MechChem Africa July 2019

Oil-free compressed air is used throughout industry where the purest compressed air quality is critical to the end product and to the processes involved – such as in the pharmaceutical or food and beverage sectors. Rand Air talks about the importance of its Class 0 oil-free industry standard. Class 0 oil-free versus technically oil-free air

“ A s the leading provider of por- table power and air solutions in the country, Rand-Air has the right solutions for our cus- tomers, in that we are able to supply oil-free compressors that have a TUV Class 0 certifi- cation under the ISO 8573-1 standard. With this assurance, customers have peace of mind that they are guaranteed 100% oil-free compressed air,” explains Rand-Air’s fleet manager, Craig Swart.

The evolution of this stringent standard reflects the ever-increasing requirement for quality air for processes and end products. Class 0 is a stringent industry standard where the total oil content is measured – not only aerosols and liquids but vapours as well – by the internationally recognised TUV organisation. Rand-Air sources its oil free compressors from Atlas Copco, which puts these units through the most rigorous tests available;

and which is now the first manufacturer to receiveClass 0Certification for all its oil-free products. “In the field of air compressors, two terms needtobeunderstood–Class0andtechnical- ly oil-free,” continues Swart. “The latter term means that oil is injected into the compressed airandthenremovedafterwardsusingafiltra- tion process. This involves an oil separator in the compressor, coalescing filters to remove most liquid oil, and then an activated carbon filter to remove oil vapours.” With technically oil-free compressors, during the filtration process failures can po- tentially occur – for example, separators can breakandfilters canbecome saturated. These factors are exacerbated when the operating temperatures are high. When using a techni- cally oil-free system, there are also other is- sues to consider, such as ensuring that filters are regularly changed, the treatment of the condensate and higher energy costs. “At Rand-Air, our PT-, PN- and Z-ranges of compressors are Class 0 oil-free, TUV- certified andwe have a range of oil-free com- pressors to suit most applications,” he adds. “So, if your requirement is for oil-free compressed air, one has to ask: “Why take the risk of potential damage to equipment or reputation?” A Class 0 oil-free compressor fromRand-Air is your optimal solution,” Swart concludes. q

Rand Air’s oil free compressors, such as this ZT315VSD, are Class 0 oil-free, TUV-certified and the company has oil-free compressors to suit most applications. Tectra receives Bosch Rexroth service excellence certificate

Tectra Automation, a subsidiary of the Bosch Rexroth South Africa Group, passed its stringent Advanced Technology Audit on drives, motors, controls and frequency convertors to retain its accreditation as a Bosch Rexroth Certified Service Centre. The2019 auditwas conducted at theRexrothHUBB inKempton Park by two international auditors from Bosch Rexroth in Lohr, Germany. The audit is to improve services and to ascertainwhether Tectra Automation’s infrastructure and repair processes, and the qualifications of its employees are in accordancewith the guidelines of Service Bosch Rexroth. “This accreditationconfirms that the serviceandsupportweoffer our customers conforms to the high standards that Bosch Rexroth sets for its distributors,” says Kevin Lombard, general manager, Tectra Automation. Having exceeded standards in all four product groups, Tectra Automation retains its official Bosch Rexroth Service Centre Certification, which is valid until 2022. “Tectra Automation responds and adapts to African market requirements, serving customers with quality products, leading technical expertise, service and repair support, and conducts its

Tectra Automation’s team of employees are qualified in accordance with the guidelines of Service Bosch Rexroth. From left Matthias Mehling, Marlie Vanderheyde, Matthias Kaufmann, Patience Ngomane, Chantel Van Eyssen, Tebogo Makoloka, Emielle Bloemedal, Georg Venter, Wiets Pretorius, Jan van Hotzhausen, Vincent Baloyi, Duncan Leso.

business to international standards,” Lombard concludes. q

16 ¦ MechChem Africa • July 2019