Demm Engineering and Manufacturing October 2011

NZ’S LARGEST ABC AUDITED CIRCULATION TO THE ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING SECTORS October 2011 $6 INCL GST

CONTENTS Editors

note

19

24

4

35

Reading this magazine could save you money We Germans have always had a reputation for being efficient. I truly love efficiency and strive to save time and money wherever possible. Most fittingly, the first magazine issue edited by me deals, among other things, with energy efficiency and possibilities to conserve finances. The EECA estimates that the NZ industry can save up to 20% of their energy costs. Our feature on page 20 reveals how to get there. But there’s more! In this issue you’ll also find heaps of tips on how new motor and drive technology can help you cut energy consumption, how to stop wasting electricity in your compressed air system and how a lighting upgrade will change your energy bill.

But ultimately, energy efficiency is not only about saving some bucks, but also about conserving our environment and becoming more competitive in the marketplace.

With the October issue I take over the editor’s mantle from Glenn Baker. Back in Germany I used to trace the latest news, trends and developments for various magazines on industrial automation. At the beginning of 2009 I resettled to New Zealand.

Quite unexpectedly, but highly welcomed, I finally ended up doing the same job again in my new home.

I really hope you’ll like what I have tracked down for the October issue of DEMM Engineering & Manufacturing.

Stefan Richter Stefan@adrenalin.co.nz

2

Product Watch Aroundup of technologies and services designed to increase the productivity, efficiency and safety of the engineering and manufacturing sector.

16

Energy Efficiency Interesting comments, strategies and new technologies gravitating around the important topics of saving energy and increasing profitability.

20

Saving makes business sense Saving energy is not just about social responsibility. It is also a powerful tool to contain costs, as many New Zealand companies have found out. Jenny Baker reports.

23

Motors And Drives Aproduct update including SEW Eurodrive’s new solution for heavy-duty applications and some tips on choosing between electric and pneumatic drives.

30

Recycling And Waste Management Learn how the RF valve increases operational and maintenance savings and what the Kawerau District Council has to say about its Watson-Marlow Bredel pumps.

33

Maintenance Matters MESNZsecretary Craig Carlyle comments on the supply of tradesmen and training of apprentices in NZ. This feature also includes a preliminary report on the National Maintenance Engineering Conference 2011.

42

Industry Watch & Coming Events Supported by:

SUBSCRIPTIONS: An 11-issue annual subscription in New Zealand is $59.00 (incl GST). Please call us for overseas rates.

COPYRIGHT:

DEMM Engineering & Manufacturing Magazine has a copyright and may not be reproduced in whole or in part without the written permission of the publisher. Neither editorial opinions expressed nor facts stated in advertisements are necessarily agreed to by the editor or publisher. Whilst all efforts are made to ensure accuracy, no responsibility will be taken by the publishers for inaccurate information, or for any consequences of reliance on this information.

ADVERTISING Frank Atkinson, Email: frank@adrenalin.co.nz PUBLISHER: Cathy Parker, Email: cathy@adrenalin.co.nz EDITOR: Stefan Richter, Email: editor@demm.co.nz DESIGNER: Hartman Reid, Email: hartman@adrenalin.co.nz CIRCULATION MANAGER: Kim McIntosh, Email: kim@adrenalin.co.nz

SUBSCRIPTIONS: Hilary Keen, Email: subs@adrenalin.co.nz PROOF READING: Malcolm Bailey

ADRENALIN PUBLISHING LTD. 14c Vega Place, Mairangi Bay. P.O. Box 65 092 Mairangi Bay, Auckland.

PHONE: 64-9-478 4771 FACSIMILE: 64-9-478 4779 PRINTING: GEON ISSN 1172-4536 CIRCULATION: 10,287

1

PRODUCT WATCH Edit o choi r's ce

New arc-rated wet-weather garment SPECIALIST garment manufacturer Jaedon Enterprises has launched an innovative wetweather garment designed for use by workers in the energy sector and personnel attending emergencies that involve burn risk. The jacket protects wearers against the elements, and offers enhanced flexibility and comfort, high flame resistance and protection from high-voltage electrical arcs. “The new Arcpro wet-weather jacket is a real step up,” says Jaedon’s Managing Director, Mike May. “It offers all, and more, of the key properties required in such garments, including a high-vision fluoro finish, breathable fabric, high fire retardance and arc resistance to level 2. It also has a high antistatic rating, which is a real benefit when working in explosive atmospheres.”

One of the innovations is the wet-weather

jacket’s three-layer fabric, which consists of 60% modacrylic, 39% flame-resistant cotton, antistatic carbon and a flame-resistant membrane.

The garment is seam-sealed against moisture penetration and the jacket includes an integral hood and matching trousers in sizes from S to 5XL, with custom-made sizes also available. An optional zip-in woollen vest can be included for use in cold conditions. Development of the fabric and garment design took approximately 18 months, with working trials being conducted by one of Jaedon’s major customers in both the North and South Islands. The design and fabric construction was rigorously tested by a specialist independent laboratory in Canada.

Go to www.demm.co.nz/enquiry quote: D11102

•

Putting a stop to lubricant breakdown THE Canadian Oil Company Ltd now offers Petro-Canada Purity food-grade lubricants with Microl in New Zealand. These lubricants are especially formulated to perform well under the highly demanding conditions of food processing operations. The product range comprises Purity FG AW Hydraulic Fluid with Microl, Purity FG EP Gear Fluid with Microl and Purity FG FM Grease with Microl. Microl, an antimicrobial preservative, protects the lubricant from deterioration, fouling and odour caused by microorganisms. This helps maintain the lubricants in effective operating condition and optimises equipment performance.

According to manufacturer information, Microl is the first and only U.S. EPA-registered antimicrobial preservative for lubricants with incidental food contact (EPAReg. No. 82076-1). The products have the required industry credentials and fit well in HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point) and GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice) plans. Purity FG with Microl is fully compliant with both the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and EPAregulatory requirements. The lubricants are registered with NSF International (The Public Health and Safety Company) as an H1 lubricant (lubricants for incidental food contact), CFIA(Canadian Food Inspection Agency) as a lubricant (incidental food contact) and is permitted to be used in the preparation of kosher and halal food. It is also registered with the NZ authorities as MAF C15. Purity FG greases are specially formulated for the food industry, but perform equally well in the following applications: sleeve and anti-friction bearings, slides, guides and couplings; lumber and pulp/ paper machinery where staining or contamination is a concern and textile machinery bearings. Petro-Canada is now owned by Suncor Corporation.

Go to www.demm.co.nz/enquiry quote: D11102A

• 2

October 2011

PRODUCT WATCH

Fit for heavy duty in high temperatures A new range of competitively priced industrial-rated rotary screw compressors suited to the automotive, engineering and manufacturing industries comes from Industrial Air Systems NZ. The Air Command RSCR series screws are designed and manufactured to withstand the rigors of the Australian climate and can handle sustained heavy duty use with a 100% duty cycle. Oversized Mann air and oil filtration, and an extra-large after-cooler box, ensure the screw can run in high temperatures without the inconvenience of overheating, while maintaining an efficient and cool air output.

With a generously dimensioned steel, silenced enclosure and quick-release panels, the new screw compressor series can be serviced very quickly and with ease, with consequent labour savings.

According to Industrial Air Systems NZ, these units also have an extremely low-cost

service requirement when compared to other screw models on the market. Air Command RSCR screws only employ high-quality componentry, including German-manufactured Ingersoll Rand and Ally-Win air ends, USA-manufactured Air Con suction valves and high-quality Regal Beloit electric motors. The Siemens microprocessors include “full-feature” analytical and safety monitoring controls, safe-guarding the compressor from adverse conditions and facilitating a systematic service programme for the longevity of the machine. Industrial Air

Systems NZ offer a full line-up of Air Command RSCR screw compressors from 22 to 280Kw including VSD (variable speed) models, the company promises energy and subsequent power savings of up to 40%.

Go to www.demm.co.nz/enquiry quote: D11103

•

HireQuip expands its light fleet range HireQuip now exclusively has for hire the latest concrete breaking and drilling tools from Hilti. Since arriving in HireQuip stores, the customer response to the Hilti TE3000 breakers has seen them regularly hired out which is a reflection of their performance and durability. The TE3000 comes with a portable trolley that can be easily transported in a regular station wagon or ute. With no compressor required, the speed of set up is fast with minimal fuss, allowing the operator to quickly start breaking up to 6 tons of concrete per hour. The Hilti TE1500 mid breaker and TE60, TE70 and TE30 combihammer drills are also recent additions to HireQuip outlets across the country, with the Hilti (AVR) active vibration reduction and (ATC) active torque control being the major attractions of these models. The Hilti VC40 and VC60 offer a powerful yet lightweight and robust vac that is suitable for a wide variety of workplace applications.

Go to www.demm.co.nz/enquiry quote: D11103A

•

3

PRODUCT WATCH

Impressive ability to handle high concentration fluids SINCE changing jobs from plumbing to managing a Waste Water Treatment facility, Wayne Brooking has kept similarities in his role; maintaining piping systems. Now he is responsible for the efficient processing of Kawerau’s Wastewater on a much larger scale, and Watson-Marlow Bredel pumps are a key part of this process.

Kawerau District Council is possibly New Zealand’s smallest council entity and correspondingly the Waste Water Treatment plant is not very big – four settling hoppers and a small chemical room make up most of it, mind you this is the scaled-up version. The facility, before being handed over to the council in 2007, used to also process waste pulp from the nearby SCA Tissue Plant. As the pulp is now bought in, it only made sense for the facility to be utilized solely for Kawerau’s Waste Water treatment.

At the time of upgrade Watson-Marlow Bredel pumps were selected by the consultant due to their ability to easily handle high solids concentration and dose accurately. The plant has four Bredel SPX pumps for thickener underflow transfer, a 520U electronic cased drive unit for concentrated anioic polymer dosing and a 520 close-coupled pump for concentrated cationic polymer.

Watson-Marlow 520U pumping concentrated anionic polymer

In particular Wayne was impressed with the peristaltic pumps ability to handle high concentration fluids. “This stuff (polymer) is nasty and thick and you don’t want to handle it unless you have to”. Such a product would undoubtedly cake fluid path intrusions that are associated with other pump types. Peristaltic pumps operate on a simple principle, similar to how blood moves in our bodies; compressions to a hose or tube suck fluid in and push it forward.

Maintaining the plant is a busy job and installing Watson-Marlow Bredel pumps allows Wayne to focus on bigger plant issues such as fixing the centrifuge (which was down at the

Bredel SPX40 pumping thickener underflow

time of our visit). The larger Bredel SPX pumps are installed with Natural Rubber hose and while their service is intermittent, we were told the hoses last about 8 million compressions.

The tubing in the dosing pumps also lasts a good distance, being quickly swapped out about every six months. “All-in-all these pumps are the best on the market for our applications on site,” comments Wayne.

Go to www.demm.co.nz/enquiry quote: D11104

•

Save chemicals Meter to ±0.5% with no ancillary equipment

Save time 1 minute Loadsure™ maintenance

Peace of mind 5 year warranty & 24/7 duty

us e see po m o C Ex ater 1 W t a d #7 Stan

09 273 3166 enquires@wmbpumps.co.nz www.wmbpumps.co.nz

4

October 2011

PRODUCT WATCH

Aurora becomes part of the process Amajor South Island food processor consulted Aurora late last year because its wastewaterenergy-recovery heat exchanger was constantly blocking. Because of this, the company could not recover the heat from the system which meant that it had to use a lot more steam than usual, thus consuming more energy. Under the system in place at the time, wastewater from the plant and screened solids flow was heated via steam injection to 90 degrees Celsius. It then passed though a centrifuge where solids were removed and the centrate pumped on for further treatment.

As the centrate was still at 90 degrees Celsius, the energy was recovered by using it to pre-heat the sludge prior to steam injection. This meant less steam and, as a result, energy savings. To recover this energy the sludge and centrate were passed through a heat exchanger, with the heat from the centrate transferring to the sludge.

Aurora ran new heat exchanger calculations, visited the site and custom-sized a unit for this specific application. The sludge had a high solids and fat content, with other particulates such as hair, bone and meat. This required a robust heat exchanger which would not block. After wastewater sample analysis, technical drawings and performance data were evaluated, Aurora recommended the Dimpleflo mono-tube modular 16t 51/76 6000 IS/S heat exchanger with full corrosion-resistant 316-stainless steel. The unit is able to recover more than 500 kW/h of energy.

The unique Dimple profile enhances turbulence in the fluid streams, which eliminates laminar flow and increases the overall heat-transfer coefficient. The turbulence also prevents fouling on the tube surface, which can reduce efficiency and cause a gradual blockage. Together with an inner tube sized to reduce the pressure drop and

The Dimpleflo mono-tube modular is able to recover more than 500 kW/h of energy. handle a large quantity of solids, the Dimpleflo unit proved especially beneficial in processing fatty/oily products at high temperatures. Modular construction allowed the client to add or reconfigure at a later stage when throughput increases or applications change. Aurora insulated the unit for maximum energy recovery by reducing heat loss – also a safety feature. The unit was

delivered completely assembled and tested, ready to simply bolt down, connect up and run. For the client, this meant no more blockage issues, no down time, no mess and maximum energy recovery. The plant can now run at optimum levels, which increases its profitability.

Go to www.demm.co.nz/enquiry quote: D11105

•

AADEMM20110916

save your energy...

Efficient, Compact, Maintenance Free, Aurora make us part of your process www.aurora-nz.com

0800 55 77 33

DIMPLEFLO ENERGY RECOVERY HEAT EXCHANGERS FOR TRADE WASTE & SLUDGE HEAT RECOVERY Compact Configuration with Large Dia Tubes Versatile Modular System for Expansion Low Maintenance & Self Draining Ultra-High Heat Resistant Efficiency Fouling Resistant

sales@aurora-nz.com

5

PRODUCT WATCH

Pre-calibrated and affordable 3D sensors ADEPT Turnkey has been appointed sole distributor of the LMI Gocator 2000 series. The smart 3D sensors can be accessed via industry standard Ethernet and simple cabling is provided for inputs, outputs, and power.

Versatile I/O capabilities allow the camera trigger to be chosen from time, encoder, external input, or software, while data and decisions can be transmitted a via RS-485 serial output channel or measurement decisions can be output digitally to external devices or measurement values and decisions can be converted to analogue output signals.

Built-in web connectivity enables users to access the sensor from any PC without additional software, drivers, control boxes, amplifiers, or dependency on a specific operating system. Calibration is extremely straightforward since the integral laser and camera are precision factory aligned to provide consistent, reliable measurements in real-world coordinates, even in applications where temperature variation normally would introduce measurement errors. The field of view ranges from 14 mm to 1260 mm, depending on the Gocator model selected. Advanced features include dynamic exposure modes to deal with surfaces with a high variation of surface reflectivity where the camera combines multiple exposures to deliver an

Cutaway of a double-convoluted Airstroke.

accurate profile every time.

The LMI Gocator can seamlessly link to a second camera to provide a host of measurement possibilities.

Profile data from both cameras are combined using a single GUI to measure, make decisions, and show results as if they came from a single sensor.

Go to www.demm.co.nz/ enquiry quote: D11106

•

Supplying N New Zealand indust industrrryy with pallet rracking, Longspan general shelving and much more.

… contact us on 09 377 9135 or visit our website w www.victorindustries.co.nz/www.novalok.co.nz www w.victorindustries.co.nz/www.novalok.co.nz

6

October 2011

Side load solution to air and hydraulic cylinder killers

SIDE loads are one of the biggest killers of conventional hydraulic and pneumatic cylinders used in materials handling applications.

Even as little as a degree or two of off-centre loading can spell doom for the rods, seals or bores of common types of actuators used for lifting and placing objects or providing constant loads on conveying belts or materials webs. Bent rods, scored bores or damaged seals can lead to downtime on essential apparatus in industries as diverse as bulk materials handling, manufacturing, minerals processing and packaging, say the suppliers of a simpler, robust alternative: Airstroke actuators from Firestone.

According to Firestone’s sole Australian industrial distributor, Air Springs Supply Pty Ltd, these tough, flexible wall bellows contain no internal moving parts to break or bend, cause internal scoring or require lubrication. “Because an air spring has a flexible, compliant bellows wall, instead of seals or guides, the bellows follows the path of least resistance. This means users do not have to worry about side loads caused by misalignment,” says James Maslin, Industrial Manager, Air Springs Supply.

Unlike a conventional cylinder (which extends a rod, or plunger, to provide actuation), Airstrokes inflate themselves to provide actuation force. Using standard factory compressed air at 7 bar (100 psi) – or other compatible gases and liquids such as nitrogen and water-glycol solutions – Airstrokes inflate like enormously robust tubular balloons, extending to deliver actuating forces between 40-40,000 kg (88- 88,185 lbs) per unit. The range is being progressively expanded by Air Springs Supply to encompass models from palm-sized mini-actuators (ideal for conveyors) to triple-convoluted types almost a meter across. Airstrokes can also cycle rapidly – the lack of seals also means lack of friction – which makes them ideal for conveying or stamping tasks. Alternatively, they can be inflated slowly and with great precision, such as when they have been used to lift giant mining shovels and heavy industrial plant for maintenance.

They are very suitable for uses where a constant force needs to be applied to a moving object, like a web or belt. With traditional cylinders, the sliding seals can stick, providing a jerky motion that can damage equipment. Because Airstroke actuators have no sliding seal, there is no breakaway friction, as there is with conventional cylinders. They also possess the unique capability of stroking through an arc without a clevis. Angular motion of up to 27 degrees is possible, along with the design advantage of generally less complex linkages.

Go to www.demm.co.nz/enquiry quote: D11106A

•

SEW-EURODRIVE—Driving the world

Controller

Engineering Software

MOVI-PLC®

MOVITOOLS® MotionStudio

CCU – Configurable

Application configurator

Control Unit Gear units

Servo Motors

Servo Inverter

R

Integrated

HMI DOP

Positioning IPOSplus®

F

Option Cards CMP 71/80/100

K

Accessories

Additional I/O

Braking Resistors

Fieldbuses

BW

MOVIDRIVE®

Chokes

MDX61B

ND/HD Filters

S

NF

CMP 40/50/63

W 7 Series

Pre-fabricated cables

Available options: – with brake

Motor

– with terminal box

Feedback

ET11/2

Motor types – Ex-Stock in New-Zealand!

3000 rpm speed class Motor Type

Rated Torque

Motor Type

Rated Torque

CMP50S

1.3 Nm

CMP71M

9.4 Nm

CMP50M

2.4 Nm

CMP80S

13.4 Nm

CMP50L

3.3 Nm

CMP80M

18.7 Nm

CMP63S

2.9 Nm

CMP80L

27.5 Nm

CMP63M

5.3 Nm

CMP100M

31 Nm

CMP63L

7.1 Nm

CMP100L

47 Nm

Driving the world – with Servo Technology Complete Servo Technology solutions from SEW-EURODRIVE in New Zealand from local assembly of stocked Servo Motors / Servo Gearmotors and Drive Control equipment. For all applications from Food and Beverage Industries (labeling, sealing, general processing etc. with up to 1200 operations per minute) to Timber and Construction Industries with high mass loadings. We can select and design the right system for you.

www.nz.sew-eurodrive.com

Phone: Auck. 09 274 5627 Chch. 03 384 6251

PRODUCT WATCH

Vision screener for a safer workplace WORKERS in all industries can ensure their vision is clear with the help of Honeywell Safety Product’s (previously Sperian Protection) guide to eye testing in the workplace. Visual defects in the workplace contribute to decreased personal safety, work efficiency and performance.

Poor vision can cause accidents, reduced productivity and worker fatigue. A report in Issue 1 of Australian GovLink encourages employers to introduce a Visual Performance Program in the workplace – to work towards promoting a safer workplace for everyone whilst managing the risk that current and potential visual challenges pose. If visual defects are left undiagnosed and untreated they may lead to reduced work performance and the risk of injury.

The range of Titmus VSeries vision screeners from Honeywell enables employers to quickly access whether a worker’s vision is within the normal parameters. The compact and portable vision screeners are ergonomically-

designed, precision-built stereoscopic instruments which allow for precise and prompt measurement of visual performance. The range includes the V2 and the V4 vision screener, and is designed for testing workers’ vision to ensure they are complying with OH&S regulations and to make sure their vision is adequate for performing their specific job functions. Vision screening allows visual abnormalities to be revealed, including binocularity, muscle balance, color perception and deficiency, acuity at near and far and depth perception, as well as a myriad of other visual functions.

Go to www.demm.co.nz/enquiry quote: D11108

•

Never lose the straw again IN 1953, a fledgling company called Rocket Chemical Company and its staff of three set out to create a line of rust-prevention solvents and degreasers for use in the aerospace industry.

Located in a small lab in San Diego, California, it took them 40 attempts to get the water displacing formula worked out. But they must have been really good, because the original secret formula for WD-40 – which stands for Water Displacement perfected on the 40th try – is still in use today. WD-40’s latest development, the Smart Straw, has been designed to work in the toughest conditions while maintaining product performance. The Smart Straw saves time, provides for consistent product delivery and ensures the user never loses the straw again.

The permanently attached straw sprays two ways. Simply flip it up for a precision stream and down for a regular spray action.

Go to www.demm.co.nz/enquiry quote: D11108A

•

Updated software automates pressure calibration FLUKE Calibration introduces Compass for Pressure version 4.0 pressure calibration management software. This latest version provides calibration professionals an offthe-shelf tool that maximises the automation of calibration and testing processes. The software is a universal platform for all pressure calibration software needs. From piston gauges, calibrating individual devices in the calibration lab to transfer standards characterising racks of sensors in production, the software lets calibration professionals advance from individual automated hardware components to a fully automated calibration system quickly without consuming internal engineering resources.

The new software integrates calibration functions with pressure-specific dependencies that are missing from more generic software.

Users can export test data directly to the MET/ CAL Plus Calibration Management System to easily manage inventory, calibration locations, maintenance and customers. Version 4.0 features an improved interface between Compass and MET/CAL Plus, so that customised fields can be used easily and the migration process is even more transparent. Version 4.0 adds auto-detect support for Ruska references and integrated support of Ruska auto-float controllers and piston gauge monitors, letting WinPrompt

8

October 2011

software users easily upgrade to the full-function Compass platform. It also features fully automated calibration and adjustment of Fluke 700 pressure modules when used with a Fluke controller reference. For the laboratory manager who wants to grow into Compass software by

purchasing licenses as needed, Compass 4.0 offers a new flexible and affordable seat-based licensing structure.

• Goquote:to www.demm.co.nz/enquiry D11108B

PRODUCT WATCH

Hydrostatic level measurement in hazardous areas THE new hydrostatic submersible pressure transmitters from ifm allow easy, reliable and low-cost level measurement in hazardous and marine applications. Astainless steel housing, FEP cable and Atex approval for group 1, category M1 and group II, category 1G and 1D as well as IECEx and GL approvals according to environmental category C, F, EMC 1 ensure very flexible and versatile use of the PS2-series transmitter. Since it features longitudinal water resistance, no water can penetrate the transmitter if the cable is damaged. This makes it a reliable solution for level measurement in containers, tanks, wells, streaming water, drill

holes and waste water plants. In many different applications the transmitter measures levels with an accuracy of 0.5% and a long-term stability of 0.2% per year. The available pressure ranges enable measurement of filling levels of up to ten metres of water column. The analogue 4...20 mA output signal and the two-wire technology allow for the submersible transmitter to be integrated into an application in a cost-saving and rapid manner. The pressure transmitters are supplied with fixed cables at no extra cost, lengths available are 5 m, 10 m or 15 m.

Go to www.demm.co.nz/enquiry quote: D11109

•

Protection in line-of-sight of hydraulic applications PIN-HOLE sized leaks in a hose or pipe cause a very fine jet of fluid or air that may be undetectable, and it’s not always noisy or visible. The very fine jet at high pressure acts like a hypodermic

needle which may penetrate the skin, depositing some of the fluid into the body. If a person is close to the leak or attempting to find a leak by hand, there’s a possibility of permanent injury. For equipment operators working within a one-metre line-of-sight of a hydraulic system the risks can be catastrophic, e.g. personal injury, fluid burns and injection, fires, explosions, electrical shock or mechanical failure. Gates

LifeGuard sleeving contains catastrophic hose burst up to 10,000psi and 5,000psi pinhole leaks at 100°C for up to five minutes. After redirecting the explosive force down the length of the hose, the LifeGuard sleeve disperses the energy and fluids at the hose ends via specially designed “channel” clamps. The leaked fluid then allows for fast hose failure detection.

Go to www.demm.co.nz/enquiry quote: D11109A

•

Whatever your industry, talk to Filtercorp For a breath oF Fresh air.

If clean healthy air is important to your manufacturing, processing or other operations, talk with us about cost-effective NZ designed and built Filtercorp ventilation, dust extraction and air purifying systems.

The rest of the world does.

Contact us on 0800 481 9999.

Or visit www.filtercorp.biz

Filtercorp International Limited Filtration at its finest…world-wide

FCDemm0511

9

PRODUCT WATCH

Powerful gripping with parallel grippers FIPAexpands their assortment of gripper components by 3-finger parallel grippers and parallel grippers for particularly long strokes.

Customer-specific jaws ensure the geometric adaptation of the gripping elements to the workpiece. “With the new parallel grippers FIPA enables flexible solutions for special requirements in gripper construction,” says Rainer Mehrer, Fipa President and owner. Each of the new parallel gripper models is equipped with a dualaction cylinder which applies the full force to the jaws in both positions. The new parallel grippers can be employed for internal and external gripping. Thus the design engineer for gripper solutions has jaws with very flexible applications at his disposal. The 3-finger parallel grippers are primarily suitable for handling cylindrical work pieces. The self-centering gripper fingers, bringing the work piece to a defined position and providing a secure grip, are quite beneficial. The stroke spectrum ranges from 2 mm to 10 mm.

The parallel grippers for especially long strokes cover a stroke range from 20 mm to 200 mm and gripping forces up to approximately 500 N. They are used, for example, in gripper systems for the handling of plane injection molded parts.

Adaptation to the shape of the work piece is achieved by jaws which Fipa manufactures according to customer requirements.

Both gripper families are prepared to accommodate sensors. Electromagnetic proximity sensors for the sensing of the piston position are available. The control electronics can thus determine indirectly whether the gripper jaw is open or closed. Disruptions of the compressed

This parallel gripper offers a stroke range from 20 mm to 200 mm.

The 3-finger gripper is designed for the handling of cylindrical work pieces.

air supply to the gripper element are detected with this method. The user benefits from greater process reliability and less rejects. In addition, costly damages to tools are prevented. Monitoring of the gripping function by indirect sensing is useful especially with complex gripper systems with many compressed air lines.

Sizes for each requirement: 3-finger parallel grippers are available in sizes with strokes from 2 mm to 10 mm and a weight from 62 g to 1,850 g.

Parallel grippers for long strokes are available in 18 sizes with strokes from 20 mm to 200 mm and a weight from 280 g to 7,900 g.

Great gripping force with lightweight design: Depending on the size and the operating pressure, gripping forces between 20 N and 720 N can be realized with 3-finger parallel grippers.

Parallel grippers for long strokes achieve gripping forces between 20 N and approx. 500 N. Rugged materials: Housings and fingers of the gripper elements are made of high-strength aluminum alloy. Piston, rack and pinion are made from steel. This construction ensures low weight and long service life.

An active gripping element needs customized jaws to adapt to the workpiece to be handled.

Again, FIPAprovides flexible solutions through customer-specific jaws in different shapes and supports. For example: Special elastomer supports from HNBR allow for the gentle gripping of hot workpieces up to temperatures of 140 °C. The pads can simply be replaced during maintenance work.

Go to www.demm.co.nz/enquiry quote: D111010

•

New panel series features three different display sizes THE new iX Panel TxA series extends Beijer Electronics’ HMI product range. The robust and lightweight aluminium housing ensures a long lifetime, even in rough industrial environments.

Equipped with a powerful ARM-CPU and pre-installed Windows CE OS, the HMI units offer good performance.

The fully flat front side ensures a dust free surface.

The dimmable TFT display is equipped with maintenancefree LED backlighting for long life usage. The new series features three different display sizes in 4.3”, 7” and 10.4”. The

10

October 2011

wide screen display in the 4.3” and 7” units provides a 30% larger viewing area, which expands display capabilities for complex operating screens. All panels include an unlimited iX runtime software. The versatile touch panels come alive with the iX Designer, an intuitive Windows-based programming tool with a huge scope of operation. The user grabs pre-defined graphical vector elements of an extensive library to create own objects.

All elements can be stored and reused in future projects.

This ensures a reduction of valuable engineering time and

makes the iX concept a cost efficient HMI solution.

Go to www.demm.co.nz/enquiry quote: D111010A

•

PRODUCT WATCH

Rapid acting door minimises heat loss in Gellerts Nursery STEVE GELLERT from Gellerts Nursery required a rapid roll door for the massive glasshouse he was building. Gellerts Nursery is situated at Karaka, South Auckland and grows plants inside, over 2.1 hectares of heated greenhouses. The heated greenhouses, imported from Holland, incorporate very advanced technology. The company is focused on being up to date with the latest worldwide growing techniques. Bearing this in mind Steve Gellert approached Ulti Group with his situation: what is best done to minimise the impact that a large door, continuously opening and closing, would have on this heated greenhouse?

Steve was pleased to find that Ulti Group also was focused on providing technically advanced solutions, having some of the most innovative rapid doors available worldwide. Taking into account the glasshouse application, and the large door opening of 3.2m (h) x 5.5m (w), Ulti Group recommended, supplied and installed a totally transparent rapid acting door. Being totally transparent the door seamlessly blends in with the glasshouse environment, and it greatly improves safety in

the busy doorway. Operating at high speeds of 1.5m/s this door has proved extremely effective in minimising heat loss in the temperature controlled environment of the greenhouse.

These fully transparent rapid doors are available for many applications. Their strong design means they are rated to external wind loading conditions. Sizes of up to 7m high x 6m wide are

easily adapted to mount to existing doorways at any facility. Ulti Group’s rapid acting doors fully comply with today’s enhanced safety requirements and include a light curtain safety sensor system to prevent any accidental impact on plants or personnel.

Go to www.demm.co.nz/enquiry quote: D111011

•

FULLY TRANSPARENT RAPID ACTING DOOR

Group Incorporating: Egmont Doors & totalDOORS Contact us: 0800 807 753 or www.ultiproducts.com 11

PRODUCT WATCH

Portable gas detector for confined spaces THE newly released Industrial Scientific Ventis MX4 portable gas detector is specifically designed for use in hazardous areas and confined spaces. The weight of only 182 grams, with an IP66/67-rated housing, makes the device unobtrusive whilst providing the required safety. Detectable gases are combustible gas (LEL), oxygen, carbon monoxide and hydrogen sulphide and the alarms come pre-set at Department

of Labour Exposure Standard guidelines. If these settings are breached alarm warnings include audible (95dB), vibration and screen alerts. The detectors are available to rent from TechRentals for just the period needed, from one day upwards. A complete kit is supplied including the gas detector, docking station (for battery recharging and downloading the data), spare battery and bump gas detector. All gas detector manufacturers recommend a daily

bump gas test, prior to use, and bump gas is available for purchase. A calibration certificate is also provided, confirming the MX4 has had the required 6-monthly check and remains suitable for use. Also available is an MX4 with an integrated sampling pump which can test confined spaces prior to entry, by drawing samples from up to 30 metres away.

Go to www.demm.co.nz/enquiry quote: D111012

•

Heat-stress monitors eliminate subjectivity

The QuesTemp personal heat stress monitor monitors physiological heat response.

WORKERS who are exposed to extreme heat may be at risk of heat stress. Portable monitors are now available at TechRentals to provide quantifiable data, using an internationally recognised standard, for a hazard previously hard to assess. Removing subjectivity will bring certainty to your employee welfare planning, and ensuring OH&S requirements are met. The Casella heat-stress monitor, once placed in the environment to be measured (indoors or outdoors), displays and logs temperature, relative humidity, dew point and the processed values for the internationally recognised WBGT index (wet-bulb and globe temperature).

Rather than relying on “gut-feel” this unit allows the environment to be assessed against an international index. Data logging intervals can be

chosen from 30 seconds to hourly. The LCD screen enables real-time display of data captured and software is supplied to download data for reporting. It is possible to personalise the WBGT alarm trip settings, and an audible/visual alarm will sound when these settings are breached.

The QuesTemp personal heat-stress monitor is worn by the user to monitor their physiological heat response. User selected alarm trip points provide an audio alert to warn if they are experiencing elevated core temperatures. Minute-byminute data is logged for later analysis and assessment, and constitutes a permanent record of personal heat exposure.

The unit is intrinsically safe and comes complete with all accessories to attach it to the user. Both monitors are calibrated to provide certainty of their accuracy.

Go to www.demm.co.nz/enquiry quote: D111012A

•

The Casella heat stress monitor assesses an environment against an international index.

Explosion proof light in enclosed spaces MAGNALIGHT.COM announced the release of a manhole-mounted light fixture to its explosion-proof lighting inventory. The MMLP-1MLEDtemporary manholemount light fixture provides operators in hazardous enclosed locations with a convenient and easily deployed explosion-proof lighting solution. A16-inch-diameter LED light head constructed of copper-free aluminum attached to a 21”-diameter support plate is equipped with a lifting eyelet, which allows users to simply lower the entire unit into place over an open manhole. Once in place, the light fixture hangs in place below the entryway, effectively creating a high power light source that does not cause interference with the work space as is commonly found with string lights. This LEDlight fixture produces 10,000 lumens of light in a wide flood pattern while drawing only 150 W and can be operated with voltages of 120 VAC to 277 VAC. The light from this fixture has a color temperature of 6000Kand a color rendering index of 70, making it well suited for close work applications requiring good color rendering and strong contrast. The LEDlight head has a 60,000 hour rated lifespan with 80% lumen retention and creates far less heat than comparable HIDor halogenequipped lights, making it well suited for applications

12

October 2011

where hot conditions are an issue. This unit is rated Class 1 Division 1 & 2 Groups C and D, Class 2 Division 1 & 2 Groups E, F, G, and Class 3, making it suitable for a wide variety of hazardous locations where gases, vapors, and dusts are present. Constructed of aluminum and steel with a durable powder coat finish on the light head, this unit will provide years of reliable operation with low maintenance costs and minimal deployment effort.

“Although we have a couple of different configurations of this explosion-proof manhole MMLP-1MLEDlight, the concept of lowering this LEDlight source into a tank, silo, rail car or storage area is appealing to operators for inspection and cleaning,” said Rob Bresnahan with Larson Electronics’ magnalight.com. “In any case, LEDlighting is more conducive to inspection and hazardous area lighting than halogen or incandescent, and with 150 W of LED power, operators can exceed the light output of standard high-powered quartz or halogen lamps with much more durability and longevity. In many cases, we configure this Class 1 and 2 LEDlight with an explosion-proof 50- or 100-foot reel.”

Go to www.demm.co.nz/enquiry quote: D111012B

•

PRODUCT WATCH

Scalable solutions for Foundation Fieldbus and Profibus PA FOR the process infrastructure, Phoenix Contact is now offering two new product families that simplify and secure a connection between host controllers and field devices. Using the new preconfigured field distribution boxes, process devices are directly connected in the field.

The stainless-steel or aluminium housing modules already accommodate components that permit the connection and termination of the fieldbus trunk cable. Surge-voltage protection and different shielding concepts can be subsequently added. Users can select which types and how many modular device couplers are connected, and can also expand these at a later date. Depending on the actual requirements, shortcircuit limiting and intrinsicallysafe couplers for hazardous zones, for example, are available. These devices can be custom-installed to the particular application

so that installation costs are minimized and the housing size reduced. At the same time, single-point integrity is achieved with the one-to-one relationship between coupler and device, which increases the operational reliability. There is now also a redundant fieldbus power supply to supply the various segments and, in turn, to avoid downtimes.

The availability of the complete process is increased as a result of the modular basis for each segment. Space required in control cabinets is also significantly reduced, and costs for unutilized capacities are avoided as a result of this consistently employed, scalable architecture. The power supply modules employ ACB technology, which ensures a maximum service life as a result of the uniform load distribution across the two sections of the redundant system.

to www.demm.co.nz/ • Goenquiry quote:

D111013

13

PRODUCT WATCH

Multi-material 3D printer for designers and engineers XYZ Innovation introduces the Objet260 Connex 3D printer, a compact and attractively priced addition to Objet’s family of multimaterial printers. According to the manufacturer those 3D printers are the only technology able to jet two materials at the same time to produce advanced composite materials and up to 14 individual materials in a single print run. This opens up a whole range of new applications for 3D printing, including the accurate representation of assembled goods and consumer products. For designers and engineers wanting a prototype that requires a particular tactile feel such as a mobile phone, they can now be accurately reproduced in a single print job using a hard material for the shell and a flexible material for the keypad. There are more than sixty materials to print with, among

them the newly released ABS-like and clear transparent materials. The layers created by the new printer are 16 micron thick and its tray size is 260 x 260 x 200mm (10.2 x 10.2 x 7.9”). It uses sealed-material cartridges that are easy to insert and remove. Models are cured during the build process and can be handled immediately after printing.

Commenting on the new printer, Daniel Thomsen, Business Manager of XYZ Innovation, said “2011 has been an exciting year for Objet

with the recent release of low-cost Desktop printers, and a great new range of materials to broaden the scope of applications. Now we reveal the new Objet260 Connex, an affordable compact

multi-material 3D printer for designers and engineers who demand the highest quality prototypes and true-product representation.”

Go to www.demm.co.nz/ enquiry quote: D111014

•

Heat exchangers help save electricity IN many cases, simple fan-and-filter units are often not enough to dissipate high heat loads from enclosures.

Alongside modern compressor cooling units, which also cool with air, liquid-based cooling systems offer major advantages, depending on the application concerned. Recent developments in heat exchangers show about that a lot has happened in terms of energy efficiency, assembly handling, and availability.

To increase the energy efficiency of the entire cooling system, Rittal has improved its current air/water heat exchangers. New and intelligent Eco Mode controls are now used with comfort units with cooling outputs of 500 W to 5,000 W. They turn the fan off or on as needed, depending on the temperature in the enclosure. If the internal temperature falls 10 degrees Celsius below the set temperature, the fan switches off. In order to measure the effective internal temperature of the enclosure, the control system switches on the fans for 30 seconds

14

October 2011

every ten minutes, so ensuring a circulation of air in the enclosure.

The new units also offer assembly benefits: They can be mounted to the enclosure in less than two minutes.

The heat exchangers are held in place by simply snap-fitting them to premounted fixtures. Only two screws are needed to fasten the devices securely.

Assembly is performed entirely from outside, without the fitter having to fasten the air/water heat exchanger from within.

Rittal has also improved the water connections: Beside standard connections with flexible hose and plug-in joints and couplings, other types of joint are available such as internal threads, quick-release fasteners, direct-hose ports or Ermeto quick-release systems. Such simplifications in handling lead to savings in time during commissioning and operation and cut costs.

• Goquote:to www.demm.co.nz/enquiry D111014B

PRODUCT WATCH

Smart transmitter with high performance THE Yamatake AT9000 is a microprocessor-based smart transmitter that features high performance and excellent stability. Capable of measuring gas, liquid, vapour, and liquid levels, it transmits 4 to 20 mA DC analogue and digital signals according to the measured differential pressure. It can also execute two-way communications between the CommPad (Handy Communicator) or Hart 375 communicator, thus facilitating self-diagnosis, rang-resetting, and automatic zero adjustment. A wide range of models is available to meet user requirements. They include draft range differential pressure, standard differential pressure, high differential

pressure, standard differential pressure/high static pressure, and also high differential pressure/ high static pressure models and a wide variety of corrosion-resistant materials for wetted parts. A wide measuring range is available from a single model, a feature which reduces the need for inventory.

The Model GTX30D/31D/32D for example offers the following range ability: 0.5 to 100 kPa (200 to 1).

The composite semiconductor sensors realise high accuracy up to 0.04%F.S and fast response within 100 ms. The proven sensor technology enables long-term stability up to 0.1% of URL per 10-year.

Go to www.demm.co.nz/ enquiry quote: D111015

•

New pressure transmitter for the global OEM market WIKA has designed its new O-10 pressure transmitter for industrial applications anywhere

in the world. As a result of its specification, performance and price, it is especially suited for customers with high volume requirements. The transmitter works with a measuring range of 0 ... 6 to 0 ... 600 bar. A wide choice of pressure connections, electrical connections (including the popular DIN-A) and output signals facilitate a wide range of applications. With this new pressure transmitter Wika aims mainly at manufacturers of pumps, compressors and hydraulic systems who have an annual requirement of more than 1,000 instruments of identical specification. The minimum delivery quantity is 50 pieces.

If required, the transmitter can be ordered with the customer’s own company logo and model designation.

Go to www.demm.co.nz/ enquiry quote: D111015A

•

COMMERCIAL / INDUSTRIAL A properly designed infrared heating system tailored for all Commercial and Industrial applications.

• Reduced Energy Consumption • Low Harmful Emissions • Indoor Air Quality • Flexibility • Modular Design • Air Stratification • Recovery

Your comfort is our priority - so no matter where you are home or business - it is simply good to be there.

P +64 3 208 3580 | 0800 4 PIPEWORX E sales@pipeworx.net.nz | W www.pipeworx.co.nz

15

ENERGY EFFICIENCY

Are we setting the right priorities to address our energy challenges?

YOU might use one to dry your hair or wash your dishes. There’s one in every elevator and ventilation system. And in industry they run machines, pumps, fans, conveyors and more.

I’m talking about electric motors. They are quite literally everywhere and they use a lot of energy.

In fact, they are the single biggest consumer of electricity. They account for about 45 percent of global power consumption, according to a recent analysis by the International Energy Agency. Lighting is second, at 19 percent.

The IEA analysis is startling. It means that every second power plant – more or less – is producing electricity for the sole purpose of running motors. In just 60 seconds, motors worldwide use enough power to meet the annual needs of 1,200 households in the US as an example. Put another way, if you took all the electricity produced in every corner of the world from New Year’s Day until June 16, you would just have enough to power the world’s electric motors for 12 months.

The study is the first global analysis of energy consumption in electric motors and the other stunning fact it reveals is how much of the energy they use could be saved. Many motors are inefficient, oversized or running when they don’t need to. It says it is feasible as well as cost-effective to save about 20 to 30 percent of total motor power consumption, which is 9 to

14 percent of all global electricity consumption.

Doubters may think that reaping such large benefits from motor system efficiency is simply too good to be true. The reason such a large unfulfilled potential exists, the IEA says, is that a variety of barriers make the benefits difficult to capture.

These barriers also show up clearly in a global survey of manufacturing executives conducted this year by the Economist Intelligence Unit on behalf of ABB. It found that 60 percent of manufacturers had not invested in improving the energy efficiency of their capital, plant and equipment over the past three years.

The executives cited a lack of a clear-cut financial case for energy efficiency investments, a lack of funds and a lack of information about energy efficiency options as the three main barriers to greater investment in energy efficiency in their companies. This is a surprise, given that motors account for two-thirds of the electricity used in industry, and that the annual energy cost of running a motor in industry can be as much as seven times its purchase price.

The IEAreport will go some way toward raising awareness. It fills an important gap in the energy and climate debate by putting some hard facts on the table about a topic on which independent measurement and analysis have been lacking.

But it also clearly points to the central role of

Joseph Hogan, Chief Executive Officer, ABB Ltd. Photo: ABB

policy makers in realizing the potential savings from electric motors: efficiency levels are highest where policy makers have been most active, such as in the US, Canada and China.

In this respect, June 16 marked a milestone for the European Union. On this day, measures to improve motor efficiency came into force in the region, which are expected to save 135 TWh of electricity per year as of 2020. This is equivalent to the annual output of 22 nuclear reactors and represents a saving to industry in the EU of at least NZD 21 billion per year at current electricity prices.

As Germany prepares to close down all its nuclear plants over the next decade, measures such as these that result in a more efficient use of energy will play an important role in helping Europe’s largest economy to continue growing without facing power shortages.

The importance of motors is reflected in our language: When we refer to a country or industry being a “motor” of growth, we are highlighting its critical importance. The IEA report brings us back to the origin of that metaphor by showing us what a central role motors play in our economy. It’s time to put them at the heart of our strategies for meeting energy and climate challenges as well.

• Go to www.demm.co.nz/enquiry quote: D111016

CUT AT LEAST 50% OFF YOUR WAREHOUSE POWER BILL POWERSAVE HIGHBAYS, LOWBAYS AND FLOODLIGHTS visit www.powersavelight.co.nz and use our calculator to estimate your savings ... you will be very surprised!

Email: save@powersavelight.co.nz

16

October 2011

Phone: 09 444 4043

ENERGY EFFICIENCY

Quality rewinding is crucial for motor efficiency – but you have to know when to say ‘goodbye’ Following its successful Motor Bounty Scheme, EECA has new initiatives for motor users. An independent certification scheme is promoting high-quality rewinding – and there is new guidance to help you know when it’s better to replace or repair.

KIWIS tend to love their ‘classic’ motors. But while they might turn heads and evoke nostalgia on the open road, there’s no place for old poorly-running motors in a productive engineering or manufacturing business. The Motor Bounty Scheme run by the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority has been a successful three-year programme which aimed to increase the rate of uptake of new motors conforming to the minimum energy performance standard (MEPS) in force since 2006.

The Bounty Scheme ended in March 2011, after three years. It’s achieved a lot: 945 motors removed, with a total rated capacity of 68.6 megawatts. The average annual operating time of the replaced motors was 6,130 hours. “Getting

The Electric Motors Bounty Scheme: 2008 – 2011 Aim: to accelerate the permanent removal of older inefficient motors by part-funding replacement costs Targeted: three-phase motors sized between 22 kW and 265 kW Achieved: 945 motors removed, total rated capacity of 68.6 Megawatts. 80% inservice (operational or just failed) needing immediate replacement.

50% operational inservice (replaced due to poor efficiency, before operational failure) Average annual operating hours: 6,130.

those motors out of service has meant considerable gains in cost savings and productivity for the businesses which took part,” says Rod Treder, Industrial Programme Manager, EECA. In exiting the scheme, EECAwanted to ensure there were initiatives in place to help drive the continued improved maintenance of New Zealand’s motor stocks. EECAworked with the motor rewind industry and others to ensure the gains from the MEPS compliant motors can be retained long-term. This has resulted in a motor replacement policy guide, and a scheme for independent “quality-certification” of motor rewinders.

Committing to the future

testo 330 LL visualizes measurement data

graphically:

Understand flue gas analysis at a glance!

1.10

12.0 AG to s tes e ga F lu

es

rt

ons

Valu

Sta

Opti

Guiding a policy on motor replacement All motor users are sometimes faced with in-service failures and/ or aging motors that pose a risk of failure and business interruption.

At these times, a decision has to be made about whether to replace or continue repairing those motors.

EECAfound that a surprising number of businesses (even large quality-minded manufacturers) don’t have policies or asset management systems for their inservice or standby motor stocks. If a business is to protect its investment in efficient MEPS-compliant motors (and in high-quality maintenance) then company policies need to support that.

However, making these decisions isn’t always simple. Too often, decisions are driven by immediate concerns and pressures. To help businesses develop site-wide policies to guide decisions on replacing motors (compared to repair

Flue gas analyzer testo 330 LL How you benefit: • High resolution colour display supports your analysis of the heating system with graphic presentation of the measurement procedures • Easy symbols and graphics show you the measurement data of your heating system optically • Many new measurement menu procedures for professional installation and commissioning

LL

4 years’ warranty on instrument and probes

optionally with

AUCKLAND : Tel : (09) 579 1990 WELLINGTON : Tel : (04) 499 3591 CHRISTCHURCH : Tel : (03) 366 0017 Email : sales@eurotec.co.nz WEBSITE : www.eurotec.co.nz

Continued next page

17

ENERGY EFFICIENCY and/or retention) EECAdeveloped the Motor Replacement Policy Development Guide. Aclear, well-understood replacement policy will result in consistently better decisions that help ensure business continuity and long-term productivity.

Agood policy will take into account how critical motor uses are, as well as the economics of replacement compared to repair and/or retention.

Accompanying the guide is a useful Replacement Payback Calculator. This enables users to work out (all other things being equal) whether it’s financially more attractive to replace or repair an older motor that has failed while in-service or to replace an older in-service motor that is still operational.

Ensuring high-quality motor rewinding

New motors in place at SkyCity. The company took up the Motor Bounty offer to upgrade its motor stock.

The other key part of EECA’s ongoing support for motor users is the quality-certified motor rewinder scheme. Clearly, ongoing high-quality maintenance is crucial to keep motors operating at optimum efficiency – and the part played by rewinders is pivotal. The New Zealand rewind industry is not large and consists mainly of smaller businesses. Anumber belong to the Electrical Apparatus Service Association (EASA) that provides access to excellent resources. But until recently, very few rewind workshops had systems in place to ensure the quality of their motor rewinding.

Motor core damage during the rewinding process can go unseen, but result in a serious loss of motor efficiency and excessive running costs.

If the value of New Zealand’s investment in MEPS-compliant motors (including subsidies paid through the motor bounty scheme) is to be protected, then so does the quality of motor rewinding of those motors. The Electricity Commission funded a project (now within EECA) to assist the motor rewind industry develop a quality code. That project engaged Telarc New

Zealand to provide the opportunity for even the smallest rewind workshops to become qualitycertified by an independent party.

There are now 16 motor rewinders independently certified to either ISO9001 Quality Management System or to the Telarc Motor Rewind Workshop Quality Code. When engaging a motor rewinder, using a quality-certified rewinder provides assurance that you’ll get a high quality job, and reduces the serious risks – which can cost thousands – of a poorly rewound motor. It’s not unusual to hear industry anecdotes of companies which have invested heavily in their motor stocks, only to hire a “backyard” rewinder who endangers the performance and profitability of their operation. When EECApiloted the motor replacement policy guide in 2010, it found instances of this. The quality-certified rewinder scheme aims to eliminate these risks – benefitting not only motor users, but also the rewind industry which now has several means of independent quality assurance it can offer customers.

Alist of certified rewinders is available on the EECABusiness website at www.eecabusiness.govt. nz/motorsystems.

• Go to www.demm.co.nz/enquiry quote: D111018

Small compressed air users – how do they rate?

Inefficient compressed air systems are notorious energy wasters. EECA’s new rating scheme is helping the experts to help smaller businesses improve their efficiency, and save money.

EACHyear, New Zealand’s 6,000 small-tomedium compressed air users consume about the same amount of electricity as 40,000 homes (350 gigawatt hours per year). Good management can typically shave 10-20% off compressed air energy use. For those smaller users, that adds up to $5 to $10 million annually. While larger businesses with multiple compressors often invest in site-wide energy audits to cut energy waste and costs, that approach is generally not viable for smaller operations. Even smaller systems that are maintained regularly may be wasting electricity,

unbeknownst to either the business owner or service technician.

To help address this, EECAsaw an opportunity to help service technicians tackle the energy efficiency of these smaller compressed air systems, enabling business owners to realise some of the energy and cost saving potential. As a result, the Compressed Air Efficiency Rating Scheme (AERS) toolkit was launched. Designed for businesses with a single compressor the toolkit consists of a simple handbook, ratingforms and ‘ready reckoner’ cards to easily ascertain when and where a system is likely to be wasting energy. EECAhas taken the scheme to the compressor service industry and already has pleasing results.

Following training workshops around the country, 12 service providers have signed up to

carry out the ratings in line with the AERS toolkit (55 individual service technicians). Already, around 88 small businesses have benefited from a rating. These have found that on average, these systems are wasting 52% of the energy input– at an average cost of $3,381 per year. “The energy wastage in these smaller sites is roughly in line Continued next page

Compressed air efficiency rating scheme – case study A timber processing company has a 22kW compressor operating on single shift operation (2,500 hours). The company is spending $6,360 a year in electricity running its compressor - of which $4,533 is wasted in inefficiencies. This equates to 71% of energy costs not apportioned to producing goods or services.

Ultrasonic leak detection in action.

Photo courtesy Energy NZ

Compressed air energy losses

18

October 2011

Annual energy use

% of energy waste

Idling waste

Leakage waste

System Excess Sum of pressure operating energy drop pressure waste

$6,360.40 $3,093.07 $1,143.56

$182.97

$114.36

$4,533.96

68%

4%

3%

100%

25%

Waste as % of total use 71.3

ENERGY EFFICIENCY

with what we expected – proving that these systems are costing their Rod Treder, owners unnecessary EECA Industrial money on a daily Programme Manager basis,” says Rod Treder, EECAIndustrial Programme manager.

“It underpins the additional value businesses can gain from good technical support.”

He said service companies’ enthusiasm in embracing the scheme was also pleasing. “This toolkit gives skilled technicians and maintenance engineers a value-added service they can offer clients – one that often brings immediate

Air leaks on compressed air systems can be detected using ultrasonic equipment.

payback. It’s very much a win-win for the industry as well as compressed air end users.”

Of the energy wastage, the largest contributor is idling (off-load running - 60%) followed by leakage (28%) excess operating pressure (7%) and system pressure drop (5%). “These areas of waste are often related, and the solutions vary between sites. This is why a compressor specialist is recommended to assess and advise on improvements,” says Rod Treder.

• Goquote: to www.demm.co.nz/enquiry D111019

Cut power costs in half and floodlighting to PowerSave fittings and although we are operating at reduced hours, savings are over $35,000 annually. The more recent installation in the export warehouse included the redesigned highbay reflectors which have proven very effective in increasing the light output over the original models. The rapid start function makes it easy to switch areas on and off without having to wait ten minutes for normal light levels to return.”

Huge savings are also reported by– Keith Morris, national asset manager, NZ Post: “A lighting upgrade in 2009 at a large Courier Post site not only won over staff who said the lighting is brighter and more comfortable to work under, but the savings were verified independently and they exceeded forecasts.

As a result there has been a roll out across the depots country wide. Lighting is the area where savings could be achieved most cost effectively and the bonus has been with staff saying label reading and sorting is now a lot easier.” And Metal Skills director Graeme Bartlett reports, “We used PowerSave lights in our previous building four years ago but the new building was 6200 square metres, so our electricity costs were going to be more than double. Power is a significant overhead as we run 24 hours a day and by using the PowerSave system we can redirect the $30,000 we save per year in to other areas that add value to the company.”

• Goquote: to www.demm.co.nz/enquiry D111019A

Using premium oils and lubricants protects your machinery. And with local service and advice we can quickly solve any technical problem.

AZOLLA ZS 46

RUBIA 7400

200L DRUM

200L DRUM

ISO 46 GRADE

API CI4/SL SAE 15W40

$685 $950 +GST

+GST

Designed for use in all kinds of hydraulic systems running under the most difficult conditions.

Designed to answer to the very severe technical constraints of the new low emission Diesel engines.

• High protection against wear insuring maximum equipment life • Excellent protection against rust and corrosion • Reduced maintenance and operating costs

• Exceptional antiwear and anticorrosion properties • Good efficiency against bore polishing • Excellent viscosity stability in operation

WHILE STOCKS LAST FROM 1ST SEPTEMBER TO 31ST OCTOBER. COLLECT EX-DEPOT OR FREIGHT CHARGE WILL APPLY.

For technical information, latest specials or to find your nearest distributor call 0800 TOTAL OIL or visit www.totaloilsolutions.co.nz

ATTN11TOT54

FACTORYand warehouse lights that run at less than half the power, improve the light quality, start instantly and are paid for out of the power savings in eight to 18 months.

PowerSave Light Company has been supplying PowerSave lights to New Zealand businesses for seven years and the results are real and measurable. There are models to replace or retrofit highbays, lowbays, floodlights or bulkheads which run at 200 watts compared to 400 watts for conventional light fittings.

Savings are significant. For example, a business running 24/7 will save more than $300 per year per light. If users take advantage of the ability to start lights instantly and use sensor controls to reduce running times, savings will be even more. Martin Bliss, roof tile group project engineer, AHI Roofing, says “We installed some PowerSave Highbays a few years ago as part of a lighting upgrade. As a result we have changed our factory, warehouse

TOTAL PREPARATION

19

FEATURE

Savingmakesbusinesssense

Red Stag Timber improved its CAS energy efficiency. Photo courtesy Red Stag.

Saving energy is not just about social responsibility. It is also a powerful tool to contain costs, as many New Zealand companies have found out. Jenny Baker reports.

THE Government recently released its New Zealand Energy Efficiency and Conservation Strategy 2011 to 2016. In launching the strategy, Acting Minister of Energy and Resources Hekia Parata said it promoted practical actions to encourage energy consumers to make wise decisions. “Energy efficiency and conservation have an important role to play in economic growth and meeting our energy challenges,” she said.

The strategy’s objective for the business sector is “…enhanced business growth and competitiveness” through improved energy intensity - expressed as gigajoules (GJ) per $1,000 of GDP. The Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority is one of the key agencies with the role of delivering the Government’s strategy. EECA’s remit is to “encourage, support and promote energy efficiency, energy conservation, and the use of renewable sources of energy at home and in businesses”. Its objective is to maximise costeffective energy savings and the associated benefits for all New Zealanders.

EECAestimates that most businesses could save up to 20% of their energy costs. “Managing energy better brings savings that go straight to the bottom line, helping improve productivity and competitiveness, and positioning businesses well for growth,” says EECAIndustrial Programmes Manager Rod Treder. “Alongside reducing costs, energy efficiency is one of the cheapest ways to reduce carbon emissions - and consumers are increasingly favouring businesses that show a commitment to environmental responsibility. In

20

October 2011

Alongside reducing costs, energy efficiency is one of the cheapest ways to reduce carbon emissions... addition, it is a growing area of focus for exporters.

Investing in energy management and or renewable energy can help boost brand value and reputation, particularly in international markets,” he says.

In the year ending March 2009 New Zealand consumed 522 petajoules (PJ) energy, which cost around $17.7 billion. New Zealand businesses use about 367 PJ standing and transport energy a year, or 73% of New Zealand’s total energy consumption.

EECAhas dedicated programmes to help businesses, in both the industrial and commercial sectors, become more competitive through energy efficiency. The programmes aim to help break down the most common barriers to energy efficiency for business – resources, time, finance and access to credible information.

“We recognise that one of the most important ways to get better energy efficiency in industry is to have top quality, well trained service providers who can give advice and technical assistance. We work closely with energy auditors and other specialists to help grow the energy services industry,” Treder says.

Analysis indicates that there is more than 9 petajoules (PJ) of achievable energy savings in industry - with process heat, compressed air,

pumping, and fan systems being the largest areas of opportunity. Industrial and commercial businesses together use more than 120 PJ of heat.

Despite the heavy use of energy use for heating, many businesses do not invest in regular tuning and maintenance to ensure that their boilers are running as fuel efficiently as possible.

EECAhas run a successful energy efficiency pilot study with process heat users, paying the cost of tuning boilers ranging in size from 1MW to 20MW. The study revealed significant cost-effective savings were available. From an investment of $15,400 a total of $200,200 in energy savings were achieved. This equates to a payback of $13 for every $1 invested. EECAplans to roll out further process heat efficiency programmes later this year.

In the electricity arena, EECAfocuses on motors and motorised systems such as compressed air, pumps, and fans. It is responsible administering the Minimum Energy Performance Standards for motors first introduced in 2006, and has a range of initiatives aimed at improving industry capability to take advantage of efficiency opportunities.

“Many forward-looking companies have gained a competitive edge by using energy better,” Treder says. “We’re looking forward to working with more of them, and seeing more businesses reap the benefits – as well as the New Zealand economy as a whole.” For more information on EECA’s industrial energy efficiency programmes see www.eecabusiness.govt.nz.

Continued page 22

EXTEND YOUR OIL DRAIN INTERVALS WITH SHELL RIMULA.

When considering your fleet’s operating costs, you should also consider your oil. Shell Rimula helps reduce maintenance costs and minimise vehicle downtime. Its unique Energised Protection formula helps protect the engine and prolong engine life. To find out how Shell Lubricants can design solutions to address your challenges contact Orica Chemicals - New Zealand’s Shell Lubricants Distributor on 0800 673 375 or visit our website at www.orica.co.nz.

*The savings indicated are specific to the calculation date and site. These calculations may vary from site to site depending on application, operating conditions, current products being used, condition of the equipment and maintenance practices.

FEATURE SAVING MAKES BUSINESS SENSE continued

Compressed air systems (CAS) “CAS inefficiencies are insidious - they can accumulate silently over time. Afull system approach to CAS efficiency can deliver significant cost reductions,” Treder says. For privately owned timber company Red Stag Timber, this proved true. In 2008 the Waipa-based sawmill and timber processor decided to participate in the CAS efficiency programme sponsored by the Electricity Commission. Red Stag produces 300,000m3 of lumber per annum, 40% of which is for export.

An in-depth CAS audit established the company could potentially save 58% of its then CAS electricity requirement of around 3GWh per annum. Major opportunities for efficiency improvements were leakage, compressor control, and inappropriate use. Leakage alone represented around 21% of the total CAS electricity use or 657,035 kWh per year of wasted electricity. And on the supply-side, off-load running of the compressors represented a further 25% of the total CAS electricity use.

Red Stag Timber management immediately addressed the issues. During 2009 and 2010 it made changes, mainly to the demand side of the CAS, resulting in an average reduction of CAS electricity use from the 2008 10.5kWh per cubic metre of timber throughput to an average of 7.6kWh per cubic metre by August 2010. The actions involved were all low cost items, providing a simple payback period of less than one year.

In August 2010, with technical support provided

by Atlas Copco NZ, Red Stag Timber made changes to the compressor set-up which further reduced the CAS electricity use from the 7.6kWh per cubic metre of timber throughput down to 5.4kWh per cubic metre. The 44 cents per cubic metre reduction in CAS electricity use since 2008 represents savings to Red Stag Timber of $115,000 per year in electricity costs. With a total investment of $220,000 in the CAS improvements, the simple payback period for the work was just under two years.

Tuning into savings EECAestimates more than a fifth of New Zealand’s total energy use goes into boilers and other forms of process heat. It says this could realistically be cut by 5% simply by improving the efficiency of existing plants. “That is apart from more substantial gains that could be achieved from upgrading and replacing inherently inefficient infrastructure,” Treder comments.

Agood place to start is the simple practice of regular boiler tuning, as energy-conscious Goodman Fielder found out. Just five months after the company had the boilers at its Riccarton Meadow Fresh dairy plant serviced, a follow-up burner tune-up resulted in savings equivalent to of $45,000 per year.

The plant handles around 100 million litres milk a year. It operates with two (6 MW and 8 MW) modern Weishaupt boilers installed in 2004, generating steam for pasteurising and sterilising milk and to provide the plant’s heating. The boilers

22

October 2011

EECA supports industry capability training such as this recent CAS course;

consume around $3.6 million worth of light fuel oil a year, a significant cost for the business.

The tuning task was straightforward, involving three hours of an RCR Energy Services engineer’s time. AGoodman Fielder spokesperson says the results, translating into a saving of $865 a week, show “how easy it is for things to get out of adjustment without you knowing it. On the basis of our experience I’d definitely recommend other companies should be getting their boilers checked more frequently”.

Alternative fuels One of the targets in the Government’s new strategy is increasing the uptake of bio energy and geothermal energy, particularly in larger heat plant applications. Part of EECA’s industrial remit is to promote economic switching to renewable fuels. To help this, it recently announced a new grants scheme under which it will fund 40% (up to $20,000) towards feasibility studies investigating bio energy or geothermal energy.

An example of an alternative fuel project supported by EECAin previous years is Silver Fern Farms’ Finegand plant, which installed a sludgefuelled boiler. The initiative provided the company with a financially viable solution to tough new water discharge rules, saving a $3.5 million investment in the traditional sludge treatment option. In addition, the technology brings other benefits including reduced dependence on coal, 9,500t of carbon dioxide emissions avoided annually and significant improvements in air discharges.

Smaller plants benefit too EECAhas also supported energy-saving demonstration projects in companies operating smaller-scale plant. Electric motors consume about 60% of all electricity used in industry. EECA cites several companies which saved energy by improving the efficiency of motors and or motorised systems. Variable speed drives are an example of a technology that can bring huge improvements in energy efficiency.

Two examples are Quality Equipment from Glenfield, who makes rope and twine products and LinkPlas from Albany, who makes PET containers. Quality Equipment uses stretch extruders as part of making the twine. The

operating speed of the stretch extruders must be adjustable to make the various products and accommodate differences in raw materials. An audit found the extruder ran at 850rpm while the motor ran at 1470rpm, meaning that 42% (5.5kW) of the motor’s power was being wasted. Quality Equipment decided to replace the eddy current coupling and pulley system on the extruder with a directly coupled motor and a VSD. The result was that the extruder’s average power consumption fell from 14.2kW to 8.9kW, a 5.3kW reduction. The stretch extruder operates for 2,500 hours per year, so the VSDprovides annual electricity savings of 13,250kWh, equating in bottom line terms to an annual energy cost saving of $1,855. With an installation cost of $7,800 the simple payback period for Quality Equipment’s investment is just over four years. In addition, the more stable speed control from using the VSD instead of the eddy current coupling improved the stretch extruder’s operation.

Linkplas requires a reliable supply of cooling water to cool its injection moulding machine hydraulic-systems. Its cooling tower is sized to achieve the required cooling duty on the hottest days of the year, and its fan ran continuously at a fixed speed, so the amount of water cooling often far exceeded what was required.

The company decided to install a temperature sensor in the water connected to a VSDcontrolling the fan speed, thereby linking the speed of the fan with the temperature of the water in the cooling tower bowl. As a result, the large water temperature fluctuations were avoided. The annual electricity savings from the fan are estimated at 8,300kWh. With an installation cost of $2,120, the payback period for this investment was 1.6 years. Comments LinkPlas Managing Director Steve Morrison: “Our cooling tower fan now uses the same amount of electricity as a standard light bulb.”

“These are heartening developments. Businesses which are leaders in energy management have a big part to play in helping spread the message and encouraging others to look at where energy waste may be occurring. We will continue to use these ‘energy champions’ to help achieve the vision of a more competitive business sector,” Treder says.

Jenny Baker is an Auckland-based freelance writer.

MOTORS AND DRIVES

Lubricant-free linear units ready to fit

Lubricant and maintenance freedom over the entire stroke length: the new small, compact, light and quiet linear drive “DryLin E SAW-0630” from igus, ready to fit with Nema17 stepper motor connected.

and provide the user’s application with lubricant freedom over the entire stroke length. Almost all the components used for the ready-tofit linear unit are made of plastic and aluminium, which means the system has an extremely low mass.

The SAW-0630 is ideal for simple lubricant-free format adjustments, feed movements and the handling of lightweight components.

The actual linear guide is based on the maintenance-free DryLin W system that has been in use successfully for many years and comprises a bearing housing and tribologically optimised polymer

gliding film for excellent friction and wear values. The design makes a flexible and modular structure possible, making assembly easy.

There are numerous design possibilities to choose from, with a total of twelve rail profiles available, from single or double rails made of hard-anodised aluminium, to individual bearings or complete slides through to guides with adjustable bearing clearance for customised clearance-free settings.

The guides are also available as linear axes with a toothed belt drive.

• Goquote: to www.demm.co.nz/enquiry D111023

(Previously marketed as Lenze) DryLin E drives with motor cable in a plastic energy chain on a handling gantry.

FROM its beginnings with lubricant and maintenance-free basic linear bearings 17 years ago, the linear technology department at igus has progressed to linear guides, lead screws and fully assembled units. Up to now, the main focus has been on manual operation in format adjustments.

Now, the company is expanding its “low-price, quick-delivery complete solutions” by adding a motor to their ready-to-fit linear units.

At the moment, the small focussed motor range covers stepper motors of the sizes Nema17 and Nema23. The motors are optionally available with encoder and/or brake. Stepper motors are a good accessory to the DryLin linear drives due to their cost effectiveness, precision and simple operation.

The units work reliably in a wide range of different environmental conditions (depending on the IP

protection class chosen). The Nema standard also guarantees good global availability. The company sets great store by the fact that the drive units for lubricant-free linear movements have been designed in such a way that they can also be driven by stepper motors made by other manufacturers. To achieve this, igus offers customers who already have a motor available a quick-fit connection by means of an aluminium spacer and motor flange to fit the Nema motor.

The new linear axis DryLin E SAW-0630 with Nema17 motor is driven via a trapezoidal or highhelix thread lead screw. Numerous pitches from 1.5 mm to 15 mm are available (design size 1040, also new: up to 50 mm). The drive lead screws are supported by ball bearings. The lead screw nuts are made of tribologically optimised iglidur high-performance polymers

Industrial clutches and brakes Intorq BFK458 The versatile modular system INTORQ BFK458 The BFK458 spring-operated brake is a modular design that offers versatility of flange or shaft mounting making it suitable for retrofit and new applications Features: - Braking torques: 2-600Nm - DC voltages: 24, 103, 180, 205 V - Preset air gap - Manual release devices for all

Following types available on indent: BFK458: Long Life Design - 1.5 - 32Nm BFK457: Simple Design - 0.12 - 125Nm BFK461: Sealed Design, IP65 - 4 - 235Nm BFK468: Multipole - 100 - 2400Nm BFEX58: Explosion Proof

TRANZ CORPORATION LTD

343 Church Street, Penrose, Auckland, New Zealand P.O.Box 12320 Telephone: 09 634 5511 Fax: 09 634 5518 website: www.tranzcorp.co.nz | email: sales@tranzcorp.co.nz

23

MOTORS AND DRIVES

Looking for the Best Dust or Fume Solution?

New motor and drive technology cuts energy consumption

New Zealand

Duct & Flex Small Business

Large Business

The new ABB range of motor and drive packages. Photo: ABB

DustStorm Range 4,000 - 25,000m³/h

SuperBlower Range 25,000-500,000m³/h

• Latest European Technology and Quality • Experience and Back-up of leading manufacturer • Smaller DustStorm® models available ex-stock

FLEX

SOLUTIONS

FANS

DUCT

Freephone 0508 NZ DUCT (0508 69 38 28) 13F Saleyards Road, Otahuhu, Auckland Ph: 09 276 8020 Fax: 09 276 8070 Email: info@nzduct.co.nz

www.nzduct.co.nz 24

October 2011

ABB has launched two new high-performance low-voltage motor and drive packages that combine ABB motor technology with variable speed control to reduce power consumption in energy-hungry industrial applications by up to 40%. Based on innovations in synchronous reluctance technology, the motor is equipped with a new type of rotor that is robust, has no windings and operates with practically no losses. It is available with an ABB variable speed drive and dedicated software in two optimised motor and drive packages for general purpose industrial applications like pumps, fans and compressors.

All three applications are among the most common and energy-hungry in the industrial world.

Package one – IE4 Super Premium Efficiency package – is designed to operate at the highest international energy efficiency level for low voltage industrial motors, IE4. Compared to a conventional IE2 induction motor, the package reduces energy consumption by as much as 40% and provides, according to ABB, a rapid payback time of less than two years in energy savings alone. The second package – High Output – is configured for maximum output and is up to two frame sizes smaller than an induction motor. This is a huge benefit for machine builders as it enables them to design smaller, lighter and more efficient equipment that incorporates perfectly matched variable speed control.

Besides the huge improvement in efficiency, the fact that the rotor requires no magnets or cages makes the motor more robust and enables it to operate at a lower temperature than induction motors. This extends the operating life of the bearings, lengthens the greasing intervals, reduces maintenance and improves machine reliability.

Kotkamills, a forest products company based in Finland, had this to say about the new ABB technology: “The new motor and drive package has been running for a month and has performed as promised,” said electrical officer Mikko Jääskeläinen. “There are many advantages with this new technology.

The simple design of the rotor is a big benefit compared with the standard induction motor. Its ability to perform without losses will provide better load and a cooler motor and, therefore, a longer life cycle.” Filanda Serlini, an Italian textile producer, installed the high output package on its spinning machines achieving estimated energy savings of 5-10% on top of savings of 25% achieved by an ABB motor and drive solution installed just 12 months previously.

• Go to www.demm.co.nz/enquiry quote: D111024

MOTORS AND DRIVES

Extended planetary gear series of flange and angular gearboxes BAUMÜLLER has extended its BPN series precision planetary gearboxes with two new versions in four sizes in each case – the BPNF gearbox with integrated flange and the BPNA angular gearbox. Compact in design, these new units address the demand for gearboxes in confined spaces on machines. The two new series also function with reduced operating noise, lower energy consumption and high efficiency. Since they are significantly shorter than those from the previous series, they can be easily installed in machines with limited space. Other features of these flange and angular gearboxes include precision, dynamics and backlash-free operation. Since their power density is high, the way they cope with technically sophisticated applications is also impressive.

The new BPN series gearboxes are available in four sizes. The eleven ratios of the BPNAseries and the twelve ratios of the BPNF series also mean they can be adapted to any application. With IP65-degree of protection, they can be used in harsh industrial environments. The gearboxes from both series can be used with the DSDand DSC motors from Baumüller.

The torsional stiffness, lowbacklash and quiet-running characteristics of the BPNF with integrated flange means that it fulfils the requirements of a dynamic drive. With a backlash of less than one angular minute, precise positioning is ensured even with the high dynamics, so control performance is improved.

The gearbox is also able to support large radial and axial forces.

The BPNF planetary gearbox can be installed in any position. In addition to the standard lubricant, low-temperature and food-grade lubricants are also available. The BPNAangular gearbox is not only smaller but also much lighter than those of the BPSAseries. Their lower weight means lower energy consumption for follower axles, thus making production more energyefficient. The transmission function is optimised using a hypoid-tooth system. Since the tooth flanks of this type are not in contact over the entire tooth surface, wear is minimised and the transmission is quiet. It is also possible to achieve a ratio of up to 10:1 without a planetary stage. This increases the output torque. Other shaft types such as spline or keyway shafts are available in addition to the smoothversion output shaft.

• Goquote: to www.demm.co.nz/enquiry D111025

BPNA angular gearbox

BPNF gearbox with integrated flange

25

MOTORS AND DRIVES

Energy-efficient drive for heavy-duty applications

AT September’s Asia-Pacific International Mining Exhibition (AIMEX) in Sydney, SEWEurodrive released an important new addition to its industrial gear unit range. Named the Mining Drive, it is a large gear unit in a thermal housing, set to make a significant reduction to energy usage in heavy industry through the lessening of thermal losses. SEW-Eurodrive Industrial Gears National Product Manager, Ian Tribe, says this drive will fill the need for heavy-duty applications with high-transmitted loads, such as those in mining, mineral processing and quarrying processes. “This industry needs energy saving

measures as much as the next, maybe even moreso,” he said. “Heavy industry as a rule requires machinery with more torque and more power, hence requiring larger amounts of energy to run their facilities. The Mining Drive will provide a significant increase in thermal ratings, driving down heat losses and reducing overall energy consumption.”

Tribe explained that along with a purposedesigned cast-iron housing, the new drive incorporates several internal energy reducing features that are selected specifically for each application, depending on the operating

conditions. “These features result in less heat to be dissipated by the housing,” he said. “The special housing is then designed with larger dimensions and extensive ribbing on both sides and underneath in order to dissipate the heat that is generated more effectively.”

Combined with an axial fan and further efficient internal devices, the Mining Drive will make significant increases on thermal ratings previously only achievable by gear units fitted with complex oil pump and external heat exchanger systems. “Not only does this create a more energy efficient drive, but the achieved lower running temperature leads to further advantages such as longer oil life and safer surfaces to touch. All-in-all the Mining Drive will be an ideal solution for more demanding applications.”

Available as a standalone gear unit or as part of a complete drive assembly (including gear unit, motor, drive base and guardings), the Mining Drive is based on SEW-Eurodrive’s “X Series” industrial gear unit, with identical internal gears meaning that spare parts are shared across the standard “X Series” range. “This is sure to create savings in terms of economies of scale and numbers of spares necessary to be kept by the user,” says Tribe.

• Go to www.demm.co.nz/enquiry quote: D111026

Increased efficiency in partial load operation THE VFC eco energy saving function is now available for the panel-mounted drives of Lenze’s inverter drives 8400 platform. Previously VFC eco featured in the 8400 motec decentralised inverters.

The function cuts energy requirements significantly, especially in partial load operation. Combined with the new L-force MF three-phase AC motors, this Lenze BlueGreen Solution provides maximum energy efficiency. “The VFC eco mode intelligently adjusts the motor’s magnetising current to the actual load requirements,” explains Karsten Piekarski, Head of Frequency Inverters in Lenze’s Product Management team. “This is particularly

important in partial load operation, since three-phase AC motors often supply a higher magnetising current than the operating conditions actually require.” According to calculations of the manufacturer, the VFC eco mode reduces losses to such an extent that energy savings of up to 30 per cent can be achieved. VFC eco is available as a cost-free standard option with the 8400 inverters series StateLine, HighLine and TopLine in a power range 0.25 to 45kW. Lenze’s new L-force MF three-phase AC motors also enable improved energy efficiency. These motors are specially designed to operate with

Innovation MODERNISED

E&M4of5Oct11

• Geared motors

www.nz.sew-eurodrive.com

• Industrial gear units • Drive electronics • Drive automation 26

October 2011

INDUSTRIAL DRIVE TECHNOLOGY

frequency inverters. Instead of working at 50 Hz, they operate at 120 Hz, the frequency at which four-pole three-phase AC motors offer the highest efficiency levels. Besides being more energy efficient, this delivers additional key benefits: given that the higher speed leads to greater power density, the same output can be achieved with motors of up to two frame sizes smaller. The size reduction increases performance with much less mass inertia and greater dynamics. In the 0.55 to 22 kW power range, this Lenze BlueGreen Solution represents an all-round efficient drive solution.

• Go to www.demm.co.nz/enquiry quote: D111026A

MOTORS AND DRIVES

Compact drive solutions directly in the bus terminal DRIVE solutions are frequently oversized and inefficient in terms of energy consumption and costs. Beckhoff focuses on modularity, scalable performance and compact designs here. The EtherCAT servo drives from the AX5000 series for the middle and high performance classes are supplemented by drive solutions in the I/Osystems with IP20 and IP67 protection. The connections in the format of bus terminals (IP 20) support AC and DC motors, stepper motors and – as a new item – also servo motors. EtherCAT box modules (IP67) for stepper and DC motors are available for use without control cabinets. Integration into the I/Osystem simplifies cabling and commissioning considerably and reduces space requirements and costs. Stepper motors offer an inexpensive drive solution, for example for positioning and auxiliary axes: Together with the appropriate I/Omodule, the stepper motors from the AS1000 series provide a complete solution in the performance range up to 5 A. The EL7201 servomotor terminal for the EtherCAT terminal system is designed for highly dynamic positioning tasks. It integrates a full servo drive including an encoder system into a 12-mm terminal. The EL7201 is suitable for the direct connection of servomotors up to 200 W. Combination with the servomotors from the AM3100 series enables the implementation of an

The Beckhoff I/O systems enable the direct integration of servo, stepper and DC motors, simplifying cabling and commissioning as well as reducing space requirements.

inexpensive servo axis. Due to the high torque and the high, stable speed, this drive solution is ideal for pick-and-place applications and for use everywhere in mechanical engineering where high dynamics, compact design and exact positioning are required.

The complete integration of the drive technology into TwinCAT automation software enables programming and configuration to be carried out conveniently in one tool. As a result,

Power pack with increased torque THE series of brushless EC 45 flat motors from Maxon gets an addition.

Acompletely newly designed 70-Watt version joins the family, pushing the already high power limit once again.

The new EC 45 flat 70 W displays a very flat speed/torque gradient and unifies novel features with proven characteristics: flange pattern, fixation and socket are identical to the existing EC 45 flat 50-Watt version. And nonetheless, the new 70-Watt motor delivers 38% more torque. The maximum continuous torque is 130 mNm at an efficiency of up to 85%, thus making it a smart choice for the use in self-contained drive systems as well as in industrial automation applications. The new EC 45 flat 70 W is available with hall sensors and comes in four windings (24, 30, 36, 48 V). It can

be combined with more than 54 different planetary and spur gearheads of series GP 42 C and GS 45 A. For control purposes, there is a wide variety of servo controllers (DEC, DECS, DECVand DES) and positioning controllers (EPOS2 and EPOS2 P) to choose from. The flat design of the brushless DC motors makes them an interesting alternative for many applications.

Designed as internal or external rotor motors, they are often the ideal solution when space is limited. www.demm.co.nz/ • Go toenquiry

quote: D111027A

engineering is simplified and diagnostics are improved. TwinCAT PLC provides the user with a multitude of software function blocks which, due to their high degree of abstraction, can be applied to the different types of axis for a wide variety of functions.

• Goquote: to www.demm.co.nz/enquiry D111027

Power Transmission “PACKAGED” To Suit Your Needs

Worm Gear Motors and Worm Gear Reducers

• Modular design with ISO standard flanged input together with output flanges, torque arms, plus simple connection of multiple staged reductions • 100% compatible with ISO flange mounted motors • Lightweight aluminium design • Available in 10 sizes with power ratings .09kW - 15kW and ratios of 7.5:1 to 6,400:1

RR Fisher & Co Ltd R PO Box 23293 Auckland

Auckland Ph: 09 278 4059 Fax: 09 279 8286 Christchurch Ph: 03 377 0025 Fax: 03 377 0086

27

MOTORS AND DRIVES

Technology-neutral selection of electric and pneumatic drives USERS often make the choice of drive technology – pneumatic or electric – over-hastily on the basis of experience alone. In order to identify the most energy-efficient customer solution in the field of automation, however, a technologyneutral comparison is required.

With Festo’s engineering software PositioningDrives, users require just a few key data in order to arrive at the right solution. Which electro-mechanical linear actuator best meets requirements? All that is needed in order to find this out is the input of position values, the payload and the installation position and the software will suggest an optimised solution. Incorrect dimensioning and wasting energy become a thing of the past. Acommon dimensioning process for mechanical drive and transmission components and motors prevents a duplication of safety factors, which would result in over-dimensioned electric drive systems and a waste of energy.

According to Festo, calculations have shown that, with consistent use of PositioningDrives for dimensioning, energy costs can be reduced by as much as 70%.

Asimilar Festo dimensioning software programme helps users select the right-sized pneumatic drive. Excessively large cylinders consume air unnecessarily while cylinders that are too small need to be operated at the maximum permissible pressure. High system pressures waste money. Air consumption can also be reduced through the use of single-acting cylinders wherever possible.

When Festo dimensioning software is used for pneumatic dimensioning, simulations take the place of costly real-life testing of the entire pneumatic control chain. If a parameter is changed, the program automatically adapts all the other parameters. When users configure a pneumatic control chain, the program ensures that all the system components are the optimum size. This makes it possible to reduce pressure losses, pressure levels and tubing size. In the planning of the pneumatic system, short electric cables and compressed air lines help save energy.

Afurther factor in choosing a drive technology is that electrical systems can be overloaded for a short time only, while pneumatic systems can be overloaded over a longer period. It is therefore usually possible to use smaller-sized components.

The correct choice of spindle geometry also affects operating costs. Aself-locking spindle for vertical lifting motions eliminates the need for an energy-intensive holding brake. It is often possible to switch electric drives off while these are at a standstill. Energy recovery can be used to good effect with braking energy.

28

October 2011

Supplied ready-to-install and fully pre-tested, lightweight handling systems such as the high-speed handling Tripod EXPT or the high-speed H-gantry EXCH are delivered directly to users’ applications.

Up to 70% less energy costs: Calculations have shown that, with consistent use of PositioningDrives for dimensioning, electric drive systems can be very energy efficient. The pictute shows the high-speed T-gantry.

The low weight of the Tripod, with its rod kinematics made up of standard electromechanical components and ultra-light carbon fibre rods, ensures the efficient use of drive technology.

When selecting drives, it is useful to know about their product features: light materials, better seals and hermetically sealed drive systems reduce energy consumption. Combinations of guided drives help to avoid misalignment and thus potential leakage and friction.

Festo can create energy-optimal solutions in the fields of handling systems and control technology. Supplied ready-to-install and fully pre-tested, lightweight handling systems such as

the high-speed handling Tripod EXPT or the highspeed H-gantry EXCHare delivered directly to users’ applications. The low weight of the Tripod, with its rod kinematics made up of standard electromechanical components and ultra-light carbon fibre rods, ensures the efficient use of drive technology. In the case of the H-gantry, which offers the most dynamic motion of any gantry design, stationary motors for the X- and Y-axes ensure lower moving masses. In control technology systems, for example, the double motor controller CMMD-AS with its coupled intermediate circuits exploits braking energy for recovery purposes.

Customers’ handling tasks determine the form which a solution takes - regardless of the type of drive. Festo’s experts make use of the company’s entire range of more than 30,000 products to select the best drive solution – servopneumatic, electric or pneumatic – on a technology-neutral basis.

• Goquote: to www.demm.co.nz/enquiry D111028

www.johnbrooks.co.nz

Auckland branch Phone 09 274 7114 Freephone 0800 48 49 50 Email salesakl@johnbrooks.co.nz

Wellington branch Phone 04 568 6196 Freephone 0800 24 34 44 Email saleswn@johnbrooks.co.nz

Christchurch branch Phone 03 366 9514 Freephone 0800 37 38 39 Email saleschc@johnbrooks.co.nz

RECYCLING AND WASTE MANAGEMENT RF Valve increases operational and maintenance savings FOR more than 18 years, the high performance RF Valve has been a convincing control technology solution for the handling of slurry, sludge, liquids or powders in municipal and industrial bulk solids applications.

With a full port and self-cleaning design to eliminate seizing due to scale build up, the RF Valve provides reliable zero leakage closure – even on solids.

Best utilised in areas where other pinch, knife, gate, ball, plug or diaphragm valves experience operational problems and high maintenance due to difficult, abrasive and aggressive media, the heart of the RF Valve is its non-stretch, anti-stress elastomer tube design. Patented tube folds allow the elastomer to flex (not stretch) to close, resulting in less mechanical stress and an increased tube life of 2x-4x that of a conventional pinch valve.

Available in a wide range of high-

The valve’s elastomer tube is the only wetted component in contact with the process.

performance material options, the elastomer tube is the only wetted component in contact with the process, with no valve stem, packing seats, or seals to compromise performance or complicate maintenance.

Not only does the RF Valve provide lower life cycle

The PF Valve boasts with its full port and self-cleaning design.

replacement costs than conventional metal or lined pinch valves through its unique tube design, the split body construction of the valve allows for the elastomer tube to be changed

in-line and in less than 30 minutes, all without the need for special tools or having to remove the valve from the pipeline. Even in tight and difficult-to-reach spots, this innovative approach to valve maintenance provides big cost savings when it comes to manpower and equipment hire (cranes, rigs, special tools, etc), as well as reducing downtime and lost production.

Fully interchangeable with B-16 dimensioned ball, plug, diaphragm, gate and globe valves, and with nominal diameters ranging from 1” up to 40”, the RF Valve offers, according to Pump Systems, the valve’s NZ supplier, the most comprehensive line of standard ASME/ANSI B-16.10 face-to-face slurry and bulk solids handling valves in the world.

Go to www.demm.co.nz/enquiry quote: D111030

•

Web site section devoted to ferrous recovery ERIEZ has added an entire section to its current web site devoted exclusively to ferrous recovery, giving visitors access to valuable information and resources surrounding Eriez’ line of ferrous recovery products. Visitors to the web page can read the 24-page inaugural issue of ReCovery, a new magazine by Eriez featuring the new CleanStream process. This process incorporates the brute-power of the P-Rex permanent rare earth Xtreme drum magnet with Eriez’ new Shred1 ballistic separator, which produces a #1 Shred (< 17% Cu).

The magazine features articles designed to provide useful insights for scrap metal processors.

“The tagline we’ve selected for ReCovery – helping move the grade-recovery curve – is no that improving both the volume of recovery and coincidence. It’s designed to help make the point enhancing the purity of recovered elements is

30

October 2011

what it’s all about,” explains Tim Shuttleworth, Eriez President and CEO. He continues, “After all, we know processors want to maximize volume while also producing the highest possible values for their material. ReCovery is written to help processors find solutions to their toughest challenges.” Visitors to the web page can also watch videos featuring P-Rex and Shred1, view CleanStream animation, download brochures in PDF format and much more.

Eriez’ ferrous recovery Web page will be updated often with new issues of ReCovery, additional products and more information related to scrap metal processing. The URL for this Web page is http://ferrousrecovery.eriez.com/.

Go to www.demm.co.nz/enquiry quote: D111030A

•

Sick and tired of pump clogging problems?

For guaranteed non-clog performance, invest in a Vaughan® Chopper Pump Sick and tired of your standard “non-clog” impeller pump frequently clogging due to heavy loadings of difficult solids? If so, come and talk to us about the non-clog guarantee and how installing a Vaughan® Chopper Pump can help.

With thousands of proven applications worldwide, Vaughan® Chopper Pumps will solve the toughest clogging problems. We guarantee it.

✓ Multiple configurations available ✓ Handle high solids concentrations ✓ Capacities up to 2200 m3/hour ✓ Adjustable back pull-out design ✓ 50 years chopper pump experience Self-Priming Chopper Pump

✓ Non-clog guarantee on all pumps

Pump Systems Ltd - Vaughan® Authorised Factory Representative (New Zealand & Australia) Free Phone: 0800 60 90 60 | Free Fax: 0800 70 75 76 | Web: www.chopperpumps.co.nz

RECYCLING AND WASTE MANAGEMENT

New lubricant line-up to meet user needs

Shell Lubricants has introduced Shell Gadus as part of the new portfolio.

SHELL Lubricants has launched an improved portfolio of industrial and transmission lubricants and greases. The result of a three-year process, the new portfolio has been restructured and refreshed to help users select the right level of protection for their equipment with ease and confidence. “As a global company, Shell Lubricants studied the way customers choose and use lubricants,” says Bruce Winter, Marketing Manager of Orica Chemicals, New Zealand’s Shell Lubricants distributor. “The study overwhelmingly demonstrated that most consumers recognise the importance of selecting the right lubricants for the right purpose, however found the array of choices and cross over across the range confusing and overly complex.“ As a result of this research, Shell Lubricants has redesigned its range of industrial lubricants, removing products with overlapping applications, or whose technology had been replaced by more advanced formulas. It has also improved choice by selectively adding specialty and synthetic products. The new portfolio is based around four tiers, each offering increasingly efficient levels of protection: Entry, Mainline, Premium and Advanced, with Advanced often using the latest synthetic

technology. Each brand/product category in Shell Lubricants’ range of industrial and transmission lubricants and greases is structured according to these tiers. These brands include Shell Tellus (hydraulic oils), Shell Omala (gear oils), Shell Corena (compressor oils), Shell Tonna (slideway oils) as well as the newly introduced Shell Gadus line of greases.

The entire product portfolio is accompanied by “old to new” conversion tools that help make the transition to the new tiered product line-up easy for long-time Shell Lubricants industrial product customers. It also features new pack labels and product guides to aid choice, using new names, color coding and visual icons to indicate individual performance benefits. These changes are also designed to reduce the risk of misapplication in the factory environment. As part of the redesign, Shell Lubricants also standardised packaging across the entire portfolio to make storage and stacking easier. “With many operations under pressure to maximize efficiency and increase output, the launch of the new line-up provides an ideal opportunity for customers to re-evaluate their lubricant needs,” says Bruce Winter.

Go to www.demm.co.nz/enquiry quote: D111032

•

Recycling of specialist and precious metals SPECIALTY METALS LTD

Buyers of Specialist & Precious Metals

Nationwide Service Guaranteed Identification • TUNGSTEN • TOOL STEEL • TITANIUM • NICKLE

• ALLOYS • DRILL BITS • GOLD/SILVER • MAGNETS

0800 SPEC METALS office@specialtymetals.co.nz

www.specialtymetals.co.nz 32

October 2011

SPECIALTY Metals Ltd meets the growing needs in the recycling of specialist and precious metals in their many forms. Often through misidentification, these specialist metals often fall through into general scrap metal grades, typically as lower grade materials, and when this happens the user loses a precious resource.

Speciality Metals utilises a hand held analyser that identifies the correct composition for the metals enabling us to provide the customer with the best price possible for their metals.

Furthermore, by actively working to recover these valuable metals from the general scrap stream, Speciality Metals is helping to limit the increasing depletion of raw materials, in turn helping to relieve the growing pressures on our natural resources. Specialty Metals Ltd works with many industries including Engineering,

Mining and Aviation to assist them with the recovery of the specialist metals particular to each industry, and thus provide them with greater returns for their metals. Metals of interest to Speciality Metals include (but are not limited to) tungsten carbide inserts, drills, HSS, high tensile alloys, tool steel, nickel and tin alloys. Speciality Metals deals with all quantities, both big and small.

Go to www.demm.co.nz/enquiry quote: D111032A

•

MAINTENANCE MATTERS WHAT’S HAPPENING WITH OUR TRADES? Part two of a two-part series in which MESNZ secretary Craig Carlyle shares his views on the supply of tradesmen and training of apprentices in New Zealand, based on the Society’s straw poll survey results.

LAST month I looked at what Kiwi tradesmen are saying about this country’s training of apprentices, based on the results of the MESNZ straw poll survey.

We also had a set of questions aimed at the employers of tradesmen and apprentices, 80 percent of whom are currently in the employment hot seat and 72 percent with apprentice employment experience. This group surely must offer some insight into the supply and demand of trades staff?

Seventy one percent of respondents found the current apprenticeship system “terrible” or “not much better” than before and 90 percent believe that we are NOT creating better tradesmen than before. In a similar response to the trades group, 80 percent of employers rated block courses as an important function of the apprentice’s personal growth and maturing. In a major snub to current mantra, 80 percent of employers do NOT consider time away from the workplace on block courses as being a major factor when taking on an apprentice.

The cost of employing apprentices was an interesting driver, with close enough to a 50 percent split (52:48) between those who thought it is a major driver and those who don’t. However, in a major clue for government, a 70:30 ratio of employers stated that changes to the system or financial incentives would influence their decision to hire apprentices.

Not content with these easy answers, we asked employers to rate their principal drivers for employing apprentices. Surprise, surprise – the top 3 responses were; “Succession planning for the current workforce” and “Moral obligation to support industry and the trades”.

Middle of the heap was the conventional expected responses: “positive workshop culture”, “reinvestment in the economy”, “part of total workshop profile”. Bottom of the heap was “cheap labour force”.

It is a no-brainer that if more apprentices were put through the system, more tradesmen would be available. With 85 percent of respondents telling us that it is difficult or extremely difficult to find capable indentured staff or contractors, you can read into this the risks of hiring overseas trained trades

staff as well as any general lack of local supply.

Damning commentary for the ‘brass-hats’ suggesting we can supplement our lack of trades staff with new immigrants.

The trainer’s view Our survey would be incomplete without sticking our heads right in the lion’s mouth – the trainers themselves. The ITOs are in the hotbed of the debate with attention on the number and cost of providers.

Our approach was double-sided: at the front door we listened to the official responses from these organisations, while the survey respondents gave us their unencumbered opinions from positions that suggested that they know intimately what they are talking about.

Awhopping 71 percent rated our current apprenticeship system as “terrible” or “not much better” than that of the 1960s to 80s. Seventy percent claimed that new apprentices are fronting up to them worse prepared than before and 83 percent find that we are NOT creating better tradesmen than before. The old schooling system gave an opportunity to test your interest and ability in “woodwork” and “metalwork” before entering the real world. You had already learnt to remove the chuck key (remember the horror stories?) before you were wearing your first crisp overalls. Instead of learning those formative lessons, today’s school student’s technical experience seems to start with designing chocolate chip

muffins!

Backing up the other groups, 93 percent rated block courses as vitally or highly important to the apprentice’s learning and personal development, with 83 percent assuring us that apprenticeships will not be adequately delivered without block courses.

Secondary education feedstock Changes to the secondary education system and post secondary training have effectively killed the traditional feedstock of new apprentices. At school, the opportunity to try out trades skills and actually begin skills learning has been killed by new methods of delivering technical classes. I am unsure if this assists other careers, but it is undeniably not doing trades ANYfavours.

Our employers and trainers are clearly telling us this. Our modern social engineering agenda of turning technical institutes into universities and falling over ourselves to fund every student into professional study has created a trades disaster.

At the other end of the scale, those that can’t cope with the education system can enjoy all the benefits of adulthood without any of the responsibilities by going on “course”. Both outlets have effectively killed off our traditional trades feedstock; young people who could continue to grow, learn and excel by finding their niche in a trade.

Initiatives like John Kotoisuva’s Trades Academy (profiled in this issue of DEMM) is a bright star that deserves credit if we are to find ways of improving our lot. The pilot program demonstrates what can be achievedif our goal is to take our old 1960s system and truly improve its delivery and effectiveness.

Continued page 34

33

MAINTENANCE MATTERS Elephant in the room Apprenticeships offer a different social and skill development than other tertiary training and we forget this lesson at our peril. If we wish to avoid becoming a third world nation we need a brave paradigm shift in how we structure our economy and best utilise our specific skills and advantages. Growing grass is good, but lifting the bar beyond that is a survival skill.

The results and reactions of the survey have been a journey and an education in itself for the MESNZ. Of paramount significance is the consistency and weight of the opinion about the issues and the wealth of simple, logical suggestions for improvement.

There IS a problem out there and there IS an elephant in the room.

Clearly there are issues emanating right from secondary school, how we inspire school leavers to enter the trades, the perception of apprenticeships compared with the new mantra of higher level qualifications and how we are tinkering with the training systems.

Of concern is the huge “disconnect” between those at the top of the totem pole and ‘Joe Average’. The gulf between what is discussed at high level as “representing industry” and our results are enormous. If government is listening to the right people, how can there be such a wide gap between the common man’s logic and the “official” version?

The difficulty in reaching out beyond the ‘yes men’ is understandable and engineers are

as much a part of the solution as they are part of the problem; if you leave a vacuum someone else will fill it.

Get off your chuffs, participate through your organisations and representations and have your say. People at governance level rely on your input if they are to get the correct read on the situation. From our study, 84 percent of employers and 58 percent of trainers have not been canvassed for their opinions in recent times. Kiwis are notoriously bad at having a grumble but not doing anything about it. How else could we have evolved an apprenticeship system from previous glory to the current version without a murmur?

The good news is that the government now recognises this, with the Ministry of Education announcing that it will review industry training in 2011. The terms of reference include engaging stakeholders (employers and industry groups). So here is your chance, individually or via your own organisation, have your say.

Positive suggestions from the workshop floor Summarising our study, we need to return (in effect) to the old technical class systems in our secondary education. We need to find methods of making trades a sexy and viable option again and capitalise on the demonstrated moral and social conscience of employers when it comes to linking industries with their local

More Access

schools.

We need to understand that our 1992 and 2000 reforms of the apprenticeship system have not delivered and find a better way of effectively governing, mastering, training and qualifying apprentices than offering a honey pot of funding. Each function needs to be clearly separated and the delivery of contestable funding refined to remove duplication and inefficiency. Funding needs to be directed at upwardly driven programs that bridge between the public education system and industry.

Tinkering with training delivery needs to focus on creating better tradesmen, not cutting costs, hours or block courses.

Simple and non-bureaucratic methods of incentivising employer participation need to be introduced that link business moral compasses to local communities. Providing tax breaks would appear a simple tool to me.

And finally, at government level, please Mr Key let us focus on inspirational and diversified long term strategies that grow New Zealand industry, not dumb us down.

Craig Carlyle is secretary of the MESNZ.

With the recent acquisition of Scissor Platforms, HireQuip has an even more extensive range of access equipment to provide the best solutions for your needs.

0800 727 727 Branches Nationwide www.hirequip.co.nz

10555

34

October 2011

MAINTENANCE MATTERS

New O&G training centre in Taranaki

THE newly established Vause O&G training centre, based in Bellblock, New Plymouth, is unique in the southern hemisphere. Not only does the facility provide modern classroom facilities but theory is balanced with a practical learning environment. Participants have the opportunity to see, touch and utilise the actual equipment utilised in the O&G industry. The centre boosts its own Christmas tree atop a 300 metre training well and provides practical workshops set up for groups of students to work on stripping and redressing the range of downhole tools they will be running in wells. A range of cutaway tools enables a full understanding of how these tools work thousands of feet down inside a well.

Workshops range from short, simple one and two-day industry overviews to more specific workshops dedicated to the drilling process and completion of wells, including the components and options surrounding well access such as slickline, wireline, coiled tubing, snubbing and workover.

These are subject matters that industry veterans Bob Taylor (who has previously taught in Houston and Aberdeen) and Peter Vause bring a wealth of experience.

Both are conscious of the ageing workforce, the need to attract the next generation and the concerns of looming national and international skill shortages in the O&G industry.

The centre provides an ideal

avenue through which they can put something back into the industry.

Both are pragmatic men, but they are traditionalists tempered with the astuteness of knowing that times have changed since they were young. The simulation training centre reflects the different world from their early days when there was space and ease about learning on the job. Greater levels of health and safety consciousness mean that companies are increasingly reluctant to put untrained people straight on the job. With hydrocarbons and high pressure fluids, the O&G industry can be a dangerous workplace.

The Vause O&G training centre is a new type of facility that provides the benefits of being on a real life O&G workplace but without the danger. Well pressure is simulated with air pressure or with nitrogen, with water instead of oil. This allows precise control in a relatively benign, non-explosive environment to prepare personnel for the potential dangers on live wells. Trainees can learn safely and still experience the ‘genuine’ equipment and when they are ready they can go out to the workplace. Another unique feature about the centre in Taranaki is the accessibility offered from training facility to site. Unlike other global localities, the distance to travel to reach the actual O&G sites is not far, so people can easily be taken from the training centre to location to gain the practical exposure.

The Vause training centre is

already attracting the support and interest O&G companies. It is not a closed private facility but one available to the broader industry for use. As a result not only is more training being undertaken in Taranaki (instead of local companies sending staff overseas for

specialised training), but the centre is attracting people from overseas keen to take advantage of its unique benefits.

Go to www.demm.co.nz/ enquiry quote: D111035

•

2 day ‘Introduction to Oil & Gas’ course 10-11 & 12-13 October 2011 For registration details or information on future courses, please visit us at www.vausetraining.co.nz

7 De Havilland Drive (West) Bell Block, New Plymouth, NZ 4312 P. 06 755 0752 F. 06 755 1666

35

MAINTENANCE MATTERS

Skills shortage – a maintenance approach SKILLS shortage in engineering has been the subject of discussions at the meetings I have attended in the last few weeks.

Understandably, apprenticeship sign-ups dropped considerably during the recession, the result of which will be fewer newly qualified tradesmen than normal in the next two to three years. This is happening at a time when we need them the most.

The mechanical engineering Industry Training Organisation (ITO), Competenz has conducted some research amongst companies in New Zealand to try and establish if there is a skills shortage, and if so how extensive. The report clearly suggests there is a current skills shortage and this will only get worse over the coming years.

In my opinion, one of the major concerns from the report is that 64% of companies think they will need more staff in 2012 but more than half of those intend to hire already skilled staff. However, with a staff turnover of 10% or less

for 92% of companies you have to wonder where these trained people are going to come from. We can’t rely on other companies to train our future tradesmen – it is the responsibility of our entire industry.

The full report makes excellent reading and can be found on the Competenz website (www.competenz.org.nz) The discussion at the ‘Mainstream’ maintenance conference was also

Minimise Downtime Increase Reliability Improve Productivity

5 Day Course

Maintenance Best Practice

A crucial part of good maintenance is to develop a culture of maintenance best practice in the workplace. This course will enable your tradespeople to understand what constitutes best practice and how to apply it.

Course Highlights:

Course Content Includes:

Foundation course for adopting international maintenance best practice. How to structure your maintenance to improve workplace culture and increase reliability. Part of Level 5 National Certificate in Mechanical or Electrical Engineering. Leads to unit standard 26564 - Apply Knowledge of Business Centred Maintenance (BCM).

How to take your organisation through the 4 stages of Maintenance Excellence: Reactive Preventative

Predictive Proactive

How to use the building blocks of Maintenance Excellence for improved reliability and productivity. From the basics of good care and husbandry, right through to renewal planning.

Dates/Locations: 14-18 November 2011, Auckland For more information go to www.skills4work.org.nz or contact Phil Hurford

36

October 2011

Investment

p.hurford@skills4work.org.nz 027 488 6446

very interesting with some excellent points being made around how we are well positioned to cope with a skills shortage within ‘maintenance’.

As an alternative to increasing staff numbers, we have the potential to take the pressure off the skilled staff we already have by focusing on productivity and reliability improvements. Improvements to work management and operator involvement in production reliability are areas that need focus. This will allow us to use our highly trained maintenance technicians more effectively and allow our technicians to get more out of their working days.

Better work management, and by that I mean what’s traditionally known as planning and scheduling, has the potential in most organisations of virtually doubling the time on tools for tradesmen.

Research has shown that in an average organisation a tradesperson spends around 35% of their day actually working with a wrench in hand. The rest is spent waiting for parts, other trades, permits, the equipment to become available etc. This occurs because of lack of training leading to poor business processes. With more training for planners and schedulers the time on tools can increase to as much as 60% of a tradesperson’s day.

Although work management is arguably the most important function of the maintenance department, it is often under resourced and neglected.

If we are to cope with the impending skills shortage then this is one area we should address immediately.

Operator involvement in production reliability is crucial if we are to advance our maintenance

beyond what we have now. A reasonable amount of the work our skilled fitters and electricians carry out on a daily basis could be carried out by a semi-skilled person.

In organisations with a high level of maintenance maturity much of the day-to-day routine maintenance is carried out by the operators. We don’t take our car to the garage for a mechanic to clean it or check the tyres, so why do we call on maintenance staff to carry out simple routine checks on plant and equipment?

The key is a cooperative approach to production reliability where operators carry out day-to-day checks and basic maintenance routines, leaving maintenance staff to do more complex tasks and focus on reliability improvements.

It’s quite clear by the interest we are getting at Skills4Work in this type of on-site training that more New Zealand companies want to introduce operator based maintenance, and they accept that outside help is often needed for this type of change.

In many cases operators are very capable of carrying out basic routine checks and maintenance but we are often not skilled at implementing this within our organisations.

Remember, if we always do what we’ve always done then we will always get the same result. Improvements to work management and operators’ involvement in routine maintenance will take the pressure off our skilled technicians at a time where we are undoubtedly going to find them in short supply.

Phil Hurford is Programme Manager of the Skills4Work Maintenance Excellence programme.

P.hurford@skills4work.org.nz

MAINTENANCE MATTERS

Two powerful tools STEP-VOLTAGE and surge testing of motors are necessary tools for an effective predictive maintenance program. They identify problems that low-voltage tests cannot find. Both of these tests are non-destructive and can be performed at voltage levels a motor is exposed to during normal operation. If a motor cannot pass the step-voltage and surge tests, so the experience of SKF, a company which offers such tests to the NZ industry, users can bank on the fact that it is approaching the end of its service life.

Consequently, provisions should be made as soon as feasibly possible to have that motor removed before unscheduled downtime occurs.

The motor stator has two main insulating systems that include the ground wall and turnto-turn insulation. When this insulation is in a good condition it can withstand the normal dayto-day voltage spikes that exist during starting and stopping. Over time, this insulation will deteriorate as a result of mechanical movement of the windings, torque transients, heat and contamination. Once the dielectric strength of this insulation falls below the incoming voltage spikes, another failure mechanism is introduced: ozone.

Ozone is a very corrosive gas that will quickly deteriorate insulation. Although the motor will continue to run when this failure mechanism is introduced, as it sees continual voltage spikes, the deterioration rate will accelerate. Eventually, the dielectric strength of the insulation will fall below operating voltage or deteriorate to the point that copper wire will touch turn-to-turn. At this point a turn-to-turn or hard welded short has developed.

The step-voltage test This DC test is performed to a voltage that a motor typically sees during starting and stopping.

The DC voltage is applied to all three phases of the winding and raised slowly to a reprogrammed voltage step level and held for a predetermined time period. It is then raised to the next voltage step and held for the appropriate time period.

This process continues until the target test voltage is reached. Typical steps for a 3300-V motor are 1000-volt increments, holding at minute intervals.

For motors less than 3300 volts, the step voltages should be 500 volts.

Data is logged at the end of each step. This is to ensure the capacitive charge and polarization current is removed and that only real leakage current remains, thus providing a true indication of the ground wall insulation condition. If, at this point, the leakage current (IμA) doubles, insulation weaknesses are indicated and the test should be stopped. If the leakage current (IμA) rises consistently less than double, the motor insulation is in good standing.

The step-voltage test is necessary to ensure that the ground wall insulation and cable can withstand the normal day-to-day voltage spikes

the motor typically sees during operation. If this test is not performed, the operator cannot be assured that the motor will start and operate without failing in service.

The surge test The surge test is highly important, because 80% of all electrical failures in the stator begin at weak insulation turn-to-turn. These types of catastrophic failures are why NFPA70 B recommends that surge and HiPot testing should be performed. Regardless of an individual’s personal view of surge testing, knowing that a motor’s turn-to-turn insulation is sound is crucial for safety and motor reliability. During a surge test, the equipment will charge up a capacitor inside the unit and dissipate it into one phase while holding the other two phases to ground. Then, automatically, the test unit will slowly increase the voltage from 0 volts to the target test voltage. This generates a waveform, in a shape based upon the inductance of the coil that is displayed on the test equipment screen.

If the target test voltage is attained without any frequency change in the waveform, the turn-toturn insulation integrity has been realized.

As the rise time slows, the operator will notice that the voltage potential difference between the turns is dramatically reduced. This is in contrast to any other signal utilised to diagnose motor issues. No DC test (or AC tests such as an inductance, capacitance, impedance, phase angle or HiPot) will produce this potential difference between the turns. Physics provides us with Paschen’s Law, which states that two bare wires placed next to one another just a thickness of a hair away need a minimum of 325 volts to jump the air gap between the two conductors. These two concepts are the core reason why surge testing is the natural choice for testing turn-to-turn insulation.

Case study A3300-V form-wound motor at a pulp-andpaper plant was found to have weak turn-to-turn insulation. Of all the tests performed on this motor, the only one that found the turn-toturn weakness was the surge test. The motor in question was immediately put back in service after testing. It was started up and ran for the four months required until it could be shut down and removed for repair. The surge test was the only method to identify the insulation weakness.

The problem was well above line voltage, so other low-voltage tests would not have approached this threshold.

This particular pulp-and-paper site motor took about 6-7 hours to change. Thus, it could have cost about $42,000 in downtime had the surge test not found the problem. Go to www.demm. co.nz/enquiry quote: D111037

Modern plant testing saves you time and money Make motor failures a thing of the past by adding Baker testing to your existing Predictive Maintenance Program.

Baker’s dynamic and static testers are used around the world to detect problems prior to failure, saving you money by avoiding unplanned downtime. The static tester finds insulation weaknesses, whereas, the dynamic tester identifies problems in the load, motor and power.

Add together Baker and SKF’s knowledge of predictive maintenance technologies and you have a powerful partnership to keep your machinery working efficiently.

To learn more about SKF and Baker, contact your local SKF Authorised Distributor or email us at: marketing.skfnz@skf.com

www.skf.co.nz

37

MAINTENANCE MATTERS

Every year the NMEC brings together NZ’s maintenance community.

“The NMEC is getting the right message out.”

The National Maintenance Engineering Conference is about to open its gates and showcase the latest technologies and services to the maintenance community. Stefan Richter talked to some of the exhibitors.

THE National Maintenance Engineering Conference (NMEC) originally started off as the Practical Maintenance Engineering Conference in 2003. Craig Carlyle, Maintenance Transformations Ltd, recalls: “The conference was created by my company in response to a client in Hawkes Bay who was looking for a forum that would bring together his engineers from around the country.” Craig’s previous involvement with the “Mainstream” event led him to believe that there was a need to create an event that was non-threatening to the “common man”, recognised the mix of technical and non-technical challenges faced in the real world and provided as many opportunities for participants to network and discuss solutions to common problems. “Together with my wife, singer and songwriter Judi Cranston, we set about creating a conference that reflected this ethos using a distinct methodology.”

This then became the theme for the next few years, a very personalised conference providing a holistic view of line management based on maintenance engineering; lots of break out opportunities and a social programme cleverly

38

October 2011

designed not just to entertain, but to break down social barriers. “It was at this stage that I discovered the Maintenance Engineering Society and their goals of assisting engineers. Given that their society goals were so similar to my own company’s goals, I had no hesitation giving them my full support,” explains Craig and adds, “I donated the conference to the society and continued to provide support with myself as executive director and Judi as social director.”

The society held an annual one-day symposium at that stage and in 2008 it was decided to combine the two into the one major event, the NMEC. “The event has continued since then and is seen very much as the jewel in the crown. Judi and I are still involved, although every year we try to progressively involve more and more of the society members so it is not just based on us.”

The National Maintenance Engineering Conference 2011 is about to open its gates for two days in November. Before the maintenance community embarks on the journey to the Distinction Hotel in Rotorua, the editor of DEMM Engineering & Manufacturing managed to get hold

of some of the exhibitors.

“The presentations were valuable” TechRentals NZ is a Penrose-based company that has been providing rental solutions, for test and measurement equipment, to businesses in New Zealand for over 30 years. When asked for the reason why TechRentals exhibits at the NMEC, Director John Thurston explains that “a significant portion of our instrument range is used to check, verify, test or record data on equipment already in place, hence it is typically maintenance or technical staff within the companies who are the users.

Alternatively it is the contractors who perform these functions for companies who hire equipment from us.” TechRentals returns to the NMEC after having exhibited at last year’s conference for the first time.

“We found it had a practical focus, with a lot of the attendees having a hands-on role within their organisation or being responsible for that area. The presentations were valuable, the attendees seemed to get around the trade show, albeit the tent used was very cramped,” recalls John.

TechRentals has a wide variety of equipment, so the company is demonstrating an item over each general area. “Instruments displayed at the conference will cover thermal imaging, vibration, leak detection, power monitoring, gas detection, fibre optics, industrial calibrators, data loggers, noise exposure and airflow/quality,”

MAINTENANCE MATTERS says John and explains the benefits his company has to offer: “Customers are able to conserve their cash and hire instruments just for the period they need them, which is the service we will be promoting. They also know the instruments are calibrated, giving them the confidence they will work when they arrive.” John also wants to come to Rotorua to learn more about current trends and developments in industrial maintenance. “This is why we are coming back to the conference, to help us form a view and plan accordingly.”

“We made some excellent contacts” Skills4Work attended the 2009 NMEC as delegates and then decided 2010 to return to the conference as exhibitors. “Last year we made some excellent contacts that have led to several companies sending staff on our training courses,” says Phil Hurford, Programme Manager – Maintenance Excellence, Skills4Work. This organisation has taken up the course of assisting individuals and NZ businesses lift their skills and productivity. “Skills4Work are exhibiting at this conference as we feel the delegates are the right people for us to be explaining the training we offer to maintenance technicians.”

On being asked to provide some more details on the training offered, Phil expands: “This year we will be promoting our core paper courses of higher-level training for maintenance technicians, supervisors, managers and planners. In addition we will be showcasing our new ‘Apprenticeship Plus’ programme for maintenance apprentices and ‘Cooperative Production Reliability’, which is an on-site course working with operators and maintainers with an aim of greater understanding, cooperation and ultimately leading to the introduction of some operator-based maintenance.”

Phil observes a growing understanding in the NZ industry that companies must be more professional in their approach to maintenance.

“Starting with good planning and scheduling and precision maintenance we can build reliability into everything we do. More and more companies I am speaking to understand the need to introduce some form of operator based maintenance, but aren’t sure about the best way to approach this subject.”

“The right mix of engineers and managers” SGS in New Zealand operates from 17 locations nationally and provides independent inspection, testing and certification services to the industry.

For the company the upcoming NMEC will be their third year of attendance. “SGS NZ considers customer contact vital to understand the needs of our industry and to enable us to satisfy those needs. We have to be out there meeting with the key people from the industry, we find a great response at the NMEC with the right mix of engineers and managers being present,” says Stephen Leak, Industrial Services, Regional Manager, SGS New Zealand Ltd. In his opinion, “the conferences

The conference features a top-class mix of expert and peer speakers.

have always been relevant and well attended.

Unlike some conferences where the presentations tend to be simple sales pitches, at NMEC these presentations are always in line with the theme. We have built up a good rapport with regular attendees and at the NMEC 2011 we are looking to build on this.” And what can those conference attendees who decide to head for SGS’s booth expect? “As always SGS New Zealand is looked upon as the leader of the field when it comes to testing, inspection and verification, we will again be showcasing our latest advances and discussing how these can not only best benefit our clients but also potentially offer a cost saving as well.”

Stephen observes a paradigm shift in the industry that promotes maintenance and elevates it on a higher level of importance. “Many of our clients are now looking at maintenance as a vital part of their businesses, not just a cost, with many taking a great interest in through-life costing and inspection to ensure maximum return is given by their assets. This is a great move by the industry and it shows that events such as the NMEC are getting the right message out there to the decision makers in the industry.”

“Networking opportunities” SKF have been operating in New Zealand for over 75 years. The company, originally founded in Sweden in 1907, offers a comprehensive range of bearings, seals, lubrication systems, mechatronics, power transmission, industrial adhesives, service and training. Jim Evans, General Manager, SKF New Zealand Ltd, considers the NMEC to be a valuable opportunity to meet with existing and potential new clients and to discuss opportunities and developments with them. “SKF is part of the reliability engineering community and wishes to contribute and learn through the networking opportunities at this conference,” explains Jim and adds, “integration of SKF offers to improve the connection between traditional predictive maintenance services and plant reliability systems and practice.” Jim also perceives that the maintenance community is

in motion. “There is a move away from basic predictive services with clients wanting to obtain greater value from these practices in their business by integrating information systems.”

Pre-conference workshop to NMEC Ron Moore’s Reliability Leadership Workshop for manufacturing and operational excellence comes to Rotorua. The SIRF Rt workshop on November 7 and 8 is a preconference event to the Maintenance Engineering Society NZ annual conference on November 9 and 10 at the same venue (Distinction Hotel & Conference Centre). Ron Moore is an internationally recognised authority on manufacturing excellence and the strategies needed for achieving it. He has conducted over 200 workshops for many industrial companies in North America, Europe, Australia, New Zealand and the Middle East. Over the last decade he has had a major influence on the attitude towards reliability of many of Australia’s and New Zealand’s leading companies. His workshops are often quoted as being the catalyst for maintenance strategy reviews and new improvement initiatives. He challenges leaders to align their organisations and develop a common strategy for operations, production and maintenance. Ron will review models for achieving reliability and manufacturing excellence that are patterned after some of the world’s best companies.

For information or to register click www.sirfrt.com.au. The Distinction Hotel website can be found on www.conferencerotorua.co.nz.

39

MAINTENANCE MATTERS

Aluminium gantry crane system for confined spaces

Inaugural Fleetcare Network Conference

AN innovative aluminium gantry crane system has arrived in New Zealand and is currently being put to work in all aspects of industrial and commercial applications across the country. Special regard has been paid to the versatility of these units particularly in areas where work space is confined or a temporary lifting device is needed to undertake servicing or maintenance work. Assembled in just five minutes, this lifting device offers benefits across a wide spectrum of industry including manufacturing, installation, servicing and maintenance. Five different models of these units are available from Stratalign Limited. These include the three options of the Collapsible series which fold down to allow them to be taken through doorways, up stairwells or even into lifts. Although Stratalign stock beam lengths starting at 2.230m, the lifting capacity is maintained right through to a beam length of 5.230m. Longer beams are available with a reduced lifting capacity. Many companies throughout New Zealand are now commenting on the quality, versatility and stability of these units.

“The gantry crane is a labour saving device that allows us to work single-handedly,” said one user. Other comments were, “we chose this unit for the fact it was rated and certified to be safe for the jobs we required it for” and “specifically liked the quick assembly, certified lift points, mobility, and the practicality of the units”. The gantry cranes have been put to the test in varying applications, from the dairying industry, cement production, pump and electric motor maintenance, fitting nib rollers to machines and paint production maintenance. While the moveable units have a lifting capacity of 1000kg, the collapsible units are rated to 1500kg and have a lifting height capacity of up to 4m. Many optional extras are available including spring loaded wheels for the collapsible units, transport carriers for improved relocation and storage and hand winches for raising and lowering the beam for the large units.

Resene Automotive & Light Industrial held their inaugural Fleetcareapproved Applicator Network Conference in Tauranga at the Classic Flyers Museum. Almost all the network members attended. Fleetcare is the commercial-vehicle arm of the Rali business and has been supplying commercial and industrial coatings to the industry for over ten years. The timing was right for a network conference to reaffirm the member’s commitment and formulate a participative network strategy for moving forward. The participants agreed that being part of something this positive and motivating was inspiring. They learnt from the guest speakers, exchanged ideas about how the network is going to take shape in the future, and talked with Toll National Fleet Manager, James Smith, about how to approach spec’d contracts, while owner driver Phillip Sims communicated his expectations as a customer and what he requires from an applicator and applicator network to ensure he keeps his vehicles moving freight. John Kilby, certified corrosion technologist, gave an educational insight into the ever present world of corrosion, and covered rust repairs and abrasive blasted steel work. From now on the participants might look at corrosion in a different way when quoting and discussing options with customers. The breakout sessions offered ample opportunities to discuss the current business climate, the Fleetcare Network and how to market a business in this ever changing environment. Ideas and actions flowed onto the board and the attendees came away with renewed enthusiasm for the industry, their business and the part they play in their Fleetcare Network.

• Go to www.demm.co.nz/enquiry quote: D111040

• Go to www.demm.co.nz/enquiry quote: D111040A

By Professionals.

For Professionals.

FLIR T-Series The exciting, new T620/ T640 moves to the top of its class in professional and expert level infrared cameras.

ISO No. FLIR20845

Taking image quality to a whole new level, the T620/T640 (640x480 IR pixels) provides the highest available infrared resolution.

Innovative features include Wi-Fi connectivity to iPhone/iPad. ◊ 4.3” LCD touch-screen and on screen report generation ◊ Highest image quality (640 pixels for IR and 5 MP for visual) For more details of MeterLiNK TM visit www.flir.com/meterlink or contact FLIR Systems.

◊ Built in colour viewfinder suitable for brightly lit environments ◊ Wi-Fi & Bluetooth ® connectivity

FLIR Systems Pty Ltd. 10 Business Park Drive, Notting Hill, Victoria 3168, Australia VIC: 03 9550 2800 NSW: 02 8853 7870 WA: 08 6263 4438 QLD: 07 3861 4862 SA: 08 8274 3747 Tel AU: 1300 729 987 NZ: 0800 785 492 Email: info@flir.com.au www.flir.com

40

October 2011

ISO No. FLIR20837

MAINTENANCE MATTERS

National Maintenance Engineering Conference to Feature in November

By Craig Carlyle

THE countdown is now on to the November 2011 National Maintenance Engineering Conference. Rotorua is primed and ready to showcase its local maintenance engineering expertise to a national audience just as keen to explore the best the region has to offer. The SKF Exhibition Centre will be bristling with the latest in technology and solutions to enthrall engineers for hours.

Attendance is ahead of schedule, a good indicator that maintenance engineers are keen to network and explore ways of lifting the engineering game in their own place of work. If you have not yet booked, Rotorua will be the place to be if you want to learn from your peers and experts about how to manage maintenance in the modern world or get up to speed with the latest regulations and requirements of people management. Engineers concerned about hot engineering topics such as the endemic of counterfeit engineering materials will value the opportunity to hear the details behind the story to take back to their own organisations.

Featuring an eclectic mix of expert and peer speakers, this year’s program is well worth the wait, satisfying the ethos of reality based maintenance management topics and the society aim of raising the bar of maintenance engineering in New Zealand inspiring attendees and arming them with the tools to take positive change back to their own workplace Conference papers will cover failure investigations, counterfeit bearings, ultrasonics, HR, tribology, earthquake engineering performance, variable speed drives, lean manufacturing, naval maintenance, chemical safety, a power station case study and computerised maintenance

management systems. For the latest update on sessions and times, click on the society website, www. mesnz.org.nz/nmec/ for details and registration forms.

Those that appreciate the networking opportunities that the legendary social night event presents will not be disappointed this year. The popular but cunning event organiser Judi Cranston is back and together with sponsor SGS, is promising yet another night of hilarity and instant legends.

So, for the cave dwellers, yes, you need to be there and, no, it’s not too late….if you hurry. The Hydac sponsored National Maintenance Engineering Conference is being held at The Distinction Hotel in Rotorua on November 9 and 10.

The event presents a popular format of thought provoking papers, while providing ample breakout opportunities for engineers and suppliers to explore solutions to their particular issues. The attendance fee of $680 + GST pp is the cheapest two day conference in the country. But that’s not all; second and subsequent attendees from your site can attend for only $400 + GST pp! A better bang for your buck will not be found anywhere else for such an inspiring and informative event.

Registration forms and background details can be found on the society website at www.mesnz.org.nz/nmec/ or you

can contact the Event Manager Leanne Powley direct on (09) 296 1333 info@adminoncall.co.nz or www.mesnz.org.nz.

This expectant group is preparing for the 2010 pre-conference field trip.

41

INDUSTRY WATCH

CleanFlow Systems sold to US company A high-tech pipe profiling company that grew from Massey University’s ecentre has confirmed a multi-million dollar deal with a technology company in the United States.

CleanFlow Systems, which designs and manufactures robotic devices that assess damage to underground pipes, has been acquired by RedZone Robotics, a leading US designer and manufacturer of robotic wastewater inspection technologies. CleanFlow Systems started at ecentre, the University’s business innovation centre on the Albany campus, and designs and manufactures devices, including the FlyEye profiler. This device travels down pipes taking photographs and 360-degree laser readings to pinpoint wall loss, cracks, holes and blockages.

The information it collects is analysed using a software programme to build a digital image showing the pipe’s exact condition. It can also be adapted for use in flooded pipes taking readings by sonar. It was recently used in Christchurch to help get the city’s water systems back up and running. RedZone Robotics was the only other company in the world that had a similar product to CleanFlow’s.

Trevor Logan, CEO of CleanFlow Systems, says both companies have a history of developing innovative products that help their clients

Trevor Logan shows stakeholders around the new research and development facility in Albany.

precisely measure and understand the condition of their underground sewer infrastructure.

“Independently each company is respected in the industry, but our combined solutions will enable us to be a truly global leader with the

ability to serve clients of every size, and across the globe,” he says. Mr Logan will join RedZone’s Board of Directors and the 12 employees, nine of whom are Massey University graduates, will continue product development.

LOOKING FOR NEW BUSINESS AND SALES ENQUIRIES? Contact Frank Atkinson Email / frank@adrenalin.co.nz DDI / (09) 477 0362

COMING FEATURES NOVEMBER ISSUE: • Food Processing • Stainless Steel Fabrication 42

October 2011

• Heat Treatment • CNC/CAD/CAM

INDUSTRY WATCH

New technology recycles cathode ray tubes from our old TVs ABILITIES Incorporated will install New Zealand’s first proven UN accredited technology to separate cathode ray tubes (CRTs) from TVs that will become obsolete with the change from analogue to digital in 2013.

The Glenfield-based organisation, which provides employment for people with disabilities at its processing and recycling plant, has received funding from the Government’s Waste Minimisation Fund to install hot band technology supplied by Sweden’s MRT Systems. The equipment will be installed and commissioned in early 2012.

Peter Fraher, Managing Director of Abilities welcomed the Hon Dr Nick Smith, Minister for the Environment and guests from industry, local and central government and explained the importance of this investment for the Auckland region: “The MRT hot band glass separator is proven technology recommended by the United Nations Environment Programme and we are delighted to bring this to New Zealand.” Peter Fraher said

that the equipment would effectively harvest CRTs into their component parts providing an economic and environmental solution for obsolete TVs. “There will be around 500,000 TVs rendered useless by the end of 2013 and this technology allows us to provide a local solution to recycling the glass from the screens and to safely deal with the lead content of CRTs which will be sent to a special processing plant in Europe.”

The project is budgeted to initially process 30,000 TVs per annum which if sent off shore for processing would require 30 forty-foot containers to ship them. “Instead we will divert 750 tonnes of glass from landfill, recycle 70% of it locally and safely process lead from the CRTs. This reduces the shipping requirement by 80% to six containers. I would like to thank the Government for its confidence in disability enterprises and its recognition of the enormous contribution which they make to our economy and to improving the environment,” said Peter Fraher.

SEW Eurodrive guarantee complete European quality manufacturing WE live in the day and age of crucial product manufacturing being sourced entirely from a ‘low-price’ standpoint, with many of the components in a highly technical product being of Indo/Chinese origin. It’s a fact of life, and the result is more and more becoming evident that products important to our manufacturing processes are simply not providing long-life trouble-free performance.

SEW Eurodrive (NZ) Ltd are proud to make the following total guarantee that SEW

products are completely comprised of totally European quality manufactured components.

This also includes all SEW electric motors.

Motor components from SEW’s Forbach plant and gear components from the SEW Haguenau plant, come together at the Graben plant for further manufacturing and for worldwide distribution. These parts, made from highest quality materials to stringent European standards, are held in stock in New Zealand ready for fast customised assembly

to individual customer requirements.

Exacting output speeds, torque and gearbox configurations are achieved quickly and efficiently at both SEW plants in Auckland and Christchurch. All SEW finished products are backed by 24/7-on-call service. SEW provide you with a global footprint represented in over 70 countries. A leaflet with full details of SEW’s guaranteed European manufacturing excellence can be sent to you by post or to your email. Contact sales@sew-eurodrive.co.nz.

SUBSCRIBE NOW! Don’t miss a single issue of New Zealand’s leading engineering and manufacturing magazine A one year (11 issue) subscription costs $59.00 (incl. GST).

Name: _________________________________________________________

Title: ______________________________________________________

Company: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Address: _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Phone: (

) ___________________________ No. of Employees: ___________

Email: ______________________________________________________

Post your subscription to: DEMM ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING magazine, Freepost 4359, PO Box 65-092, Mairangi Bay, Auckland.

I enclose my cheque/credit card details for $59.00 (incl. GST).

For overseas rates please contact us.

Card type: Bankcard

Amex

Mastercard

Visa

Diners

Name on card: ________________________________________________

Card No.: ______________________________________________________

Expiry date: _________________________________________________

Signature: _____________________________________________________

43

INDUSTRY WATCH in association with

TelstraClear Pacific NZ Clean Energy Expo 12-16 October, 2011 NZ Clean Energy Centre, Taupo The showcase of clean energy technology includes: NZ Geothermal Association Seminar, Energising Geothermal workshop, Energising Biomaterials workshop and Public Expo.

More information Rob McEwen on 021 728 875 or or visit www.cleanenergyexpo.co.nz.

NZ Food Innovation Showcase 16-18 October, 2011 Viaduct Events Centre, Auckland New Zealand’s food science, processing, packaging, safety, and innovation expertise will be on display to industry professionals and the public.

For further information: vanessa@ nzfoodinnovationshowcase.co.nz or 09 976 8378

Water New Zealand Annual Conference & Expo 9-11 November, 2011 Rotorua Energy Events Centre The annual conference provides the water industry with a forum for discussion of the latest technologies, issues and debates, and much more. For more information visit www. waternz.org.nz.

18th International Corrosion Congress 20-24 November, 2011 Perth Convention Exhibition Centre, Australia The congress provides the latest information about corrosion and its mitigation.

Go to www.18iccperth2011.com to find out more.

Dairy Innovation Summit 28-29 November, 2011 Crowne Plaza, Auckland The theme of this year’s summit is “staying competitive in the functional dairy arena”.

Visit www.conferenz.co.nz for more information.

Pacific 2012 International Maritime Conference 31 January-2 February, 2012 Sydney Convention & Exhibition Centre, Darling Harbour, Australia The conference provides an opportunity to discuss the latest developments in design, naval architecture, engineering, science and technology.

Visit www.pacific2012imc.com for details.

www.pacific.org.nz

Read an article in this magazine and want to know more?

It's simple, fill out the form and fax it in to 09 478 4779 or mail it to: DEMM ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING reader enquiry, Freepost 4359, PO Box 65 092 Mairangi Bay, Auckland City 0754, Auckland, or for quicker results go to

www.demm.co.nz/enquiry or email frank@adrenalin.co.nz Reader reply form Reader enquiry number:________________________________________________________ Name:_____________________________________________________________________ Your business name:__________________________________________________________ Position:___________________________________________________________________ Phone numbers:______________________________________________________________ Email:_____________________________________________________________________ Postal ______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________

44

October 2011

Thermal fence wins award

Peter De Ieso, Flir CVS Distribution Manager receives Best New Product award from Kobe Johns, ASIAL Exhibition Manager and sponsor Brad Howarth from Verint Systems.

A virtual perimeter-fence alert system using thermal imaging cameras has taken out the Best New Product award at Security2011 – Australia’s largest security conference and exhibition. The winning nomination, Flir Systems thermal fence, is a fully integrated virtual perimeter alert system which uses thermal security cameras for simultaneous threat detection and assessment. The combination of Flir’s thermal security cameras and the Flir Sensors Manager (FSM) software provides automated perimeter approach surveillance, intrusion detection and alert capabilities for every perimeter security application including critical infrastructure, petro-chemical facilities, nuclear facilities, commercial campuses and residential installations.

In its simplest form, a thermal fence could be a single thermal security camera and a box of Sensor Manager software. With these simple components, users can establish a virtual perimeter, create customized alarms and tripwires to alert you instantly to potential intrusions. The system can become more complex by integrating more thermal cameras, CCTV cameras, and non-video alarm sensors like shaker fences and RFIDs on an existing IP network for a seamless, layered perimeter defence system. Less expensive than installing a new physical barrier and less intrusive than an expensive lighting infrastructure, the thermal fence allows security professionals to: • Boost their alarm detection and assessment capabilities along existing physical fence lines • Establish a virtual perimeter in areas that cannot be fenced due to economic, environmental, or logistical restrictions • Bolster the security of critical zones within existing secured perimeters by creating exclusion zones and establishing concentric rings of increasingly stringent security coverage.

2011

ENGINEERS, MAINTENANCE MANAGERS, TRADESMEN, LINE MANAGERS, ASSET MANAGERS

Twenty eleven Lifting the Game of Maintenance Engineers in New Zealand Presentations from peers and experts on Lifting YOUR Game in Maintenance Management; Preventative Maintenance, Staff Management, Health and Safety Management, Training, Apprentices, as well as Technical innovations, practical applications and case studies.

Trade Expo representing: engineering suppliers, careers and employment, hydraulics, pneumatics, electrical, bearings, software, preventative maintenance, condition monitoring, electric motors.

November 9/10

@ The Distinction Hotel, Rotorua PRICE: $680 + gst pp (accommodation not included) Bring extra colleagues for ONLY $400+gst pp

FREE PUBLIC ENTRY TO TRADE EXPO: Tuesday 8 November EXHIBITORS: participation from only from $550+GST (small business table top)

Contact Leanne Powley - Admin on Call P: 09 296 1333 | M: 021 134 6315 E: info@adminoncall.co.nz Proudly Supporting MESNZ

WORLD CUP DEALS PUNCH & SHEAR MACHINES IW-45MQ

MADE IN

TAIWAN

• • • • • •

AVAILABLE IN SINGLE PHASE

45T punch pressure 5HP, 415V motor (P170) 3HP, 240V motor (P170A) Punch capacity ø22 x 15mm Flat bar shearing 350 x 8mm Angle shearing 80 x 80 x 8mm

$8,550 (P170/A)

IW-45K

IW-50A

• • • • •

• • • • •

45T punch pressure 5HP 415V motor Punch capacity ø22 x 15mm Flat bar shearing 300 x 10mm Angle shearing 75 x 75 x 6mm

$9,700 (P171)

50T punch pressure 5HP 415V motor Punch capacity ø20 x 18mm Flat bar shearing 300 x 12mm Angle shearing 100 x 100 x 10mm

11,500 (P172)

$

IW-60H

BONUS

• 60T punch pressure • 7.5HP 415V motor • Punch capacity ø28 x 15mm • Flat bar shearing 350 x 15mm • Angle shearing 100 x 100 x 13mm

10 x Round Punch & Dies Sets 6 - 26mm

with any Sunrise Machine in this Advert.

2 YEAR WARRANTY

12,600 (P173)

$

IW-80S

IW-60S • 60T punch pressure • 7.5HP 415V motor • Punch capacity ø22 x 20mm • Flat bar shearing 350 x 15mm • Angle shearing 130 x 130 x 13mm

18,200 (P174)

$

IW-100S

• 80T punch pressure • 10HP 415V motor • Punch capacity ø26 x 22mm • Flat bar shearing 460 x 15mm • Angle shearing 152 x 152 x 13mm

HYDRAULIC PLATE CLAMP

• 100T punch pressure • 10HP 415V motor • Punch capacity ø28 x 26mm • Flat bar shearing 610 x 16mm • Angle shearing 152 x 152 x 15mm

20,500 (P175)

$

$26,500 (P176H)

LA

O

TH

B

ME N

$34,950 (P177H)

HYDRAULIC PLATE CLAMP

CK

S

CO

IW-125S • 125T punch pressure • 15HP 415V motor • Punch capacity ø33 x 27mm • Flat bar shearing 610 x 18mm • Angle shearing 152 x 152 x 18mm

L L E A Unit D/38 Highbrook Dr, East Tamaki Ph: (09) 2717 234

www.machineryhouse.co.nz Specifications & Prices are subject to change without notification. All prices exclude GST and valid until 31-10-11

10_DEMM_011011