MechChem Africa October 2018

Mech Chem OCTOBER 2018 AFRICA

This month: Partnerships and collaboration extend distribution network

Innovation in Industry: critical for SA growth

Exporter introduces high‑chrome mill liners

i-Automation, OEE and the smart connected factory

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Power transmission, bearings, bushes and seals 10 Partnerships and collaboration extend supplier’s network MechChemAfrica visits the Parkhaven head office of BI and talks to RossTrevelyan and Burtie Roberts about new strategies for SA’s constrained economy. 13 Seals for dependable performance in extreme conditions

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 Editors: Peter Middleton e-mail: peterm@crown.co.za Glynnis Koch e-mail: glynnisk@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

14 SEW-Eurodrive looks to the future at EMA 17 Top B-BBEE rating for Zest WEG Group Hydraulic and pneumatic systems

2015CROWN LOGO february.indd 1

18 Latest high-efficiency smart compressor products launched MechChem Africa highlights some of Atlas Copco’s notable innovations. 21 Enhanced efficiency for Western Cape hydraulics facility 22 Optimised wheel assembly for TENTE Castors 23 Customised compressed air solutions 24 NitraLife’s nitrogen generation cuts fabrication costs 25 Containerised workshop for mine-based hydraulic services Computer-aided engineering 26 Innovation in Industry: critical for SA growth Peter Middleton attends the Nelson Mandela University- and Altair-hosted 2018 Innovation in Industry Conference and summarises a few presentations. 29 Unlocking Africa’s aerospace and defence potential Automation, process control and instrumentation 30 Digitalisation: the evolutionary approach MechChem Africa visits the Rockwell Automation stand at Electra Mining Africa (EMA) and talks to the company’s South African MD, Barry Elliott. 33 Next generation linear modules Minerals processing, metallurgy and materials 34 Exporter introduces high-chrome mill liners Mitak’s Graham Anderson talks about the company’s revitalised high chrome white iron (HCWI) mill lining aftermarket offering. 36 Process control slurry samplers for real-time results 38 Dust control with spin filters 40 Staying in business and managing explosive costs Innovative engineering 46 i-Automation, OEE and the smart connected factory Field application engineer, Driaan Coetzer, talks about i-Automation, overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) and Omron’s vision for the smart factory. Regulars 2 Peter’s comment: Transport assets: doing development differently 4 On the cover Festo SA:45 years and stronger than ever:MD BrettWallace,celebrates 45 years of successful local growth and development. 6 SAIChE IChemE News: MechChem Africa profiles Manimagalay (Maggie) Chetty of DUT. 42 Product and industry news 48 Back page: Superconductors for electrical transportation

Transparency You Can See Average circulation April-June 2018: 4 979

Printed by: Tandym Print, Cape Town

Front cover: Festo South Africa Contact: Ntando Ndokweni ntando.ndokweni@festo.com +27 11 971 5535 08600 FESTO (33786) sales.za@festo.com www.festo.co.za

October 2018 • MechChem Africa ¦ 1

Transport assets: doing development differently

I readwith interest anarticlepresentedbyHerbert Phahlane, director of traffic and transportation at engineering consultancy, WSP. In it, Phahlane argues that “our transport infrastructure net- works are someof ourmost important assets” and that modernlivesareincreasingcharacterisedbyourability to travel, transport assets and goods, and to remain connected to other people in the economy. “Just like any system would grow around a frame- work of infrastructure, so too do economies, because if you can’t move goods, services and people around, your economy stagnates,” he points out. He goes on to question whether we are planning and implementing transport projects to get the most out of the opportunities that exist. “I believe not, and here I’veoutlinedmyviews onwhat I believewe should be doing differently,” he says. His first suggestion is to adopt integrated, long- termplanning.“Weneedalong-termvisionthatencap- sulates how people will live, work and play – and well beyond 2030. Havewe undertaken any kind of impact assessment process to understand if the projects cur- rentlybeing fast-trackedare in fact the right projects?” The key question Phahlane asks is: are we getting the backlog moving, increasing transport capacity and, as a direct result, influencing positive economic growth? Effective implementation, he argues, should consider the benefits for people, communities, trade and industry – in that order. Once a vision has been established, he suggests that the bigger picture must involve the integration of major transportation infrastructure projects with provincial and municipal development. “It must also take into account planning for and the development of the critical mass of support infrastructure that feeds into and from the primary infrastructure,” Phahlane says, adding that better co-ordination is required between authorities that control primary, large-scale infrastructure and those that manage the related secondary and tertiary networks. Henotes that the private sector is a significant con- tributor to transport projects in the country because it currently employs the bulk of the industry’s skilled professionals. While the skills gap between the public and private sectors is a potential cause of contention, “there is, in fact, incredible scope for engagement between parties”. Thiswill take “a leapof faith, fromall parties”. If open channels of engagement and trust can be established and cemented, however, this will “create immense opportunities for collaboration”. His third suggestion towards a changed approach

Peter Middleton

is to adopt people-focused development. “In the past, major transport infrastructure has always been posi- tioned around the primary movement of goods and services – andadditions or adjustments aremade later toaccommodatepeople. This oldwayof thinking: ‘ifwe build it, theywill come’, seldomhas the desired change effect and, more often, ismetwith contention.We can no longer afford for howpeoplemove between spaces to be an afterthought,” he warns. Citing the bus rapid transit (BRT) systems in Johannesburg and Pretoria, he says that, while these systems havemerit inmeeting the immediateneeds to transport people in and out of urban and/or economic nodes, none of the systems within Johannesburg and Pretoria are integrated or connected to each other. This means that people are still limited in terms of ac- cess toopportunitieswithin the regionwhere they live. Since launching, these systems he says they have been fraughtwith challenges –suchas opposition from the taxi associations and bus driver strikes – which have established a reputation for unreliability. “The Gautrain on the other hand, which has al- ready meaningfully contributed to GDP growth in the country since its construction, has opened op- portunities along thePretoria-Johannesburg corridor. The challenge for many people, however, is access to the Gautrain or the feeding bus stations, as these are not fully integrated with the regional public transport systems,” Phahlane points out. “Across the country there is need to expand all modes of public transport. But, such expansions will only be as effective and successful if they are integrated into the larger regional and cross-regional transport networks,” he suggests. “Once we can get this right, it will open opportuni- ties to introduce universal travel and transfer rates, with a universal payment system,” he says. This also creates opportunities to cross-pollinate between transport and secondary industries such as wireless hotspots and Internet- andcloud-enabledcommunica- tions to share information and updates with commut- ers about routes. “It’s not a quick fix. And, getting it right will require partners who are not averse to taking a strong and forward-looking approach to plan, design, and engi- neer an impactful legacy,” Phahlane concludes. Let’s stop limiting the development of transport networks and other infrastructure to our immediate needs – such the 2010World Cup – and focus instead on helping people to live, work and move in a better, more equal, more integrated and more sustainable South Africa. q

MechChem Africa is endorsed by:

2 ¦ MechChem Africa • October 2018

Festo SA: 45 years and stronger

In celebration of 45 years of successful local growth and development, Brett Wallace, managing director of Festo South Africa, narrates the company’s rich history, global heritage and the ongoing pursuit of new and better automation solutions for Africa.

A lbert Fezer and Gottlieb Stoll es- tablished Festo in 1925 in a small city in Stuttgart, Germany. The company began by creating tools forwoodworkingandquicklyearnedareputa- tion for providing its customers with cleverly designed and robust products. “Our products and solutions challenged conventional think- ing about the woodworking industry and it is that same philosophy that underpinned the founder’s approach when they recognised the potential of industrial automation and established the automation product range,” says BrettWallace,MDof Festo SouthAfrica. Festo South Africa opened its doors in 1973 and was at that time the company’s 16th international subsidiary. “Throughout this time, we have remained committed to delivering the best possible SouthAfrican ex- pressionoftheglobalFestomandate,”Wallace continues. “This means building a presence that is dependable, sustainable and focused on achieving growth not only for our custom- ers, but for the economy in general,” he says. “In 2015, two years after celebrating our 40 th anniversary, we launched our next dif- ferentiator, investing more than R5-million in the opening of an Application Centre at our Johannesburg headquarters. This boasts state-of-the-art electric handling and vision systems allowing our customers to physically test any applications in a controlled environ- ment, confirming important details such as

speed, accuracy and cycle time,” he relates. In addition to its South African presence, Festo has been actively present in Southern, Central, East and West Africa, supplying manufacturing industries across the conti- nent with cutting-edge control solutions for over four decades. With respect to its product offering, Wallace says that withmore than 90 years of motivation, innovative and industrial experi- ence, Festo has helped shape the world of industrial automation as we know it today. We constantly strive for cutting edge tech- nological solutions to fulfil the multitude of requirements faced by a diverse, always changing and increasingly competitive global manufacturing sector. He goes on tohighlight focus areas/business units that act cohesively toprovide customerswith single source best- fit solutions: Pneumatic FactoryAutomation, Electric Automation, Process Automation, CustomisedSolutions, andSkillsCompetence Development. These focus areas enable Festo to offer automation solutions to support the widest range of industry sectors, including but not limited to: automotive, food and beverage, packaging, pharmaceuticals, chemical, petro- chemical, oil and gas, water and wastewater, mining and power generation, mobile pneu- matics, semiconductors and electronics, flat panel solar as well as biotechnology. “Festo customers work with experts who

understand the industry. Our dedication, expertise and experience has paved the way to our success. We have been setting trends, inspiring and creating new concepts within automation for decades and as such, we are viewed asmore than just another automation supplier. Besides having anexpansiveproduct range, Festo partners with industry, offering a full basket of value-add services. Some of these include: • Complete support from its dedicated con- tact centre, technical support engineers and the global support community. • A user-friendly online shop that takes

Since opened its doors in 1973 as the global company’s 16 th international subsidiary, Festo South Africa has remained committed to delivering the best possible South African expression of the global Festo mandate.

4 ¦ MechChem Africa • October 2018

⎪ Cover story ⎪

than ever

Above: Turnkey automated membrane filtration unit on skids enable Festo to rapidly deploy autonomous and reliable water treatment solutions. Left: Festo offers automation solutions to support the widest range of industrial sectors, including, amongst many others, water and wastewater.

• An average stock holding value of R150‑million and world-class logistics capabilities to ensure speedy delivery throughout the continent. • World-leading technical education from hardware through to skills development and curriculum supply development, competency evaluation and investment return strategies ensuring increased

purchasing convenience to new heights. • Software tools for design solutions and detailed product specification. • Qualified, professional and passionate peoplewho are perceived as industry sec- tor specialists. • Project conceptualisation, design, simula- tionandvalidationincludingenergy-saving solutions.

In these 45 years, we have completed only a short part of our journey. With a strong vision, we continue investing in Africa, its industry and its economy. Our po- sition of strength is attributed to our prod- ucts, services and people. Importantly, this strength is further enhanced by the loyalty of our dedicated customers and their desire to increase levels of competitiveness and profitability, without compromising quality. Our passion for innovation, combined with a dedication to learning and skills development has kept us in the lead. This attitude has not only been beneficial to us as an organisation but to the thousands of peoplewhomake use of our technology and solutions every day. To all of you, wehumbly extendour grati- tude and look forward to many more years of shared successes. q productivity and employability. • Local manufacture of awide range of non- standard cylinders allowing individual customisation. • Repair services toa varietyof components ensuring maximised product lifecycle and cost efficiency. • Turnkey systems ensuring optimum solu- tions and best total cost of ownership. q

A Festo South Africa message of celebration: Brett Wallace Over the past 45 years we have continued to see multiple competitors come and go. We are privileged to be able to say that we have retained our position of strength by remaining the preferred partner to both in- dustry andeducational sectorswith regards to excellence in automation and technical competence. our revenue, market share and our sales volumes across all existing and newsectors. This is testament toa customer-centricbusi- ness model that is flexible and adaptive to market requirements, business processes that leverage global efficiencies, and a dy- namic and competent team of motivated employees.

Being a global driving influencer at the forefront of Industry 4.0 has further en- hanced our productivity, profitability and employability. Festo takes a holistic view of the changes within the realm of automa- tion, whilst considering non-technological aspects such as the interaction between humans and machinery as well as the criti- cal need for training and qualification. We embraced this new revolution and look for- ward to the creativeopportunities that such disruptive technologies promise to bring.

This is not a privilege that we take for granted but one that we continually strive to enrich. Our success as an organisation has been propelled by hard work and com- mitment, coupled with a determination to understand market trends as well as the current and future needs of our customers. Despite the economic challenges that businesses and individuals alike have been faced with in the past five years, we are pleased to announce that our proactive visionary strategy has allowed us to grow

October 2018 • MechChem Africa ¦ 5

MechChem Africa profiles Manimagalay (Maggie) Chetty, who is a senior lecturer in chemical engineering for the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment at Durban University of Technology (DUT); a full member of SAIChE IChemE; vice-chair of the KZN branch since Sept 2009; and a Council member since 2017. Maggie Chetty: chosen by chemical engineering

M aggie Chetty received her matric certificate through the House of Delegates at that time, graduating as the Dux student of her year. While achieving higher grade passes in all her subjects, including maths and science, her distinction subject was in history, reflecting the influence of her well-read father. But when it came to choosing a career, engineering wasn’t her first choice. “Like all fathers at that time, mine wanted me to be a doctor. But I originally chose chemistry. Then, while reading about engineering in the library – therewas no Internet to turn to at that time – I came to believe that chemical engineering was a more ‘glorified’ career, with more to it than being a chemist or a pharmacist. When I started, though I really didn’t know much about it,” she recalls. Chettystartedtostudychemicalengineer- ing at the University of Durban Westville in 1986. “In those days, there were no modular courses. The first two years of engineering was in commonwith the BSc course inmaths, physics and chemistry. It was intense with nothing watered down,” she recalls. “In1989, I took a break frommy university studies and went to work as a research assis- tant for three years. I worked for Professor Robin Judd on a coal gasification project for Sasol and the NRF. This gave me extensive experience of organic chemistry and the coal gasificationprocess. At the time, wewere try- ing tobeneficiate coal fines fromwastedumps to produce hydrogen (H 2 ), methane (CH 4 ) and carbon monoxide (CO) for use as fuel gases. “Professor Judd togetherwithmyMasters supervisor, Prof Waheed Almasry, helped to shape my career in many ways. They instilled inme a love for research and problem-solving

skills that cannot be learnt from a textbook,” recalls Chetty. Following publication of this research in 1991 – The development of a horizontally configured circulating fluidised bed coal gasifier – Maggie Chetty, went on to complete her chemical engineering degree. She graduated in 1994 and immediately registered for an MSc, which she completed one year later. “MyMaster’sresearchinvolvedinvestigat- ing the hydrodynamics of both Newtonian and non-Newtonian fluids in airlift reactors. As opposed to reactors with conventional mixing systems, airlift reactors have no mov- ing parts and provide a sterile environment, which is very important in the food and pharmaceutical industries. The external loop design provides a higher liquid circulation rate, enhanced mixing and high rates of heat and mass transfer,” Chetty explains. Following her Masters, Chetty joined the Durban University of Technology (DUT) as a lecturer. “I initially intended to continue with airlift reactor research, but I ended up going in another direction and worked on neural network modelling of the survival rates of cancer patients,” she tells MechChem Africa . Neural networks strive to solve problems involving large amounts of input data in the sameway as a human or animal’s brainwould. A large number of pieces of different data are fed into a single node, called a neuron, for processing using an algorithmor function to give a single output. This output, along with others from different nodes, is then fed into another neuron for further processing. Because results can also be fed back, a neural network is able to adapt and change its out- puts toproducemore andmoreuseful results. On graduating with her PhD in 2009, Maggie Chetty continued her research on

airlift reactors and branched out into waste- water treatment and engineering education in the department of chemical engineering at DUT. “I have been at DUT for 22 years now, but I haven’t stopped studying. In order to avoid being limited to science, I decided to do an MBA, which I completed through UKZN in 2012. I wanted a better feel for management and finance. The qualification was immediately beneficial, because I was appointed head of department (HOD) for chemical engineering in 2011, a post that I held until to 2017,” she adds. She also continued her research work, however, with an increasing focus on indus- trial wastewater treatment. “KZN doesn’t really have the water scarcity problems that provinces such as the Western Cape do, but our industries are some of the largest users of potable water. It is a complete waste to continue to use expensive potable water for industrial purposes and then to release that water into the sea. So we advocatemunicipal wastewater and industrial-water treatment, which can then be recycled into a process or reused depending on the purpose and the water quality required,” Chetty explains. The development work she is currently involved with includes using anaerobic co- digestion principles for the production of bio- gas frommunicipal and industrialwastewater, most notably frombreweries anddairy, yeast, alcohol and sugar producers. Since biogas is a renewable resource, the outputs of this research contribute to the drive in South Africa to reduce our dependency on fossil fuels. More recently, growing different algae varieties in industrial wastewaters has been investigated, a project that has recently been extendedtoincludeairliftreactors.“Currently we are trying to grow chosen strains of algae in airlift raceway ponds using industrial wastewater. One of the objectives is to grow algae to generate bio hydrocarbons, which are feedstocks for a rangeof chemicals, and to produce renewable biofuels as a by-product

“I have been at DUT for 22 years now, but I haven’t stopped studying. In order to avoid being limited to science, I decided to do an MBA, which I completed through UKZN in 2012. I wanted a better feel for management and finance. The qualification was immediately beneficial, because I was appointed head of department (HOD) for chemical engineering in 2011, a post that I held until to 2017,” she adds.

6 ¦ MechChem Africa • October 2018

⎪ SAIChE IChemE news ⎪

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 third generation chemical engineers enter- ing the profession, because they have more understanding about what it involves and about the potential career options. “But I need to say that a good grounding and love of maths, physics and chemistry are essential.It’satoughdegreeatundergraduate level. The rewards are great, though. While chemical engineering never turned into the ‘glorified’ field I imagined, I regard myself as very fortunate. It chose me and grew on me, enabling me to make good choices at the right places and the right times: in academia, teaching and research. “It’s a tough career and one needs to stay motivated, but qualified chemical engineers find well paid work very easily in a host of different areas, fromanalysing andoptimising systems or developing new materials all the way up to being a plant manager or a CEO of a company,” Chetty advises. q

A dual airlift reactor being used at DUT to investigate the effects of change in flow area. Airlift reactors have no moving parts and provide a sterile environment, which is very important in the food and pharmaceutical industries. of COD (chemical oxygen demand) reduction treatment,” she explains.

with the current intake being approximately 50% female. “In terms of studying engineer- ing, women are more studious. Our research shows that their marks and pass rates are higher. Female students tend to be more diligent and they tryharder tomeet deadlines. “However, we still need to bring a lotmore women into other science and engineering careers,” she points out. “Schools, universities and professional bodies need to get much more involved in encouraging more women into science because science and engineering remain dominated by men,” she points out. “Chemical and process engineering tends to be the most attractive of the disciples for women because they offer widespread ca- reer options, from process control to water management and plant design. Even banks employ chemical engineers, so women have many more career roles and opportunities,” Chetty adds. “Increasingly, we are seeing second and

Skills development and education Chetty’s roles at DUT have also included the development of new qualifications in the chemical engineering field. “We have been developing a new suite of qualifications to meet the new qualification standards pre- scribed by the HEQSF. The National Diploma in chemical engineering is currently being phased out at DUT, while the Bachelor of Technology will phase out from 2020. These qualifications will be replaced with the SAQA-registered Bachelor of Engineering Technology (BEngTech) and the BEngTech (Honours) qualifications. DUT is now in the second year of offering the BEngTech in chemical engineering,” she reveals. When asked about women in engineering, she responds that chemical engineering does attract more women than other disciplines,

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

October 2018 • MechChem Africa ¦ 7

Partnerships and collaboration extend

MechChemAfrica visits the Parkhaven head office of BI and talks to Ross Trevelyan and Burtie Roberts about new strategies for taking product to market in South Africa’s constrained economy.

large and small, that are spread across the length and breadth of the country,” he notes. “Sowe focus heavily on service and value- add, getting our people knowledgeable about the products and their niche applications, then getting them out to customers to find out what we can deliver that will improve reliability, extend life and reduce the costs of their operations. “We have taken on the challenge. In the current circumstances we all have to work very hard and, as a result, we are securing a number of successful orders,” Roberts adds. Of particular note is BI’s success in the expansion of the coal-mining sector in the Northern Province for the new-build power station there. “This is a multi-million rand project for our bearings and housings for a stacker-reclaimer installation,” Trevelyan tells MechChem Africa . “What is novel about this is that the mine has chosen split spherical roller bearings from FAG for the installation. These have excellent ratings, particularly for radial loads, and they are designed to fit into standard housings. They are ideal for use on large systemswhere the replacement of unsplit bearings would require costly additional work: the removal of

“ W hile not a lot has changed with respect to what we do and the brands we of- fer, we are winning nice orders in the mining industry and starting to seemore interest. Nofireworks, the economy remains suppressed, but by becoming more driven, determined and innovative, we are progressing,” begins Trevelyan. “In fact,” Roberts continues, “August is 14% up on the same month last year, and it’s all down to the hard work we have put in to capture increased market share. We are not an exclusive distributor ofmany of the brands we sell, so we need to work doubly hard to compete with other components suppliers,

gears or couplings, the dismounting of drives or the dismantling of shaft power trains. By using split spherical roller bearings, mainte- nance downtime of the machinery and plant reduces significantly, which is vital for a coal mine directly servicing the power industry,” he explains. “In addition, though, we have an excellent relationshipwith themine.We have invested in onsite stores with consignment replace- ment stock, which puts us in an ideal position toservice theclient very rapidlywhenmainte- nance support is required,” continuesRoberts. “Keeping replacement stock to support sales is another of our key competitive advan- tages. We strive not to have to go back to our OEMs for replacement components, because we know that lead times cause downtime, which usually costs the customer muchmore money than components and repairs,” argues Trevelyan. Citing a recent success in the cement in- dustry, Trevelyansays that thecompany’spre- mium brand Rexnord chain has become very well respected for use on bucket elevators in that industry. “For this client, the Rexnord premium chain product has now become a brand preference because it has proven to outlast the original products used,” he says. “Also, we have secured a second large order for our mid- to upper-tier Kobo chain product, which is relatively new to us and one of our exclusive brands. Repeat orders are always satisfying because they prove how well a product has performed and the excel- lent returns that it offers,” Trevelyan notes. A German brand with a 120-year history, Kobo chain is designed to handle abrasive materials such as cement being conveyed via conveyor pans, elevator buckets or reclaimer scraper shovels.

BI’s recent successes also include a very large Tschan coupling order for the petrochemical industry, which is being used to drive a 6.5 MWmachine.

10 ¦ MechChem Africa • October 2018

⎪ Power transmission, bearings, bushes and seals ⎪

supplier’s network

nowbeing used in agricultural processingma- chinery used for potato and onion harvesting and grading,” he explains. In addition, for the agricultural equipment aftermarket, BI is developing close relation- ships with the local farming co-operatives. “Like the farmers, we are hoping for an excel- lent season. Farmers prefer to buy aftermar- ket spares and equipment from their local co-op because they get a dividend every year based on their spend. “So insteadof competing, wehavedecided to work as partners with the co-ops. This enables us to directlymarket our products to individual farmers and, for them, we are able to centralise our support and distribution, while better customising our range to suit the real needs on the ground,” he explains. “And access to our competent staff mem- bers is very important,” says Roberts. “Over the years, we have learned that you cannot simply supply engineering products as com- modities. You have to have knowledgeable people that understand both the product and the applications of their use so that, from the client’s perspective, we are seen as having valuable expertise. “Our sales people have to learn about all of our products and their niche applications: what works and what doesn’t in the industry, so that customers are at ease with the com- petence of our people,” says Roberts. “We are very excited about the ways we are expanding our networks. By partnering with connected people, agricultural OEMs and the farming co-ops, we are able to grow while having centralised points of contact to learn and to pass on our knowledge to those needing support,” he concludes. q

Bloemfontein. As a result, we have already received several orders for our Bauer gear- boxes from diamond mining clients in the area,” Roberts informs MechChem Africa. “This is a new approach to the supply in that area for both themining and agricultural sectors. Mining in the Northern Cape is very strong, with mines and cement plants in and around Kimberley and the Springbok area and all the way across to Black Rock, where manganese ismined. Having a representative that knows the area and the surrounding mines is key to developing the trust-based relationships thatwebelieve in,” saysRoberts. With respect to agriculture, Roberts also notes a number of new initiatives to expand the reach of BI’s basket of products. “We are developing very strong ties with the South African agricultural equipment manufactur- ers. In the Reitz area, for example, our chain, sprockets, housings and bearing brands are

FAG split spherical roller bearings offer cost savings through rapid bearing replacement in difficult-to-access bearing locations.

Stepping up the size scale, BI’s recent successes also include a very large Tschan coupling order for the petrochemical indus- try, which is being used to drive a 6.5 MW machine. New approaches for mining and agriculture “In the Northern Cape our BI branches in Kathu andUppingtonwere predominant.We have now partnered with a new well-known agent who has brought his own two branches to our network and we have appointed him as our representative in Northern Cape and parts of the Free State to oversee three other branches: Bethlehem, Kimberley and

Tschan couplings are ideal for use in drive trains of large mining equipment such as bucket wheel elevators.

October 2018 • MechChem Africa ¦ 11

⎪ Power transmission, bearings, bushes and seals ⎪

Seals for dependable performance in extreme conditions

BMG’s Garlock seals and sealing systems, which are manufactured in the USA and Europe according to stringent quality and safety specifications, have

been developed by Garlock Sealing Technologies for safe and dependable performance in extreme operating conditions. Marc Gravett, BMG’s business unit manager for seals and gaskets, unpacks the product range.

“ T he demands of modern engineer- ing have made the selection of suitable sealing components a critical consideration – both in the design of new equipment and in the cor- rect installation of products to replace those that are no longer suitable. Failure to install the correct sealing system is highly danger- ous, particularly in extreme conditions,” says Marc Gravett, BMG’s business unit manager forsealsandgaskets.“TheBMGteamcarefully considers the correct selection of seals and gaskets to ensure optimum safety, reliable fluid sealing and care for the environment. “The company’s commitment to supply- ing only quality branded products that meet stringent specifications in terms of perfor- mance and uniformity results in unvarying, dependable performance, even in the most demanding process applications. “Garlock sealing products, with a user- friendly design and advanced materials, ensuredependable sealing in industry sectors that include chemical andpetrochemical, pulp and paper, power generation, electronics, food and pharmaceuticals, as well as steel mills, mining and OEMs.” Garlock seals and sealing systems include metallic and Gylon gaskets, oil seals, bear- ing isolators, expansion joints and butterfly valves. Components extend from a standard sealing ring, available from BMG stock and ready to install, tocustomiseddesigns that are fabricated to specific requirements. Garlock KLOZURE ® oil seals and bearing isolators are designed to retain lubricants, while excluding contaminants such as mois- ture, dust and dirt from penetrating the primary seal or bearing housing. These com- ponents play an important role in protecting bearings, preventingdowntimeandextending the service life of the system, even in arduous operating conditions. Klozureoil seals areavailable fromBMG in numerous shaft sizes, materials and designs, including solid and split configurations. Seals with a reverse bevel lip allow installation in either directionwithout rollover and stainless steel garter springs provide tension to create an effective seal against the shaft. Klozure oil

seals with a GYLON ® lip material offer reduced creep and cold flow, compared with the standard PTFE material. Garlock ISO-GARD ® bearing isolators, with a unitised two-piece PTFE construc- tion, provide excellent chemical and tem- perature resistance. The non-contact design eliminates shaft scoring, as well as drag and frictional heat, which means no lubrication is required. These bearing isolators are the ideal alternative to lip seals in non-flooded oil or grease applications. Theglass-filledPTFEmaterial provides ex- cellent chemical resistanceandcanwithstand operation inawide temperature range (-30 to +204 °C). These bearing isolators, which are available with FDA-compliant O-rings, have a press-fit design, which means installation is easy and no tools are necessary. GUARDIAN™ metallic bearing isolators provide bi-directional sealing, offering both ingress and egress protection and are suit- able for electric motors, pumps, gearboxes and pillow-blocks used indirty, dusty andwet environments. These bearing isolators have a cam-lock systemand an internal PTFE unitis- ing seal feature. Included inBMG’sGarlock range are non- asbestos gasketmaterials, which complywith strict environmental regulations. New to the range, are GYLON EPIX™ gaskets, which have been designed for im- proved functional performance, increased compressibility and a broader range of ap- plications than conventional PTFE gaskets, particularly when used to seal against worn and pitted flanges. These gaskets, with advanced PTFE materials, have a hexagonal surface profile that provides the torque retention and blowout resistance of a thin gasket and the conformability of a thicker gasket. GYLON EPIX materials are available in one universal thickness (2.4 mm) eliminating the need to stock a variety of material thicknesses for different stress requirements. Various high-performance sheet ma- terials in this range are suitable for use in different sealing applications, including acids, steam, chlorine, water, solvents, gases,

Garlock KLOZURE ® oil seals and bearing isolators are available in a wide variety of configurations with MILL‑RIGHT ® materials used on all elastomeric seals for superior bearing protection.

refrigerants and hydrocarbons. Metallic gaskets for extreme conditions are available in a wide selection of materials and designs to suit exact process require- ments. These gaskets include a new spiral wounddesign that eliminates the radial buck- ling problems of conventional spiral wound gaskets. Metal gaskets with a corrugated metal core, encapsulated by soft sealing elements, offer resistance to high temperatures and corrosive chemicals. This range is particularly well suited for imperfect flanges and thermo- cycling applications. Compression packings ensure reliable sealing in valves, pumps, agitators and other rotary equipment. Expansion joints are en- gineered to absorb movement and dampen vibration, reducing stress on pumps, pipes and anchoring systems. q GYLON EPIX™ gaskets with a hexagonal surface profile have been designed for improved functional performance.

October 2018 • MechChem Africa ¦ 13

At a press briefing at the SEW-Eurodrive stand at Electra Mining, the company’s South African MD, Raymond Obermeyer, outlined some of the company’s global expansion plans while national sales and marketing manager, Norman Maleka, presented the forward-looking control, drive and motion technologies on display. SEW-Eurodrive looks to the future at EMA

“ S EWEurodrive is a global and local market leader in drive technology and we are continually striving to make sure that our local subsidiary keeps up the standards expected of us by our global partners,” begins Obermeyer. Setting SEW-Eurodrive apart, he says: “We are one of the only private companies in this industry, with all of our major competi- tors being international public companies. We are owned and run by two brothers, Jeurgen andRainer Blickle, who arehands-on people that run this company as if it were a ship. We have direct access to them and if I ask for permission to put up a new building, after examining the justification, they will approve the investment quickly andwillingly,” Obermeyer continues. “In spite of the challenges facing the South African economy with its weak rand and de- pressedmining sector, wefind it easy to speak

to our shareholderswho are alwayswilling to assist in easing our pain.” He says that SEW-Eurodrive is expand- ing all over the world: “We are putting up five plants in Russia, a market that we have never touched before, and in Africa, plants are going up in up inMorocco andCameroon. We in South Africa are at an advanced plan- ning stage for our new Aeroton plant in Johannesburg andwe intend to also establish a plant inPort Elizabeth,” henotes adding that wherever SEW invests, it does not take the money back out. The investment is set up for the long-term benefit of the country and its local communities. With respect to product development and support,ObermeyersaysthatSEW-Eurodrive has over 500 engineers designing products, “which means we are on the move all the time, continually improving or products and expanding our range to meet international

quality standards andmarket demands,” says the company’s South African MD, before handing over to Norman Maleka. guided vehicles (AGVs) servicing a conveyor to simulate how a warehouse or a logistics operation might pick up and move products from stores to a dispatching point. The centrepiece of SEW-Eurodrive’s Electra Mining Africa 2018 stand consisted of two automated

SEW-Eurodrive’s MIG (mechatronic industrial gearbox) concept is an all in one compact power pack designed to be complete, efficient and very easy to assemble.

14 ¦ MechChem Africa • October 2018

⎪ Power transmission, bearings, bushes and seals ⎪

easiertoplanafactorylayout,andfareasierto upgrade or change that layout as throughput increases,” he adds. He then points to a power pack unit for mine conveyor applications. “Here we have an SEW industrial gear (IG) unit coupled to an SEWmotor being driven by an SEWVSD. It’s a complete conveyor drive solution. Rather than focusing on the individual products, we nowprefertoengineerthetotalsolution–and the applications for solutions such as these are endless,” he says. He then moves on to camera positioning systemsuspended on four cables. “This four- line system uses our MoviAxis positioning system, typically to control a video cam- era’s movement and position at a football stadium. The camera is able to follow the player with the ball and keep up with the play – and we have installed one of these systems at Ellis Park.” Thesystemusesfourpulleys,synchronised and controlled by SEW-Eurodrive’sMoviAxis multi-axis servo inverter, which enable the camera’s position to be accurately and dy- namically controlled to follow the game. “We have also had enquiries for using this system instead of drones for inspecting the inside of large tanks. Being a tethered solution, this is far safer and just as flexible,”Maleka suggests. Turning to a futuristic looking power pack unit calledMIG (mechatronic industrial gear- box),Malekasaysthatthisfutureconceptisan all in one compact power pack designed to be very easy to assemble. “What is the future of mining? I promise you now that as long as the lights are still onat ourmines, SEW-Eurodrive will continue to be there developing new and better solutions formineoperators, and for all ofourotherindustries,forthatmatter.Weare a progressive and forward-looking company who believes in our future,” he concludes. q

A walk through the stand Taking us through SEW-Eurodrive’s 2018 stand at Electra Mining Africa, Maleka starts with a VSD cabinet showcasing the drives portfolio. “Herewe have specialisedproducts such as our LTP-B Eco variable speed drive, which can be used to extract dust or circulate clean air into a shaft. It can pump out slurry water, or even pump in water for cooling ap- plications. It is a new product for us, which is why it is at the forefront at Electra Mining Africa 2018,” Maleka begins. “For this year, though, we wanted tomake the exhibits more interactive, so you will see howwe are able to use the VSD in automode to maintain an air flow or we can adjust the flow to a new value from the drive,” Maleka explains. Pointing to a conveyor being serviced by two automated guided vehicles (AGVs) on the stand, Maleka first lifts out the MoviSafe units on show, which use sensors and light barriers to ensure run-safe operations of systems such as AGVs. The public is able to safely move around and in front of the mov- ing vehicles, which will automatically stop to avoid a collision. The AGV-based system itself, Maleka explains, is a new product for SEW and an example of its ever expanding portfolio. “This is a new offering in our convenor portfolio called EasyDrive. What we are showcasing here is how a warehouse or a logistics opera-

tion might pick up and move products from stores to a dispatching point,” he says. Theuseof AGVs caneliminate theneed for extensive and rigid conveyor systems, while also reducing the requirements for fork lift trucks. Traditional conveyor systems have to bepermanently installed, whichmakes chang- ing loading and offloading points much more difficult. “With these AGVs, we can simply adjust the path by moving the taped track on the floor,” Maleka points out. “This makes it

SEW-Eurodrive’s MoviAxis servo inverter system was shown controlling a video camera via four pulley wheels reeling lines tethered to the top of the camera’s support platform.

October 2018 • MechChem Africa ¦ 15

⎪ Power transmission, bearings, bushes and seals ⎪

Top B-BBEE rating for Zest WEG Group

As a definitive indication of its commitment to South Africa, Zest WEG Group has secured Level 1 B-BBEE status according to the new codes. CEO, Louis Meiring and operations director, Juliano Vargas, talks about what this means for their company.

S teadily integrating its continuous improvement efforts alongside the transformation of its business, the Zest WEG Group recently achieved Level 1 status against the new codes for Broad-based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE). A subsidiary of the Brazil-based multi- national WEG, the Zest WEG Group is over 51.6% black-owned, including a 32.1% stake by black women, and was ranked as Level 2 last year. “Our real success here has been to in- grain our commitment to South Africa and to transformation in the everyday activities and culture of the business,” says Zest WEG Group chief executive officer, Louis Meiring. “Our empowerment journey is not an annual tick-box exercise, but rather is drivenbyevery staff member working to build local capacity, people and excellence.” He emphasises that the business model has evolved to engage all employees in maintaining the group’s focus on quality and transformation.

included in the second phase. Data is extracted via Bluetooth using a smart device with the innovative app that is available on android and iOS phones and tablets. Users can also access the data on laptops and desktops via a dedicated web portal. Powerful analytics help to process the data and predict pending failures or hidden problems based on frequency spectrum analysis. Warning levels are pre-set based “We continue to invest in local manu- facturing and are improving our facilities to achieve high levels of quality and productiv- ity,” says operations director, Julian Vargas. “This also means developing the skills neces- sary and increasingour knowledgebase in the latest technologies related to our production requirements.” From its position as an ISO 9001-listed business, Zest WEG Group was recently one of the first to upgrade to the ISO9001‑2015, quality management system, making it one of only 112 companies out of 2 200 South African firms with ISO 9001 certification to reach this next level. The group has also recently invested heavily in its Heidelberg transformer manufacturing plant, where it operates one of the country’s leading test laboratories for transformers. The focus on continuous improvement has been necessarily accompanied by developing its skills base in industrial manufacturing and engineering, well beyond the legal require- ments of B-BBEE. “When it comes to skills development,

quirement to manually collect and monitor data, and it eliminates the guesswork from preventative maintenance routines,” Steyn explains. “This removes the inefficiency of reactivemaintenanceandassists inminimis- ing motor failure.” The WEG Motor Scan solution is cur- rently available for motors with frame sizes from 63 to 450, providing this innovative monitoring solution formotors ranging from 0.18 kW up to 1 250 kW. It can be fitted on newly manufactured motors or retrofitted to existing installations. q we invest at least double the percentage required by the Codes of Good Practice, and this includes creating skill-sets for our busi- ness that currently do not exist in the local marketplace,” he says. q Louis Meiring, Zest WEG Group CEO, and Juliano Saldanha Vargas, group logistics and operations director at Zest WEG Group, with the certificate Zest WEG Electric (Pty) Ltd received for its Level 1 B-BBEE rating.

WEG Motor Scan set to change industry Leveraging digital technology is said to be key to participating in the next wave of eco- nomic growth. At the very least, using it will allowmines, process plants andother indus- trial operations to reduce operating costs. Fanie Steyn, manager for rotating ma- chines at Zest WEG Group, says one of the areas that stands to be most impacted is predictive maintenance. “This is where ac- cess toaccuratedata canbeused to increase production efficiency and reduce downtime and, for the first time, industry will be able to do this remotely on their electric motor installations,” he says.

on acceptable base- lines of temperature/ vibration and sophis- ticated software is able to plot perfor- mancecurveswiththe captured data. The data is also sent to the cloud for storage, facilitating fast access and more accurate decision-making. “Using the WEG Motor Scan solution minimises the re-

WEG Motor Scan is a brand new solu- tion available from Zest WEG Group that facilitates remote monitoring of elec- tric motor installations. Steyn says that the WEG Motor Scan solution relies on Industry 4.0’s digital technology including the Internet of Things (IoT) and big data analytics. The technology allows for the monitoring of running hours, measurement of vibration and surface temperature as well as providing data on speed and start/ stop time. The load and efficiency will be

WEG Motor Scan monitors motor data and stores it in the cloud for easy access via the associated App.

October 2018 • MechChem Africa ¦ 17