SA Mechanical Engineer June 2012 by Promech Publishing

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER

VOL 62

June 2012

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AN ENGINEER’S VIEW

In Search of Competence Is it time to throw a cat among the pigeons and radically review our current processes of learning? For this article I have taken the definition from the Wikipedia which has been developed by a process of reiterative adjustments and additions.

Chris Reay

earning is acquiring new, or modifying existing, knowledge, behaviors, skills, values, or preferences and may involve synthesizing different types of information. The ability to learn is possessed by humans, animals and some machines. Progress over time tends to follow learning curves. Learning is not compulsory, it is contextual. It does not happen all at once, but builds upon and is shaped by what we already know. To that end, learning may be viewed as a process, rather than a collection of factual and procedural knowledge. It is essential to then ally these process with the ability to be cognitive, defined as pertaining to the mental processes of perception, memory, judgment, and reasoning, as contrasted with emotional and volitional processes.

Chairman of the Working Committee: Communications (SA Institution of Mechanical Engineering)

Instead of the conventional, irregular generic and often unfocussed activities we now commonly refer to as training

knowledge of the presenter, and, out of necessity, be selective and limited, imagine if we were able to have access to every work on pumping systems that had been configured in a manner that started on the generic and progressed to the specific, with the detail end of the system being open to constant updating by the user’. Supporting this structured information system would be immediate, on-line access to identified subject matter experts that would take the form of Mentors. Because this subject is so wide, in order to limit the size of the content, we apply this process to a brand or type of pump only, with the supplier being responsible for the content of the system and the updating with new data. This would then enable the new employee to effectively have ontap, via a modern tablet and internet access, all the specific company information applicable to its products. He or she should be better equipped to provide decision support to the activities to which he is assigned.

Updateable

Assembling info

Let’s analyse the accepted learning processes we use today. We would not hesitate to agree that being numerate and literate is a necessary condition to be cognitive, for these are the basic tools that we use. How do we become numerate and literate? By installing the words and the numbers as data into memory and then practising the selection of such data into processes, we then assemble information and knowledge. With this we have access to the full alphabet, a very large and common base of words. We’ve been taught and practised on an ongoing basis the assembly of arithmetic processes, words, sentences and using our developed cognitive abilities. We are effectively carrying out a decision support system. All the basic data is quickly and easily accessed. If we lack a formula or definition, we quickly refer to the customary tables or dictionaries as our next level of recourse.

We would therefore be creating, by utilising mobile technology and structured configuration, a dynamic, on-line, updateable, comprehensive information system including on-line access to the mentoring services as a decision support system instead of the conventional, irregular generic and often unfocussed activities we now commonly refer to as training. With the growing dilemma of skills shortages, job hopping, lack of and inefficiencies of conventional training, the aging of the mentor resource base, the rapid changes and developments in new products and processes, the need to capture experiential knowledge, we have to now ponder whether we need to revisit our current practices of inefficient transfer of decision support content. For businesses, the focus on being contextual should get them thinking.

We should consider replicating this process in our need for decision support systems for our everyday roles as Engineers. Instead of attending a seminar on say, pumping systems which will inevitably be structured to include only the specific experience and THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER

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THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER

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June 2012 VOLUME 62 NUMBER 6

On the cover: BMG Tel: (031) 576-6200 Fax: (031) 576-6581 www.bmgworld.net

Contents Monthly Column

25 Power Generation News

7 Prominent Professionals

Computers in Engineering

Cover Story 8 Bearings for Africa

29 The Perfect Plant? 33 Software for Better Productivity

Bearings & Lubes

Pipes, Pumps & Valves

11 “Listen” to Bearings 13 Frontline Bearing Supply

35 Reviewing the Valve Industry 37 Boosting Local Manufacture

Opinion

Regulars

15 Soapbox Copyright

All rights reserved. No editorial matter published in “SA Mechanical Engineer” may be reproduced in any form or language without written permission of the publishers. While every effort is made to ensure accurate reproduction, the editor, authors, publishers and their employees or agents shall not be responsible or in any way liable for any errors, omissions or inaccuracies in the publication, whether arising from negligence or otherwise or for any consequences arising therefrom. The inclusion or exclusion of any product does not mean that the publisher or editorial board advocates or rejects its use either generally or in any particular field or fields.

Materials & Machining 17 Another BRIC in the Wall

POWER GENERATION TODAY

3 An Engineer’s View 6 Institution News 10 SAINT 27 SAIT 39 Market Forum

21 Heat Pump for Residential Use

The monthly circulation is 4 242

Produced by: PROMECH PUBLISHING, P O Box 373, Pinegowrie, 2123, Republic of South Africa Tel: (011) 781-1401, Fax: (011) 781-1403 Email: samecheng@promech.co.za, www.promech.co.za Managing Editor Susan Custers Editor Kowie Hamman Circulation Catherine Macdiva Advertising Mark Bennett DTP Zinobia Docrat / Donovan Vadivalu Subscriptions Please email us at accounts@promech.co.za if you wish to subscribe to “SA Mechanical Engineer” at R405,00 (incl postage and VAT) per year; R1 020,00 per year for Africa/Overseas. Disclaimer

PROMECH Publishing and The South African Institution of Mechanical Engineering as well as any other body do not take responsibility for the opinions expressed by individuals.

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

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

 CORROSION INSTITUTE OF SA  SA PUMP MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION  SA VALVE AND ACTUATORS MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION  THE SA INSTITUTE OF TRIBOLOGY  NUCLEAR INSTITUTE  SA INSTITUTE FOR NON-DESTRUCTIVE TESTING  NATIONAL SOCIETY OF BLACK ENGINEERS  INSTITUTE FOR CERTIFICATED MECHANICAL AND ELECTRICAL ENGINEERS  SOUTH AFRICAN ASSOCIATION OF CONSULTING ENGINEERS  ASSOCIATION OF SOCIETIES FOR OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH  THE SOUTHERN AFRICAN ASSOCIATION FOR ENERGY EFFICIENCY (SAEE)

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THE SA INSTITUTION OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

Soap Box Opportunity for Exhibitors at

Council 2011/2012

Electra Mining 2012 second largest mining show in the world

Office Bearers

President .................................................. G Barbic (George) Vice President .............................................. D Findeis (Dirk) National Treasurer ............................... KK Nyangoni (Kudzai)

Expo Centre, Cnr. Rand Show and Nasrec Roads, Nasrec, Johannesburg 10 – 14 September 2012

Branch Chairpersons

Central ...................................................... M Cramer (Mike) Eastern Cape ................................................ W Rall (William) KwaZulu/Natal ................................................. J Moto (John) Mpumalanga Highveld.............................. L Odendaal (Louis) Western Cape ........................................... Dr D Blaine (Debbie)

Portfolios:

Communications/Strategic Planning/ Specialist Group..................................................CD Reay (Chris) Young Engineers Forum................Prof B Collier-Reed (Brandon) Education: Universities of Technology............... E Zawilska (Ewa) Membership .................................................... E Zawilska (Ewa) Professional Development Programme..........M Black (Malcolm) Technology Programme ................................. SZ Hrabar (Steve) To be confirmed....................................................A Roos (Andre) To be confirmed.........................................G Bartholomew (Bart)

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

Exhibitors: Don’t miss this opportunity to get your message across to an audience specifically listening to you away from the crowds in the exhibition halls by booking a 30-minute platform to promote your products and services. Book 30-minute sessions each day of the exhibition and you will increase your chances of showcasing your company to the many visitors attending Electra Mining. Obtain a Soap Box application form from:

PO Box 511, Bruma, 2026

Carey Evans - carey@saimeche.org.za – Tel. 031 764 7136 or via SAIMechE’s Website www.saimeche.org.za

Tel: (011) 615-5660, Fax: (011) 388-5356 Email: info@saimeche.org.za Website: www.saimeche.org.za Membership: Central, Eastern Cape, Mpumalanga & KZN: membership@saimeche.org.za Membership: Western Cape: saimeche.wc@vodamail.co.za

Company Affiliates Alstom Power Service SA

Rotek Engineering

Babcock Africa Limited

RSD a division of DCD-Dorbyl

Bateman Engineered Technologies

S.A.M.E Water

Bosch Projects

Sasol Technologies

Fluor SA

SEW Eurodrive

GEA Air-cooled Systems

Siemens

Hansen Transmissions SA

SNC-Lavalin SA

Hatch Africa

Spicer Axle SA

Howden Power

Spirax Sarco SA

Howden Projects

Technical Systems

Industrial Water Cooling

Thyssenkrupp Engineering

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER

To be held on Wednesday, 1 August 2012. A Special General Meeting will be held 18:00. The Annual General Meeting will be held thereafter. Venue: Engineering Council of South Africa, 1st Floor, Waterview Corner South, 3 Ernest Oppenheimer Avenue, Bruma, Johannesburg.

After the Annual General Meeting all guests are invited to join the President, Office Bearers and Council for snacks and drinks.

MBE Minerals (SA) (Pty) Ltd Transvaal Pressed Nuts & Bolts (previously KHD Humboldt Ultra-Flow Engineering Services Wedag SA) Vital Engineering Megchem Eng & Drafting Services Weir Minerals Africa Mod-U-Flow Winder Controls Osborn Engineered Products SA

121st National Annual General Meeting

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The notice including full details will be sent to members shortly. For further details contact Anisa at the National Office Tel: (011) 615 5660, or Email: info@saimeche.org.za

June 2012

MONTHLY COLUMN

Prominent Professionals Kudzai Nyangoni (Pr.Eng)

designs throughout out my career, hands-on earlier and later more in a supervisory capacity. This mainly involved gas reticulation systems for hospitals.

Academic School: Peterhouse School, Zimbabwe Graduate studies: University of Zimbabwe; Mechanical Engineering degree supervised through Cambridge University in the UK. Post-graduate: I studied further for a graduate diploma in marketing management after coming to South Africa. Also enrolled at the University of Pretoria and completed a Masters degree in Business Administration.

Professional Bodies

Registered as a professional engineer after naturalisation as a South African. Served as the chairman for the central branch of the SA Institution of Mechanical Engineering. Have been on the national council of SaiMechE since 2007 and today I serve as the national treasurer on this council. I have been actively involved with the Professional Advisory Committee of ECSA responsible for the registration of professional engineers. Most recently I’ve been appointed by the Minister of Public Works onto the ECSA council for the next four years.

A project Our current work is on multimillion rand projects where large engineering teams work together to achieve success on dust extraction Kudzai Nyangoni (Pr.Eng) systems such as the one we’ve just done for Arcelor Mittal. It is a first of its kind and in size for South Africa, evacuating over 2.3 million cubic metres an hour.

Any awards

I am most proud of my appointment to committees and councils in recognition of my contribution to engineering.

Future – a concept, a dream or a wish

My passion is not so much to build infrastructure as such, but to build skills.

Projects Most challenging All our projects are turnkey which makes each a challenging one

Most rewarding

Career Path First employer A firm of multi-disciplined consulting engineers called Arup at the time where I participated in the design of heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems.

Growth path After Arup I joined Exxon Mobil as a commercial engineer for southern Africa, designing petro-chemical storage and spillage systems. Then I moved to Total as a specialities manager for their lubricant plant. I then worked as marketing manager for Howden pumps before joining Swagelock.

The Arcelor Mittal project because we were able to exceed the customer’s expectations, in spite of the size and it being brand-new technology for South Africa.

Commentary Are there shortcomings in the Mechanical Engineering Industry in South Africa? In a developing country like ours you’d expect to see many more young engineers coming through. There is a huge gap between engineers now ready for retirement and the younger ones entering the profession.

How would you mend this?

Present employer and position From Swagelok I returned to the Howden Group and today serve as managing director of Howden Projects, the projects management division in the group.

Achievements

To fix this we need to look as far back as the basic schooling system in South Africa. The problem should be dealt with at its root, in the schooling system where government, educators and parents in particular, should get more involved.

Message to young engineers

A design As one of a team I have been involved a quite a number of

It does not make sense to have such high levels of unemployment, while there is an equally high demand for skills. We need to bridge the gap.

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June 2012

COVER STORY

Bearings for Africa BMG launched its re-brand programme in 2008, changing the name of the business from Bearing Man, which was established in 1974 as a single shop bearing company.

MG has expanded its operation dramatically to become Africa’s largest specialist distributors of bearings, seals, power transmission components, electric and geared motors, as well as belting, fasteners, filtration, lubrication, hydraulics and pneumatics. Today, the company boasts over 100 outlets throughout Southern Africa.

Strategically positioned to service all sectors of business “Superior products are therefore one of the key foundations on which the BMG business has been built”, says Paul McKinlay, divisional director of BMG’s bearing division. “This is certainly the case within the bearing division product range which encompasses global leading brands, including NSK-RHP, Timken, NTN-SNR and IKO.” BMG’s partnership with IKO - leading suppliers of

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needle roller, linear and spherical plain bearings dates back to 1978. IKO has sophisticated manufacturing capabilities in Japan, which are geared to support precision sensitive semi conductor and robotics industries. IKO produces linear rails and bearings from 15 mm to 85.mm (size of rolling guide). The company has also pioneered linear motion bearing arrangements, developing ground-breaking technology, including the maintenance-free C-lub concept. The design of these linear motion bearings eliminates the need for costly and messy pre-lubrication. Applications in packaging and assembly plants can now run optimally and without the need for costly maintenance.

Global scale

The Timken Company has been represented by BMG in Southern Africa since 1984. Timken can trace its origins back to 1879 when the founder

June 2012

COVER STORY

developed axle bearings for horse drawn wagons. The company went on to develop and dominate the design of tapered roller bearings on a global scale.

The SPM range also includes sophisticated analytical tools and on-line monitoring systems for use in production critical applications.

Over the past 10 years, the Timken Company has introduced a full range of ball, roller and housed bearing units, supplying many leading original equipment manufacturers.

SPM systems utilise the shock pulse method of condition analysis to determine bearing defects and lubrication condition. Lubrication is key to ensuring bearings perform at their maximum service life.

Three continents

Service life

The NSK product range extends from precision miniature bearings used in machine tools and electronics applications, to giant size bearings used in steel and mining industries.

Through OMSA, BMG now offers its diverse customer base centralised grease and oil lubrication systems from Bijur Delimon, which enhances BMG’s REBS oil-air lubricating system. Both REBS and Bijur Delimon are German-based suppliers of centralised lubrication systems that ensure bearings and machines are adequately lubricated, thus extending service life and reducing maintenance costs.

BMG was appointed the sole distributor of NSK products for Southern Africa in 1991. NSK’s manufacturing and distributor network currently supplies ball and roller bearings across all three industrialised continents.

NTN is a leading supplier to the automotive industry globally. The product range includes integrated wheel hub bearings, with patented sensor technology to control anti-locking under braking. This technology was developed by NTN’s subsidiary, SNR, one of Europe’s leading suppliers of automotive bearings.

Quick and accurate

To complement BMG’s range of leading bearing products, the company has a full portfolio of SPM condition monitoring equipment from Sweden. This range covers simple user-friendly, hand-held devices aimed at giving a quick and accurate assessment of bearings and a machine’s condition while in operation.

With the recent acquisition of OMSA, BMG has introduced the latest lubrication and filtration systems to ensure extended service life of bearings.

BMG offers an extensive range of Pall and Mahle filtration, separation and purification systems designed to improve operational reliability by ensuring superior filtration solutions in diverse applications, including water, oil, fuels and chemical plants. With over 120 outlets in Southern Africa, BMG is strategically positioned to service all sectors of business, including agriculture, mining, steel processing, robotics, sugar, paper and general engineering, as well as the automotive sector. Paul McKinlay, BMG, Tel: (031) 576-6200, Fax: (031) 576-6581, www.bmgworld.net

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SAINT

The 18th World Conference Dr Manfred Johannes

On behalf of the South African Institute for NDT I would like to thank everybody who contributed to the success of the conference held in Durban from 16 to 20 April. The support both from South African companies and personnel, as well as the international NDT community was overwhelming. Over the five days, 1411 persons from 69 countries attended the conference or the exhibition.

he representation per country is as follows: 560 from South Africa (this effort is highly appreciated and shows that there is an intense interest and need for NDT in South Africa); Germany – 98; United Kingdom – 75; China – 68; India – 64; France – 54; Russia – 48; USA – 46; The Netherlands – 26; Canada – 22; Italy – 20; Sweden – 20; Brazil – 18; Nigeria and South Korea 15; Czech Republic, Switzerland and UAE – 13; Austria and Israel – 12; Belgium – 11; Australia – 10, as well as a further 48 other countries with single figures. 120 companies from all over the world made the exhibition a truly international showcase. There were also 17 sister institutes of SAINT who participated in the exhibition and show cased what other institutes engage in on a day-to-day basis. The technical programme included a presentation by the Nobel Prize winner, Prof. Harold Kroto, which lent a special lustre to the occasion and will be remembered for a long time by all who attended.

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Plenary lectures were given by five invited eminent personalities from around the globe, 32 overview papers on various topics and technologies were given by the leaders in their respective fields, 260 scientists and technologist read papers over the five days and 39 people exhibited their research work in the poster sessions. A truly international effort, which is highly commended and appreciated. To have insight into the technical content of the conference visit www.ndt.net, where all the papers which were submitted can be accessed. I would like to thank all the members of the local organising committee for their hard work over many months and years, the Conference Company (Pty) Ltd for their excellent support in staging the conference and last but not least everybody who attended to conference. It is highly appreciated. Manfred Johannes (Dr), President SAINT Robin Marshall, Tel: (011) 719-5717, www.saint.org.za Email: robinm@protea.co.za/saint@saint.org.za

June 2012

BEARINGS AND LUBES

“Listen” to Bearings Next time you spot a mechanic walking around complete with headphones attached to a stethoscope type device which he keeps prodding onto running machinery, don’t call the funny farm to report a flight from the cuckoo’s nest. You may very well have spotted a lubricator doing his maintenance rounds to grease all the bearings on the plant.

Ultra-Lube 2001: Lubrication/Re-Lubrication Flow Chart 1. Lower volume to filter out any background noise. 2. If Zerk fitting is connected to bearing housing through tubing, allow for tube volume.

he method he’s using to grease these bearings is called the Acoustic Lubrication Method, an acoustic system which attaches to any standard grease gun to enable the lubricator to hear when a bearing has been given enough grease. The UltraLube system is made by UVLM in the USA and distributed in South Africa by Chemserve. “SA Mechanical Engineer ” speaks to Charles du Bois, business development

Charles du Bois

The problem, which is critical to any bearing maintenance, is that he still never knows whether enough, too little or too much grease has been pumped into the bearing manager of Status Industrial Solutions, a business unit of Chemserve, for more information on this system.

Manual greasing

“Many companies still resort to the manual greasing

of bearings, especially if they are non-critical bearings which simply need regular maintenance,” Charles explains. “There is nothing wrong with a lubricator going around with a manual grease gun to do this, but the problem, which is critical to any bearing maintenance, is that he still never knows whether enough, too little or too much grease has been pumped into the bearing. “With the Ultra-Lube system you know exactly when to stop because the bearing tells you it’s had enough,” adds Charles. “Basically the system consists of a set of headphones, an amplifier unit and a sensor unit which fits directly onto the nozzle of a standard grease gun. The system, also termed ‘Acoustic Analysis’ or ‘Sonic Analysis’ is a rapidly growing technology for preventing over- and underlubricated bearings.” Several large local plants in the petrochemical and cement production industries use the system as a proactive measure against bearing failure with great success.

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BEARINGS AND LUBES

method of greasing, maintenance technicians are now able to customise existing time/amount-based lubrication schedules. For example, a bearing that had a previous schedule of two shots of grease every two weeks, may only require one shot every two weeks. Customising or adjusting the lubrication schedule to fit the actual bearing requirements slashes bearing failures significantly.

Much is required of these individuals with little or no specific training provided Training the ear

To demonstrate the unit, Charles shows us a special Ultra-Lube unit which they use to train technicians, not only in the in’s and out’s of operating it, but also in ‘tuning’ the ear to recognise the sound indicating that the bearing is sufficiently lubricated. At the amplifier box, the unit has two headphone outputs so that the trainer and trainee can both listen to the bearing noises the sensor picks up simultaneously. The basic system has an array of accessories to extend its use. The reach of the sensor can, for example, be extended and used as a probe purely to listen to bearings without necessarily greasing at the same time. The data read and gathered by the system can be recorded via a cable onto a laptop for further analysis.

Status upgrade

“We’ve found that the lube technicians using this system see it as status upgrade, and they definitely are more responsible compared with just ‘blindly’ greasing lubrication points as they’ve done in the past,” says Charles. “Apart from saving the plant on grease consumption as well as unexpected bearing failure, plant owners can also save on condition monitoring services.

How it works

The equipment uses sound technology to listen to the noise generated by the vibration of the bearing in the sonic range (20Hz – 20kHz) to decipher when and if a bearing requires greasing. “By listening to the ‘voice’ of the bearing, the lube technician is able to make a direct determination of the grease requirements of the bearing,” explains Charles. “As grease is slowly injected into a bearing, the change in sound, or lack of sound change, informs the technician when sufficient grease is present.” This eliminates the need to calibrate a grease gun as the amount of grease required by the bearing is determined in situ. By implementing this proactive

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“Instead of getting a service team out on a regular bases to monitor bearings, these specialists now only need to be called in when the lube technician suspects a specific bearing of being faulty,” says Charles. “We teach the technicians that when there is the slightest doubt about the state of the bearing, they should call the monitoring guys in to do a proper test.” Traditionally the job function of a lubricator has been an entry-level position in maintenance, yet much is required of these individuals with little or no specific training provided. “Fortunately, this situation is changing,” Charles says in conclusion. “Many companies have invested in maintenance technologies and training to prevent and predict machinery failure. The ‘lubricator’ now becomes a skilled lubrication technician and analyst.” Charles du Bois, Status Industrial Solutions Tel: (011) 922-1842, Email: charles.dubois@chemsystems.co.za

June 2012

BEARINGS AND LUBES

Frontline Bearing Supply Distributors at the coalface, literally around the corner from their customers, tend to get more directly involved with customer problems and hitches in terms of the products they supply.

The problems

“Most of the time, however, the problems we encounter we’ve dealt with before and can advise a customer from the experience we’ve picked up in the forty years we’ve been dealing in bearings,” he adds. “Nine out of ten times it’s a lubrication problem, but we’re also finding an increasing number of instances where the bearing wasn’t fitted properly in the first place.”

Leon Harmse, the owner of Bearing House

o learn more, “SA Mechanical Engineer” visits Bearing House based slap-bang in the middle of the industrial heartland of Rosslyn north of Pretoria. “Being right here close to most of our customers naturally makes us the first stop when they have bearing, sealing or lubrication problems,” says Leon Harmse, the owner of Bearing House. “However, if we cannot assist with a complex problem or requirement, we can always call in specialists from SKF to help out because we’re an official SKF distributor for this area.”

Nine out of ten times it’s a lubrication problem, but we’re also finding an increasing number of instances where the bearing wasn’t fitted properly in the first place

In the heat of the moment, when a bearing has to be replaced promptly, some make the mistake of using the first available fitter who can do the job immediately. But this can cost. “There are many operators posing as fitters, yet they don’t have a clue or even the equipment to do the job properly, let alone applying the right type or amount of lubricant when they fit a bearing,” says Leon. “On top of that, they usually do it right there under dirty conditions, contaminating the lubricant from the start, reducing life dramatically.

Specialised service

“Inevitably we’re called to help out when that bearing fails and they can’t get hold of the fitter who has since moved on to new territories,” Leon adds. “Fitting bearings is a highly specialised task which we don’t even do ourselves. However, most of our own staff have sufficient hands-on experience and often go out on site to assist with a problem in terms of advice, or at least to identify the real problem before following it up with specialist assistance. “For the run-of–the-mill fitting of bearings for clients who require help, we have a third party contractor we’ve been working with for many years who we refer them to, but for critical, large bearing

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BEARINGS AND LUBES

Other brands

Being an SKF distributor though does not tie the company to a single brand allowing them the flexibility to source from other premium brands. “Some specialised bearings on conveyor systems, for example, are specified as FAG bearings which we source from a reputable supplier like Bearings International,” says Leon. “Sourcing from just any supplier is very risky nowadays because of the increasing number of counterfeit bearings being sneaked onto the market.

Lately the low price is no longer an indication that the product could be a fake, the countefeiters have learned and are now pricing the fakes much closer to what the genuine product costs Fakes

Making bolster pads

fitments we call in a service team from SKF,” says Leon. “Bearing Houser also supplies the full range of mounting equipment available from SKF, from mechanical mounting to hydraulic mounting, thermal mounting and dismounting equipment as well as all the measuring and inspection equipment that goes along with fitting a bearing.”

“We have been fortunate in not having too many encounters with fake bearings,” Leon says. “But, we did have a big one just the other day when a customer came to us to drive a bargain on the price of a specific special-purpose bearing. In this case the price was an immediate indication that something was off about the deal which we warned him about. Further investigation in the end proved it to be an imitation of the real thing. Having said that, lately the low price is no longer an indication that the product could be a fake, the countefeiters have learned and are now pricing the fakes much closer to what the genuine product costs.”

Walk through

Bearing House supplies the full range of power transmission components, from bearings to chains, sprockets, couplings, v-belts, taper-locks, lubricants, the full range of seals and also heavy-duty plastic bushes from companies like Vesconite. Walking through the store and adjacent workshop we also see a special product they make for a customer in the railway industry. It turns out to be ‘bolster blocks’ manufactured from a rubber compound to absorb shock in the suspension system of railcars. The secret in building a successful business in the competitive field of bearings is to partner with your clients and know when they’ll need what. “We have an elaborate stock control system whereby we’ve learnt which bearings our customers use and often even when they will need to be replaced, especially in the case of critical, high cost bearings,” Leon says in conclusion. “My golden rule of advice to customers when it comes to bearings has always been to go for the premium brand and care for the bearing, and then it will last past its expected life. If you buy a bearing, make sure it is a genuine brand, make sure it is fitted properly and then it’s simply a matter of taking care of it on a regular basis with the right lubrication.” Jean Harmse, Bearing House, Tel: 012) 541-2281, Email: jean@bearinghouse.co.za

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OPINION

Soapbox On his rounds, Kowie Hamman, our Editor, is conducting an informal survey on the lighter side of engineering. We follow up from last month with two pertinent questions.

What’s your real job – marketing etc rather than engineering? Brian Volk of PHC Projects – As a small business owner, I need to be a jack of all trades, Marketing, Administration, Engineer, Tea boy.

Tom Esterhuizen of Tom Esterhuizen & Associates - although we now have our own business, I still do a lot of technical work. In fact, I make a point to get involved technically because my clients expect senior involvement in projects. When they ask technical questions and get the answers from senior management directly, your esteem certainly gets a healthy boost…

Thalefang Mtombeni of Schaeffler - Fortunately my main task is still engineering, but I have been given extra responsibilities and now take care of the marketing side of our engineering section in the company. Luckily I enjoy it because I was the one who recognised the need for it.

If you had all the money in the world, what would you design? Brian Volk of PHC Projects – A truly ecologically sound way of living. A lot of the so-called environmentally friendly practices and products are either only partially successful or sometimes are in fact worse than current practices.

Phildy Schlotz of DRA – What about a supersonic passenger aircraft… something like the concord, just better and more modern so you can do intercontinental travelling faster…a two-hour flight to Perth from Johannesburg sounds good to me…

Tom Esterhuizen of Tom Esterhuizen & Associates The air ventilation and control systems for an ultra modern highrise building…

Thalefang Mtombeni of Schaeffler - At varsity one of our projects was to design a machine used in the automotive industry to turn components over in less than seven seconds. The machine had to be electro-mechanical to, for example, turn an engine on the assembly line over so they can work on the underside. I’d like to re-design something like that and do it properly this time round.

Izak van Niekerk of Bell Equipment – A fully automated house!

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Excellent Minerals Solutions

WARMAN® Centrifugal Slurry Pumps ENVIROTECH® Centrifugal Slurry Pumps ISOGATE® Slurry Valves Lower your operational costs with the Weir Minerals Solution In slurry and dewatering pumping, processing and control applications where the cost of ownership often outweighs capital cost as a priority, we help our customers address such issues as longevity, capacity, efficiency of operation and maintenance. Warman® slurry and Envirotech® dewatering pumps are among the world’s most comprehensive range of pumps for use in mining, chemical and industrial applications. These pumps are designed for ultra heavy duty applications such as mill discharge, process plant and tailings, high pressure pipelines, as well as other speciality applications.

Expertise where it counts

Robust design and rugged heavy-duty construction, the Isogate® slurry knife gate valve is designed for long life and high reliability. The Isogate® valve range now also includes Autoball™ 3 way check valves, swing check valves, and a diverse range of mechanical and pneumatic pinch valves. Copyright ©2012, Weir Minerals Africa (Pty) Ltd. All rights reserved. WARMAN is a registered trademark of Weir Minerals Australia Ltd and Weir Group African IP Ltd; ISOGATE is a registered trademark of Weir do Brasil Ltda; AUTOBALL is a trademark of Weir Minerals Australia Ltd.

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For more information contact us on: +27 (0)11 9292600 www.weirminerals.com

MATERIALS & MACHINING

South Africa has heavyweight competition among its peers in the BRIC community and although overall trade links between the nations are positive on many levels it does little to stimulate local manufacturers - particularly in the stainless steel industry.

Another BRIC in the Wall

t is interesting to note that the political alliance between Brazil, Russia, India and China (BRIC) affords little benefit to our local manufacturers when it comes to stainless steel products - either processed or not. When exporting to these countries our manufacturers contend with import duties that range from 33% (Russia) to 4% on hot-rolled and 10% cold rolled product (China) and in-between for the other nations.

(BRIC) affords little benefit to our local manufacturers when it comes to stainless steel products Yet the converse is not true and these giant manufacturing economies have no such barriers when entering our shores. In what can be regarded as a perfect double-whammy, not only are our products made uncompetitive in these markets by high import tariffs, but their cheap imports are widely accepted locally and dilute demand for locally-manufactured products.

Now or never

“As the main supplier of stainless steel to the local market we feel that unless we make a concerted effort to buy local products we are set to continue losing ground to major manufacturing economies and not only those within BRIC.” This is the opinion of Charles Cammell, senior commercial manager at Columbus Stainless. He is of the opinion that manufacturers within South Africa’s stainless steel industry are in a delicatelybalanced position between failure and success. On the one hand opportunities are arising in new arenas such as green-energy, while on the other imports and export parities threaten many local manufacturers’ very existence. Whatever the situation, Charles says that Columbus Stainless, South Africa’s only stainless steel manufacturer, is behind local manufacturers all the way. “We are active members of the Manufacturing Circle which is a grouping of the country’s top manufacturing powerhouses united in buying local products

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Main consumers of flat-rolled Stainless Steel products in South Africa: 1. Automotive (South Africa is the largest supplier of auto catalysts in the world) 2. Tank containers 3. Mining and minerals processing 4. General engineering 5. Power generation including coal handling

economy. Manufacturers must also globalise their operations and invest in systems and technologies that help them to compete on an equal footing or risk becoming out of date or extinct.

Charles Cammell, senior commercial manager at Columbus Stainless

There is huge potential for local companies to manufacture items for export to the African continent and looking after the wellbeing of the country’s manufacturing economy.

BRIC: A knight in rusted armour?

“With no barrier to entry into the South African market we should take heed and buy locally produced products in order to support a balanced

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Likewise, they must look for manufacturing opportunities globally rather than only concentrating on the local market,” Charles says. In this manner success can be achieved. He points to companies like tank manufacturer, Welfit Oddy, which serves a niche market and has become a globally dominant player in that industry. Likewise, he foresees opportunities in the production of products for electricity generation, as well as for the green economy, such as components of solar geysers etc. Growth in the automotive and minerals processing industries also remains buoyant according to him and further growth in these segments is expected.

Jobbing shop

“There is huge potential for local companies to

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MATERIALS & MACHINING

manufacture items for export to the African continent. We have an opportunity to become a sort of jobbing shop for the rest of the world. “Most other emerging economies are concentrating on mass production. We on the other hand have the skills and infrastructure to become a quality manufacturing destination and to do specialised or small-run jobs for clients around the world. In sub-Saharan Africa the opportunity is that stainless steel products are heavy or unwieldy and expensive for foreign companies to transport. South African companies on the other hand do not have the same costs and as a result should work towards being the mainstay supplier to local and sub-Saharan African regions for everyday products.

Bad news

Although opportunities do exist, the market is still in a recovery phase. On the downside locally, the demand for consumer-type products such as cooking utensils, sinks etc made from thin gauge cold-rolled stainless steel remains severely under pressure as a result of cheap imports from China. “On the one hand we have strong demand for stainless steel to be used in the fabrication of equipment and goods for industry and mines but overall our local mill is running well below capacity.” Charles adds that local sales account for about 25%-30% of local production with the rest of the steel produced going directly to its parent company, Acerinox SA’s (Spain), global sales network from where it is distributed around the world and to other direct end-users.

Planning for the future

Charles continues that the jury is still out on the outlook for the international stainless steel market in the year ahead. Developments in global markets will, as always, dictate what kind of year the local stainless steel industry will have, but Charles foresees at least moderate growth of the home market. “There are challenges and opportunities in equal measures. With the mill running a 5½ day week there is an opportunity for us to push production higher if demand rises. Another big opportunity will be the positioning of the local mill as a niche supplier to markets all over the world, rather than competing with other suppliers in the general commodity market.

We have an opportunity to become a sort of jobbing shop for the rest of the world “On the other hand there are challenges that need to be considered such as power availability and price increases, as well as the availability of raw materials. South Africa is in a unique position that its stainless steel is produced almost exclusively from virgin raw materials, as scrap stainless steel is largely unavailable here. “If we manage all the opportunities and the challenges correctly then 2012 will be a positive year,” Charles concludes. Columbus Stainless, Charles Cammell, Tel: (011) 706 2281, Fax: (086) 513 9762, Email: charles@columbus.co.za, Web: www.columbusstainless.co.za

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+27 11 723 6000

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www.zest.co.za

POWER GENERATION

PROMECH PUBLISHING Tel: (011) 781-1401 Fax: (011) 781-1403 Email: samecheng@promech.co.za Website: www.promech.co.za Managing Editor: Susan Custers Editorial: Kowie Hamman Advertising: Mark Bennett Circulation: Catherine Macdiva DTP: Zinobia Docrat/ Donovan Vadivalu Disclaimer PROMECH Publishing does not take responsibility for the opinions expressed by individuals.

TICKER TAPE

All rights reserved. No editorial matter published in “Power Generation 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.

Heat Pump For Residential Use The latest technology to move from the engineering design table to the residential consumer market in energy efficiency and the green sector is the heat pump. In August 2011, SESSA (South African Association for Energy Efficiency) started a heat pump division in its energy efficiency role. This article tell us what we need to know about investing in a heat pump. (It may be too simple for mechanical

What does it look like?

engineers, but we think the readers from allied disciplines will benefit.)

How is the geyser water heated?

Technical description – Air to water heat pump Function – to heat domestic water for geysers Reason to choose it over conventional geyser heating – it uses far less electricity to heat the water Incentive to install a heat pump – Eskom pays a rebate of at least R3668 up until 31 March 2013

A small airconditioning unit (50 kg) mounted outside on a wall. Your geyser stays where it is. The unit and geyser are joined with water pipes.

Can it be installed inside, or in the roof?

No. It needs a continuous source of ambient air.

Does it replace a geyser?

No. It heats the geyser water. You still need the water stored in a geyser. Cold water is pumped from your geyser through water pipes into the heat pump unit, and returns to the geyser hotter than it went in. This continues until all the geyser water temperature has risen to the set geyser temperature of 50-55 °C.

How much electricity does it save?

A well-installed and set heat pump can save 60% and more of your electrical element costs. The more you are using currently, the more you will save.

When does it save most? When the air outside is hot.

Eco-friendly yacht that can be run on vegetable oil and has sails made from recycled plastic bottles headed for Rio de Janeiro

Local content could increase by 40% percent for renewable-energy procurement programmes, says Sawea. Increase of local content could result in a significant job boost in the green economy sector.

The gas races in east Africa with new finds announced by Tanzania and Mozambique recently have sent shares in small explorers soaring. Demand is low from east Africa and the vast majority of gas reserves would be available for freezing into liquefied (LNG) natural gas to supply an expanding global market for a fuel that burns more cleanly than coal.

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POWER GENERATION

while a heat pump uses electricity to move heat. All things being equal, it is far more efficient to move heat (heat pump technology), than to create heat (element technology), which is why investing in a heat pump makes financial sense.

Output Capacity vs. Ambient Temperature

When does it save least?

When the air outside is cold. If you can wait for the air outside to heat up, you will save more.

A comparison between an electrical resistance element and a heat pump

By contrast, a heat pump – or more correctly, a heat pump system – uses smart engineering to warm water by transferring heat from the air into the water in the geyser. This is achieved by moving a refrigerant in a continuous cycle that boils and condenses it. Boiling the refrigerant absorbs the heat from the air, condensing it transfers the heat into the water. This is possible because the refrigerant has a lower boiling point than air.

The major difference between these two technologies is that an element uses electricity to create heat,

In much the same way as the parts of an air conditioner are contained in a ‘box’, so too are the parts of a heat pump. These include an electric fan, a small electric gas compressor and a small electric water pump, an evaporator, an expansion valve and a heat exchanger, and of course, the refrigerant that changes from liquid to gas and back again in a continuous cycle. This refrigerant has a far lower boiling temperature than water, which means that it changes from a liquid into a gas far more readily than water does, making it a far more efficient heat energy ‘collector’. The closer the heat pump to the geyser, the more effective the system.

TICKER TAPE

A geyser is simply an insulated hot water tank. The water within the geyser can be warmed in three ways: using an electrical resistance element, using a heat pump, or using a solar collector. The purpose of this article is to compare two of these technologies – the electrical resistance element and the heat pump.

An electrical resistance element is very basic technology. When it is fitted inside a geyser, the heat it generates is transferred from the element to the water. It is also very light (about 300 g), relatively cheap (±R150) and readily available. All these factors mean that, should it stop working, it can be easily repaired by just one person, typically a plumber, with minimum fuss.

First phase of strengthening expansion project, part of Malawi’s $70 million World Bankfinanced Energy Sector Support Project, for Eskom is expected to start by October 2012. Singida wind farm project comprising 100 wind-generating turbines up to 18.3 m in height will be located 150 kilometres north-west of Tanzania’s capital, Dodoma. The plant forms part of Tanzania’s efforts to scale up electricity generation to tackle chronic shortages.

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Final environmental impact studies for a nuclear power station are nearing completion. The three sites that form of the (EIA) are Bantamsklip – near Pearly Beach, east of Hermanus on the Western Cape south coast; Dynefontein, located next to the existing Koeberg power station near Cape Town; and Thyspunt on the coast near St Francis Bay in the Eastern Cape.

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POWER GENERATION

Continuous cycle

• The cold refrigerant liquid and gas mixture enters the evaporator. • The air blown by the fan over the evaporator causes the refrigerant to gain heat energy from the air.

Heat pump tank size

Rebate is offered as follows:

301 – 500 litres

R4,320

100 – 300 litres

R 3,668

• This boils the refrigerant, changing it from liquid to gas, and continues to add heat to the gas. • The gas absorbs heat from the air and is compressed, a process which raises its temperature further. • The refrigerant – now in a hot, highpressure gaseous form – is then moved through the system to the heat exchanger. • Here, the water absorbs the heat energy, and the refrigerant loses heat energy. • The water pump feeds cold water into one side of the heat exchanger, and the water is heated typically by about 5°C, to return to the geyser. • Now being cooler, the refrigerant becomes liquid again, though still at a high pressure. • The high pressure liquid passes through the expansion valve, changing to a low temperature, low pressure liquid and vapour mixture. Because a heat pump is a system and weights about 60 kgs, installations and maintenance is more complex than for an electrical resistive element. It can, however, be installed by a team comprising and electrician and a plumber; repairs are typically carried out by an air-conditioning technician. A heat pump costs around R15 000 before the rebate. However, because it is so efficient, it can shave up to 70% off the costs of heating water using an element.

TICKER TAPE

In summary, a heat pump is a well engineered compact system that heats water efficiently using electricity. Many of today’s heat pumps operate using environmentally-friendly refrigerants such as R407, R417 and R134, further enhancing the It is the estimation of the International Energy Agency that there are 485-trillion cubic feet of shale gas resources in South Africa – the world’s fifth largest resource. Most of South Africa’s shale gas lies under the ecologically-sensitive Karoo, and the nature of the shale beds means they cannot be explored without using the fracking (hydraulic fracturing) method, banned or under some form of moratorium or restriction in more than 140 sites across the world.

technology’s appeal as a ‘greener’ alternative to electricity-driven element-heated water.

New laws from 2012 - SANS 10400 –XA Building Regulation

“At least 50% by volume of the annual average hot water heating requirement shall be provided by means other than electrical resistance heating including, but not limited to solar heating, heat pumps, heat recovery from other systems or processes and renewable combustible fuel.”

Savings

Using a heat pump will immediately reduce your electricity usage and provide a return on your investment. For example, heating 200 litres of water per day costs just under R14 per day using an element, and less than R5 per day using a heat pump. The graph below shows estimated costs of heating 200 litres of water per day over the next 8 years.

Is a heat pump better than solar water heating?

Studies have shown that heat pumps are better suited for high hot water users, where the geyser may need reheating several times a day. Solar water heaters may be better suited to single family houses when the hot water usage is generally the same time each day. Ideally we should use solar water heating, with the backup heating done with a heat pump. Eskom Heat Pump Rebates, www.eskomidm.co.za/heat-pumps

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EXPERIENCE THE POWER OF TURNING VISION INTO REALITY. Engineer what you envision.

Spectra Carbide Tooling Technology (PTY) Ltd. 24 Desmond Street, Korsten, Port Elizabeth PO Box 2631, North End, 6056 Tel: 0860 23 23 23 Fax: 0860 33 22 33 spectra@spectra-sa.co.za www.spectra-sa.co.za

www.walter-tools.com

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POWER GENERATION NEWS

Soot blowers Agram, manufacturers of a comprehensive range of boiler energy and combustion management systems, has completed the installation of four electrically-operated soot blowers and an automated control panel at the Delta E.M.D plant in Nelspruit.

associated with fossil fuel burning and power generation, have prevented heat loss at the plant, resulting in savings of up to 20% of coal usage for heating requirements,” says Arnold Retief, a director of Agram.

These soot blowers are designed to prevent soot from blocking the pipelines at the factory and to minimise heat loss, thus reducing fuel costs and maintenance requirements.

“By using a totally automated boiler system, in conjunction with electricallyoperated soot blowers, operating efficiency at the Delta manufacturing plant has improved and running costs have been significantly reduced.”

“These electrically operated Agram soot blowers, which efficiently remove soot build-up from boiler tubes typically

Agram, Arnold Retief, Tel: (011) 708-2738 Email: info@agram.co.za Web: www.agram.co.za

Harnessing Renewable Ocean Energy The Technology Innovation Agency (TIA) and Eskom are collaborating to explore technologies that can be developed to create and utilise ocean current energy, as an alternate source of renewable energy. Submissions are invited from parties and innovators who have an interest in this kind of technology. Workshops will be held in various regions to further introduce and elaborate on the challenge. The closing date for submissions is Tuesday, 3 July. South Africa, with its long coastline and powerful currents, is in an ideal position to exploit renewable marine energy as an economically viable solution as part of its energy mix. The Agulhas current along the Indian Ocean coast is among the strongest on the planet. According to Eskom’s research division, which has been studying the current for the past six years, it has the capacity to generate 42 GW of electricity. The Technology Innovation Agency (TIA) Jonathan Muringani Tel: (012) 844-0671 Email: openinnovation@tia.org.za Web: www.openinnovation.tia.org.za

Agram, manufacturers of a comprehensive range of boiler energy management systems, has completed the installation of four electrically operated soot blowers and an automated control panel at the Delta EMD plant in Nelspruit

Optimising Performance Steam plant operators are looking for control solutions that will help them to optimise boiler efficiency by reducing fuel consumption while reducing emissions. GE Intelligent Platforms (NYSE: GE) can meet these needs for plants under 300MW with high performance control solutions based on decades of domain expertise in steam cycle generation management that can reduce fuel usage while allowing boilers to run safely and efficiently. GE’s Steam Cycle control solution is based on a flexible and scalable DCS,

Proficy Process Systems, along with pre-packaged advanced combustion control algorithms and strategies for fossil and biomass fuels based on more than 30 years of GE Services experience to achieve significant operational benefits and mitigate risk. These advanced combustion control algorithms and strategies optimize the combustion process to reduce customers’ fuel usage 3% to 5% which allows them to better meet stringent emissions regulations. In addition, they keep equipment safe and protected by maintaining

Contact Mark Bennett on Tel: (011) 781-1401 or E-mail: samecheng@promech.co.za for further details

the water level in the boiler to prevent damage. Because these control algorithms and strategies are pre-engineered, they are capable of reducing system implementation time by 50% to 80%. “Power plants are running longer with shorter maintenance outages,” said Bill Pezalla, Global Energy Industry Manager for GE Intelligent Platforms. “The advantage of GE Intelligent Platforms’ DCS is that it is an open system that works with any type of boiler and can be implemented during a short maintenance outage leading to the realization of rapid fuel and water savings. GE, Thulisile "Thuli" Phiri, Tel: (011) 237-0019, Email: thulisile.phiri@ge.com

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POWER GENERATION NEWS 2012 SAEEC Fewer disasters This 7th Southern African Energy Efficiency Convention two-day convention will feature over 40 speakers and annually brings together stakeholders in the energy efficiency sector including equipment suppliers, consulting engineers, energy service companies, end-users of energy, utilities and researchers. Topics covered range from mining and industrial energy optimisation, tax rebates, carbon incentives, business case studies, technical case studies, energy management in buildings, alternative energies to standards and government requirements. The convention takes place, 14-15 November 2012, At Emperors Palace, Gauteng. The Southern African Association for Energy Efficiency, Erika Kruger Tel: (018) 290 5130 Email: convention@saee.org.za Web: www.saeec2012.org.za

In South Africa, like elsewhere in the world, many citizens fear nuclear energy and as justification will cite the Chernobyl disaster of 1986 and the more recent Japanese crisis at the Fukushima nuclear plant. However, South Africa is the only country in Africa with a nuclear power plant (at Koeberg on he West Coast) and is regarded as the leader in nuclear energy on the continent. Many consumers are also not aware that most of the power in the greater Cape Town Metropolitan Area comes from Koeberg.

"The reality is that the number of nuclear disasters is far less than those that occur at coal mines," says Philip Lloyd, research professor at the Energy Institute of the Cape Peninsula University of Technology. "On average 5 000 people die annually because of accidents in the coal mining industry.

First hybrid ferries In summer 2013, the world's first two ferries with a hybrid propulsion system will be put into service. Owned by CMAL, they are being built by Ferguson Shipbuilders in Glasgow. Each of the hybrid vessels will be equipped with two Voith Schneider Propellers (VSP) with an input power of 375 kW per propeller. With its hybrid concept, the shipyard aims to reduce the ferry's CO2 emissions by up to 20 percent. The vessels will be the first of their kind to combine a diesel-electric propulsion

system with lithium ion battery technology. The ferries will operate on various routes in the Scottish waters, which are characterized by strong currents and heavy winds. Both double-ended ferries are powered by two Voith Schneider Propellers each, which support the environmentally-friendly ferry concept with their high degree of efficiency and low draft. In addition, they provide the vessels with excellent performance characteristics and safe manoeuvring even under

UMP Pumps ad 180 x 60 p 10/23/11 10:48 PM Page 1 C

26 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER Composite

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In contrast, according to the World Health Organisation, in sixty years of nuclear power use globally, we have had 58 immediate deaths attributed directly to the Chernobyl disaster and 250 lives that were shortened because of the event. At Fukishima there were no deaths, but some people were exposed to radiation and their lives may be slightly shortened. You will have to look quite hard at the nuclear power sector to find fatalities that match those in the coal industry." Philip points out that the new nuclear plants will be built at the coast where seawater is used to cool it down. "Engineers have had to reverse the flow of the upper Vaal river to keep the coal-fired power stations like Duvha and Matla in Mpumalanga cool," he says. "This kind of engineering is not needed at the nuclear plants."

the most difficult operating conditions. To take load off the diesel engine temporarily, the two lithium ion battery banks of each ferry is charged overnight from the grid. The hybrid propulsion system reduces the ferry's fuel consumption and thus her CO2 emissions with an ambitious aim: an emission reduction of up to 20 percent. Apart from the economic benefits, the hybrid propulsion system leads to a significant reduction in mechanical stress and noise, in particular when entering and leaving ports. Voith Turbo, Graham Russell Tel: (011) 418-4000, Fax: (011) 418-4080 Email: graham.russell@voith.com Web: www.rsa.voithturbo.com CY CMY

SAIT

Annual Dinner

Abinash Ramasary and Samson Mkwanazi, Sasol

Estelle and Danie Burger, winner of the Best Technical Presentation Award Louw Alberts Award: This award, of floating trophy and certificate, is presented for an Outstanding Contribution to Tribology over the years. Not always awarded, it is dependent on the availability of a worthy recipient. Both local & overseas applicants are eligible, for a tribological contribution to the SAIT or to Southern Africa. The award was presented this year to Anil Mooloo (accepted here by his son) in recognition of his expert specialist knowledge of lubrication and materials, his development and formulation of tribology products to combat wear and their application in the manufacturing, mining, agriculture, automotive industries

Samson Mkwanazi and Xoliswa Mkwanazi, Sasol

Sinah and Ephraim Papo, Sasol

From left: Award winners: Leslie Barker, Roxanne and Johann van der Merwe

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SAIT

Natasha Sacks (left) and Cathy Meakings

Best Technical Achievement Award: An annual competition, with floating trophy, cheque and certificate, to recognise and reward outstanding achievements in the field of tribology. Decision by the whole Executive Committee. Leslie F Barker and Prof Philip L de Vaal received this award for their joint entry “Reducing Power Consumption in Helical Gear Drives – A Case Study on Air Cooled Condenser Gearboxes at Matimba Power Station”

Rene and Anton Allner, Engen

Johnstone Chikwanda and partner Pam Pindela, Sasol

SAIT Student Award: An award to both undergraduate and graduate winners of best final year poster projects. Winner in the Postgraduate Category Roxanne van der Merwe seen here receiving her award from SAIT President, John Fitton

Best Technical Presentation Award: Floating trophy and certificate awarded annually for the best technical presentation given at SAIT technical meetings, seminars and conferences. Dr NDL (Danie) Burger received this award for his paper entitled “Failure of Metal to Metal Total Hip Joint Replacements” presented at Tribology 2011 on 5 April 2011

From left: Susan Custers, “SA Mechanical Engineer” ; Leon and Isabel Bradley, SAIT; Trevor and Gill Fuller, SAIT and Philip and Corné de Vaal

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COMPUTERS IN ENGINEERING

The Perfect Plant? Many manufacturing companies have invested significant capital in automation and plant infrastructure, but these systems, which contain useful information about operations, often run in silos with no direct connection to the business of the company as such.

Manufacturing intelligence

“SA Mechanical Engineer” speaks to Zach van der Walt, industry solutions architect at SAP South Africa about harnessing Manufacturing Intelligence (MI). “Significant opportunities for streamlining operations exist when you solve the information gap between the plant and the business” he says. “MI is a term that applies to software used to bring a corporation’s manufacturing-related data together from many sources for the purpose of reporting, analysis, visual summaries, and passing data between enterprise-level and plant-floor systems.

Zach van der Walt of SAP South Africa

lant workers are typically disconnected from the enterprise systems and are not in tune with product requirements or demand, a lost opportunity because a direct connection between the plant and the enterprise can create many opportunities to improve business through more efficient production.

“In many organisations today, there are two distinct IT universes,” adds Zach. “One is populated by ERP and back office solutions while the other resides in the systems that help manage and monitor plant and machinery on the shopfloor or out in the field. Often the two universes aren’t joined up at all, or they are poorly linked with one another, on a pointto-point base. The merging of these two worlds is part of the quest for the ‘perfect plant’ which aims to link up the systems to provide a clear insight into the entire production arena.”

MI is a term that applies to software used to bring a corporation’s manufacturing-related data together from many sources for the purpose of reporting, analysis, visual summaries, and passing data between enterpriselevel and plant-floor systems Align metrics

To meet today’s demanding paradigm of ‘design anywhere, manufacture anywhere, and deliver anywhere’, manufacturers must drive production performance to directly align with operational metrics and corporate strategy, as supplied via MI. “This in turn places tremendous pressure on cost, quality and responsiveness in manufacturing,” says Zach. A manufacturing company locally may face any of these issues. Integrating product and operational management into the IT environment achieves visibility into all aspects of manufacturing operations, delivering effective plant to business integration.

First steps Six Sigma as a metric

A ‘perfect plant’ must excel in three essential areas, asset performance and utilisation, manufacturing execution and operational scheduling/planning. THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER

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COMPUTERS IN ENGINEERING

Effective plant-to-business integration enables faster response and better use of assets

Zach continues, “The first step in this quest is to decide on the elements that make up a perfect plant such as better quality analysis, enhanced maintenance strategies that ensure better uptime, shop-floor visualisation capabilities, more effective procurement and so on. Once you can ‘see’ your perfect plant, you can start prioritising the individual items based on their benefits and then begin implementing those items piece by piece.”

In the perfect plant, decision makers can continuously monitor all core production processes. They can optimise the use of installations and order fulfilment as well as react more rapidly to problems

The solution

Using open standards, the production systems are integrated with business applications, including SAP ERP, manufacturing execution and sales force automation. Zach elaborates, “In order to improve production processes, it is necessary to record and analyse the current production status and compare it with specified targets for parameters such as performance and quality. This assessment serves as a basis for THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER

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“Process data from production is transferred directly to SAP production and logistics modules,” he explains. “This means that when decisions need to be made, analysis data, quality data, reports and warnings are available on a single centralised platform, accessible by staff across the board. Consistent interlinking of the business solutions and production control applications enables supply chain and production processes to be mapped comprehensively and in real time.”

An example

The ERP applications and the systems for production planning and control (PPC) can then merge to become one entity. “SAP’s perfect plant concept focuses exactly on this key area,” explains Zach. “In the perfect plant, decision makers can continuously monitor all core production processes. They can optimise the use of installations and order fulfilment as well as react more rapidly to problems and their negative impact on the bottom line.”

production-related progress or what is known as adaptive manufacturing.

Until now, for example, when a piece of production machinery breaks down, it’s a while before management becomes aware of this. “The information usually goes to the head of the production department and from there to the works manager,” says Zach. “If he is unable to find a solution, only then is the report forwarded to the company’s commercial sales management team. In the worstcase scenario, this takes so long that it’s no longer possible to complete the job on time. With our MII system a product manager in the sales department is automatically informed of problems with the relevant system. The report goes straight to his SAP portal or mobile application environment, enabling a quick and targeted response.” “Finally, users need to understand that the work on such a system is never finished,” Zach says in conclusion. “The perfect plant is an ideal which is meant to serve as a blueprint for transformation, helping companies prioritise when and where they should devote resources to produce steady, incre-

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COMPUTERS IN ENGINEERING

mental improvements. It provides both a common vision and a shared language for helping people in the organisation align their efforts. The journey alone will bring benefits.

However overwhelming this looks in the beginning, you have to start somewhere As information begins to flow from top to bottom, and sideways, it will trigger event alerts, rapid reassessments and quick course corrections. However overwhelming this looks in the beginning, you have to start Success requires aligning asset utilisation, operations planning and manufacturing execution somewhere.â&#x20AC;? Zach van der Walt, SAP South Africa, Tel: (011) 235-6142, Email: Zach.van.der.walt@sap.com, www.sap.co.za

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Pumps Valves Systems

Knockout Unexpected Outages MDX pumps are designed to match the life cycle of your mills. At a major copper mine in Chile, GIW’s patented hydraulic design and advanced materials have almost tripled parts life. The result was a reduction in costs and increased production at the mine site. Got a hard rock slurry problem? GIW offers expert slurry pumping solutions around the globe. Minerals are everywhere. So is GIW. KSB Pumps and Valves (Pty) Ltd www.ksbpumps.co.za

A KSB Company

MDX 750 Pump

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Software for Better Productivity There are many ways of keeping tabs on the condition of machinery by collecting data from critical components but this data has not always been linked to the productivity performance of production plant machinery.

local company, based in Durban, has now come up with a solution which not only links machine performance to the production rate, but it does so live in real time. “SA Mechanical Engineer” speaks to Pierre Boshoff, marketing manager of Live Monitoring Technologies to find out how it works. “Our systems are protocol independent and can support multiple, concurrent protocols in one system,” adds Pierre. “Typically, we have proprietary equipment protocols on site linked to process control equipment with the data stored for use in one single system.”

Some of the plants have been able to improve production efficiency by 11 percent The modules

The company offers two modules, PowerMon and Produmax, which can be used separately or combined. Roger Fraser, operations manager at Live Monitoring explains, “Implementing our power monitoring module, PowerMon, for example, in conjunction with power factor correction initiatives

Roger Fraser, operations manager at Live Monitoring Technologies

such as Eskom’s demand-side management and savings project, adds up to a significant saving in electricity.” Using the PowerMon module, the power factor which is recorded by the system can be used not only to ensure efficient use is being made of the power supplied, but it also links consumption to time of use in order to determine whether power is consumed efficiently during peak times and effectively during off-peak times.

Immediate action

The production monitoring module, the ProduMax system, provides a patented display that enables clients to gauge how efficiently their production processes are operating on a real-time display. “This enables users to identify when problems arise and to take immediate corrective actions at the production stage to prevent a knock-on effect on delivery dates or quality requirements,” says Roger. “When used jointly, these two modules provide an insight into the energy use for each item produced, as well as the average energy or carbon output to produce the item. We’re working closely with an international emissions company, PE International, on implementing these factors in a real-time carbon monitoring system,” Roger adds.

Productivity

The ProduMax display is universal in most industries, incorporating downtime recording, use and efficiency recording and reporting into one linear graphic display. “The system reports can be customised to suit individual client needs at installation or as needed,” says Pierre. “The overall design of all of our THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER

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systems is undertaken in consultation with clients and often results in new features being added to improve the base system. Thus we’re continuously improving our products to meet all new requirements identified by our clients and suppliers.” In essence an installation consists of PLCs installed on machinery in order to collect the data which is fed into the system and processed according to each client’s specific requirements. “Over the past three years we’ve installed several pilot systems on a number of plants,” says Roger. “Typical statistics coming off these indicate that some of the plants have been able to improve production efficiency by 11 percent.”

Identify when problems arise and to take immediate corrective actions at the production stage to prevent a knock-on effect on delivery dates or quality requirements Maintenance

“Currently, we’re working closely with providers of quality power equipment in order to explore the many ways in which our systems can assist companies in improving efficiencies,” says Pierre. “One example of improving the flow of information in a manufacturing environment is to automatically notify fitters that a machine needs attention or maintenance. When the monitored machine goes

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into a downtime period for scheduled maintenance, work tickets are automatically generated within the third-party maintenance system. “In the meantime machine use and output are automatically recorded and can be linked to a counter alert to indicate when specified tasks need to be undertaken,” adds Pierre. “We have implemented some of these features in the plastics industries, where we count the number of impressions and notify users when they need to service the mould.”

Asset management

Further, when monitoring other variables, such as power, alerts can be set for maintenance if there is a peak demand or drop in the power factor. Adds Roger, “Some of our clients have used the downtime recording to calculate the return on investment for equipment. This helps them to decide on when equipment should be replaced as it becomes too costly to maintain.” “The importance of having green accredited products will be vital to the success of companies in the future,” Pierre says in conclusion. Pierre Boshoff, Live Monitoring Technologies, Tel: (031) 708-6642, Email: sales@livemonitoring.co.za, www.livemonitoring.co.za

June 2012

PIPES, PUMPS & VALVES

Reviewing the Valve Industry New circumstances require new approaches. Thus local valve manufacturers, for instance, who have always endeavoured to maintain a loyal approach by purely supplying locallymanufactured products, have since had to change tack by importing valves and valve components in order to remain in business. Consequently the face of Savama (South African Valve and Actuator Manufacturers Association), the body representing local valve manufacturers, is set to change.

A Mechanical Engineer speaks to the chairman of Savama, Steve Bannister, about envisaged changes and other developments in the organisation. “As can be expected in tough economic times, membership has dropped a bit, but we suspect it’s mainly due to companies changing to the partial importing of products,” he says. “One of our main goals in the coming months is to introduce categories for different types of memberships.

“Apart from some companies resorting to importing in addition to manufacturing as a survival strategy, some of our members have become traders and no longer manufacture at all,” adds Steve, “In order to accommodate everyone we need to categorise membership to reflect the industry and to keep the organisation afloat. The top category, for example, will be those companies that are Steve Bannister, chairman of Savama pure manufacturers while others slot into tiered categories according to the nature of their business.

Resorting to importing in addition to manufacturing as a survival strategy Creating jobs

“At the end of the day Savama is the custodian of valve technology in South Africa and just because someone is importing some or certain products, does not mean that they don’t have a role to play in the valve industry,” Steve says. “Although some companies import a certain percentage of their sell, it does not mean they’re not employing local people.

It’s much like the automotive industry where many of the components which make up the whole are imported, but the product is still assembled here, providing work for thousands of people.” In addition to economic pressures, local manufacturers are up against floods of low-cost equipment coming into the country, especially from the East. “This is one of the main factors hampering growth in the local valve manufacturing industry,” says Steve. “However, government has realised that to create jobs there needs to be a concerted effort to support local industry. This has led to initiatives to identify valve products specifically that can be manufactured locally.

Assess the outcome

“As an association we’re encouraged by this development, but it may take some time to assess the outcome,” adds Steve. “A group of members who are still true blue manufacturers have formed an association called Vamcoza and they are in discussions with government to have certain valves formally identified as product which can be made in South Africa. Once this has been formalised we hope to see that end-users will almost be obliged to purchase these products locally. Vamcoza is a separate organisation, but we support their efforts because at the end of the day it’s all about creating jobs in the South African economy.” Technically South Africa has the know-how and capacity to manufacture valves to international standards which means local manufacturers could very well fill a much larger portion of local requirements for premium valves. “While you have commodity-type valves used widely across all industries, there are also speciality products for specific applications,” explains Steve. “It wouldn’t make sense to have these highly- specialised products made locally simply because it’s a matter of economies of scale. We’ll never be able to make all valves here, but, as in the past, we certainly have the potential and ability to manufacture a larger percentage than we’re doing now.”

New legislation

Another aspect which may help to reduce the use of cheap imported valves and provide more scope for local manufacturers is the fact that legislation now regards valves as pressure-containing devices. “The fact that manufacturers now have to treat valves as equipment under pressure means more work

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in terms of testing and certification of the valves made or serviced here, but it could impact on the inferior valves which may not have any certification whatsoever.” Steve adds, “Despite increasing the cost of locallymade valves, we still hope that local manufacturers can revive production, if not completely, at least partially.”

tegnon

End-users will almost be obliged to purchase these products locally Training

Like many other industries, valve manufacture is taking strain as a result of the shortage of technical trade skills. This is exacerbated by skilled people being lured away with attractive packages offered by overseas companies, thus diminishing our skills base to critical levels. Steve says in conclusion, “One of our main goals this year as an association is to upgrade and rewrite the existing training material by collaborating among members to improve the quality and levels of the skills available to our industry.” Steve Bannister, Tel: (011) 298-9400 Email: theresa@seifsa.co.za

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Boosting Local Manufacture

Thys Wehmeyer, member of the Exco of Sapma

his is the crux of the message “SA Mechanical Engineer” hears from Gareth Langton, the chairman of Sapma (South African Pumps Manufacturers’ Association), an organisation representing the majority of local pump manufacturers. “There is a dire need for economic-political intervention in this country,” he says. “Without government and big business creatively finding solutions to unemployment, we will end up taking the road of self-destruction like so many other African countries.”

We will end up taking the road of self-destruction like so many other African countries Job losses

The pump industry in South Africa has a strong historical foundation for local manufacture. “However, the tables are turning against us daily because local users buy from countries with poor human rights records who produce cheap equipment with cheap labour in sweat shops,” Gareth says. “The result is we’re not only losing jobs and revenue, we’re also losing the opportunity to transfer valuable technical knowledge to the new generation who should be filling the shoes of retiring skilled people. “Look at the history of low voltage electric motors as an example,” says Thys Wehmeyer, member of

South Africa is sitting on a tinder box which threatens to blow up if the government does not forthwith do something to help the local manufacturing industry survive the onslaught of mass produced products swamping the country.

Gareth Langton, the chairman of Sapma (South African Pumps Manufacturers’ Association)

the Exco of Sapma. “In the past, South Africa was one of the largest manufacturers of electric motors in the world with three big international players building motors here. Then along came cheap imported motors from overseas forcing our three main manufacturers to close down local manufacturing because they felt they simply could not compete at such low price levels.

Losing skills

“Not only did we lose all that technology, but all the jobs from these businesses came to an end,” he adds. “If we don’t do something now about the pump industry, it’s going to go the same way, everything will be imported and nothing will be made locally. Once you lose the skills it will be virtually impossible to revive the industry, not to mention those which feed off the pump industry. Local foundries are battling as it is at the moment, and if they have to lose the work coming from the pump industry, the consequences will be severe.” Sapma feels government intervention can save the day. “If the government climbs in to keep the local manufacturing industry going, we can diffuse this time bomb,” says Thys. “This assistance can be in the form of subsidies on labour or even introducing tariffs on imports, anything to provide some form of protection for all the local manufacturers. This not

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only applies to the pump manufacturing industry, but to local manufacturing in general. “In any industry, if there is no manufacturing, there is no research & development,” adds Thys. “In the past, many unique pump solutions have come from South Africa to put us on the map as a force to be reckoned with. If R&D dies, we’ll lose this competitive edge, never mind building future skills and knowledge transfer.”

This assistance can be in the form of subsidies on labour or even introducing tariffs on imports, anything to provide some form of protection for all the local manufacturers “Corruption and nepotism are reducing the incentive from government to make the necessary changes,” Gareth adds. “We could create incentives under the ‘Proudly South African’ banner, for example. However, as Sapma, we are getting more closed doors than ones opening up as we seek assistance from government. Everyone seems to be too occupied with current problems and they’re not seeing the possible train-wreck coming our way in a couple of years’ time.

Local content

“In the meantime we’re strengthening Sapma by growing the membership through opening our doors to affiliate and associated memberships for companies and corporates,” says Gareth. “As mentioned, companies who supply pump manufacturers, such as electric motor and seal suppliers, are also affected, so they also have an input. Corporate companies like Sasol are now members of Sapma, for example.” The question remains; what can we do to solve the looming problem? “The way forward is for the main users of pumps to insist that a certain percentage of the product they install on their plants must be manufactured in South Africa,” suggests Thys. “Take the current power station projects, for instance. A large percentage of the pump systems being installed are imported when they could have been ‘forced’ to have a certain percentage of local content, even if only a certain degree of local assembly.”

Fair competition

“It’s unfair to expect users to have moral loyalty to local manufacturers when they have to pay more for their products, but we need to compete on the same level as the importers. “We don’t expect the playing field to be tilted in our favour, but we’re playing fair, complying with BEE, and looking after the long-term interests of our companies, clients and the country, a good motivation for importing companies to be taxed in order to level the playing field between us,” Gareth says in conclusion. “This is fair competition, rather than unfair competition. Sapma appeals to other associated organisations and end-user companies to join forces with us so we can collectively mitigate this threat and work with the relevant government departments.” Fiona Knell, Sapma, Tel: 072 889-2789 Email: fiona.sapma@vodamail.co.za

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Bornman, product manager: cyclones for Multotec, says. The test is conducted at a pressure of 1.5 times the design pressure or to client specific requirements, where applicable. The test method is used as a screening tool to determine the integrity of the target product body and welded joint efficiencies under hydrostatic pressure to which a liquid-tight and deflection resistance is essential. Faan indicates that an incompressible liquid such as water or oil is used for most tests. A combination of positive displacement pumps and safety relief valves is used to slowly increase pressure to a predetermined level for a set time.

A Multotec cyclone being tested at the company's hydrostatic pressure testing facility.

Hydrostatic Pressure Testing Certified hydrostatic pressure testing of cyclone pulp distributors, cyclone assemblies and components as well as launders is available at the Multotec Group’s manufacturing facility in Spartan, Gauteng. Pressure vessel verification

testing is also offered. “Every pressure test for pulp distributors conforming to pressure vessel standards is conducted in accordance with the world standard ASME VIII or BS EN 13445 or other applicable standard,” Faan

U n i qu e A local polyurethanes company is lowering the cost of operating slurry pipelines by lining them with Redline, a proprietary formulation that exhibits an abrasion resistance up to ten times higher than HDPE, and six times higher than rubber.

“For PED requirements a visual inspection is subsequently performed to determine whether any leakage exists or whether the pressure reduces from set pressure point. Physical deflections on the casing or shells are also measured and recorded,” he explains. Multotec Group Bernadette Wilson Tel: (011) 923-6193 Web: www.multotec.com

l i n i n g

through the extension of useful pipeline life, resulting in a return on investment within five years, and an actual lining life of ten years or more.

Cost savings are achieved

resistant linings is common in mines worldwide, Redline’s manufacturer, Urethane Moulded Products (UMP), claims its own product to be unique because of its engineered properties. Redline is characterised by an excellent chemical resistance, and by a monolithic composition that delivers a low coefficient of friction even after wear sets in. This reduces energy consumption and pumping costs, and contributes to a lowest possible cost per ton of mined ore. Hydrolytically stable and exhibiting excellent cut and tear resistance, Redline will not shatter or crack, and is unaffected by water hammer and temperature changes. Urethane Moulded Products Trevor Carolin Tel: (011) 452-1000 Fax: (011) 609-6477 Email: trevor@ump.co.za

Despatch of pipe sections lined with Redline Although the use of abrasion

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A Bateman Dynamic Scrubber system at Debswana’s Jwaneng mine’s Cut 8 project

Dynamic Scrubber System Bateman Engineered Technologies recently successfully commissioned a Bateman Dynamic Scrubber system at Debswana’s Jwaneng mine’s Cut 8 project. The project, which will extend the life of the mine to 2024 from its previous date of 2017 at a total cost of US$ 3.5 billion, is the biggest capital commitment in Botswana’s history. According to Debswana, an additional 102 million carats of diamonds are expected to be produced after the extension. Bateman Engineering Projects was responsible for the engineering on the project while Fluor, which gave Bateman Engineered Technologies the order for the Dynamic scrubber system, was responsible for construction and procurement. Bateman Engineered Technologies designed,

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manufactured, installed and commissioned the scrubber system. Jimmy Tomlin, Bateman Engineered Technologies Air Environmental manager, says that the total extraction volume of 19,5m/sec, services the apron feeders and the outgoing conveyor from the primary stockpile tunnel. “The Bateman Dynamic Scrubber is a well-proven design. It is a low cost, high efficiency system with an integral self-cleaning fan and is also is well known for its low-maintenance requirement and extremely low water consumption. Bateman Engineered Technologies, Jimmy Tomlin, Tel: (011) 201-2300 Jimmy.Tomlin@bateman-bet. com, Webs: www.bet.bateman.com

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An Important Milestone In celebrating their 80th Anniversary, Rapid Allweiler becomes part of a select group, of South African companies that have proved that consistent quality and service lead to longevity. Established as a general engineering business in Booysens, Johannesburg in 1932, the company continues to grow from strength to strength. From modest beginnings, supplying their own range of borehole and gear pumps to the market, the two founders, Messrs AJ Hindry and H Day soon saw the gap in the market for a quality centrifugal pump. Successfully establishing themselves as leaders in the South African market, in 1952 they formed a partnership with Allweiler AG, the oldest pump company in Germany. This partnership continues to flourish today, seeing Rapid Allweiler established as a leading pump manufacturer and supplier in the South African market. Caroline Houghton, Mr Hindry’s granddaughter who took over the reigns as managing director in 2004, states, “Our product range is specifically engineered to meet market demands with over 220 years of combined national and international pump and engineering experience.” She adds that their team of experts can provide a pumping solution for just about any industry requirement – whether it’s water or chocolate that needs to be moved – and that a thorough investigation is made by the relevant sales team member before quoting to ensure that the right pump is supplied for the right application. In turn, this has resulted in warranty claims being reduced to a bare minimum.

Ra p i d A l l w e i l e r ’ s commitment to quality products and service is further demonstrated through the ISO9001:2000 listing with TUV Rhineland, covering its complete range of end-suction centrifugal pumps, multistage pumps and chemical process pumps locally manufactured at their headquarters in Isando, Johannesburg. Rapid Allweiler Pumps, Michelle Crellin, Tel: (011) 573-7400 Email: m.crellin@rapidpumps.co.za

Safe and Hygienic By understanding the challenges faced by food and beverage manufacturers, Watson-Marlow Bredel has established itself as a world leader in supplying positive displacement pumps for difficult and

harsh applications in this industry. Says Watson-Marlow Bredel SA general manager Nico van Schalkwyk, "Our accurate, hygienic, low maintenance pumps are the most reliable method of metering flavourings, colours or additives, handling abrasive and shear-sensitive viscous fluids and treating wastewater. The low-shear design of our pumps ensures superior solids handling to reduce wastage, minimise damage and produce a higher quality product. Not only does Watson-Marlow's range

of pumps provide superior hygienic performance, they also reduce downtime and lower maintenance costs. "While other pumps can damage the product by using impellers, vanes, lobes or valves to move the product, our suite of MasoSine sinusoidal pumps and Bredel peristaltic hose pumps can help safeguard reputations by ensuring the quality of finished products," adds Nico. Typical applications include ready meals, soups, sauces, frozen foods, salads, mayonnaise and meat mixes. Watson-Marlow Bredel SA, Nico van Schalkwyk, Tel: (011) 796 2960 Web: www.watson-marlow.co.za

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Expertise in Manganese Reflecting the outstanding reputation of its hard-wearing machines in the manganese industry, Osborn Engineered Products has supplied equipment totalling R14-million to a new mine in the Northern Cape. In the past 12 months, Osborn has supplied eight machines into this part of the country, primarily for manganese production, says, Osborn product specialist, Francois Scott "Some 90% of all the machines operating here currently are Osborn's," including an apron feeder, vibrating grizzly feeder, jaw crusher and an gyrasphere cone crusher. Also included in the equipment supplied was a BTi MRHT25BXR50 stationary Rockbreaker system, which is perfectly suited to this hard rock application. The production of manganese - an essential ingredient of steel - represents an area of vast untapped potential for the South African mining industry. The country has 80 percent of the world's identified high-grade manganese reserves, but has, to date, only cornered 15 percent of the world market. "With Osborn's rugged machines having established their reputation in this tough industry, we look forward to supplying even more equipment into this fastgrowing sector," Francois concludes. Osborn Engineered Products, Neill du Plessis, Tel: (011) 820-7600, Fax: (011) 388-1136 Web: www.osborn.co.za

According to Seelan, Air Products has increasingly been looking for creative solutions within its production and supply chain in order to meet the challenge of Eskom’s proposed hikes in power tariffs. Such solutions range from using buffer product which has been stored in summer, to switching off equipment, such as compressors, when possible, to minimising operation plant usage. “It necessitates a re-configuration of plant usage, as well as that of auxiliary equipment such as cooling fans in the winter months.”

More Than Just ‘Hot Air’ Rising costs, in particular electricity and transport, are exerting pressure on the gas industry, forcing companies to rethink their supply chain strategies. This is the view of Seelan Gounden, General Manager Supply Chain at Air Products South Africa. The supply chain should be seen as a network of various entities which interact, rather than a linear ‘chain’, says Seelan. As a network, this body needs to be flexible enough to respond creatively to the environment, which includes changes in power and fuel costs.

Seelan Gounden

He stresses, however, that managing power usage is also closely aligned with managing demand in a fluctuating market. “Managing the dynamic interchange between supply and demand not only necessitates better management and flexibility on our part, but also better forecasting skills, in terms of market knowledge, both locally and globally,” adds Seelan. Another challenge facing the gas industry is the rise in fuel costs, and once again, Air Products is dependent on road

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transport for its bulk and packaged gas distribution. There are a number of ways in which Air Products meets this challenge, such as analysing and improving a customer’s on-site inventory storage. “Improved inventory and cost management equates to increased reliability and security of supply,” Air Products South Africa, Seelan Gounden, Tel: (011) 977-6459 Web: www.airproductsafrica.co.za

MARKET FORUM

Group. “Electric and gas operated equipment in kitchens, which use large amounts of inflammable ingredients, are susceptible to ignition and a fire break out. “Cooking oils are difficult to extinguish due to high ignition temperatures and because cooking oil spontaneously combusts at about 360°C. “Certain dry chemical powder extinguishers can knock down an oil fire, but they have no cooling or sealing capabilities, which mean the risk of the fire re-igniting is high.”

BMG has recently been appointed the sole authorised dealer for Metal Work, one of the top five global leaders in the manufacture of pneumatic components that meet stringent quality and environmental specifications

Clean Source of Energy BMG has recently been appointed the sole authorised dealer for Metal Work, one of the top five global leaders in the manufacture of pneumatic components that meet stringent quality and environmental specifications.

enhance cost efficiency.

“BMG Hydraulics places great emphasis on environmental issues and is therefore especially pleased to represent Metal Work in South Africa,” says Mark Johnson, national sales manager for BMG Hydraulics. “Compressed air is a clean source of energy, but producing it is an energy intensive process. BMG Hydraulics has launched Metal Work’s information campaign locally to help customers reduce energy wastage and

“At the end of the working life of each Metal Work component – whether it is plastic, metal, or an elastomer, there is a recommended plan for re-cycling and disposal. This programme also includes the safe disposal of the packaging of each component.”

“This new kitchen system, which consists

The Centa Group, Duncan Boyes, Tel: (031) 5690-1175, Email: centa@centa.co.za Web: www.centa.co.za

“We are educating the local market on how to choose the correct size cylinder, use economizers, eliminate air leaks and design and operate the air distribution system correctly.

BMG Hydraulics, Mark Johnson, Tel: (011) 614-2004, Email: mjohnson@bmghydraulics.net Web: www.bmghydraulics.net

Fire Kitchen System The Centa Group, specialists in fire protection systems, has launched a new F-Class fire kitchen system, designed especially for kitchen areas in hotels, restaurants and public institutions.

Centa’s new F-Class fire fighting medium, which is biodegradable and non-toxic, uses liquid Potassium salts as a base to effectively cool and extinguish oil fires. On contact with the hot oil, the liquid foams and prevents oxygen from reaching the fire, at the same time cooling the hot oil. Unlike conventional fire suppressions systems which contain potassium carbonate, this system has a low acid level (pH:9) and is not harmful to food products and does not damage appliances or stainless steel surfaces.

of an automatic fusible link fire detection and fully mechanical suppression system, meets stringent UL quality and safety standards and enhances safety in commercial and industrial kitchens,” says Duncan Boyes, chairman of the Centa

The Centa Group, specialists in fire protection systems, has launched a new F-Class fire kitchen system, designed especially for kitchen areas in hotels, restaurants and public institutions

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Industry Prize At this year's Hannover Messe trade fair (23-27 April 2012), Frankenthalbased pump and valve manufacturer KSB featured the SuPremE motor as their stand's main attraction. At the end of the fair's first day, a special distinction was bestowed on the company for this product in the form of the 2012 Industry Prize in the Power Transmission and Control category. Dr. Thomas Paulus and Daniel Gontermann accepted the award for KSB from VDI President Prof. Dr.-Ing. habil. Bruno O. Braun. A 30-strong jury of experts composed of university professors and technical journalists screened more than 500 candidate products and then awarded prizes to those representing Germany's best, most progressive industrial enterprises. Unlike conventional drives, this new synchronous motor contains no magnetic materials, eg, no rare earths, nor do these new drives need any failure-prone rotor position sen-

Slurry Valves

The mining industry has specific requirements when it comes to choosing valves due to the abrasive and corrosive environment under which the valves need to reliably perform. The OMSA Group offers a wide range of valves suitable for slurry applications that are resistant to the process environment and that offer cost effective solutions.

Winner in the Power Transmission and Control category: Dr. Thomas Paulus (KSB), Prof. Dr.-Ing. habil. Bruno O. Braun (VDI), Daniel Gontermann (KSB) (from left)

sors. Consequently, they are just as robust and reliable as variable speed asynchronous motors.

KSB, Pauly Christoph, Tel: (011) 876-5601, Email: christoph.pauly@ksb.com, Web: www.ksb.co.za

in zero leakage downstream. While the 33 PTA offers moulded sleeves and a valve gate that completely withdraws from the process flow when in the open position.

tributor for ITT, states that the C/F 133 is one of the safest and most reliable slurry valve which also provides the most protection from high temperature and corrosive media applications and offers an unsupassed performance in scaling applications and is available from 2” to 54”.

ITT also offer the C/F 33/133 ported slide gate designed for difficult slurry applications. The C/F 33 is an unbonneted and discharging valve while the C/F 133 is bonneted and provides a redirected discharge. OMSA, which is the South African dis-

The ITT knifegate valves are suitable for use in milling, separation, leaching, tailings transfer and roasting processes in addition to water treatment applications. The ITT 33 PTD and 33 PTA are designed specifically for demanding light to medium slurry applications with ranges from dirty water to high density fast settling slurries. The 33 PTD has self cleaning seats to ensure consistent operation, and when the valve is cycled ‘open-to-close’ the gates slide between thetwo seats to form a seal resulting

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OMSA, Roger Kuch, Tel: (011) 793-7421, Email roger@omsa.co.za, Web: www.omsa.co.za

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Slicing Energy Expense

VSD Sytronix: Sytronix DFEn 5000 variable speed pump drives produce energy savings of up to 45%, and save on operational costs without compromising on quality.

Bosch Rexroth, locally represented by the Hytec Group, has the answer to industries’ demand for reduced operational costs, without compromising on quality. Depending on the cycle characteristics of the application, Bosch Rexroth’s Sytronix DFEn 5000 variable-speed pump drives produce energy savings of up to 45% compared with variable pumps with constant speed.

Branching out Ecochem Pumps has opened a branch in eMalahleni, improving service levels throughout Mpumalanga and facilitating exports to Mozambique. The new branch, Ecochem’s first outside Gauteng, includes a mechanical service capability to improve turnaround times on pump repairs, and stocks the Ecochem Pumps management with slurry pumps slurry and dosing pumps for which the company is well known. had become necessary because of Also in stock are general products for Ecochem’s successful expansion into conveyors carrying coal from mines the area’s coal mines. “Our sales to to the region’s power stations. These mines nationally have increased by include sure-guides, rollers, scrapers, 40% since 2009 owing to successful pulleys, conveyor belts and structures, diversification from our original focus bearings, drives, gearboxes and electrion dosing pumps,” he adds. cal panels. Managing director Ed Lemke said that direct representation in Mpumalanga

Ecochem Pumps, Ed Lemke Tel: (011) 455-5710, Fax: (011) 455-5842 Email: ed@ecochempumps.co.za

Down a Mongolian mine

“Lower power consumption leads to lower energy costs and CO2 emissions, and allows companies to significantly reduce their carbon footprints,” says Freddie Kuhn, regional manager, Hytec Johannesburg. The Sytronix DFEn 5000 variable speed pump drive is based on the proven pressure and flow rate control system, the direct front end (DFE). An electrohydraulic driven axial piston pump is controlled by a variable-speed drive. Sensors detect the current system pressure as well as the current engine speed, and transfer these values to the pump-integrated digital on-board electronics. After matching actual values with the target values transmitted by the control, the integrated control calculates the optimal speed for the entire drive system. Hytec, Freddie Kuhn Tel: (011) 975-9700, Fax: (011) 975-8709 Email: (freddie.kuhn@hytec.co.za)

Levelok power pack; Levelok clamp

Horne Conveyance Safety has installed Levelok chairing and emergency braking systems on a cage earmarked for Ivanhoe Mines’ Oyu Tolgoi Shaft Number One in Mongolia. The cage will be used to lower personnel and equipment down the shaft, and to bring them back to surface. Horne’s order was manufactured by the group’s Johannesburg factory in just six weeks, and shipped to North America for supervised installation on the Canadian-manufactured mine cage. The Horne Levelok system was chosen for Oyu Tolgoi because it provides

controlled deceleration when operating on the steel shaft guides being used on this project. Additionally, Mongolian mining regulations require an emergency braking system that can arrest the fall of a mine cage carrying personnel under conditions of rope failure. Levelok satisfies both stipulations, and provides the further benefit of providing a chairing function to overcome the challenge of stretch in the winder rope when heavy materials are loaded. Horne Group, André du Preez Tel: (011) 974-1004, Fax: (011) 392-5650 E-mail: andre@horne-group.com

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER

VOL 62

June 2012

MARKET FORUM

Get the job done faster

Technical Division’s manager Glenn Clayton (centre) consulting with staff

Solving Sealing Problems Plant engineers across South Africa are increasingly turning to Aesseal’s newly formed Technical Division for system solutions to their mechanical sealing problems. Extensive use is made of Solid-Edge CAD software with synchronous technology, which combines direct modelling with dimension-driven design, allowing parametric relationships to be applied to solid features without having to depend on two-dimensional sketch geometry. Common parametric relationships are applied automatically. Division manager Glenn Clayton explains that a common task of Technical Division is project engineering. “We handle projects on a cradle-to-grave basis, meaning that we thoroughly investigate the application, select the appropriate seals, then select or design a comprehensive system

Index to Advertisers Aesseal 4 BMG Outside Front Cover Demaplastech Inside Front Cover Engen 36 HP Outside Back Cover Interbuild 10 KSB Pumps 32 Multi-Alloys 14 PPS Insurance 7 Pump & Seal 15 SAEE 40 SASSDA Inside Back Cover Schaeffler 34 SKF 31 Spectra Carbide 24 SPP Pumps 38 Tegnon 36 UMP 26 Weir Minerals Africa 16 Zest Energy 20

specific to the application.” “But we don’t stop there. We get involved in project implementation, then commissioning and, once this is complete, we help compile and supply the supporting technical documentation.” A second key function is troubleshooting. “To do this, we apply specific processes such as seal failure analysis, finite element analysis or FEA, and pump failure analysis. We might also examine overall plant design and individual production processes. From there we present a technical proposal for consideration. If adopted, Technical Division gets fully involved in the implementation, following it right through to completion.” Aesseal, Rob Waites, Tel: (011) 466-6500 E-mail: rwaites@aesseal.co.za

On the Move

Gavin Chamberlain

Bill Scurr

International engineering and project management company AMEC, is pleased to announce the appointment of Gavin Chamberlain in the position of projects director and head of department of the company’s Africa office project delivery and controls group. The Southern Africa Stainless Steel Development Association (Sassda) has appointed a new executive director, Bill Scurr.

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER

VOL 62

June 2012

“We recognise the importance of optimising equipment performance for maximum productivity while keeping total cost of ownership low”, says Neville Stewart – Business Line Manager CTO, Atlas Copco Construction Technique. “It is a delicate balance that customers face on a daily basis and our quality range of robust compactors is built to last under optimum performance in stringent conditions, meeting customer requirements”. The range includes the LT rammer series, HC hydraulic compactors, double drum rollers and forward and reversible plates. The balanced design of the rammers provides excellent handling characteristics, enhanced traction and great maneuverability while the patented air breather system ensures convenient start-up. The engine is protected against impact damage and the ridged protection frame and plate ensures improved durability. The ergonomic design and efficient shock absorbers reduces hand/arm vibrations (integrated handle stop) and fatigue for optimum operator safety and comfort. Typical applications include repair jobs, trenches and foundations. Neville says that permanent lubrication of the bearings means t hat t he c ompac t or is v i r tu al l y zero-maintenance. “This not only eliminates interruption for manual lubrication, but also removes the risk of under- or over-lubrication”, explains Stewart. Compactors can be fitted to standard adapter plates and quick-change systems. Optional continuous slewing gear makes it easier to position the compactor for easy access to difficult to reach areas. Work is fast and safe thanks to the dozer blades which level off the path for smooth progressive work and protects again material being thrown up.. Atlas Copco’s compact double drum rollers offer more power and smarter engineering and are well suited for smaller jobs. Neville Stewart, Atlas Copco Construction Technique, Tel: (011) 821-9351 Fax: (011) 252-5651, Email: neville.stewart@za.atlascopco.com

CALLING ALL INNOVATORS ENTRIES CLOSE 31 JULY 2012