MechChem Africa March 2018

⎪ Products and industry news ⎪

Heater selection tool for bearing heaters The SKF heater selection tool was developed to help easily find the best-fit SKF bearing heater for different fitting applications. The tool covers three types of applications: heaters formounting bearings, heaters formounting otherworkpieces thanbearings (suchas gearwheels, couplings, pul- leys, etc) and heaters for dismounting inner rings of cylindrical roller bearings and similar annular components. The product range of the selection tool cov- ers the electric hot plate (729659 C), the SKF Induction Heaters (TMBH 1, TIH 030m, TIH 100m, TIH 220m, TIH L33, TIH L44, TIH L77, TIH L33MB and TIH L44MB) and the SKF EAZ series Fixed Induction Heaters, which include control cabinets. The selection tool offers users valuable infor- mation about the recommended heater such as heater designation, heating position, technical information and useful links. The online heater selection tool is globally accessible via the SKF website. mapro.skf.com/heaterselect

World’s largest oxygen production unit A new ASU at Secunda brings to 17 the number of ASUs delivered to Sasol by Air Liquide over the last 40 years.

Air Liquide recently started the world’s largest oxygen production unit for Sasol, an international integrated energy and chemicals company. Air Liquide invested around €200-million for the construc- tion of this Air Separation Unit (ASU) in Secunda, with a total production capacity of 5 000 t of oxygen per day, equivalent to 5 800 t per day at sea level. Located in Sasol’s Secunda site, around 140 km east of Johannesburg, the new ASU supplies Sasol with large quantities of oxygen for the production of fuels and chemicals. The unit represents a newmilestone in the partnership between Air Liquide and Sasol, which brings to 17 the number of ASUs deliveredbyAir Liquideover the last 40 years, with a total oxygen production capacity greater than 45 000 t per day. It is also the first time that Sasol has chosen to outsource an oxygen supply contract at Secunda, thus recognising Air Liquide’s SICK Automation is showcasing com- pletely transparent production based on new RFU65x RFID read/write devices. This product detects transponders at long range, recording thedirection inwhich the objects are moving at the same time. The associated user data can be sent directly to an ERP or MES system. This reduces processing times and increases produc- tion efficiency. Identification and location solutions that combinemaximumavailabilitywith a transparent material flow are vital for ef- fective product traceability. Conventional RFID devices record RFID tags over long distances depending on sender power, aperture angle, tag properties, and appli-

expertise in thefieldof oxygenproduction and underscoring the importance of this long-term relationship. The unit was designed and built by Air Liquide’s Engineering and Construction team using leading edge technologies that meet the highest standards of safety, reliability and efficiency, while increasing production capacity. The ASU’s design is based on Air Liquide’s proprietary tech- nologies including several first-of-their- kind innovations in the air compression process, which allow for an annual elec- tricity consumption reduction of more than 20%, substantially reducing the customer’s carbon footprint. As scheduled, the new ASU has been completed in less than three years from design to commissioning. This ASU also provides Air Liquide with a new source of liquid gases to supply the growing indus- trial gas market in South Africa. www.airliquide.com/south-africa cation environment. Until now, direction of movement could only be derived using additional, external antennae and intel- ligent algorithms. With thenewtechnology supportedby the RFU65x, both position and angle can bedeterminedanddirectionofmovement can be detected. Even transponders that are moving in opposite directions at the same time canbedetectedand their direc- tions of movement recorded. The operating range of the RFU65x covers an angle of ±45° with a typical sensing range of up to five metres. RFID tags are recorded below a certain mea- suring angle in relation to the zero point of the reader. Algorithms can be used to

The SKF heater selection tool was developed to help customers to easily find the right SKF heater for mounting and dismounting bearings and other shaft mounted components.

RFID for reliable product traceability

The RFU65x is an RFID measuring device with integrated passage and direction detection.

derive instances of passage– including the direction of movement – from the various measuring points. www.sickautomation.co.za

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