MechChem Africa January 2019

Mech Chem JANUARY 2019 AFRICA

SKF – engineered around you

This month: Partnerships and collaboration extend network

Towards a holistic 4 th Industrial Revolution

Toll processing: ideal for junior miners

Integrated solutions extend Cullinan’s working life

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Power transmission, bearings, bushes and seals 8 Robust drives for wastewater treatment MechChemAfrica talks to SEW sales representative,Willem Strydom about the success of its wastewater-treatment solutions for its aerator-, agitator-, screen- and screw conveyor-drive systems, particularly for the Wamechsi Group. 10 Bearing assemblies for vibrating machinery 11 New people and products for 2019 Hydraulic and pneumatic systems 12 SMC ZA: Your local connection into SMC’s global solutions SMC’s general manager in South Africa, Peter Findley, talks about the local entity’s new name, SMC Corporation ZA, and how this reflects the company’s service-driven and globally connected way of doing business. 13 Hydraulic sealing solutions from Hallite 14 Hydraulic systems at Black Rock commissioned 17 Vacuum pumps reduce energy use for glass Computer-aided engineering 18 Towards a holistic 4IR At a launch event for Creo 5.0 at Zwartkops Raceway late last year, IIoT and agility software strategist, Harry Teifel sum- marised the opportunities and challenges associated with the 4 th Industrial Revolution (4IR).

P U B L I C A T I O N S CR O WN

Published monthly by Crown Publications cc Cnr Theunis and Sovereign Streets Bedford Gardens 2007 PO Box 140, Bedfordview, 2008 Tel: +27 11 622 4770 e-mail: mechchemafrica@crown.co.za www.mechchemafricamagazine.co.za Editor: Peter Middleton e-mail: peterm@crown.co.za Assistant editor: Phila Mzamo e-mail: philam@crown.co.za Advertising: Brenda Karathanasis e-mail: brendak@crown.co.za Design: Darryl James Publisher: Karen Grant Deputy publisher: Wilhelm du Plessis Circulation: Brenda Grossmann The views expressed in this journal are not necessarily those of the publisher or the editors. P U B L I C A T I O N S CR O WN P U B L I C A T I O N S CR O WN 2015/02/10 01:17:09PM

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20 Mining, 4IR and the Artisan 4.0 initiative 21 Revolutionising FEA with solid simulation Automation, process control and instrumentation 22 Hope for Industry 4.0-ready SA workforce

Speaking ahead of Africa Automation Fair 2019, automation industry stakeholders are saying that aligning with the global Industry 4.0 revolution will demand a great deal of change and progress in South Africa. A key priority has to be skills. 24 Modern Rockwell DCS for Mozal Aluminium 25 Assembly tower integrates Simera’s space telescope Minerals processing, metallurgy and materials 26 Toll processing: ideal for junior miners MechChem Africa visits B&E International in Kempton Park and talks to the company’s plant and engineering director, Ken Basson, about the advantages for minerals processing operators of adopting B&E’s toll-based plant supply and operating model.

28 Optimising water and coal washing efficiency 30 Integrated solutions extend Cullinan’s working life Innovative engineering 34 Kathu CSP plant in-sync with energy needs

Transparency You Can See Average circulation July-September 2018: 5 027

MechChem Africa’s Phila Mzamo reports on the recent synchronisation of Kathu solar power plant to the national grid, which brings SA closer to meeting the 2030 plan for 1 200 MW of concentrated solar power and installed renewable capacity of 20 000 MW. Regulars 2 Peter’s comment: Privatisation, a UK perspective 4 On the cover: Young engineers revitalise rotating equipment life services MechChem Africa talks to Chris Lubbe of SKF South Africa about the company’s expanded engineering services offering. 6 SAIChE IChemE News: An academic in pursuit of challenges: MechChem Africa profiles Kapil Moothi 32 Product and industry news 36 Back page: A fresh approach to biltong

Printed by: Tandym Print, Cape Town

Cover story: SKF South Africa Contact: Samantha Joubert samantha.joubert@skf.com +27 11 821 3602 www.skf.co.za

January 2019 • MechChem Africa ¦ 1

Privatisation: a UK perspective

M y first stint of living in Londonwas at the time of the first of Thatcher’s sell-offs of state-owned assets, which started with British Telecom in 1982. At that time I met a Jamaican Telecom technician – in a pub, of course – who received some shares when the entity was publically listed. He had mixed feelings about thedeal: pleased tobeamong theprivileged few, and a little guilty tobe benefitting fromthis ‘theft from the people’. Significant effort and public investment had already been put intomaking the company worth privatisingonly for connectedelites toget anexcellent deal, we believed. Fast-forward to 2018 and how the telecommuni- cations landscape has changed. When reconnecting services inLondonnow, it’s the cable/fibre service that dominates, for broadband and digital TV, with phone andmobile phone services bolted-on. Numerous pro- viders and cost-comparing websites help identify the best deal. The state monopoly is history. British Airways (BA) was privatised a few years later in1987. It is nowownedby International Airlines Group (IAG), an Anglo-Spanish holding company reg- istered on the London Stock Exchange that also owns Iberia, Aer Lingus and several smaller airlines. In2017, the company had over 63 000 employees and gener- ated revenues of nearly €23-billion. Buying an aeroplane ticket is another massively competitive process, particularly in Europe where low-cost airlines such as Ryanair, EasyJet and Wizz Air all offer budget flights via online and comparative booking systems. But BA remains successful. Electricity privatisation followed in 1989, when the CEGB (Central Electricity Generating Board) was splitupintothreenewcompanies;PowerGen,National Power and Power Grid Company. Within a few years, English nuclear assets were split away to become Nuclear Electric, which was subsequently merged with theScottishnuclear plants to formBritishEnergy. Ironically, this nuclear company is nowowned by EDF, France’s state-owned electricity company. From a consumer perspective, electricity is cur- rently an energy commodity sold along with gas using pay-as-you-go or fixed tariff contracts similar to those we are used to from cellphone service providers. It is possible to switch energy providers at will and dedicated services are routinely advertised to help consumers get the best deal possible. British Rail deregulation and privatisation took place between 1994 and 1997. Infrastructure such as large stations and track were sold to Railtrack and

Peter Middleton

maintenance services to contractors indifferent parts of the country. Ownership of passenger rolling stock was passed to private companies and leased to train operating companies (TOCs) via a franchising system overseen by theOffice of Passenger Rail Franchising. By 2002, Railtrackwas experiencing serious finan- cial difficulties and was transferred back to the state as Network Rail, which remains a non-profit company today. The TOCs have flourished, though, and the franchising process is very competitive. Ticketing across the network is now highly inte- grated so that passengers can buy a single railcard for use on any of the different rail services as well as interconnecting trams, buses and ferries, regardless of the operator or owner. Putting the Queen’s head into private hands was, for many years, seen as taking commercialisation too far and the Royal Mail was only privatised in 2013. So what changed? Internet shopping and parcel volumes. Now, free door-to-door delivery for online orders from the likes of Amazon or eBay is available within two days – and my 2:00 pm order of a ‘Man U’ shirt was delivered before midday the following morning. In contrast, there is the National Health Service (NHS), the largest single-payer healthcare system in the world and 100% publicly funded. But who runs it? Healthcare provision – running hospitals and the local healthcare trusts – is nowdone throughcontracts with private Healthcare providers, Richard Branson’s Virgin Care being one of the most successful. The Virgin Group, which includes Virgin Air, Virgin Rail, VirginActive, VirginConnect, VirginMobile anda host of other service related companies and franchises, has beena veryprominent participator inmanyof theUK’s privatisation campaigns. I am convinced that many of the services now on offer in the UK are better than they were in 1982. In comparison, servicedelivery fromtheequivalent SOEs in South Africa is poor. Public ownership of SOEs does not equate to members of the public being richer. I now think the opposite is true. If we can get rid of the debt and bailout costs associated with running politically in- fluenced and inefficient SOEs, South African citizens will be better off. But canwe trust a greedy private sector? As in all of theUK’s nowprivatisedutilities and services, Internet connectivity is the ultimate regulator. It puts pricing and service delivery statistics directly into the hands of consumers, which helps to keep private service providers relevant, efficient and honest. q

MechChem Africa is endorsed by:

2 ¦ MechChem Africa • January 2019

MechChem Africa talks to Chris Lubbe, engineering manager of SKF South Africa, about the company’s expanded engineering services offering and some of the problems being successfully overcome by SKF’s young and enthusiastic team. Young engineers revitalise rotating equipment life services

on the engineers of service providers such as SKF,” he responds. “These days, we have to take full ownership of problematic equip- ment, which is a big change from projects of the past,” he adds. As opposed to supplying components for rotating equipment, Lubbe says that his engineering team takes muchmore re- sponsibility for understanding and improving the machines operating at customer sites. “In general, our customers require and demand muchmoreengineeringsupport.Thisisdriving ustoshiftawayfromcapexandresourcing,and towards contract services, aftermarket main- tenance management and reliability services.

“We still have customers that operate world-class maintenance programmes, but we also have those running very old and inef- ficient plants, forwhich the requirements are a little different. In the past, we have had to turn customers away because we didn’t have the capacity to support them. The expansion of our team is a response to that and it gives us engineers some exciting challenges to tackle,” Lubbe tells MechChem Africa . Citing a recent success, he says that, with Masters degree graduates in vibration analy- sison the team, SKFSouthAfricahasdesigned and built a fully portable IMx datalogger to support the company’s Rotating Equipment

“ I n terms of new technologies and ser- vices at SKF, several new things are happening. First, our engineering team is rapidly expanding. We now have 15 engineers supporting the different SKF de- partments, up from five just 18 months ago,” Lubbe begins. “This is part of a broader long-term strategy to get more technical skills through to the sales teams. We now operate in four areas. Applications engineers offer general technical support to the sales team to steer themtowards optimal solutions for customer applications. Our project engineering team supports upgrades and new installations; and we now have a custom design team, which looks at bearing, housing and seal modifica- tions to resolve problems. In addition, we have established a condition monitoring engineering team, which looks at supporting the implementations of systems such as our IMxMulti-LogOnline systems alongwith our condition monitoring experts,” he informs MechChem Africa . “We have employed four young trainee engineers, who are getting up to speed and already supporting departments within SKF. They are creating excitement and keeping us on our toes. Their fresh insights have been phenomenal. I think Millennials want to do valuable work, but they do things a little dif- ferently.Theyaremuchmoreoutcomesbased and reluctant to follow procedures simply because they exist. They want to know what weareworkingtowardsandthisisshiftingour approach, not toodrastically, but the teamhas become younger andwe are all more enthusi- astic andvery comfortableworking together,” says SKF’s engineering manager. The reason for the expansion? “Market demand has changed, probably as a result of the loss of skills in many workplaces in our country. Fewer skilled people taking care of equipment onsite places a lot more demand

In a recent project-engineering success, SKF’s in-house capability was used to come up with a heavy duty, non-standard plummer block and sealing solution.

4 ¦ MechChem Africa • January 2019

⎪ Cover story ⎪

Performance (REP) offering. “These are Cloud-based units that have been built into ingress protected (IP66) cabinets so they can be safely and easily taken onsite to perform in-situ REP assessments. “These assessments give us an actual view of equipment condition, enabling us to anal- yse and prepare sound technical arguments before offering solutions. This is exactly the kind of support many customers need to im- prove the reliability and sustainability of their operations,” he suggest, adding that SKF will be trying tomake REP assessments a routine part of its service offering in 2019. From a mechanical engineering point of view, Lubbe is also proud of a recent project- engineering success involving support roll bearings for a steel mill. “In response to a breakdown, we used our in-house capability to come up with a heavy duty, non-standard plummer block and sealing solution for this bearing application.Wehad thepatternmade and the block cast in SG iron before the final unitwasmachined and the seals installed– all in just under 5 weeks,” he reveals. “Detailed designs of interface and sealing arrangements had to be completed here first. Then we had to rely on our sub-contractors for the manufacture – and the pattern mak- ers were particularly helpful, working 24/7 for three days to get the mould patterns completed,” he adds. So far, these have been operating trouble- free for six-months and, while the perfor- mance targets have been met, we see this as an ideal additional opportunity for condition monitoring,” Lubbe advises. Another example led by SKF’s project engineers and its capable draftsman involved simplifying the repair procedure for an agita- tor at a lime quarry in the Northern Cape. “The customer has coal agitators onsite that mix coal before feeding it into the furnaces. A poor sealing arrangement was enabling fines to get into the shaft bearings, significantly reducing bearing life. “To repair the bearing, the agitator vessel has tobe completelyemptiedbefore thedrive shaft couldbepulledoff the impeller. Thiswas a massive job,” Lubbe relates. To make the bearing replacement easier, a totally new shaft design was implemented by SKF’s project engineering team. “We have now incorporated an integrated hydraulic piston into the shaft to allow the shaft to be freed and disassembled from the outside of the vessel without having to first empty it. This has taken the disassembly time down from several days to a few hours,” he notes Since the wall thickness of the shaft had to be reduced, EN19 condition T steel was used for the shaft and finite element analysis was employed to ensure the shaft could carry application stresses. “Now, instead of having

SKF’s triple-barrier sealing solution with a sealed spherical roller bearings (3) in a housing with a 70 to 90% grease fill (2) and a Taconite multi-stage labyrinth cartridge seal (1) to use twenty-ton jacks and wedges to get the impeller off from the top, we now con- nect the hydraulic lines to the self-contained pistonandpull the shaft off the impeller under hydraulic pressure,” Lubbe explains. The team is also now exploring the use of Teflon coatings for plummer blocks subjected toacidicconditionsandseverecorrosion. “We are currently developing a prototype of an acid-proof housing that relies on our triple- barrier sealing solution. Aswell as a smoothed housing surface to prevent any build up of acidic slurry, all exposed surfaces are manu- factured or coated with our acid resistant engineering plastics: E-ECOPUR and Teflon. SKF’s triple-barrier sealing solution is based on the sealed spherical roller bearings itself. This is installed in a housing with a 70 to 90% grease fill, completely isolated from the sealed bearing, which forms the second barrier – “and a Taconite multi-stage laby- rinth cartridge seal is used to seal the acid- proof housing from outside contamination,” notes Lubbe. In support of smaller industries and tohelp themmonitor their equipment easily and cost effectively, SKF is using EnLight QuickCollect systems for its Smart Supplier Programme. “OuickCollect is a handheld magnetic-based vibration sensor that connects via Bluetooth to any smart mobile device. If vibration pat- terns outside of the normal operating enve- lopearepickedup,theresultscanimmediately be sent toSKFandadiagnosis canbe returned within minutes,” he says. The system was developed to enable condition monitoring to be done ‘on-the-fly’ without the need to install any permanent online systems. “We are using this system very successfully at a commercial mushroom production facility, which relies on motor, gearbox and pulley drives to get compost in and mushrooms out of growing areas.

The SKF Enlight QuickCollect sensor combines vibration and temperature sensing and allows data to be viewed in real time or pushed to the cloud for future analysis. “As soon as a problem is picked up, the information is shared with us and we then ensure that a bearing is delivered in time for installation, well prior to a breakdown. The programme forms part of our Smart Supplier Programme, where we use systems such as Enlight QuickCollect to predict where and when failures will occur and ensure spares are available and onsite at the time they are required. “The scope expansion of our engineering services offering is ongoing, reflecting the importance we place on lifetime services,” Lubbe says, “and our young team has the energy and the capability to tackle current problems using new technologies in exciting new ways, “ he concludes. q

January 2019 • MechChem Africa ¦ 5

An academic in pursuit of challenges

For the first SAIChE ICHemE Member Profile of 2019, MechChemAfrica talks to Kapil Moothi, the recently promoted Head of the Department of Chemical Engineering at the University of Johannesburg (UJ).

I studied under the supervision of professor Sunny Iyuke,” he informs MechChem Africa . The project, he explains, involved the conversion of two major greenhouse gases, carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) and methane (CH 4 ), into carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and synthesis gases, amixtureof carbonmonoxide (CO) and hydrogen (H 2 ). The experimental studies involved pass- ing CO 2 /CH 4 mixtures through a vertically orientated chemical vapour deposition (CVD) reactor at temperatures ranging from650 °C to 950 °C. “CNTs have arisen as a dynamic field of research owing to their properties: high thermal conductivity (6 000 W/mK) in comparison to copper (401W/mK); electrical conductivity six times higher than copper; as well as extraordinary mechanical proper- ties – a Young’s modulus over 1.0 TPa and an estimated tensile strength of 150 GPa. As a result of theseunique and very useful proper- ties, CNTs have found potential application in the fields of hydrogen storage, field emitters, fuel cells, polymer composites, catalyst sup- port structures and water purification mem- branes,” Moothi informs MechChem Africa . He completed his Masters in 2010 and immediately registered for a PhD, remain- ing at the University of the Witwatersrand. “From the findings and results of my MSc, I recognised that, inorder to realise large-scale applications, CNTs had to be grown in large quantities. This led to the development of the research study for my PhD thesis entitled: ‘Production of carbon nanotubes using di- rect coal-derived hydrocarbon products in a chemical vapour deposition reactor.’ The research led to a new coal-to-CNT technique being developed and proven. “The ‘proof of concept’ consistedof thepyrolysis of coal, separating the light organic gases from other products and transforming the light carbon-containing gases into CNTs using the CVD technique,” Moothi explains. “Successful utilisation of CNTs in vari- ous applications is strongly dependent on the development of a simple, efficient and inexpensive technology for mass production. During this research, coal was shown to have the potential to be the inexpensive source of carbon for this technology,” he adds. Under the supervision of Professors Iyuke and R Falcon, and DrWAugustyn from NECSA and Dr MMeyyappan from NASAa’s Ames Research Centre, Kapil Moothi was awarded his PhD in 2014.

chemical engineering, because I wanted to do something challenging at University, he says. “I had not really investigated what the fieldwas about before I chose it. I heard from teachers and friends that it was a difficult programme, and I felt, yes, a challenge is what I would like to take on. I believe chemi- cal engineering was the only selection on my university application forms,” he continues. Kapil Moothi moved to Johannesburg in 2004 tobegin studyingChemical Engineering at the University of the Witwatersrand. “As expected, the undergraduate programme did indeed prove to be quite challenging. The experience, even though quite stressful at times, was good. I placed additional pressure on myself to succeed, since I was determined to avoid repeating or writing supplementary exams during those years.” He graduated with a BSc Chemical EngineeringwithHonours inDecember2007. “In the final Honours year, I was introduced to the exciting and emerging field of nanotech- nology and, since I did not feel ready to go to industry yet, thiswas the direction I chose for my postgraduate studies,” he says. He embarked on an MSc in Chemical Engineering in 2008, still at the University of the Witwatersrand. “My research topic was: ‘Carbon nanotube production from green- house gases during syngas synthesis’, which

I n 2003, Kapil Moothi matriculated from the secondary school in Ladysmith, a small town in KwaZulu-Natal where he was born and raised. “My interests were always in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields and, as well as English and Afrikaans, I matriculated with higher grade passes in mathematics, physi- cal science, biology and computer studies,” Moothi tells MechChem Africa . “Since primary school, I have been inclined towards studying. I did not dread going to school and was not one to be absent – even when sick. I really liked learning and did not want to miss out on anything by not being there. “I do not remember having had more than a couple of sick days in my entire time at LadysmithSecondarySchoolandconsequent- ly, received a rare ‘outstanding attendance’ award in my matric year,” he recalls. “I chose engineering, and in particular

SEM images of carbon nanofibre tubes (CNTs) produced at 900 °C from coal using chemical vapour depo- sition (CVD) techniques at pyrolysis reactor temperatures of: (a) 600 °C ; (b); 650 °C; (c) and (d); ) 700 °C.

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⎪ SAIChE IChemE news ⎪

tional peer-reviewed journals includes: • Langmuir: Synthesis of carbon nanotubes using direct coal-derived hydrocarbons; “an article detailing the key experimental findings of my PhD thesis”. • RSCAdvances: An article proposing a novel kineticmodel of carbonnanotube produc- tion from carbon dioxide. • Nature Scientific Reports: With an ar- ticle showcasing the application of carbon nanotubes in membrane composites for water treatment. • Carbon: Which published a review article that discussed the status of carbon nano- tube production from coal. • Trends in Applied Sciences Research: With an article that examined the production of carbon nanotubes using ferrocene as a catalyst as well as a carbon source. • Science of the Total Environment: “Which published my review article looking at multifunctional nanocomposites forwater treatment”. Then in January 2017, a Y1 rating from the National Research Foundation (NRF) was bestowed on Kapil Moothi, which recognises young researchers within five years of their PhD who, by all or the overriding majority of reviewers, have the potential to establish themselves as ‘a researcher of considerable international standing on the basis of the quality and impact of their recent research outputs’. His academic achievements are not lim- ited to research, however. “Because of my penchant for learning, in 2017 I completed a Postgraduate Diploma in Higher Education (PGDipHE) at UJ, which was passed with distinction. While not strictly a pre-requisite for an academic lecturer, I did this to improve my skills and knowledge in teaching, learning and assessment practices,” Moothi reveals to MechChem Africa . “Chemical engineering is

“In January 2013 while finalising my PhD thesis, I joinedSasol’s PolymersBusinessUnit in Sasolburg. Thiswas a stressful time as I was embarkingonanew, full time, jobwhilehaving to write-up a thesis. “I felt it was time to get the ‘work experi- ence’ I had heard people talking about and, while I was prepared technically, mentally I wasnot ready for theadjustment fromuniver- sity life to being at work. By the time I went to Sasol in 2013, I had been at Wits since 2004 – about nine years!” he says. “While work was as I expected it to be, I becamedisillusionedbythewholeexperience. I had spent a decade of my life studying new materials and developing groundbreaking processes, only to end up doing relatively routine work as another ‘cog-in-a-wheel’. It just wasn’t for me so, towards the latter part of 2015, I started searching for opportunities inotherareasandreceivedanofferofemploy- ment at the University of Johannesburg (UJ) in January 2016,” he says. Kapil Moothi has been awarded several national and international scholarships, prizes and awards for his academic successes and research projects over the years: the ‘Post GraduateMeritAward’ fromtheUniversityof the Witwatersrand in 2008; the Golden Key InternationalHonourSocietyMembershipfor being in the top 15%of academic achievers in 2010; DAAD-NRF’s ‘In-Country Scholarship’ in 2011, awarded for high quality of re- search work; and a First Place Prize (Poster Presentation – FEBE) in 2012 at the 4thWits Cross-Faculty Postgraduate Symposium. “In 2015, the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research named me a ‘Green Talent’ with high potential in sustainable development, and in that year I was also a Brightest Young Minds (BYM) recipient,” adds Moothi. Published research inprestigious, interna-

SAIChE IChemE SAIChE Board members: President: C Sheridan Imm. Past President D van Vuuren Honorary Treasurer L van Dyk + Vice President: Honorary Secretary: EMObwaka Vice President: D Lokhat Council member: JJ Scholtz Council member: AB Hlatshwayo Council member: K Harding Council Member: M Low Council Member: HMazema Council Member: MChetty Council Member: A de Bondt Council Member: MMabaso Council Member NN Coni Member (co-opted): MD Heydenrych Member (co-opted): MHughes Member (co-opted): CMausse Chair Gauteng: C Sandrock Chair KZN: D Lokhat Chair Western Cape: HMazema Contact details SAIChE PO Box 2125, North Riding, 2162 South Africa capabilities for people and machines,” he responds. “The future role that chemical and other engineerswill play in this is crucial. The fusion of technologies is blurring the lines be- tween the physical, digital and biological do- mains, and emergent technology advances, including cybernetics, artificial intelligence (AI), nanotechnology/nanoscience, quantum computing, biotechnology, the Internet of Things (IIoT), fifth-generationwireless tech- nologies (5G), additive manufacturing/3D printing and self-driving vehicles will have increasing importance in the kind of work we do, where we work, and how we work as engineers and developers of technology,” Moothi predicts. “This offers great opportunities for gradu- ates to thrive and succeed in this new digital communication era. But all of us need to be prepared, so that it does not pass us by or happen around us,” he concludes. q

a great career because of the critical thinking and problem solving skills that it develops. Graduates can take these skills into any vocational field to add value to companies such as Sasol or Engen, inmanagement consulting firms likeMcKinsey orBainandCo, thebankingand financial services sector such as RMB, Investec or Nedbank; fast moving consumer goods companies such as Unilever, Massmart or Nestle and into posts in academia too,” he says. The future of the profes- sion? “The Fourth Industrial Revolution and the arrival of cyber-physical systems will open up completely novel

Tel: +27 11 704 5915 Fax: +27 86 672 9430 email: saiche@mweb.co.za saiche@icheme.org website: www.saiche.co.za

Chemical vapour deposition (CVD) apparatus used for carbon nanotube growth.

January 2019 • MechChem Africa ¦ 7

Robust drives for wastewater treatment

Wamechsi Group, the local wastewater-treatment OEM that builds plants throughout South Africa, has standardised on SEW-EURODRIVE’s range of industrial geared motors and industrial gearboxes (IG) for its aerator, agitator, screen and screw conveyor-drive systems for optimal electrical efficiency. MechChem Africa talks to SEW sales representative, Willem Strydom.

S uch is the quality and reliability of SEW’s geared motor and gear- box technology that local original equipment manufacturer, Wamechsi Group, has standardised on the German company’s products for demanding agitation, mixing, aerating and settled sludge conveying andcompactingapplicationsatitswastewater treatment plants. “Wamechsi is a Pretoria-based wastewa- ter OEM that was founded in 1997 under the technical direction of Juri Niemand,” says Strydom. “It has since grown to be one of the largest installers of wastewater plants in the South African municipal market,” he adds. The Group has extensive manufacturing ca- pabilities that include state-of-the-art laser and plasma cutters, CNC lathes and milling machines,submerged-arcandroboticwelding systems and ancillary equipment such as 24 5.0 t overhead cranes. “Our relationship with Wamechsi started back in 2012, with the supply of some geared

motors formixers and aerators – andby 2015 the relationship had developed into a full scale partnership. Wamechsi has now stan- dardised on SEW equipment for all its drive equipment for mixers and aerators; rake and drum screens; and its sludge conveyor and compacting drives,” he says. Strydom cites a recently won Wamechsi project in Virginia in the Free State. “For phase two of the Virginia project we sup- plied eight 75 kW IGs for the aerators,” he reveals adding that, for another project, ERWAT’s Bushkoppies plant South West of Johannesburg, SEW-EURODRIVE supplied 15 11 kWgeared motors to drive the mixers. “We are currently busy with the Theronia WasteWater TreatmentWorks inWelkom in the Free State, which will include 22 geared motors for different applications: aerators, mixers, screens, and conveyors,” he tells MechChem Africa . Summarising the needs of wastewater treatment works, Strydom says that the inlet

works first bring raw sewage into the plant. Rotating drum screens are used to take out solidcontaminants suchas nappies, wetwipes and all the debris that has accumulated in the stormwater and sewer networks. The water effluent and sludge passes through the screens and is transferred via spiral or screw conveyors into flotation or settling tanks. The sludge is seeded with activated sludge and then aerated from the surface. This fuels the growthof bacteria that consume the organic matter in the sludge. In the process, larger andmore dense solids are formed that sink to the bottom of the tank, leaving liquid water with dissolved contami- nants in the top section.

Wamechsi Group has standardised on the SEW EURODRIVE’s products for demanding agitation, mixing, aerating and settled sludge conveying and compacting applications at its wastewater treatment plants.

8 ¦ MechChem Africa • January 2019

⎪ Power transmission, bearings, bushes and seals ⎪

After settling is complete, the liquid solution overflows and is transferred intoclarifiers, where it is further treated to theappropriate standard for release into dams and rivers. The solid sludge that settles in the bottom of the flotation tanks is continuously being removed from the bottom of the tank by screw conveyors, which, forWamechsi plants, are alsodrivenby SEWgeared motors. The solid matter is directed to digesters, where it undergoes anaerobic digestion. This process produces methane – a potential en- ergysource–alongwithnutrientrichbio-solids,whicharecompressed, dewatered and dried for use as fertilisers. “Manyoftheprocessesinvolvedatwastewaterplantsrequiredrives and we are very proud that Wamechsi has chosen us as its preferred supplier of drives for their equipment,” notes Strydom. Why SEW? “Wamechsi prides itself on its reliable designs, which dependonquality drives that are equally reliable anddependable. Our flexible product platform incorporates SEW’s load-specific bearing concept. The transmitted torque and very high radial and axial forces from the cantilevered output shaft have to be supported by the bear- ings and, for horizontal or vertical mixer and aerator applications, we have the expertise to provide optimal solutions,” he assures. “In aerator andmixing applica-

tions, our projects and engineer- ing teams have to double check all of the loads and bending mo- ments. These loads are supplied to us by the client, based on their designs. We then ensure that the gearboxes selected are optimally suited to the application at hand,” Strydom adds. “For simplicity and improved reliability reasons, Wamechsi prefers to use direct online drive systems. To do this efficiently, the sizing of themotor and gearboxes needs to be very precise so that the fixed-speed systems are very well matched to the system re- quirements. At SEW, we have the design expertise and the product flexibility to meet the varying requirements so that the equip- ment accurately matches plant demand,” he says. “In addition, after sales service is critical. SEW is on standby for

Above: The IE3 motor and IG gearbox are connected to an agitator below to aerate the sludge and fuel the growth of bacteria that consume the organic matter. Left: For phase two of the Virginia project SEW- EURODRIVE supplied eight 75 kW IGs for the aerators. these are still working today,” notes Strydom. Industrial Gear units from SEW are ideal for applications where a high performance level is required for mixing and agitating liquid or paste-like substances. Apart from wastewater treatment, these also include chemical, foodandbeverage, andmininguses. South Africa is officially classified as a water-stressed country, which means that our valuable water resources have to be conserved as much as possible. It is critical for solutionprovider such as SEWtobe at the cutting edge of supporting this technology,” Strydom points out. “The wastewater treatment industry not only generates much-needed employment, but is essential for continued economic development, as the country’s residential needs cannot be met without this essential water infrastructure being put in place first,” he concludes. q

tee aggressive local stockholding.Wamechsi- built plants have 24/7 access to our assembly facilities for emergency replacement and/ or repair work. At a recent breakdown in Stellenbosch, for example, we visited the facility, took the unit back to our Cape Town branch and had the plant up and running on a replacement unit within hours. We then went ahead with the repair of the original unit, which the plant chose to keep on site as a replacement unit,” he relates. “Geared motors operating in wastewater applications typicallyhave afive-yearmainte- nance-free life, afterwhichwe recommendan oil change and a light service before putting them back into service. With regard to total life, Wamechsi has SEW geared motor units that havebeen running since theearly90s and

all Wamechsi installations on a 24/7 basis, offering onsite support for repairs and/or replacement units fromour dedicatedmobile service teams,” he continues. With respect to warranties, Strydom says thatWamechsi also has special requirements with regards to extended warranties. “Our standard warranty is for 12 months from delivery, but we offer an 18-month warranty on equipment installed at Wamechsi plants. Also, our warranty only kicks in on installa- tion. Our products are generally delivered in advance of installation and plant start up. By delaying thewarranty start date,Wamechsi is better able tomatch their plant warranty and the individual plant equipment warranties,” Strydom informs MechChem Africa . “With respect to spares, we also guaran-

January 2019 • MechChem Africa ¦ 9

Together with NSK, BMG has developed and introduced a simple bolt-on assembly solution for vibratory-specification bearings that reduces vibration and noise levels by as much as 50%. BMG’s business unit manager for bearings, Werner de Bruyn, explains. Bearing assemblies for vibrating machinery

Left: Each NSK bearing assembly has been pre- greased and fitted with labyrinth and contact seals ready for fitting. It can be simply bolted onto the machine frame with bearing location features. Below: Included in BMG’s NSK range are integrated bearing assemblies designed especially for vibratory screen machines. “BMG takes pride in sourcing quality products that aredesignedandmanufactured to meet the rigorous demands of technologi- callyadvancedengineering.Wehavebeen the sole distributor of NSK products in Southern Africa since 1991. NSK’s manufacturing plantsinJapan,USA,EuropeandAsiaproduce tons of bearings a month, which meet and exceedthemoderndemandsoflargevibrating machines and small to large rotating systems,” De Bruyn concludes. q blies are that manufacturers do not need to re-work the designs of the system in-house and the integrated assembly also means customers do not need to manufacture sub- components. Further benefits include ease of assembly andquick installation, which reduce the manufacturer’s costs. “In assisting with problems, we have iden- tified that manufacturers need assistance to reducemanufacturing costs and improve the overall performance of machines. Each NSK bearingassembly,whichhasbeenpre-greased and fitted with labyrinth and contact seals ready for fitting, is simply bolted onto the machine framewithbearing location features. There isnoneed for customers toworryabout the complexities of assembling the bearings and seals and lubricating the assembly,” says De Bruyn. NSK’s simple bolt-on assembly solutions encompass vibratory specification bearings, which reduce vibration and noise levels by as much as 50%. This integrated system also of- fers increased fatigue strength against vibra- tion and shock loads. Other features include minimal wear and corrosion resistance. As a result, bearing performance and reliability is improved, manufacturing costs are reduced and service life of systems is significantly extended.

Vibratory screen machines are used in arduous construction, agriculture, quarrying and mining applications.

B MG’s comprehensive NSK bearing range extends from precision miniature bearings used in machine tools and elec- tronics applications to giant size bearings for steel and mining industries. Included in the NSK port- folio –which is one of BMG’s leading bearing brands – are integrated bearing assem- blies, designedespecially for vibratory screen machines, which are used in arduous construction, agriculture, quarrying andmin-

ing applications. “The BMG team is committed to working closely with cus- tomers in all industries, to investigate the source of prob- lems and to provide cost-efficient solutions for optimum productivity of machinery, extended service life of sys- tems andminimal maintenance requirements,” explains Werner de Bruyn, business unit manager, Bearings, BMG. “We have found that vibrating screen machine

manufacturers often experience difficulties, resulting from the inconsistency of bearing mountings in the shaker box assembly. In collaboration with NSK, BMG solutions encompass integratedbearingassemblieswith

high-strengthSGironhousingsandvibratory-specification bearings. Important advantages of these customised assem-

10 ¦ MechChem Africa • January 2019

⎪ Power transmission, bearings, bushes and seals ⎪

New people and products for 2019

In keeping with its focus on offering the best international brands at cost-competitive prices, BI, formerly Bearings International, has appointed key people and is launching several new products in the NewYear, all to ensure sustainability and stronger growth.

“ I n a market where smaller players are drivingprices down continuously, what continues to distinguish us is our ex- pertise and service levels,” says newly- appointed BI sales and marketing director ConradMuller. “This ensures that customers receive value-for-money, and the lowest total cost of ownership at the end of the day.” “We focus on opportunities and, as such, the expansion of our product portfolio to- gether with a highly focused end-user busi- ness development team, make for a winning strategy to achieve increased spread of sales to existing clientswhile also establishing new clients,” Muller adds. As part of this strategy, BI recently ap- pointedVictor Strobel asmarketingmanager. Strobel is responsible for all BI’s productman- agers, with the main goal of consolidating its marketing efforts and ensuring profitable growth. In order to achieve this, Strobel will work closely with BI’s countrywide network of 49 branches. “As a market leader, we continuously scan the horizon for new products and services to better serve our market segments. We work closelywithourmajor suppliers toensure our marketing strategies are aligned with theirs. We have a few product launches planned for the first quarter of 2019, and thesewill be an- nounced in due course. We are continuing to strengthen our respective business divisions and our partnerships with our valued suppli- ers,” Strobel notes. Muller says that training, education and standards development are also key factors in BI’s value proposition. “They remain the cornerstone of our success in bringing new clients onboard who understand the value weoffer as a true partner to their businesses.” Aparticular success forBI last yearwas the development of itsAgri-Smart solution aimed at cooperatives in the agricultural industry. Launched at Nampo 2018 at Bothaville in the Free State, Agri-Smart allows BI to be an enabler for cooperatives in remote regions, and thereby supporting farmerswith the best products at a fast turnaround, whilemaintain- ing excellent price levels. “We are working on strengthening our presence in the agricultural sector in the Free State, the Eastern Cape, and the Northern Cape, aswell as surroundingSouthernAfrican countries,” Strobel reveals. The success of Agri-Smart has showcased BI’s flexibility in adapting to current market conditions and

BI’s newly appointed marketing manager, Victor Strobel. Despite the fact that BI is a powerhouse of international brands, Muller stresses that it is not just another supplier. “Our technical expertise, vast coverage network, stock and client-facing specialists differentiate us from the competition. Even though we have an established history and strong reputation, our continuous efforts todeliver exactlywhat our clients expect, need, and desire keeps us evolving. “We are sharply focused on market con- ditions, new technologies, improved service offering and shorter lead times, ultimately to enable us to adapt to the unique situations that are the reality for our customers,”Muller concludes. q

BI’s sales and business director, Conrad Muller.

the specific requirements of its customers. “With BI’s diverse range of products and services, we managed to maintain our market position in 2018, due to successful cross-pollination of various products and services throughoutmost of SouthernAfrica,” Strobel points out. Careful market analysis and a focused approach will also see BI grow in Southern Africa in 2019.

The passionate BI team together with its powerhouse of leading brands makes for a winning combination.

January 2019 • MechChem Africa ¦ 11

SMC’s general manager in South Africa, Peter Findley, talks about the local entity’s new name, SMC Corporation ZA, and how this reflects the company’s service-driven and globally connected way of doing business. SMC ZA: Your local connection into SMC’s global solutions

T o more closely align with its global parent and its international net- work, SMC Pneumatics South Af- rica has changed its name to SMC Corporation ZA. “While our company remains a global leader in the manufacture and supply of pneumatic systems and components, we continue to evolve in supporting all aspects of manufacturing and industrial automation,” says SMC ZA’s GM, Peter Findlay. “Today’s automation systems integrate pneumatic, electric and hydraulic actuators alongwithdigitally controlledsolenoidvalves, valve terminal blocks, inverter drives anddigi- tal sensors and instrumentation,” he explains. “SMC offers the full suite of these solutions, some of which do not include any pneumatic components at all,” he says. SMC Corporation officially opened its South African subsidiary in 2016 inMidrand, Johannesburg, and this remains the only SMC manufacturing and assembly facility in Africa. With local stock holding backed by a transparent, responsive and international supply chain, nation-wide training support, as well as a state-of-the-art showroom, SMC ZA is now offering expertise and support for automation and systems integrators across Southern Africa. “Locally and globally, we concentrate on

deliveringcustomerfocusedsolutions,wheth- er that means manufacturing non-standard versions of our actuators or designing and developing turnkey automation systems that include all of the associated control, filtering and conditioning systems. “Increased globalisation and the rapid evolution of information technology has seen changes in the way business is conducted. Customer satisfaction can only be achieved if we clearly understand the automation goals and requirements of our clients, and then ex- ceed them. This is the reason for SMC’s dedi- cation to building an organisation that listens carefully to customers and responds quickly and specifically to their needs,” Findlay notes. “We are fully integrated into SMC’s global network coverageof allmajor countries in the Americas, Europe, Asia, Oceania as well as in emerging countries such as SouthAfrica. This reflects our active commitment to the world market. SMC supports its subsidiaries with a stable supply chain of products, advanced technical services, solid communication networks and competitive pricing. It is our number onegoal toexceedcustomer expecta- tions, everywhere,” he assures. “To enable shorter delivery times and availability of non-standard stock items and customised solutions, tailored to individual customer needs, SMC ZA’s local production

facility in Midrand offers technical support, levels of service and product ranges not available anywhere else in the country,” Findlay says. “In addition, free software and component selection tools are available on the SMC website. Or customers can simply contact our sales engineers. Additionally, a superbly equippedshowroomenablescustomerstosee and feel the products, while over the counter sales are supported by a large stockholding. Come see for yourselves,” he adds. “Training is also a core part of SMC ZA’s local and global offering. To this end, we offer five courses: basic pneumatics, electro-pneu- matics, basic hydraulics, electro-hydraulics and mechatronics. These courses have all been tailored to provide machine operators, maintenance staff, technicians and engineers the knowledge and skills theyneed tooperate andmaintainautomatedproductionmachines at their own sites. “We can also customise and offer onsite training courses to suit the automation systems and equipment already deployed at customer sites,” he says. In addition, SMC Corporation specialises in supplying educational training equipment for schools, colleges and universities, which is available to customers for in-house train- ing. Training systems cover a range of top- ics including e-learning; circuit design and simulation software; vacuum technology; energy efficiency in pneumatics, hydraulics, PLCs, instrumentation and process control; mechatronics; and Industry 4.0. “SMChasextensiveapplicationexperience in a wide range of industries ranging from automotive to food and beverage, packaging and mining. We aim to provide exemplary service and solutions that help our custom- ers optimise their performance, lower costs, improve competitiveness and make local producers more sustainable and profitable. “We remain committed to delivering the highest level of support, in line with our globally connectedand customer-focusedap- proach,” Findlay says. “The SMC Corporation ZA name builds on this heritage, but also re- flects our ever-increasing product range and the nature of our modern service offering,” he concludes. q

SMC Corporation ZA’s Midrand manufacturing and assembly facility remains the only such plant in Africa.

12 ¦ MechChem Africa • January 2019

⎪ Hydraulic and pneumatic systems ⎪

BMG – the only official distributor for Hallite Seals in Central and Southern Africa – supplies an extensive range of hydraulic and pneumatic seals and sealing solutions for demanding environments. Hydraulic sealing solutions from Hallite

Marc Gravett

“ H allite sealing systems aremanu- factured from robust materials that include nitrile rubbers, rubber and fabric compounds and thermoplastic elastomers – all proven to keep hydraulic systems free from external contamination,” says Marc Gravett, business unitmanagerofBMG’sSealsandGasketsdivi- sion. “Hallite’s design engineers and material technologists give careful attention to seal profile design, material selection andproduct properties, which are methodically studied to ensure the finished component has the required qualities to cope efficiently in harsh operating conditions. “Seals are subjected to extensive test- ing that reproduces continuous operating conditions where leakage and dynamic and breakout friction are recorded and perfor- mance factors such as pressure, speed and temperaturearecarefullymonitored,”hesays. Included in this range of hydraulic and pneumatic seals are rod and gland seals, piston and static seals, as well as support and bearing components, which are constantly upgraded to keep abreast with changing market demand. Hallite type 780 double acting piston seals with a robust assembly for efficient operation, offer reduced wear resistance and extended service life on any hydraulic cylinder application. Although the piston seals have been designed especially for one-piece pistons, they are also suitable for two-piece pistons. The type 780 is similar to the popular DAS seal. These double acting seals consist of a ni- trilerubber-sealingelement;twosplitsupport rings; and two split L-shapedbearings located on either side of the seal. Thesealingelementisdesignedwithmulti- lips for efficient dynamic sealingwithminimal low-pressure friction. When pressurised, the lips of the support ring are extended to protect the system from extrusion damage. The support rings, which are manufac- tured from a tough, flexible polymer, and the L-shaped bearings are grooved to ensure that thefluidpressureproperlyenergises the seal- ing element and also prevents pressure being trapped within the seal assembly. These double acting piston seals are able to withstand operating conditions at a maxi- mumspeedof 0,5m/sec, a temperature range

Above: BMG – the only official distributor for Hallite Seals in Central and Southern Africa –supplies an extensive range of hydraulic and pneumatic seals and sealing solutions for demanding environments.

Right: Hallite type 506 self lubricating bearing strips are

designed for high load capability, low friction and minimal swell. They

are manufactured to tight tolerances, providing bearing solutions for reciprocating, oscillating and slow rotary movement applications. ofbetween-30°Cand+100°Candamaximum pressure of 400 bar. Hallite type 506 self lubricating bearing strips, which are designed for high load ca- pability, low friction and minimal swell, are manufactured to tight tolerances, providing bearing solutions for reciprocating, oscillat- ing and slow rotary movement applications. Theeasy tousebearing strips are available as cut rings that are ready for installation to customer specifications and size. They are also supplied as spiral lengths in various pre- formed diameters to suit a range of inside andoutside diameters. Bearing strips are also available in flat coil form in 10m lengths suit- able for a wide range of diameters. Flat coils are packed in a dispenser for easy handling and storage. Hallite type506bearing strips areusedex- tensively on hydraulic cylinder rod and piston applications and can withstand extreme side loads, preventingmetal-to-metal contact. The material’s design incorporatesmicro indenta- tionsonthebearingstrip’ssurfacetotrapfluid andprovidebuilt in lubrication to thebearing.

The bearing strip is manufactured using a woven fabric reinforced polyester resin ma- terial that is compatible with different fluids, includingmineral oils, water-basedfluids and phosphate esters. BMG’s extensive range of quality branded sealing products includes rotary shaft, torric, hydraulic andpneumatic seals, aswell as allied products such as O-rings, waved washers, circlips, mechanical seals, gland packing and adhesives, all of which comply with stringent international and local quality specifications. The company’s commitment to providing high quality seals is evident in the extreme care taken in brand selection, standardisa- tion, reliability, flexibility and consistent quality controls. BMG sealing products meet the demands of OEMs and end users for efficient performance from equipment that needs to work harder and for longer periods as productivity levels increase. BMG, which has been the exclusive dis- tributorinSouthernAfricaforHalliteSealsfor over 35 years, provides a technical advisory and support service in all sectors. q

January 2019 • MechChem Africa ¦ 13