MechChem Africa May 2019

⎪ Products and industry news ⎪

Milwaukee demo day a hit in Cape Town

Training Artisan 4.0 – When only the best is good enough The Colliery Training College (CTC), an important centre for artisan and mining skills training in Emalahleni, Mpumalanga, has been part of the coal mining industry since 1964. Prominent min- ing houses, including Anglo American Thermal Coal, Exxaro, Glencore, Izimbiwa Coal, Kangra Coal and South32, own and control CTC, but allow the College to offer its services to other employ- ers from any sector in any industry, making it the preferred training college in the region. What they do The college trains artisans in various traditional trades, such as fitters and turners, electricians, and diesel mechanics. Miners andmineral process beneficiationoperators are trained in a similarway. With emphasis on the fourth industrial revolution, or Industry 4.0, artisans need to be upskilled and trained. CTC is at the forefront of ensuring that artisans are ready for Industry 4.0. CTC provides ‘off job’ skills for a period total- ing six months, after which the ‘on job’ skills are obtainedwith employerswhere practical tasks are performed under the supervision of qualified per- sonnel. This is a critical part of the learning process because students are be exposed to occupational knowledge and practical training as it is applied in the workplace. Research and development are undertaken continuously to ensure only applicable and up to date training material and training aids are used. Before any task is attemptedduring training, learn- ers are taught to do a proper risk assessment as if they were attempting a real-life task. CTCfollows amodular approach to trainingwith competency-basedassessments forwhich learners retain credit. All student training is geared tomeet workplace demands. The workshops and training rooms are staffed with skilled training officers in their various areas of expertise. CTC is accredited by the Mining Qualifications Authority (MQA) and theQualityCouncil forTrades andOccupations (QCTO). A Memorandum of Understanding exists between CTC and relevant SETAs.

Skyriders Access Specialists recently showcased its flexibility with a pilot project at DIY and building materials specialist Builders Warehouse’s new cli- ent Oasis Water. While the bulk of the installation and set-up work for the pilot project was undertaken successfully by Builders Warehouse itself at ground level, it was decided that rope access was the ideal so- lution for the work-at-height component. This was not only due to health and safety issues, but also given the fact that installing scaffoldingwould not have been efficient fromacost and timepoint of view, Skyriders marketing manager Mike Zinn points out. TheMilwaukeeM18 FUEL™ table saw – with the ability to cut 190 m of 19 mm OSBboardonone12.0Ahbattery charge, and deliver the power to rip cut at the same feed rate of an equivalent ac saw. the table saw’s rack and pinion sliding al- lows the fence to be adjusted accurately and easily fromthe front of the saw, giving 622 mm of rip capacity, while its 210 mm blade allows 63 mm depth of cut at 90°. The third product, the M18 FUEL™ 45 mm SDS Max rotary hammer utilises proprietary M18™ and FUEL™ technolo- gies. It is able to drill as fast as a corded Upat product specialist, Werner Koch, recently showcased a wide range of Milwaukee products including the K2500 H breaker hammer, M18 FUEL™ table saw, and M18 FUEL™ SDS MAX rotary hammer at the Milwaukee Madness Demo Day in Cape Town. As the supplier of the products, Upat gave Milwaukee customers the oppor- tunity to get up close and personal with its cordless power tool technology range. On display was the new K2500 H breaker hammer – a 25 kg class breaking hammer ideal for heavy-dutyconcreteand rock breaking, which produces 64 joules of impact energy to break large pieces of concrete over extended periods.

The new K2500 H breaker hammer is a 25 kg class breaking hammer ideal for heavy-duty concrete and rock breaking SDS Max rotary hammer, and delivers corded durability and power, combined with the flexibility of the cordless M18™ battery platform. Customers were also introduced to the ONE-KEY™ app, the digital platform for tools and equipment, which allows users to customise, track, and manage their power tools. The added benefit is that ONE-KEY™ allows a tool to be set up for specific applications. The app, a free- to-use inventory management program, is available for download for iOS and Android devices. “It is important for us tohost these type of demodays toallowour loyalMilwaukee customers to interact with our products, and introduce potential newclients to our world-leading power tool brand,” Koch concluded. www.upat.co.za

Warehouse project, a change to Skyriders “While the client had the necessary ground-level construction and plumbing skills, the issue it faced was that sec- tions of the piping needed to be installed at height, while the storage tanks for the pilot project were external to the building itself. This called for a work-at- height specialist to ensure the quick and safe installation of the necessary piping infrastructure,” Zinn explains.

While this pilot project at Builders Warehouse is a first for Skyriders, it is part of a concerted strategy to diversify into a range of niche markets where the full benefits of rope access can be showcased effectively. www.ropeaccess.co.za

May 2019 • MechChem Africa ¦ 33