Capital Equipment News May 2017

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Cummins C&G targets strong growth in East Africa The 50:50 joint venture partnership between Cummins and Car & General (C&G), named Cummins C&G Limited, became fully operational in April 2017. Cummins C&G Limited’s region of responsibility will cover Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Ethiopia, South Sudan, Rwanda, Burundi, Djibouti, Eritrea, Somalia and Seychelles. East Africa, one of the fastest growing regions in the world, with an expected GDP growth rate of 6% over the next five years, represents a strategic growth opportunity for Cummins in Africa. The new partnership will consolidate the sales, service, and support of Cummins products in East Africa. Working smarter with Atlas Copco’s SmartROC T45 Longer drill rods, improved fuel burn and upgraded software have made Atlas Copco’s SmartROC T45 Top Hammer drill rig even smarter. The machine is designed to boost productivity at limestone and aggregate quarries as well as construction, open-pit and selective mining operations by drilling faster, better and more accurately. Equipped with automation technology, the SmartROC T45 delivers optimised drilling and blasting processes. Rig Remote Access sends drill patterns, hole angles and depths to the rig with GPS coordinates, enabling the SmartROC T45 to drill holes autonomously and accurately in the right place at the right depth and at the right angle. Recent upgrades have made the SmartROC T45 even more cutting-edge; the lengthening of the drill rods and starter rods to 4,2 m and 6,1 m, respectively, increases uptime due to fewer stops. The ability to engineer transfer points for individual application requirements within a plant is a major differentiator for Weba Chute Systems, and it is this capability that enabled the South African OEM to supply 13 custom-made chute systems to a diamond mine in Botswana. The 13 new units, which will replace existing ageing transfer points, have been designed taking all operational factors into account. According to Werner Baller, founder and CVEO of Weba Chute Systems, the transfer points are engineered for optimum material throughput as well as reliability. b Weba Chute Systems for Botswana mine

SEW-EURODRIVE SA’s MC Series IG units for Kazakhstan gold mine

One of the largest orders in the history of SEW-EURODRIVE South Africa for its MC Series industrial gear units is being supplied to a gold-mining project in Kazakhstan, which will see the assembly and supply of 31 units. The OEM won the order from a local specialist in the design and supply of equipment to the metallurgical industry. “What made it such a unique project for us was the low ambient temperatures that we had to accommodate in the specification,” explains Rudi Swanepoel, Head of Projects at SEW-EURODRIVE. This meant that special oil tanks with heaters had to be fitted to the units. While this is available as a standard feature, it is not a run-of-the-mill requirement. Other features that had to be installed as well included flow switches. “We also had to meet the required loads of the application, which are considerable in terms of

agitators,” adds Swanepoel. The MC Series comprises particularly compact helical and helical-bevel gear units. The torque range of the seven sizes is 6 kNm to 65 kNm. The parallel shaft design offers plenty of flexibility in system design, in addition to requiring remarkably little space. This makes it ideal for a range of applications, from materials handling to transporting heavy loads, mixing, crane drives and shredders. A version with Extended Bearing Distance (EBD) and reinforced output shaft is also available for more specific applications. Swanepoel says the collaboration with its client in fulfilling this order for Kazakhstan represents a latest trend in the increasing internationalisation of projects. “It also sends a highly positive message about the manufacturing experience and expertise of SEW-EURODRIVE South Africa, which is increasingly sought-after the world over.” b

SEW EURODRIVE SA has won the order to supply 31 of its MC Series industrial gear units to a gold-mining project in Kazakhstan.

basics or fundamentals are often forgotten and must be reiterated, and our training does that; it should also be remembered that lessons learnt from experience are not always found in text books.” Combrink emphasises that the centre gives customers access to application- specific and product-specific training, which helps participants explore the best optimisation options for their particular conditions. “Our product and process training provides technical knowledge that gives customers a firmer skills foundation on which to manage their operations day- to-day, but it goes further than that,” he says. “The way we train also gives

customers a platform to engage one-to- one with industry experts so they can ask questions about their specific challenges and objectives.” The facility creates a knowledge-sharing environment in which experienced trainers facilitate theexchangeof valuable information, not just between trainers and participants, but between the participants themselves. “Having customers from various plant operations under one roof really does provide a unique platform for sharing experience and practical knowledge,” says Combrink. “This level of engagement is also vital for bolstering skills levels in industry, as solutions can be shared, adapted and implemented in differing conditions.” b

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