Electricity + Control August 2017

Earthing & Lightning Protection of Electrical Equipment & System 10 – 11 August 2017, Birchwood Hotel, Boks- burg (East of Johannesburg) In this workshop, run by Mike Visser (MD, Power Quality Company) you will be given information relating to earthing and lightning protection as applicable to utility networks and industrial plant distribution systems as well as their associated control equipment. The fundamentals of earthing and lightning pro- tection will be explained, equipping attendees with the knowledge needed to solve real life earthing and lightning protection problems. Enquiries: Tel. +27 (0) 11 042 2018 or email kalma@platinumpeak.co.za NOT TO BE MISSED Industrial and Commercial Use of Energy (ICUE) Conference 14 – 16 August 2017, Cape Town campus, Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) Enquiries: Nadia Cassiem. Email cassiemn@ cput.ac.za Smart Buildings & Infrastructure 15 August 2017, Western Cape Summit, Cape Town Enquiries: Visit www.smart-summit.com Waste-to-Energy Technologies Summit 23 August 2017, Emperors Palace Convention Centre, Johannesburg The summit would focus on WASTE to Energy: the process, the treatment technologies for organic waste and its economic development. Enquiries: Email adriaant@wrc.org.za or chris@maphosam.co.za IDX Training Courses 2017 28 August: Certified PROFIBUS Installers with Troubleshooting and Maintenance 11 September: Certified PROFIBUS Installers with Engineers Enquiries: Tel. +27 11 548 9960 or email academy@idx.co.za

We asked Ian McKechnie of Engenamic to Write @ the back and share with us a few tips on how to Minimise engineering and project problems and disputes .

I recently commented in the context of ‘troubleshooting and fixing’ that ‘chal- lenges and potential problems are an ever-present reality’ and ‘come with the territory’ in the engineering, projects and operations environment. How their likelihood is minimised, and how they are handled when they do occur, is therefore vital in minimising their potential impact and in effectively managing or dealing with the outcomes. In our professional advisory/consulting practice, one of our principal areas of practice is in ‘troubleshooting and fixing’, which includes forensic engineering and consulting. Through this, we also have particular opportunity to add to our own knowledge base and insights into what can and does go wrong, and as-

sociated contributory factors. In addition, we are also always learning from our own engineering and project experiences. In this column, I would like to share just a few (and, very obviously, non-exhaus- tive) thoughts towards achieving successful engineering and project outcomes. An upfront and early (in the engineering and project life-cycle) investment in structuring, planning, analysis and front-end design offers a key contributory role in the reduction of engineering and pro- ject related risks, and hence in enabling the success of projects (a ‘front-end loading’ approach). This includes a thorough understanding of the engineering application and project scope, require- ments, environment and circumstances, risks, constraints, and the like. This is particularly pertinent to complex applications and projects involving infrastructure, systems and product development and implementation, and people, where the complexity of the projects and applications generally require a very structured, systematic approach in order to succeed. I am an ardent proponent of a structured systems engineering approach. Within a front-end loaded and structured approach, it is also important to ‘be real’ and avoid a false sense of security. Some elements of that include: • Manage the risks – know (and understand) what you don’t know – manage the uncertainty • Allocate the risks appropriately, where they can be best managed • Design the solutions appropriately – don’t just do things by rote or ‘because that’s the way we always do it’ • Be proactive – don’t wait for things to happen – ‘anticipate and pre-empt’ • Understand your own, and your organisation’s, limitations and capabilities (and complement and supplement the capabilities, either internally or externally). Mentor and build the team • Build-in (and stick to) a rigorous, traceable and quality assurance driven process at all stages (in- cluding appropriate milestone reviews) – and remember the benefit of external insights, including objectivity and freshness

brain block ... Question 2

(Courtesy Rob Melaia, Marthinusen & Coutts (a division of ACTOM (Pty) Ltd)

What do the abbreviations ‘kW’, ‘kWe’ and ‘kWm’ mean and relate to, in terms of power in generators, and why do we use these terms?

Enquiries: Ian McKechnie (CEng, IntPE(SA), PrEng), CEO – Engenamic www.engenamic.com

R&C Instrumentation......................................................22 RET Automation Controls...............................................(IFC) SAAEC Conference 2017......................................................36 TransElectron..................................................................3 WIKA...................................................................................23 INDEX TO ADVERTISERS

ACDC Dynamics........................................................(OFC, OBC) Endress+Hauser....................................................................21 Instrotech............................................................................19 JB Switchgear........................................................................27 Omron.............................................................................9 Phoenix Contact...................................................(IBC)

Answers to Brain Block questions are on our newsletters and website.

40 Electricity + Control

AUGUST 2017