Sparks Electrical News August 2016

MOTOR CONTROL CENTRES AND MOTOR PROTECTION

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NEW RANGE OF VARIABLE SPEED DRIVES LAUNCHED

Panel building facility meets demand for quality and service excellence

S chneider Electric has an- nounced the availability of its Altivar Machine range of variable speed drives (VSDs), with the Altivar 320 leading the line- up of new drives dedicated to the needs of machine manufactur- ers in the southern African region. The Altivar Machine range builds on Schneider’s leadership and expertise in machine drives and is designed specifically for machine manufactur- ers, with benefits including: Improved machine performance The Altivar Machine range matches a variety of machine throughput require- ments with the following features: • Open-loop motor control with torque sensitive operation, even at low speed and dynamic accuracy for start/stop applications; • Closed-loop motor control for ap- plications requiring velocity sensitive operation or precise positioning; and • Advanced connectivity with auto- mation architecture via all com- mon fieldbuses, even in real-time, with fast task cycle times.

Extended machine availability The Altivar Machine range variable speed drives carry on their predeces- sors’ tradition of robustness and reli- ability. They are designed to provide: • Continuous machine operation in harsh environments with high levels of ambient temperature, dust, elec- trical interruptions, or mechanical disturbances; and • Maximised machine operating time, as production changes, maintenance, safety diagnostics, network configu- ration, and system integration can all to be accomplished quickly. Reduced total machine cost • The Altivar Machine range reduces the overall cost of machines with: • Reduced installation costs, with both book and compact form factors re- ducing machine footprint, whether mounted in a machine frame or electrical cabinet; • Fewer additional devices needed to manage machine safety and repeated sequential movements, as both are managed internally within the drive; and

• Reduced engineering and design time thanks to ready-to-use, PLCo- pen-compliant libraries and tested, validated, documented architectures (TVDAs) available through Schnei- der Electric’s MachineStruxure solu- tions. Complementary drives for OEMs that raise effectiveness and lower costs The Altivar 320 meets the needs of simple or complex machines from 0.18 kW to 15 kW. For more information please contact Luthando Makiwane, Industry Business marketing manager Schneider Elec- tric Southern Africa at luthando.maki- wane@schneider-electric.com

Zest WEG Group offers a comprehensive range of WEG low voltage switchgear products ranging from 6 A to 125 A as well as a wide range of accessories.

I n a move that underlines Zest WEG Group’s customer-centric business philosophy, the company established a panel building facility in 2014 to cater spe- cifically for the demand from its existing customer base in the Western Cape. Marthinus Greeff, Zest WEG Group Cape Town branch manager, explains that in addition to providing its local customer base with access to quality products, the facility is aimed at facilitating access to technically competent products at an af- fordable cost. The ISO certified panel building facil- ity has seen phenomenal growth which can be attributed to the quality workman- ship being rendered and the fact that the panels meet all the requisite electrical standard requirements. Panels are typi- cally used to control processes across a wide range of industries including mining, water and wastewater, irrigation, HVAC, food and beverage, fishing, engineering and heavy industrial sector. A large differentiator for Zest WEG Group customers is the level of exper- tise and experience residing in the team, coupled with the ability to engineer fit- for-purpose solutions. This enables the company to provide the most appropriate process control solution, accounting for all aspects of an installation such as the cooling requirements and protection for environmental conditions. “The type of environment where a pan- el will be installed is important as differ- ent industry sectors have different safety and protection requirements. An example would be mitigation against the higher levels of potential corrosion that are ex- perienced in the petrochemical sector,” says Greeff. Other factors such as volt- age irregularities, which can impact on an installation, can be overcome by ensuring that appropriate protection measures are implemented. Zest WEG Group panel solutions range from simple DOL (direct online) and Star Delta panels up to complete motor con-

trol solutions which could include PLCs, variable speed drives, soft starters and power factor correction. “An emphasis on custom built solutions that cater for the specific customer requirement is en- sured by leveraging the vast experience, expertise and knowledge our team has amassed over the years in a wide variety of contracts,” adds Greeff. One of the recent customised solu- tions supplied by the panel building fa- cility was a motor control centre for a mining operation in Africa. These panels were type tested and fully compliant with IEC 61439-2 Edition 1/SANS 61439. “Given that this panel was being ex- ported cross border, it was essential that the workmanship and quality was of the highest standards and that it would es- sentially be a plug and play solution that could be installed and commissioned by a contractor in that particular country. Pre- commissioning is a standard procedure at Zest WEG Group and ensures that high end quality products are delivered to cus- tomers,” Greeff says. “Being able to supply a complete range of low voltage type tested Motor Control Centres (MCC), distribution boards, drive panels and starters directly from our Cape Town facility enables us to provide our customers with a complete WEG so- lution,” he adds. The company has access to a wide range of product solutions through WEG’s range of robust and reliable low voltage switchgear and variable speed drives. The products are engineered to work together and this compatibility affords the end user assurance in terms of optimum perfor- mance and reliability. In addition, ongoing research and de- velopment at WEG means that the latest technology has been incorporated into its product range, allowing for seamless integration of the latest IE3 motors with WEG’s current range of switchgear.

Enquiries: +27 11 254 6400

FAST-TRACK SOLUTION FOR FAST-TRACK PROJECTS

in design and manufacture of MCCs and panels. This includes all quality and safety standards adhered to by Australian engineering firms, who are dominant players in the African mining industry. These are more stringent than those followed in South Africa, and this compliance has given Shaw Controls a competitive edge when tendering for projects across the country’s borders. This is complemented by Shaw Controls’ IEC 61439 certifi- cation which proves the integrity of its panels. As Van Niekerk points out, these stringent tests require a high capital outlay and, for this reason, only a few South African companies have been certified. “We have subjected our products to all these tests, and re-verified the outcome of the tests in 2014. This is one of the reasons why we are so busy,” he says. The Shaw Controls’ facility mirrors its international holding company and is testament to the WEG Group’s commitment to South Africa. It boasts state-of-the-art computer numerical controlled punching and bending machines to work the sheet plating used to make the casings. The durability and longevity of the units are enhanced by extensive surface preparation of the various components, including the seven stage surface prepara- tion process and powder coating they undergo before assembly. The facility even has its own gasket manufacturing machine andmakes its own steel hinges. “There is no other manufacturer in the country that is able to manufacture everything in-house,” says Van Niekerk. It is not only the mining industry that is demanding quality. Van Niekerk says Shaw Controls has been diversifying into an array of other markets, ranging from large industries through to small manufacturers. “The future continues to be bright for a company that has proved the integrity of its products, and there is no customer too big or too small for us,” concludes Van Niekerk.

THE fast-track nature of many large industrial and mining pro- jects on the continent has seen an increase in the demand for containerised housing for motor-control centres (MCCs). These stations are quicker to establish on site than their brick-and- mortar counterparts and they are assembled off-site in factory- controlled conditions. There is no limit to the size of the MCC stations, with con- tainers connected side by side or stacked on top of each other to provide the necessary space. Being a modular solution, indi- vidual containers are easily transported to the project site and then erected. Shaw Controls’ chief commercial officer, Johan van Niekerk explains that the company has supplied these solutions tomany project sites, including Eskom’s Medupi Power Station project and the associated Exxaro Grootegeluk expansion programme. And, while this is a growing trend, Shaw Controls, a division of Zest WEGManufacturing, is leading in its supply. The company’s firm grip on this growing market can be attributed to its intense focus on quality at its 12 000 m2 manufacturing hub in Robert- sham, Gauteng. Van Niekerk says the containers are constructed to custom- ers’ specifications at the Shaw Controls facility. “All our con- tainerised housings are built from scratch. We install all the necessary fittings and claddings, based on individual customer requirements,” he says. This approach is in line with Shaw Controls’ strategy of keep- ing manufacture in-house to reduce costs and maintain close control over quality. The strategy is working considering that Shaw Controls’ order book for all its solutions, including its lead- ing range of MCCs, is five times the size it was a year ago. A sizeable share of this comprises orders from blue-chip mining houses and international engineering companies in- volved in brownfields and greenfields mining projects in Africa. Van Niekerk says the company’s close affiliation to the mining industry means that it has to comply with the highest standards

Enquiries: +27 11 723 6000

Enquiries: +27 11 723 6000

Please contact your nearest sales office for further details.

Extended Guarantees on WEG Products

www.zestweg.com Tel: +27 11 723 6000

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