Sparks Electrical News June 2020

CONTRACTORS’ CORNER

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Zest WEG pioneers remote witnessed factory acceptance testing

Lighting is a product that is a basic neces- sity, so you are always engaging, from the con- sumer looking for a single lamp to the 20-floor high rise that will need a full Building Manage- ment Solution. In a nutshell, you will not get bored, ever! Sparks: What is your favourite quote? NN: “If it looks like a lemon, tastes like a lemon and smells like a lemon, it must be a lemon!” Sparks: What is your advice to electrical con- tractors and electrical engineers? NN: I don’t like to offer advice to sectors where I am not qualified; these people offer a fantas- tic service and, generally in South Africa (the reputable companies), they work to a high standard. All I would like them to know is that not all products are equal, and sometimes the I n an innovative ‘first’ to keep a customer’s mining project in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) on schedule despite the impact of Covid-19, Zest WEG successfully conducted a remote witness test of Medium Voltage (MV) Variable Speed Drives (VSDs) in WEG’s Brazil factory. “These are extraordinary times, and re- quire extraordinary measures,” says David Spohr, business development executive for high-voltage equipment at South African- based Zest WEG. “With the restrictions on international travel, we had to think crea- tively about how to complete this final step in the manufacturing process – the witnessed Factory Acceptance Test (FAT) – before the equipment could be shipped to the DRC site.” Under normal circumstances, these tests would require the customer to travel to Bra- zil and spend a week at the factory witness- ing and signing off a range of detailed test and equipment requirements. The order comprised two 7 MW 3300 V WEG MVW01 VSDs for the ball and SAG mill drive application and two 1,2 MW 3300 V WEG MVW01 VSDs for the HPGR mill ap-

plication. Both applications required non- standard features, namely ‘frozen charge protection’ software on the ball and SAG mill application and a ‘master & follower’ configuration on the HPGR mill application. “It was essential that we did not delay the customer’s project, so we arranged to conduct the witness test using web-based communication software,” says Spohr. “This allowed Zest WEG experts, the engineering contractor and the end-user, all from the safety of their homes in Johannesburg, to communicate with five testing technicians in the WEG factory in Brazil.” Using a high-definition camera and web- based communication software, the factory technicians were able to walk the contrac- tor and end-user through each element of the FAT, with clear and real-time visual im- ages of the test results and equipment on the factory floor. The tests continued for three days, beginning at 13h00 and ending at 19h00 to account for time zone differ- ences. Testing covered three key areas – PLC communication software integration, full functional testing and full load testing. “As with any other witnessed FAT, the

A view of the testing facilities at WEG Brazil.

David Spohr, business development executive, Zest WEG.

influence the way these tests are done in future. “It has shown that the testing can be done to the same standards, but with significant savings in time and cost,” he says.

customer was provided with a comprehensive re- sults report by WEG,” Spohr says. “This enabled the customer to check – in exactly the same way – that the remote FAT results were within the required tol- erances.” Spohr notes that this pioneering step is likely to

Enquiries: www.zestweg.com

Schneider Electric reinforces its sustainability commitments as it responds to the COVID-19 crisis

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Adapting in a constantly changing environment

emergency and longer-term reconstruction actions re- lated to COVID-19 in all the territories in which Schnei- der Electric operates. The Schneider Electric Founda- tion will invite leaders and employees who wish to do so, to donate, and all donations will be matched by the company. Schneider will also invite its other external stakeholders to donate to this fund. Jean-Pascal Tricoire – Chairman & CEO – will per- sonally contribute 25% of his base salary for the dura- tion of the current crisis to the Tomorrow Rising Fund. He is joined by the members of the Executive Com- mittee of Schneider Electric who have committed to contributing 10% of their base salary to this fund for the duration of the current crisis. Schneider Electric, a CAC40 company, does not intend to resort to the exceptional liquidity support schemes that are proposed by the French state to over- come this crisis. In addition, and given the current con- text, Schneider Electric has suspended the buy-back of its shares aligned with the withdrawal of its 2020 guid- ance pursuant to its March 23 rd , 2020 communication. Through these initiatives, Schneider Electric reiter- ates its commitment to sustainability and expresses its appreciation to all of those who are demonstrating extraordinary courage and selflessness in their efforts to fight this pandemic. including handheld devices for measuring vibration data, alignment and balancing. The software also governs online systems for continu- ous monitoring, such as wired multichannel systems and wireless monitoring systems, as well as supporting external user directories such as Microsoft Azure AD and REST API. The software offers a wide range of connectivity options, perfect for smart factories and Industry 4.0 environments. The best-sellers in the range include the Leonova porta- ble vibration analyst tools, the Intellinova online system and the maintenance tools – accessories such as transducers to measure vibration and shock pulse, portable bearing and vibration checkers and the electronic stethoscope. Coupled with WearCheck’s comprehensive condition monitoring programme, the SPM tools provide the expert knowledge needed to evaluate machine condition: a com- plete bearing catalogue, lubricant data, bearing life calcula- tion, evaluation in green – yellow – red, ISO limit values, spectrum and time domain analysis, fault symptom detec- tion, and more. Enquiries: www.se.com

SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC is recognised around the globe as an essential business providing service continuity to critical infrastructure such as hospitals, data centres, IT networks, the temperature-controlled food supply chain, energy, transportation, water treatment and vital industries. Ensuring continuity of service, 24/7, to critical indus- tries in all the countries and communities where Sch- neider Electric operates is the Group’s first responsibility and its main contribution to the fight against COVID-19. In this context, the Group is focused on maintaining op- erations to service critical infrastructure, in compliance with health and local government regulations. At Schneider Electric, the health and safety of em- ployees, customers and partners is of utmost im- portance. In response to COVID-19 the Group has enhanced its existing global benefit standards (Life, Health and Family Care) for all of its employees world- wide, for the duration of the crisis. In addition, and consistent with its sustainability commitments, Schneider Electric is actively supporting hospitals and the most vulnerable communities and participating in several other efforts, including boosting the production of ventilators. During these challenging times Schneider Electric would like to announce the creation of a fund dedicated to COVID-19 support as part of the Schneider Electric Foundation. The ‘Tomorrow Rising Fund’ will support Schutte and the WearCheck team have embraced the sophisticated Swedish technology with enthusiasm. “We have already seen how the SPM instruments and systems can add value to our reliability solutions services by yielding additional levels of extremely detailed and accurate data,” he said. “This exciting partnership,” says Schutte, “is in line with WearCheck’s mission – to be a global leader in trans- forming condition monitoring into an ever-evolving market of the Industrial Internet of Things (IIOT), and artificial intel- ligence. We are pleased to have the SPM brand join us as the leaders on the African continent in innovation within the reliability solutions arena”. Rikard Svärd, SPM Instrument’s global sales manager agrees. “We are confident that WearCheck’s competence, as well as its industry-, customer-, and sales focus, will be an excellent match for our strong portfolio of condi- tion monitoring solutions. We are delighted to partner with WearCheck and look forward to a long and fruitful business relationship that will further strengthen our position in the African market.” SPM’s Condmaster software - the platform via which all the SPM devices interact - supports the full product range

extra you pay will save you a lot further down the line.

Sparks: Name three things on your ‘bucket list’. NN: I’ve been very blessed in my life. I have actually ticked off my bucket list completely; from watching Liverpool beat Manchester United at Anfield whilst sitting in the Kop to base jumping in Berlin and assisting a base- ball match in New York, I have done most of the things that I really wanted to do. Now, the two things that my wife and I still have to do together are Route 66 in the States on a very noisy Café Racer motorbike, and island hop- ing through the many remote islands along the Vietnamese coast.

Enquiries: +27 (0)11 207 5600

WearCheck awarded SPM dealership rights

WearCheck staffers, Philip Schutte (reliability solutions manager) (second from left) and Annemie Willer (RS senior sales technician) (fourth from left), visited SPM’s head office in Sweden recently to seal the deal between the two companies.

WEARCHECK , a South Africa-based condition monitoring specialist, is proud to announce a partnership with Swedish condition monitoring instrument manufacturer, SPM, which allows WearCheck to sell and support its world-class products. The full SPM range features portable condition monitoring products, online systems, mainte- nance tools, technologies and expertise, all using techniques that help customers to achieve the highest possible uptime of critical assets – an ap- proach that dovetails perfectly with WearCheck’s.

WearCheck’s technicians have been trained to use, apply and install the SPM equipment, which performs many reliability solutions tech- niques, including vibration measurement and analysis, balancing, orbit analysis and laser shaft alignment, bearing and pulse checking, lubrica- tion assessment and root cause analysis. Philip Schutte, WearCheck’s reliability solutions manager, believes the partnership is set to yield many benefits, and that it enhances even further the two companies’ shared vision of maximising the planning horizon for maintenance and repairs.

Enquiries: www.wearcheck.co.za

SPARKS ELECTRICAL NEWS

JUNE 2020