BULK HANDLING TODAY
February 2012
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BULK HANDLING TODAY
February 2012
February 2012
Contents
Featured on the cover: BMG – Bearing Man Group, Tel: (031) 576-6221 Email: veroniqueb@bmgworld.net www.bmgworld.net
CMA 4
From the Chairman’s Desk
31 Largest Monoblock Press
Training
Cover Story
6 Living up to its promise
33 Career Path Development for the Safety Professional
Heavy Haul Operations
36 Market Forum
9 Serious Consideration
Endorsing Bodies
Earth Moving and Plant Hire
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CMA (Conveyor Manufacturers Association)
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LEEASA (Lifting Equipment Engineering Association of South Africa)
16 Longest Conveyor in Africa
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RFA (Road Freight Association)
Lifting
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SAIMechE (SA Institute of Mechanical Engineering)
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SAIMH (SA Institute of Materials Handling)
11 Joining Forces 13 Never Tired of trying
Conveying
23 Plug and Play Cranes 27 Two Jackup Vessels 29 Roping in new Bussiness
Copyright
All rights reserved. No editorial matter published in “Bulk Handling Today” may be reproduced in any form or language without written permission of the publishers. While every effort is made to ensure accurate reproduction, the editor, authors, publishers and their employees or agents shall not be responsible or in any way liable for any errors, omissions or inaccuracies in the publication, whether arising from negligence or otherwise or for any consequences arising therefrom. The inclusion or exclusion of any product does not mean that the publisher or editorial board advocates or rejects its use either generally or in any particular field or fields.
Our e-mail address is bulkhandling@promech.co.za Visit our website on www.promech.co.za
The monthly circulation is 4 016 Proprietor and Publisher: PROMECH PUBLISHING Tel: (011) 781-1401 Fax: (011) 781-1403 E-mail: bulkhandling@promech.co.za Website: www.promech.co.za Managing Editor: Susan Custers Editor: Kowie Hamman
BULK HANDLING TODAY
Advertising Sales: Surita Marx DTP: Zinobia Docrat and Donovan Vadivalu Printed by: Typo Colour Printing Tel: (011) 402-3468
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CMA Members List as at February 2012
All members subscribe to the CMA Code of Ethics ABB Industry Actom Afripp Projects Atlanta Manufacturing Bateman Engineered Technologies Bauer Bearings International Belt Reco BMG Bonfiglioli Power Transmissions Bosworth Brelko Conveyor Products CMG Electric Motors Conveyor Watch CPI Technologies CPM Engineering CT Systems David Brown Gear Industries Delras Engineering DRA Mineral Projects DRA Mining (Pty) Ltd Dunlop Belting Products Dymot Engineering Company ELB Engineering Services Facet Engineering Fenner Conveyor Belting (South Africa) Flexible Steel Lacing SA FLSmidth Roymec Hägglunds Drives South Africa Hansen Transmissions SA Hatch Africa Horne Hydraulics Hosch - Fördertechnik (SA) International Belting & Marketing Iptron Technology Joy Global (South Africa) Lesa Mining Equipment and Conveyor Belt Lorbrand M & J Engineering Martin Engineering Melco Conveyor Equipment Moret Mining MS Conveyor Pulleys SA Nepean Conveyors OE Bearings Oriental Rubber Industries SA Osborn Engineered Products PH Projects Holdings Protea Conveyors Read Swatman & Voigt Rema Tip Top South Africa Renold Crofts RSV ENCO Consulting Rula Bulk Materials Handling Sandvik Materials Handling SA Schaeffler South Africa Senet SET Agencies SEW Eurodrive Shaft Engineering Shaw Almex Africa SKF South Africa ThyssenKrupp Materials Handling Transmission Components Transvaal Rubber Company Unitek Engineers Veyance Technologies Africa Voith Turbo Zest Electric Motors
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February 2012
SAIMH
Another Successful Event The second SAIMH joint forum held on 10 November was another great gathering with 25 member attendance with three new members joining. Following on the strategy of attempting to get international speakers to present bulk material solutions focused technologies, Aby Schneider from Thor Canada was the guest speaker.
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he presentation featured an overview of telescopic stacking equipment that could be used in a number of applications from stockyards to ship loading for multiple commodities, from mining to agriculture to port. The next meeting, will be an AGM meeting which is scheduled for the 29th of February 2012 at the ERPM Golf Club with local speaker, Simon Curry from Bateman, who will be presenting an update on pulleys with internal bearings as a follow on to his presentation at the recent Beltcon conference. On other Institute matters, the website is receiving attention with regards to it being updated to a fresher and more navigable look and feel.
As education of the industry is a major objective of both the CMA and the SAIMH, an initiative is being undertaken to review the current educational material currently on offer by both institutions with an objective of standardising the offering and looking at a bridging formulae for both organisations. As such, this initiative will look at moving towards an E-Learning platform which is currently under review with an objective of launching this in Q1 of 2012 alongside the launch of the new website.
SAIMH Members Bateman Engineered Technologies Bearings International (Pty) Ltd Brelko Conveyor Products (Pty) Ltd CPM Engineering CT Systems cc Conveyor Watch (Pty) Ltd David Brown Gear Industries (Pty) Ltd Deebar Mining & Industrial Supplies East Rand Engineering Services ELB Engineering Services (Pty)Ltd Engicon Systems (Pty) Ltd Facet Engineering cc Goba Consulting Engineers Group Line Projects (Pty) Ltd Hagglunds Drives SA (Pty) Ltd Illustech Ketapele Flexible Manufacturing cc Macsteel VRN Martin Engineering Melco Conveyor Equipment Morris Materials Handling SA (Pty) Ltd Osborn Engineered Products (Pty) Ltd PD Engineering Services cc PDNA M&I (Pty) Ltd PH Projects Holdings (Pty) Ltd Quadrant PHS Renold Crofts (Pty) Ltd Sandvik Materials Hanlding Africa Screw Conveyors & Material Handling Senet SEW Eurodrive Shatterprufe a Div. of PG Group Pty Ltd Spar Western Cape Super Dock Systems Unitek Engineering Zest Electric Motors (Pty) Ltd As this initiative will require extensive support from the industry, we welcome any form of support from review of current material, providing additional and new material to sitting on the special task teams that will be created to drive this process. Lastly, the SAIMH gladly welcomes any additional support on council matters and should you wish to join the institute or sponsor a presentation, please contact saimh@global.co.za . Tony Pinto 079 890 3599, Adi Frittella: 082 458 3711 Roy Barbour: 083 862 3492, Melanie van Straaten: 011 772 1570, Email to: saimh@global.co.za
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COVER STORY
Living Up To its Promises When the Bearing Man Group launched its re-brand programme nearly four years ago, the BMG team identified important goals to effectively develop and fulfil strategic objectives.
PVC, PU, transmission and rubber belting, rollers and idlers, as well as a complete range of modular belting, heat exchangers and oscillating systems.
Conveyor structures
What sets BMG aside in a highly competitive market is its ability to supply all components necessary for conveyor structures. These products include belting, drives, bearings, couplings and motors. Each sub department of these engineering hubs, including belting, technical solutions, drives and electric motors, as well as electronics, make a valuable contribution to the bulk materials handling market segment.
Belting
A
large part of BMG’s success has been the establishment of an engineering focused division. Seven specialist engineering hubs, which are assembly and support operations, offer a combined technical expertise and value-added product solution, to enhance BMG’s service in carefully, identified regions throughout the country. Through these engineering hubs, BMG assists companies faced with a lack of engineering expertise, expensive machinery repairs and extended downtime periods. BMG has taken important steps to enhance efficiencies by merging its various engineering businesses into one division, under which these hubs now operate. Services include the supply, installation and repair of gearboxes, electric motors,
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The belting department has a vast stock holding of rubber conveyor belting which is manufactured in accordance to SANS 1173. The range also includes elevator components and specialised belting, solid woven PVC belting, screen panels, SureGuide belt tracking units and conveyor idlers. The belting division also offers conveyor pulleys which are manufactured in accordance to SANS 1669-1 specifications. Niche products include straight warp conveyor belting, screen panels and Megaroller idlers. BeltFast Super Screw, a leak proof flexible lacing with self tapping screws are also available. The versatile straight warp belt, which is manufactured with a single or two ply construction, has superior impact, rip and tear resistance. As there are fewer plies, the result is a 10 – 20% lighter belt. This thinner belt means manufactured rolls can be longer than standard multi ply rolls,
thus reducing the number of splices required over a longer belt length.
Screen panels
The design of BMG’s screen panels, with a two layer 6 mm spring steel frame allowing for a 600g weight saving, also provides an increased open area and therefore a higher screening yield per hour. Although rubber and polyurethane screens are available, rubber screen apertures have advantages over polyurethane, especially in a dry impact environment. Benefits include a reduced blinding effect common in small aperture screens and extended service life. Pin sleeve fixing is compatible with other screen panels on the market and various surface features are available to assist with screening, for example, l-shapes, flow restrictors and deflectors.
Idlers
Megaroller idlers, which are resistant to abrasive product and wear, have advanced fire retardant properties and a low coefficient of friction, which are important factors in underground mining. Other critical feature include less turning resistance, which means saving energy on start-up and reduced noise levels. High quality plastic components mean these idlers can absorb a higher impact force from conveyed material. Bearing life is increased with the use of high quality grease, a specially designed shock resistant bearing housing and a highly effective non-breathing sealing arrangement. The bearing housing and roller face are permanently fixed together by way of a heat fusion process to prevent the bearing housing from dislocating from the outer shell under heavy loads.
Fasteners
BeltFast Super Screw a leak proof flexible lacing
with self tapping screws are easy to install and no special tooling or skill is required. This reduces downtime because it is no longer necessary to wait for external splicing teams to get to site, do the prep work and wait for the splice to cure. Features of this flexible fastener range include small pulley diameters; the flexibility of the fastener reduces stress on the join area which is countersunk into the rubber cover. Strength tests show that this splice, with tension members in it, is stronger than a conventional hot splice and equally as strong as the belt its self if selected correctly. Various options are available - abrasion resistant, anti-magnetic, temperature resistant and oil resistant. BMG’s engineering hubs, which are supported by technically competent teams available 24 hours a day, are situated in Durban, Richards Bay, East London, Port Elizabeth, Cape Town, Johannesburg and Nelspruit. Veronique Bezuidenhout, BMG – Bearing Man Group, Tel: (031) 576-6221, Email: veroniqueb@bmgworld.net, www.bmgworld.net
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HEAVY HAUL OPERATIONS
Serious Consideration are now under serious consideration. Credit Suisse recently reported their count of Indian coal-fired power projects at 86; with 29 already under construction and another 28 at the development stage awaiting government approval. Not surprisingly, the Indian power industry will be heavily reliant on imported coal for decades to come while, at the same time, India's steel industry – another big consumer of metallurgical coal – is forecast to triple its output within a decade. The numbers are equally as large when acquisition turns to development. For example, Adani have flagged in their recent Terms of Reference that the Carmichael Coal Mine Project will cost AU$10billion and produce up to 60mtpa (million tonnes per annum) from open-cut and underground mining.
What are key ways to improve heavy-haul operations?
Something which we as an industry have typically taken as a foundation element of rail development, ie, Railway Master Planning, seems to have been overlooked in the current drive to get more to market. In the past, railways were typically developed as part of a larger overall network solution. Now, each individual railway sees itself as a stand-alone, servicing one mine to one port, for the commercial term of that mine or port. Railway Master Planning contemplates a broader commercial and operational solution to rail development, hence:
• Assessing the base traffic requirements - the
“Freight Task” - how much of what, from where to where;
• Determining future requirements for rail traffic - what else, who else, and when;
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K
en Devencorn, Aurecon’s Technical Director, Resources & Manufacturing Services, talks about key attributes and innovations that drive efficient planning and development of remote heavy-haul rail operations.
In the second wave of a resources boom, what do you think are the most challenging aspects of heavy haul operations?
I believe one of the greatest challenges to heavy-haul rail will be keeping pace with demand. As demand increases from India and China for coal to feed their rapidly growing energy needs, what until recently might have been considered “marginal” reserves
Evaluating the capacity of the existing rail system or infrastructure, or the capacity for the proposed new system to meet capacity demand;
• Evaluating
and unlocking the rolling stock, infrastructure and operational constraints to capacity growth;
• Assessment
of alternative capital investment options, or staging options to deliver overall system financial viability;
• Static and Dynamic Modelling of the system to prove logistics chain viability, and;
• Capex and opex evaluation to provide a “whole of life” costing on elements such as fuel burn, train crew costs and capital reinvestment.
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How does Rail Operational Modelling serve as a foundation to infrastructure development?
Rail Operational Modelling can provide the asset owner or developer with a clear understanding of the issues to be considered and managed – long before the intensive process of infrastructure design is commissioned. Complex processes can be modelled and assessed. Simulation can also provide valuable insight into a refined design solution – where a mature design solution can be “stress tested” under a variety of scenarios. We typically model risk and then simulate the mitigation strategy so as to “proof” the Risk Assessment. The reliability of any modelling is, of course, dependent on each of the quality of the inputs, the integrity of the model, as well as the skills of those interpreting the results. For this reason, we hold that Rail Operational Modelling should be undertaken by a team which both understands the operational and infrastructure characteristics and limitations of the railway. Our experience has shown that nothing should be taken for granted – everything should be assessed and modelled before committing to the significant investment of an infrastructure solution. Modelling the capital and operating cost implications of different scenarios is imperative when developing new rail infrastructure and operations. Very often, what should occur doesn’t; and common-sense is displaced by “expediency”.
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the railway. The reliability of any modelling is, of course, dependent on each of the quality of the inputs, the integrity of the model, as well as the skills of those interpreting the results. For this reason, understanding the rolling stock and infrastructure characteristics and limitations of the railway are key to successful Rail Performance Modelling.
What can we learn from global best practice? Benchmarking is what railways do well.
The industry has shown a strong interest in comparing operations, costs, cycle times, and efficiency across railways all over the world. As specialist technical consultants we are constantly prompted by clients to explain why particular railways are able to deliver their product for $X per tonne. However every railway is different. It is often very difficult to compare elements of each even within the same freight task. An iron ore railway in South America might be a similar haul distance to one in South Africa, but that’s as far as the similarities go. For example, the specific operational complexities of a coal rail network in Australia are very different from that of a “similar” coal rail operation in Nigeria. Aurecon discovered this recently when we were contracted to investigate restarting a coal railway in that country. The environmental and operating conditions are so different in so many ways that any comparison becomes irrelevant.
What can a good operational performance model provide?
Everything - operations is what railways are all about.
I suggest that the best we can hope to learn from global best practice is how others have solved their problems – and perhaps try and see a similarity in the problems we face.
Having the best rolling stock and infrastructure counts for little, if you can’t make it work efficiently. Performance modelling can indicate important issues that have the capacity to negatively impact
Jody Boshoff T +27 12 427 2066 F +27 86 606 0671 M +27 83 275 2526 E Jody.Boshoff@aurecongroup.com
BULK HANDLING TODAY
February 2012
EARTHMOVING AND PLANT HIRE
Joining Forces Having started life providing equipment to the sugar industry in KwaZulu Natal, this local company is today recognised as one of the foremost international leaders in the manufacture of earthmoving equipment.
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he name is synonymous with articulated dump trucks, front-end wheel loaders, TLBs and articulated tractors as well as graders, excavators and dozers.
New alliances
The latest notch in Bell Equipment’s belt is an alliance with Liebherr in Germany to extend their excavator offering to a much wider range of models than just those from Kato in Japan. To find out more, “Bulk Handling Today” speaks to Terry Gillham, director of sales & marketing, at the company’s offices in Jetpark near Johannesburg. “For many years we’ve been strategically working towards offering a one-stop shop for equipment solutions,” Terry adds. “Having Liebherr as a partner, is another piece of the puzzle. While our previous range of excavators performed exceptionally well, Liebherr’s purpose-built excavators match our large ADT offering for mining and large construction projects. This partnership now provides us with nine models ranging from 20 tonne to 85 tonne.
Other partners
“The reason we’ve been able to collaborate so well with alliance partners like John Deere for over 12 years, and Bomag, a leader in compaction equipment, is because we are all like-minded businesses with the same family values.” Terry says, “And Liebherr will be no different.” Each of these partnerships brings benefits to South
Africa in particular and Africa in general. “Having cemented our partnership with Bomag three years ago, we’re very excited about the latest range of intelligent machines which we believe will help to bring the road building industry in South Africa up to international standards.” The range includes light compaction equipment right through to ‘intelligent’soil and asphalt compaction machines as well as the latest in road-recycling and asphalt paving machinery. Says general manager of Bomag marketing at Bell, Izak van Niekerk, “They have unique patented technologies aimed mainly at taking the guesswork, usually associated with compaction, out of the equation”.
Will help to bring the road building industry in South Africa up to international standards Machine intelligence “The VarioControl or Asphalt Manager machine can sense the stiffness, which relates to the density of the soil or asphalt as compaction takes place,” explains Izak. “It automatically adjusts the amount of effort the machine exerts into the material to arrive at a uniformly compacted layer, a highly critical factor. On BULK HANDLING TODAY
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EARTH MOVING AND PLANT HIRE
conventional machines this is usually done much less scientifically with the onus lying on the operator to select the amount of compaction effort exerted by the machine. This not only wastes time, but results in many road base and surface failures due to insufficient or over-compaction.” The technology goes a step further in that compaction
We’re actively involved in trials to introduce this technology to all the players in the road construction industry in South Africa data is combined with GPS data of the exact location in order to produce real-time reports of the work carried out. “This historical record aims to eliminate the need for the spot tests which normally have to be done to create records of work undertaken and further provide results of the complete project,” says Izak. “Right now we’re actively involved in trials to introduce this technology to all the players in the road construction industry in South Africa.”
Road rehabilitation
The other new technology being introduced into South Africa by Bell is Bomag’s latest in foam bitumen road rehabilitation machinery. “About 80% of South Africa’s 160 000 km of
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surfaced roads has reached or has surpassed its life span,” explains Izak. “Much of this massive backlog requires more than normal surface dressing or maintenance and has to be completely rehabilitated.” Conventional road rehabilitation means ripping up the old road completely and rebuilding it from scratch. “This is a very expensive route to go, especially as much of the old surface material is spoiled,” says Izak. “With our machines, operators literally do in situ recycling, pulverising and using the old surface material.” In terms of yellow machinery, the South African market has become flooded over the last few years with competitors each vying for a slice of the cake, making it difficult for contractors to resist buying the cheapest thing on the block. “The influx of ‘unknown’ brands makes it appear very tempting,” Terry says in a conclusion. “The main consideration, however, should be to think about the second-hand value of the machine you’re buying. How much will you get for it when you sell it or trade it in on a new machine after a couple of years?” Terry Gillham or Izak van Niekerk, Bell Equipment, Tel: (011) 928-9700, Emails: terryg@bell.co.za or izakv@bell.co.za, Website: www.bellequipment.com
EARTHMOVING AND PLANT HIRE
Never Tired of Trying Father and son, Claude and Chedwyn Pretorius
Getting ahead in business sometimes means trying different things and taking opportunities that come your way when they do come.
become familiar with these machines, Claude has seen another opportunity and recently opened new doors in the equipment rental business. “One thing leads to another and all you need to do is look for the right opportunity,” he adds. Pride Gates and Awnings currently has its main attention focussed on providing construction, civils and landscaping services to the private sector as well as major municipalities around the country.
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n inspirational example of a person who has done just that, is Claude Pretorius, owner of Pride Awnings and Gates. He has run his successful operation since 1990 when he started manufacturing gates and awnings for the housing and industrial markets.
Growth in these sectors has been such that it is currently awaiting confirmation of its 5CE (civil engineering) and 5SH (landscaping) grades from the Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB). The company’s work is already well known by many in the Johannesburg area where recent projects included World Cup projects like the R24 corridor from Johannesburg to OR Tambo International Airport that transformed the dull industrial landscape into a vibrant gateway for visiting tourists complete with different countries’ flags, lights and colourful parkways.
Going to Xtremes
“The challenges are to build the ablutions in the parks of different communities that boasts multi-
Being an opportunist Claude has steadily steered the company into new ventures to capitalise on opportunities as they arose. Since then the business has steadily branched out into different, but related, operations including building, civils, steel construction and landscaping. “Each time we ventured into a new field it opened new opportunities and this has kept the business going through good times and bad,” says Claude.
Success to success
His most recent ventures have been into landscaping of parks and recreation areas which requires investment in earthmoving machines and equipment. Again, having
R24 corridor
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EARTHMOVING AND PLANT HIRE
purpose courts, splash pools, mini soccer fields and amphitheatres, as well as a big screen TV. With the help of workers from various municipal departments and the community, Claude’s team pulled it all together and provided the equipment and know-how to successfully make it happen. Construction project underway
Landscaping the future
This was one of the more noticeable c o n t r a c t s u n d e r t a ke n f o r E k u r h u l e n i Municipality. The multi-million Rand project included landscaping, tree planting and flowerbed preparation as well as making flagpoles and installing them along the entire length of the highway. This might have been the most noticeable World Cup project undertaken by Pride Awnings and Gates, but by no means the only one. At the same time the company was involved in the construction of many ablution and community recreation facilities for Johannesburg City Parks. In 2008 the company was given the go ahead by Johannesburg City Parks to build the ablution block for the community of Diepkloof Extreme Park in Soweto. This was no ordinary park and Claude, his team and other contractors had to pull out all the stops to complete it to specification.
Cat skid steer
In fact, so successful was Diepkloof Extreme Park that in November 2008 it won a gold medal at the Liveable Communities Awards (LivCom) in China. Johannesburg City Parks transformed a run-down open piece of land into one of the most beautiful and useable parks in the whole of Johannesburg with children and adults from the surrounding areas making use of it on a daily basis. “It is satisfying to complete high-profile projects like this for the community, but behind the scenes there is a lot of pressure to get the job done right, on time and within the budget allocated,” Claude adds.
Keeps growing
Through landscaping and construction projects like these Claude has grown the business from its humble beginnings to the point where it is currently involved in projects around the country. It employs 80 qualified full-time employees and an average of 100 casual employees sourced mainly from communities where work is being carried out. Before the large-scale projects done in 2010, Pride Awnings and Gates rented its earthmoving equipment, but with the increasing scope of the business Claude saw an opportunity to expand and buy his own fleet of machines. Having had experience of operating many types of machines he decided to buy machines and chose to stick to the one brand that he trusted above all other – Caterpillar. All arrangements were made and having looked at current and future needs together with the sales professional from Barloworld Equipment he decided to buy a reconditioned Cat 424D backhoe loader.
Equipment hire
“The Cat machine proved its reliability and worth to my business and I decided to buy another four brand new Cat 428E 4 x 4 backhoes as well as
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Cat Backhoe loader
Ablution construction in one of the parks finished by Pride Awnings and Gates
Pouring a slab
currently studying but helps out in the business during holidays. “I think the fact that the business is family run makes it more comfortable when trying new things because you know you have the full buyin and support of the people who are the most important to you. But, all our employees are like family anyway so we all feel blessed and happy to keep going and keep trying to be the best,” concludes Claude. Pride Awnings and Gates, Claude Pretorius, Tel: (011) 493 0222 Fax: (011) 499 1494 Email: sharlenepretorius@yahoo.com
a Cat 216 skidsteer (with auger and angle blade work tool) as well as a hammer work tool for rock breaking and demolitions. “I had an idea that there are many contractors out there, much the same as myself before I bought my own machines, who would rather hire machines as required than buy them outright. I started the rental business and chose Cat because you can’t hire-out unreliable machines, a broken machine does not earn you money,” he points out. While some of his machines work on his current projects the others are available for hire. Already the company has a loyal client base and as long-term contracts arise, so his entrepreneurial spirit begins to kick-in and draw up plans to buy the next machine and go bigger and better still.
Future challenges
As for the future it is difficult to pin Claude down on what his plans may be. For the time being, he says, it is mainly to keep growing the business and to concentrate on providing the best possible service to his new equipment rental customers. He has big plans in this regard and has his eye set on expanding his fleet, this year, to include motor graders and excavators – so watch this space. Where he gets his inspiration to try new things from nobody knows, but one of the most important factors is that he has the close support of his family. Being a family run business he constantly relies on input from his wife Sharlene and son Chedwyn who is BULK HANDLING TODAY
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BELTCON
Longest Conveyor in Africa Coal from Zibulo Colliery is processed at the Phola Processing Plant, an Anglo Coal and BHP Billiton joint venture operation. Zibulo Colliery is connected to the Phola Processing Plant by means of the Zibulo Overland Conveyor. At Zibulo Colliery, coal is brought to surface by Incline Conveyor CV001 and discharged into a 6 000 t buffer silo. From the buffer silo, coal is fed into a crushing and screening circuit by a second conveyor, CV002. The material is then accelerated to a predetermined speed with an acceleration conveyor, CV003, and transferred to the Zibulo Overland Conveyor, CV004. This configuration allows the Zibulo Overland Conveyor to operate at optimal efficiency conveying coal to the Phola Processing Plant almost 16 km away.
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he Zibulo Overland Conveyor is the longest single flight overland conveyor on the African continent. It is also one of the longest single flight overland conveyors in the world. It features three horizontal curves as well as several convex and concave vertical curves. The high vertical lift (176 m) of CV001 combined with the extremely long length of CV004 (15.9 km) necessitated a comprehensive static and dynamic analysis of the entire system. Static analysis predicts steady-state running belt tension and power consumption for all material loading conditions and also accounts for temperature influences. Dynamic analysis determines belt tensions and power demand during the transient conditions of operating the conveyor, such as starting and stopping. This is used to simulate all motor and brake (or capstan) control functions and integrates their independent control methods with the elastic response of the system, the main objective being to develop control strategies and dynamic tuning methods to limit shockwave forces and belt line displacement to acceptable levels using drive inertia tuning and other methods. Dynamic analysis utilises a two dimensional wave theory to study time dependant transmission of large local force and displacement disturbances
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along the belt. The belt is mathematically modelled as a series of elastic springs and masses that deform along the belt’s axis. Rheological laws determine the joints between the springs. Damaging shock waves and large local belt displacement, which cannot be determined through static body analysis, can be resolved. The Zibulo belt conveyors were analysed for a variety of probable load cases and ambient conditions. A number of friction conditions and seasonal temperature variations were considered to ensure an energy efficient and cost effective design. The dynamic analysis was conducted by Prof.dr.ir.G. Lodewijks. Conveyor Experts B.V. (through CKIT). Material Coal Bulk Density 850 kg/m3 Nominal Capacity 1 750 t/h Length 15.9 km Lift -16.9 m Belt Width 1200 mm Belt Fill 76% Belt Speed 4.71 m/s Power (Absorbed) 2 286 kW
Starting control. Dynamic Analysis - Load Cases For the simulation of the conveyor the following loading scenarios were considered : Fully loaded Inclines loaded Declines loaded Empty belt Various ambient conditions
Operational conditions
Dual Drive Configuration 2 x Head, 1 x Tail
The operational conditions determined the type of analysis used. For normal running conditions, a static analysis sufficed, while dynamic analysis was necessary for all other operational conditions.
Horizontal Curve 1
5 000 m radius
Operational Condition
Horizontal Curve 2
5 000 m radius
Normal running Static Analysis
Horizontal Curve 3
6 000 m radius
Normal stop
Power (Installed) 3 000 kW Drives 6 x 500 kW
Belt Class
ST 2500
Type of Analysis
Dynamic Analysis
Emergency stop Dynamic Analysis
Table 1. Specifications
Operational controlled start
Design - One or two?
Aborted start then emergency stop Dynamic Analysis
The original design called for two parallel conveyors over the length of the system. This was proposed to ensure optimum availability, as the system only has a buffer capacity of 6 000 t. The high availability and good reliability of overland conveyors eventually convinced the client to install only one overland conveyor.
Dynamic analysis The dynamic analysis was conducted to simulate all motor and brake or capstan starting and stopping control functions and integrate their independent control methods with the belt’s elastic response. It also assisted in developing control strategies and dynamic tuning methods to limit shock wave forces and belt line displacements to acceptable levels using drive inertia tuning and other methods. Finally, it was used to analyse and control the cause and effect resulting from operation scenarios such as drive and brake malfunctions. A dynamic analysis was conducted on the following items: Belt (including checking of the vertical and horizontal curve arrangements) Drive assembly Holdbacks Take-up system Idler spacing and sizes Pulley arrangements and sizes Conveyor inertia Stopping control
DynamicAnalysis
Table 2. Types of Analysis
Dynamic analysis - Belt
During steady-state operation of a fully loaded belt, such as normal running, the maximum belt tension varies between 227 kN and 507 kN. This allows for a safety factor of between 13.2 and 5.9 for the different scenarios. The recommendation was to adhere to a safety factor of at least 5.0 for steady-state; the design was thus well within limits. For non-steady-state operation of a fully loaded belt, such as starting and stopping, the maximum belt tension varies between 285 kN and 596 kN. This allows for a safety factor of between 10.5 and 5.0. The recommendation was to adhere to a safety factor of at least 4.5 for non-steady-state conditions; the design was thus well within limits. The selected belt class of ST2500 was therefore acceptable. The conveyor has multiple vertical, convex and concave curves. The minimum radii for vertical curves used in the conveyor are 3 000 metres in a combined vertical/horizontal curve and 2 000 metres in a vertical curve in a horizontally straight conveyor section. These radii were generously large, providing acceptable edge and centre tensions without belt lift off.
Dynamic analysis - Drives The conveyor has three drive pulleys; two at the head and one at the tail. Each drive pulley is equipped with two 500 kW VSD motors for a total drive power of 3 000 kW. The total drive power is sufficient to drive the conveyor at the steadyBULK HANDLING TODAY
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BELTCON
state belt speed of 4.78 m/s under all operational conditions. An interesting observation is that this conveyor, under summer conditions and when fully loaded at 1 750 t/h, requires 93% of the installed power based on the compound proposed. In DIN analysis this figure is 88% and with low loss rubber this reduces even further to 75%. The drives can start and stop the conveyor under most conditions with the demands not exceeding 100% of the available nominal torque. If the system is started with all the major inclines loaded then the torque requirement will temporarily go up to 110%, which is acceptable. The conveyor can safely transport 2 500 t/h with this design.
Safety The majority of the construction of the overland conveyor was labour intensive and remote from the Zibulo Colliery and Phola Processing Plant. Therefore the safety standards and controls were of a high level and regularly monitored, as blasting from neighbouring mines during construction as well as lightning storms had to be taken into account. The head end civil construction took place during the summer where rain also imposed added danger to
the workers and equipment. An additional safety officer was appointed to monitor and control all safety aspects in this area. The steel assembly and erection of the 36 metre rail crossing and 49 metre road crossing required detailed risk analysis and rigging studies to be conducted and implemented to ensure safe erection and construction. Permits and permission had to be obtained from Transnet Freight Rail for the rail crossing (power isolation). The local provincial administration was engaged to facilitate a Stop-Go arrangement while erecting the road crossing. Notwithstanding all these safety challenges, a good safety record was maintained as well as an excellent working relationship with the customer.
Civils
The tail end drive and belt turnover civil construction was completed early in the project and the conveyor route was surveyed with centre line pegs set out every 200 metres on the straight sections, with every sleeper base position pegged in the horizontal curves. A concrete sleeper shutter crew then laid out the sleeper boxes and approximately 40 ready mix concrete sleepers were poured per day. The first of the concrete sleepers were resurveyed to ensure that the position and spacing was correct. Gradual creep forward in the spacing of the sleepers was identified and the sleeper box interconnecting rods were modified to prevent this from recurring. The sleeper casting process was then continued.
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M
Member
The next challenge along the route were two 36 metre river crossings where concrete bases and footings on each side of a small dam were constructed. A 288 metre environmental crossing was located further along the route, and after much debate it was decided to utilise small three to five metre long screw piles to secure the conveyor structure. This decision to utilise screw piles was based on both time and cost savings.
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BULK HANDLING TODAY
The next challenge along the route was the construction of the trestle bases and footings to support the 36 metre rail crossing gantry and the
February 2012
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49 metre road crossing gantry. The main challenge was the extremely high water level in this area which necessitated the continuous pumping out of water. Furthermore, it was necessary to go down four metres to obtain an acceptable grounding where rockfill was introduced to facilitate a stable reinforced concrete base.
Steel erection Space constraints on site resulted in logistical challenges and it was necessary to store approximately half of the overland module steelwork on the Phola site laydown area and the balance at the Zibulo Colliery laydown area. The components were transported by tractor and trailer in batches to site as and when required by the steel erection crew. This crew followed behind the sleeper construction crew. Installation took place in a planned phased approach with a small idler installation crew following the steel erection crew
Access delays to certain areas were mitigated by moving crews to other areas when necessary. The two 36 metre river crossing gantries, one 36 metre rail crossing gantry, one 49 metre road crossing gantry and twenty four 12 metre environmental gantries (288 m) were all assembled on ground level in position and then erected into the final position via single lifts. All the troughing and return idlers were also installed prior to the lifts. The 2 000 t silo top steelwork was assembled and sheeted at ground level and lifted into position using a 250 t crane. The first section of the drive house was partially pre-assembled and secured to the hold-down bolts up to the column splice plates. The top section of the drive house was then assembled at ground level and tandem lifted into position with the column splice plates bolted. The counterweight tower was also assembled in two halves and spliced one on top of the other. The horizontal take-up trolley structure was assembled and erected section by section directly onto the hold-down bolts. The remainder of the head end trestles and gantries were assembled at ground level and then lifted into position.
Mechanical installation and the dog house sheeting crew following the idler crew to complete the module installation.
The two 500 kW tail end drives and pulleys as well as the tail end belt turnover rollers were installed
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CONVEYING
first. Then the four 500 kW head end drives and pulleys were installed as well as the head end vertical belt turnover rollers. The take-up trolley and other pulleys were installed next. Lastly the belt arrestors, take-up winch and capstan brake were installed. Approximately half the overland conveyor belts were delivered to the Phola laydown area and the balance was delivered to the Zibulo Colliery. This reduced the handling time as these 500 metre long belt rolls weighed about 20 t each and were difficult to handle. A purpose designed belt trailer which could be towed by a tractor and easily positioned between two modules was manufactured specifically for this project. A portable capstan winch which could also be towed by a tractor was used to pull the belt over the idlers. The custom built equipment, complete with a dedicated belt installation crew, reduced the belt installation time. When necessary, a belt splicing crew was called out to conduct the splicing.
ii. At start-up the secondary pulley is started first. This is the master VSD and slave 1. iii. Two seconds after start-up the primary pulley is started. These are VSD slaves 2 and 3. iv. These four VSDs follow a 20 second linear acceleration up to 0.2 m/s belt speed or 4.18% speed. v. 30 seconds after start-up the tertiary or tail end pulley is started. These are VSD slaves 4 and 5. vi. 80 seconds after start-up, the six VSDs together accelerate the belt up to 100% speed. vii. The acceleration from 4.18% speed to 100% speed follows an S-curve with a time of 370 seconds. b. Aborted start – follows the same procedure as an emergency stop.
Control philosophy
2. Stopping control
The correct control philosophy was paramount to the successful operation of the conveyor within the parameters identified during the static and dynamic analysis. Below is a synopsis of the control philosophy:
a. Operational stop: The six VSDs ramp down and decelerate the belt from 100% speed to 0% speed in 225 seconds.
1. Starting control a. Operational start:
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i. The belt is started and accelerated to 100% speed in 450 seconds.
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b. The deceleration follows an S-curve. c. If the stop signal is received at a speed other than 100%, for example, 60%, the S-curve is proportionally adapted to provide a quicker de-
CONVEYING
celeration.
rienced during commissioning.
3. Emergency stop
Conclusion
The VSD output is deactivated removing power from the motors and the belt will drift or coast to rest.
The entire system was successfully completed and commissioned within the expected time frame. The dedication of the team on site and the good relationship with the client allowed challenges to be solved along the way.
General Control Philosophy 1. Starting, stopping and speed control signals come from the customer PLC via Profibus to the master VSD. 2. All control signals from the customer or plant PLC only go to the master VSD. 3. Starting, stopping, tripping, interlocking, speed reference, torque control and all other controls of the slaves are part of the internal functionality of the master/follower VSD system. These controls are from the master VSD to the slave VSDs.
The longest single flight overland conveyor in Africa was successfully commissioned on 2 December 2009, and will continue to add significant value to the Zibulo Colliery operation for many years into the future. In 2010, The South African Institute for Steel Construction awarded the project a Commendation for the exceptional use of steel.
4. The emergency stop signals are the only exception to this.
Note: This paper has been condensed due to space con-
5. Emergency stop signals are hardwired from the field to the master VSD and the No.4 slave at the tail end.
of FLSmidth Roymec.
6. Control interlocks that must prevent a start or cause a trip go to the plant PLC.
Commissioning
straints. The authors are Rudi Pieterse and Theo Winterbach This paper was first presented at Beltcon 16 held in Johannesburg in 2011 and copyright is vested with the IMHC. Enquiries can be made through the website; www. beltcon.org.za
One of the interesting problems which had to be dealt with prior to commissioning was the theft of the pull key cable along the route. An extra three kilometres of pull key cable had to be replaced due to this theft which took place after the installation had been completed. To ensure the smoothest possible commissioning, two separate audits were conducted to check the alignment on the rollers and to check the installation angle of the rollers in the curves. The overland conveyor was started for the first time on 2 November 2009. Due to the extreme distance between the head and tail end, four teams of six people along the length of the conveyor assisted during commissioning. Their main task was to check for run-out due to possible misalignment. After running for a period of time, a slight misalignment was spotted on the horizontal take-up trolley. To ensure the system was perfectly aligned, the conveyor was stopped to correct this. Before any work could commence, the conveyor had to be locked out. This took a team of 30 people to first lock the tail drive at the Zibulo Colliery and then lock the head drives at the head end at the Phola Processing Plant. This process took more than four hours to complete. A minor adjustment was effected to the take-up trolley to correct the misalignment. The conveyor was then started again with no misalignment. No further problems were expeBULK HANDLING TODAY
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LIFTING
Plug and Play Cranes The Stahl name has been synonymous with the South African lifting industry for decades with many local companies still using the explosion proof hoists made by this German company. However, direct representation faded over the last decade as distributorship changed hands from one local company to the other.
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oday the Stahl brand has been reestablished locally through a direct partnership with African Materials Handling Solutions based in Alberton south of Johannesburg. “What’s more, the principle company has come forward with a whole new business concept in cranes by supplying explosion-protected hoists in a plug-and-play kit form,” Steven Claase, director of AMHS tells “Bulk Handling Today”. The CraneKit creates new opportunities for crane manufacturers to supply a premium product into the South African market. Steven says, “In addition to supplying the kit to manufacturers, we can build and install a complete turnkey explosion protected hoist system to end-users through subcontractors. They make the girders to our specifications while we supervise the installation of the hoist kit and see it through to commissioning.”
Standards
The concept of explosion protection stems from coal mining where methane gas reacts explosively when combined with coal dust. From mining and onto other industries, these products are now also found in the chemical and petrochemical industries where electrical equipment can ignite gases or dust vapours. To avoid serious injuries to people as well as damage to equipment, the manufacture of electrical equipment to be used in potentially explosive areas is governed by strict international standards, such as the IECEx System (International Electrotechnical Commission System for Certification to Standards Relating to Equipment for use in Explosive Atmospheres).
Explosion-protected hoists in a plug-and-play kit form “In the late 1920s, Stahl CraneSystems was one of the first, and for a long time the only manufacturer BULK HANDLING TODAY
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to develop explosion protected lifting technology,” says Steven. “Today they’re recognised as the world leaders, manufacturing around 5 500 explosion protected crane systems a year. A few years back, after carefully analysing the crane market internationally, they decided to follow the business model of manufacturing the hoist system in a kit form.
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Professional cranes
“By concentrating on the heart of a craning system, ie, the mechanical and electrical component combination, general crane builders can use the kit to build a professional crane powered by the Stahl system,” explains Steven. “Although we will assist manufacturers with the steel work around the crane such as girders and support systems,
they do not require complex engineering unlike the drive and electrical control system which have to be built according to recognised explosion protection standards.” The CraneKit, imported directly from the factory in Germany, comprises all the necessary components to build under-slung, bridge, single girder or double girder overhead travelling cranes. “Included in the kit are the end carriages with their travel drives, the complete hoist mechanism with electric motors for either steel rope or chain, all the electric and control cabling and either a radio or a pendant control unit, all manufactured in-house in Germany under very strict standards of quality control. Before being crated in Germany as a complete kit for a specific crane, it is thoroughly tested as an assembled working unit.
Assembly
“Erection is a simple matter of following the plug-and-play sequence of detailed instructions which come with each kit,” says Steven. “Some components are pre-assembled and only need to be pushed in or placed in position before bolting down. Cabling varies according to the application but its all mounted on cable trolleys, all plugs are already fitted and all connections are clearly marked to eliminate any uncertainties. This makes assembly quick, yet with the reassurance that it will be correct.” Since becoming a Stahl business partner, Steven has received enquiries from local companies who have Stahl cranes dating back to 1978. “The great thing is, we’ve been able to source spares for these old cranes from Germany,” he says excitedly. “Over the past 50 years the company has only had three
main models, the N-series, the AS-series and the latest is the SH-series. Stahl has always had the philosophy of guaranteeing spares for any model for at least thirty years, and today you can still get spares for all these models. For example, the AS-series has basically now been replaced with the SH-series, but they’ve undertaken to have all spares for the AS model available until 2030.”
Erection is a simple matter of following the plug-andplay sequence of detailed instructions which come with each kit Support
As we walk through the warehouse and workshop facility, Steven shows us an old hoist dating from 1980 for which they’ve just sourced spare parts to carry out a complete overhaul. “Our warehouse is steadily filling up with spares for the hoist systems we’re selling, but we’ve made a special deal with a local shipping agent who lands equipment from Germany within two days of ordering,” he concludes. “In terms of technical support and out-of-theordinary applications, our principles in Germany are quick to offer support. They visit South Africa at least three times a year to visit customers and get a feel of the market requirements direct from end-users.” Steven Claase, African Materials Handling Solutions, Tel: (+27) 08600 STAHL (78245), Email: sales@amhs.co.za, Website: www.amhs.co.za Website: www.stahlcranes.com
Transmissions Suppliers of: • Dytro Rigid Flange Couplings • Dytro Locking Elements • Backstops and Freewheels • Flexible Couplings • Torque Limiters • Fluid Couplings Telephone: +27 (0)11 873 1279 Telefax: 086 694 0794 Email: francois@silvera.co.za BULK HANDLING TODAY
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Fit For Hard Work.
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Scania. Destined to Lead. For more information contact your nearest Dealer. Details available on www.scania.co.za
26 BULK HANDLING TODAY Trucks / Buses
/ Engines / Finance Solutions / Services
February 2012
Two Jackup Vessels Wind energy plants are increasingly built offshore. Their installation is carried out by giant special vessels. During the second and third quarter of 2012, two such jackup vessels will be launched in Dubai. They will be the first vessels of this kind fitted with three Voith Schneider Propellers (VSP) each.
naval giants to a sailing speed of 12 knots during crossings.
Manoeuvrability A typical design characteristic of these vessels are the four columns or “jack-up legs“, which can be lowered to the bottom of the sea, lift the vessel and turn it into a stable operating platform in the sea. For this process, the vessels have to hold their position with extreme precision. This is where the advantages of the VSP in direct combination with the dynamic positioning system come into special effect. It only takes three seconds for the drives to reverse. This prevents the ship from making leeway, which is normally inevitable due to the swell of the sea. The moment when the vessel is lifted from the water is particularly critical. During this transitional phase of lifting, the VSP delivers significantly better thrust than other propulsion concepts.
Efficiency
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pproximately 131 metres in length, a width of 39 metres, an input power of 11.4 MW, 5 300 tons maximum load, an operating platform covering some
3200 square metres and an installation crane capable of lifting loads weighing up to 800 tons up to a height of 24 metres. These are the key data of the two jack-up vessels with identical design that will be built by the Dubai shipyard, Lamprell Energy. Delivery is planned in May and September 2012. Their future task is transporting and installing offshore wind energy plants, especially in the North Sea.
It only takes three seconds for the drives to reverse High performance, manoeuvrability and reliability are the key requirements for the propulsion system. This is why Fred Olsen, Windcarrier AS in Norway, has decided in favour of a solution with Voith Schneider Propellers. Three VSP ensure propulsion and accurate positioning and bring the
The VSP also allows for simple hull shape. These ships can thus be built with an hydrodynamically efficient design, which has a positive impact on consumption figures and emissions. Voith carried out a relevant model test, during which these advantages were successfully demonstrated. Another feature of the jack-up vessel is the intelligent Voith Roll Stabilization (VRS). If weather conditions are difficult - a frequent occurrence in stormy offshore wind parks - the VSP reduces the rolling motions of the vessel.
Windiest world
Together with regions such as Cape Horn at the southernmost end of Argentina, the North Sea belongs to the world’s windiest areas. 90 percent of the time there are winds with speeds of more than four metres per second. This makes feeding energy from wind parks into the grid commercially viable. The energy yield on the high seas is 50 percent higher than that of plants on the mainland. This advantage in efficiency plus the fact that they have a lesser impact on the scenery of coastlines and shore lands make offshore wind parks increasingly attractive for electricity companies. Roy Webster Marketing Manager – Voith Turbo (Pty) Ltd Tel: 011 418 4036 (direct) ; 011 418 4000 / Fax: 011 418 4080 Email: roy.webster@voith.com
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Roping in New Business
O
ur specialist team of highly-trained rope access technicians are capable of working at height without the need for scaffolding on certain applications where manoeuvrability is restricted. In addition, Skyriders rope access technicians are trained in various fields of expertise, including; NDT and inspections, as well as concrete, civils and corrosion protection; thereby, providing a comprehensive all-in-one solutions package,” says Skyriders marketing manager Mike Zinn Mike notes that they boast a zero-fatality record, despite the dangerous environments in which the company operates on a daily basis. He attributes this success to the experience and training of their team, coupled with the reliability of the rope access methods, which comply with stringent international safety standards.
Only company in South Africa that has ever built a suspension bridge between two towers Best in the business
“Skyriders complies with SANS 10333 1/2/3 safety standards, and various Institute for Work at Height (IWH) standards. In addition, the company is currently in the process of obtaining internationallyrecognised ISO 9000 certification,” Mike explains. “Our rope access technicians are the best in the business, and have undergone intensive training and gained extensive experience in the power generation, industrial, construction and mining sectors.”
Having started from humble beginnings in 1988 as a high-rise window cleaning operation, the company is today one of the oldest and most trusted South African rope access company that provides solutions to numerous above-ground challenges, including structural installations and inspections, high-pressure cleaning, waterproofing, birdproofing, welding, concrete repairs and non-destructive testing.
Safer
“About 30 percent of the company’s work involves commercial rope access applications, such as painting, window cleaning and general construction. The rest of the work involves challenging projects in the power generation, industrial and mining sectors, which is another unique aspect that puts Skyriders at the forefront of the industry,” Mike adds. He points out that rope access is a safer and more cost-effective alternative to scaffolding in a number of applications, especially on structures at power generation and industrial sites, including smoke stacks, cooling towers and boilers. “Rope access applies practical rope work to enable workers to access difficult-to-reach locations, without the use of costly and time-consuming scaffolding, cradles or mobile-elevated work platforms. Suspended in their secure position, workers are able to carry out numerous tasks relating to inspection, maintenance and surveying.” Mike highlights the fact that an increased amount of detailed work can be undertaken. “Rope access BULK HANDLING TODAY
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technicians have the capability to descend, ascend and traverse ropes for access and work, while being suspended by a harness, which eliminates the risk of a fall. In the unlikely failure of their primary means of support, rope access workers can make use of a back-up fall arrest system, which is achieved by using two ropes: a working line and a safety line.”
Above the ground
Over the years, Skyriders has become recognised as a specialist in undertaking various NDT inspection and maintenancerelated tasks for the South African power generation sector. Mike points out that the company has a permanent rope access team based at a major fire-powered coal station in Mpumalanga. “Our permanent rope access team at the power station is responsible for undertaking all inspection and maintenance tasks that are located high above the ground. Traditionally, access to a boiler and numerous other areas of a power station are severely-restricted; however, our team is able to gain access and carry out essential inspection and maintenance work,” he says. Mike notes that the rope access team forms part of a dedicated maintenance team, which also consists of a scaffolding company, a plant care engineering firm and inspectors, who are on call 24/7, ultimately achieving significant savings related to downtime. “This makes a considerable difference to the operation when there is a shut-down, as the units can be brought back to service a lot quicker.”
High-quality training
Managing director Kaolin Woods notes that the company trains all its rope access technicians at its in-house training division, Height Wise Training Academy, which provides high-quality training and assessment for Nation Qualifications Framework (NFQ) accredited and customised courses in height safety. She points out that the company recently launched its newly-upgraded training facility. “We’ll be looking to consolidate on that success by further developing the skills of our workforce at all levels of the enterprise.” To date, Skyriders has been involved in a number of unique and challenging projects, including the extension of a chimney stack at a gold mine in Mali
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- from 75 m to 100 m, as well as the conversion of the iconic Orlando cooling towers in Soweto into an adrenaline-pumping bungee and abseiling site. “Our rope access team was responsible for setting up a bridge 100 m above the ground, between the two towers, in order to serve as a means of access to the bungee facility. We are the only company in South Africa that has ever built a suspension bridge between two towers,” Kaolin proudly concludes.
Makes a considerable difference to the operation when there is a shut-down The company employs more than 30 people at its established business units in Mpumalanga and Gauteng. In addition to providing at-height solutions to local industries, the company also services international clients in Indonesia, Korea, Dubai and the African continent. Mike Zinn Skyriders Marketing Manager Phone: (011) 312 1418 Cell: 083 289 0077 Email: mike@skysolutions.co.za Web: www.skysolutions.co.za
L A RGEST MONOBLOCK PRESS
Heavy lifting and plant relocation specialist, Vanguard, was contracted to transport, offload and rig one of the largest monoblock blanking presses fabricated to date, for a leading South African steel supplier, Aveng Trident Steel.
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he Schuler press – with a capacity of 600t, frame weight of 166t and dimensions of 4,25m deep, 6,1m wide and 8,90m high was imported specifically to fulfil a contract for an automotive manufacturer. The press frame, as well as the entire press line consisting of 21 boxes ranging from five tons to 40t, was shipped to the Coega harbour from Germany. Vanguard used its 18-axle Goldhofer trailer, pulled by two Mercedes Benz SLT horses, to transport the load 57km to Aveng Trident Steel’s Struandale plant just outside of Port Elizabeth.
Trans-loaded
“In the preparation phase of the project, I spent time in Germany to witness the press lying down in order to determine its gravity point, as this point would be pivotal in the planning of the rigging process,” explains Dane Zijlstra, project manager, Vanguard. Upon arrival on-site, the press frame was transloaded onto a 10-axle, mechanical self- propelled
modular trailer (SPMT) by way of stands for the move into the plant. Once inside the plant, the press frame was brought underneath the gantry set-up before the lift and positioning could be completed.
Perfect placement in terms of the centreline of the machine with a tolerance of 0,5mm Capacity and height issues
Considering the gravity point, the lift was accomplished with Vanguard’s 600t gantry, at the top end, and then tailed with two legs of the 800t gantry at the bottom end. Once the press frame was hanging freely from the 600t gantry, another two legs of the 800t gantry system were used to level the press and lower it to the ground. The lift was complicated by capacity and height issues. “We solved these by placing a 1,9m header box on top of the 600t gantry to increase the height capability to a beam height of 12m, and to keep the 600t gantry at the third stage, where capacity BULK HANDLING TODAY
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is 270t, as opposed to the fourth stage where capacity is 205t,” explains Dave. To add additional height to the 800t gantry, the rails that the two legs of the gantry were standing on, were placed on one metre stands.
In the way
Another challenge experienced during the rigging process was that the overhead crane rails and columns were in the way, which resulted in the press having to be moved twice to position it in the pit. “In the first phase of the move, the press was tailed and rested on the ground. In the second phase of the move, the press was located in a temporary position on beams, with one beam placed on the final foundation plates, and the other beam on the concrete floor over the spanning pit. The concrete span needed to be propped as it was not able to support the press. The gantries were then relocated and the press was lifted and placed into the final position.” “We managed perfect placement in terms of the centreline of the machine with a tolerance of 0,5mm,” Dave concludes The planning phase of the project took six weeks, while three weeks were spent on-site. The actual transport and rigging of the press line was completed in three and a half days. Bryan Hodgkinson, Vanguard, Tel: (011) 616-1800 E-mail: bryanh@vanguard.co.za
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TRAINING
Career Path Development for the Safety Professional In the current global economic downturn, there is a pressure of cost saving on companies with a possible resultant neglect of health and safety issues. Thus, in order to sustain quality, it is imperative that the development of national competency requirements for existing safety professionals and the mandating of professional body membership receive serious consideration.
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t present, registered qualifications in the safety and health field are fragmented at best and lack the core competencies required by safety professionals.
Registered qualifications in the safety and health field are fragmented However, it is not all doom and gloom for the training industry. Mintel, an independent provider of world-leading market intelligence, published the following in their ‘Consumer Trends 2011’ release: “Economic uncertainty has changed the workplace and the meaning of job security for the foreseeable
future. As a result consumers will continue to question higher education’s ROI and alternative channels for learning will gain credibility. We may see more lifelong learning in the workplace, corporate sponsored degrees and companies investing in employees through education and training rather than salary or benefits. Meanwhile learning while doing, rather than learning in a lecture hall, may become a focus. In the absence of a suitable developmental framework as well as the lack of mandated professional registration for safety professionals in South Africa, the UK model can be utilised as a frame of reference. The National Examination Board in Occupational Safety and BULK HANDLING TODAY
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TRAINING
Health (NEBOSH) is an independent examination board, which sets the syllabi and methods of assessment for vocational qualifications. It was founded in 1979 as an examining and awarding body with charitable status and is accredited by the Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulator (Ofqual). In excess of 30 000 people take a globally recognised NEBOSH qualification every year. Qualifications start at award level with the Health and Safety at work qualification and culminate at Diploma level. Qualifications are accepted by the Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH), with the NEBOSH National and International Diplomas meeting the academic requirements for admission to Chartered Membership.
Consumers will continue to question higher education’s ROI The Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) is a British organisation for health and safety professionals. It has over 36 000 members, including 12 000 Chartered Safety and Health Practitioners. While principally a UK-based organisation, the Institution also has an expanding international membership, with members in over 50 other countries. NOSA is the first South African accredited training provider to offer the NEBOSH International General Certificate in Health and Safety, and now also the new NEBOSH International Certificate in Construction Health and Safety. The 10-day (general) and 15day (construction) training programmes with one day allocated to assessment, are on offer at NOSA training academies nationally. These courses are recognised internationally and offer an excellent basic grounding in the essentials of health and safety management. Managers, supervisors, occupational risk specialists and worker representatives who have both general and specific health and safety responsibilities within their organisation, can all benefit from these courses. Lee-Ann Hawkey on Tel: 0861 NEBOSH or E-mail: lee-annh@nosa.co.za
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MARKET FORUM
ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS As South African safety, health and environmental legislation continues to tighten, Weba Chute Systems reports increased interest in its bulk materials handling equipment, which significantly reduces noise and dust pollution and lowers energy consumption, while extending the traditional lifecycle of this category of equipment. Weba Chute Systems’ technical director Alwin Nienaber says the locally -manufactured Weba Chute System is designed according to the principle of conveyed material impacting on surfaces which already contain material. “Using a cascade system to create a ‘super-flow’ effect, we are able to reduce volumes of unwanted fines and associated dust,” Alwin says, who describes the technology as “a streamlined scientific approach to the dynamics of bulk materials handling at transfer points”.
The immediate decrease in dust and noise pollution enhances working conditions and impacts positively on the health of workers. He points out that most dust is generated when material is transferred. “For this reason, we don’t simply install extractive equipment but study the whole work process, identifying the source of the dust problem and then custom-designing a transfer system specifically aimed at reducing and preferably, eliminating volumes of dust,” he says. “Consequently, there is less demand for powerful extraction equipment, which results in genuine cost savings.” M & J Engineering (Pty) Ltd Tel :+27 011 827 9372 www.mjeng.co.za
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MARKET FORUM
The Next Three Years
Wamgroup, which is an internationallyrecognised specialist in the manufacture of screw conveyors and various other bulk material handling and processing equipment, recently established a distribution branch in South Africa, in order to better serve the local market. WAM South Africa general manager, Emilie Marchand, points out that South Africa was identified as the ideal location to set up a new subsidiary, in order to gain ground in one of the world’s fastest emerging economies. “Africa is one of the fastest developing regions in the world, and we believe that the market has unlimited potential. South Africa serves as the perfect base, as the country is seen as the gateway to the rest of the continent, thanks to a strong and wellestablished market and infrastructure.” Emilie does, however, point out that it took them over a year to meet the stringent requirements for trading in South Africa. “The registration process in establishing a new business proved to be long and challenging, as a result of red tape and bureaucracy with regards to the various licensing procedures. Having met all these requirements, we
Loosening Solidified Materials A new Block-buster Bulk Bag Conditioner with two hydraulic rams and specially contoured end plates, presses opposing sides of bulk bags, loosening material that has solidified during storage and shipment, enabling bulk bag unloaders to discharge it through bag spouts. A cantilevered I-beam with motorised hoist and trolley allows loading and unloading of bulk bags without the use of a forklift. The bag can also be raised and lowered using the hoist, and rotated manually, for conditioning at any height on all sides.
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BULK HANDLING TODAY
will now be focusing on the development of our African footprint,” she continues. Looking to the future, Emilie notes that Wamgroup will continue to expand its local stock item offering, which currently consists of screw conveyors, silo dust filters, valves and mixers. “As markets continue to develop, the stock item offering for additional industries will
The system controller and hydraulic pump can be mounted on the exterior of the safety cage or remotely. The conditioner is fully enclosed on all four sides for operator safety and includes full-height doors that are interlocked to disallow operation of the system when the doors are open. The conditioner is recommended for bulk bags containing hygroscopic chemicals, certain spice blends, heat-sensitive products, and other materials prone to solidifying to the point at which pneumatically-actuated flow promotion accessories integral to bulk bag dischargers are inefficient or completely ineffective. Tel: +27 (0)41 453 1871, sales@flexicon.co.za, www.flexicon.co.za
February 2012
increase, and I am confident that we can gain significant market share across Sub-Saharan Africa within the next three years,” she concludes. Emilie Marchand WAM South Africa general manager Phone: (011) 822 2623 Email: info@wamgroup.co.za Web: www.wamgroup.co.za
MARKETFORUM FORUM MARKET
Retired Giant Workhorse
Johnson Crane Hire (JCH) has successfully lifted and placed into position a 95 ton rigid frame haul truck, complete with its 35 ton ore hopper, to create the latest display in an open-air mining themed museum area in the Main Street mining precinct in the Johannesburg CBD. The open-air museum is part of an initiative to rejuvenate Johannesburg’s city centre in the area that houses major mining houses, such as Anglo American and BHP Billiton, as well as the Chamber of Mines of South Africa. The trusty workhorse — a Unit Rig Mk 36 180 ton payload haul truck with a 16 cylinder 1200 HP diesel/electric engine — was retired from Kumba Iron Ore’s Sishen Mine’s operations in the Northern Cape after more than 20 years of service. First deployed in 1989 along with 31 other stable mates of the same kind, this truck was considered stateof-the-art and was the biggest truck of
its kind to go into commission at Sishen Mine at that time. At the start of every shift, this giant truck would haul iron ore to the crusher or help to clear waste from the site. The truck was diesel powered for normal use, but was equipped with pantographs which allowed it to harness electrical power from its electrical motors to boost uphill travel when fully laden. The ability to switch from diesel power to electrical power greatly reduced fuel consumption. The lift took place on a Sunday to ensure minimum traffic disruption as the massive old truck entered the area from the south on an abnormal load low bed truck escorted by six Metro police vehicles, which temporarily sealed off access to the area for the duration of the lift.
JCH, which has a longstanding relationship with Anglo American, was tasked with lifting the haul truck off its transport vehicle and into its display position. Under the supervision of Malcolm McNicholas of JCH, a 550 ton crane with a 135 ton counterweight and a 36 metre boom was mobilised from the JCH fleet for this unusual project. The lift radius was 16 metres. JCH also supplied the rigging and equipment for the job, using a 100 ton spreader beam. The body of the haul truck was lifted into position onto a purpose-built frame, followed by its massive ore hopper, in a walkway near Anglo American’s head office. Alison Dickson Johnson Crane Hire Tel: +27 (0)11 455 9258 www.jch.co.za
BULK HANDLING TODAY
February 2012
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MARKET FORUM
Launch of the New
TIGER System
Tiger has been developed for radio controlled lifting applications and can be used to control different types of cranes, EOT cranes, container cranes and more. When you control your application with Tiger features qualities such as duplex communication, CANopen and Modbus – all in the same system. Clients can also work with the maximum level of security since the system is equipped with an approved stop function, according to SIL 3, IEC 61508. When it comes to technology security, functionality and flexibility, Tiger fulfills the demands of controlling advanced lifting applications. The systems software can be easily modified. This means
LIFTING GUIDE
Subscription - 2012
“BULK HANDLING TODAY”, will be publishing its second LIFTING GUIDE in July 2012. This guide will be distributed together with the July 2012 edition of “Bulk Handling Today” and from our stand at Electra Mining in September 2012 and at various seminars and conferences throughout the year. We are offering advertisers a golden opportunity to put their product or service on the map.
Please fax us if you wish to subscribe to “Bulk Handling Today” at R405,00 (incl postage, excl VAT) per year; R1020,00 per year for Africa/Overseas (incl postage). We will post you an invoice on receipt of your fax.
The guide will advise industry users on how to choose, use and maintain lifting equipment that is ‘tailor-made’ for their specific needs and applications. Generic types of cranes and their specifications are discussed in detail, along with other useful information on chains, hoists, slings, etc. But any machine is only as good as the person who operates it, so we will also discuss driver training, daily checklists to ensure proper maintenance, health and safety requirements, inspections and much more. The publication is endorsed by LEEASA: CMA (Conveyor Manufacturers Association); SAIMechE (SA Institution of Mechanical Engineering) and SAIMH (SA Institute of Material Handling). Surita Marx Advertising Sales Consultant Bulk Handling Today Tel: 011 781 1401 / 083 281 5761 E-mail: bulkhandling@promech. co.za
PROMECH PUBLISHING Fax No: (011) 781-1403 Email: editorial@promech.co.za From: (insert your name) ................... ............................................................ Title: .................................................. Company: ........................................ .......................................................... Address: ........................................... ........................................................... ........................................................... ...........Code: .................. Telephone: (.......) ........................... .......................................................... Email: ............................................... ..........................................................
Index to Advertisers Afzelia 28 Akhanani APC
32 Inside Back Cover
Bell 4 BMG Outside Front Cover Bonfiglioli 22 Bibby
24
CES 14 Dunlop 15 Dymot 20
that the system can be adapted to fit clients needs. Furthermore, the Tiger system complies to a high safety standard and is CSA certified. Shaun Lloyd, Sales Manager Tel: (011) 914-5334 Cell: 083-267-5178 Fax: (011) 914-1221 E-mail: s.lloyd@tele-radio.com www.raytoko.co.za
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BULK HANDLING TODAY
Dytro 25 Horne 12 Ils 8 Linde 19 Melco 18 Raytoko Sew
Inside Front Cover Outside Back Cover
Veyance 4
February 2012
Open your warehouse to narrow aisles With the Artix® articulated forklift, pallets can be managed in aisles as narrow as 1.5m – allowing you to up overall storage capacity. It also lifts up to 2.5t to heights of 12.5m, and packs pallets at double-depth with extendible forks. • Front and all-wheel drive • Indoor and outdoor operation • Deep-cycle batteries for all day use • Advanced stability and cushioned tyres • Integrated high definition LCD CCTV for advanced visibility • Operators are trained in driving and forklift maintenance
Let the Artix® elevate your bottom line, contact us now! 39 0861 61 61 61 • www.apcstoragesolutions.co.za BULK HANDLING TODAY
February 2012
Geared Motors \ Drive Electronics \ Drive Automation \ Industrial Gears \ Services
1THREAD_3204_BUL
The new operating efficiency
Saving energy is not only an important contribution for protecting the environment, it can also be measured financially. With MOVIGEAR速, the mechatronic drive system for horizontal materials handling technology, we set entirely new standards with respect to efficiency and functionality. MOVIGEAR速 combines the gear unit with a motor and matching drive electronics, all within one product. Reduce the energy costs and downtime of your operation by subscribing to the multiple benefits of using MOVIGEAR速. SEW-EURODRIVE - Driving the world.
Tel: +27 11 248-7000 Web: www.sew.co.za
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BULK HANDLING TODAY
February 2012