacture locally in sizes 50 to 400mm. Larger
sleeves will initially be imported.“Ultimately, we aim to
achieve 100% South African manufacture of these pinch
valves for the local market, while supplying components
to subsidiary factories abroad.”
Dynamic Fluid Control (Pty) Ltd, Henry Smith, Tel: (011) 748 0200,
Fax: (011) 421 2749, E-mail: [email protected]
Tony Roberts
o8 THF oOLTH /FF¦C/N MFCH/N¦C/¦ FNC¦NFFF \O¦ oo Oc¦ober 'O´O
sections per day, with each section put through strict quality
inspection and verification after lining, including numbering
and recording of each pipe in the tailings line.
Market Forum
20 years
Urethane Moulded Products has
begun lining fabricated pipe sec-
tions for phase two of the Konkola
Deep Mining Project, this time for
the process tailings line. The new,
R4-million order placed on UMP
follows the successful lining by the
specialist polyurethanes company
of seven kilometres of pipe for the
backfill tailings installation during
the first phase of the project.
Phase two’s pipelining comprises 5
526 metres of straight and bent pipe
in nominal bores of 80mm, 100mm
and 125mm. Section lengths vary
between 1m and 9,144m.
As with phase one, the lining me-
dium is UMP’s proprietary Redline
polyurethane formulation, designed
to deliver a minimum pipe life of ten
years. The low coefficient of friction
of Redline lowers the cost of pumping
the tailings. It also reduces energy
consumption and lowers the cost per
tonne of mined ore.
UMP uses two pipe-spinning ovens to line a maximum of 30
Pipe section lined with Redline polyurethane formulation
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Market Forum
UMP was the first company in South Africa to successfully
line backfill pipes when work was completed for the President
Steyn Mine in the Free State in 1980.
This lead to several subsequent orders for backfill pipe-lin-
ing at other mines, including Vaal Reefs, where pipes lined
with Redline in 1990 are only now beginning to show signs
of wear after 20 years.
Urethane Moulded Products (Pty) Ltd , Trevor Carolin, Tel: (011) 452
1000, Fax: (011) 609-6477, E-mail: [email protected]
Massive turnarounds
Engen Refinery has taken a giant step up in terms of im-
proved environmental performance by completing a full
year without having a single attributable sulphur dioxide
(SO
2
) exceedance.
This is a massive
turnaround over the
past five years com-
ing from a situation
where the refinery ini-
tially struggled to operate
within the limits set in its
schedule trade permit.
Although the refinery, which
operates under some of the
strictest environmental con-
straints and closest monitoring
in South Africa, may have up
to 35 ten-minute exceed-
ances (higher than permitted
concentrations (191ppb) of
SO
2
for more than ten minutes)
without penalty, not a single SO
2

exceedance at any of the many
Durban South Basin monitoring
stations was attributed to Engen
during 2009.
“This was achieved through a
combination of intensive capital
investment in technology and
improved operating proce-
dures. It was implemented
in line with Engen’s policy
of being industry leaders in
terms of environmental per-
formance,” says refinery
general manager, Willem
Oosthuizen.
The Refinery has also
forged ahead in other
areas aimed at re-
ducing its environ-
mental footprint
through proj-
ects such as
the imple-
mentation
of an in-
tegrated
w a s t e
management plan which is now regarded as a benchmark
for the rest of Engen.
Engen Petroleum, Willem Oosthuizen, Tel: (031) 460 3103, Fax:
(031) 468 8797, Email: [email protected], www.
engen.co.za
This drive solution is particularly suited to the energy-efficient
operation of horizontal materials handling systems
Simply Good
Movigear is SEW-Eurodrive’s answer to an innovative,
decentralised mecha-tronic drive system. This system sets
itself apart through its excellent networking features, support
for independent monitoring and maintenance tasks and its
ability to reduce startup times. SEW-Eurodrive has recently
expanded the product series to include two new variants
Movigear binary for stand-alone applications and Movigear
AS-Interface with a simple fieldbus connection.
The Movigear is a true mechatronic product that combines
the gear unit, motor, frequency inverter and communication
system all in one compact housing. Due to its high overall
efficiency, this drive solution is particularly suited to the
energy-efficient operation of horizontal materials handling
systems.
In this area, in addition to networked transport systems with
multiple drives, there are also numerous individual applica-
tions with small machines or simple conveyors that require
4O THF oOLTH /FF¦C/N MFCH/N¦C/¦ FNC¦NFFF \O¦ oo Oc¦ober 'O´O
Market Forum
a reliable and energy-efficient drive that can be started up
easily on ocation.
The Movigear AS-Interface variant facilitates simple and
economical connection to the fieldbus using a standard AS-
interface. This version of the mechatronic drive system also
allows for the use of configurable fixed speeds and ramps.
In addition, external sensors that can either be processed
directly or transmitted to a higher-level controller via the
AS-interface can be connected. The binary inputs make it
possible to operate the system on-site or manually.
Sew-Eurodrive Pty Ltd, Rene Rose, Tel: (011) 248 7000, Fax: (0 11)
248 7289, Email: [email protected], www.sew.co.za
Special trims
The locally manufactured Spirax-Mitech severe service
Energy Dissipating Disc Stack Trims are designed for use
in high pressure drop and high flow rate conditions. As the
liquid moves through the passages in the trim stack, the
energy is dissipated through wall friction, swirling, sharp
direction changes and a series of expansion chambers and
restrictions.
Compact in design, each trim is specially designed for the
application and can be combined with cavitation control,
resulting in a high rangeability with a 200:1 turndown.
Suitable for cavitation elimination on liquids and low noise
on gases, the disk stack trims can be separated and cleaned
due to the loose disk design. The flow direction on liquids
can be either over or under the plug, while the flow direction
on gases must only be under the plug. The trims are
available in various body sizes from 80 mm to 400 mm.
Spirax Sarco, Michael Jeffery, Tel: (011) 230 1300, Fax: (011) 393
1922, E-mail: [email protected], www.spiraxsarco.com/za
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Market Forum
Powerful impact
Walter Becker South Africa (Pty)
Ltd has been rated as a level
6 contributor to broad-based
black economic empowerment
(B-BBEE).
The company has been formally
assessed by Emex Trust, an ac-
credited BEE verification agency
that bases ratings on the Codes
of Good Practice and the DTI
methodology.
“The Becker Group’s B-BBEE strategy has had a powerful
impact on the expansion and improvement of business
operations and we believe this new status augurs well
for future growth of the company,” says Ken Quick, CEO,
Walter Becker SA, a subsidiary of the German organisa-
tion, Walter Becker GM BH Group.
“This evaluation involves the company’s compliance to
empowerment factors identified by the DTI, which include
ownership, management and control, employment equity,
skills development, preferential procurement, enterprise
development and socio-economic development.”
The Becker Group’s product portfolio encompasses
communication and collision avoidance systems; au-
tomation, electronics and energy distribution products;
transport systems, pumps, shaft safety, underground
and tunnel supports, as well as lifting and maintenance
equipment.
The Becker Group of Companies, South Africa, Ken Quick, Tel:
(011) 617 6300, Website: www.za.becker-mining.com
Order secured
Hansen Transmissions
South Africa, local re-
ceived an order in Janu-
ary 2010 for the supply
of nineteen gearboxes
to the Petrochemicals
Group Sasol’s Thubeli-
sha colliery.
“We received the official
order through Sand-
vik Materials Handling
Division, the company
contracted to supply
conveyors to Sasol Se-
cunda’s new Thubeli-
sha coal mine,” says
Hansen Transmissions
Sales Manager, Clive
Dicks. The order con-
sists of thirteen Hansen
P4 horizontal right angled helical bevel gearboxes and six
Invertible I4 industrial gearboxes.
“We will be supplying four different P4 gearbox sizes with
ratios ranging from 12.5:1 to 31.5:1, AGMA kW ratings of
between 263 and 1640 and installed motors of between
132 and 1 000 kW (Special). The gearboxes will be installed
into the colliery’s incline shafts, overland conveyors, bunker
reclaim and trunk conveyors”.
Clive explains, “Low speed gear sets are designed with high
torque geometry for better strength and surface durability
while high speed gear sets are designed with low noise
geometry for lower noise and vibration levels.”
The housings of the Hansen P4 fourth generation gearboxes
are designed to ensure easy maintenance with a horizontal
split above the oil bath level, easy to remove inspection cover
Fritz Fourie, managing director of
Hansen South Africa
Ken Quick, Chief Execu-
tive Officer
Found in a pipeline near Komatipoort
4' THF oOLTH /FF¦C/N MFCH/N¦C/¦ FNC¦NFFF \O¦ oo Oc¦ober 'O´O
On the Move
Index to Advertisers
Axiom Hydraulics 4
AST Pyroshield Inside Front Cover
Bearings International Outside Back Cover
BMG Outside Front Cover
Bonfiglioli Inside Back Cover
Chemserve Systems 18
Festo 14
GEA Grasso 30
Hansen Transmissions 31
Mecad 27
Multotec 38
SAID 40
SEW 10
SKF 24
Spirax Sarco 34
Voith 36
WCNDT Conference 22
Yellotec 12, 20
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HPE Africa, the sole South African distributor of Hyundai
earth moving equipment, is proud to announce the ap-
pointment of Neil Sauls as General Manager.
Brandon Skinner has recently been appointed as Industry
Sector Manager of Process Automation at Festo.
Vincent Chetty has been appointed Managing Director of
Elgin Engineering.
Honeywell has appointed Dot Coetzee as their Manager of
Business Development.
Neil Sauls Brandon Skinner
Dot Coetzee Vincent Chetty
Market Forum
above the oil level and patented maintenance free Oil-Lock
sealing arrangement on high speed shaft extensions. As
proof of Hansen’s design integrity, customers are routinely
supplied with calculations proving the service factor and
operating life of each gear, shaft and bearing for every gear
unit supplied.
The locally designed compact Hansen I4 range is ideal for
underground applications as they can be inverted ie turned
180 degrees, for either left or right handing, to eliminate
the need for separate drives.
Clive points out that many coal mines, including Sasol Se-
cunda, have standardised on the I4 due to the numerous
benefits of reliability and unparalleled flexibility offered by
the gearbox.
Fritz Fourie, Hansen Transmissions SA, Tel: (011) 397 2495, Fax:
(011) 397 2585, Email: [email protected], www.
hansen.co.za
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44 THF oOLTH /FF¦C/N MFCH/N¦C/¦ FNC¦NFFF \O¦ oo Oc¦ober 'O´O