Sparks Electrical News September 2024

INDUSTRY 4.0 AND AUTOMATION

13

RS PRO’s extended range of products aims to ensure automation efficiency

RS South Africa , a trading brand ofRS Group plc (LSE: RS1), a global provider of product and service solutions, has announced the launch of its RS PRO Automation Efficiency. This expansion enriches the RS PRO portfolio with over 1 100 new products spanning more than 18 technologies, emphasising its commitment to providing comprehensive and cutting-edge solutions for industrial automation. Ensuring efficiency in industrial automation processes is essential to improve plant performance when it comes to production, energy saving, consumption reduction and minimising environmental impact. “RS PRO offers a complete set of products across multiple technologies to maximise automation efficiency daily and keep your production line fully effective,” comments Sales Director Erick Wessels. Adding to a wide existing range of over 45 000 products in this area, thenew launch has the ultimate goal of offering customers an ever-expanding and comprehensive choice at a competitive price. The new RS PRO range stands out as the go-to solution for improving the efficiency of automation processes, from saving energy to increasing productivity, while at the same time ensuring cost reduction. From logic controllers and push buttons to Cat6 cables, circuit protection, energy-saving lighting and more, RS PRO offers a comprehensive one brand solution for diverse industrial automation needs. The Automation Efficiency launch targets a wide range of sectors, including food and beverage, paper and packaging, medical, pharmaceutical, chemical, oil and gas, equipment manufacturing, utilities, energy, engineering services, and automation. RS PRO aims to support designers, machine builders, and maintainers by providing a comprehensive offering that meets design and compliance specifications at every stage of the on a diesel generator for power supply. Rubicon supplied a battery energy storage system (BESS) container which includes the first 50kW Solis inverters to be installed in parallel worldwide. The client’s challenge The operations at the site have relied on a diesel generator for power supply. This approach was costly and environmentally unfriendly. Challenges of diesel dependency include: • High costs: Diesel prices can be volatile, leading to unpredictable operational costs. • Environmental impact: Diesel combustion emits greenhouse gases and pollutants associated with environmental degradation. • Complex logistics: Depending on diesel requires frequent refuelling and related transport logistics. This can become impractical and costly. • Noise and maintenance: Diesel generators are noisy and require regular maintenance, impacting the work environment and operational uptime.

RS PRO ensures that its unique offering addresses the specific needs of each customer.

needs. The Planned Maintenance expansion caters to a broad spectrum of sectors, including discrete and process manufacturing, energy and utilities, facilities and intralogistics. With a new range expansion covering 100% of the 80,000 product selection, RS PRO ensures that its unique offering addresses the specific needs of each customer. In the ever-changing industrial landscape, RS PRO remains steadfast in its commitment to quality and choice, providing customers with a comprehensive range that meets design and compliance specifications at all stages of the product lifecycle. For more information about RS South Africa’s products and, visit their website and follow them on LinkedIn for regular updates on innovative solutions. RS South Africa is a proudly Level 2 B-BBEE accredited company.

Planned Maintenance range. This expansion adds over 850 new products across more than 24 categories to our portfolio, providing all the components and materials needed to optimise this essential process. Building on a broad existing range of over 55 000 products, this expansion aims to offer our customers an ever-expanding and comprehensive choice at a competitive price. The new range stands out as the go-to solution for minimising downtime and increasing productivity while reducing costs – from monitoring equipment to assess machine performance to having the right parts available when needed. Test and measurement, automation components, lighting, cable accessories, batteries, fasteners and fixings, lubricants and greases, tools, PPE, site safety, and cleaning solutions. RS PRO offers a comprehensive one brand solution for diverse maintenance

product lifecycle. Extended range of products includes maintenance RS PRO, the own brand of RS, offers a comprehensive selection of over 80,000 products spanning all industries and technologies. Renowned for its quality and extensive range, RS PRO is the Smart Choice for businesses and working environments. Planned maintenance is a crucial element of every production cycle, and manufacturing companies regularly schedule downtime for this purpose. To support these maintenance activities, RS PRO is excited to announce the expansion of its Erick Wessels, Sales Director at RS South Africa.

Enquiries: za.rs-online.com/web/

Rubicon powers up Eastern Cape windfarm with a revolutionary off-grid containerised BESS solution A wind farm in Oyster Bay, Eastern Cape, needed an off-grid solution for its site office to reduce its reliance The client’s requirements The client needed a solution that allowed them to move away from relying on their diesel generator for power. The solution needed to be scalable from 50kW to 100kW to cater for a potential increase in their

power consumption needs. In addition, the client wanted a spare inverter for redundancy. The solution • Rubicon supplied a containerised BESS solution consisting of: • A customised 20ft container to house the BESS solution. • 190kWh of WeCo battery storage consisting of 36 x 5k3 batteries. • Three 50kW Solis hybrid inverters with a 10-year extended warranty. • The container is insulated and contains two Wi-Fi enabled air conditioning units to regulate battery temperature. • Stat-X Aerosol Fire Suppression was installed for enhanced safety. The three 50kW Solis inverters used for this project were the first in the world to be installed in parallel. The Solis inverters are smaller and more compact than the large battery inverters traditionally used in our BESS containers. The BESS solution was integrated with

The BESS container.

existing infrastructure, namely: The existing generator to provide backup power during periods of low renewable energy due to unfavourable weather. A 110kW PV system which was already installed on site. The results The client was impressed by Solis’ user friendly interface which allows for complete monitoring of the system. Since the solution was installed, the client has significantly reduced their diesel usage and only intend using the generators during severe weather conditions.

By implementing the BESS solution, the client can transition towards a more sustainable and cost-effective energy model. This initiative not only addresses immediate operational challenges but also contributes positively to environmental stewardship and long-term financial viability. Rubicon’s tailored solar PV and battery storage solutions for the commercial market reduce costs and save money. Our containerised BESS offers plug-and-play functionality, and is pre-commissioned to save time on site.

Enquiries: www.rubicon.tech

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