MechChem Africa January 2018

⎪ Products and industry news ⎪

Lowering the total cost-per-cut and therefore customers’ overall production costs – and increasing their return-on- investment (ROI) – is the driving impera- tive of the Swiss sheet metal processing original equipment manufacturer (OEM), Bystronic, represented in South Africa by First Cut, the South African distributor of a rangeof cutting consumables and capital equipment. These cutting-edge solutions also include a wide variety of automated capital equipment solutions. For example, Automation for ultra-fast steel processing Bystronic’s fibre lasers are renowned for their exceptionally fast output of finished components. This poses a challenge for the loading and unloading of raw materi- als, a challenge which the company has overcome with, among other automated solutions, the ByTrans, ByTrans Extended and the ByLoader automation solutions. The ByTrans is linked to the Bystronic fibre laser and automatically loads steel sheets onto the fibre laser’s shuttle table. After the cutting cycle is completed, the ByTrans also unloads the finished parts and residual sheets.

the rawmaterial on the other table. Additionally, Bystronic supplies the ByTrans Extended. This features not one but two cassettes, which increases the au- tomatic capability of the system. This op- tionoffers greater flexibility as it can store and return, and alsohandle the removal of large parts. The ByTrans Extended, avail- able in 3×1.5 m and 4×2 m options, can alsoprepareplastic protective separators, whichareplacedbetween the steel sheets. Bystronic’s latest fibre laser solutions can process sheet material substantially faster than earlier systems such as CO 2 lasers. However, the laser forms the ‘hub’ of an extended automation system, which includes downstream processes such as punching, bending and welding. Where space in a manufacturing facility is constrained, the Byloader automation system is a compact loading unit that is positionedon the sideof the laser system’s shuttletable,supplyingmetalsheetstothe laserwithouttakingupunnecessaryspace. www.firstcut.co.za At the ESD Transnet Pipelines Petroleum and Waste Recycling Programme awards are, standing: Balan Govender, Thandeka Ndlovu, Nobuhle Dlamini, Sthembiso Dube, Ketse Rangaka, and Atul Padalkar, BizFarm. Seated from left: Caroline Msomi, Kitumetsi Ntombela, and Zameka Cain. Management System that gives these emerging enterprises a competitive edge. “Special credit must be given to Dilex Purification that also received an ISO14001 certificate for compliancewith global environmental quality assurance standards and regulations. ISO 14001 is the international specification for an environmental management system (EMS) that helps an organisation identify, prioritise andmanageenvironmental risks as part of normal business practices and quality assurance processes.” The Bosch Ulwazi team believes that quality is critical in every aspect of busi- ness and ISO certification supports a pledge from these local companies to provide customers with a range of qual- ity products, enhanced by a world class technical solutions and support service. www.boschulwazi.co.za

The ByTrans 3015 Extended, which can not only store and return, it can also handle the removal of large parts.

The ByTrans requires only 60 seconds inwhich to carry out the complete loading and unloading cycle. This means that the automation system is always faster than the cutting plan that is being processed. For users, this means that the laser can cut uninterrupted for an extensive period. While theByTrans loads one shuttle table, the fibre laser is cutting components from

BoschUlwazi hosteda function recently to present ISO certificates to five emerging enterprises, as part of the ‘Enterprise and Supplier Development’ (ESD) Transnet Pipelines PetroleumandWasteRecycling Programme. ISO certificates for emerging enterprises project and operations management, skills development and the planning and implementation of expansion strategies, incompliancewithcorporategovernance,” explains BalanGovender, managing direc- tor, Bosch Ulwazi, part of Bosch Holdings (Pty)Limited.“Thistrainingprogrammehas culminated in ISO 9001: 2008 accredita- tion–an internationallyacclaimedQuality

“Bosch Ulwazi works closely with small, medium and micro-sized enter- prises (SMMEs) providing guidance on New science lab courtesy of Engen

Learners at Fairvale Secondary School in Wentworth inDurbanwelcomed in2018with a brand new modern science lab following extensive renovations by leading producer and marketer of fuels, lubricants and oil- basedproducts, Engen. The company invested R650 000 in the project, which includes eight new computers and a fully equipped and fur- nished modern science laboratory. Engen’s corporate social investment manager, Mntu Nduvane, says this improved learning environment will empower learners to excel in the sciences. “The science lab will ensure that learners are exposed to basic science equipment in an environment that is conducive to learning. By creating this positive experiential learning experience, the subject matter will really come alive for the learners,” comments Nduvane. Despite being situated in a disadvantaged community characterised by high unemploy- ment, Fairvale Secondary School has consis-

tently risen above these circumstances, defy- ing the oddswith impressivematric results. In 2016, the matric pass rate was 76%, up from the previous year’s 74% pass rate. One of their star pupils who matriculated last year is Kerisha Lutchmia. Kerisha, who attended the Fairvale Engen Maths and Science School (EMSS) programme, studied actuarial science at the University of Cape Town this year. EMSS is a national initiative that addresses key skills shortages in the engineering and technical fields by providing after hoursmaths and science education to learners who show an advanced aptitude in these subjects. “We are very grateful to Engen for their support. The biggest impact for us will be the reaction fromour teachers and studentswhen they see their newfacilities. Theywill be soproudof the newenvironment inwhich they can thrive and learn,” says Dale Seidle, principal of Fairvale Secondary School. www.engenoil.com

40 ¦ MechChem Africa • January 2018