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SA Mechanical Engineer is the official magazine of the SA Institution of Mechanical Engineering. It is also endorsed by the following bodies: SA Pump Manufacturing Association, SA Valve and Actuators Association, Association of Societies for Occupational Health & Safety, Institute for Certificated Mechanical & Electrical Engineers, SA Institute of Tribology, Institute of Nuclear Engineers SA, SA Institute of Non-destructive Testing, SA Association of Consulting Engineers and The National Society of Black Engineers.

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Page 1: SAME Mar2013

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 1

2 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

LEADERS IN CLOSING THE SKILLS GAP

merSETA House95 7th AvenueCnr Rustenburg RoadMelvilleJohannesburg

Tel 010 219 3000Fax 086 673 0017Call Center 086 163 7738

46 Second AvenueWestdeneBloemfontein 9300

Tel 0861 637 733Fax 051 447 8873

3rd Floor FassifernOld Mutual Building35 Ridge Road Berea

Tel 0861 637 736Fax 031 201 8732

Section 1 No8 Corridor Crescent Route N4 Business ParkBen Fleur Ext 11 Witbank

Tel 0861 637 735Fax 013 656 4629

5th floor Catnia BuildingBella Rosa Office DevelopmentBella Rosa Road Tygervalley

Tel 0861 637 732Fax 021 914 8131

Pickering Park Office Suites14-20 Pickering StreetNewton ParkPort Elizabeth 6045

Tel 0861 637 734Fax 041 363 0144

merSETA House95 7th AvenueCnr Rustenburg RoadMelvilleJohannesburg

Tel 010 219 3000Fax 086 673 0017

Automotive Supplier Park30 Helium RoadRosslyn Ext 2

Tel 0861 637 731Fax 0866 700299

HEAD OFFICE

LIMPOPO ampMPUMALANGA WESTERN CAPE FREE STATE amp

NORTHERN CAPE KWAZULU-NATAL

EASTERN CAPE GAUTENG SOUTH GAUTENG NORTH amp NORTH WEST

Scarce skills in the engineering and manufacturing sectors in South Africa

The merSETArsquos major focus in respect of new skills development and the alleviation of skills shortages is the development of artisan skills To this end the merSETA has a wide spectrum of registered learnerships and apprenticeships in place n the nancial ear the merSETA registered apprenticeship contracts learnership agreements and skills programme learners n the same period learners o tained full uali cations and skills programme learners o tained statements of results towards various levels on the ational uali cations ramework

hallenges within the pu lic asic education and ET s stems have impacted the availa ilit of engineering skills directl through their impact on the generic skills levels within the workforce and through the generation of ualit artisans as well as indirectl through the negative effect on the ualit of higher education uali cations ow levels of la our productivit not onl drive capital intensive growth within the sector ut are also considered one of the major factors undermining South Africarsquos a ilit to em race new technolog and innovation and thus compete internationall The perceived economic growth massive infrastructural development government policies and glo al advances in manufacturing technolog have also increased skills demand Engineering uali cations now generall e uip graduates with skills in new technolog owever for the e isting workforce skills gaps in these areas must e lled with additional training

or more information visit wwwmersetaorg a

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 3

AN ENGINEERrsquoS VIEW

Chris ReayChairman of the Working

Committee Communications(SA Institution of Mechanical

Engineering)

Last month we took a look at the status of the mining industry and itrsquos pretty difficult not to be negative about the trend it has taken over

recent years From being top spot so to speak for decades we have slumped to a mediocre level that replicates a number of other circumstances in our country And the bell tolled loud and clear this week when four major employers in the EPCM industry advised that they

were about to institute section 189 retrenchment programmes They inevitably become the victims of the lack of new mining spend because investors have made it clear that other countries are able to offer a less risky investment climate Most of the analyst commentary on the issue has confirmed this view

Appalling and unreasonableIt is just appalling and almost treasonable that those in government allowed the talk about nationalization to go so far without taking a firm hand ably assisted by incoherent mining policy It only goes to show that in matters of global economics and investor confidence they do not know And worse is that they do not know that they do not know

It had little to do with the Euro crisis which gets blamed for everything including lack of local ser-vice delivery Donrsquot mention the State of the Nation address because I will then need the advice of the intended health warning

On the matter of power we note with some relief that NERSA saw fit to refute giving Eskom the 16 escalation over the next five years which on top of the increases over the last three would have been catastrophic for industry business and the average citizen Even the 8 is severe enough which means a doubling of the price of electricity in less than 9

Absolute Power Disrupts Absolutely

The Editor mentioned to me the other day that she should issue a health warning with some of my leader articles because they often create an acute

case of depression This will in future be issued with the articles as it becoming increasingly difficult to construct positive and encouraging articles about the state

of the nation and the environment in which engineering has to play its role

years and it does not include the mark-up that most municipalities will add on before charging the consumer

It causes one to reflect on what has happened to Eskom and while the parastatal gets the blame for such drastic price increases it is really government policy that caused the whole crisis To have left the power capitalisation industry to virtually collapse from 1994 to 2007 was the collective decision of policy makers who again demonstrated that they did not know that they did not know

In that period Eskom became a cash-cow for govern-ment It also became a showpiece of transformation where most of the established intellectual capital and memory was methodically removed to satisfy a political whim It became evident that political identity was more important than experienced engineering and project management skills that had been built up over decades of designing and building the best six pack stations in the world

Political whimThe effective ownerrsquos team had been removed and replaced with the outsourcing to foreign based project houses Costs escalated and are exhibited in the horrific escalation on the price of Medupi for example Where was the sinking fund to finance the new station build It became necessary to charge the current consumers to fund the capital expan-sion Therein lies your 16 requirement

Whatever Eskom may say to the contrary it is borne out by the current irreversible nightmare that personifies our electrical energy generation and distribution structures Absolute power has certainly disrupted the economy and will do so for the foreseeable future

Costs escalated and are exhibited in the horrific escalation on the price of Medupi for example

4 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 5

Cover Story8 Mining and Industry Energy Optimisation (MIEO)

Monthly Column11 Prominent Professionals

Power Transmission13 Italian Gearboxes Now in SA15 Save on Maintenance

CESA18 Empowering Municipal Engineers

HHyyddrrauullicsss ampamp Pneumatiiccss19 New Life for Old Machines21 Compressed Air at Work

POWER GENERATION TODAY23 Harnessing the Powers of the Ocean27 Power Generation News

Opinion29 Soapbox

Produced by PROMECH PUBLISHING P O Box 373 Pinegowrie 2123 Republic of South AfricaTel (011) 781-1401 Fax (011) 781-1403 Managing Editor Susan Custers Editor Kowie HammanCirculation Catherine Macdiva Advertising Mark BennettDTP Zinobia Docrat Donovan VadivaluSubscriptions Please email us at accountspromechcozaif you wish to subscribe to ldquoSA Mechanical Engineerrdquo at R44000 (excl postage and VAT) per year R1 10000 per year for AfricaOverseas

DisclaimerPROMECH Publishing and The South African Institution of Mechanical Engineering as well as any other body do not take responsibility for the opinions expressed by individualsPrinted by Typo Colour Printing Tel (011) 402-34689FSC (Forestry Stewardship Accreditation)

Material Selection30 Managing Tooling

Surface Finishing33 Starting from Scratch

IT Trends36 Mobile Computing

Electric Drive37 The Worldrsquos Most Powerful Powerboat

Environment38 Water Disclosure Reporting

Exhibition39 Boosting the Manufacturing Sector

Regulars3 An Engineerrsquos View7 Institution News40 Market Forum

Contents

The monthly circulation is 4 326

CopyrightAll rights reserved No editorial matter published in ldquoSA Mechanical Engineerrdquo may be reproduced in any form or language without written permission of the publishers While every effort is made to ensure accurate reproduction the editor authors publishers and their employees or agents shall not be responsible or in any way liable for any errors omissions or inaccuracies in the publication whether arising from negligence or otherwise or for any consequences arising therefrom The inclusion or exclusion of any product does not mean that the publisher or editorial board advocates or rejects its use either generally or in any particular field or fields

March 2013 VOLUME 63 NUMBER 3On the Cover

Tel (011) 061-5000wwwmieoorgza

Promech Publish-ing is proud to announce that the SA Capital Equ ipment

Export Coun-cil has endorsed

ldquoSA Mechanical Engineerrdquo We welcome the SACEEC on board and look forward to working together

More news next month

Susan Custers Managing Editor

inganthE

Exxcil h

6 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

THE SA INSTITUTION OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

Council 2012 - 2014

Office BearersPresident KK Nyangoni (Kudzai)Vice President D Findeis (Dirk)National Treasurer A Roos (Andre)Immediate Past President G Barbic (George)

Branch ChairpersonsCentral S Murefu (Stephen)Eastern Cape W Rall (William)KwaZuluNatal J Moto (John)Mpumalanga Highveld L Odendaal (Louis)Western Cape Dr D Blaine (Debbie)

PortfoliosCommunicationsStrategic PlanningSpecialist GroupCD Reay (Chris)Young Engineers ForumProf B Collier-Reed (Brandon)Education Universities of Technology E Zawilska (Ewa)Membership E Zawilska (Ewa)Professional Development ProgrammeM Black (Malcolm)Technology Programme SZ Hrabar (Steve)To be confirmedG Bartholomew (Bart)

Chief Executive Officer Vaughan Rimbault

National Office Manager Anisa Nanabhay PO Box 511 Bruma 2026Tel (011) 615-5660 Fax (011) 388-5356Email infosaimecheorgza

Website wwwsaimecheorgza

Membership Central Eastern Cape

Mpumalanga Highveld amp KZN membershipsaimecheorgza

Membership Western Cape saimechewcvodamailcoza

Company AffiliatesAlstom Power Service SA

Babcock Africa Limited

Bateman Engineered Technologies

Bosch Projects

DCD Rolling Stock A division of DCD

Festo (Pty) Ltd Group (Pty) Ltd

Fluor SA (Pty) Ltd

GEA Air-cooled Systems

Hansen Transmissions SA

Hatch Africa

Howden Power

Howden Projects

Industrial Water Cooling

Inenzo Water (Pty) Ltd

MBE Minerals (SA) (Pty) Ltd (previously KHD Humboldt Wedag SA)

Megchem Eng amp Drafting Services

Mod-U-Flow

Osborn Engineered

Products SA

Rotek Engineering

SAME Water

Sasol Technologies

SEW Eurodrive

Siemens

SNC-Lavalin SA

Spicer Axle SA

Spirax Sarco SA

Technical Systems

Thyssenkrupp Engineering

Transvaal Pressed Nuts amp Bolts

Ultra-Flow Engineering Services

Vital Engineering

Weir Minerals Africa

Winder Controls

Invest in in-house workshops convened by SAIMechEWhen it comes to correct practices and effective productivity is there anything to rival teamwork and group training The benefits of ensuring that all relevant personnel are well informed on com-mon topics are obvious For instance group learn-ing fosters team spirit and co-operation between personnel who may not be interacting successfully in their workplace SAIMechE recommends that instead of incurring travel costs to send staff on engineering related courses corporations should book In-House workshops with SAIMechE

To obtain a comprehensive list of workshops (also avail-able on website wwwsaimecheorgza) or to discuss your corporate short course training needs kindly contact National Events Manager Linda Robinson on Tel 031 764 7136 or E-mail lindasaimecheorgza

Scheduled Forthcoming Training Events ndash Open to All

Code Abbreviated Title

Date Start

Date End

Region

C0913 Refrigeration Explained

19-Mar-13

19-Mar-13

Cape Town

C6613 Effective Negotiation

Methodologies for Engineers

in Practice

20-Mar-13

20-Mar-13

Cape Town

F6213 Technical Communica-tions and Re-port Writing

20-Mar-13

20-Mar-13

Secunda

F5713 Total Produc-tive Mainte-

nance

26-Mar-13

26-Mar-13

Secunda

C2513 Materials Section

Processes Parameters amp Performances

27-Mar-13

27-Mar-13

Cape Town

F5813 Continuous Flow Pro-cesses A

Methodology for Engineers

in Practice

27-Mar-13

27-Mar-13

Secunda

A3613 Project Management A Review of Essentials

3-Apr-13

3-Apr-13

Durban

F2913 Practical Lu-brication and

Lubricants

3-Apr-13

3-Apr-13

Secunda

A4713 Capital Budgeting for

Projects

4-Apr-13

4-Apr-13

Durban

F6913 Lubricants and Oil Monitoring

4-Apr-13

4-Apr-13

Secunda

form may be obtained from Carey Evans on Tel 031 764 7136 or Email careysaimecheorgza All event programmes are posted on website wwwsaimecheorgza

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 7

THE SA INSTITUTION OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

Vaughan Rimbault (SAIMechE CEO) and Anisa Nanab-hay (National Office Manager) recently conducted student road shows at Stellenbosch University Cape Pensinsula University of Technology and University of Cape Town Students were addressed on matters

The award winners for the 2012 SAIMechE Student awards from Stellenbosch University Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering were

1 Best Final Year project Mechanical (Trophy medal prize money amp certificate) ndash Elizna Miles 87

2 Best Final Year Project Mechatronics (Trophy

medal prize money amp certificate) ndash Willem Pienaar 87

3 Best Mechanical Presentation (medal amp certifi-cate) ndash Elizna Miles 90

4 Best Mechatronic Presentation (medal amp certifi-cate) ndash Henri van Eetveldt 82

that directly concern and effect them as well as benefits of SAIMechE membership which is free for students The presentations were well received and there was a lot of interest in what SAIMechE offers to students

SAIMechE Student Road Shows - Western Cape

SAIMechE Student Awards ndash Stellenbosch University

All the 2012 departmental award winners including the SAIMechE award winners

8 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

COVER STORY

The MIEO is a not for profit indepen-dent association that serves the

mining and industry sec-tors of the southern Afri-can economy by promot-ing awareness informing and educating within the realm of energy efficiency and saving

Comparatively speak-ing the industrial and mining sector combined

Mining and Industry Energy Optimisation (MIEO)

Charles Ntsele Grinding Manager at Metso Southern Africa has been elected to Chair the MIEO for the next two years

Serves the mining and industry sectors of the southern African economy by promoting awareness informing and educating within the realm of energy efficiency and saving

Charles Ntsele

Patterns of usage quite different between mining and industry

Industrial

Mining

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 9

use 67 of Eskomrsquos grid capacity classifying this sector as intensive energy users However it is also the sector that contributes to the majority of the countryrsquos economy Hence the focus for a sustainable and secure energy supply in South Africa logically lies with optimising the energy use within this sector

The MIEO constitutes a membership base that not only supply products and services to the mining and industrial sector but has collaborated in assisting energy intensive users to employ a systematic or holistic approach to energy management challenge in their organisations so that energy saving can be optimised

Systematic approachThe collaboration involves a series of seminars presented by the MIEO across the country In this way information on energy optimisation opportuni-ties is taken to the end user

The MIEO initiative brings together leading manu-facturers and suppliers of service and technologies for improvement of energy efficiency in all major energy-consuming plant items Through seminars the MIEO aims to achieve the following objectives

1 To promote awareness of the benefits available to industry and mining in the products and services for energy efficiency from members of the associa-tion

2 To support Eskom and the Department of Energy of the Republic of South Africa in their common objective of increasing energy efficiency in the industrial and mining sectors of the economy

3 To promote opportunities for the dissemination and sharing of information about products services technologies programmes approaches strategies best practice and operational experiences in the field of industrial and mining energy efficiency

4 To promote the adoption of energy efficiency products and services available from members of the association

5 To promote opportunities for training in the methodology and technology for sustained achieve-ment of energy and cost saving when utilising energy efficiency products and services available from members of the association

CredentialsCharles Ntsele currently Grinding Manager at Metso Southern Africa obtained his NHD Extraction Metallurgy from the University of Johannesburg in 1994 and has fulfilled various roles such as re-search metallurgist applications engineer process engineer and product manager He is an associate member of the Southern African Institute of Mining amp Metallurgy

Tel (011) 061-5000 Fax 086 688 7005Email mieovdwcoza wwwmieoorgza

COVER STORY

Electricity Consumption by Sector

10 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 11

the project engineer who worked on this project

Future ndash a concept a dream or a wishUsing the technology and engineering knowledge available to make South Africa more sustainable If we could use this know-how to overcome the challenges that the country faces it would be a major breakthrough for the nation

Irsquod also like to see more being done in terms of renewable energy We are for example closely studying further possibilities to use biomass as a fuel to generate steam and electricity in our processes Wersquore also looking at fluidised bed boiler technology so that we can use the

abundance of low-grade coal in the country

Most Challenging ProjectA few years back we did a recovery optimisation project to improve the recovery of by-products from the pulping pro-cess The main product is caustic soda used in the cooking process We installed a new causticizing plant pulp screen-ing plant scrubber and refurbished the fluidised bed reactor The challenge was combining the new plant installation with the refurbishment work all in an existing plant within a very limited time span

Most Rewarding ProjectIt was the installation of an A-4 sheeting and packaging line We bought a second-hand machine in Germany and just to get the machine up and running was a challenge in itself

CommentaryAre there shortcomings in the Mechanical Engineering Industry in South AfricaYes we have a shortage of maintenance professionals When I was at university we were not trained in maintenance at all Mechanical engineering has a major role to play in this field where the scope for improvement in todayrsquos industry is enormous We need to start training in maintenance at an academic level much like some of the universities have now started doing However mentorship and in-house training has a very important role to play as well

Message to young engineersYoung engineers have to take ownership of their own develop-ment and not expect somebody else to do it for them Many young engineers feel the employer owes them something They must get involved at all levels and work their way up so that when theyrsquore the seniors they know what goes on at the lower levels Remember yoursquore never too clever to learn

MONTHLY COLUMN

Prominent ProfessionalsCarel Kruger Engineering Manager

Academic

School Graduate studies Rob Ferreira High School Whiteriver B Eng at University of Pretoria

Post-graduateB Tech degree in Pulp amp Paper Management Development Programme through Unisa Gov-ernment certificate of competence

Professional bodiesRegistered with Ecsa as Pr Eng and Pr Certifi-cated Engineer

Career Path

First employerStarted with Sappi at the Enstra Mill as an engineering trainee after doing national service in the army

Growth pathAfter a few years at Sappi I left to work for a small engineer-ing company for five years I went back to Sappi as a project engineer I was then promoted to a number of positions at Enstra Mill these included maintenance engineer project manager services manager and maintenance manager before I took up my current position

Present employer amp positionSappi Enstra Mill as an engineering manager

AchievementsA projectMost of our work in the maintenance environment involves minimising breakdowns optimising the performance of the equipment and working on continuous improvements to either overcome business challenges or increase the success rate of our production plant One of our teamrsquos notable project was to de-bottleneck the bleach plant The project involved stabilising the pulp consistency control in a refurbished high density chest system At the same time we installed a new feed system into the oxygen reactor

This was a major breakthrough in terms of availability of equipment and the throughput of the plant because of reduced breakdowns and blockages It was a case of applying new technology in a very old plant challenging our engineering skills to the maximum

Any awardsA Sappi internal silver engineering award was given to me and

WErsquoRE ENGINEERED TO SHAREOver R73 billion N rsquo S S E Hrsquo NA E

S

S S S trade T S S

12 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 201314 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 62 May 2012

AXIOM HYDRAULICS (PTY) LTD

HA

Tel (011) 334-3068 334-3086 Fax (011) 334-4543E-mail axiomjhbmwebcoza

SAMHYDRAULIK which is one of the leaders in the field of hydraulictransmission has been operating for over 25 years in the internationalmarket offering a complete range of orbital hydraulic motors and power steering units axial pumps andmotors for medium and highpressure ranges all characterisedby excellent performances

SAMHYDRAULIK employs 120people who operate inside avery modern and efficient plantthat spans over 6 000 squaremetres to assure a high standardand flexible production capacityThe latest computer technologyis used for both design andproduction combined withstrict quality control proceduresduring all production phaseswhich translates into innovativereliable and functionalproducts that meet the various needs of the marketIts ISO 9001 certificationheld since 1994 is theresult of a quality-orientated philosophyon which SAMHYDRAULIKhas always based itsoperation

17 Heidelberg Road Village Main Johannesburg 2000P O Box 260248 Excom South Africa 2023

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 13T

POWER TRANSMISSION

Rossi a power transmission equipment manu-facturer from Modena in Italy did this by establishing the companyrsquos first permanent subsidiary in South Africa ldquoSA Mechanical

Engineerrdquo speaks with the deputy general manager of Rossi South Africa Kyle Dick about the range of new products theyrsquore now offering locally

ldquoInitially Rossi was represented in South Africa through my company DDI Transmissions in Springs as an agent for their comprehensive range of gear-boxes but now operates as a subsidiary for Rossi SPA to service the whole of sub-Saharan Africardquo he explains ldquoThe product range as such is thus not new to the South African market but wersquore of-fering a much wider range incorporating the latest in drive train technology for a wide variety of applica-tionsrdquo

in KwaZulu Natal ldquoNot only is the market in South Africa very similar to the mining industry there but many of the mining companies and major project

houses operate in both countries This made us realise that the South African market could

certainly be expanded from the footprint which Kyle has already established hererdquo

New rangesThe Rossi Group is one of Europersquos larg-est industrial groups for the production and sale of gear reducers gear motors

electric standard and brake motors Kyle comments ldquoThey constantly undertake

extensive research into new drive solu-tions A typical example is the EP range

of planetary units and the H-series of new helical and bevel-helical gear units specifically developed for heavy industry applicationsrdquo

Manufacturers of bulk handling equipment like conveyor systems ship loaders stacker

reclaimers and mine processing machinery are all familiar with Rossi drives and have been direct clients of the company for many years The gear reducers and gear motors include planetary worm coaxial right angle parallel shaft gear reducers and

Italian Gearboxes Now in SA

With South African industry particularly mining being very similar to that of Australia some international companies build up a strong footprint in Australia and then use this

experience to bring their expertise to the South African mining industry as well

The product range as such is thus not new to the South African market but wersquore now offering a much wider range incorporating the latest in drive train technology for a wide variety of applications

roduct s notcan of-er g ne -

Africa very simany of the

houses oprealise t

certaiwhic

NeTheestand

eleccomm

exteti

Ma

Kyle Dick (left) and Marcello Cassanelli of Rossi South Africa

The Rossi range of products has done extremely well in Australia leading to the establishment of a main subsidiary there and three regional officesrdquo says Marcello Cassanelli the other deputy

general manager from Italy who is helping Kyle in the coming years to get the business going at Tongaat

14 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

POWER TRANSMISSION

I prefer to go on site and help out with tricky problems but I also have good experience in gearbox selection a critical factor in todayrsquos market

speed reducers specifically bring flexibility to the market The system is completely modular allowing each solution to be tailor-made to a specific ap-plication yet itrsquos still cost effective as all products emanate from a standard production unit The new H series covers 825 kNm through to 1700 kNm while the EP series can cover up to 3000 kNm

ldquoComplementary and ancillary equipment such as cooling fans coils or independent cooling units oil heaters and labyrinth seals are of an equal qual-ity and toughness as our rugged gear units which are built and customised for the most challenging conditions or environments any industry can pos-sibly presentrdquo Marcello adds The company is so confident in the quality and reliability of their product range that theyrsquore offering a worldwide warranty on all their geared products

Central baseldquoWe based the new South African headquarters in Tongaat because it puts us close to a port for bringing in components so we can assemble geared units more cost-effectivelyrdquo says Kyle ldquoWersquore in the heart of the sugar industry yet right next to an international airport so that wersquore in reach of any-where in Africa within a couple of hours In addition wersquove established a sales office in Johannesburg

ldquoThe fact that Marcello brings to the table his inter-national experience to complement my knowledge of local conditions and requirements gives me the confidence that wersquoll be able to provide the local market with services and products both the end-users and competitors will regard with respectrdquo adds Kyle ldquoTo top this off we have direct support from highly-experienced engineers in Italyrdquo

SelectionKyle is a hands-on man who has worked his way up in the company through the ranks in the workshop on site and in the office ldquoI prefer to go on site and help out with tricky problems but I also have good experience in gearbox selection a critical factor in todayrsquos marketrdquo he says in conclusion

ldquoAlthough most project houses do the selection wersquore always prepared to share our experience with others in order to make the right selection right from the start I am confident that we now have the right product the right facilities in terms of support and the experience to serve the local market with competitive pricingrdquo

Kyle Dick Rossi South Africa Tel (032) 944-3505 Email kyleddirossicoza

gear motors while other standard products are large size parallel and right angle shaft gear reducers and gear motors for heavy duty applications

ExtrasMarcello adds ldquoThe new EP and the H range of

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 15

POWER TRANSMISSION

He kicks off by telling us ldquoIf yoursquore not saving money in the end condition monitoring serves no effective purpose Also if you can

afford the consequence of a failure then you donrsquot need to do condition monitoring A good example is found in the food processing industry where they use hundreds of small pumps throughout a plant Instead of having to monitor all these pumps they now use low-cost plastic pumps which can be replaced quickly without holding up the production processrdquo

Part of asset managementldquoTypically you start the development of the condition monitoring process by determining the companyrsquos

maintenance strategy a process called the RCM (reliability centred maintenance) planrdquo explains Kobus ldquoFirst off a hardware breakdown structure of the whole plant is drawn up and a Failure Mode and Effectsrsquo Criticality Analysis (FMECA) performed so that you can decide which of the machines are critical to the operation of your plant the ones which will bring the whole lot to a halt if they fail

Kobus continues ldquoThrough this process the company can also determine what spares to carry as well as the level and types of skills which will be needed to maintain the critical machines in the plantrdquo

MethodsIdeas Solutions not only assists companies to under-take this initial criticality audit but will also advise which one of the four main condition monitoring technologies is most appropriate for each specific application fit it and analyse the data as part of a maintenance contract

ldquoThe solution could take the form of vibration moni-toring alignment monitoring any one of a number of methods of temperature measurements or oil analysisrdquo clarifies Kobus ldquoIn the case of a gearbox for instance we carry out an oil analysis to check whether there are any particles of the same mate-rial as the bearings or the gear teeth and so on

VibrationldquoIn our experience ninety percent of the machines with high maintenance costs are the ones where vibration is the highestrdquo adds Kobus ldquoBeing a destructive phenomenon the extent of vibration indicates whether the machine is balanced running in alignment and gives insight into the condition of the bearings regardless of the type of bearing

Save on MaintenanceCondition monitoring is an integral part of asset management ultimately impacting directly on a

companyrsquos bottom line not only in terms of reducing the risk of unexpected breakdowns but also affecting

machinery life Deciding on what to monitor and how is a scientific task which should be undertaken by specialists ldquoSA Mechanical Engineerrdquo speaks to

Kobus van der Westhuizen director of Ideas Solutions a South African company specialising in engineering

analysis solutions with offices in Cape Town and Pietermaritzburg

We can predict how close that bearing is to failure

Kobus van der Westhuizen director of Ideas Solutions

The ldquoOperational Deflection Shaperdquo

16 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

less costly exercise than an unexpected failurerdquo Kobus says ldquoYou can then order a replacement bearing in good time and make sure you have the right skills on hand to do the replace-mentrdquo

What to fitBeing such a clear indicator of a number of problems in machinery vibration moni-toring equipment can be fitted in a variety of ways If itrsquos a critical machine permanent vibration protec-tion instrumentation is typi-cally fitted on the machine Such a system monitors the machine in real time while constantly evaluating vibra-tion in terms of bearings alignment or imbalance in the machinery

ldquoOur systems are so refined today that you can not only pinpoint which bearing is showing faults but we can even see which part of that bearing is showing strain and whyrdquo Kobus adds ldquoWe can also programme the system against certain parameters so that it trips the machine when certain levels of vibration are ex-

ceeded This is the highest level of protection we can providerdquo

An interesting development in the deployment of an online monitoring system is the technique called ldquoOperational Deflection Shaperdquo (ODS) analysis This is possible when an online system has the capabil-ity of simultaneously measuring all the channels

Simultaneously measuring all the channels of vibration in real time

POWER TRANSMISSION

ldquoIf for example we find that the load on the bearing remains constant we can predict how close that bearing is to failure and plan when the machine can be shut down for a bearing replacement a much

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 17

of vibration in real time This preserves the phase relationship between channels resulting in a visual representation of the machine vibration It makes it easier to observe analyse and document noise and vibration problems in machinery and structures ODS analysis is used to display and analyse ex-perimental multi-channel time or frequency domain data acquired during the operation of a machine or forced vibration of a structure

This provides an interactive animated display with which users can observe spatially defined data such as operating deflection shapes (ODSs) mode shapes acoustic sound and intensity fields or other engineering data such at temperatures or pressures By animating the spatial response of a structure in slow motion users can view a structurersquos overall motion and the motion of one part relative to another Locations of excessive vibration or high levels of noise are easily identified

Next levelThe next level down is a surveillance system often used in conjunction with a protection system ldquoIn contrast to a protection system the surveillance system provides answers as to why things did go wrongrdquo explains Kobus ldquoIn a fan application for example the system will tell you that vibration has increased yet the signature reading from the machine has remained constant This can be as a result of dust build up on the blades or a blade has broken off causing an imbalance which prompts the protection system to stop the machine The system will even tell you which blade has been affected by the faultrdquo

The surveillance system can also be used on its own but still in an online mode ldquoThis feature is used to trend parameters leaving the decision to stop a machine at the discretion of the maintenance engineerrdquo explains Kobus ldquoThese online solutions can either be wired or wireless transmitting data from each sensor to the receivers on the system The data is then channelled to whomever needs it in his or her format of choicerdquo

Options for allOn smaller plants that cannot afford an online sys-tem less critical machinery data from machinery is collected by hand and transferred to a computer for analysis either by the maintenance engineer or under a maintenance contract to an engineer at Ideas Solutions

ldquoItrsquos no longer in question the fact that condition monitoring saves companies money has been proved over and over again if itrsquos done rightrdquo Kobus says in conclusion ldquoCondition monitoring regardless of the

The fact that condition monitoring saves companies money has been proved over and over again if itrsquos done right

POWER TRANSMISSION

extent to which it is integrated on a plant should be part of every companyrsquos maintenance strategyrdquo

Kobus van der Westhuizen Ideas Solutions Tel 082 552-4790 Email kobusideas-onlinecozawwwideas-onlinecoza

18 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

Empowering Municipal Engineers

Corruption and tenderpreneurship fraud financial mismanagement lack of understanding of technical issues

priorities difficulties with job creation and skills shortages are just some of the challenges that face municipal engineers in South

Africa

Name and shameCESA unreservedly supports the call for the banning of public servants from doing business with the state including dealstenders with another department or municipality

ldquoWhat is at stake is not the rights of state employees to do business but rather the integrity of the state procurement system The current public procurement environ-ment in the construction sector is highly complex and conducive to corruption and manipulationrdquo warns CESA President Naren Bhojaram

The problem is further compounded by the lack of accountability and punishment for procurement irregularities and wasteful expenditureldquoThe country has good rules but no-one is playing by themrdquo he adds

CESA believes that it is irresponsible and foolhardy to place employees in positions where they can (or are tempted to) manipu-late procurement and other procedures to unfairly benefit themselves at the expense of the statetaxpayer

CESA

Unqualified people should be discouraged from trying to do the job of the municipal engineer

CESA President Naren Bhojaram

Consulting En-gineers South Africa (CESA) President Na-

ren Bhojaram believes that if South Africa is serious about the empowerment of properly-qualified municipal

engineers it should invest in various interventions such as

training development and ca-pacitating of young engineers for

employment by the local authorities and make the municipal engineering

profession attractive

Currently municipal planning is done rather superficially and only a real municipal engi-

neer and a competent team of visionary planners can sort that out

CESA calls for the embracing of the municipal engineer as a trusted ad-visor as well as creating a working environment to attract and retain municipal engineers The munici-pal engineers must be incentivised (long term employment purpose in life emoluments respect and freedom) and unqualified people

should be discouraged from trying to do the job of the municipal engineer

Stumbling BlockInfrastructure deliveryrsquos biggest stumbling block is the lack of business integrity which involves among other things socialising with clients conflict of interest use of agents and partners collusion and bribery and the disregard of procurement regulations

CESA strongly urges structural changes to the way in which municipal engineers operate including the abandonment of long-term employment contracts for key technical and managerial staff Tender and

bid evaluation committees must include technical legal and financial executives in joint sittings and professional teams must be allowed to compile reports in an independent manner on tenders for the bid evaluation committees

The South African procurement legislation should include a Bribery and Corruption Act such as the UK Bribery Act of 2010 enabling the Courts to prosecute corruption and related issues more ef-fectively as well as the naming and shaming of firms contravening the requirements of the Act

Consulting Engineers South Africa (CESA) Graham Pirie Tel (011) 463-2022Email gspiriecesacoza wwwcesacoza

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 19

ldquoSA Mechanical Engineerrdquo speaks to Willie Muller general manager at KDP Services about the modernisation of old hydraulic machinery ldquoIn terms of upgrading wersquove just

done extensive work at a steel mill to re-design

and implement new technology on a large 1 200 tonne cutting press and a shredding machinerdquo he explains ldquoBoth the machines were imported from Germany originally but have lately started picking up problems seriously hampering production flow

ldquoAfter consulting with the supplierrsquos engineers the problems persisted and the client then called us in to investigaterdquo Willie says ldquoWe found that the hydraulics on both these old machines were outdated but could be updated with new tech-nology rather than replacing the old pumps and valves with costly new imported OEM components

New Life for Old Machines

Very often the spare parts for old machinery imported and installed twenty or more years ago is hard to come by and if it is available

it costs an arm and a leg to import If the problem happens to be hydraulic there is

a local hydraulics company that specialises in updating systems so that local easily-available spares can be used to keep the machine going for many years to come

Willie Muller general manager at KDP Services

CNC machining

Overhauled cylinders ready for delivery

Large cylinder

Hydraulic motor of all makes and sizes are serviced

HYDRAULICS amp PNEUMATICS

Analyse the operation and specifically the machinersquos function in situ before returning to the drawing board to redesign the hydraulic system for better functionality

20 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

New technologyAs the designer in the company

Willie goes out to analyse the operation and specifically the machinersquos function

in situ before returning to the drawing board to redesign the hydraulic system for better

functionality This provides the opportunity not only to introduce the latest technology into the upgrade but also to ensure that easily available local components are used He adds ldquoSince our upgrade the shear which can cut through a 150 by 300mm block of steel in one cut has been run-ning smoothly with none of the previous problems cropping up againrdquo

Similarly the shredding machine where a whole vehicle is fed in one end and comes out in pieces of scrap metal the other end has also been up-graded to run consistently ever since Willie adds ldquoThrough this success wersquove now not only landed the maintenance and service contracts for this mill but theyrsquove asked us to audit the entire plant to investigate other hydraulic systems which can be improved Wersquove already re-designed one of the production lines to introduce an integrated fully automated operationrdquo

First projectWillie might be young but he has worked with KDP since his student days gaining invaluable hands-on experience in all aspects of hydraulic work from the owner of the company Karel Podges ldquoOne of my first projects as a student was designing the hydraulic system for a container lifting and tilting machine used in steel mills to collect and handle scrap metalrdquo he recalls as we come across the remnants of the prototype when we walk in the yard behind the workshop ldquoThis is probably what got me hooked on hydraulics because nothing of the sort existed and I had to design it from scratch around a structure someone else had builtrdquo

Inside the workshop we find engineering equipment ranging from lathes to modern CNC machines all humming away as hydraulic components are turned out of a variety of metals At the hose crimping machine Willie points out the neat final product for a custom-made installation theyrsquore doing One of KDPrsquos specialities is hydraulic motor overhaul-ing which is evident when we see several large Hagglunds drives in various stages of repair in the drive section of the workshop

TestingFinally we get to the test-bench area where a large cylinder is under test for leaks before being taken apart for a complete overhaul ldquoOne of the biggest mistakes generally made when it comes to hydraulic equipment is that people think they can treat the hydraulic components roughly just because they are big and ruggedrdquo Willie remarks ldquoThey lose sight of the fact that dirt is the biggest enemy and they donrsquot take the necessary care to keep the oil or equipment clean causing irreparable damage to seals and delicate surface areas in a systemrdquo

One of the main advantages of KDP is that they are not officially tied up with a specific brand of hydraulic equipment allowing them to work on and supply any make on the market Willie concludes ldquoIn addition wersquore a small company where you learn and get the opportunity to work on all types of applications So each and every problem big or small is tackled with great personal attention to detailrdquo

Willie Muller KDP Services Tel (011) 392-5750 Email williekdp-servicescoza

That people think they can treat the hydraulic components roughly just because they are big and rugged

HYDRAULICS amp PNEUMATICS

The full MontyHydraulic system design from the circuit to pumps motors and all the necessary connecting piping are designed in-house at the 22-year old com-pany ldquoWe design the complete circuit specifying all the components necessary to achieve certain functionsrdquo explains Willie ldquoSimilarly all engineer-ing is undertaken in-house except the honing and chroming of shafts when we overhaul cylinder sets New cylinders are manufactured from tubing and shafts which have already been prepared

ldquoIn terms of piping wersquove built up a good name in many industries both in new installations during maintenance shutdowns or when a fixed installa-tion needs to be movedrdquo he adds ldquoNot only do we design the layout but we physically carry out the installation work ourselves especially when it is a stainless steel pipe installation that requires argon welding to fit the fittingsrdquo

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 21

Compressed Air at Work

Pneumatic systems are extensively used in industry where factories are commonly plumbed with

compressed air or compressed inert gases This is because a centrally-located and electrically-powered

compressor which powers cylinders and other pneumatic devices through solenoid valves is often

able to provide motive power in a cheaper safer more flexible and more reliable manner than electric motors

and actuators

Premium brandApplied Pneumatics established 22 years ago is a South African distributor of Parker Hannifin products ldquoAt a time when everyone is increasingly becoming aware of the benefits of buying premium products which last longer and have proven to be value for money Parker has come up with new innovations which extend this value even furtherrdquo says Dave

ldquoTake valves for example Most low-cost valves are throw-away items which are discarded completely if something goes wrong Our premium valves which cost a bit more initially are serviceable This means we can repair and service them at a fraction of the cost of even a cheap complete unit

ldquoIf the premium repairable valve breaks for in-stance itrsquos quick and easy to strip it right there and then fit new parts and have it up and running in no time as opposed to having to order and wait for a complete replacement unitrdquo adds Dave ldquoAll you need to have in stock are a couple of O-rings for the different valves in a systemrdquo

SA Mechanical Engineerrdquo visits a company in Randburg aptly named Applied Pneumat-ics to speak to managing director Dave McNair ldquoIn a pneumatics application we

supply everything beyond the compressor This includes everything down the line the filtration system water traps regulators and then the lubrication system before you get to the actual application which could be a cylinder control valves actuators or even solenoid valves for the control of liquid flows in a process We also do vacuum applications where suction cups pick objects up to move them aboutrdquo

From left Andrew Livesey applications engineer at Applied Pneumatics Teven McNair sales and Dave McNair managing director

Range includes pneumatic cylinders and actuators valves and logic processing air preparation equipment as well as a whole host of other pneumatic components and accessories

The Parker range of pneumatic equipment includes actuator and motors

HYDRAULICS amp PNEUMATICS

22 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

New conceptSimilarly the air prepa-ration systems from Parker are of a modular design and fully repair-able so that just worn or damaged compo-nents can be replaced ldquoThey have now taken this even furtherrdquo says Dave ldquoA new concept in regulators the Modu-flex clip technology system has just been released No special tools in fact no span-ners at all are needed

to take the unit apart to replace a filter element for instance You sim-ply clip the unit apart by hand replace the

element and clip it together again within a minute

ldquoOn a forklift for example the glass bowl of the air preparation unit is often damaged when the forklifts bump into some-thingrdquo elaborates Dave ldquoOn a low-cost throw-away unit yoursquod have to carry a spare unit to replace the whole unit With the new technology howev-er you simply clip off the damaged part to zap a new one into place In terms of cylinders and actuators the latest development is self-lubricating seals which require no additional lubri-cation whatsoeverrdquo

One of the main drawbacks of pneumatics over hydraulics is that a pneumatic cylinder has to be much larger than a hydraulic cylinder in order to deliver the same power However this does not rule out using pneumatics in heavier applications especially underground where the use of air is generally safer and cleaner than hydraulic oils in the first place

UndergroundldquoA while back we were approached by a platinum mine to design a pneumatic system to open and close underground tipsrdquo Andrew explains ldquoTo prevent people from falling into the ore tip it had to be closed with a heavy steel lid between off-loading operations We not only designed a suit-able pneumatic system but also took part in the installation on various levels all the way down to three kilometres undergroundrdquo

Like many other products there are cheap and nasty pneumatic products on the market and cost is not always an indication of inferiority ldquoThe safe route is to always buy from reputable companies who have been around for a long time and who trade in well-known brandsrdquo Dave says in conclusion ldquoSerious consideration should also be given to the repairability of the equipment Itrsquos no use installing a low cost system which has to be replaced regu-larly while another could last a lifetime if properly looked afterrdquo

Dave Mc Nair Applied pneumatics Tel (011) 792-3381 Email davenappliedpneumaticscoza

No special tools in fact no spanners at all are needed to take the unit apart to replace a filter element for instance

HYDRAULICS amp PNEUMATICS

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 23

TICK

ER T

APE

POWER GENERATION

PROMECH PUBLISHINGTel (011) 781-1401Fax (011) 781-1403Email samechengpromechcozaWebsite wwwpromechcozaManaging Editor Susan CustersEditorial Kowie HammanAdvertising Mark BennettCirculation Catherine MacdivaDTP Zinobia Docrat Donovan VadivaluDisclaimerPROMECH Publishing does not take responsibility for the opinions expressed by individuals

CopyrightAll rights reserved No editorial matter published in ldquoPower Generation Todayrdquo may be reproduced in any form or language without written per-mission of the publishers While every effort is made to ensure accurate reproduction the editor authors publishers and their employees or agents shall not be responsible or in any way liable for any errors omissions or inaccuracies in the publication whether arising from negligence or otherwise or for any consequences aris-ing therefrom The inclusion or exclusion of any product does not mean that the publisher or editorial board advocates or rejects its use either gener-ally or in any particular field or fields

POWERGENERATION

TODAY

Harnessing the Powers of the Ocean

Luciano Garcia-Baylleres COO at HAE

Tidal power has long been utilised as an energy resource used early on in tidal mills to grind grain throughout the Middle Ages More recently it has also been used to generate electricity for instance in the 240 MW tidal barrages at La Rance France Tidal currents however are still largely an untapped energy source While several marine current turbine prototypes

have been tested in the last few years there are only a few of these prototypes deployed to generate electrical power to smaller communities

mainly to demonstrate the viability of the technology

There is currently a renewed interest in using the ocean to generate electric-ity using both traditional hydropower technologies and new hydrokinetic

technologies This interest is being spurred on by official and private initiatives to promote the development of cleaner energy sources and diversification of energy supplies through use of alternative and renewable sources

Tidal energyTidal energy projects hold the promise of producing indigenous renewable predictable electricity without greenhouse gas emissions and with higher power densities in terms of power output per unit area than either solar photovoltaic or wind projects

The International Finance Corporation (IFC) the World Bankrsquos private-sector lending arm is partner-ing with Sasfin Bank to develop a portfolio of energy efficiency and renewable-energy financial products for small medium-sized and microenterprises (SMMEs) in South Africa

Alstom South Africa and the South African Nuclear Energy Corporation (Necsa) have signed an agreement under which the local branch of the French power generation power transmission and rail infrastructure

group will invest R8-million in buying equipment for the new coded welding centre being established at Necsarsquos Nuclear Skills Development (NSD)

The operation and maintenance (OampM) costs of wind farms in South Africa were expected to be in the mid-range of the international market Mott MacDonald consultant Matthias Vinard has reported adding that OampM costs ranged from euro28kW a year to euro68kW a year in international markets

24 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

ocean currents driven for instance by thermal gradients or differences in salinity Along the South African east coast the Agulhas Current is one of the most consistent sea currents in the world and this area has now been identified as the ideal spot to test technology developed by an American company Hydro Alternative Energy (HAE) from Florida USA

Current plans with the local gov-ernment of eThekwini Municipality in Durban supporting the concept of a hydrokinetic energy project off the cityrsquos coast calls for HAE to

initially develop a $20 million 1MW demonstration unit utilising the companyrsquos Oceanus technology to generate electric power from the Agulhas current flowing past the city Additional units each with an anticipated electric power generation capacity of 8 megawatts may then be built and likewise be submerged approximately 30 metres below sea level to prevent interference with shipping traffic

ldquoSA Mechanical Engineerrdquo has a QampA session with Luciano Garcia-Baylleres the Chief Operation Of-ficer (COO) of HAE about the project

Q Some background on HAEA HAE founded in March 2009 is an emerging independent power provider (ldquoIPPrdquo) focused on utilising hydrokinetic and other power develop-ment sources to generate electric power worldwide safely cost-effectively reliably and profitably with minimal or no ecological impact

Our business model provides for utilising certain of our own proprietary technology identifying and locating existing and new technologies and when appropriate partnering with others for our power development and generation needs

Q The South Africa connection with the companyA Research by our technical department identified several places throughout the world as optimal for the initial deployment and commercialisation of our technology After extensive research of each location

POWER GENERATIONTI

CKER

TA

PE

Tidal energy projects may also be useful in lsquofilling in the gapsrsquo in generating power from other intermit-tent energy sources such as wind farms

Marine current energy conversion concerns the po-tential generation of electricity from kinetic energy of freely-flowing water This contrasts with tradi-tional hydro power like a dam where the amount of energy extracted from a river is dependent on the head between the reservoir and the water level below the dam

A similar hydro power approach can in fact be used for tidal power in areas with high tides In this case a barrage can be constructed in a nar-row bay or estuary to utilise the head between low and high water

Consistent currentAnother way to generate electricity from water would be to convert the kinetic energy of flowing water similar to the way a wind turbine extracts energy from the wind In such a case a dam or reservoir is not necessary but rather sites are chosen where the currents are strong such as a narrow sound straight estuary around a headland or in a river

The term lsquomarine currentrsquo constitutes any kind of water current be it tidal unregulated rivers or other

Flow anlysis carried out for current simulations

Another way to generate electricity from water would be to convert the kinetic energy of flowing water similar to the way a wind turbine extracts energy from the wind

Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) MD Noah Gwariro says the state-owned company needs at least $300-million to refurbish thermal power stations in Bulawayo Harare and Munyati and to increase their generation capacities

The planned Karuma hydropower project will have capacity to generate 700MW

and is one of the high-priority projects in Ugandarsquos National Development Plan

The State-owned Ethiopian Electric Power Corporation (EEPCo) has signed a $120-million contract with UK-based company Canbridge Industries for the construction of a 50 MW waste-to-energy power plant

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 25

POWER GENERATION

The components of a sea current power gererating system

The Aghullas current and eThekwini Municipality with their infrastructure qualified human resource and an approach to facilitating large scale green projects was the appropriate site for this first endeavour

How the energy is harnessed

and all the surrounding benefits apart from the presence of good quality currents such as politi-cal stability port infrastructure and focus on green projects we determined that South Africa with its infrastructure qualified human resource and an approach to facilitating large scale green projects was the appropriate site for our first endeavour

Q Background on what the project is all aboutA OceanusTM our first power generation system which we are currently developing and which utilises much of our own proprietary technology is planned to harness the kinetic energy of the ocean to produce safe clean reliable cost-effective electric power

Oceanus will consist of two primary modules the amplification module (the shroud) and the engine module The shroud is a housing that will multiply the normal incoming water flow to a faster velocity as it passes through the engine module generat-ing more kinetic energy This will in turn result in potentially greater electrical power generation capability as well as potentially increased usable offshore locations worldwide

Velocity is the major factor which dictates the hydrokinetic energy that can be extracted from water Within the hydrokinetic energy sector of the renewable andor clean energy industry we have seen that research and development has generally focused on developing energy generation technolo-gies for environments that can only work in very high water velocity environments such as 3 4 5 metres per second While these areas of extreme water velocity are very high in hydrokinetic energy they only exist in a very small percentage of the worldrsquos waters

Our goal is to provide electric power to locations

Shroud

Engine module

Combine modular design

worldwide utilising the kinetic energy in lsquotypicalrsquo water conditions Our current design specifications have a base need of 1 metre per second of water

26 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

POWER GENERATION

flow which by amplifying the velocity is planned to produce 1MW of power This design specification once successfully tested may then be adapted into higher velocity waters As most locations in the world have lower velocity waters a turbine designed to work in 3 4 or 5 metres per second water flows will not work in waters that have velocities of 1-2 metres per second

Q How does it workA The theory behind the development of the system is quite basic having been previously used in other energy production systems such as wind and tidal energy generation Basically the engine is composed of an energy extraction system such as but not limited to our perpendicular access turbine a gorlov turbine a darrieus turbine and an Axial turbine

The other module is the shroud which handles two functions serving as an accelerator of the water ve-locity thus increasing the amount of kinetic energy that can be extracted Secondly it houses the engine protecting marine life from direct contact with the tip of the blades Also Oceanus is designed to be positively buoyant and either secured to the ocean floor or to float at a certain predetermined depth while moored to the ocean floor utilising the same techniques that are currently used in mooring floating oil rigs buoys or floating windmill systems

Q How will it work in KZNA There will be a demonstration unit initially and then we will start the commercial phase by entering into the normal contracts and procedures for energy generation in the country This entails a very large investment from our company where we will focus on potentially buildingassembling the units in Durban thus taking advantage of the excellent and qualified infrastructure it has

Q Who is involved locallyA We have no partners as far as investors or concerns as yet on the South African project but we are not against this possibility in the future From the facilita-tion point of view we have received a lot of support from Derek Morgan at the eThekwini Energy Office and Russell Curtis at DIPA each with their respective teams and other government offices that have been very forthcoming with information and support

Q What equipment does it use ndash where will this be madeA We have already scouted several facilities in Durbanrsquos ship building industry as well as other possible suppliers ranging from the maritime indus-try financial sector to legal consultants in order to make sure that we are in compliance with all regulations and that our perception of excellence from the South African maritime industry is in fact there

Q At what stage is the project nowA The project is currently at an initial logistics stage where we are looking at a more site specific design for the demonstration unit At the same time we are gathering all the information with our lawyers and possible suppliers for the norms procedures permits and licences necessary to comply with local and national regulations

Q Where will power go to A From our initial discussions with the regulatory bodies this energy can be locally distributed and then taken up by the grid as needed This will de-pend on the results of the demonstration unit and the first commercial unit operation which we are confident will exceed expectations

Q Are there sceptics criticsA As discussed before the basic technology has been used in other sectors of the energy generation industry what is being developed by us is the ef-ficient shroud and the maintenance systems which include buoyancy controls and depth determination in order to locate the most efficient current

Q Are there any future plans from your company for South Africa in particularA We believe that we have a good relationship with eThekwini municipality and once we fulfil our project with KZN we would then consider further expansion throughout South Africa

Q What about the other parts of AfricaA Eastern Africa in general presents very good conditions for our technology but for now we are going to concentrate our efforts on deploying this endeavour in South Africa before entertaining new opportunities

Luciano Garcia-Baylleres COO at HAE Tel 561-900-7200 EmailLgarciaHAE-USAcom wwwHAE-USAcom

We will focus on potentially building assembling the units in Durban thus taking advantage of the excellent and qualified infrastructure it has

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 27

POWER GENERATION NEWS

MTN has announced that it has entered into a com-mercial arrangement to sell its carbon credits to EDF Trading in an industry first The credits will be pro-duced by MTNrsquos tri-generation plant at 14th Avenue Of-fice Park in Fairland Johannesburg

EDF Trading is a whol-ly-owned subsidiary of Electriciteacute de France SA one of the largest compliance buyers covered by the European Union Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS)

The carbon credit project utilises a Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) meth-odology developed by MTN approved by the United Nations Framework Con-vention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) It is currently in the process of being registered with the UNFCCC Once registered MTN will sell the carbon credits from the project to EDF Trading

The project will make use of the MTN energy-efficient 2MW tri-generation plant at its Fairland office park Tri-generation is the concurrent production of electric-ity heating and cooling which provides

Carbon Credits power hot wa-ter space heat-

ing and cooling for air conditioning

from a single source

Egoli gas is used for the operation

sourced from the Sasol pipeline in Mozambique

The plant displaces grid electricity from Eskom

reducing greenhouse gas emissions and providing up to 85

efficiency on fuel The excess heat at some 400degC is captured

and used to supply heating and to operate an absorption chiller which creates cool water that is used to power an extensive air-conditioning system

Natural gas is clean burning and offers a consistent supply but simply using this to generate electricity would have been too expensive The saving achieved by capturing the waste heat combined with the additional revenue from the sale of the carbon credits however makes the project economically viablerdquo

Promethuim Robbie Louw Tel (011) 706-8185 Email Robbiepromethiumcozawwwpromethuimcoza

Countries across South East Asia Africa and the Middle East have been amending their regulatory frameworks and embarking on privatisation as many of them are in serious need of external fund-ing to ensure that their respective electricity industries are capable of dealing with the inevitable surge in demand The cumulative installed power capacity for these regions according to 2012 estimates will be 212 Gigawatts (GW) However this figure is expected to shoot up to 349 GW by 2020 climbing at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 64

Emerging Power Markets

Rising industrialisa-tion ever-increasing population figures and growing economies all point to an electrical future that most infra-structure systems are currently incapable of handling Therefore to achieve greater in-dustry efficiency and encourage competition governments across this region are opening up their electricity markets and increasing private sector participation The region will have to invest heavily in order to

increase its installed capacity and improve its existing infrastructure

Transmission networks in many of these countries are already under tremendous pressure to supply power without interruption and many new transmission projects are already underway or in the pipeline Therefore energy policy reforms are set to open the doors and create positive opportunities for growth in in the near future this according to Jonathan Cain of GBI Research

GBI ResearchJonathan Cain Tel +44 1204 543 533 Emailjcaingbiresearchcom wwwgbiresearchcom

28 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

POWER GENERATION NEWS

With Gensler Architects Aurecon has completed the design on the faccedilade of what will be Chinarsquos tallest building At 632m the Shanghai Centre is more than 100m taller than the recently-completed Shanghai Financial Centre and is designed as a sustainable eco-tower that sets a new benchmark not only for the region but also the world

Sustainable green features include tri-

Bioclimatic buildingGreywater recycling systems lo-cated at basement and at mid-level have been installed to collect greywater generated from lavatory or bathtub for reuse reducing potable water demand for the office tower by about 40

The ice storage system shifts part of the peak electricity demand of the chillers into the night modeoff peak operation Storage capacity is 26 400 Refrigerant Ton (RT) which reduces about 30 of the summit demand by about 3 through this ice cooling storage system and save up to the yearly energy cost for the user

A large volume water deluge system with rotational nozzles

installed at mid-level of the atria deliv-ers a large volume and accurate water spray onto fire with the assistance of Infra-red detection to lock the exact location and very early warning smoke detection apparatus system

A double curtain wall design provides better control on solar energy entering the tower building resulting in energy saving

Aerecon Group Jody Boshoff Tel (012) 427-2066 Email JodyBoshoffaurecongroupcomwwwaurecongroupcom

generation plant consisting of two sets of 11MW natural gas turbine generating electricity

chilled water hot water and heating water Simultaneous heat recovery of the hot flue gas produced from the tur-bines reduces carbon dioxide by 49 compared with the regular electrical cooling system

15 nos of 3kW vertical axis wind turbines (VAWTs) on the roof provide 157 500 kWh of clean and renewable electricity annually

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 29

Willem Sullivan of HansenA better artificial heart for people who are not eligible for natural heart transplants

Jean Schoeman of National Oilwell Varco My own jet aeroplane

Chris Coetzee of Resonant SolutionsThe problem in industry is practical engineering experience Young engineers donrsquot get the opportunity to learn the practical stuff Irsquod start an academy which teaches the practical side where you can learn from your mistakes Unfortunately mistakes cost money but if you have all the money in the world they can afford to learn from mistakes

In your book what is the most pivotal invention ever

Elbie Cornelius of National Oilwell Varco The computer

Chris Coetzee of Resonant SolutionsI canrsquot see how you can run a business without cellphones

Rudolph Beer of Martin EngineeringThe wheel

Willem Sullivan of HansenFor me personally Excel Without it my world will be dull and lifeless For the world at large Electricity because without it Excel will not be possible

Jean Schoeman of National Oilwell Varco The personal computer

OPINION

On his rounds Kowie Hamman our Editor is conducting an informal survey on the lighter side of engineering We follow up from last month with three pertinent questions

Soapbox

What do you think of computers and the digital world

Elbie Cornelius of National Oilwell Varco Awesome changing our world

Chris Coetzee of Resonant SolutionsNinety percent of all engineering is done using computers but if you rely solely on them yoursquove missed the plot because you always have to verify results by going back into the field to test what yoursquove done on the computer

Rudolph Beer of Martin EngineeringYou canrsquot do without them

Willem Sullivan of HansenIt is where I do all my design work So if it was not for computers we would be decades behind in terms of what we can do I absolutely love it

Greg Perry of SEWThey have definitely made things faster but the en-gineer still needs to understand the theory and pay attention to the detail or you make mistakes faster

Jean Schoeman of National Oilwell Varco Very useful until they give problems Then you just want to hit them with a hammer But the digital world has managed to speed up the communica-tion of information

If you had all the money in the world what would you design

Elbie Cornelius of National Oilwell Varco A solar and wind power station to supply the whole continent with electricity

Rudolph Beer of Martin EngineeringDevelop the safe harvesting of atomic energy

30 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

ldquoSA Mechanical Engineerrdquo speaks to Dave Goodman managing director of Spectra Car-bide Tooling Technology in Cape Town about the various management models they have

developed specifically to control tooling ldquoOur tool management systems were developed through our involvement with some of the major automotive OEMs in South Africardquo he says ldquoThe management system where we take over full control of the tool-ing facility on the premises has been running for twelve years now at some of these plants

Systems for allldquoBut these systems are not only for OEMs and

large operationsrdquo Dave remarks ldquoTo meet dif-ferent requirements we now have four levels of management systems on offer each requiring a different level of active involvement from our side This varies from purely holding stock to supply for a customerrsquos specific needs right through to taking over full control of tooling by having a permanent on-site office manned by fulltime Spectra staffrdquo

A typical level 4 operation with a Spectra team permanently stationed on the customerrsquos premises will be equipped with a fully-computerised store inventory system to control the purchasing of all tooling from spindle to point ldquoThe team will control all the new stock and used tools by negotiating and dealing with tier two suppliers as wellrdquo explains sales manager Wayne Williams ldquoThey are also responsible for presetting tools ready for produc-tion as well as collecting and delivering tools to and from the machines in addition to providing technical support 7 days a week 24 hours a day

BenefitsOne of the cost saving benefits for the customer is less administration because the Spectra team consolidates all invoices so the customer receives

Managing ToolingIn most machine shops the tooling is usually under lock and key to limit access to high-value tool inserts such as end-mills drills reamers and burrs Even so many companies suffer considerable losses as these costly tools get lost are pilfered or are misused because there isnrsquot a proper

management system in place over and above lock and key to control who takes what from the store

To meet different requirements we now have four levels of management on offer each requiring a different level of active involvement from our side

Managing machine tools saves money

Dave Goodman managing director of Spectra Carbide Tooling Technology

MATERIAL SELECTION

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 31

one invoice per month In addition the customer has a highly skilled specialist in-house on tap to provide technical assistance for all tooling drilling tapping milling boring gundrilling honing and line boring on CNC and conventional machines ldquoFrom the management system we can draw extensive reporting for the customer regarding the costs per unit manufactured We produce monthly graphs for trending as well as daily incident reports on tool breakages weekly costs on scrapped tools and we also work out action plans to reduce scrap and improve up-time of the machinesrdquo Wayne adds

In essence this value-add for the customer allows preventative action which ultimately saves the customer money Dave explains ldquoGiven the skills shortage out there no company can afford the personnel purely to manage the machine shop in so much detail With this system we not only fill the skills-gap by integrating with the company but we add value to the company so that they can focus on what they manufacturerdquo

New product developmentIntegration into the customersrsquo operation has proved particularly beneficial when it comes to new product developments Wayne elaborates ldquoWersquore always up to date with the latest technology in tooling and know what can be done in the best possible way Usually it will take a machine shop a while to select the right tooling and method to produce

a new part but with our experts right there on site they can be assured of finding the most suitable solution using the right tooling from the startrdquo

Vending systemOn a lower level of tool management where the operation does not justify a permanent Spectra team on site the company has a tooling vending machine solution ldquoAll the tooling is stored in a vending machine and access to draw the tools out of the machine is controlled by a card or finger-print readerrdquo explains Dave ldquoSuch a system does however have a reporting function which allows the customer to draw the machining cost against each specific job

ldquoThis system has proved popular in South Africa because it can be customised to control the specific functions relevant to each customerrdquo adds David ldquoPart and parcel of this cost-saving solution is training the customer on how best to utilise the system for his needs be it purely controlling the use of tooling or integrating reporting and costing into the business system of the companyrdquo

Wayne Williams Spectra Tel (011) 827-8957 Email waynewspectra-sacoza

From the management system we can draw extensive reporting for the customer regarding the costs per unit manufactured

Special carbide drills reamers end mills and special inserts are manufactured in South Africa

MATERIAL SELECTION

32 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 33

Cubitron can be used to finish profile and or polish materials with high tensile strengths and is particularly useful to extend the lifetime of belts and discs in industrial environments

where hard materials are the order of the dayrdquo

Consistent cutFinishes are little changed through the entire dura-tion of a Cubitron belt from new to completely worn out The secret is that the cutting edges wear in a controlled manner This means that the tiny indi-vidual scratches are the same when the belt is first

put on until it is worn and ready for replacement

ldquoThere are a multitude of cutting edges on each individual grain of the extremely hard ceramic based grain As the grain wears new cutting edges are exposed in a predictable and measured manner to ensure that a consistent action is applied to the surfacerdquo she adds

Using the same ceramic platform 3M developed Cubitron II providing even better results than its predecessor 3M engineers were able to electrostati-cally orient triangular precision shaped ceramic grain acting like a cutting tool This means that the grain slices through metal as opposed to grinding and continuously self-sharpens as points break off This results in discs and belts running cooler and longer The Cubitron II technology is applied in

Starting from Scratch

SURFACE FINISHING

ldquoTo scratch the surface as the saying goes of most modern materials and coatings is not as easy as it used to be Thatrsquos why we developed Cubitron Abrasive Grainrdquo says Kelly Hunt

sales and marketing manager of 3M

34 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

Scratccchingg thhe surfface of abrasivvves ttecchnnologgy is too oopen a compplex sccience

SURFACE FINISHING

belt fibre disc and Roloc form offer-ing a unique solution for wide range of grinding needs

Scratching the surfaceKelly is an abrasives fanatic She says scratching the surface of abrasives technology is to open a complex sci-ence Analysis of different materials and techniques of cutting or finishing has in recent years become a necessity as materials develop and advance Bonding of abrasive onto materials for discs and belts is also more complex than before as manufacturing becomes automated and the tolerance for down-time reduces

But for the average operator technician or engineer it is not so much a matter of what goes into the development of a product but rather finding the solution that suits the intended process The minimum requirement is for a product to perform reliably over an extended period of time and to produce the right finish

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 35

Sometimmess a less expeeensiive buuut mmooree suitaaablee abbrasssivee ccaan give bettterr reesulttss

SURFACE FINISHING

ldquoUsing the abrasives to determine a finish can be as simple or as com-plicated as the producer of finished goods chooses to make it With so many choices available in the market we recommend that industrial users iden-tify the requirements of the abrasive and then speak to trained service technicians from suppliers such as 3M

Not about priceldquoPrice is not always the determining factor Some-times a less expensive but more suitable abrasive can give better results and in other instances the use of cheaper materials in the wrong application may be costly as materials will need to be replaced more oftenrdquo

Kelly recommends that us-ers of industrial abrasives take the time to research new products and as-sess their suitability for their processes ldquoYoursquoll be surprised that some of the new abrasives can do the job better and in half the time than older technology abrasives canrdquo she concludes

3M Dylan Ian Hunter Tel (011) 806-2186 Email dhuntermmmcom www3Mcom

36 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

IT TRENDS

ldquo M o b i l e c o m p u t i n g

continues to grow and alongside other IT trends

such as cloud computing social technologies and the era of big data It is going to play a pivotal role in the IT industry this year In factrdquo Derick adds

Mobile Computing

Mobile computing is growing momentously and is set to account for as much as 57 of worldwide T market growth in 2013 says Derick Roberts CEO of TruTeq Devices a Pretoria-based

company focusing on wireless connectivity solutions

ldquoit is going to account for the lionrsquos share of growth ndash even more than the cloud computingrdquo

The IDC predicts that worldwide IT spending will exceed $21 trillion up 57 from 2012 The research company also states that mobility will be the biggest driver Sales of smart mobile devices including smart phones and tablets is expected to grow by 20 and will contribute a significant 57 of all IT growth Excluding smart mobile devices IT industry growth will clock in at only 29

Truteq Devices Derick Roberts Tel (012) 667-1530 wwwtruteqdevicescom

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 37

ELECTRIC DRIVE

The technology performance and design of the Cigarette powerboat is closely based on the electric super sports vehicle made in Affalterbach Germany

The 116 metre long Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept powerboat uses two drive units each featuring six independent electric motors At the rear of the boat each drive unit has its own trans-mission one on the left and one on the right The boat is fitted with the twelve compact liquid-cooled permanent-magnet synchronous electric motors which are the signature piece of the SLS AMG Coupeacute Electric Drive each electric motor delivers 138 kW and 250 Newton metres

The maximum output of 1 656 Kilowatts and maximum torque of 3 000 Newton metres combine to reach a staggering top speed of over 160 kmh making this locally emission-free Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept the worlds fastest electri-cally driven powerboat The low centre of gravity and optimum weight distribution ensure sublime

The Worlds Most Powerful Powerboat

handling characteristics during more dynamic changes of direction

The high-voltage battery boasts an energy content of 60 Kilowatt hours an electric load potential of 600 Kilowatts and a weight of 548 kg ndash all of which are absolute best values in the automotive sector The liquid-cooled lithium-ion high-voltage battery features a modular design with a maximum voltage of 400 V It consists of 12 modules each comprising 72 lithium-ion cells ldquoCigaretterdquo inte-grates four high-tech batteries with a total of 48 modules and 3 456 cells which generate a total capacity of 240 Kilowatt hours and an electric output of 2 400 Kilowatts respect even in the boat building industry

The Cigarette on-board chargers as standard Adapted to fit the infrastructure standard of many American marinas the boat has a charging capac-ity of 44 Kilowatts The battery is fully charged in approximately seven hours To reduce the charging time to less than three hours the powerboat can be fitted with four on-board chargers as an option

Mercedes-Benz Shirle Greig Tel (012) 677-1904 Email shirlegreigdaimlercom wwwmercedes-benzsacoza

Mercedes-AMG and Cigarette Racing launched the latest development of their cooperation at the Miami International Boat Show in February Numerous components from the SLS AMG Coupeacute Electric Drive have been integrated in the design of the Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept engineering design The high performance drive fitted in the electric super sports car makes the off shore powerboat the worlds most

powerful and fastest electrically-driven motor boat With an output of 1 656 Kilowatts and a maximum torque of 3 000 Newton metres the Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept is a fascinating new development

Combine to reach a staggering top speed of over 160 kmh

38 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

ENVIRONMENT

They have been in service for decades

under the toughest conditions ndash and

have proven themselves worldwide

Voith fluid couplings protect belt con-

veyors and drive components by provid-

ing smooth acceleration and torque

control allowing for frequent loaded

starts with the least amount of stress on

the drive and belt

In multi-motor drives they ensure pre-

cise load distribution Result fewer

downtimes ndash and the service life of the

belt and the drive components is in-

creased The latest product innovation is

the Voith TurboBelt 780 TPXL

infovtzavoithcom

wwwrsavoithturbocom

Protect Your Belt Conveyors with

Voith Fluid Couplings

ai_a

it_44

0_e

n ai

k

Water Disclosure ReportingJust as companies are addressing their carbon emissions and

provide carbon reporting to the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) water is becoming a growing priority

Reporting on it is becoming another critical sustainability issue

2011 saw a marked increase in the number of the worldrsquos largest companies reporting on their water usage on the risks that water presents and on their responses to

that risk Responses from these companies indicate that water is impacting global business now and yet water is not nearly as high on the corporate agenda as climate change

Evidence is mounting that South Africa is facing a water crisis of substantial proportions This crisis encompasses all aspects of water management on both the demand and supply side The mounting impacts of acid mine drainage and declining wa-ter quality add to the crisis South Africarsquos water security is likely to be further complicated by an increasingly uneven and unpredictable supply of rainfall as a result of climate change and by a reli-ance on significant water transfers from neighbour-

ing countries In meeting this crisis South Africa will have to resolve tough trade-offs in water use between agriculture key industrial activities such as mining and power generation and the supply to rapidly growing urban centres

Evidence is clearJSE 100 companies will need to show leadership in sustainably managing the water resources on which they rely for their day-to-day business operations The available evidence is clear It is not sustainable to continue exploiting water resources by follow-ing a lsquobusiness as usualrsquo approach If this is the case South Africarsquos freshwater resources will be depleted and unable to meet the needs of people and industry in the next 20 years if not before

In 2011 the response rate to the CDP Water Disclosure amongst South African companies was 46 (26 out of 56 companies) Many of South Africarsquos most significant corporate water users are therefore not yet able to or are not yet ready to report on their water-related risks

Promethuim Robbie Louw Tel (011) 706-8185 Email Robbiepromethiumcoza wwwpromethuimcoza

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 39

EXHIBITION

The Steel and Engineering Industries Federation (SEI-FSA) the Lifting Equipment Engineering Association

of SA (LEEASA) the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA) and the SA Institute of Welding (SAIW) have thrown their weight behind the biggest industrial and engineering trade show in Africa

The three-day 10-shows-in-one event takes place from 14 to 16 May 2013 at Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand Johannesburg

SEIFSA Conference at Indutec The Steel and Engineering Indus-tries Federation of South Africa (SEIFSA) will hold its annual conference at Indutec celebrating 70 years of active support for its members industry and business in Africa The federation has over 2 220 member companies which employ more than 224 000 people comprising 53 of the industryrsquos workforce

SAIW ldquoWe take our affiliations with leading industry players very seriously including our en-dorsement of Indutecrdquo says Jim Guild chief executive officer of the SA Institute of Welding ldquoThese industry ties form part of our strategy to create strong relationships which support our objective and Governmentrsquos mandate to enhance the manufacturing sector in South Africardquo

LEEASAThe Lifting Equipment Engineer-ing Association of South Africa (LEEASA) which is a division of the Chamber of Engineering Tech-

nology (COET) will also be using its endorsement of Indutec to promote its activities in the engineer-ing and technology sectors in general Chamber spokesperson Viv Nel says its exposure at the fair will create more awareness of the Chamberrsquos role in all engineering and technology-driven industries

ECSAIndustry regulator the Engineering Council of South Africa shares these aims ldquoAs a custodian of en-gineering intellectual capital in South Africa our endorsement of Indutec provides us with a platform to publicise our role in the engineering sector and government infrastructure initiativesrdquo says Edgar Sabela ECSArsquos Strategic Services Executive

ldquoWe need to produce 10 times more engineers to compete with developed economies Involvement with the Indutec show will allow us to promote engineering as a career through our Engenius Programme and showcase our existing engineer-ing excellence Most importantly it enables us to network with all key players in the field and even conclude some businessrdquo

Tenfold Benefits to ExhibitorsJohn Thomson managing director of Exhibition Management Services organisers of the 10-in-one Fair says the unqualified support from leading in-dustry bodies indicates the showrsquos tenfold value to the engineering industrial and technology sectors ldquoThis undoubtedly translates into multiple benefits for the showrsquos exhibitors and ultimately to show visitorsrdquo he concludes

Indutec Serean ThomsonTel (011) 783 7250 Email marketingexhibitionsafricacom wwwexhibitionsafricacom

Boosting the Manufacturing Sector32 of South Africarsquos leading industrial and engineering professional and employer associations Chambers and

Councils have collectively endorsed Indutec the recently launched South African Industry and Technology Fair 2013

Promech Publishing through SA Mechanical Engineer and Bulk Handling Today will produce and publish the Official Catalogue for this prestigious show

Make sure your presence is felt before during and after the show by advertising in this one-of-a-kind reference publication

Contact Mark Bennett Tel (011) 781-1401 Email samechengpromechcoza

Jim Guild CEO of the SA Institute of Welding

Edgar Sabela - ECSArsquos Strategic Services Executive

Adelia Pimentel - Marketing and Communications Manager SEIFSA

40 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

MARKET FORUM

ldquoBMG has identified a need in diverse sectors for on-site maintenance services to overcome production challengesrdquo says Dave Russell technical director BMG ldquoRecognising the extreme constraints of high energy prices low productivity the critical skills shortage and a highly competitive economic environment BMG brings a total solutions service to the fore

ldquoIndustry can now access all critical production efficient products and services from one supplier What this means is lower production costs and higher pro-duction efficiency giving South African industry a distinct competitive advantage

ldquoBMGrsquos on-site services include applica-

tion design evaluation and optimisation as well as installation trouble-shooting and service exchange contracts The company also offers predictive planned and breakdown maintenance and energy and reliability studiesrdquo

The company also offers extensive train-ing which covers electrical mechanical hydraulic pneumatic electronic and materials handling disciplines as well as predictive maintenance and component failure analysis

BMG ndash Bearing Man Group Veronique van Niekerk Tel (031) 576-6221Email veroniquevbmgworldnet wwwbmgworldnet

Tenova Takraf Africa (formerly Bateman Engineered Technologies) is putting the final pieces together in completing an order for the supply of a 55m x 275m hydraulically-driven SAG mill to Ontario Graphite operators of the Kearney Mine located in Kearney O n t a r i o Canada

ldquoTenovarsquos scope

Unique SAG Mill in Canada

ABB started with a bang following the order of 2 400 robots by BMW Group Over the next three years the robots will be installed at factories in Regensburg and Leipzig Germany as well as in Tiexi China The ABB robots will mainly be used for mate-rial handling tasks as well as gluing and spot welding processes

ABB robots enable customers to implement efficient manufacturing systems that sustainably produce high-quality products The com-panyrsquos range of products and solu-tions for lean manufacturing cover the range from body-in-white to the final assembly of complete car bodies They improve competitiveness and at the same time optimally comply with customer specifications ABB has installed more than 200 000 robots worldwide

ABB Robotics Natasha Mathebula Tel (010) 202-6156 Email natashamathebulazaabbcom wwwabbcom

2400

Robots

Total Solution

of work includes the engineering manufacturing shipping and technical assistance during erection of the SAG millrsquos feed end shell discharge end drive and main bearings as well as all supporting equipment (lubrication and jacking systems)rdquo says Tenova Takraf

engineer Pieter van der Walt ldquoThe main hydraulic motor and rubber

shell liners were outside our commercial scope of supply but inside our technical

scope of supplyrdquo he adds

The mill is a conventional SAG (semi-autogenous grinding) mill in all ways apart from its drive assem-bly and it is centre-driven

at the discharge end using a Haggluumlnds hydraulic motor and powerpack ldquoTo date this is the largest hydraulic motor installed on a SAG mill with 950kW of power torque of 1 200 kNm (start-up) and 650 kNm (operational) and speed of 1386 rpmrdquo adds Pieter

Since the mill had to be retrofitted to an existing foundation a number of adaptations were required to maintain the mill centreline as well as feed-end and discharge-end positions Certain additions were required to anchor the main motor torque arm

Tenova Takraf Pieter van der Walt Tel (011) 899-2372 Email pietervanderwaltbatemancom wwwtenovagroupcom

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 41

MARKET FORUM

World Record

The ADR plant at Kisladag Mine

FLSmidth designs and manufactures indirect heated carbon regeneration kilns and calciners from half a ton per day and larger These kilns and calciners can be fuel gas oil or electric and are skid mounted pre-wired and pre-piped The companyrsquos patented bellows kiln seal has proved effective in eliminating air ingress and process gas egress and can be retrofitted to kilns from other manufacturers FLSmidth holds the world record for the lowest emissions on a carbon plant

And at the companyrsquos Merrill Crowe plant capacities range from skid mounted 34 cubic metres per hour modular plants to full size 2 100 cubic metres per hour The range of supply for plants includes clarification filters de-aeration towers vacuum pumps zinc dust feeders lead nitrate feeders and zinc cones precipitate filter feed pumps filter pre-coat and body feed systems as well as precipitate filters used by refinery and smelting facilities to produce gold bullion

These plants incorporate proprietary zinc dustlead nitrate feeder and mix-ing cone system The company offers individual plant components and partial or complete plant equipment packages together with total plant design

FLSmidth Terence Osborn Tel (010) 210-4820

Magnet has extended its range of abrasive products to include 3Mrsquos new Cubitron II abrasive belts with enhanced grinding performance improved productivity and extended service life

ldquo3Mrsquos new technology has resulted in increased speed improved consistency and extended belt liferdquo says Brian How-arth MD Magnet ldquoThese new abrasive belts ensure up to 30 faster cutting on hard to grind metals like stainless steel nickel alloy and cobalt chrome They also divert heat from the workpiece and belt to the swarf which means cooler cutting This helps eliminate burnishing and minimises heat stress Cubitron II abrasive belts last up to four times longer than conventional ceramic aluminium oxide beltsrdquo

3M Abrasives Bradley Reddy Tel (031) 274 1050 Email bradleyrmagnetgroupcozawwwmagnetgroupcoza

4 x Longer

42 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

MARKET FORUM

X-Calibur is one of the latest product offerings from TAL and was specified to protect the concrete structure of the worldrsquos second longest cable-stayed bridge against corrosion throughout its design life

Stonecutters Bridge is a high level cable-stayed bridge which spans the Rambler Channel in Hong Kong connecting Nam Wam Kok Tsing Yi Island and Stonecut-ters Island Hong Kong is well known for its hot summer weather which is also humid and unstable Temperatures

Say No to Corrosionusually exceed 30oC during the day which coupled with high humidity can result in an extreme heat index

ldquoHot and humid environments have a great effect on the durability of concrete As a rule of thumb we say for every 10oC increase in temperature the possibility of corrosion induced damage to concrete is doubled Add humidity in a marine envi-ronment then protection of the structure is of paramount importancerdquo says Brian Davies CEO X-Calibur International In order to guard the bridge from corro-

sion X-Shield EpoxySeal CR was sup-plied to shield the prestressed concrete cable anchorages from the effects of the environment In addition X-Shield FlexCoat was used in various areas of the structure This provides corrosion protection to reinforced concrete from chloride and carbon dioxide

ldquoThe main challenge was compliance with the strict project specifications as the engineer wanted to ensure that protection would be provided throughout the design life of the structure X-Calibur

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 43

MARKET FORUM

had the products independently tested to prove compliance to all aspects of the specificationrdquo John adds

The materials were applied by spe-cialist painters who had been trained by X-Calibur ldquoMaterials were mixed and applied strictly in accordance with method statements supplied by X-Calibur to ensure working time and recoat windows were not exceededrdquo concludes John

TAL Andrew Dekker Tel (031) 579-2263 wwwtalcoza

Fluid conveyance and pumping solutions expert Incledon has supplied a large water supply line project in the Free State with a total of 4 km of Ultraflo pipes manufactured in-house by DPI Plastics - a leading manufacturer of water reticulation drainage and pipe-fitting systems in South Africa

DPI Plastics technical and product manager Renier Snyman points out that the companyrsquos range of Ultraflo pipes are manufactured from modified polyvinyl chloride (mPVC) which is specifically designed to provide similar tensile strength and greater resilience than standard PVC piping products ldquoThe Ultraflo range of pressure piping systems are ideally suited to bulk water supply projects due to the fact that mPVC is considerably more ductile than industry standard unplasticised polyvinyl chloride (uPVC)rdquo he explains

Renier notes that the ductility of the Ultraflo uPVC piping system ensures that

Large Water Supply Project

the pipes have exceptional resistance to crack propagation under pressure ldquoThe product being supplied to the water sup-ply line project is the 500 mm Ultraflo system which is the largest in the DPI Plastics range It boasts a pressure rat-ing of 12 bar with a design stress of up to 18MPa making it ideally suited as a large underground piping systemrdquo

According to Renier Ultraflo pipes offer environmental advantages too ldquoDue to its superior toughness the wall thick-ness of mPVC is less than that of uPVC This ensures that less materials are used during the manufacturing process which ultimately results in a lighter product that is easier to transport and install thereby minimising the carbon footprint of the piperdquo

DPI Plastics Martine Goodchild Tel (021) 957 5600 Email mgoodchilddpiplasticscozawwwdpiplasticscoza

Donrsquot Miss Out

Promech Publishing is putting the Visitorsrsquo Catalogue together for this Show

Contact Mark Bennett on Tel (011) 781-1401 or Email samechengpromechcoza

to book your space

44 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

MARKET FORUM

Displaying and discussing some of the Dodge housed bearings on offer to local industry and mining are (from left) Tony Patten of Specialised Bearings amp Transmission Peter Small-Shaw Wilecrsquos Product Manager Bearings and Frans Odendaal Wilecrsquos Technical Specialist Bearings

The Bearings division of Actom group company Wilec has formed a strategic alliance for the supply of Dodge housed bearings into southern Africa The partner-ship agreement with Johannesburg-based Specialised Bearings amp Transmission the local distributor for Dodge extends Wilecrsquos ability to satisfy the requirements of industry and mining in a diverse range of bearings applications

ldquoThe most exciting thing about our tie-up with Dodge is that housed bearings while already widely accepted in the US and other leading industrialised countries is a relatively new concept locally but one which offers advanced features to users compared with conventional plum-mer block arrangementsrdquo said Frans Odendaal Wilecrsquos Technical Specialist Bearings

ldquoDodge housed bearings are supplied pre-assembled and sealed so eliminating all risk of contamination during fitment The advanced sealing arrangement and unique adapter system guarantees longer

Strategic Alliance

life ndash up to six times that of a conven-tional plummer block Other cost-saving advantages are that they can be installed by a semi-skilled technician very quickly normally in less than 15 minutes and the need to measure pre- and post-reduction clearance is eliminatedrdquo

ldquoIt is a differentiated product and with it we are able to provide a bearing that is especially well suited to local conditions

and offers benefits that are of real value to customers A particularly important aspect to bear in mind is that the total cost of ownership of a Dodge bearing is significantly lower than that of the conventional product due to its greater reliability and durabilityrdquo

Wilec Frans Odendaal Tel (011) 629-9300 Email fransowileccoza

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 45

MARKET FORUM

Emis Sales 2002 part of Becker Min-ing South Africa supplies a wide range of electrical equipment up to 1 100 V for use in hazardous and non-hazardous areas in the mining petrochemical and surface industry sectors

New to the Emis range are Proloc pro-tection and control relays which are suitable for thermal overload protection of conveyors compressors crushers fan and pump motors as well as shuttle cars and flitting panels

ldquoThe stand-alone Emis ProLoc electronic protection and control relay system which has been designed for the optimum protection of motor and feeder circuits connected to outlet sockets has a wide choice of six user-selectable protection features to meet exact requirementsrdquo says Frikkie Quirk managing director Emis Sales 2002 ldquoAn important advan-tage of this system is a door mounted infra-red link that enables a laptop with Proloc software to manage all settings

and downloads without having to open the panel door and expose personnel to dangerous live equipment This is a critical requirement in the OHSA actrdquo

This system is easy to set up via the Proloc MMI 420 display man-to-machine interface or via a laptop with Proloc software

Emis Sales 2002 Tel (016) 341-6134 Email infozabecker-miningcom wwwzabecker-miningcom

Optimum Protection

Birkenmayer a material processing systems supplier in South Africa and local supplier of German-engineered Eirich material processing technology recently released the Evactherm drier a new product that marries the advantages

Superheated Vacuum Steam

of mechanical and thermo dynamical processes to provide cost-effective and highly efficient drying and processing of filter cake and sludgersquos using superheated vacuum steam

Until now it has been important to observe

a maximum middle temperature when applying direct drying to heat sensitive materials and even more important to avoid the excessive local and boundary temperatures that frequently damage the drying product Both heat and ma-terial transport need to be considered and while convective drying processes such as spray drying largely avoid these problems they are only effective if a surface is available for the hot gas flow

Adjustable for both direct and convec-tive drying and processing Evactherm driers overcome these obstacles while providing a number of further benefits

Super-heated vacuum steam performs drying and granulation while the com-bination of mechanical and thermo dynamical processes allows for low dry-ing temperatures and gentle processing of temperature sensitive materials It also enables continuous drying for long periods of time as fresh material may be continuously added into the fluidized bed replacing material that has already been vaporised

H Birkenmayer Louis Eksteen Tel (011) 970 3880-8 Email louisbirkenmayercozawwwbirkenmayercoza

The Evactherm drier

Proloc protection and control relays

46 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

The Eastern Capersquos Coega Industrial Development Zone (IDZ) is one of a number of industrial regions in South Africa to benefit from Air Products South Africarsquos strategy of long-term capital investment

A region which has long been under-served when it comes to reliable gas supply the Eastern Cape will soon have

A Long-term Viewits own air separation unit (ASU) ndash the first of its kind in the province Seelan Gounden GM supply chain at AirProd-ucts explains the reasons behind the companyrsquos latest investment

ldquoCurrently there is no local industrial gas supply in this area and cryogenic gases have to be procured elsewhere This situation compromises the service

MARKET FORUM

ART Solar specialists in the manufacture of solar photovoltaic (PV) modules for the sustainable generation of electrical power has made the following appointment an-nouncementsMark Walsh as managing director Dr Ronald FM Lange as chief operating officer Robert Ramshaw as financial manager and Gavin Rosslee as production manager

Gavin RossleeRobert RamshawMark Walsh

Jeanne Els has been appointed as Hatchrsquos Managing Director of Operations

Jeanne Els

Ronald Lange

Anton Theunissen

SKF South Africa recently appointed Anton Theunissen as Distributor De-velpoment Manager for South Africa and neighbouring coun-tries

Index to Advertisers

Axiom 12

Bearings International 36

Bibby Turboflex 28

Bonfiglioli 10

Engen 34

Festo 35

Hansen 44

Horne SA 29

IDC Inside Back Cover

ILS 32

KDP Services 22

Loesche 31

Polysius 4

PPS 11 29

Mercedes Outside Back Cover

Merseta Inside Front Cover

MIEO Outside Front Cover

Transmission Components 14

Voith 38

Yellotec 16 17

delivery to our existing customers who have to depend on product being trucked over vast distances Thus we identified the Eastern Cape as a key priority invest-ment destination with a clear need for a new air separation facility dedicated to servicing the region We chose the Coega IDZ after careful market analysis We are pleased to be able to be a part of the growth and development of the region through providing a long-needed security of supply and value-added servicerdquo

Ayanda Vilakazi head of Marketing and Communications at the Coega IDZ adds ldquoThe viability of the new ASU is indis-putable It will mean not only security of gas supply to the region benefiting the many industries here but it also means job security for other investors jobs along the value chain and scope for training and human resource develop-ment as well as enhanced Corporate Social Investment initiativesrdquo

Seelan Gounden AirProducts wwwairproductssouthafricacoza

Left to right Chris Mashigo Executive Man-ager - Business Development Coega Develop-ment Corporation Themba Khoza Executive Manager ndash Operations Coega Development Corporation Seelan Gounden GM - Supply Chain Air Products Pierre Fourie Area Sales Manager ndash Eastern Cape Air Products signed the lease agreement between the CDC and Air Products South Africa

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 47To apply online for funding of R1 million or more go to wwwidccoza

Telephone 086 069 3888Email callcentreidccoza

Driving new market innovationsThe IDC supports high-impact job creation projects acting as a

catalyst to lead new sector development and support existing

industry and sector growth in alignment with governmentrsquos

New Growth Path (NGP) National Development Plan (NDP)

and Industrial Policy Action Plan (IPAP)

The IDC Strategic High Impact Projects (SHIP) Strategic Business

Unit in partnership with the IDC Innovation Department has

launched an Open Innovation Challenge to encourage the

development and implementation of sustainable high-impact

industrial initiatives and projects

The IDC calls upon individuals engineering communities

corporates project sponsors and other related entities to enter

into a partnership to develop qualifying projects that result in

sustainable and profi table industries exploit the value-adding

opportunities of existing and new value chains and enable the

development of innovative local economies

Whatwho qualifi es

projects which enable the development of new industries

across multiple IDC focus sectors

introduce new markets and value chains or revolutionise

existing ones through the use of disruptive technologies

or new approaches

development impact and employment creation

across mandated IDC industrial sectors

SHIP wishes to ensure that the projects undertaken play a major

role in industrial development and employment creation within

the South African and SADC regions

Interested applicants are invited to submit their project

proposals online at

httpopeninnovationidccozaidc-ship-challenge between

project proposals will be informed in May regarding SHIP

wishing to partner with them in the development of the

proposed project

Please contact Bertie Strydom BertieSidccoza and

RetiefBidccoza for more information

Chillibush9119IDC

48 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

A D

aim

ler B

rand

You built the bridges the roads and the tunnels We built the carAs a member of the Engineering Council of South Africa you could qualify for exclusive offers a guaranteed 3-day service booking as well as PremiumDrive our 6 year100 000km maintenance plan To take advantage of this outstandingopportunity inform your nearest dealer of your ECSA status

Not in conjunction with other Mercedes-Benz Fleet ProgrammesOffers Excludes AMG and Limited Edition modelsVehicle specifications may vary for the South African market

Page 2: SAME Mar2013

2 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

LEADERS IN CLOSING THE SKILLS GAP

merSETA House95 7th AvenueCnr Rustenburg RoadMelvilleJohannesburg

Tel 010 219 3000Fax 086 673 0017Call Center 086 163 7738

46 Second AvenueWestdeneBloemfontein 9300

Tel 0861 637 733Fax 051 447 8873

3rd Floor FassifernOld Mutual Building35 Ridge Road Berea

Tel 0861 637 736Fax 031 201 8732

Section 1 No8 Corridor Crescent Route N4 Business ParkBen Fleur Ext 11 Witbank

Tel 0861 637 735Fax 013 656 4629

5th floor Catnia BuildingBella Rosa Office DevelopmentBella Rosa Road Tygervalley

Tel 0861 637 732Fax 021 914 8131

Pickering Park Office Suites14-20 Pickering StreetNewton ParkPort Elizabeth 6045

Tel 0861 637 734Fax 041 363 0144

merSETA House95 7th AvenueCnr Rustenburg RoadMelvilleJohannesburg

Tel 010 219 3000Fax 086 673 0017

Automotive Supplier Park30 Helium RoadRosslyn Ext 2

Tel 0861 637 731Fax 0866 700299

HEAD OFFICE

LIMPOPO ampMPUMALANGA WESTERN CAPE FREE STATE amp

NORTHERN CAPE KWAZULU-NATAL

EASTERN CAPE GAUTENG SOUTH GAUTENG NORTH amp NORTH WEST

Scarce skills in the engineering and manufacturing sectors in South Africa

The merSETArsquos major focus in respect of new skills development and the alleviation of skills shortages is the development of artisan skills To this end the merSETA has a wide spectrum of registered learnerships and apprenticeships in place n the nancial ear the merSETA registered apprenticeship contracts learnership agreements and skills programme learners n the same period learners o tained full uali cations and skills programme learners o tained statements of results towards various levels on the ational uali cations ramework

hallenges within the pu lic asic education and ET s stems have impacted the availa ilit of engineering skills directl through their impact on the generic skills levels within the workforce and through the generation of ualit artisans as well as indirectl through the negative effect on the ualit of higher education uali cations ow levels of la our productivit not onl drive capital intensive growth within the sector ut are also considered one of the major factors undermining South Africarsquos a ilit to em race new technolog and innovation and thus compete internationall The perceived economic growth massive infrastructural development government policies and glo al advances in manufacturing technolog have also increased skills demand Engineering uali cations now generall e uip graduates with skills in new technolog owever for the e isting workforce skills gaps in these areas must e lled with additional training

or more information visit wwwmersetaorg a

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 3

AN ENGINEERrsquoS VIEW

Chris ReayChairman of the Working

Committee Communications(SA Institution of Mechanical

Engineering)

Last month we took a look at the status of the mining industry and itrsquos pretty difficult not to be negative about the trend it has taken over

recent years From being top spot so to speak for decades we have slumped to a mediocre level that replicates a number of other circumstances in our country And the bell tolled loud and clear this week when four major employers in the EPCM industry advised that they

were about to institute section 189 retrenchment programmes They inevitably become the victims of the lack of new mining spend because investors have made it clear that other countries are able to offer a less risky investment climate Most of the analyst commentary on the issue has confirmed this view

Appalling and unreasonableIt is just appalling and almost treasonable that those in government allowed the talk about nationalization to go so far without taking a firm hand ably assisted by incoherent mining policy It only goes to show that in matters of global economics and investor confidence they do not know And worse is that they do not know that they do not know

It had little to do with the Euro crisis which gets blamed for everything including lack of local ser-vice delivery Donrsquot mention the State of the Nation address because I will then need the advice of the intended health warning

On the matter of power we note with some relief that NERSA saw fit to refute giving Eskom the 16 escalation over the next five years which on top of the increases over the last three would have been catastrophic for industry business and the average citizen Even the 8 is severe enough which means a doubling of the price of electricity in less than 9

Absolute Power Disrupts Absolutely

The Editor mentioned to me the other day that she should issue a health warning with some of my leader articles because they often create an acute

case of depression This will in future be issued with the articles as it becoming increasingly difficult to construct positive and encouraging articles about the state

of the nation and the environment in which engineering has to play its role

years and it does not include the mark-up that most municipalities will add on before charging the consumer

It causes one to reflect on what has happened to Eskom and while the parastatal gets the blame for such drastic price increases it is really government policy that caused the whole crisis To have left the power capitalisation industry to virtually collapse from 1994 to 2007 was the collective decision of policy makers who again demonstrated that they did not know that they did not know

In that period Eskom became a cash-cow for govern-ment It also became a showpiece of transformation where most of the established intellectual capital and memory was methodically removed to satisfy a political whim It became evident that political identity was more important than experienced engineering and project management skills that had been built up over decades of designing and building the best six pack stations in the world

Political whimThe effective ownerrsquos team had been removed and replaced with the outsourcing to foreign based project houses Costs escalated and are exhibited in the horrific escalation on the price of Medupi for example Where was the sinking fund to finance the new station build It became necessary to charge the current consumers to fund the capital expan-sion Therein lies your 16 requirement

Whatever Eskom may say to the contrary it is borne out by the current irreversible nightmare that personifies our electrical energy generation and distribution structures Absolute power has certainly disrupted the economy and will do so for the foreseeable future

Costs escalated and are exhibited in the horrific escalation on the price of Medupi for example

4 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 5

Cover Story8 Mining and Industry Energy Optimisation (MIEO)

Monthly Column11 Prominent Professionals

Power Transmission13 Italian Gearboxes Now in SA15 Save on Maintenance

CESA18 Empowering Municipal Engineers

HHyyddrrauullicsss ampamp Pneumatiiccss19 New Life for Old Machines21 Compressed Air at Work

POWER GENERATION TODAY23 Harnessing the Powers of the Ocean27 Power Generation News

Opinion29 Soapbox

Produced by PROMECH PUBLISHING P O Box 373 Pinegowrie 2123 Republic of South AfricaTel (011) 781-1401 Fax (011) 781-1403 Managing Editor Susan Custers Editor Kowie HammanCirculation Catherine Macdiva Advertising Mark BennettDTP Zinobia Docrat Donovan VadivaluSubscriptions Please email us at accountspromechcozaif you wish to subscribe to ldquoSA Mechanical Engineerrdquo at R44000 (excl postage and VAT) per year R1 10000 per year for AfricaOverseas

DisclaimerPROMECH Publishing and The South African Institution of Mechanical Engineering as well as any other body do not take responsibility for the opinions expressed by individualsPrinted by Typo Colour Printing Tel (011) 402-34689FSC (Forestry Stewardship Accreditation)

Material Selection30 Managing Tooling

Surface Finishing33 Starting from Scratch

IT Trends36 Mobile Computing

Electric Drive37 The Worldrsquos Most Powerful Powerboat

Environment38 Water Disclosure Reporting

Exhibition39 Boosting the Manufacturing Sector

Regulars3 An Engineerrsquos View7 Institution News40 Market Forum

Contents

The monthly circulation is 4 326

CopyrightAll rights reserved No editorial matter published in ldquoSA Mechanical Engineerrdquo may be reproduced in any form or language without written permission of the publishers While every effort is made to ensure accurate reproduction the editor authors publishers and their employees or agents shall not be responsible or in any way liable for any errors omissions or inaccuracies in the publication whether arising from negligence or otherwise or for any consequences arising therefrom The inclusion or exclusion of any product does not mean that the publisher or editorial board advocates or rejects its use either generally or in any particular field or fields

March 2013 VOLUME 63 NUMBER 3On the Cover

Tel (011) 061-5000wwwmieoorgza

Promech Publish-ing is proud to announce that the SA Capital Equ ipment

Export Coun-cil has endorsed

ldquoSA Mechanical Engineerrdquo We welcome the SACEEC on board and look forward to working together

More news next month

Susan Custers Managing Editor

inganthE

Exxcil h

6 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

THE SA INSTITUTION OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

Council 2012 - 2014

Office BearersPresident KK Nyangoni (Kudzai)Vice President D Findeis (Dirk)National Treasurer A Roos (Andre)Immediate Past President G Barbic (George)

Branch ChairpersonsCentral S Murefu (Stephen)Eastern Cape W Rall (William)KwaZuluNatal J Moto (John)Mpumalanga Highveld L Odendaal (Louis)Western Cape Dr D Blaine (Debbie)

PortfoliosCommunicationsStrategic PlanningSpecialist GroupCD Reay (Chris)Young Engineers ForumProf B Collier-Reed (Brandon)Education Universities of Technology E Zawilska (Ewa)Membership E Zawilska (Ewa)Professional Development ProgrammeM Black (Malcolm)Technology Programme SZ Hrabar (Steve)To be confirmedG Bartholomew (Bart)

Chief Executive Officer Vaughan Rimbault

National Office Manager Anisa Nanabhay PO Box 511 Bruma 2026Tel (011) 615-5660 Fax (011) 388-5356Email infosaimecheorgza

Website wwwsaimecheorgza

Membership Central Eastern Cape

Mpumalanga Highveld amp KZN membershipsaimecheorgza

Membership Western Cape saimechewcvodamailcoza

Company AffiliatesAlstom Power Service SA

Babcock Africa Limited

Bateman Engineered Technologies

Bosch Projects

DCD Rolling Stock A division of DCD

Festo (Pty) Ltd Group (Pty) Ltd

Fluor SA (Pty) Ltd

GEA Air-cooled Systems

Hansen Transmissions SA

Hatch Africa

Howden Power

Howden Projects

Industrial Water Cooling

Inenzo Water (Pty) Ltd

MBE Minerals (SA) (Pty) Ltd (previously KHD Humboldt Wedag SA)

Megchem Eng amp Drafting Services

Mod-U-Flow

Osborn Engineered

Products SA

Rotek Engineering

SAME Water

Sasol Technologies

SEW Eurodrive

Siemens

SNC-Lavalin SA

Spicer Axle SA

Spirax Sarco SA

Technical Systems

Thyssenkrupp Engineering

Transvaal Pressed Nuts amp Bolts

Ultra-Flow Engineering Services

Vital Engineering

Weir Minerals Africa

Winder Controls

Invest in in-house workshops convened by SAIMechEWhen it comes to correct practices and effective productivity is there anything to rival teamwork and group training The benefits of ensuring that all relevant personnel are well informed on com-mon topics are obvious For instance group learn-ing fosters team spirit and co-operation between personnel who may not be interacting successfully in their workplace SAIMechE recommends that instead of incurring travel costs to send staff on engineering related courses corporations should book In-House workshops with SAIMechE

To obtain a comprehensive list of workshops (also avail-able on website wwwsaimecheorgza) or to discuss your corporate short course training needs kindly contact National Events Manager Linda Robinson on Tel 031 764 7136 or E-mail lindasaimecheorgza

Scheduled Forthcoming Training Events ndash Open to All

Code Abbreviated Title

Date Start

Date End

Region

C0913 Refrigeration Explained

19-Mar-13

19-Mar-13

Cape Town

C6613 Effective Negotiation

Methodologies for Engineers

in Practice

20-Mar-13

20-Mar-13

Cape Town

F6213 Technical Communica-tions and Re-port Writing

20-Mar-13

20-Mar-13

Secunda

F5713 Total Produc-tive Mainte-

nance

26-Mar-13

26-Mar-13

Secunda

C2513 Materials Section

Processes Parameters amp Performances

27-Mar-13

27-Mar-13

Cape Town

F5813 Continuous Flow Pro-cesses A

Methodology for Engineers

in Practice

27-Mar-13

27-Mar-13

Secunda

A3613 Project Management A Review of Essentials

3-Apr-13

3-Apr-13

Durban

F2913 Practical Lu-brication and

Lubricants

3-Apr-13

3-Apr-13

Secunda

A4713 Capital Budgeting for

Projects

4-Apr-13

4-Apr-13

Durban

F6913 Lubricants and Oil Monitoring

4-Apr-13

4-Apr-13

Secunda

form may be obtained from Carey Evans on Tel 031 764 7136 or Email careysaimecheorgza All event programmes are posted on website wwwsaimecheorgza

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 7

THE SA INSTITUTION OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

Vaughan Rimbault (SAIMechE CEO) and Anisa Nanab-hay (National Office Manager) recently conducted student road shows at Stellenbosch University Cape Pensinsula University of Technology and University of Cape Town Students were addressed on matters

The award winners for the 2012 SAIMechE Student awards from Stellenbosch University Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering were

1 Best Final Year project Mechanical (Trophy medal prize money amp certificate) ndash Elizna Miles 87

2 Best Final Year Project Mechatronics (Trophy

medal prize money amp certificate) ndash Willem Pienaar 87

3 Best Mechanical Presentation (medal amp certifi-cate) ndash Elizna Miles 90

4 Best Mechatronic Presentation (medal amp certifi-cate) ndash Henri van Eetveldt 82

that directly concern and effect them as well as benefits of SAIMechE membership which is free for students The presentations were well received and there was a lot of interest in what SAIMechE offers to students

SAIMechE Student Road Shows - Western Cape

SAIMechE Student Awards ndash Stellenbosch University

All the 2012 departmental award winners including the SAIMechE award winners

8 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

COVER STORY

The MIEO is a not for profit indepen-dent association that serves the

mining and industry sec-tors of the southern Afri-can economy by promot-ing awareness informing and educating within the realm of energy efficiency and saving

Comparatively speak-ing the industrial and mining sector combined

Mining and Industry Energy Optimisation (MIEO)

Charles Ntsele Grinding Manager at Metso Southern Africa has been elected to Chair the MIEO for the next two years

Serves the mining and industry sectors of the southern African economy by promoting awareness informing and educating within the realm of energy efficiency and saving

Charles Ntsele

Patterns of usage quite different between mining and industry

Industrial

Mining

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 9

use 67 of Eskomrsquos grid capacity classifying this sector as intensive energy users However it is also the sector that contributes to the majority of the countryrsquos economy Hence the focus for a sustainable and secure energy supply in South Africa logically lies with optimising the energy use within this sector

The MIEO constitutes a membership base that not only supply products and services to the mining and industrial sector but has collaborated in assisting energy intensive users to employ a systematic or holistic approach to energy management challenge in their organisations so that energy saving can be optimised

Systematic approachThe collaboration involves a series of seminars presented by the MIEO across the country In this way information on energy optimisation opportuni-ties is taken to the end user

The MIEO initiative brings together leading manu-facturers and suppliers of service and technologies for improvement of energy efficiency in all major energy-consuming plant items Through seminars the MIEO aims to achieve the following objectives

1 To promote awareness of the benefits available to industry and mining in the products and services for energy efficiency from members of the associa-tion

2 To support Eskom and the Department of Energy of the Republic of South Africa in their common objective of increasing energy efficiency in the industrial and mining sectors of the economy

3 To promote opportunities for the dissemination and sharing of information about products services technologies programmes approaches strategies best practice and operational experiences in the field of industrial and mining energy efficiency

4 To promote the adoption of energy efficiency products and services available from members of the association

5 To promote opportunities for training in the methodology and technology for sustained achieve-ment of energy and cost saving when utilising energy efficiency products and services available from members of the association

CredentialsCharles Ntsele currently Grinding Manager at Metso Southern Africa obtained his NHD Extraction Metallurgy from the University of Johannesburg in 1994 and has fulfilled various roles such as re-search metallurgist applications engineer process engineer and product manager He is an associate member of the Southern African Institute of Mining amp Metallurgy

Tel (011) 061-5000 Fax 086 688 7005Email mieovdwcoza wwwmieoorgza

COVER STORY

Electricity Consumption by Sector

10 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 11

the project engineer who worked on this project

Future ndash a concept a dream or a wishUsing the technology and engineering knowledge available to make South Africa more sustainable If we could use this know-how to overcome the challenges that the country faces it would be a major breakthrough for the nation

Irsquod also like to see more being done in terms of renewable energy We are for example closely studying further possibilities to use biomass as a fuel to generate steam and electricity in our processes Wersquore also looking at fluidised bed boiler technology so that we can use the

abundance of low-grade coal in the country

Most Challenging ProjectA few years back we did a recovery optimisation project to improve the recovery of by-products from the pulping pro-cess The main product is caustic soda used in the cooking process We installed a new causticizing plant pulp screen-ing plant scrubber and refurbished the fluidised bed reactor The challenge was combining the new plant installation with the refurbishment work all in an existing plant within a very limited time span

Most Rewarding ProjectIt was the installation of an A-4 sheeting and packaging line We bought a second-hand machine in Germany and just to get the machine up and running was a challenge in itself

CommentaryAre there shortcomings in the Mechanical Engineering Industry in South AfricaYes we have a shortage of maintenance professionals When I was at university we were not trained in maintenance at all Mechanical engineering has a major role to play in this field where the scope for improvement in todayrsquos industry is enormous We need to start training in maintenance at an academic level much like some of the universities have now started doing However mentorship and in-house training has a very important role to play as well

Message to young engineersYoung engineers have to take ownership of their own develop-ment and not expect somebody else to do it for them Many young engineers feel the employer owes them something They must get involved at all levels and work their way up so that when theyrsquore the seniors they know what goes on at the lower levels Remember yoursquore never too clever to learn

MONTHLY COLUMN

Prominent ProfessionalsCarel Kruger Engineering Manager

Academic

School Graduate studies Rob Ferreira High School Whiteriver B Eng at University of Pretoria

Post-graduateB Tech degree in Pulp amp Paper Management Development Programme through Unisa Gov-ernment certificate of competence

Professional bodiesRegistered with Ecsa as Pr Eng and Pr Certifi-cated Engineer

Career Path

First employerStarted with Sappi at the Enstra Mill as an engineering trainee after doing national service in the army

Growth pathAfter a few years at Sappi I left to work for a small engineer-ing company for five years I went back to Sappi as a project engineer I was then promoted to a number of positions at Enstra Mill these included maintenance engineer project manager services manager and maintenance manager before I took up my current position

Present employer amp positionSappi Enstra Mill as an engineering manager

AchievementsA projectMost of our work in the maintenance environment involves minimising breakdowns optimising the performance of the equipment and working on continuous improvements to either overcome business challenges or increase the success rate of our production plant One of our teamrsquos notable project was to de-bottleneck the bleach plant The project involved stabilising the pulp consistency control in a refurbished high density chest system At the same time we installed a new feed system into the oxygen reactor

This was a major breakthrough in terms of availability of equipment and the throughput of the plant because of reduced breakdowns and blockages It was a case of applying new technology in a very old plant challenging our engineering skills to the maximum

Any awardsA Sappi internal silver engineering award was given to me and

WErsquoRE ENGINEERED TO SHAREOver R73 billion N rsquo S S E Hrsquo NA E

S

S S S trade T S S

12 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 201314 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 62 May 2012

AXIOM HYDRAULICS (PTY) LTD

HA

Tel (011) 334-3068 334-3086 Fax (011) 334-4543E-mail axiomjhbmwebcoza

SAMHYDRAULIK which is one of the leaders in the field of hydraulictransmission has been operating for over 25 years in the internationalmarket offering a complete range of orbital hydraulic motors and power steering units axial pumps andmotors for medium and highpressure ranges all characterisedby excellent performances

SAMHYDRAULIK employs 120people who operate inside avery modern and efficient plantthat spans over 6 000 squaremetres to assure a high standardand flexible production capacityThe latest computer technologyis used for both design andproduction combined withstrict quality control proceduresduring all production phaseswhich translates into innovativereliable and functionalproducts that meet the various needs of the marketIts ISO 9001 certificationheld since 1994 is theresult of a quality-orientated philosophyon which SAMHYDRAULIKhas always based itsoperation

17 Heidelberg Road Village Main Johannesburg 2000P O Box 260248 Excom South Africa 2023

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 13T

POWER TRANSMISSION

Rossi a power transmission equipment manu-facturer from Modena in Italy did this by establishing the companyrsquos first permanent subsidiary in South Africa ldquoSA Mechanical

Engineerrdquo speaks with the deputy general manager of Rossi South Africa Kyle Dick about the range of new products theyrsquore now offering locally

ldquoInitially Rossi was represented in South Africa through my company DDI Transmissions in Springs as an agent for their comprehensive range of gear-boxes but now operates as a subsidiary for Rossi SPA to service the whole of sub-Saharan Africardquo he explains ldquoThe product range as such is thus not new to the South African market but wersquore of-fering a much wider range incorporating the latest in drive train technology for a wide variety of applica-tionsrdquo

in KwaZulu Natal ldquoNot only is the market in South Africa very similar to the mining industry there but many of the mining companies and major project

houses operate in both countries This made us realise that the South African market could

certainly be expanded from the footprint which Kyle has already established hererdquo

New rangesThe Rossi Group is one of Europersquos larg-est industrial groups for the production and sale of gear reducers gear motors

electric standard and brake motors Kyle comments ldquoThey constantly undertake

extensive research into new drive solu-tions A typical example is the EP range

of planetary units and the H-series of new helical and bevel-helical gear units specifically developed for heavy industry applicationsrdquo

Manufacturers of bulk handling equipment like conveyor systems ship loaders stacker

reclaimers and mine processing machinery are all familiar with Rossi drives and have been direct clients of the company for many years The gear reducers and gear motors include planetary worm coaxial right angle parallel shaft gear reducers and

Italian Gearboxes Now in SA

With South African industry particularly mining being very similar to that of Australia some international companies build up a strong footprint in Australia and then use this

experience to bring their expertise to the South African mining industry as well

The product range as such is thus not new to the South African market but wersquore now offering a much wider range incorporating the latest in drive train technology for a wide variety of applications

roduct s notcan of-er g ne -

Africa very simany of the

houses oprealise t

certaiwhic

NeTheestand

eleccomm

exteti

Ma

Kyle Dick (left) and Marcello Cassanelli of Rossi South Africa

The Rossi range of products has done extremely well in Australia leading to the establishment of a main subsidiary there and three regional officesrdquo says Marcello Cassanelli the other deputy

general manager from Italy who is helping Kyle in the coming years to get the business going at Tongaat

14 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

POWER TRANSMISSION

I prefer to go on site and help out with tricky problems but I also have good experience in gearbox selection a critical factor in todayrsquos market

speed reducers specifically bring flexibility to the market The system is completely modular allowing each solution to be tailor-made to a specific ap-plication yet itrsquos still cost effective as all products emanate from a standard production unit The new H series covers 825 kNm through to 1700 kNm while the EP series can cover up to 3000 kNm

ldquoComplementary and ancillary equipment such as cooling fans coils or independent cooling units oil heaters and labyrinth seals are of an equal qual-ity and toughness as our rugged gear units which are built and customised for the most challenging conditions or environments any industry can pos-sibly presentrdquo Marcello adds The company is so confident in the quality and reliability of their product range that theyrsquore offering a worldwide warranty on all their geared products

Central baseldquoWe based the new South African headquarters in Tongaat because it puts us close to a port for bringing in components so we can assemble geared units more cost-effectivelyrdquo says Kyle ldquoWersquore in the heart of the sugar industry yet right next to an international airport so that wersquore in reach of any-where in Africa within a couple of hours In addition wersquove established a sales office in Johannesburg

ldquoThe fact that Marcello brings to the table his inter-national experience to complement my knowledge of local conditions and requirements gives me the confidence that wersquoll be able to provide the local market with services and products both the end-users and competitors will regard with respectrdquo adds Kyle ldquoTo top this off we have direct support from highly-experienced engineers in Italyrdquo

SelectionKyle is a hands-on man who has worked his way up in the company through the ranks in the workshop on site and in the office ldquoI prefer to go on site and help out with tricky problems but I also have good experience in gearbox selection a critical factor in todayrsquos marketrdquo he says in conclusion

ldquoAlthough most project houses do the selection wersquore always prepared to share our experience with others in order to make the right selection right from the start I am confident that we now have the right product the right facilities in terms of support and the experience to serve the local market with competitive pricingrdquo

Kyle Dick Rossi South Africa Tel (032) 944-3505 Email kyleddirossicoza

gear motors while other standard products are large size parallel and right angle shaft gear reducers and gear motors for heavy duty applications

ExtrasMarcello adds ldquoThe new EP and the H range of

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 15

POWER TRANSMISSION

He kicks off by telling us ldquoIf yoursquore not saving money in the end condition monitoring serves no effective purpose Also if you can

afford the consequence of a failure then you donrsquot need to do condition monitoring A good example is found in the food processing industry where they use hundreds of small pumps throughout a plant Instead of having to monitor all these pumps they now use low-cost plastic pumps which can be replaced quickly without holding up the production processrdquo

Part of asset managementldquoTypically you start the development of the condition monitoring process by determining the companyrsquos

maintenance strategy a process called the RCM (reliability centred maintenance) planrdquo explains Kobus ldquoFirst off a hardware breakdown structure of the whole plant is drawn up and a Failure Mode and Effectsrsquo Criticality Analysis (FMECA) performed so that you can decide which of the machines are critical to the operation of your plant the ones which will bring the whole lot to a halt if they fail

Kobus continues ldquoThrough this process the company can also determine what spares to carry as well as the level and types of skills which will be needed to maintain the critical machines in the plantrdquo

MethodsIdeas Solutions not only assists companies to under-take this initial criticality audit but will also advise which one of the four main condition monitoring technologies is most appropriate for each specific application fit it and analyse the data as part of a maintenance contract

ldquoThe solution could take the form of vibration moni-toring alignment monitoring any one of a number of methods of temperature measurements or oil analysisrdquo clarifies Kobus ldquoIn the case of a gearbox for instance we carry out an oil analysis to check whether there are any particles of the same mate-rial as the bearings or the gear teeth and so on

VibrationldquoIn our experience ninety percent of the machines with high maintenance costs are the ones where vibration is the highestrdquo adds Kobus ldquoBeing a destructive phenomenon the extent of vibration indicates whether the machine is balanced running in alignment and gives insight into the condition of the bearings regardless of the type of bearing

Save on MaintenanceCondition monitoring is an integral part of asset management ultimately impacting directly on a

companyrsquos bottom line not only in terms of reducing the risk of unexpected breakdowns but also affecting

machinery life Deciding on what to monitor and how is a scientific task which should be undertaken by specialists ldquoSA Mechanical Engineerrdquo speaks to

Kobus van der Westhuizen director of Ideas Solutions a South African company specialising in engineering

analysis solutions with offices in Cape Town and Pietermaritzburg

We can predict how close that bearing is to failure

Kobus van der Westhuizen director of Ideas Solutions

The ldquoOperational Deflection Shaperdquo

16 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

less costly exercise than an unexpected failurerdquo Kobus says ldquoYou can then order a replacement bearing in good time and make sure you have the right skills on hand to do the replace-mentrdquo

What to fitBeing such a clear indicator of a number of problems in machinery vibration moni-toring equipment can be fitted in a variety of ways If itrsquos a critical machine permanent vibration protec-tion instrumentation is typi-cally fitted on the machine Such a system monitors the machine in real time while constantly evaluating vibra-tion in terms of bearings alignment or imbalance in the machinery

ldquoOur systems are so refined today that you can not only pinpoint which bearing is showing faults but we can even see which part of that bearing is showing strain and whyrdquo Kobus adds ldquoWe can also programme the system against certain parameters so that it trips the machine when certain levels of vibration are ex-

ceeded This is the highest level of protection we can providerdquo

An interesting development in the deployment of an online monitoring system is the technique called ldquoOperational Deflection Shaperdquo (ODS) analysis This is possible when an online system has the capabil-ity of simultaneously measuring all the channels

Simultaneously measuring all the channels of vibration in real time

POWER TRANSMISSION

ldquoIf for example we find that the load on the bearing remains constant we can predict how close that bearing is to failure and plan when the machine can be shut down for a bearing replacement a much

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 17

of vibration in real time This preserves the phase relationship between channels resulting in a visual representation of the machine vibration It makes it easier to observe analyse and document noise and vibration problems in machinery and structures ODS analysis is used to display and analyse ex-perimental multi-channel time or frequency domain data acquired during the operation of a machine or forced vibration of a structure

This provides an interactive animated display with which users can observe spatially defined data such as operating deflection shapes (ODSs) mode shapes acoustic sound and intensity fields or other engineering data such at temperatures or pressures By animating the spatial response of a structure in slow motion users can view a structurersquos overall motion and the motion of one part relative to another Locations of excessive vibration or high levels of noise are easily identified

Next levelThe next level down is a surveillance system often used in conjunction with a protection system ldquoIn contrast to a protection system the surveillance system provides answers as to why things did go wrongrdquo explains Kobus ldquoIn a fan application for example the system will tell you that vibration has increased yet the signature reading from the machine has remained constant This can be as a result of dust build up on the blades or a blade has broken off causing an imbalance which prompts the protection system to stop the machine The system will even tell you which blade has been affected by the faultrdquo

The surveillance system can also be used on its own but still in an online mode ldquoThis feature is used to trend parameters leaving the decision to stop a machine at the discretion of the maintenance engineerrdquo explains Kobus ldquoThese online solutions can either be wired or wireless transmitting data from each sensor to the receivers on the system The data is then channelled to whomever needs it in his or her format of choicerdquo

Options for allOn smaller plants that cannot afford an online sys-tem less critical machinery data from machinery is collected by hand and transferred to a computer for analysis either by the maintenance engineer or under a maintenance contract to an engineer at Ideas Solutions

ldquoItrsquos no longer in question the fact that condition monitoring saves companies money has been proved over and over again if itrsquos done rightrdquo Kobus says in conclusion ldquoCondition monitoring regardless of the

The fact that condition monitoring saves companies money has been proved over and over again if itrsquos done right

POWER TRANSMISSION

extent to which it is integrated on a plant should be part of every companyrsquos maintenance strategyrdquo

Kobus van der Westhuizen Ideas Solutions Tel 082 552-4790 Email kobusideas-onlinecozawwwideas-onlinecoza

18 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

Empowering Municipal Engineers

Corruption and tenderpreneurship fraud financial mismanagement lack of understanding of technical issues

priorities difficulties with job creation and skills shortages are just some of the challenges that face municipal engineers in South

Africa

Name and shameCESA unreservedly supports the call for the banning of public servants from doing business with the state including dealstenders with another department or municipality

ldquoWhat is at stake is not the rights of state employees to do business but rather the integrity of the state procurement system The current public procurement environ-ment in the construction sector is highly complex and conducive to corruption and manipulationrdquo warns CESA President Naren Bhojaram

The problem is further compounded by the lack of accountability and punishment for procurement irregularities and wasteful expenditureldquoThe country has good rules but no-one is playing by themrdquo he adds

CESA believes that it is irresponsible and foolhardy to place employees in positions where they can (or are tempted to) manipu-late procurement and other procedures to unfairly benefit themselves at the expense of the statetaxpayer

CESA

Unqualified people should be discouraged from trying to do the job of the municipal engineer

CESA President Naren Bhojaram

Consulting En-gineers South Africa (CESA) President Na-

ren Bhojaram believes that if South Africa is serious about the empowerment of properly-qualified municipal

engineers it should invest in various interventions such as

training development and ca-pacitating of young engineers for

employment by the local authorities and make the municipal engineering

profession attractive

Currently municipal planning is done rather superficially and only a real municipal engi-

neer and a competent team of visionary planners can sort that out

CESA calls for the embracing of the municipal engineer as a trusted ad-visor as well as creating a working environment to attract and retain municipal engineers The munici-pal engineers must be incentivised (long term employment purpose in life emoluments respect and freedom) and unqualified people

should be discouraged from trying to do the job of the municipal engineer

Stumbling BlockInfrastructure deliveryrsquos biggest stumbling block is the lack of business integrity which involves among other things socialising with clients conflict of interest use of agents and partners collusion and bribery and the disregard of procurement regulations

CESA strongly urges structural changes to the way in which municipal engineers operate including the abandonment of long-term employment contracts for key technical and managerial staff Tender and

bid evaluation committees must include technical legal and financial executives in joint sittings and professional teams must be allowed to compile reports in an independent manner on tenders for the bid evaluation committees

The South African procurement legislation should include a Bribery and Corruption Act such as the UK Bribery Act of 2010 enabling the Courts to prosecute corruption and related issues more ef-fectively as well as the naming and shaming of firms contravening the requirements of the Act

Consulting Engineers South Africa (CESA) Graham Pirie Tel (011) 463-2022Email gspiriecesacoza wwwcesacoza

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 19

ldquoSA Mechanical Engineerrdquo speaks to Willie Muller general manager at KDP Services about the modernisation of old hydraulic machinery ldquoIn terms of upgrading wersquove just

done extensive work at a steel mill to re-design

and implement new technology on a large 1 200 tonne cutting press and a shredding machinerdquo he explains ldquoBoth the machines were imported from Germany originally but have lately started picking up problems seriously hampering production flow

ldquoAfter consulting with the supplierrsquos engineers the problems persisted and the client then called us in to investigaterdquo Willie says ldquoWe found that the hydraulics on both these old machines were outdated but could be updated with new tech-nology rather than replacing the old pumps and valves with costly new imported OEM components

New Life for Old Machines

Very often the spare parts for old machinery imported and installed twenty or more years ago is hard to come by and if it is available

it costs an arm and a leg to import If the problem happens to be hydraulic there is

a local hydraulics company that specialises in updating systems so that local easily-available spares can be used to keep the machine going for many years to come

Willie Muller general manager at KDP Services

CNC machining

Overhauled cylinders ready for delivery

Large cylinder

Hydraulic motor of all makes and sizes are serviced

HYDRAULICS amp PNEUMATICS

Analyse the operation and specifically the machinersquos function in situ before returning to the drawing board to redesign the hydraulic system for better functionality

20 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

New technologyAs the designer in the company

Willie goes out to analyse the operation and specifically the machinersquos function

in situ before returning to the drawing board to redesign the hydraulic system for better

functionality This provides the opportunity not only to introduce the latest technology into the upgrade but also to ensure that easily available local components are used He adds ldquoSince our upgrade the shear which can cut through a 150 by 300mm block of steel in one cut has been run-ning smoothly with none of the previous problems cropping up againrdquo

Similarly the shredding machine where a whole vehicle is fed in one end and comes out in pieces of scrap metal the other end has also been up-graded to run consistently ever since Willie adds ldquoThrough this success wersquove now not only landed the maintenance and service contracts for this mill but theyrsquove asked us to audit the entire plant to investigate other hydraulic systems which can be improved Wersquove already re-designed one of the production lines to introduce an integrated fully automated operationrdquo

First projectWillie might be young but he has worked with KDP since his student days gaining invaluable hands-on experience in all aspects of hydraulic work from the owner of the company Karel Podges ldquoOne of my first projects as a student was designing the hydraulic system for a container lifting and tilting machine used in steel mills to collect and handle scrap metalrdquo he recalls as we come across the remnants of the prototype when we walk in the yard behind the workshop ldquoThis is probably what got me hooked on hydraulics because nothing of the sort existed and I had to design it from scratch around a structure someone else had builtrdquo

Inside the workshop we find engineering equipment ranging from lathes to modern CNC machines all humming away as hydraulic components are turned out of a variety of metals At the hose crimping machine Willie points out the neat final product for a custom-made installation theyrsquore doing One of KDPrsquos specialities is hydraulic motor overhaul-ing which is evident when we see several large Hagglunds drives in various stages of repair in the drive section of the workshop

TestingFinally we get to the test-bench area where a large cylinder is under test for leaks before being taken apart for a complete overhaul ldquoOne of the biggest mistakes generally made when it comes to hydraulic equipment is that people think they can treat the hydraulic components roughly just because they are big and ruggedrdquo Willie remarks ldquoThey lose sight of the fact that dirt is the biggest enemy and they donrsquot take the necessary care to keep the oil or equipment clean causing irreparable damage to seals and delicate surface areas in a systemrdquo

One of the main advantages of KDP is that they are not officially tied up with a specific brand of hydraulic equipment allowing them to work on and supply any make on the market Willie concludes ldquoIn addition wersquore a small company where you learn and get the opportunity to work on all types of applications So each and every problem big or small is tackled with great personal attention to detailrdquo

Willie Muller KDP Services Tel (011) 392-5750 Email williekdp-servicescoza

That people think they can treat the hydraulic components roughly just because they are big and rugged

HYDRAULICS amp PNEUMATICS

The full MontyHydraulic system design from the circuit to pumps motors and all the necessary connecting piping are designed in-house at the 22-year old com-pany ldquoWe design the complete circuit specifying all the components necessary to achieve certain functionsrdquo explains Willie ldquoSimilarly all engineer-ing is undertaken in-house except the honing and chroming of shafts when we overhaul cylinder sets New cylinders are manufactured from tubing and shafts which have already been prepared

ldquoIn terms of piping wersquove built up a good name in many industries both in new installations during maintenance shutdowns or when a fixed installa-tion needs to be movedrdquo he adds ldquoNot only do we design the layout but we physically carry out the installation work ourselves especially when it is a stainless steel pipe installation that requires argon welding to fit the fittingsrdquo

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 21

Compressed Air at Work

Pneumatic systems are extensively used in industry where factories are commonly plumbed with

compressed air or compressed inert gases This is because a centrally-located and electrically-powered

compressor which powers cylinders and other pneumatic devices through solenoid valves is often

able to provide motive power in a cheaper safer more flexible and more reliable manner than electric motors

and actuators

Premium brandApplied Pneumatics established 22 years ago is a South African distributor of Parker Hannifin products ldquoAt a time when everyone is increasingly becoming aware of the benefits of buying premium products which last longer and have proven to be value for money Parker has come up with new innovations which extend this value even furtherrdquo says Dave

ldquoTake valves for example Most low-cost valves are throw-away items which are discarded completely if something goes wrong Our premium valves which cost a bit more initially are serviceable This means we can repair and service them at a fraction of the cost of even a cheap complete unit

ldquoIf the premium repairable valve breaks for in-stance itrsquos quick and easy to strip it right there and then fit new parts and have it up and running in no time as opposed to having to order and wait for a complete replacement unitrdquo adds Dave ldquoAll you need to have in stock are a couple of O-rings for the different valves in a systemrdquo

SA Mechanical Engineerrdquo visits a company in Randburg aptly named Applied Pneumat-ics to speak to managing director Dave McNair ldquoIn a pneumatics application we

supply everything beyond the compressor This includes everything down the line the filtration system water traps regulators and then the lubrication system before you get to the actual application which could be a cylinder control valves actuators or even solenoid valves for the control of liquid flows in a process We also do vacuum applications where suction cups pick objects up to move them aboutrdquo

From left Andrew Livesey applications engineer at Applied Pneumatics Teven McNair sales and Dave McNair managing director

Range includes pneumatic cylinders and actuators valves and logic processing air preparation equipment as well as a whole host of other pneumatic components and accessories

The Parker range of pneumatic equipment includes actuator and motors

HYDRAULICS amp PNEUMATICS

22 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

New conceptSimilarly the air prepa-ration systems from Parker are of a modular design and fully repair-able so that just worn or damaged compo-nents can be replaced ldquoThey have now taken this even furtherrdquo says Dave ldquoA new concept in regulators the Modu-flex clip technology system has just been released No special tools in fact no span-ners at all are needed

to take the unit apart to replace a filter element for instance You sim-ply clip the unit apart by hand replace the

element and clip it together again within a minute

ldquoOn a forklift for example the glass bowl of the air preparation unit is often damaged when the forklifts bump into some-thingrdquo elaborates Dave ldquoOn a low-cost throw-away unit yoursquod have to carry a spare unit to replace the whole unit With the new technology howev-er you simply clip off the damaged part to zap a new one into place In terms of cylinders and actuators the latest development is self-lubricating seals which require no additional lubri-cation whatsoeverrdquo

One of the main drawbacks of pneumatics over hydraulics is that a pneumatic cylinder has to be much larger than a hydraulic cylinder in order to deliver the same power However this does not rule out using pneumatics in heavier applications especially underground where the use of air is generally safer and cleaner than hydraulic oils in the first place

UndergroundldquoA while back we were approached by a platinum mine to design a pneumatic system to open and close underground tipsrdquo Andrew explains ldquoTo prevent people from falling into the ore tip it had to be closed with a heavy steel lid between off-loading operations We not only designed a suit-able pneumatic system but also took part in the installation on various levels all the way down to three kilometres undergroundrdquo

Like many other products there are cheap and nasty pneumatic products on the market and cost is not always an indication of inferiority ldquoThe safe route is to always buy from reputable companies who have been around for a long time and who trade in well-known brandsrdquo Dave says in conclusion ldquoSerious consideration should also be given to the repairability of the equipment Itrsquos no use installing a low cost system which has to be replaced regu-larly while another could last a lifetime if properly looked afterrdquo

Dave Mc Nair Applied pneumatics Tel (011) 792-3381 Email davenappliedpneumaticscoza

No special tools in fact no spanners at all are needed to take the unit apart to replace a filter element for instance

HYDRAULICS amp PNEUMATICS

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 23

TICK

ER T

APE

POWER GENERATION

PROMECH PUBLISHINGTel (011) 781-1401Fax (011) 781-1403Email samechengpromechcozaWebsite wwwpromechcozaManaging Editor Susan CustersEditorial Kowie HammanAdvertising Mark BennettCirculation Catherine MacdivaDTP Zinobia Docrat Donovan VadivaluDisclaimerPROMECH Publishing does not take responsibility for the opinions expressed by individuals

CopyrightAll rights reserved No editorial matter published in ldquoPower Generation Todayrdquo may be reproduced in any form or language without written per-mission of the publishers While every effort is made to ensure accurate reproduction the editor authors publishers and their employees or agents shall not be responsible or in any way liable for any errors omissions or inaccuracies in the publication whether arising from negligence or otherwise or for any consequences aris-ing therefrom The inclusion or exclusion of any product does not mean that the publisher or editorial board advocates or rejects its use either gener-ally or in any particular field or fields

POWERGENERATION

TODAY

Harnessing the Powers of the Ocean

Luciano Garcia-Baylleres COO at HAE

Tidal power has long been utilised as an energy resource used early on in tidal mills to grind grain throughout the Middle Ages More recently it has also been used to generate electricity for instance in the 240 MW tidal barrages at La Rance France Tidal currents however are still largely an untapped energy source While several marine current turbine prototypes

have been tested in the last few years there are only a few of these prototypes deployed to generate electrical power to smaller communities

mainly to demonstrate the viability of the technology

There is currently a renewed interest in using the ocean to generate electric-ity using both traditional hydropower technologies and new hydrokinetic

technologies This interest is being spurred on by official and private initiatives to promote the development of cleaner energy sources and diversification of energy supplies through use of alternative and renewable sources

Tidal energyTidal energy projects hold the promise of producing indigenous renewable predictable electricity without greenhouse gas emissions and with higher power densities in terms of power output per unit area than either solar photovoltaic or wind projects

The International Finance Corporation (IFC) the World Bankrsquos private-sector lending arm is partner-ing with Sasfin Bank to develop a portfolio of energy efficiency and renewable-energy financial products for small medium-sized and microenterprises (SMMEs) in South Africa

Alstom South Africa and the South African Nuclear Energy Corporation (Necsa) have signed an agreement under which the local branch of the French power generation power transmission and rail infrastructure

group will invest R8-million in buying equipment for the new coded welding centre being established at Necsarsquos Nuclear Skills Development (NSD)

The operation and maintenance (OampM) costs of wind farms in South Africa were expected to be in the mid-range of the international market Mott MacDonald consultant Matthias Vinard has reported adding that OampM costs ranged from euro28kW a year to euro68kW a year in international markets

24 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

ocean currents driven for instance by thermal gradients or differences in salinity Along the South African east coast the Agulhas Current is one of the most consistent sea currents in the world and this area has now been identified as the ideal spot to test technology developed by an American company Hydro Alternative Energy (HAE) from Florida USA

Current plans with the local gov-ernment of eThekwini Municipality in Durban supporting the concept of a hydrokinetic energy project off the cityrsquos coast calls for HAE to

initially develop a $20 million 1MW demonstration unit utilising the companyrsquos Oceanus technology to generate electric power from the Agulhas current flowing past the city Additional units each with an anticipated electric power generation capacity of 8 megawatts may then be built and likewise be submerged approximately 30 metres below sea level to prevent interference with shipping traffic

ldquoSA Mechanical Engineerrdquo has a QampA session with Luciano Garcia-Baylleres the Chief Operation Of-ficer (COO) of HAE about the project

Q Some background on HAEA HAE founded in March 2009 is an emerging independent power provider (ldquoIPPrdquo) focused on utilising hydrokinetic and other power develop-ment sources to generate electric power worldwide safely cost-effectively reliably and profitably with minimal or no ecological impact

Our business model provides for utilising certain of our own proprietary technology identifying and locating existing and new technologies and when appropriate partnering with others for our power development and generation needs

Q The South Africa connection with the companyA Research by our technical department identified several places throughout the world as optimal for the initial deployment and commercialisation of our technology After extensive research of each location

POWER GENERATIONTI

CKER

TA

PE

Tidal energy projects may also be useful in lsquofilling in the gapsrsquo in generating power from other intermit-tent energy sources such as wind farms

Marine current energy conversion concerns the po-tential generation of electricity from kinetic energy of freely-flowing water This contrasts with tradi-tional hydro power like a dam where the amount of energy extracted from a river is dependent on the head between the reservoir and the water level below the dam

A similar hydro power approach can in fact be used for tidal power in areas with high tides In this case a barrage can be constructed in a nar-row bay or estuary to utilise the head between low and high water

Consistent currentAnother way to generate electricity from water would be to convert the kinetic energy of flowing water similar to the way a wind turbine extracts energy from the wind In such a case a dam or reservoir is not necessary but rather sites are chosen where the currents are strong such as a narrow sound straight estuary around a headland or in a river

The term lsquomarine currentrsquo constitutes any kind of water current be it tidal unregulated rivers or other

Flow anlysis carried out for current simulations

Another way to generate electricity from water would be to convert the kinetic energy of flowing water similar to the way a wind turbine extracts energy from the wind

Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) MD Noah Gwariro says the state-owned company needs at least $300-million to refurbish thermal power stations in Bulawayo Harare and Munyati and to increase their generation capacities

The planned Karuma hydropower project will have capacity to generate 700MW

and is one of the high-priority projects in Ugandarsquos National Development Plan

The State-owned Ethiopian Electric Power Corporation (EEPCo) has signed a $120-million contract with UK-based company Canbridge Industries for the construction of a 50 MW waste-to-energy power plant

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 25

POWER GENERATION

The components of a sea current power gererating system

The Aghullas current and eThekwini Municipality with their infrastructure qualified human resource and an approach to facilitating large scale green projects was the appropriate site for this first endeavour

How the energy is harnessed

and all the surrounding benefits apart from the presence of good quality currents such as politi-cal stability port infrastructure and focus on green projects we determined that South Africa with its infrastructure qualified human resource and an approach to facilitating large scale green projects was the appropriate site for our first endeavour

Q Background on what the project is all aboutA OceanusTM our first power generation system which we are currently developing and which utilises much of our own proprietary technology is planned to harness the kinetic energy of the ocean to produce safe clean reliable cost-effective electric power

Oceanus will consist of two primary modules the amplification module (the shroud) and the engine module The shroud is a housing that will multiply the normal incoming water flow to a faster velocity as it passes through the engine module generat-ing more kinetic energy This will in turn result in potentially greater electrical power generation capability as well as potentially increased usable offshore locations worldwide

Velocity is the major factor which dictates the hydrokinetic energy that can be extracted from water Within the hydrokinetic energy sector of the renewable andor clean energy industry we have seen that research and development has generally focused on developing energy generation technolo-gies for environments that can only work in very high water velocity environments such as 3 4 5 metres per second While these areas of extreme water velocity are very high in hydrokinetic energy they only exist in a very small percentage of the worldrsquos waters

Our goal is to provide electric power to locations

Shroud

Engine module

Combine modular design

worldwide utilising the kinetic energy in lsquotypicalrsquo water conditions Our current design specifications have a base need of 1 metre per second of water

26 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

POWER GENERATION

flow which by amplifying the velocity is planned to produce 1MW of power This design specification once successfully tested may then be adapted into higher velocity waters As most locations in the world have lower velocity waters a turbine designed to work in 3 4 or 5 metres per second water flows will not work in waters that have velocities of 1-2 metres per second

Q How does it workA The theory behind the development of the system is quite basic having been previously used in other energy production systems such as wind and tidal energy generation Basically the engine is composed of an energy extraction system such as but not limited to our perpendicular access turbine a gorlov turbine a darrieus turbine and an Axial turbine

The other module is the shroud which handles two functions serving as an accelerator of the water ve-locity thus increasing the amount of kinetic energy that can be extracted Secondly it houses the engine protecting marine life from direct contact with the tip of the blades Also Oceanus is designed to be positively buoyant and either secured to the ocean floor or to float at a certain predetermined depth while moored to the ocean floor utilising the same techniques that are currently used in mooring floating oil rigs buoys or floating windmill systems

Q How will it work in KZNA There will be a demonstration unit initially and then we will start the commercial phase by entering into the normal contracts and procedures for energy generation in the country This entails a very large investment from our company where we will focus on potentially buildingassembling the units in Durban thus taking advantage of the excellent and qualified infrastructure it has

Q Who is involved locallyA We have no partners as far as investors or concerns as yet on the South African project but we are not against this possibility in the future From the facilita-tion point of view we have received a lot of support from Derek Morgan at the eThekwini Energy Office and Russell Curtis at DIPA each with their respective teams and other government offices that have been very forthcoming with information and support

Q What equipment does it use ndash where will this be madeA We have already scouted several facilities in Durbanrsquos ship building industry as well as other possible suppliers ranging from the maritime indus-try financial sector to legal consultants in order to make sure that we are in compliance with all regulations and that our perception of excellence from the South African maritime industry is in fact there

Q At what stage is the project nowA The project is currently at an initial logistics stage where we are looking at a more site specific design for the demonstration unit At the same time we are gathering all the information with our lawyers and possible suppliers for the norms procedures permits and licences necessary to comply with local and national regulations

Q Where will power go to A From our initial discussions with the regulatory bodies this energy can be locally distributed and then taken up by the grid as needed This will de-pend on the results of the demonstration unit and the first commercial unit operation which we are confident will exceed expectations

Q Are there sceptics criticsA As discussed before the basic technology has been used in other sectors of the energy generation industry what is being developed by us is the ef-ficient shroud and the maintenance systems which include buoyancy controls and depth determination in order to locate the most efficient current

Q Are there any future plans from your company for South Africa in particularA We believe that we have a good relationship with eThekwini municipality and once we fulfil our project with KZN we would then consider further expansion throughout South Africa

Q What about the other parts of AfricaA Eastern Africa in general presents very good conditions for our technology but for now we are going to concentrate our efforts on deploying this endeavour in South Africa before entertaining new opportunities

Luciano Garcia-Baylleres COO at HAE Tel 561-900-7200 EmailLgarciaHAE-USAcom wwwHAE-USAcom

We will focus on potentially building assembling the units in Durban thus taking advantage of the excellent and qualified infrastructure it has

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 27

POWER GENERATION NEWS

MTN has announced that it has entered into a com-mercial arrangement to sell its carbon credits to EDF Trading in an industry first The credits will be pro-duced by MTNrsquos tri-generation plant at 14th Avenue Of-fice Park in Fairland Johannesburg

EDF Trading is a whol-ly-owned subsidiary of Electriciteacute de France SA one of the largest compliance buyers covered by the European Union Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS)

The carbon credit project utilises a Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) meth-odology developed by MTN approved by the United Nations Framework Con-vention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) It is currently in the process of being registered with the UNFCCC Once registered MTN will sell the carbon credits from the project to EDF Trading

The project will make use of the MTN energy-efficient 2MW tri-generation plant at its Fairland office park Tri-generation is the concurrent production of electric-ity heating and cooling which provides

Carbon Credits power hot wa-ter space heat-

ing and cooling for air conditioning

from a single source

Egoli gas is used for the operation

sourced from the Sasol pipeline in Mozambique

The plant displaces grid electricity from Eskom

reducing greenhouse gas emissions and providing up to 85

efficiency on fuel The excess heat at some 400degC is captured

and used to supply heating and to operate an absorption chiller which creates cool water that is used to power an extensive air-conditioning system

Natural gas is clean burning and offers a consistent supply but simply using this to generate electricity would have been too expensive The saving achieved by capturing the waste heat combined with the additional revenue from the sale of the carbon credits however makes the project economically viablerdquo

Promethuim Robbie Louw Tel (011) 706-8185 Email Robbiepromethiumcozawwwpromethuimcoza

Countries across South East Asia Africa and the Middle East have been amending their regulatory frameworks and embarking on privatisation as many of them are in serious need of external fund-ing to ensure that their respective electricity industries are capable of dealing with the inevitable surge in demand The cumulative installed power capacity for these regions according to 2012 estimates will be 212 Gigawatts (GW) However this figure is expected to shoot up to 349 GW by 2020 climbing at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 64

Emerging Power Markets

Rising industrialisa-tion ever-increasing population figures and growing economies all point to an electrical future that most infra-structure systems are currently incapable of handling Therefore to achieve greater in-dustry efficiency and encourage competition governments across this region are opening up their electricity markets and increasing private sector participation The region will have to invest heavily in order to

increase its installed capacity and improve its existing infrastructure

Transmission networks in many of these countries are already under tremendous pressure to supply power without interruption and many new transmission projects are already underway or in the pipeline Therefore energy policy reforms are set to open the doors and create positive opportunities for growth in in the near future this according to Jonathan Cain of GBI Research

GBI ResearchJonathan Cain Tel +44 1204 543 533 Emailjcaingbiresearchcom wwwgbiresearchcom

28 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

POWER GENERATION NEWS

With Gensler Architects Aurecon has completed the design on the faccedilade of what will be Chinarsquos tallest building At 632m the Shanghai Centre is more than 100m taller than the recently-completed Shanghai Financial Centre and is designed as a sustainable eco-tower that sets a new benchmark not only for the region but also the world

Sustainable green features include tri-

Bioclimatic buildingGreywater recycling systems lo-cated at basement and at mid-level have been installed to collect greywater generated from lavatory or bathtub for reuse reducing potable water demand for the office tower by about 40

The ice storage system shifts part of the peak electricity demand of the chillers into the night modeoff peak operation Storage capacity is 26 400 Refrigerant Ton (RT) which reduces about 30 of the summit demand by about 3 through this ice cooling storage system and save up to the yearly energy cost for the user

A large volume water deluge system with rotational nozzles

installed at mid-level of the atria deliv-ers a large volume and accurate water spray onto fire with the assistance of Infra-red detection to lock the exact location and very early warning smoke detection apparatus system

A double curtain wall design provides better control on solar energy entering the tower building resulting in energy saving

Aerecon Group Jody Boshoff Tel (012) 427-2066 Email JodyBoshoffaurecongroupcomwwwaurecongroupcom

generation plant consisting of two sets of 11MW natural gas turbine generating electricity

chilled water hot water and heating water Simultaneous heat recovery of the hot flue gas produced from the tur-bines reduces carbon dioxide by 49 compared with the regular electrical cooling system

15 nos of 3kW vertical axis wind turbines (VAWTs) on the roof provide 157 500 kWh of clean and renewable electricity annually

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 29

Willem Sullivan of HansenA better artificial heart for people who are not eligible for natural heart transplants

Jean Schoeman of National Oilwell Varco My own jet aeroplane

Chris Coetzee of Resonant SolutionsThe problem in industry is practical engineering experience Young engineers donrsquot get the opportunity to learn the practical stuff Irsquod start an academy which teaches the practical side where you can learn from your mistakes Unfortunately mistakes cost money but if you have all the money in the world they can afford to learn from mistakes

In your book what is the most pivotal invention ever

Elbie Cornelius of National Oilwell Varco The computer

Chris Coetzee of Resonant SolutionsI canrsquot see how you can run a business without cellphones

Rudolph Beer of Martin EngineeringThe wheel

Willem Sullivan of HansenFor me personally Excel Without it my world will be dull and lifeless For the world at large Electricity because without it Excel will not be possible

Jean Schoeman of National Oilwell Varco The personal computer

OPINION

On his rounds Kowie Hamman our Editor is conducting an informal survey on the lighter side of engineering We follow up from last month with three pertinent questions

Soapbox

What do you think of computers and the digital world

Elbie Cornelius of National Oilwell Varco Awesome changing our world

Chris Coetzee of Resonant SolutionsNinety percent of all engineering is done using computers but if you rely solely on them yoursquove missed the plot because you always have to verify results by going back into the field to test what yoursquove done on the computer

Rudolph Beer of Martin EngineeringYou canrsquot do without them

Willem Sullivan of HansenIt is where I do all my design work So if it was not for computers we would be decades behind in terms of what we can do I absolutely love it

Greg Perry of SEWThey have definitely made things faster but the en-gineer still needs to understand the theory and pay attention to the detail or you make mistakes faster

Jean Schoeman of National Oilwell Varco Very useful until they give problems Then you just want to hit them with a hammer But the digital world has managed to speed up the communica-tion of information

If you had all the money in the world what would you design

Elbie Cornelius of National Oilwell Varco A solar and wind power station to supply the whole continent with electricity

Rudolph Beer of Martin EngineeringDevelop the safe harvesting of atomic energy

30 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

ldquoSA Mechanical Engineerrdquo speaks to Dave Goodman managing director of Spectra Car-bide Tooling Technology in Cape Town about the various management models they have

developed specifically to control tooling ldquoOur tool management systems were developed through our involvement with some of the major automotive OEMs in South Africardquo he says ldquoThe management system where we take over full control of the tool-ing facility on the premises has been running for twelve years now at some of these plants

Systems for allldquoBut these systems are not only for OEMs and

large operationsrdquo Dave remarks ldquoTo meet dif-ferent requirements we now have four levels of management systems on offer each requiring a different level of active involvement from our side This varies from purely holding stock to supply for a customerrsquos specific needs right through to taking over full control of tooling by having a permanent on-site office manned by fulltime Spectra staffrdquo

A typical level 4 operation with a Spectra team permanently stationed on the customerrsquos premises will be equipped with a fully-computerised store inventory system to control the purchasing of all tooling from spindle to point ldquoThe team will control all the new stock and used tools by negotiating and dealing with tier two suppliers as wellrdquo explains sales manager Wayne Williams ldquoThey are also responsible for presetting tools ready for produc-tion as well as collecting and delivering tools to and from the machines in addition to providing technical support 7 days a week 24 hours a day

BenefitsOne of the cost saving benefits for the customer is less administration because the Spectra team consolidates all invoices so the customer receives

Managing ToolingIn most machine shops the tooling is usually under lock and key to limit access to high-value tool inserts such as end-mills drills reamers and burrs Even so many companies suffer considerable losses as these costly tools get lost are pilfered or are misused because there isnrsquot a proper

management system in place over and above lock and key to control who takes what from the store

To meet different requirements we now have four levels of management on offer each requiring a different level of active involvement from our side

Managing machine tools saves money

Dave Goodman managing director of Spectra Carbide Tooling Technology

MATERIAL SELECTION

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 31

one invoice per month In addition the customer has a highly skilled specialist in-house on tap to provide technical assistance for all tooling drilling tapping milling boring gundrilling honing and line boring on CNC and conventional machines ldquoFrom the management system we can draw extensive reporting for the customer regarding the costs per unit manufactured We produce monthly graphs for trending as well as daily incident reports on tool breakages weekly costs on scrapped tools and we also work out action plans to reduce scrap and improve up-time of the machinesrdquo Wayne adds

In essence this value-add for the customer allows preventative action which ultimately saves the customer money Dave explains ldquoGiven the skills shortage out there no company can afford the personnel purely to manage the machine shop in so much detail With this system we not only fill the skills-gap by integrating with the company but we add value to the company so that they can focus on what they manufacturerdquo

New product developmentIntegration into the customersrsquo operation has proved particularly beneficial when it comes to new product developments Wayne elaborates ldquoWersquore always up to date with the latest technology in tooling and know what can be done in the best possible way Usually it will take a machine shop a while to select the right tooling and method to produce

a new part but with our experts right there on site they can be assured of finding the most suitable solution using the right tooling from the startrdquo

Vending systemOn a lower level of tool management where the operation does not justify a permanent Spectra team on site the company has a tooling vending machine solution ldquoAll the tooling is stored in a vending machine and access to draw the tools out of the machine is controlled by a card or finger-print readerrdquo explains Dave ldquoSuch a system does however have a reporting function which allows the customer to draw the machining cost against each specific job

ldquoThis system has proved popular in South Africa because it can be customised to control the specific functions relevant to each customerrdquo adds David ldquoPart and parcel of this cost-saving solution is training the customer on how best to utilise the system for his needs be it purely controlling the use of tooling or integrating reporting and costing into the business system of the companyrdquo

Wayne Williams Spectra Tel (011) 827-8957 Email waynewspectra-sacoza

From the management system we can draw extensive reporting for the customer regarding the costs per unit manufactured

Special carbide drills reamers end mills and special inserts are manufactured in South Africa

MATERIAL SELECTION

32 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 33

Cubitron can be used to finish profile and or polish materials with high tensile strengths and is particularly useful to extend the lifetime of belts and discs in industrial environments

where hard materials are the order of the dayrdquo

Consistent cutFinishes are little changed through the entire dura-tion of a Cubitron belt from new to completely worn out The secret is that the cutting edges wear in a controlled manner This means that the tiny indi-vidual scratches are the same when the belt is first

put on until it is worn and ready for replacement

ldquoThere are a multitude of cutting edges on each individual grain of the extremely hard ceramic based grain As the grain wears new cutting edges are exposed in a predictable and measured manner to ensure that a consistent action is applied to the surfacerdquo she adds

Using the same ceramic platform 3M developed Cubitron II providing even better results than its predecessor 3M engineers were able to electrostati-cally orient triangular precision shaped ceramic grain acting like a cutting tool This means that the grain slices through metal as opposed to grinding and continuously self-sharpens as points break off This results in discs and belts running cooler and longer The Cubitron II technology is applied in

Starting from Scratch

SURFACE FINISHING

ldquoTo scratch the surface as the saying goes of most modern materials and coatings is not as easy as it used to be Thatrsquos why we developed Cubitron Abrasive Grainrdquo says Kelly Hunt

sales and marketing manager of 3M

34 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

Scratccchingg thhe surfface of abrasivvves ttecchnnologgy is too oopen a compplex sccience

SURFACE FINISHING

belt fibre disc and Roloc form offer-ing a unique solution for wide range of grinding needs

Scratching the surfaceKelly is an abrasives fanatic She says scratching the surface of abrasives technology is to open a complex sci-ence Analysis of different materials and techniques of cutting or finishing has in recent years become a necessity as materials develop and advance Bonding of abrasive onto materials for discs and belts is also more complex than before as manufacturing becomes automated and the tolerance for down-time reduces

But for the average operator technician or engineer it is not so much a matter of what goes into the development of a product but rather finding the solution that suits the intended process The minimum requirement is for a product to perform reliably over an extended period of time and to produce the right finish

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 35

Sometimmess a less expeeensiive buuut mmooree suitaaablee abbrasssivee ccaan give bettterr reesulttss

SURFACE FINISHING

ldquoUsing the abrasives to determine a finish can be as simple or as com-plicated as the producer of finished goods chooses to make it With so many choices available in the market we recommend that industrial users iden-tify the requirements of the abrasive and then speak to trained service technicians from suppliers such as 3M

Not about priceldquoPrice is not always the determining factor Some-times a less expensive but more suitable abrasive can give better results and in other instances the use of cheaper materials in the wrong application may be costly as materials will need to be replaced more oftenrdquo

Kelly recommends that us-ers of industrial abrasives take the time to research new products and as-sess their suitability for their processes ldquoYoursquoll be surprised that some of the new abrasives can do the job better and in half the time than older technology abrasives canrdquo she concludes

3M Dylan Ian Hunter Tel (011) 806-2186 Email dhuntermmmcom www3Mcom

36 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

IT TRENDS

ldquo M o b i l e c o m p u t i n g

continues to grow and alongside other IT trends

such as cloud computing social technologies and the era of big data It is going to play a pivotal role in the IT industry this year In factrdquo Derick adds

Mobile Computing

Mobile computing is growing momentously and is set to account for as much as 57 of worldwide T market growth in 2013 says Derick Roberts CEO of TruTeq Devices a Pretoria-based

company focusing on wireless connectivity solutions

ldquoit is going to account for the lionrsquos share of growth ndash even more than the cloud computingrdquo

The IDC predicts that worldwide IT spending will exceed $21 trillion up 57 from 2012 The research company also states that mobility will be the biggest driver Sales of smart mobile devices including smart phones and tablets is expected to grow by 20 and will contribute a significant 57 of all IT growth Excluding smart mobile devices IT industry growth will clock in at only 29

Truteq Devices Derick Roberts Tel (012) 667-1530 wwwtruteqdevicescom

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 37

ELECTRIC DRIVE

The technology performance and design of the Cigarette powerboat is closely based on the electric super sports vehicle made in Affalterbach Germany

The 116 metre long Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept powerboat uses two drive units each featuring six independent electric motors At the rear of the boat each drive unit has its own trans-mission one on the left and one on the right The boat is fitted with the twelve compact liquid-cooled permanent-magnet synchronous electric motors which are the signature piece of the SLS AMG Coupeacute Electric Drive each electric motor delivers 138 kW and 250 Newton metres

The maximum output of 1 656 Kilowatts and maximum torque of 3 000 Newton metres combine to reach a staggering top speed of over 160 kmh making this locally emission-free Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept the worlds fastest electri-cally driven powerboat The low centre of gravity and optimum weight distribution ensure sublime

The Worlds Most Powerful Powerboat

handling characteristics during more dynamic changes of direction

The high-voltage battery boasts an energy content of 60 Kilowatt hours an electric load potential of 600 Kilowatts and a weight of 548 kg ndash all of which are absolute best values in the automotive sector The liquid-cooled lithium-ion high-voltage battery features a modular design with a maximum voltage of 400 V It consists of 12 modules each comprising 72 lithium-ion cells ldquoCigaretterdquo inte-grates four high-tech batteries with a total of 48 modules and 3 456 cells which generate a total capacity of 240 Kilowatt hours and an electric output of 2 400 Kilowatts respect even in the boat building industry

The Cigarette on-board chargers as standard Adapted to fit the infrastructure standard of many American marinas the boat has a charging capac-ity of 44 Kilowatts The battery is fully charged in approximately seven hours To reduce the charging time to less than three hours the powerboat can be fitted with four on-board chargers as an option

Mercedes-Benz Shirle Greig Tel (012) 677-1904 Email shirlegreigdaimlercom wwwmercedes-benzsacoza

Mercedes-AMG and Cigarette Racing launched the latest development of their cooperation at the Miami International Boat Show in February Numerous components from the SLS AMG Coupeacute Electric Drive have been integrated in the design of the Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept engineering design The high performance drive fitted in the electric super sports car makes the off shore powerboat the worlds most

powerful and fastest electrically-driven motor boat With an output of 1 656 Kilowatts and a maximum torque of 3 000 Newton metres the Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept is a fascinating new development

Combine to reach a staggering top speed of over 160 kmh

38 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

ENVIRONMENT

They have been in service for decades

under the toughest conditions ndash and

have proven themselves worldwide

Voith fluid couplings protect belt con-

veyors and drive components by provid-

ing smooth acceleration and torque

control allowing for frequent loaded

starts with the least amount of stress on

the drive and belt

In multi-motor drives they ensure pre-

cise load distribution Result fewer

downtimes ndash and the service life of the

belt and the drive components is in-

creased The latest product innovation is

the Voith TurboBelt 780 TPXL

infovtzavoithcom

wwwrsavoithturbocom

Protect Your Belt Conveyors with

Voith Fluid Couplings

ai_a

it_44

0_e

n ai

k

Water Disclosure ReportingJust as companies are addressing their carbon emissions and

provide carbon reporting to the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) water is becoming a growing priority

Reporting on it is becoming another critical sustainability issue

2011 saw a marked increase in the number of the worldrsquos largest companies reporting on their water usage on the risks that water presents and on their responses to

that risk Responses from these companies indicate that water is impacting global business now and yet water is not nearly as high on the corporate agenda as climate change

Evidence is mounting that South Africa is facing a water crisis of substantial proportions This crisis encompasses all aspects of water management on both the demand and supply side The mounting impacts of acid mine drainage and declining wa-ter quality add to the crisis South Africarsquos water security is likely to be further complicated by an increasingly uneven and unpredictable supply of rainfall as a result of climate change and by a reli-ance on significant water transfers from neighbour-

ing countries In meeting this crisis South Africa will have to resolve tough trade-offs in water use between agriculture key industrial activities such as mining and power generation and the supply to rapidly growing urban centres

Evidence is clearJSE 100 companies will need to show leadership in sustainably managing the water resources on which they rely for their day-to-day business operations The available evidence is clear It is not sustainable to continue exploiting water resources by follow-ing a lsquobusiness as usualrsquo approach If this is the case South Africarsquos freshwater resources will be depleted and unable to meet the needs of people and industry in the next 20 years if not before

In 2011 the response rate to the CDP Water Disclosure amongst South African companies was 46 (26 out of 56 companies) Many of South Africarsquos most significant corporate water users are therefore not yet able to or are not yet ready to report on their water-related risks

Promethuim Robbie Louw Tel (011) 706-8185 Email Robbiepromethiumcoza wwwpromethuimcoza

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 39

EXHIBITION

The Steel and Engineering Industries Federation (SEI-FSA) the Lifting Equipment Engineering Association

of SA (LEEASA) the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA) and the SA Institute of Welding (SAIW) have thrown their weight behind the biggest industrial and engineering trade show in Africa

The three-day 10-shows-in-one event takes place from 14 to 16 May 2013 at Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand Johannesburg

SEIFSA Conference at Indutec The Steel and Engineering Indus-tries Federation of South Africa (SEIFSA) will hold its annual conference at Indutec celebrating 70 years of active support for its members industry and business in Africa The federation has over 2 220 member companies which employ more than 224 000 people comprising 53 of the industryrsquos workforce

SAIW ldquoWe take our affiliations with leading industry players very seriously including our en-dorsement of Indutecrdquo says Jim Guild chief executive officer of the SA Institute of Welding ldquoThese industry ties form part of our strategy to create strong relationships which support our objective and Governmentrsquos mandate to enhance the manufacturing sector in South Africardquo

LEEASAThe Lifting Equipment Engineer-ing Association of South Africa (LEEASA) which is a division of the Chamber of Engineering Tech-

nology (COET) will also be using its endorsement of Indutec to promote its activities in the engineer-ing and technology sectors in general Chamber spokesperson Viv Nel says its exposure at the fair will create more awareness of the Chamberrsquos role in all engineering and technology-driven industries

ECSAIndustry regulator the Engineering Council of South Africa shares these aims ldquoAs a custodian of en-gineering intellectual capital in South Africa our endorsement of Indutec provides us with a platform to publicise our role in the engineering sector and government infrastructure initiativesrdquo says Edgar Sabela ECSArsquos Strategic Services Executive

ldquoWe need to produce 10 times more engineers to compete with developed economies Involvement with the Indutec show will allow us to promote engineering as a career through our Engenius Programme and showcase our existing engineer-ing excellence Most importantly it enables us to network with all key players in the field and even conclude some businessrdquo

Tenfold Benefits to ExhibitorsJohn Thomson managing director of Exhibition Management Services organisers of the 10-in-one Fair says the unqualified support from leading in-dustry bodies indicates the showrsquos tenfold value to the engineering industrial and technology sectors ldquoThis undoubtedly translates into multiple benefits for the showrsquos exhibitors and ultimately to show visitorsrdquo he concludes

Indutec Serean ThomsonTel (011) 783 7250 Email marketingexhibitionsafricacom wwwexhibitionsafricacom

Boosting the Manufacturing Sector32 of South Africarsquos leading industrial and engineering professional and employer associations Chambers and

Councils have collectively endorsed Indutec the recently launched South African Industry and Technology Fair 2013

Promech Publishing through SA Mechanical Engineer and Bulk Handling Today will produce and publish the Official Catalogue for this prestigious show

Make sure your presence is felt before during and after the show by advertising in this one-of-a-kind reference publication

Contact Mark Bennett Tel (011) 781-1401 Email samechengpromechcoza

Jim Guild CEO of the SA Institute of Welding

Edgar Sabela - ECSArsquos Strategic Services Executive

Adelia Pimentel - Marketing and Communications Manager SEIFSA

40 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

MARKET FORUM

ldquoBMG has identified a need in diverse sectors for on-site maintenance services to overcome production challengesrdquo says Dave Russell technical director BMG ldquoRecognising the extreme constraints of high energy prices low productivity the critical skills shortage and a highly competitive economic environment BMG brings a total solutions service to the fore

ldquoIndustry can now access all critical production efficient products and services from one supplier What this means is lower production costs and higher pro-duction efficiency giving South African industry a distinct competitive advantage

ldquoBMGrsquos on-site services include applica-

tion design evaluation and optimisation as well as installation trouble-shooting and service exchange contracts The company also offers predictive planned and breakdown maintenance and energy and reliability studiesrdquo

The company also offers extensive train-ing which covers electrical mechanical hydraulic pneumatic electronic and materials handling disciplines as well as predictive maintenance and component failure analysis

BMG ndash Bearing Man Group Veronique van Niekerk Tel (031) 576-6221Email veroniquevbmgworldnet wwwbmgworldnet

Tenova Takraf Africa (formerly Bateman Engineered Technologies) is putting the final pieces together in completing an order for the supply of a 55m x 275m hydraulically-driven SAG mill to Ontario Graphite operators of the Kearney Mine located in Kearney O n t a r i o Canada

ldquoTenovarsquos scope

Unique SAG Mill in Canada

ABB started with a bang following the order of 2 400 robots by BMW Group Over the next three years the robots will be installed at factories in Regensburg and Leipzig Germany as well as in Tiexi China The ABB robots will mainly be used for mate-rial handling tasks as well as gluing and spot welding processes

ABB robots enable customers to implement efficient manufacturing systems that sustainably produce high-quality products The com-panyrsquos range of products and solu-tions for lean manufacturing cover the range from body-in-white to the final assembly of complete car bodies They improve competitiveness and at the same time optimally comply with customer specifications ABB has installed more than 200 000 robots worldwide

ABB Robotics Natasha Mathebula Tel (010) 202-6156 Email natashamathebulazaabbcom wwwabbcom

2400

Robots

Total Solution

of work includes the engineering manufacturing shipping and technical assistance during erection of the SAG millrsquos feed end shell discharge end drive and main bearings as well as all supporting equipment (lubrication and jacking systems)rdquo says Tenova Takraf

engineer Pieter van der Walt ldquoThe main hydraulic motor and rubber

shell liners were outside our commercial scope of supply but inside our technical

scope of supplyrdquo he adds

The mill is a conventional SAG (semi-autogenous grinding) mill in all ways apart from its drive assem-bly and it is centre-driven

at the discharge end using a Haggluumlnds hydraulic motor and powerpack ldquoTo date this is the largest hydraulic motor installed on a SAG mill with 950kW of power torque of 1 200 kNm (start-up) and 650 kNm (operational) and speed of 1386 rpmrdquo adds Pieter

Since the mill had to be retrofitted to an existing foundation a number of adaptations were required to maintain the mill centreline as well as feed-end and discharge-end positions Certain additions were required to anchor the main motor torque arm

Tenova Takraf Pieter van der Walt Tel (011) 899-2372 Email pietervanderwaltbatemancom wwwtenovagroupcom

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 41

MARKET FORUM

World Record

The ADR plant at Kisladag Mine

FLSmidth designs and manufactures indirect heated carbon regeneration kilns and calciners from half a ton per day and larger These kilns and calciners can be fuel gas oil or electric and are skid mounted pre-wired and pre-piped The companyrsquos patented bellows kiln seal has proved effective in eliminating air ingress and process gas egress and can be retrofitted to kilns from other manufacturers FLSmidth holds the world record for the lowest emissions on a carbon plant

And at the companyrsquos Merrill Crowe plant capacities range from skid mounted 34 cubic metres per hour modular plants to full size 2 100 cubic metres per hour The range of supply for plants includes clarification filters de-aeration towers vacuum pumps zinc dust feeders lead nitrate feeders and zinc cones precipitate filter feed pumps filter pre-coat and body feed systems as well as precipitate filters used by refinery and smelting facilities to produce gold bullion

These plants incorporate proprietary zinc dustlead nitrate feeder and mix-ing cone system The company offers individual plant components and partial or complete plant equipment packages together with total plant design

FLSmidth Terence Osborn Tel (010) 210-4820

Magnet has extended its range of abrasive products to include 3Mrsquos new Cubitron II abrasive belts with enhanced grinding performance improved productivity and extended service life

ldquo3Mrsquos new technology has resulted in increased speed improved consistency and extended belt liferdquo says Brian How-arth MD Magnet ldquoThese new abrasive belts ensure up to 30 faster cutting on hard to grind metals like stainless steel nickel alloy and cobalt chrome They also divert heat from the workpiece and belt to the swarf which means cooler cutting This helps eliminate burnishing and minimises heat stress Cubitron II abrasive belts last up to four times longer than conventional ceramic aluminium oxide beltsrdquo

3M Abrasives Bradley Reddy Tel (031) 274 1050 Email bradleyrmagnetgroupcozawwwmagnetgroupcoza

4 x Longer

42 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

MARKET FORUM

X-Calibur is one of the latest product offerings from TAL and was specified to protect the concrete structure of the worldrsquos second longest cable-stayed bridge against corrosion throughout its design life

Stonecutters Bridge is a high level cable-stayed bridge which spans the Rambler Channel in Hong Kong connecting Nam Wam Kok Tsing Yi Island and Stonecut-ters Island Hong Kong is well known for its hot summer weather which is also humid and unstable Temperatures

Say No to Corrosionusually exceed 30oC during the day which coupled with high humidity can result in an extreme heat index

ldquoHot and humid environments have a great effect on the durability of concrete As a rule of thumb we say for every 10oC increase in temperature the possibility of corrosion induced damage to concrete is doubled Add humidity in a marine envi-ronment then protection of the structure is of paramount importancerdquo says Brian Davies CEO X-Calibur International In order to guard the bridge from corro-

sion X-Shield EpoxySeal CR was sup-plied to shield the prestressed concrete cable anchorages from the effects of the environment In addition X-Shield FlexCoat was used in various areas of the structure This provides corrosion protection to reinforced concrete from chloride and carbon dioxide

ldquoThe main challenge was compliance with the strict project specifications as the engineer wanted to ensure that protection would be provided throughout the design life of the structure X-Calibur

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 43

MARKET FORUM

had the products independently tested to prove compliance to all aspects of the specificationrdquo John adds

The materials were applied by spe-cialist painters who had been trained by X-Calibur ldquoMaterials were mixed and applied strictly in accordance with method statements supplied by X-Calibur to ensure working time and recoat windows were not exceededrdquo concludes John

TAL Andrew Dekker Tel (031) 579-2263 wwwtalcoza

Fluid conveyance and pumping solutions expert Incledon has supplied a large water supply line project in the Free State with a total of 4 km of Ultraflo pipes manufactured in-house by DPI Plastics - a leading manufacturer of water reticulation drainage and pipe-fitting systems in South Africa

DPI Plastics technical and product manager Renier Snyman points out that the companyrsquos range of Ultraflo pipes are manufactured from modified polyvinyl chloride (mPVC) which is specifically designed to provide similar tensile strength and greater resilience than standard PVC piping products ldquoThe Ultraflo range of pressure piping systems are ideally suited to bulk water supply projects due to the fact that mPVC is considerably more ductile than industry standard unplasticised polyvinyl chloride (uPVC)rdquo he explains

Renier notes that the ductility of the Ultraflo uPVC piping system ensures that

Large Water Supply Project

the pipes have exceptional resistance to crack propagation under pressure ldquoThe product being supplied to the water sup-ply line project is the 500 mm Ultraflo system which is the largest in the DPI Plastics range It boasts a pressure rat-ing of 12 bar with a design stress of up to 18MPa making it ideally suited as a large underground piping systemrdquo

According to Renier Ultraflo pipes offer environmental advantages too ldquoDue to its superior toughness the wall thick-ness of mPVC is less than that of uPVC This ensures that less materials are used during the manufacturing process which ultimately results in a lighter product that is easier to transport and install thereby minimising the carbon footprint of the piperdquo

DPI Plastics Martine Goodchild Tel (021) 957 5600 Email mgoodchilddpiplasticscozawwwdpiplasticscoza

Donrsquot Miss Out

Promech Publishing is putting the Visitorsrsquo Catalogue together for this Show

Contact Mark Bennett on Tel (011) 781-1401 or Email samechengpromechcoza

to book your space

44 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

MARKET FORUM

Displaying and discussing some of the Dodge housed bearings on offer to local industry and mining are (from left) Tony Patten of Specialised Bearings amp Transmission Peter Small-Shaw Wilecrsquos Product Manager Bearings and Frans Odendaal Wilecrsquos Technical Specialist Bearings

The Bearings division of Actom group company Wilec has formed a strategic alliance for the supply of Dodge housed bearings into southern Africa The partner-ship agreement with Johannesburg-based Specialised Bearings amp Transmission the local distributor for Dodge extends Wilecrsquos ability to satisfy the requirements of industry and mining in a diverse range of bearings applications

ldquoThe most exciting thing about our tie-up with Dodge is that housed bearings while already widely accepted in the US and other leading industrialised countries is a relatively new concept locally but one which offers advanced features to users compared with conventional plum-mer block arrangementsrdquo said Frans Odendaal Wilecrsquos Technical Specialist Bearings

ldquoDodge housed bearings are supplied pre-assembled and sealed so eliminating all risk of contamination during fitment The advanced sealing arrangement and unique adapter system guarantees longer

Strategic Alliance

life ndash up to six times that of a conven-tional plummer block Other cost-saving advantages are that they can be installed by a semi-skilled technician very quickly normally in less than 15 minutes and the need to measure pre- and post-reduction clearance is eliminatedrdquo

ldquoIt is a differentiated product and with it we are able to provide a bearing that is especially well suited to local conditions

and offers benefits that are of real value to customers A particularly important aspect to bear in mind is that the total cost of ownership of a Dodge bearing is significantly lower than that of the conventional product due to its greater reliability and durabilityrdquo

Wilec Frans Odendaal Tel (011) 629-9300 Email fransowileccoza

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 45

MARKET FORUM

Emis Sales 2002 part of Becker Min-ing South Africa supplies a wide range of electrical equipment up to 1 100 V for use in hazardous and non-hazardous areas in the mining petrochemical and surface industry sectors

New to the Emis range are Proloc pro-tection and control relays which are suitable for thermal overload protection of conveyors compressors crushers fan and pump motors as well as shuttle cars and flitting panels

ldquoThe stand-alone Emis ProLoc electronic protection and control relay system which has been designed for the optimum protection of motor and feeder circuits connected to outlet sockets has a wide choice of six user-selectable protection features to meet exact requirementsrdquo says Frikkie Quirk managing director Emis Sales 2002 ldquoAn important advan-tage of this system is a door mounted infra-red link that enables a laptop with Proloc software to manage all settings

and downloads without having to open the panel door and expose personnel to dangerous live equipment This is a critical requirement in the OHSA actrdquo

This system is easy to set up via the Proloc MMI 420 display man-to-machine interface or via a laptop with Proloc software

Emis Sales 2002 Tel (016) 341-6134 Email infozabecker-miningcom wwwzabecker-miningcom

Optimum Protection

Birkenmayer a material processing systems supplier in South Africa and local supplier of German-engineered Eirich material processing technology recently released the Evactherm drier a new product that marries the advantages

Superheated Vacuum Steam

of mechanical and thermo dynamical processes to provide cost-effective and highly efficient drying and processing of filter cake and sludgersquos using superheated vacuum steam

Until now it has been important to observe

a maximum middle temperature when applying direct drying to heat sensitive materials and even more important to avoid the excessive local and boundary temperatures that frequently damage the drying product Both heat and ma-terial transport need to be considered and while convective drying processes such as spray drying largely avoid these problems they are only effective if a surface is available for the hot gas flow

Adjustable for both direct and convec-tive drying and processing Evactherm driers overcome these obstacles while providing a number of further benefits

Super-heated vacuum steam performs drying and granulation while the com-bination of mechanical and thermo dynamical processes allows for low dry-ing temperatures and gentle processing of temperature sensitive materials It also enables continuous drying for long periods of time as fresh material may be continuously added into the fluidized bed replacing material that has already been vaporised

H Birkenmayer Louis Eksteen Tel (011) 970 3880-8 Email louisbirkenmayercozawwwbirkenmayercoza

The Evactherm drier

Proloc protection and control relays

46 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

The Eastern Capersquos Coega Industrial Development Zone (IDZ) is one of a number of industrial regions in South Africa to benefit from Air Products South Africarsquos strategy of long-term capital investment

A region which has long been under-served when it comes to reliable gas supply the Eastern Cape will soon have

A Long-term Viewits own air separation unit (ASU) ndash the first of its kind in the province Seelan Gounden GM supply chain at AirProd-ucts explains the reasons behind the companyrsquos latest investment

ldquoCurrently there is no local industrial gas supply in this area and cryogenic gases have to be procured elsewhere This situation compromises the service

MARKET FORUM

ART Solar specialists in the manufacture of solar photovoltaic (PV) modules for the sustainable generation of electrical power has made the following appointment an-nouncementsMark Walsh as managing director Dr Ronald FM Lange as chief operating officer Robert Ramshaw as financial manager and Gavin Rosslee as production manager

Gavin RossleeRobert RamshawMark Walsh

Jeanne Els has been appointed as Hatchrsquos Managing Director of Operations

Jeanne Els

Ronald Lange

Anton Theunissen

SKF South Africa recently appointed Anton Theunissen as Distributor De-velpoment Manager for South Africa and neighbouring coun-tries

Index to Advertisers

Axiom 12

Bearings International 36

Bibby Turboflex 28

Bonfiglioli 10

Engen 34

Festo 35

Hansen 44

Horne SA 29

IDC Inside Back Cover

ILS 32

KDP Services 22

Loesche 31

Polysius 4

PPS 11 29

Mercedes Outside Back Cover

Merseta Inside Front Cover

MIEO Outside Front Cover

Transmission Components 14

Voith 38

Yellotec 16 17

delivery to our existing customers who have to depend on product being trucked over vast distances Thus we identified the Eastern Cape as a key priority invest-ment destination with a clear need for a new air separation facility dedicated to servicing the region We chose the Coega IDZ after careful market analysis We are pleased to be able to be a part of the growth and development of the region through providing a long-needed security of supply and value-added servicerdquo

Ayanda Vilakazi head of Marketing and Communications at the Coega IDZ adds ldquoThe viability of the new ASU is indis-putable It will mean not only security of gas supply to the region benefiting the many industries here but it also means job security for other investors jobs along the value chain and scope for training and human resource develop-ment as well as enhanced Corporate Social Investment initiativesrdquo

Seelan Gounden AirProducts wwwairproductssouthafricacoza

Left to right Chris Mashigo Executive Man-ager - Business Development Coega Develop-ment Corporation Themba Khoza Executive Manager ndash Operations Coega Development Corporation Seelan Gounden GM - Supply Chain Air Products Pierre Fourie Area Sales Manager ndash Eastern Cape Air Products signed the lease agreement between the CDC and Air Products South Africa

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 47To apply online for funding of R1 million or more go to wwwidccoza

Telephone 086 069 3888Email callcentreidccoza

Driving new market innovationsThe IDC supports high-impact job creation projects acting as a

catalyst to lead new sector development and support existing

industry and sector growth in alignment with governmentrsquos

New Growth Path (NGP) National Development Plan (NDP)

and Industrial Policy Action Plan (IPAP)

The IDC Strategic High Impact Projects (SHIP) Strategic Business

Unit in partnership with the IDC Innovation Department has

launched an Open Innovation Challenge to encourage the

development and implementation of sustainable high-impact

industrial initiatives and projects

The IDC calls upon individuals engineering communities

corporates project sponsors and other related entities to enter

into a partnership to develop qualifying projects that result in

sustainable and profi table industries exploit the value-adding

opportunities of existing and new value chains and enable the

development of innovative local economies

Whatwho qualifi es

projects which enable the development of new industries

across multiple IDC focus sectors

introduce new markets and value chains or revolutionise

existing ones through the use of disruptive technologies

or new approaches

development impact and employment creation

across mandated IDC industrial sectors

SHIP wishes to ensure that the projects undertaken play a major

role in industrial development and employment creation within

the South African and SADC regions

Interested applicants are invited to submit their project

proposals online at

httpopeninnovationidccozaidc-ship-challenge between

project proposals will be informed in May regarding SHIP

wishing to partner with them in the development of the

proposed project

Please contact Bertie Strydom BertieSidccoza and

RetiefBidccoza for more information

Chillibush9119IDC

48 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

A D

aim

ler B

rand

You built the bridges the roads and the tunnels We built the carAs a member of the Engineering Council of South Africa you could qualify for exclusive offers a guaranteed 3-day service booking as well as PremiumDrive our 6 year100 000km maintenance plan To take advantage of this outstandingopportunity inform your nearest dealer of your ECSA status

Not in conjunction with other Mercedes-Benz Fleet ProgrammesOffers Excludes AMG and Limited Edition modelsVehicle specifications may vary for the South African market

Page 3: SAME Mar2013

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 3

AN ENGINEERrsquoS VIEW

Chris ReayChairman of the Working

Committee Communications(SA Institution of Mechanical

Engineering)

Last month we took a look at the status of the mining industry and itrsquos pretty difficult not to be negative about the trend it has taken over

recent years From being top spot so to speak for decades we have slumped to a mediocre level that replicates a number of other circumstances in our country And the bell tolled loud and clear this week when four major employers in the EPCM industry advised that they

were about to institute section 189 retrenchment programmes They inevitably become the victims of the lack of new mining spend because investors have made it clear that other countries are able to offer a less risky investment climate Most of the analyst commentary on the issue has confirmed this view

Appalling and unreasonableIt is just appalling and almost treasonable that those in government allowed the talk about nationalization to go so far without taking a firm hand ably assisted by incoherent mining policy It only goes to show that in matters of global economics and investor confidence they do not know And worse is that they do not know that they do not know

It had little to do with the Euro crisis which gets blamed for everything including lack of local ser-vice delivery Donrsquot mention the State of the Nation address because I will then need the advice of the intended health warning

On the matter of power we note with some relief that NERSA saw fit to refute giving Eskom the 16 escalation over the next five years which on top of the increases over the last three would have been catastrophic for industry business and the average citizen Even the 8 is severe enough which means a doubling of the price of electricity in less than 9

Absolute Power Disrupts Absolutely

The Editor mentioned to me the other day that she should issue a health warning with some of my leader articles because they often create an acute

case of depression This will in future be issued with the articles as it becoming increasingly difficult to construct positive and encouraging articles about the state

of the nation and the environment in which engineering has to play its role

years and it does not include the mark-up that most municipalities will add on before charging the consumer

It causes one to reflect on what has happened to Eskom and while the parastatal gets the blame for such drastic price increases it is really government policy that caused the whole crisis To have left the power capitalisation industry to virtually collapse from 1994 to 2007 was the collective decision of policy makers who again demonstrated that they did not know that they did not know

In that period Eskom became a cash-cow for govern-ment It also became a showpiece of transformation where most of the established intellectual capital and memory was methodically removed to satisfy a political whim It became evident that political identity was more important than experienced engineering and project management skills that had been built up over decades of designing and building the best six pack stations in the world

Political whimThe effective ownerrsquos team had been removed and replaced with the outsourcing to foreign based project houses Costs escalated and are exhibited in the horrific escalation on the price of Medupi for example Where was the sinking fund to finance the new station build It became necessary to charge the current consumers to fund the capital expan-sion Therein lies your 16 requirement

Whatever Eskom may say to the contrary it is borne out by the current irreversible nightmare that personifies our electrical energy generation and distribution structures Absolute power has certainly disrupted the economy and will do so for the foreseeable future

Costs escalated and are exhibited in the horrific escalation on the price of Medupi for example

4 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 5

Cover Story8 Mining and Industry Energy Optimisation (MIEO)

Monthly Column11 Prominent Professionals

Power Transmission13 Italian Gearboxes Now in SA15 Save on Maintenance

CESA18 Empowering Municipal Engineers

HHyyddrrauullicsss ampamp Pneumatiiccss19 New Life for Old Machines21 Compressed Air at Work

POWER GENERATION TODAY23 Harnessing the Powers of the Ocean27 Power Generation News

Opinion29 Soapbox

Produced by PROMECH PUBLISHING P O Box 373 Pinegowrie 2123 Republic of South AfricaTel (011) 781-1401 Fax (011) 781-1403 Managing Editor Susan Custers Editor Kowie HammanCirculation Catherine Macdiva Advertising Mark BennettDTP Zinobia Docrat Donovan VadivaluSubscriptions Please email us at accountspromechcozaif you wish to subscribe to ldquoSA Mechanical Engineerrdquo at R44000 (excl postage and VAT) per year R1 10000 per year for AfricaOverseas

DisclaimerPROMECH Publishing and The South African Institution of Mechanical Engineering as well as any other body do not take responsibility for the opinions expressed by individualsPrinted by Typo Colour Printing Tel (011) 402-34689FSC (Forestry Stewardship Accreditation)

Material Selection30 Managing Tooling

Surface Finishing33 Starting from Scratch

IT Trends36 Mobile Computing

Electric Drive37 The Worldrsquos Most Powerful Powerboat

Environment38 Water Disclosure Reporting

Exhibition39 Boosting the Manufacturing Sector

Regulars3 An Engineerrsquos View7 Institution News40 Market Forum

Contents

The monthly circulation is 4 326

CopyrightAll rights reserved No editorial matter published in ldquoSA Mechanical Engineerrdquo may be reproduced in any form or language without written permission of the publishers While every effort is made to ensure accurate reproduction the editor authors publishers and their employees or agents shall not be responsible or in any way liable for any errors omissions or inaccuracies in the publication whether arising from negligence or otherwise or for any consequences arising therefrom The inclusion or exclusion of any product does not mean that the publisher or editorial board advocates or rejects its use either generally or in any particular field or fields

March 2013 VOLUME 63 NUMBER 3On the Cover

Tel (011) 061-5000wwwmieoorgza

Promech Publish-ing is proud to announce that the SA Capital Equ ipment

Export Coun-cil has endorsed

ldquoSA Mechanical Engineerrdquo We welcome the SACEEC on board and look forward to working together

More news next month

Susan Custers Managing Editor

inganthE

Exxcil h

6 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

THE SA INSTITUTION OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

Council 2012 - 2014

Office BearersPresident KK Nyangoni (Kudzai)Vice President D Findeis (Dirk)National Treasurer A Roos (Andre)Immediate Past President G Barbic (George)

Branch ChairpersonsCentral S Murefu (Stephen)Eastern Cape W Rall (William)KwaZuluNatal J Moto (John)Mpumalanga Highveld L Odendaal (Louis)Western Cape Dr D Blaine (Debbie)

PortfoliosCommunicationsStrategic PlanningSpecialist GroupCD Reay (Chris)Young Engineers ForumProf B Collier-Reed (Brandon)Education Universities of Technology E Zawilska (Ewa)Membership E Zawilska (Ewa)Professional Development ProgrammeM Black (Malcolm)Technology Programme SZ Hrabar (Steve)To be confirmedG Bartholomew (Bart)

Chief Executive Officer Vaughan Rimbault

National Office Manager Anisa Nanabhay PO Box 511 Bruma 2026Tel (011) 615-5660 Fax (011) 388-5356Email infosaimecheorgza

Website wwwsaimecheorgza

Membership Central Eastern Cape

Mpumalanga Highveld amp KZN membershipsaimecheorgza

Membership Western Cape saimechewcvodamailcoza

Company AffiliatesAlstom Power Service SA

Babcock Africa Limited

Bateman Engineered Technologies

Bosch Projects

DCD Rolling Stock A division of DCD

Festo (Pty) Ltd Group (Pty) Ltd

Fluor SA (Pty) Ltd

GEA Air-cooled Systems

Hansen Transmissions SA

Hatch Africa

Howden Power

Howden Projects

Industrial Water Cooling

Inenzo Water (Pty) Ltd

MBE Minerals (SA) (Pty) Ltd (previously KHD Humboldt Wedag SA)

Megchem Eng amp Drafting Services

Mod-U-Flow

Osborn Engineered

Products SA

Rotek Engineering

SAME Water

Sasol Technologies

SEW Eurodrive

Siemens

SNC-Lavalin SA

Spicer Axle SA

Spirax Sarco SA

Technical Systems

Thyssenkrupp Engineering

Transvaal Pressed Nuts amp Bolts

Ultra-Flow Engineering Services

Vital Engineering

Weir Minerals Africa

Winder Controls

Invest in in-house workshops convened by SAIMechEWhen it comes to correct practices and effective productivity is there anything to rival teamwork and group training The benefits of ensuring that all relevant personnel are well informed on com-mon topics are obvious For instance group learn-ing fosters team spirit and co-operation between personnel who may not be interacting successfully in their workplace SAIMechE recommends that instead of incurring travel costs to send staff on engineering related courses corporations should book In-House workshops with SAIMechE

To obtain a comprehensive list of workshops (also avail-able on website wwwsaimecheorgza) or to discuss your corporate short course training needs kindly contact National Events Manager Linda Robinson on Tel 031 764 7136 or E-mail lindasaimecheorgza

Scheduled Forthcoming Training Events ndash Open to All

Code Abbreviated Title

Date Start

Date End

Region

C0913 Refrigeration Explained

19-Mar-13

19-Mar-13

Cape Town

C6613 Effective Negotiation

Methodologies for Engineers

in Practice

20-Mar-13

20-Mar-13

Cape Town

F6213 Technical Communica-tions and Re-port Writing

20-Mar-13

20-Mar-13

Secunda

F5713 Total Produc-tive Mainte-

nance

26-Mar-13

26-Mar-13

Secunda

C2513 Materials Section

Processes Parameters amp Performances

27-Mar-13

27-Mar-13

Cape Town

F5813 Continuous Flow Pro-cesses A

Methodology for Engineers

in Practice

27-Mar-13

27-Mar-13

Secunda

A3613 Project Management A Review of Essentials

3-Apr-13

3-Apr-13

Durban

F2913 Practical Lu-brication and

Lubricants

3-Apr-13

3-Apr-13

Secunda

A4713 Capital Budgeting for

Projects

4-Apr-13

4-Apr-13

Durban

F6913 Lubricants and Oil Monitoring

4-Apr-13

4-Apr-13

Secunda

form may be obtained from Carey Evans on Tel 031 764 7136 or Email careysaimecheorgza All event programmes are posted on website wwwsaimecheorgza

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 7

THE SA INSTITUTION OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

Vaughan Rimbault (SAIMechE CEO) and Anisa Nanab-hay (National Office Manager) recently conducted student road shows at Stellenbosch University Cape Pensinsula University of Technology and University of Cape Town Students were addressed on matters

The award winners for the 2012 SAIMechE Student awards from Stellenbosch University Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering were

1 Best Final Year project Mechanical (Trophy medal prize money amp certificate) ndash Elizna Miles 87

2 Best Final Year Project Mechatronics (Trophy

medal prize money amp certificate) ndash Willem Pienaar 87

3 Best Mechanical Presentation (medal amp certifi-cate) ndash Elizna Miles 90

4 Best Mechatronic Presentation (medal amp certifi-cate) ndash Henri van Eetveldt 82

that directly concern and effect them as well as benefits of SAIMechE membership which is free for students The presentations were well received and there was a lot of interest in what SAIMechE offers to students

SAIMechE Student Road Shows - Western Cape

SAIMechE Student Awards ndash Stellenbosch University

All the 2012 departmental award winners including the SAIMechE award winners

8 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

COVER STORY

The MIEO is a not for profit indepen-dent association that serves the

mining and industry sec-tors of the southern Afri-can economy by promot-ing awareness informing and educating within the realm of energy efficiency and saving

Comparatively speak-ing the industrial and mining sector combined

Mining and Industry Energy Optimisation (MIEO)

Charles Ntsele Grinding Manager at Metso Southern Africa has been elected to Chair the MIEO for the next two years

Serves the mining and industry sectors of the southern African economy by promoting awareness informing and educating within the realm of energy efficiency and saving

Charles Ntsele

Patterns of usage quite different between mining and industry

Industrial

Mining

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 9

use 67 of Eskomrsquos grid capacity classifying this sector as intensive energy users However it is also the sector that contributes to the majority of the countryrsquos economy Hence the focus for a sustainable and secure energy supply in South Africa logically lies with optimising the energy use within this sector

The MIEO constitutes a membership base that not only supply products and services to the mining and industrial sector but has collaborated in assisting energy intensive users to employ a systematic or holistic approach to energy management challenge in their organisations so that energy saving can be optimised

Systematic approachThe collaboration involves a series of seminars presented by the MIEO across the country In this way information on energy optimisation opportuni-ties is taken to the end user

The MIEO initiative brings together leading manu-facturers and suppliers of service and technologies for improvement of energy efficiency in all major energy-consuming plant items Through seminars the MIEO aims to achieve the following objectives

1 To promote awareness of the benefits available to industry and mining in the products and services for energy efficiency from members of the associa-tion

2 To support Eskom and the Department of Energy of the Republic of South Africa in their common objective of increasing energy efficiency in the industrial and mining sectors of the economy

3 To promote opportunities for the dissemination and sharing of information about products services technologies programmes approaches strategies best practice and operational experiences in the field of industrial and mining energy efficiency

4 To promote the adoption of energy efficiency products and services available from members of the association

5 To promote opportunities for training in the methodology and technology for sustained achieve-ment of energy and cost saving when utilising energy efficiency products and services available from members of the association

CredentialsCharles Ntsele currently Grinding Manager at Metso Southern Africa obtained his NHD Extraction Metallurgy from the University of Johannesburg in 1994 and has fulfilled various roles such as re-search metallurgist applications engineer process engineer and product manager He is an associate member of the Southern African Institute of Mining amp Metallurgy

Tel (011) 061-5000 Fax 086 688 7005Email mieovdwcoza wwwmieoorgza

COVER STORY

Electricity Consumption by Sector

10 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 11

the project engineer who worked on this project

Future ndash a concept a dream or a wishUsing the technology and engineering knowledge available to make South Africa more sustainable If we could use this know-how to overcome the challenges that the country faces it would be a major breakthrough for the nation

Irsquod also like to see more being done in terms of renewable energy We are for example closely studying further possibilities to use biomass as a fuel to generate steam and electricity in our processes Wersquore also looking at fluidised bed boiler technology so that we can use the

abundance of low-grade coal in the country

Most Challenging ProjectA few years back we did a recovery optimisation project to improve the recovery of by-products from the pulping pro-cess The main product is caustic soda used in the cooking process We installed a new causticizing plant pulp screen-ing plant scrubber and refurbished the fluidised bed reactor The challenge was combining the new plant installation with the refurbishment work all in an existing plant within a very limited time span

Most Rewarding ProjectIt was the installation of an A-4 sheeting and packaging line We bought a second-hand machine in Germany and just to get the machine up and running was a challenge in itself

CommentaryAre there shortcomings in the Mechanical Engineering Industry in South AfricaYes we have a shortage of maintenance professionals When I was at university we were not trained in maintenance at all Mechanical engineering has a major role to play in this field where the scope for improvement in todayrsquos industry is enormous We need to start training in maintenance at an academic level much like some of the universities have now started doing However mentorship and in-house training has a very important role to play as well

Message to young engineersYoung engineers have to take ownership of their own develop-ment and not expect somebody else to do it for them Many young engineers feel the employer owes them something They must get involved at all levels and work their way up so that when theyrsquore the seniors they know what goes on at the lower levels Remember yoursquore never too clever to learn

MONTHLY COLUMN

Prominent ProfessionalsCarel Kruger Engineering Manager

Academic

School Graduate studies Rob Ferreira High School Whiteriver B Eng at University of Pretoria

Post-graduateB Tech degree in Pulp amp Paper Management Development Programme through Unisa Gov-ernment certificate of competence

Professional bodiesRegistered with Ecsa as Pr Eng and Pr Certifi-cated Engineer

Career Path

First employerStarted with Sappi at the Enstra Mill as an engineering trainee after doing national service in the army

Growth pathAfter a few years at Sappi I left to work for a small engineer-ing company for five years I went back to Sappi as a project engineer I was then promoted to a number of positions at Enstra Mill these included maintenance engineer project manager services manager and maintenance manager before I took up my current position

Present employer amp positionSappi Enstra Mill as an engineering manager

AchievementsA projectMost of our work in the maintenance environment involves minimising breakdowns optimising the performance of the equipment and working on continuous improvements to either overcome business challenges or increase the success rate of our production plant One of our teamrsquos notable project was to de-bottleneck the bleach plant The project involved stabilising the pulp consistency control in a refurbished high density chest system At the same time we installed a new feed system into the oxygen reactor

This was a major breakthrough in terms of availability of equipment and the throughput of the plant because of reduced breakdowns and blockages It was a case of applying new technology in a very old plant challenging our engineering skills to the maximum

Any awardsA Sappi internal silver engineering award was given to me and

WErsquoRE ENGINEERED TO SHAREOver R73 billion N rsquo S S E Hrsquo NA E

S

S S S trade T S S

12 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 201314 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 62 May 2012

AXIOM HYDRAULICS (PTY) LTD

HA

Tel (011) 334-3068 334-3086 Fax (011) 334-4543E-mail axiomjhbmwebcoza

SAMHYDRAULIK which is one of the leaders in the field of hydraulictransmission has been operating for over 25 years in the internationalmarket offering a complete range of orbital hydraulic motors and power steering units axial pumps andmotors for medium and highpressure ranges all characterisedby excellent performances

SAMHYDRAULIK employs 120people who operate inside avery modern and efficient plantthat spans over 6 000 squaremetres to assure a high standardand flexible production capacityThe latest computer technologyis used for both design andproduction combined withstrict quality control proceduresduring all production phaseswhich translates into innovativereliable and functionalproducts that meet the various needs of the marketIts ISO 9001 certificationheld since 1994 is theresult of a quality-orientated philosophyon which SAMHYDRAULIKhas always based itsoperation

17 Heidelberg Road Village Main Johannesburg 2000P O Box 260248 Excom South Africa 2023

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 13T

POWER TRANSMISSION

Rossi a power transmission equipment manu-facturer from Modena in Italy did this by establishing the companyrsquos first permanent subsidiary in South Africa ldquoSA Mechanical

Engineerrdquo speaks with the deputy general manager of Rossi South Africa Kyle Dick about the range of new products theyrsquore now offering locally

ldquoInitially Rossi was represented in South Africa through my company DDI Transmissions in Springs as an agent for their comprehensive range of gear-boxes but now operates as a subsidiary for Rossi SPA to service the whole of sub-Saharan Africardquo he explains ldquoThe product range as such is thus not new to the South African market but wersquore of-fering a much wider range incorporating the latest in drive train technology for a wide variety of applica-tionsrdquo

in KwaZulu Natal ldquoNot only is the market in South Africa very similar to the mining industry there but many of the mining companies and major project

houses operate in both countries This made us realise that the South African market could

certainly be expanded from the footprint which Kyle has already established hererdquo

New rangesThe Rossi Group is one of Europersquos larg-est industrial groups for the production and sale of gear reducers gear motors

electric standard and brake motors Kyle comments ldquoThey constantly undertake

extensive research into new drive solu-tions A typical example is the EP range

of planetary units and the H-series of new helical and bevel-helical gear units specifically developed for heavy industry applicationsrdquo

Manufacturers of bulk handling equipment like conveyor systems ship loaders stacker

reclaimers and mine processing machinery are all familiar with Rossi drives and have been direct clients of the company for many years The gear reducers and gear motors include planetary worm coaxial right angle parallel shaft gear reducers and

Italian Gearboxes Now in SA

With South African industry particularly mining being very similar to that of Australia some international companies build up a strong footprint in Australia and then use this

experience to bring their expertise to the South African mining industry as well

The product range as such is thus not new to the South African market but wersquore now offering a much wider range incorporating the latest in drive train technology for a wide variety of applications

roduct s notcan of-er g ne -

Africa very simany of the

houses oprealise t

certaiwhic

NeTheestand

eleccomm

exteti

Ma

Kyle Dick (left) and Marcello Cassanelli of Rossi South Africa

The Rossi range of products has done extremely well in Australia leading to the establishment of a main subsidiary there and three regional officesrdquo says Marcello Cassanelli the other deputy

general manager from Italy who is helping Kyle in the coming years to get the business going at Tongaat

14 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

POWER TRANSMISSION

I prefer to go on site and help out with tricky problems but I also have good experience in gearbox selection a critical factor in todayrsquos market

speed reducers specifically bring flexibility to the market The system is completely modular allowing each solution to be tailor-made to a specific ap-plication yet itrsquos still cost effective as all products emanate from a standard production unit The new H series covers 825 kNm through to 1700 kNm while the EP series can cover up to 3000 kNm

ldquoComplementary and ancillary equipment such as cooling fans coils or independent cooling units oil heaters and labyrinth seals are of an equal qual-ity and toughness as our rugged gear units which are built and customised for the most challenging conditions or environments any industry can pos-sibly presentrdquo Marcello adds The company is so confident in the quality and reliability of their product range that theyrsquore offering a worldwide warranty on all their geared products

Central baseldquoWe based the new South African headquarters in Tongaat because it puts us close to a port for bringing in components so we can assemble geared units more cost-effectivelyrdquo says Kyle ldquoWersquore in the heart of the sugar industry yet right next to an international airport so that wersquore in reach of any-where in Africa within a couple of hours In addition wersquove established a sales office in Johannesburg

ldquoThe fact that Marcello brings to the table his inter-national experience to complement my knowledge of local conditions and requirements gives me the confidence that wersquoll be able to provide the local market with services and products both the end-users and competitors will regard with respectrdquo adds Kyle ldquoTo top this off we have direct support from highly-experienced engineers in Italyrdquo

SelectionKyle is a hands-on man who has worked his way up in the company through the ranks in the workshop on site and in the office ldquoI prefer to go on site and help out with tricky problems but I also have good experience in gearbox selection a critical factor in todayrsquos marketrdquo he says in conclusion

ldquoAlthough most project houses do the selection wersquore always prepared to share our experience with others in order to make the right selection right from the start I am confident that we now have the right product the right facilities in terms of support and the experience to serve the local market with competitive pricingrdquo

Kyle Dick Rossi South Africa Tel (032) 944-3505 Email kyleddirossicoza

gear motors while other standard products are large size parallel and right angle shaft gear reducers and gear motors for heavy duty applications

ExtrasMarcello adds ldquoThe new EP and the H range of

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 15

POWER TRANSMISSION

He kicks off by telling us ldquoIf yoursquore not saving money in the end condition monitoring serves no effective purpose Also if you can

afford the consequence of a failure then you donrsquot need to do condition monitoring A good example is found in the food processing industry where they use hundreds of small pumps throughout a plant Instead of having to monitor all these pumps they now use low-cost plastic pumps which can be replaced quickly without holding up the production processrdquo

Part of asset managementldquoTypically you start the development of the condition monitoring process by determining the companyrsquos

maintenance strategy a process called the RCM (reliability centred maintenance) planrdquo explains Kobus ldquoFirst off a hardware breakdown structure of the whole plant is drawn up and a Failure Mode and Effectsrsquo Criticality Analysis (FMECA) performed so that you can decide which of the machines are critical to the operation of your plant the ones which will bring the whole lot to a halt if they fail

Kobus continues ldquoThrough this process the company can also determine what spares to carry as well as the level and types of skills which will be needed to maintain the critical machines in the plantrdquo

MethodsIdeas Solutions not only assists companies to under-take this initial criticality audit but will also advise which one of the four main condition monitoring technologies is most appropriate for each specific application fit it and analyse the data as part of a maintenance contract

ldquoThe solution could take the form of vibration moni-toring alignment monitoring any one of a number of methods of temperature measurements or oil analysisrdquo clarifies Kobus ldquoIn the case of a gearbox for instance we carry out an oil analysis to check whether there are any particles of the same mate-rial as the bearings or the gear teeth and so on

VibrationldquoIn our experience ninety percent of the machines with high maintenance costs are the ones where vibration is the highestrdquo adds Kobus ldquoBeing a destructive phenomenon the extent of vibration indicates whether the machine is balanced running in alignment and gives insight into the condition of the bearings regardless of the type of bearing

Save on MaintenanceCondition monitoring is an integral part of asset management ultimately impacting directly on a

companyrsquos bottom line not only in terms of reducing the risk of unexpected breakdowns but also affecting

machinery life Deciding on what to monitor and how is a scientific task which should be undertaken by specialists ldquoSA Mechanical Engineerrdquo speaks to

Kobus van der Westhuizen director of Ideas Solutions a South African company specialising in engineering

analysis solutions with offices in Cape Town and Pietermaritzburg

We can predict how close that bearing is to failure

Kobus van der Westhuizen director of Ideas Solutions

The ldquoOperational Deflection Shaperdquo

16 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

less costly exercise than an unexpected failurerdquo Kobus says ldquoYou can then order a replacement bearing in good time and make sure you have the right skills on hand to do the replace-mentrdquo

What to fitBeing such a clear indicator of a number of problems in machinery vibration moni-toring equipment can be fitted in a variety of ways If itrsquos a critical machine permanent vibration protec-tion instrumentation is typi-cally fitted on the machine Such a system monitors the machine in real time while constantly evaluating vibra-tion in terms of bearings alignment or imbalance in the machinery

ldquoOur systems are so refined today that you can not only pinpoint which bearing is showing faults but we can even see which part of that bearing is showing strain and whyrdquo Kobus adds ldquoWe can also programme the system against certain parameters so that it trips the machine when certain levels of vibration are ex-

ceeded This is the highest level of protection we can providerdquo

An interesting development in the deployment of an online monitoring system is the technique called ldquoOperational Deflection Shaperdquo (ODS) analysis This is possible when an online system has the capabil-ity of simultaneously measuring all the channels

Simultaneously measuring all the channels of vibration in real time

POWER TRANSMISSION

ldquoIf for example we find that the load on the bearing remains constant we can predict how close that bearing is to failure and plan when the machine can be shut down for a bearing replacement a much

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 17

of vibration in real time This preserves the phase relationship between channels resulting in a visual representation of the machine vibration It makes it easier to observe analyse and document noise and vibration problems in machinery and structures ODS analysis is used to display and analyse ex-perimental multi-channel time or frequency domain data acquired during the operation of a machine or forced vibration of a structure

This provides an interactive animated display with which users can observe spatially defined data such as operating deflection shapes (ODSs) mode shapes acoustic sound and intensity fields or other engineering data such at temperatures or pressures By animating the spatial response of a structure in slow motion users can view a structurersquos overall motion and the motion of one part relative to another Locations of excessive vibration or high levels of noise are easily identified

Next levelThe next level down is a surveillance system often used in conjunction with a protection system ldquoIn contrast to a protection system the surveillance system provides answers as to why things did go wrongrdquo explains Kobus ldquoIn a fan application for example the system will tell you that vibration has increased yet the signature reading from the machine has remained constant This can be as a result of dust build up on the blades or a blade has broken off causing an imbalance which prompts the protection system to stop the machine The system will even tell you which blade has been affected by the faultrdquo

The surveillance system can also be used on its own but still in an online mode ldquoThis feature is used to trend parameters leaving the decision to stop a machine at the discretion of the maintenance engineerrdquo explains Kobus ldquoThese online solutions can either be wired or wireless transmitting data from each sensor to the receivers on the system The data is then channelled to whomever needs it in his or her format of choicerdquo

Options for allOn smaller plants that cannot afford an online sys-tem less critical machinery data from machinery is collected by hand and transferred to a computer for analysis either by the maintenance engineer or under a maintenance contract to an engineer at Ideas Solutions

ldquoItrsquos no longer in question the fact that condition monitoring saves companies money has been proved over and over again if itrsquos done rightrdquo Kobus says in conclusion ldquoCondition monitoring regardless of the

The fact that condition monitoring saves companies money has been proved over and over again if itrsquos done right

POWER TRANSMISSION

extent to which it is integrated on a plant should be part of every companyrsquos maintenance strategyrdquo

Kobus van der Westhuizen Ideas Solutions Tel 082 552-4790 Email kobusideas-onlinecozawwwideas-onlinecoza

18 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

Empowering Municipal Engineers

Corruption and tenderpreneurship fraud financial mismanagement lack of understanding of technical issues

priorities difficulties with job creation and skills shortages are just some of the challenges that face municipal engineers in South

Africa

Name and shameCESA unreservedly supports the call for the banning of public servants from doing business with the state including dealstenders with another department or municipality

ldquoWhat is at stake is not the rights of state employees to do business but rather the integrity of the state procurement system The current public procurement environ-ment in the construction sector is highly complex and conducive to corruption and manipulationrdquo warns CESA President Naren Bhojaram

The problem is further compounded by the lack of accountability and punishment for procurement irregularities and wasteful expenditureldquoThe country has good rules but no-one is playing by themrdquo he adds

CESA believes that it is irresponsible and foolhardy to place employees in positions where they can (or are tempted to) manipu-late procurement and other procedures to unfairly benefit themselves at the expense of the statetaxpayer

CESA

Unqualified people should be discouraged from trying to do the job of the municipal engineer

CESA President Naren Bhojaram

Consulting En-gineers South Africa (CESA) President Na-

ren Bhojaram believes that if South Africa is serious about the empowerment of properly-qualified municipal

engineers it should invest in various interventions such as

training development and ca-pacitating of young engineers for

employment by the local authorities and make the municipal engineering

profession attractive

Currently municipal planning is done rather superficially and only a real municipal engi-

neer and a competent team of visionary planners can sort that out

CESA calls for the embracing of the municipal engineer as a trusted ad-visor as well as creating a working environment to attract and retain municipal engineers The munici-pal engineers must be incentivised (long term employment purpose in life emoluments respect and freedom) and unqualified people

should be discouraged from trying to do the job of the municipal engineer

Stumbling BlockInfrastructure deliveryrsquos biggest stumbling block is the lack of business integrity which involves among other things socialising with clients conflict of interest use of agents and partners collusion and bribery and the disregard of procurement regulations

CESA strongly urges structural changes to the way in which municipal engineers operate including the abandonment of long-term employment contracts for key technical and managerial staff Tender and

bid evaluation committees must include technical legal and financial executives in joint sittings and professional teams must be allowed to compile reports in an independent manner on tenders for the bid evaluation committees

The South African procurement legislation should include a Bribery and Corruption Act such as the UK Bribery Act of 2010 enabling the Courts to prosecute corruption and related issues more ef-fectively as well as the naming and shaming of firms contravening the requirements of the Act

Consulting Engineers South Africa (CESA) Graham Pirie Tel (011) 463-2022Email gspiriecesacoza wwwcesacoza

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 19

ldquoSA Mechanical Engineerrdquo speaks to Willie Muller general manager at KDP Services about the modernisation of old hydraulic machinery ldquoIn terms of upgrading wersquove just

done extensive work at a steel mill to re-design

and implement new technology on a large 1 200 tonne cutting press and a shredding machinerdquo he explains ldquoBoth the machines were imported from Germany originally but have lately started picking up problems seriously hampering production flow

ldquoAfter consulting with the supplierrsquos engineers the problems persisted and the client then called us in to investigaterdquo Willie says ldquoWe found that the hydraulics on both these old machines were outdated but could be updated with new tech-nology rather than replacing the old pumps and valves with costly new imported OEM components

New Life for Old Machines

Very often the spare parts for old machinery imported and installed twenty or more years ago is hard to come by and if it is available

it costs an arm and a leg to import If the problem happens to be hydraulic there is

a local hydraulics company that specialises in updating systems so that local easily-available spares can be used to keep the machine going for many years to come

Willie Muller general manager at KDP Services

CNC machining

Overhauled cylinders ready for delivery

Large cylinder

Hydraulic motor of all makes and sizes are serviced

HYDRAULICS amp PNEUMATICS

Analyse the operation and specifically the machinersquos function in situ before returning to the drawing board to redesign the hydraulic system for better functionality

20 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

New technologyAs the designer in the company

Willie goes out to analyse the operation and specifically the machinersquos function

in situ before returning to the drawing board to redesign the hydraulic system for better

functionality This provides the opportunity not only to introduce the latest technology into the upgrade but also to ensure that easily available local components are used He adds ldquoSince our upgrade the shear which can cut through a 150 by 300mm block of steel in one cut has been run-ning smoothly with none of the previous problems cropping up againrdquo

Similarly the shredding machine where a whole vehicle is fed in one end and comes out in pieces of scrap metal the other end has also been up-graded to run consistently ever since Willie adds ldquoThrough this success wersquove now not only landed the maintenance and service contracts for this mill but theyrsquove asked us to audit the entire plant to investigate other hydraulic systems which can be improved Wersquove already re-designed one of the production lines to introduce an integrated fully automated operationrdquo

First projectWillie might be young but he has worked with KDP since his student days gaining invaluable hands-on experience in all aspects of hydraulic work from the owner of the company Karel Podges ldquoOne of my first projects as a student was designing the hydraulic system for a container lifting and tilting machine used in steel mills to collect and handle scrap metalrdquo he recalls as we come across the remnants of the prototype when we walk in the yard behind the workshop ldquoThis is probably what got me hooked on hydraulics because nothing of the sort existed and I had to design it from scratch around a structure someone else had builtrdquo

Inside the workshop we find engineering equipment ranging from lathes to modern CNC machines all humming away as hydraulic components are turned out of a variety of metals At the hose crimping machine Willie points out the neat final product for a custom-made installation theyrsquore doing One of KDPrsquos specialities is hydraulic motor overhaul-ing which is evident when we see several large Hagglunds drives in various stages of repair in the drive section of the workshop

TestingFinally we get to the test-bench area where a large cylinder is under test for leaks before being taken apart for a complete overhaul ldquoOne of the biggest mistakes generally made when it comes to hydraulic equipment is that people think they can treat the hydraulic components roughly just because they are big and ruggedrdquo Willie remarks ldquoThey lose sight of the fact that dirt is the biggest enemy and they donrsquot take the necessary care to keep the oil or equipment clean causing irreparable damage to seals and delicate surface areas in a systemrdquo

One of the main advantages of KDP is that they are not officially tied up with a specific brand of hydraulic equipment allowing them to work on and supply any make on the market Willie concludes ldquoIn addition wersquore a small company where you learn and get the opportunity to work on all types of applications So each and every problem big or small is tackled with great personal attention to detailrdquo

Willie Muller KDP Services Tel (011) 392-5750 Email williekdp-servicescoza

That people think they can treat the hydraulic components roughly just because they are big and rugged

HYDRAULICS amp PNEUMATICS

The full MontyHydraulic system design from the circuit to pumps motors and all the necessary connecting piping are designed in-house at the 22-year old com-pany ldquoWe design the complete circuit specifying all the components necessary to achieve certain functionsrdquo explains Willie ldquoSimilarly all engineer-ing is undertaken in-house except the honing and chroming of shafts when we overhaul cylinder sets New cylinders are manufactured from tubing and shafts which have already been prepared

ldquoIn terms of piping wersquove built up a good name in many industries both in new installations during maintenance shutdowns or when a fixed installa-tion needs to be movedrdquo he adds ldquoNot only do we design the layout but we physically carry out the installation work ourselves especially when it is a stainless steel pipe installation that requires argon welding to fit the fittingsrdquo

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 21

Compressed Air at Work

Pneumatic systems are extensively used in industry where factories are commonly plumbed with

compressed air or compressed inert gases This is because a centrally-located and electrically-powered

compressor which powers cylinders and other pneumatic devices through solenoid valves is often

able to provide motive power in a cheaper safer more flexible and more reliable manner than electric motors

and actuators

Premium brandApplied Pneumatics established 22 years ago is a South African distributor of Parker Hannifin products ldquoAt a time when everyone is increasingly becoming aware of the benefits of buying premium products which last longer and have proven to be value for money Parker has come up with new innovations which extend this value even furtherrdquo says Dave

ldquoTake valves for example Most low-cost valves are throw-away items which are discarded completely if something goes wrong Our premium valves which cost a bit more initially are serviceable This means we can repair and service them at a fraction of the cost of even a cheap complete unit

ldquoIf the premium repairable valve breaks for in-stance itrsquos quick and easy to strip it right there and then fit new parts and have it up and running in no time as opposed to having to order and wait for a complete replacement unitrdquo adds Dave ldquoAll you need to have in stock are a couple of O-rings for the different valves in a systemrdquo

SA Mechanical Engineerrdquo visits a company in Randburg aptly named Applied Pneumat-ics to speak to managing director Dave McNair ldquoIn a pneumatics application we

supply everything beyond the compressor This includes everything down the line the filtration system water traps regulators and then the lubrication system before you get to the actual application which could be a cylinder control valves actuators or even solenoid valves for the control of liquid flows in a process We also do vacuum applications where suction cups pick objects up to move them aboutrdquo

From left Andrew Livesey applications engineer at Applied Pneumatics Teven McNair sales and Dave McNair managing director

Range includes pneumatic cylinders and actuators valves and logic processing air preparation equipment as well as a whole host of other pneumatic components and accessories

The Parker range of pneumatic equipment includes actuator and motors

HYDRAULICS amp PNEUMATICS

22 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

New conceptSimilarly the air prepa-ration systems from Parker are of a modular design and fully repair-able so that just worn or damaged compo-nents can be replaced ldquoThey have now taken this even furtherrdquo says Dave ldquoA new concept in regulators the Modu-flex clip technology system has just been released No special tools in fact no span-ners at all are needed

to take the unit apart to replace a filter element for instance You sim-ply clip the unit apart by hand replace the

element and clip it together again within a minute

ldquoOn a forklift for example the glass bowl of the air preparation unit is often damaged when the forklifts bump into some-thingrdquo elaborates Dave ldquoOn a low-cost throw-away unit yoursquod have to carry a spare unit to replace the whole unit With the new technology howev-er you simply clip off the damaged part to zap a new one into place In terms of cylinders and actuators the latest development is self-lubricating seals which require no additional lubri-cation whatsoeverrdquo

One of the main drawbacks of pneumatics over hydraulics is that a pneumatic cylinder has to be much larger than a hydraulic cylinder in order to deliver the same power However this does not rule out using pneumatics in heavier applications especially underground where the use of air is generally safer and cleaner than hydraulic oils in the first place

UndergroundldquoA while back we were approached by a platinum mine to design a pneumatic system to open and close underground tipsrdquo Andrew explains ldquoTo prevent people from falling into the ore tip it had to be closed with a heavy steel lid between off-loading operations We not only designed a suit-able pneumatic system but also took part in the installation on various levels all the way down to three kilometres undergroundrdquo

Like many other products there are cheap and nasty pneumatic products on the market and cost is not always an indication of inferiority ldquoThe safe route is to always buy from reputable companies who have been around for a long time and who trade in well-known brandsrdquo Dave says in conclusion ldquoSerious consideration should also be given to the repairability of the equipment Itrsquos no use installing a low cost system which has to be replaced regu-larly while another could last a lifetime if properly looked afterrdquo

Dave Mc Nair Applied pneumatics Tel (011) 792-3381 Email davenappliedpneumaticscoza

No special tools in fact no spanners at all are needed to take the unit apart to replace a filter element for instance

HYDRAULICS amp PNEUMATICS

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 23

TICK

ER T

APE

POWER GENERATION

PROMECH PUBLISHINGTel (011) 781-1401Fax (011) 781-1403Email samechengpromechcozaWebsite wwwpromechcozaManaging Editor Susan CustersEditorial Kowie HammanAdvertising Mark BennettCirculation Catherine MacdivaDTP Zinobia Docrat Donovan VadivaluDisclaimerPROMECH Publishing does not take responsibility for the opinions expressed by individuals

CopyrightAll rights reserved No editorial matter published in ldquoPower Generation Todayrdquo may be reproduced in any form or language without written per-mission of the publishers While every effort is made to ensure accurate reproduction the editor authors publishers and their employees or agents shall not be responsible or in any way liable for any errors omissions or inaccuracies in the publication whether arising from negligence or otherwise or for any consequences aris-ing therefrom The inclusion or exclusion of any product does not mean that the publisher or editorial board advocates or rejects its use either gener-ally or in any particular field or fields

POWERGENERATION

TODAY

Harnessing the Powers of the Ocean

Luciano Garcia-Baylleres COO at HAE

Tidal power has long been utilised as an energy resource used early on in tidal mills to grind grain throughout the Middle Ages More recently it has also been used to generate electricity for instance in the 240 MW tidal barrages at La Rance France Tidal currents however are still largely an untapped energy source While several marine current turbine prototypes

have been tested in the last few years there are only a few of these prototypes deployed to generate electrical power to smaller communities

mainly to demonstrate the viability of the technology

There is currently a renewed interest in using the ocean to generate electric-ity using both traditional hydropower technologies and new hydrokinetic

technologies This interest is being spurred on by official and private initiatives to promote the development of cleaner energy sources and diversification of energy supplies through use of alternative and renewable sources

Tidal energyTidal energy projects hold the promise of producing indigenous renewable predictable electricity without greenhouse gas emissions and with higher power densities in terms of power output per unit area than either solar photovoltaic or wind projects

The International Finance Corporation (IFC) the World Bankrsquos private-sector lending arm is partner-ing with Sasfin Bank to develop a portfolio of energy efficiency and renewable-energy financial products for small medium-sized and microenterprises (SMMEs) in South Africa

Alstom South Africa and the South African Nuclear Energy Corporation (Necsa) have signed an agreement under which the local branch of the French power generation power transmission and rail infrastructure

group will invest R8-million in buying equipment for the new coded welding centre being established at Necsarsquos Nuclear Skills Development (NSD)

The operation and maintenance (OampM) costs of wind farms in South Africa were expected to be in the mid-range of the international market Mott MacDonald consultant Matthias Vinard has reported adding that OampM costs ranged from euro28kW a year to euro68kW a year in international markets

24 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

ocean currents driven for instance by thermal gradients or differences in salinity Along the South African east coast the Agulhas Current is one of the most consistent sea currents in the world and this area has now been identified as the ideal spot to test technology developed by an American company Hydro Alternative Energy (HAE) from Florida USA

Current plans with the local gov-ernment of eThekwini Municipality in Durban supporting the concept of a hydrokinetic energy project off the cityrsquos coast calls for HAE to

initially develop a $20 million 1MW demonstration unit utilising the companyrsquos Oceanus technology to generate electric power from the Agulhas current flowing past the city Additional units each with an anticipated electric power generation capacity of 8 megawatts may then be built and likewise be submerged approximately 30 metres below sea level to prevent interference with shipping traffic

ldquoSA Mechanical Engineerrdquo has a QampA session with Luciano Garcia-Baylleres the Chief Operation Of-ficer (COO) of HAE about the project

Q Some background on HAEA HAE founded in March 2009 is an emerging independent power provider (ldquoIPPrdquo) focused on utilising hydrokinetic and other power develop-ment sources to generate electric power worldwide safely cost-effectively reliably and profitably with minimal or no ecological impact

Our business model provides for utilising certain of our own proprietary technology identifying and locating existing and new technologies and when appropriate partnering with others for our power development and generation needs

Q The South Africa connection with the companyA Research by our technical department identified several places throughout the world as optimal for the initial deployment and commercialisation of our technology After extensive research of each location

POWER GENERATIONTI

CKER

TA

PE

Tidal energy projects may also be useful in lsquofilling in the gapsrsquo in generating power from other intermit-tent energy sources such as wind farms

Marine current energy conversion concerns the po-tential generation of electricity from kinetic energy of freely-flowing water This contrasts with tradi-tional hydro power like a dam where the amount of energy extracted from a river is dependent on the head between the reservoir and the water level below the dam

A similar hydro power approach can in fact be used for tidal power in areas with high tides In this case a barrage can be constructed in a nar-row bay or estuary to utilise the head between low and high water

Consistent currentAnother way to generate electricity from water would be to convert the kinetic energy of flowing water similar to the way a wind turbine extracts energy from the wind In such a case a dam or reservoir is not necessary but rather sites are chosen where the currents are strong such as a narrow sound straight estuary around a headland or in a river

The term lsquomarine currentrsquo constitutes any kind of water current be it tidal unregulated rivers or other

Flow anlysis carried out for current simulations

Another way to generate electricity from water would be to convert the kinetic energy of flowing water similar to the way a wind turbine extracts energy from the wind

Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) MD Noah Gwariro says the state-owned company needs at least $300-million to refurbish thermal power stations in Bulawayo Harare and Munyati and to increase their generation capacities

The planned Karuma hydropower project will have capacity to generate 700MW

and is one of the high-priority projects in Ugandarsquos National Development Plan

The State-owned Ethiopian Electric Power Corporation (EEPCo) has signed a $120-million contract with UK-based company Canbridge Industries for the construction of a 50 MW waste-to-energy power plant

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 25

POWER GENERATION

The components of a sea current power gererating system

The Aghullas current and eThekwini Municipality with their infrastructure qualified human resource and an approach to facilitating large scale green projects was the appropriate site for this first endeavour

How the energy is harnessed

and all the surrounding benefits apart from the presence of good quality currents such as politi-cal stability port infrastructure and focus on green projects we determined that South Africa with its infrastructure qualified human resource and an approach to facilitating large scale green projects was the appropriate site for our first endeavour

Q Background on what the project is all aboutA OceanusTM our first power generation system which we are currently developing and which utilises much of our own proprietary technology is planned to harness the kinetic energy of the ocean to produce safe clean reliable cost-effective electric power

Oceanus will consist of two primary modules the amplification module (the shroud) and the engine module The shroud is a housing that will multiply the normal incoming water flow to a faster velocity as it passes through the engine module generat-ing more kinetic energy This will in turn result in potentially greater electrical power generation capability as well as potentially increased usable offshore locations worldwide

Velocity is the major factor which dictates the hydrokinetic energy that can be extracted from water Within the hydrokinetic energy sector of the renewable andor clean energy industry we have seen that research and development has generally focused on developing energy generation technolo-gies for environments that can only work in very high water velocity environments such as 3 4 5 metres per second While these areas of extreme water velocity are very high in hydrokinetic energy they only exist in a very small percentage of the worldrsquos waters

Our goal is to provide electric power to locations

Shroud

Engine module

Combine modular design

worldwide utilising the kinetic energy in lsquotypicalrsquo water conditions Our current design specifications have a base need of 1 metre per second of water

26 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

POWER GENERATION

flow which by amplifying the velocity is planned to produce 1MW of power This design specification once successfully tested may then be adapted into higher velocity waters As most locations in the world have lower velocity waters a turbine designed to work in 3 4 or 5 metres per second water flows will not work in waters that have velocities of 1-2 metres per second

Q How does it workA The theory behind the development of the system is quite basic having been previously used in other energy production systems such as wind and tidal energy generation Basically the engine is composed of an energy extraction system such as but not limited to our perpendicular access turbine a gorlov turbine a darrieus turbine and an Axial turbine

The other module is the shroud which handles two functions serving as an accelerator of the water ve-locity thus increasing the amount of kinetic energy that can be extracted Secondly it houses the engine protecting marine life from direct contact with the tip of the blades Also Oceanus is designed to be positively buoyant and either secured to the ocean floor or to float at a certain predetermined depth while moored to the ocean floor utilising the same techniques that are currently used in mooring floating oil rigs buoys or floating windmill systems

Q How will it work in KZNA There will be a demonstration unit initially and then we will start the commercial phase by entering into the normal contracts and procedures for energy generation in the country This entails a very large investment from our company where we will focus on potentially buildingassembling the units in Durban thus taking advantage of the excellent and qualified infrastructure it has

Q Who is involved locallyA We have no partners as far as investors or concerns as yet on the South African project but we are not against this possibility in the future From the facilita-tion point of view we have received a lot of support from Derek Morgan at the eThekwini Energy Office and Russell Curtis at DIPA each with their respective teams and other government offices that have been very forthcoming with information and support

Q What equipment does it use ndash where will this be madeA We have already scouted several facilities in Durbanrsquos ship building industry as well as other possible suppliers ranging from the maritime indus-try financial sector to legal consultants in order to make sure that we are in compliance with all regulations and that our perception of excellence from the South African maritime industry is in fact there

Q At what stage is the project nowA The project is currently at an initial logistics stage where we are looking at a more site specific design for the demonstration unit At the same time we are gathering all the information with our lawyers and possible suppliers for the norms procedures permits and licences necessary to comply with local and national regulations

Q Where will power go to A From our initial discussions with the regulatory bodies this energy can be locally distributed and then taken up by the grid as needed This will de-pend on the results of the demonstration unit and the first commercial unit operation which we are confident will exceed expectations

Q Are there sceptics criticsA As discussed before the basic technology has been used in other sectors of the energy generation industry what is being developed by us is the ef-ficient shroud and the maintenance systems which include buoyancy controls and depth determination in order to locate the most efficient current

Q Are there any future plans from your company for South Africa in particularA We believe that we have a good relationship with eThekwini municipality and once we fulfil our project with KZN we would then consider further expansion throughout South Africa

Q What about the other parts of AfricaA Eastern Africa in general presents very good conditions for our technology but for now we are going to concentrate our efforts on deploying this endeavour in South Africa before entertaining new opportunities

Luciano Garcia-Baylleres COO at HAE Tel 561-900-7200 EmailLgarciaHAE-USAcom wwwHAE-USAcom

We will focus on potentially building assembling the units in Durban thus taking advantage of the excellent and qualified infrastructure it has

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 27

POWER GENERATION NEWS

MTN has announced that it has entered into a com-mercial arrangement to sell its carbon credits to EDF Trading in an industry first The credits will be pro-duced by MTNrsquos tri-generation plant at 14th Avenue Of-fice Park in Fairland Johannesburg

EDF Trading is a whol-ly-owned subsidiary of Electriciteacute de France SA one of the largest compliance buyers covered by the European Union Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS)

The carbon credit project utilises a Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) meth-odology developed by MTN approved by the United Nations Framework Con-vention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) It is currently in the process of being registered with the UNFCCC Once registered MTN will sell the carbon credits from the project to EDF Trading

The project will make use of the MTN energy-efficient 2MW tri-generation plant at its Fairland office park Tri-generation is the concurrent production of electric-ity heating and cooling which provides

Carbon Credits power hot wa-ter space heat-

ing and cooling for air conditioning

from a single source

Egoli gas is used for the operation

sourced from the Sasol pipeline in Mozambique

The plant displaces grid electricity from Eskom

reducing greenhouse gas emissions and providing up to 85

efficiency on fuel The excess heat at some 400degC is captured

and used to supply heating and to operate an absorption chiller which creates cool water that is used to power an extensive air-conditioning system

Natural gas is clean burning and offers a consistent supply but simply using this to generate electricity would have been too expensive The saving achieved by capturing the waste heat combined with the additional revenue from the sale of the carbon credits however makes the project economically viablerdquo

Promethuim Robbie Louw Tel (011) 706-8185 Email Robbiepromethiumcozawwwpromethuimcoza

Countries across South East Asia Africa and the Middle East have been amending their regulatory frameworks and embarking on privatisation as many of them are in serious need of external fund-ing to ensure that their respective electricity industries are capable of dealing with the inevitable surge in demand The cumulative installed power capacity for these regions according to 2012 estimates will be 212 Gigawatts (GW) However this figure is expected to shoot up to 349 GW by 2020 climbing at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 64

Emerging Power Markets

Rising industrialisa-tion ever-increasing population figures and growing economies all point to an electrical future that most infra-structure systems are currently incapable of handling Therefore to achieve greater in-dustry efficiency and encourage competition governments across this region are opening up their electricity markets and increasing private sector participation The region will have to invest heavily in order to

increase its installed capacity and improve its existing infrastructure

Transmission networks in many of these countries are already under tremendous pressure to supply power without interruption and many new transmission projects are already underway or in the pipeline Therefore energy policy reforms are set to open the doors and create positive opportunities for growth in in the near future this according to Jonathan Cain of GBI Research

GBI ResearchJonathan Cain Tel +44 1204 543 533 Emailjcaingbiresearchcom wwwgbiresearchcom

28 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

POWER GENERATION NEWS

With Gensler Architects Aurecon has completed the design on the faccedilade of what will be Chinarsquos tallest building At 632m the Shanghai Centre is more than 100m taller than the recently-completed Shanghai Financial Centre and is designed as a sustainable eco-tower that sets a new benchmark not only for the region but also the world

Sustainable green features include tri-

Bioclimatic buildingGreywater recycling systems lo-cated at basement and at mid-level have been installed to collect greywater generated from lavatory or bathtub for reuse reducing potable water demand for the office tower by about 40

The ice storage system shifts part of the peak electricity demand of the chillers into the night modeoff peak operation Storage capacity is 26 400 Refrigerant Ton (RT) which reduces about 30 of the summit demand by about 3 through this ice cooling storage system and save up to the yearly energy cost for the user

A large volume water deluge system with rotational nozzles

installed at mid-level of the atria deliv-ers a large volume and accurate water spray onto fire with the assistance of Infra-red detection to lock the exact location and very early warning smoke detection apparatus system

A double curtain wall design provides better control on solar energy entering the tower building resulting in energy saving

Aerecon Group Jody Boshoff Tel (012) 427-2066 Email JodyBoshoffaurecongroupcomwwwaurecongroupcom

generation plant consisting of two sets of 11MW natural gas turbine generating electricity

chilled water hot water and heating water Simultaneous heat recovery of the hot flue gas produced from the tur-bines reduces carbon dioxide by 49 compared with the regular electrical cooling system

15 nos of 3kW vertical axis wind turbines (VAWTs) on the roof provide 157 500 kWh of clean and renewable electricity annually

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 29

Willem Sullivan of HansenA better artificial heart for people who are not eligible for natural heart transplants

Jean Schoeman of National Oilwell Varco My own jet aeroplane

Chris Coetzee of Resonant SolutionsThe problem in industry is practical engineering experience Young engineers donrsquot get the opportunity to learn the practical stuff Irsquod start an academy which teaches the practical side where you can learn from your mistakes Unfortunately mistakes cost money but if you have all the money in the world they can afford to learn from mistakes

In your book what is the most pivotal invention ever

Elbie Cornelius of National Oilwell Varco The computer

Chris Coetzee of Resonant SolutionsI canrsquot see how you can run a business without cellphones

Rudolph Beer of Martin EngineeringThe wheel

Willem Sullivan of HansenFor me personally Excel Without it my world will be dull and lifeless For the world at large Electricity because without it Excel will not be possible

Jean Schoeman of National Oilwell Varco The personal computer

OPINION

On his rounds Kowie Hamman our Editor is conducting an informal survey on the lighter side of engineering We follow up from last month with three pertinent questions

Soapbox

What do you think of computers and the digital world

Elbie Cornelius of National Oilwell Varco Awesome changing our world

Chris Coetzee of Resonant SolutionsNinety percent of all engineering is done using computers but if you rely solely on them yoursquove missed the plot because you always have to verify results by going back into the field to test what yoursquove done on the computer

Rudolph Beer of Martin EngineeringYou canrsquot do without them

Willem Sullivan of HansenIt is where I do all my design work So if it was not for computers we would be decades behind in terms of what we can do I absolutely love it

Greg Perry of SEWThey have definitely made things faster but the en-gineer still needs to understand the theory and pay attention to the detail or you make mistakes faster

Jean Schoeman of National Oilwell Varco Very useful until they give problems Then you just want to hit them with a hammer But the digital world has managed to speed up the communica-tion of information

If you had all the money in the world what would you design

Elbie Cornelius of National Oilwell Varco A solar and wind power station to supply the whole continent with electricity

Rudolph Beer of Martin EngineeringDevelop the safe harvesting of atomic energy

30 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

ldquoSA Mechanical Engineerrdquo speaks to Dave Goodman managing director of Spectra Car-bide Tooling Technology in Cape Town about the various management models they have

developed specifically to control tooling ldquoOur tool management systems were developed through our involvement with some of the major automotive OEMs in South Africardquo he says ldquoThe management system where we take over full control of the tool-ing facility on the premises has been running for twelve years now at some of these plants

Systems for allldquoBut these systems are not only for OEMs and

large operationsrdquo Dave remarks ldquoTo meet dif-ferent requirements we now have four levels of management systems on offer each requiring a different level of active involvement from our side This varies from purely holding stock to supply for a customerrsquos specific needs right through to taking over full control of tooling by having a permanent on-site office manned by fulltime Spectra staffrdquo

A typical level 4 operation with a Spectra team permanently stationed on the customerrsquos premises will be equipped with a fully-computerised store inventory system to control the purchasing of all tooling from spindle to point ldquoThe team will control all the new stock and used tools by negotiating and dealing with tier two suppliers as wellrdquo explains sales manager Wayne Williams ldquoThey are also responsible for presetting tools ready for produc-tion as well as collecting and delivering tools to and from the machines in addition to providing technical support 7 days a week 24 hours a day

BenefitsOne of the cost saving benefits for the customer is less administration because the Spectra team consolidates all invoices so the customer receives

Managing ToolingIn most machine shops the tooling is usually under lock and key to limit access to high-value tool inserts such as end-mills drills reamers and burrs Even so many companies suffer considerable losses as these costly tools get lost are pilfered or are misused because there isnrsquot a proper

management system in place over and above lock and key to control who takes what from the store

To meet different requirements we now have four levels of management on offer each requiring a different level of active involvement from our side

Managing machine tools saves money

Dave Goodman managing director of Spectra Carbide Tooling Technology

MATERIAL SELECTION

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 31

one invoice per month In addition the customer has a highly skilled specialist in-house on tap to provide technical assistance for all tooling drilling tapping milling boring gundrilling honing and line boring on CNC and conventional machines ldquoFrom the management system we can draw extensive reporting for the customer regarding the costs per unit manufactured We produce monthly graphs for trending as well as daily incident reports on tool breakages weekly costs on scrapped tools and we also work out action plans to reduce scrap and improve up-time of the machinesrdquo Wayne adds

In essence this value-add for the customer allows preventative action which ultimately saves the customer money Dave explains ldquoGiven the skills shortage out there no company can afford the personnel purely to manage the machine shop in so much detail With this system we not only fill the skills-gap by integrating with the company but we add value to the company so that they can focus on what they manufacturerdquo

New product developmentIntegration into the customersrsquo operation has proved particularly beneficial when it comes to new product developments Wayne elaborates ldquoWersquore always up to date with the latest technology in tooling and know what can be done in the best possible way Usually it will take a machine shop a while to select the right tooling and method to produce

a new part but with our experts right there on site they can be assured of finding the most suitable solution using the right tooling from the startrdquo

Vending systemOn a lower level of tool management where the operation does not justify a permanent Spectra team on site the company has a tooling vending machine solution ldquoAll the tooling is stored in a vending machine and access to draw the tools out of the machine is controlled by a card or finger-print readerrdquo explains Dave ldquoSuch a system does however have a reporting function which allows the customer to draw the machining cost against each specific job

ldquoThis system has proved popular in South Africa because it can be customised to control the specific functions relevant to each customerrdquo adds David ldquoPart and parcel of this cost-saving solution is training the customer on how best to utilise the system for his needs be it purely controlling the use of tooling or integrating reporting and costing into the business system of the companyrdquo

Wayne Williams Spectra Tel (011) 827-8957 Email waynewspectra-sacoza

From the management system we can draw extensive reporting for the customer regarding the costs per unit manufactured

Special carbide drills reamers end mills and special inserts are manufactured in South Africa

MATERIAL SELECTION

32 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 33

Cubitron can be used to finish profile and or polish materials with high tensile strengths and is particularly useful to extend the lifetime of belts and discs in industrial environments

where hard materials are the order of the dayrdquo

Consistent cutFinishes are little changed through the entire dura-tion of a Cubitron belt from new to completely worn out The secret is that the cutting edges wear in a controlled manner This means that the tiny indi-vidual scratches are the same when the belt is first

put on until it is worn and ready for replacement

ldquoThere are a multitude of cutting edges on each individual grain of the extremely hard ceramic based grain As the grain wears new cutting edges are exposed in a predictable and measured manner to ensure that a consistent action is applied to the surfacerdquo she adds

Using the same ceramic platform 3M developed Cubitron II providing even better results than its predecessor 3M engineers were able to electrostati-cally orient triangular precision shaped ceramic grain acting like a cutting tool This means that the grain slices through metal as opposed to grinding and continuously self-sharpens as points break off This results in discs and belts running cooler and longer The Cubitron II technology is applied in

Starting from Scratch

SURFACE FINISHING

ldquoTo scratch the surface as the saying goes of most modern materials and coatings is not as easy as it used to be Thatrsquos why we developed Cubitron Abrasive Grainrdquo says Kelly Hunt

sales and marketing manager of 3M

34 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

Scratccchingg thhe surfface of abrasivvves ttecchnnologgy is too oopen a compplex sccience

SURFACE FINISHING

belt fibre disc and Roloc form offer-ing a unique solution for wide range of grinding needs

Scratching the surfaceKelly is an abrasives fanatic She says scratching the surface of abrasives technology is to open a complex sci-ence Analysis of different materials and techniques of cutting or finishing has in recent years become a necessity as materials develop and advance Bonding of abrasive onto materials for discs and belts is also more complex than before as manufacturing becomes automated and the tolerance for down-time reduces

But for the average operator technician or engineer it is not so much a matter of what goes into the development of a product but rather finding the solution that suits the intended process The minimum requirement is for a product to perform reliably over an extended period of time and to produce the right finish

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 35

Sometimmess a less expeeensiive buuut mmooree suitaaablee abbrasssivee ccaan give bettterr reesulttss

SURFACE FINISHING

ldquoUsing the abrasives to determine a finish can be as simple or as com-plicated as the producer of finished goods chooses to make it With so many choices available in the market we recommend that industrial users iden-tify the requirements of the abrasive and then speak to trained service technicians from suppliers such as 3M

Not about priceldquoPrice is not always the determining factor Some-times a less expensive but more suitable abrasive can give better results and in other instances the use of cheaper materials in the wrong application may be costly as materials will need to be replaced more oftenrdquo

Kelly recommends that us-ers of industrial abrasives take the time to research new products and as-sess their suitability for their processes ldquoYoursquoll be surprised that some of the new abrasives can do the job better and in half the time than older technology abrasives canrdquo she concludes

3M Dylan Ian Hunter Tel (011) 806-2186 Email dhuntermmmcom www3Mcom

36 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

IT TRENDS

ldquo M o b i l e c o m p u t i n g

continues to grow and alongside other IT trends

such as cloud computing social technologies and the era of big data It is going to play a pivotal role in the IT industry this year In factrdquo Derick adds

Mobile Computing

Mobile computing is growing momentously and is set to account for as much as 57 of worldwide T market growth in 2013 says Derick Roberts CEO of TruTeq Devices a Pretoria-based

company focusing on wireless connectivity solutions

ldquoit is going to account for the lionrsquos share of growth ndash even more than the cloud computingrdquo

The IDC predicts that worldwide IT spending will exceed $21 trillion up 57 from 2012 The research company also states that mobility will be the biggest driver Sales of smart mobile devices including smart phones and tablets is expected to grow by 20 and will contribute a significant 57 of all IT growth Excluding smart mobile devices IT industry growth will clock in at only 29

Truteq Devices Derick Roberts Tel (012) 667-1530 wwwtruteqdevicescom

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 37

ELECTRIC DRIVE

The technology performance and design of the Cigarette powerboat is closely based on the electric super sports vehicle made in Affalterbach Germany

The 116 metre long Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept powerboat uses two drive units each featuring six independent electric motors At the rear of the boat each drive unit has its own trans-mission one on the left and one on the right The boat is fitted with the twelve compact liquid-cooled permanent-magnet synchronous electric motors which are the signature piece of the SLS AMG Coupeacute Electric Drive each electric motor delivers 138 kW and 250 Newton metres

The maximum output of 1 656 Kilowatts and maximum torque of 3 000 Newton metres combine to reach a staggering top speed of over 160 kmh making this locally emission-free Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept the worlds fastest electri-cally driven powerboat The low centre of gravity and optimum weight distribution ensure sublime

The Worlds Most Powerful Powerboat

handling characteristics during more dynamic changes of direction

The high-voltage battery boasts an energy content of 60 Kilowatt hours an electric load potential of 600 Kilowatts and a weight of 548 kg ndash all of which are absolute best values in the automotive sector The liquid-cooled lithium-ion high-voltage battery features a modular design with a maximum voltage of 400 V It consists of 12 modules each comprising 72 lithium-ion cells ldquoCigaretterdquo inte-grates four high-tech batteries with a total of 48 modules and 3 456 cells which generate a total capacity of 240 Kilowatt hours and an electric output of 2 400 Kilowatts respect even in the boat building industry

The Cigarette on-board chargers as standard Adapted to fit the infrastructure standard of many American marinas the boat has a charging capac-ity of 44 Kilowatts The battery is fully charged in approximately seven hours To reduce the charging time to less than three hours the powerboat can be fitted with four on-board chargers as an option

Mercedes-Benz Shirle Greig Tel (012) 677-1904 Email shirlegreigdaimlercom wwwmercedes-benzsacoza

Mercedes-AMG and Cigarette Racing launched the latest development of their cooperation at the Miami International Boat Show in February Numerous components from the SLS AMG Coupeacute Electric Drive have been integrated in the design of the Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept engineering design The high performance drive fitted in the electric super sports car makes the off shore powerboat the worlds most

powerful and fastest electrically-driven motor boat With an output of 1 656 Kilowatts and a maximum torque of 3 000 Newton metres the Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept is a fascinating new development

Combine to reach a staggering top speed of over 160 kmh

38 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

ENVIRONMENT

They have been in service for decades

under the toughest conditions ndash and

have proven themselves worldwide

Voith fluid couplings protect belt con-

veyors and drive components by provid-

ing smooth acceleration and torque

control allowing for frequent loaded

starts with the least amount of stress on

the drive and belt

In multi-motor drives they ensure pre-

cise load distribution Result fewer

downtimes ndash and the service life of the

belt and the drive components is in-

creased The latest product innovation is

the Voith TurboBelt 780 TPXL

infovtzavoithcom

wwwrsavoithturbocom

Protect Your Belt Conveyors with

Voith Fluid Couplings

ai_a

it_44

0_e

n ai

k

Water Disclosure ReportingJust as companies are addressing their carbon emissions and

provide carbon reporting to the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) water is becoming a growing priority

Reporting on it is becoming another critical sustainability issue

2011 saw a marked increase in the number of the worldrsquos largest companies reporting on their water usage on the risks that water presents and on their responses to

that risk Responses from these companies indicate that water is impacting global business now and yet water is not nearly as high on the corporate agenda as climate change

Evidence is mounting that South Africa is facing a water crisis of substantial proportions This crisis encompasses all aspects of water management on both the demand and supply side The mounting impacts of acid mine drainage and declining wa-ter quality add to the crisis South Africarsquos water security is likely to be further complicated by an increasingly uneven and unpredictable supply of rainfall as a result of climate change and by a reli-ance on significant water transfers from neighbour-

ing countries In meeting this crisis South Africa will have to resolve tough trade-offs in water use between agriculture key industrial activities such as mining and power generation and the supply to rapidly growing urban centres

Evidence is clearJSE 100 companies will need to show leadership in sustainably managing the water resources on which they rely for their day-to-day business operations The available evidence is clear It is not sustainable to continue exploiting water resources by follow-ing a lsquobusiness as usualrsquo approach If this is the case South Africarsquos freshwater resources will be depleted and unable to meet the needs of people and industry in the next 20 years if not before

In 2011 the response rate to the CDP Water Disclosure amongst South African companies was 46 (26 out of 56 companies) Many of South Africarsquos most significant corporate water users are therefore not yet able to or are not yet ready to report on their water-related risks

Promethuim Robbie Louw Tel (011) 706-8185 Email Robbiepromethiumcoza wwwpromethuimcoza

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 39

EXHIBITION

The Steel and Engineering Industries Federation (SEI-FSA) the Lifting Equipment Engineering Association

of SA (LEEASA) the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA) and the SA Institute of Welding (SAIW) have thrown their weight behind the biggest industrial and engineering trade show in Africa

The three-day 10-shows-in-one event takes place from 14 to 16 May 2013 at Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand Johannesburg

SEIFSA Conference at Indutec The Steel and Engineering Indus-tries Federation of South Africa (SEIFSA) will hold its annual conference at Indutec celebrating 70 years of active support for its members industry and business in Africa The federation has over 2 220 member companies which employ more than 224 000 people comprising 53 of the industryrsquos workforce

SAIW ldquoWe take our affiliations with leading industry players very seriously including our en-dorsement of Indutecrdquo says Jim Guild chief executive officer of the SA Institute of Welding ldquoThese industry ties form part of our strategy to create strong relationships which support our objective and Governmentrsquos mandate to enhance the manufacturing sector in South Africardquo

LEEASAThe Lifting Equipment Engineer-ing Association of South Africa (LEEASA) which is a division of the Chamber of Engineering Tech-

nology (COET) will also be using its endorsement of Indutec to promote its activities in the engineer-ing and technology sectors in general Chamber spokesperson Viv Nel says its exposure at the fair will create more awareness of the Chamberrsquos role in all engineering and technology-driven industries

ECSAIndustry regulator the Engineering Council of South Africa shares these aims ldquoAs a custodian of en-gineering intellectual capital in South Africa our endorsement of Indutec provides us with a platform to publicise our role in the engineering sector and government infrastructure initiativesrdquo says Edgar Sabela ECSArsquos Strategic Services Executive

ldquoWe need to produce 10 times more engineers to compete with developed economies Involvement with the Indutec show will allow us to promote engineering as a career through our Engenius Programme and showcase our existing engineer-ing excellence Most importantly it enables us to network with all key players in the field and even conclude some businessrdquo

Tenfold Benefits to ExhibitorsJohn Thomson managing director of Exhibition Management Services organisers of the 10-in-one Fair says the unqualified support from leading in-dustry bodies indicates the showrsquos tenfold value to the engineering industrial and technology sectors ldquoThis undoubtedly translates into multiple benefits for the showrsquos exhibitors and ultimately to show visitorsrdquo he concludes

Indutec Serean ThomsonTel (011) 783 7250 Email marketingexhibitionsafricacom wwwexhibitionsafricacom

Boosting the Manufacturing Sector32 of South Africarsquos leading industrial and engineering professional and employer associations Chambers and

Councils have collectively endorsed Indutec the recently launched South African Industry and Technology Fair 2013

Promech Publishing through SA Mechanical Engineer and Bulk Handling Today will produce and publish the Official Catalogue for this prestigious show

Make sure your presence is felt before during and after the show by advertising in this one-of-a-kind reference publication

Contact Mark Bennett Tel (011) 781-1401 Email samechengpromechcoza

Jim Guild CEO of the SA Institute of Welding

Edgar Sabela - ECSArsquos Strategic Services Executive

Adelia Pimentel - Marketing and Communications Manager SEIFSA

40 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

MARKET FORUM

ldquoBMG has identified a need in diverse sectors for on-site maintenance services to overcome production challengesrdquo says Dave Russell technical director BMG ldquoRecognising the extreme constraints of high energy prices low productivity the critical skills shortage and a highly competitive economic environment BMG brings a total solutions service to the fore

ldquoIndustry can now access all critical production efficient products and services from one supplier What this means is lower production costs and higher pro-duction efficiency giving South African industry a distinct competitive advantage

ldquoBMGrsquos on-site services include applica-

tion design evaluation and optimisation as well as installation trouble-shooting and service exchange contracts The company also offers predictive planned and breakdown maintenance and energy and reliability studiesrdquo

The company also offers extensive train-ing which covers electrical mechanical hydraulic pneumatic electronic and materials handling disciplines as well as predictive maintenance and component failure analysis

BMG ndash Bearing Man Group Veronique van Niekerk Tel (031) 576-6221Email veroniquevbmgworldnet wwwbmgworldnet

Tenova Takraf Africa (formerly Bateman Engineered Technologies) is putting the final pieces together in completing an order for the supply of a 55m x 275m hydraulically-driven SAG mill to Ontario Graphite operators of the Kearney Mine located in Kearney O n t a r i o Canada

ldquoTenovarsquos scope

Unique SAG Mill in Canada

ABB started with a bang following the order of 2 400 robots by BMW Group Over the next three years the robots will be installed at factories in Regensburg and Leipzig Germany as well as in Tiexi China The ABB robots will mainly be used for mate-rial handling tasks as well as gluing and spot welding processes

ABB robots enable customers to implement efficient manufacturing systems that sustainably produce high-quality products The com-panyrsquos range of products and solu-tions for lean manufacturing cover the range from body-in-white to the final assembly of complete car bodies They improve competitiveness and at the same time optimally comply with customer specifications ABB has installed more than 200 000 robots worldwide

ABB Robotics Natasha Mathebula Tel (010) 202-6156 Email natashamathebulazaabbcom wwwabbcom

2400

Robots

Total Solution

of work includes the engineering manufacturing shipping and technical assistance during erection of the SAG millrsquos feed end shell discharge end drive and main bearings as well as all supporting equipment (lubrication and jacking systems)rdquo says Tenova Takraf

engineer Pieter van der Walt ldquoThe main hydraulic motor and rubber

shell liners were outside our commercial scope of supply but inside our technical

scope of supplyrdquo he adds

The mill is a conventional SAG (semi-autogenous grinding) mill in all ways apart from its drive assem-bly and it is centre-driven

at the discharge end using a Haggluumlnds hydraulic motor and powerpack ldquoTo date this is the largest hydraulic motor installed on a SAG mill with 950kW of power torque of 1 200 kNm (start-up) and 650 kNm (operational) and speed of 1386 rpmrdquo adds Pieter

Since the mill had to be retrofitted to an existing foundation a number of adaptations were required to maintain the mill centreline as well as feed-end and discharge-end positions Certain additions were required to anchor the main motor torque arm

Tenova Takraf Pieter van der Walt Tel (011) 899-2372 Email pietervanderwaltbatemancom wwwtenovagroupcom

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 41

MARKET FORUM

World Record

The ADR plant at Kisladag Mine

FLSmidth designs and manufactures indirect heated carbon regeneration kilns and calciners from half a ton per day and larger These kilns and calciners can be fuel gas oil or electric and are skid mounted pre-wired and pre-piped The companyrsquos patented bellows kiln seal has proved effective in eliminating air ingress and process gas egress and can be retrofitted to kilns from other manufacturers FLSmidth holds the world record for the lowest emissions on a carbon plant

And at the companyrsquos Merrill Crowe plant capacities range from skid mounted 34 cubic metres per hour modular plants to full size 2 100 cubic metres per hour The range of supply for plants includes clarification filters de-aeration towers vacuum pumps zinc dust feeders lead nitrate feeders and zinc cones precipitate filter feed pumps filter pre-coat and body feed systems as well as precipitate filters used by refinery and smelting facilities to produce gold bullion

These plants incorporate proprietary zinc dustlead nitrate feeder and mix-ing cone system The company offers individual plant components and partial or complete plant equipment packages together with total plant design

FLSmidth Terence Osborn Tel (010) 210-4820

Magnet has extended its range of abrasive products to include 3Mrsquos new Cubitron II abrasive belts with enhanced grinding performance improved productivity and extended service life

ldquo3Mrsquos new technology has resulted in increased speed improved consistency and extended belt liferdquo says Brian How-arth MD Magnet ldquoThese new abrasive belts ensure up to 30 faster cutting on hard to grind metals like stainless steel nickel alloy and cobalt chrome They also divert heat from the workpiece and belt to the swarf which means cooler cutting This helps eliminate burnishing and minimises heat stress Cubitron II abrasive belts last up to four times longer than conventional ceramic aluminium oxide beltsrdquo

3M Abrasives Bradley Reddy Tel (031) 274 1050 Email bradleyrmagnetgroupcozawwwmagnetgroupcoza

4 x Longer

42 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

MARKET FORUM

X-Calibur is one of the latest product offerings from TAL and was specified to protect the concrete structure of the worldrsquos second longest cable-stayed bridge against corrosion throughout its design life

Stonecutters Bridge is a high level cable-stayed bridge which spans the Rambler Channel in Hong Kong connecting Nam Wam Kok Tsing Yi Island and Stonecut-ters Island Hong Kong is well known for its hot summer weather which is also humid and unstable Temperatures

Say No to Corrosionusually exceed 30oC during the day which coupled with high humidity can result in an extreme heat index

ldquoHot and humid environments have a great effect on the durability of concrete As a rule of thumb we say for every 10oC increase in temperature the possibility of corrosion induced damage to concrete is doubled Add humidity in a marine envi-ronment then protection of the structure is of paramount importancerdquo says Brian Davies CEO X-Calibur International In order to guard the bridge from corro-

sion X-Shield EpoxySeal CR was sup-plied to shield the prestressed concrete cable anchorages from the effects of the environment In addition X-Shield FlexCoat was used in various areas of the structure This provides corrosion protection to reinforced concrete from chloride and carbon dioxide

ldquoThe main challenge was compliance with the strict project specifications as the engineer wanted to ensure that protection would be provided throughout the design life of the structure X-Calibur

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 43

MARKET FORUM

had the products independently tested to prove compliance to all aspects of the specificationrdquo John adds

The materials were applied by spe-cialist painters who had been trained by X-Calibur ldquoMaterials were mixed and applied strictly in accordance with method statements supplied by X-Calibur to ensure working time and recoat windows were not exceededrdquo concludes John

TAL Andrew Dekker Tel (031) 579-2263 wwwtalcoza

Fluid conveyance and pumping solutions expert Incledon has supplied a large water supply line project in the Free State with a total of 4 km of Ultraflo pipes manufactured in-house by DPI Plastics - a leading manufacturer of water reticulation drainage and pipe-fitting systems in South Africa

DPI Plastics technical and product manager Renier Snyman points out that the companyrsquos range of Ultraflo pipes are manufactured from modified polyvinyl chloride (mPVC) which is specifically designed to provide similar tensile strength and greater resilience than standard PVC piping products ldquoThe Ultraflo range of pressure piping systems are ideally suited to bulk water supply projects due to the fact that mPVC is considerably more ductile than industry standard unplasticised polyvinyl chloride (uPVC)rdquo he explains

Renier notes that the ductility of the Ultraflo uPVC piping system ensures that

Large Water Supply Project

the pipes have exceptional resistance to crack propagation under pressure ldquoThe product being supplied to the water sup-ply line project is the 500 mm Ultraflo system which is the largest in the DPI Plastics range It boasts a pressure rat-ing of 12 bar with a design stress of up to 18MPa making it ideally suited as a large underground piping systemrdquo

According to Renier Ultraflo pipes offer environmental advantages too ldquoDue to its superior toughness the wall thick-ness of mPVC is less than that of uPVC This ensures that less materials are used during the manufacturing process which ultimately results in a lighter product that is easier to transport and install thereby minimising the carbon footprint of the piperdquo

DPI Plastics Martine Goodchild Tel (021) 957 5600 Email mgoodchilddpiplasticscozawwwdpiplasticscoza

Donrsquot Miss Out

Promech Publishing is putting the Visitorsrsquo Catalogue together for this Show

Contact Mark Bennett on Tel (011) 781-1401 or Email samechengpromechcoza

to book your space

44 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

MARKET FORUM

Displaying and discussing some of the Dodge housed bearings on offer to local industry and mining are (from left) Tony Patten of Specialised Bearings amp Transmission Peter Small-Shaw Wilecrsquos Product Manager Bearings and Frans Odendaal Wilecrsquos Technical Specialist Bearings

The Bearings division of Actom group company Wilec has formed a strategic alliance for the supply of Dodge housed bearings into southern Africa The partner-ship agreement with Johannesburg-based Specialised Bearings amp Transmission the local distributor for Dodge extends Wilecrsquos ability to satisfy the requirements of industry and mining in a diverse range of bearings applications

ldquoThe most exciting thing about our tie-up with Dodge is that housed bearings while already widely accepted in the US and other leading industrialised countries is a relatively new concept locally but one which offers advanced features to users compared with conventional plum-mer block arrangementsrdquo said Frans Odendaal Wilecrsquos Technical Specialist Bearings

ldquoDodge housed bearings are supplied pre-assembled and sealed so eliminating all risk of contamination during fitment The advanced sealing arrangement and unique adapter system guarantees longer

Strategic Alliance

life ndash up to six times that of a conven-tional plummer block Other cost-saving advantages are that they can be installed by a semi-skilled technician very quickly normally in less than 15 minutes and the need to measure pre- and post-reduction clearance is eliminatedrdquo

ldquoIt is a differentiated product and with it we are able to provide a bearing that is especially well suited to local conditions

and offers benefits that are of real value to customers A particularly important aspect to bear in mind is that the total cost of ownership of a Dodge bearing is significantly lower than that of the conventional product due to its greater reliability and durabilityrdquo

Wilec Frans Odendaal Tel (011) 629-9300 Email fransowileccoza

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 45

MARKET FORUM

Emis Sales 2002 part of Becker Min-ing South Africa supplies a wide range of electrical equipment up to 1 100 V for use in hazardous and non-hazardous areas in the mining petrochemical and surface industry sectors

New to the Emis range are Proloc pro-tection and control relays which are suitable for thermal overload protection of conveyors compressors crushers fan and pump motors as well as shuttle cars and flitting panels

ldquoThe stand-alone Emis ProLoc electronic protection and control relay system which has been designed for the optimum protection of motor and feeder circuits connected to outlet sockets has a wide choice of six user-selectable protection features to meet exact requirementsrdquo says Frikkie Quirk managing director Emis Sales 2002 ldquoAn important advan-tage of this system is a door mounted infra-red link that enables a laptop with Proloc software to manage all settings

and downloads without having to open the panel door and expose personnel to dangerous live equipment This is a critical requirement in the OHSA actrdquo

This system is easy to set up via the Proloc MMI 420 display man-to-machine interface or via a laptop with Proloc software

Emis Sales 2002 Tel (016) 341-6134 Email infozabecker-miningcom wwwzabecker-miningcom

Optimum Protection

Birkenmayer a material processing systems supplier in South Africa and local supplier of German-engineered Eirich material processing technology recently released the Evactherm drier a new product that marries the advantages

Superheated Vacuum Steam

of mechanical and thermo dynamical processes to provide cost-effective and highly efficient drying and processing of filter cake and sludgersquos using superheated vacuum steam

Until now it has been important to observe

a maximum middle temperature when applying direct drying to heat sensitive materials and even more important to avoid the excessive local and boundary temperatures that frequently damage the drying product Both heat and ma-terial transport need to be considered and while convective drying processes such as spray drying largely avoid these problems they are only effective if a surface is available for the hot gas flow

Adjustable for both direct and convec-tive drying and processing Evactherm driers overcome these obstacles while providing a number of further benefits

Super-heated vacuum steam performs drying and granulation while the com-bination of mechanical and thermo dynamical processes allows for low dry-ing temperatures and gentle processing of temperature sensitive materials It also enables continuous drying for long periods of time as fresh material may be continuously added into the fluidized bed replacing material that has already been vaporised

H Birkenmayer Louis Eksteen Tel (011) 970 3880-8 Email louisbirkenmayercozawwwbirkenmayercoza

The Evactherm drier

Proloc protection and control relays

46 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

The Eastern Capersquos Coega Industrial Development Zone (IDZ) is one of a number of industrial regions in South Africa to benefit from Air Products South Africarsquos strategy of long-term capital investment

A region which has long been under-served when it comes to reliable gas supply the Eastern Cape will soon have

A Long-term Viewits own air separation unit (ASU) ndash the first of its kind in the province Seelan Gounden GM supply chain at AirProd-ucts explains the reasons behind the companyrsquos latest investment

ldquoCurrently there is no local industrial gas supply in this area and cryogenic gases have to be procured elsewhere This situation compromises the service

MARKET FORUM

ART Solar specialists in the manufacture of solar photovoltaic (PV) modules for the sustainable generation of electrical power has made the following appointment an-nouncementsMark Walsh as managing director Dr Ronald FM Lange as chief operating officer Robert Ramshaw as financial manager and Gavin Rosslee as production manager

Gavin RossleeRobert RamshawMark Walsh

Jeanne Els has been appointed as Hatchrsquos Managing Director of Operations

Jeanne Els

Ronald Lange

Anton Theunissen

SKF South Africa recently appointed Anton Theunissen as Distributor De-velpoment Manager for South Africa and neighbouring coun-tries

Index to Advertisers

Axiom 12

Bearings International 36

Bibby Turboflex 28

Bonfiglioli 10

Engen 34

Festo 35

Hansen 44

Horne SA 29

IDC Inside Back Cover

ILS 32

KDP Services 22

Loesche 31

Polysius 4

PPS 11 29

Mercedes Outside Back Cover

Merseta Inside Front Cover

MIEO Outside Front Cover

Transmission Components 14

Voith 38

Yellotec 16 17

delivery to our existing customers who have to depend on product being trucked over vast distances Thus we identified the Eastern Cape as a key priority invest-ment destination with a clear need for a new air separation facility dedicated to servicing the region We chose the Coega IDZ after careful market analysis We are pleased to be able to be a part of the growth and development of the region through providing a long-needed security of supply and value-added servicerdquo

Ayanda Vilakazi head of Marketing and Communications at the Coega IDZ adds ldquoThe viability of the new ASU is indis-putable It will mean not only security of gas supply to the region benefiting the many industries here but it also means job security for other investors jobs along the value chain and scope for training and human resource develop-ment as well as enhanced Corporate Social Investment initiativesrdquo

Seelan Gounden AirProducts wwwairproductssouthafricacoza

Left to right Chris Mashigo Executive Man-ager - Business Development Coega Develop-ment Corporation Themba Khoza Executive Manager ndash Operations Coega Development Corporation Seelan Gounden GM - Supply Chain Air Products Pierre Fourie Area Sales Manager ndash Eastern Cape Air Products signed the lease agreement between the CDC and Air Products South Africa

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 47To apply online for funding of R1 million or more go to wwwidccoza

Telephone 086 069 3888Email callcentreidccoza

Driving new market innovationsThe IDC supports high-impact job creation projects acting as a

catalyst to lead new sector development and support existing

industry and sector growth in alignment with governmentrsquos

New Growth Path (NGP) National Development Plan (NDP)

and Industrial Policy Action Plan (IPAP)

The IDC Strategic High Impact Projects (SHIP) Strategic Business

Unit in partnership with the IDC Innovation Department has

launched an Open Innovation Challenge to encourage the

development and implementation of sustainable high-impact

industrial initiatives and projects

The IDC calls upon individuals engineering communities

corporates project sponsors and other related entities to enter

into a partnership to develop qualifying projects that result in

sustainable and profi table industries exploit the value-adding

opportunities of existing and new value chains and enable the

development of innovative local economies

Whatwho qualifi es

projects which enable the development of new industries

across multiple IDC focus sectors

introduce new markets and value chains or revolutionise

existing ones through the use of disruptive technologies

or new approaches

development impact and employment creation

across mandated IDC industrial sectors

SHIP wishes to ensure that the projects undertaken play a major

role in industrial development and employment creation within

the South African and SADC regions

Interested applicants are invited to submit their project

proposals online at

httpopeninnovationidccozaidc-ship-challenge between

project proposals will be informed in May regarding SHIP

wishing to partner with them in the development of the

proposed project

Please contact Bertie Strydom BertieSidccoza and

RetiefBidccoza for more information

Chillibush9119IDC

48 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

A D

aim

ler B

rand

You built the bridges the roads and the tunnels We built the carAs a member of the Engineering Council of South Africa you could qualify for exclusive offers a guaranteed 3-day service booking as well as PremiumDrive our 6 year100 000km maintenance plan To take advantage of this outstandingopportunity inform your nearest dealer of your ECSA status

Not in conjunction with other Mercedes-Benz Fleet ProgrammesOffers Excludes AMG and Limited Edition modelsVehicle specifications may vary for the South African market

Page 4: SAME Mar2013

4 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 5

Cover Story8 Mining and Industry Energy Optimisation (MIEO)

Monthly Column11 Prominent Professionals

Power Transmission13 Italian Gearboxes Now in SA15 Save on Maintenance

CESA18 Empowering Municipal Engineers

HHyyddrrauullicsss ampamp Pneumatiiccss19 New Life for Old Machines21 Compressed Air at Work

POWER GENERATION TODAY23 Harnessing the Powers of the Ocean27 Power Generation News

Opinion29 Soapbox

Produced by PROMECH PUBLISHING P O Box 373 Pinegowrie 2123 Republic of South AfricaTel (011) 781-1401 Fax (011) 781-1403 Managing Editor Susan Custers Editor Kowie HammanCirculation Catherine Macdiva Advertising Mark BennettDTP Zinobia Docrat Donovan VadivaluSubscriptions Please email us at accountspromechcozaif you wish to subscribe to ldquoSA Mechanical Engineerrdquo at R44000 (excl postage and VAT) per year R1 10000 per year for AfricaOverseas

DisclaimerPROMECH Publishing and The South African Institution of Mechanical Engineering as well as any other body do not take responsibility for the opinions expressed by individualsPrinted by Typo Colour Printing Tel (011) 402-34689FSC (Forestry Stewardship Accreditation)

Material Selection30 Managing Tooling

Surface Finishing33 Starting from Scratch

IT Trends36 Mobile Computing

Electric Drive37 The Worldrsquos Most Powerful Powerboat

Environment38 Water Disclosure Reporting

Exhibition39 Boosting the Manufacturing Sector

Regulars3 An Engineerrsquos View7 Institution News40 Market Forum

Contents

The monthly circulation is 4 326

CopyrightAll rights reserved No editorial matter published in ldquoSA Mechanical Engineerrdquo may be reproduced in any form or language without written permission of the publishers While every effort is made to ensure accurate reproduction the editor authors publishers and their employees or agents shall not be responsible or in any way liable for any errors omissions or inaccuracies in the publication whether arising from negligence or otherwise or for any consequences arising therefrom The inclusion or exclusion of any product does not mean that the publisher or editorial board advocates or rejects its use either generally or in any particular field or fields

March 2013 VOLUME 63 NUMBER 3On the Cover

Tel (011) 061-5000wwwmieoorgza

Promech Publish-ing is proud to announce that the SA Capital Equ ipment

Export Coun-cil has endorsed

ldquoSA Mechanical Engineerrdquo We welcome the SACEEC on board and look forward to working together

More news next month

Susan Custers Managing Editor

inganthE

Exxcil h

6 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

THE SA INSTITUTION OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

Council 2012 - 2014

Office BearersPresident KK Nyangoni (Kudzai)Vice President D Findeis (Dirk)National Treasurer A Roos (Andre)Immediate Past President G Barbic (George)

Branch ChairpersonsCentral S Murefu (Stephen)Eastern Cape W Rall (William)KwaZuluNatal J Moto (John)Mpumalanga Highveld L Odendaal (Louis)Western Cape Dr D Blaine (Debbie)

PortfoliosCommunicationsStrategic PlanningSpecialist GroupCD Reay (Chris)Young Engineers ForumProf B Collier-Reed (Brandon)Education Universities of Technology E Zawilska (Ewa)Membership E Zawilska (Ewa)Professional Development ProgrammeM Black (Malcolm)Technology Programme SZ Hrabar (Steve)To be confirmedG Bartholomew (Bart)

Chief Executive Officer Vaughan Rimbault

National Office Manager Anisa Nanabhay PO Box 511 Bruma 2026Tel (011) 615-5660 Fax (011) 388-5356Email infosaimecheorgza

Website wwwsaimecheorgza

Membership Central Eastern Cape

Mpumalanga Highveld amp KZN membershipsaimecheorgza

Membership Western Cape saimechewcvodamailcoza

Company AffiliatesAlstom Power Service SA

Babcock Africa Limited

Bateman Engineered Technologies

Bosch Projects

DCD Rolling Stock A division of DCD

Festo (Pty) Ltd Group (Pty) Ltd

Fluor SA (Pty) Ltd

GEA Air-cooled Systems

Hansen Transmissions SA

Hatch Africa

Howden Power

Howden Projects

Industrial Water Cooling

Inenzo Water (Pty) Ltd

MBE Minerals (SA) (Pty) Ltd (previously KHD Humboldt Wedag SA)

Megchem Eng amp Drafting Services

Mod-U-Flow

Osborn Engineered

Products SA

Rotek Engineering

SAME Water

Sasol Technologies

SEW Eurodrive

Siemens

SNC-Lavalin SA

Spicer Axle SA

Spirax Sarco SA

Technical Systems

Thyssenkrupp Engineering

Transvaal Pressed Nuts amp Bolts

Ultra-Flow Engineering Services

Vital Engineering

Weir Minerals Africa

Winder Controls

Invest in in-house workshops convened by SAIMechEWhen it comes to correct practices and effective productivity is there anything to rival teamwork and group training The benefits of ensuring that all relevant personnel are well informed on com-mon topics are obvious For instance group learn-ing fosters team spirit and co-operation between personnel who may not be interacting successfully in their workplace SAIMechE recommends that instead of incurring travel costs to send staff on engineering related courses corporations should book In-House workshops with SAIMechE

To obtain a comprehensive list of workshops (also avail-able on website wwwsaimecheorgza) or to discuss your corporate short course training needs kindly contact National Events Manager Linda Robinson on Tel 031 764 7136 or E-mail lindasaimecheorgza

Scheduled Forthcoming Training Events ndash Open to All

Code Abbreviated Title

Date Start

Date End

Region

C0913 Refrigeration Explained

19-Mar-13

19-Mar-13

Cape Town

C6613 Effective Negotiation

Methodologies for Engineers

in Practice

20-Mar-13

20-Mar-13

Cape Town

F6213 Technical Communica-tions and Re-port Writing

20-Mar-13

20-Mar-13

Secunda

F5713 Total Produc-tive Mainte-

nance

26-Mar-13

26-Mar-13

Secunda

C2513 Materials Section

Processes Parameters amp Performances

27-Mar-13

27-Mar-13

Cape Town

F5813 Continuous Flow Pro-cesses A

Methodology for Engineers

in Practice

27-Mar-13

27-Mar-13

Secunda

A3613 Project Management A Review of Essentials

3-Apr-13

3-Apr-13

Durban

F2913 Practical Lu-brication and

Lubricants

3-Apr-13

3-Apr-13

Secunda

A4713 Capital Budgeting for

Projects

4-Apr-13

4-Apr-13

Durban

F6913 Lubricants and Oil Monitoring

4-Apr-13

4-Apr-13

Secunda

form may be obtained from Carey Evans on Tel 031 764 7136 or Email careysaimecheorgza All event programmes are posted on website wwwsaimecheorgza

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 7

THE SA INSTITUTION OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

Vaughan Rimbault (SAIMechE CEO) and Anisa Nanab-hay (National Office Manager) recently conducted student road shows at Stellenbosch University Cape Pensinsula University of Technology and University of Cape Town Students were addressed on matters

The award winners for the 2012 SAIMechE Student awards from Stellenbosch University Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering were

1 Best Final Year project Mechanical (Trophy medal prize money amp certificate) ndash Elizna Miles 87

2 Best Final Year Project Mechatronics (Trophy

medal prize money amp certificate) ndash Willem Pienaar 87

3 Best Mechanical Presentation (medal amp certifi-cate) ndash Elizna Miles 90

4 Best Mechatronic Presentation (medal amp certifi-cate) ndash Henri van Eetveldt 82

that directly concern and effect them as well as benefits of SAIMechE membership which is free for students The presentations were well received and there was a lot of interest in what SAIMechE offers to students

SAIMechE Student Road Shows - Western Cape

SAIMechE Student Awards ndash Stellenbosch University

All the 2012 departmental award winners including the SAIMechE award winners

8 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

COVER STORY

The MIEO is a not for profit indepen-dent association that serves the

mining and industry sec-tors of the southern Afri-can economy by promot-ing awareness informing and educating within the realm of energy efficiency and saving

Comparatively speak-ing the industrial and mining sector combined

Mining and Industry Energy Optimisation (MIEO)

Charles Ntsele Grinding Manager at Metso Southern Africa has been elected to Chair the MIEO for the next two years

Serves the mining and industry sectors of the southern African economy by promoting awareness informing and educating within the realm of energy efficiency and saving

Charles Ntsele

Patterns of usage quite different between mining and industry

Industrial

Mining

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 9

use 67 of Eskomrsquos grid capacity classifying this sector as intensive energy users However it is also the sector that contributes to the majority of the countryrsquos economy Hence the focus for a sustainable and secure energy supply in South Africa logically lies with optimising the energy use within this sector

The MIEO constitutes a membership base that not only supply products and services to the mining and industrial sector but has collaborated in assisting energy intensive users to employ a systematic or holistic approach to energy management challenge in their organisations so that energy saving can be optimised

Systematic approachThe collaboration involves a series of seminars presented by the MIEO across the country In this way information on energy optimisation opportuni-ties is taken to the end user

The MIEO initiative brings together leading manu-facturers and suppliers of service and technologies for improvement of energy efficiency in all major energy-consuming plant items Through seminars the MIEO aims to achieve the following objectives

1 To promote awareness of the benefits available to industry and mining in the products and services for energy efficiency from members of the associa-tion

2 To support Eskom and the Department of Energy of the Republic of South Africa in their common objective of increasing energy efficiency in the industrial and mining sectors of the economy

3 To promote opportunities for the dissemination and sharing of information about products services technologies programmes approaches strategies best practice and operational experiences in the field of industrial and mining energy efficiency

4 To promote the adoption of energy efficiency products and services available from members of the association

5 To promote opportunities for training in the methodology and technology for sustained achieve-ment of energy and cost saving when utilising energy efficiency products and services available from members of the association

CredentialsCharles Ntsele currently Grinding Manager at Metso Southern Africa obtained his NHD Extraction Metallurgy from the University of Johannesburg in 1994 and has fulfilled various roles such as re-search metallurgist applications engineer process engineer and product manager He is an associate member of the Southern African Institute of Mining amp Metallurgy

Tel (011) 061-5000 Fax 086 688 7005Email mieovdwcoza wwwmieoorgza

COVER STORY

Electricity Consumption by Sector

10 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 11

the project engineer who worked on this project

Future ndash a concept a dream or a wishUsing the technology and engineering knowledge available to make South Africa more sustainable If we could use this know-how to overcome the challenges that the country faces it would be a major breakthrough for the nation

Irsquod also like to see more being done in terms of renewable energy We are for example closely studying further possibilities to use biomass as a fuel to generate steam and electricity in our processes Wersquore also looking at fluidised bed boiler technology so that we can use the

abundance of low-grade coal in the country

Most Challenging ProjectA few years back we did a recovery optimisation project to improve the recovery of by-products from the pulping pro-cess The main product is caustic soda used in the cooking process We installed a new causticizing plant pulp screen-ing plant scrubber and refurbished the fluidised bed reactor The challenge was combining the new plant installation with the refurbishment work all in an existing plant within a very limited time span

Most Rewarding ProjectIt was the installation of an A-4 sheeting and packaging line We bought a second-hand machine in Germany and just to get the machine up and running was a challenge in itself

CommentaryAre there shortcomings in the Mechanical Engineering Industry in South AfricaYes we have a shortage of maintenance professionals When I was at university we were not trained in maintenance at all Mechanical engineering has a major role to play in this field where the scope for improvement in todayrsquos industry is enormous We need to start training in maintenance at an academic level much like some of the universities have now started doing However mentorship and in-house training has a very important role to play as well

Message to young engineersYoung engineers have to take ownership of their own develop-ment and not expect somebody else to do it for them Many young engineers feel the employer owes them something They must get involved at all levels and work their way up so that when theyrsquore the seniors they know what goes on at the lower levels Remember yoursquore never too clever to learn

MONTHLY COLUMN

Prominent ProfessionalsCarel Kruger Engineering Manager

Academic

School Graduate studies Rob Ferreira High School Whiteriver B Eng at University of Pretoria

Post-graduateB Tech degree in Pulp amp Paper Management Development Programme through Unisa Gov-ernment certificate of competence

Professional bodiesRegistered with Ecsa as Pr Eng and Pr Certifi-cated Engineer

Career Path

First employerStarted with Sappi at the Enstra Mill as an engineering trainee after doing national service in the army

Growth pathAfter a few years at Sappi I left to work for a small engineer-ing company for five years I went back to Sappi as a project engineer I was then promoted to a number of positions at Enstra Mill these included maintenance engineer project manager services manager and maintenance manager before I took up my current position

Present employer amp positionSappi Enstra Mill as an engineering manager

AchievementsA projectMost of our work in the maintenance environment involves minimising breakdowns optimising the performance of the equipment and working on continuous improvements to either overcome business challenges or increase the success rate of our production plant One of our teamrsquos notable project was to de-bottleneck the bleach plant The project involved stabilising the pulp consistency control in a refurbished high density chest system At the same time we installed a new feed system into the oxygen reactor

This was a major breakthrough in terms of availability of equipment and the throughput of the plant because of reduced breakdowns and blockages It was a case of applying new technology in a very old plant challenging our engineering skills to the maximum

Any awardsA Sappi internal silver engineering award was given to me and

WErsquoRE ENGINEERED TO SHAREOver R73 billion N rsquo S S E Hrsquo NA E

S

S S S trade T S S

12 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 201314 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 62 May 2012

AXIOM HYDRAULICS (PTY) LTD

HA

Tel (011) 334-3068 334-3086 Fax (011) 334-4543E-mail axiomjhbmwebcoza

SAMHYDRAULIK which is one of the leaders in the field of hydraulictransmission has been operating for over 25 years in the internationalmarket offering a complete range of orbital hydraulic motors and power steering units axial pumps andmotors for medium and highpressure ranges all characterisedby excellent performances

SAMHYDRAULIK employs 120people who operate inside avery modern and efficient plantthat spans over 6 000 squaremetres to assure a high standardand flexible production capacityThe latest computer technologyis used for both design andproduction combined withstrict quality control proceduresduring all production phaseswhich translates into innovativereliable and functionalproducts that meet the various needs of the marketIts ISO 9001 certificationheld since 1994 is theresult of a quality-orientated philosophyon which SAMHYDRAULIKhas always based itsoperation

17 Heidelberg Road Village Main Johannesburg 2000P O Box 260248 Excom South Africa 2023

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 13T

POWER TRANSMISSION

Rossi a power transmission equipment manu-facturer from Modena in Italy did this by establishing the companyrsquos first permanent subsidiary in South Africa ldquoSA Mechanical

Engineerrdquo speaks with the deputy general manager of Rossi South Africa Kyle Dick about the range of new products theyrsquore now offering locally

ldquoInitially Rossi was represented in South Africa through my company DDI Transmissions in Springs as an agent for their comprehensive range of gear-boxes but now operates as a subsidiary for Rossi SPA to service the whole of sub-Saharan Africardquo he explains ldquoThe product range as such is thus not new to the South African market but wersquore of-fering a much wider range incorporating the latest in drive train technology for a wide variety of applica-tionsrdquo

in KwaZulu Natal ldquoNot only is the market in South Africa very similar to the mining industry there but many of the mining companies and major project

houses operate in both countries This made us realise that the South African market could

certainly be expanded from the footprint which Kyle has already established hererdquo

New rangesThe Rossi Group is one of Europersquos larg-est industrial groups for the production and sale of gear reducers gear motors

electric standard and brake motors Kyle comments ldquoThey constantly undertake

extensive research into new drive solu-tions A typical example is the EP range

of planetary units and the H-series of new helical and bevel-helical gear units specifically developed for heavy industry applicationsrdquo

Manufacturers of bulk handling equipment like conveyor systems ship loaders stacker

reclaimers and mine processing machinery are all familiar with Rossi drives and have been direct clients of the company for many years The gear reducers and gear motors include planetary worm coaxial right angle parallel shaft gear reducers and

Italian Gearboxes Now in SA

With South African industry particularly mining being very similar to that of Australia some international companies build up a strong footprint in Australia and then use this

experience to bring their expertise to the South African mining industry as well

The product range as such is thus not new to the South African market but wersquore now offering a much wider range incorporating the latest in drive train technology for a wide variety of applications

roduct s notcan of-er g ne -

Africa very simany of the

houses oprealise t

certaiwhic

NeTheestand

eleccomm

exteti

Ma

Kyle Dick (left) and Marcello Cassanelli of Rossi South Africa

The Rossi range of products has done extremely well in Australia leading to the establishment of a main subsidiary there and three regional officesrdquo says Marcello Cassanelli the other deputy

general manager from Italy who is helping Kyle in the coming years to get the business going at Tongaat

14 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

POWER TRANSMISSION

I prefer to go on site and help out with tricky problems but I also have good experience in gearbox selection a critical factor in todayrsquos market

speed reducers specifically bring flexibility to the market The system is completely modular allowing each solution to be tailor-made to a specific ap-plication yet itrsquos still cost effective as all products emanate from a standard production unit The new H series covers 825 kNm through to 1700 kNm while the EP series can cover up to 3000 kNm

ldquoComplementary and ancillary equipment such as cooling fans coils or independent cooling units oil heaters and labyrinth seals are of an equal qual-ity and toughness as our rugged gear units which are built and customised for the most challenging conditions or environments any industry can pos-sibly presentrdquo Marcello adds The company is so confident in the quality and reliability of their product range that theyrsquore offering a worldwide warranty on all their geared products

Central baseldquoWe based the new South African headquarters in Tongaat because it puts us close to a port for bringing in components so we can assemble geared units more cost-effectivelyrdquo says Kyle ldquoWersquore in the heart of the sugar industry yet right next to an international airport so that wersquore in reach of any-where in Africa within a couple of hours In addition wersquove established a sales office in Johannesburg

ldquoThe fact that Marcello brings to the table his inter-national experience to complement my knowledge of local conditions and requirements gives me the confidence that wersquoll be able to provide the local market with services and products both the end-users and competitors will regard with respectrdquo adds Kyle ldquoTo top this off we have direct support from highly-experienced engineers in Italyrdquo

SelectionKyle is a hands-on man who has worked his way up in the company through the ranks in the workshop on site and in the office ldquoI prefer to go on site and help out with tricky problems but I also have good experience in gearbox selection a critical factor in todayrsquos marketrdquo he says in conclusion

ldquoAlthough most project houses do the selection wersquore always prepared to share our experience with others in order to make the right selection right from the start I am confident that we now have the right product the right facilities in terms of support and the experience to serve the local market with competitive pricingrdquo

Kyle Dick Rossi South Africa Tel (032) 944-3505 Email kyleddirossicoza

gear motors while other standard products are large size parallel and right angle shaft gear reducers and gear motors for heavy duty applications

ExtrasMarcello adds ldquoThe new EP and the H range of

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 15

POWER TRANSMISSION

He kicks off by telling us ldquoIf yoursquore not saving money in the end condition monitoring serves no effective purpose Also if you can

afford the consequence of a failure then you donrsquot need to do condition monitoring A good example is found in the food processing industry where they use hundreds of small pumps throughout a plant Instead of having to monitor all these pumps they now use low-cost plastic pumps which can be replaced quickly without holding up the production processrdquo

Part of asset managementldquoTypically you start the development of the condition monitoring process by determining the companyrsquos

maintenance strategy a process called the RCM (reliability centred maintenance) planrdquo explains Kobus ldquoFirst off a hardware breakdown structure of the whole plant is drawn up and a Failure Mode and Effectsrsquo Criticality Analysis (FMECA) performed so that you can decide which of the machines are critical to the operation of your plant the ones which will bring the whole lot to a halt if they fail

Kobus continues ldquoThrough this process the company can also determine what spares to carry as well as the level and types of skills which will be needed to maintain the critical machines in the plantrdquo

MethodsIdeas Solutions not only assists companies to under-take this initial criticality audit but will also advise which one of the four main condition monitoring technologies is most appropriate for each specific application fit it and analyse the data as part of a maintenance contract

ldquoThe solution could take the form of vibration moni-toring alignment monitoring any one of a number of methods of temperature measurements or oil analysisrdquo clarifies Kobus ldquoIn the case of a gearbox for instance we carry out an oil analysis to check whether there are any particles of the same mate-rial as the bearings or the gear teeth and so on

VibrationldquoIn our experience ninety percent of the machines with high maintenance costs are the ones where vibration is the highestrdquo adds Kobus ldquoBeing a destructive phenomenon the extent of vibration indicates whether the machine is balanced running in alignment and gives insight into the condition of the bearings regardless of the type of bearing

Save on MaintenanceCondition monitoring is an integral part of asset management ultimately impacting directly on a

companyrsquos bottom line not only in terms of reducing the risk of unexpected breakdowns but also affecting

machinery life Deciding on what to monitor and how is a scientific task which should be undertaken by specialists ldquoSA Mechanical Engineerrdquo speaks to

Kobus van der Westhuizen director of Ideas Solutions a South African company specialising in engineering

analysis solutions with offices in Cape Town and Pietermaritzburg

We can predict how close that bearing is to failure

Kobus van der Westhuizen director of Ideas Solutions

The ldquoOperational Deflection Shaperdquo

16 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

less costly exercise than an unexpected failurerdquo Kobus says ldquoYou can then order a replacement bearing in good time and make sure you have the right skills on hand to do the replace-mentrdquo

What to fitBeing such a clear indicator of a number of problems in machinery vibration moni-toring equipment can be fitted in a variety of ways If itrsquos a critical machine permanent vibration protec-tion instrumentation is typi-cally fitted on the machine Such a system monitors the machine in real time while constantly evaluating vibra-tion in terms of bearings alignment or imbalance in the machinery

ldquoOur systems are so refined today that you can not only pinpoint which bearing is showing faults but we can even see which part of that bearing is showing strain and whyrdquo Kobus adds ldquoWe can also programme the system against certain parameters so that it trips the machine when certain levels of vibration are ex-

ceeded This is the highest level of protection we can providerdquo

An interesting development in the deployment of an online monitoring system is the technique called ldquoOperational Deflection Shaperdquo (ODS) analysis This is possible when an online system has the capabil-ity of simultaneously measuring all the channels

Simultaneously measuring all the channels of vibration in real time

POWER TRANSMISSION

ldquoIf for example we find that the load on the bearing remains constant we can predict how close that bearing is to failure and plan when the machine can be shut down for a bearing replacement a much

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 17

of vibration in real time This preserves the phase relationship between channels resulting in a visual representation of the machine vibration It makes it easier to observe analyse and document noise and vibration problems in machinery and structures ODS analysis is used to display and analyse ex-perimental multi-channel time or frequency domain data acquired during the operation of a machine or forced vibration of a structure

This provides an interactive animated display with which users can observe spatially defined data such as operating deflection shapes (ODSs) mode shapes acoustic sound and intensity fields or other engineering data such at temperatures or pressures By animating the spatial response of a structure in slow motion users can view a structurersquos overall motion and the motion of one part relative to another Locations of excessive vibration or high levels of noise are easily identified

Next levelThe next level down is a surveillance system often used in conjunction with a protection system ldquoIn contrast to a protection system the surveillance system provides answers as to why things did go wrongrdquo explains Kobus ldquoIn a fan application for example the system will tell you that vibration has increased yet the signature reading from the machine has remained constant This can be as a result of dust build up on the blades or a blade has broken off causing an imbalance which prompts the protection system to stop the machine The system will even tell you which blade has been affected by the faultrdquo

The surveillance system can also be used on its own but still in an online mode ldquoThis feature is used to trend parameters leaving the decision to stop a machine at the discretion of the maintenance engineerrdquo explains Kobus ldquoThese online solutions can either be wired or wireless transmitting data from each sensor to the receivers on the system The data is then channelled to whomever needs it in his or her format of choicerdquo

Options for allOn smaller plants that cannot afford an online sys-tem less critical machinery data from machinery is collected by hand and transferred to a computer for analysis either by the maintenance engineer or under a maintenance contract to an engineer at Ideas Solutions

ldquoItrsquos no longer in question the fact that condition monitoring saves companies money has been proved over and over again if itrsquos done rightrdquo Kobus says in conclusion ldquoCondition monitoring regardless of the

The fact that condition monitoring saves companies money has been proved over and over again if itrsquos done right

POWER TRANSMISSION

extent to which it is integrated on a plant should be part of every companyrsquos maintenance strategyrdquo

Kobus van der Westhuizen Ideas Solutions Tel 082 552-4790 Email kobusideas-onlinecozawwwideas-onlinecoza

18 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

Empowering Municipal Engineers

Corruption and tenderpreneurship fraud financial mismanagement lack of understanding of technical issues

priorities difficulties with job creation and skills shortages are just some of the challenges that face municipal engineers in South

Africa

Name and shameCESA unreservedly supports the call for the banning of public servants from doing business with the state including dealstenders with another department or municipality

ldquoWhat is at stake is not the rights of state employees to do business but rather the integrity of the state procurement system The current public procurement environ-ment in the construction sector is highly complex and conducive to corruption and manipulationrdquo warns CESA President Naren Bhojaram

The problem is further compounded by the lack of accountability and punishment for procurement irregularities and wasteful expenditureldquoThe country has good rules but no-one is playing by themrdquo he adds

CESA believes that it is irresponsible and foolhardy to place employees in positions where they can (or are tempted to) manipu-late procurement and other procedures to unfairly benefit themselves at the expense of the statetaxpayer

CESA

Unqualified people should be discouraged from trying to do the job of the municipal engineer

CESA President Naren Bhojaram

Consulting En-gineers South Africa (CESA) President Na-

ren Bhojaram believes that if South Africa is serious about the empowerment of properly-qualified municipal

engineers it should invest in various interventions such as

training development and ca-pacitating of young engineers for

employment by the local authorities and make the municipal engineering

profession attractive

Currently municipal planning is done rather superficially and only a real municipal engi-

neer and a competent team of visionary planners can sort that out

CESA calls for the embracing of the municipal engineer as a trusted ad-visor as well as creating a working environment to attract and retain municipal engineers The munici-pal engineers must be incentivised (long term employment purpose in life emoluments respect and freedom) and unqualified people

should be discouraged from trying to do the job of the municipal engineer

Stumbling BlockInfrastructure deliveryrsquos biggest stumbling block is the lack of business integrity which involves among other things socialising with clients conflict of interest use of agents and partners collusion and bribery and the disregard of procurement regulations

CESA strongly urges structural changes to the way in which municipal engineers operate including the abandonment of long-term employment contracts for key technical and managerial staff Tender and

bid evaluation committees must include technical legal and financial executives in joint sittings and professional teams must be allowed to compile reports in an independent manner on tenders for the bid evaluation committees

The South African procurement legislation should include a Bribery and Corruption Act such as the UK Bribery Act of 2010 enabling the Courts to prosecute corruption and related issues more ef-fectively as well as the naming and shaming of firms contravening the requirements of the Act

Consulting Engineers South Africa (CESA) Graham Pirie Tel (011) 463-2022Email gspiriecesacoza wwwcesacoza

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 19

ldquoSA Mechanical Engineerrdquo speaks to Willie Muller general manager at KDP Services about the modernisation of old hydraulic machinery ldquoIn terms of upgrading wersquove just

done extensive work at a steel mill to re-design

and implement new technology on a large 1 200 tonne cutting press and a shredding machinerdquo he explains ldquoBoth the machines were imported from Germany originally but have lately started picking up problems seriously hampering production flow

ldquoAfter consulting with the supplierrsquos engineers the problems persisted and the client then called us in to investigaterdquo Willie says ldquoWe found that the hydraulics on both these old machines were outdated but could be updated with new tech-nology rather than replacing the old pumps and valves with costly new imported OEM components

New Life for Old Machines

Very often the spare parts for old machinery imported and installed twenty or more years ago is hard to come by and if it is available

it costs an arm and a leg to import If the problem happens to be hydraulic there is

a local hydraulics company that specialises in updating systems so that local easily-available spares can be used to keep the machine going for many years to come

Willie Muller general manager at KDP Services

CNC machining

Overhauled cylinders ready for delivery

Large cylinder

Hydraulic motor of all makes and sizes are serviced

HYDRAULICS amp PNEUMATICS

Analyse the operation and specifically the machinersquos function in situ before returning to the drawing board to redesign the hydraulic system for better functionality

20 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

New technologyAs the designer in the company

Willie goes out to analyse the operation and specifically the machinersquos function

in situ before returning to the drawing board to redesign the hydraulic system for better

functionality This provides the opportunity not only to introduce the latest technology into the upgrade but also to ensure that easily available local components are used He adds ldquoSince our upgrade the shear which can cut through a 150 by 300mm block of steel in one cut has been run-ning smoothly with none of the previous problems cropping up againrdquo

Similarly the shredding machine where a whole vehicle is fed in one end and comes out in pieces of scrap metal the other end has also been up-graded to run consistently ever since Willie adds ldquoThrough this success wersquove now not only landed the maintenance and service contracts for this mill but theyrsquove asked us to audit the entire plant to investigate other hydraulic systems which can be improved Wersquove already re-designed one of the production lines to introduce an integrated fully automated operationrdquo

First projectWillie might be young but he has worked with KDP since his student days gaining invaluable hands-on experience in all aspects of hydraulic work from the owner of the company Karel Podges ldquoOne of my first projects as a student was designing the hydraulic system for a container lifting and tilting machine used in steel mills to collect and handle scrap metalrdquo he recalls as we come across the remnants of the prototype when we walk in the yard behind the workshop ldquoThis is probably what got me hooked on hydraulics because nothing of the sort existed and I had to design it from scratch around a structure someone else had builtrdquo

Inside the workshop we find engineering equipment ranging from lathes to modern CNC machines all humming away as hydraulic components are turned out of a variety of metals At the hose crimping machine Willie points out the neat final product for a custom-made installation theyrsquore doing One of KDPrsquos specialities is hydraulic motor overhaul-ing which is evident when we see several large Hagglunds drives in various stages of repair in the drive section of the workshop

TestingFinally we get to the test-bench area where a large cylinder is under test for leaks before being taken apart for a complete overhaul ldquoOne of the biggest mistakes generally made when it comes to hydraulic equipment is that people think they can treat the hydraulic components roughly just because they are big and ruggedrdquo Willie remarks ldquoThey lose sight of the fact that dirt is the biggest enemy and they donrsquot take the necessary care to keep the oil or equipment clean causing irreparable damage to seals and delicate surface areas in a systemrdquo

One of the main advantages of KDP is that they are not officially tied up with a specific brand of hydraulic equipment allowing them to work on and supply any make on the market Willie concludes ldquoIn addition wersquore a small company where you learn and get the opportunity to work on all types of applications So each and every problem big or small is tackled with great personal attention to detailrdquo

Willie Muller KDP Services Tel (011) 392-5750 Email williekdp-servicescoza

That people think they can treat the hydraulic components roughly just because they are big and rugged

HYDRAULICS amp PNEUMATICS

The full MontyHydraulic system design from the circuit to pumps motors and all the necessary connecting piping are designed in-house at the 22-year old com-pany ldquoWe design the complete circuit specifying all the components necessary to achieve certain functionsrdquo explains Willie ldquoSimilarly all engineer-ing is undertaken in-house except the honing and chroming of shafts when we overhaul cylinder sets New cylinders are manufactured from tubing and shafts which have already been prepared

ldquoIn terms of piping wersquove built up a good name in many industries both in new installations during maintenance shutdowns or when a fixed installa-tion needs to be movedrdquo he adds ldquoNot only do we design the layout but we physically carry out the installation work ourselves especially when it is a stainless steel pipe installation that requires argon welding to fit the fittingsrdquo

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 21

Compressed Air at Work

Pneumatic systems are extensively used in industry where factories are commonly plumbed with

compressed air or compressed inert gases This is because a centrally-located and electrically-powered

compressor which powers cylinders and other pneumatic devices through solenoid valves is often

able to provide motive power in a cheaper safer more flexible and more reliable manner than electric motors

and actuators

Premium brandApplied Pneumatics established 22 years ago is a South African distributor of Parker Hannifin products ldquoAt a time when everyone is increasingly becoming aware of the benefits of buying premium products which last longer and have proven to be value for money Parker has come up with new innovations which extend this value even furtherrdquo says Dave

ldquoTake valves for example Most low-cost valves are throw-away items which are discarded completely if something goes wrong Our premium valves which cost a bit more initially are serviceable This means we can repair and service them at a fraction of the cost of even a cheap complete unit

ldquoIf the premium repairable valve breaks for in-stance itrsquos quick and easy to strip it right there and then fit new parts and have it up and running in no time as opposed to having to order and wait for a complete replacement unitrdquo adds Dave ldquoAll you need to have in stock are a couple of O-rings for the different valves in a systemrdquo

SA Mechanical Engineerrdquo visits a company in Randburg aptly named Applied Pneumat-ics to speak to managing director Dave McNair ldquoIn a pneumatics application we

supply everything beyond the compressor This includes everything down the line the filtration system water traps regulators and then the lubrication system before you get to the actual application which could be a cylinder control valves actuators or even solenoid valves for the control of liquid flows in a process We also do vacuum applications where suction cups pick objects up to move them aboutrdquo

From left Andrew Livesey applications engineer at Applied Pneumatics Teven McNair sales and Dave McNair managing director

Range includes pneumatic cylinders and actuators valves and logic processing air preparation equipment as well as a whole host of other pneumatic components and accessories

The Parker range of pneumatic equipment includes actuator and motors

HYDRAULICS amp PNEUMATICS

22 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

New conceptSimilarly the air prepa-ration systems from Parker are of a modular design and fully repair-able so that just worn or damaged compo-nents can be replaced ldquoThey have now taken this even furtherrdquo says Dave ldquoA new concept in regulators the Modu-flex clip technology system has just been released No special tools in fact no span-ners at all are needed

to take the unit apart to replace a filter element for instance You sim-ply clip the unit apart by hand replace the

element and clip it together again within a minute

ldquoOn a forklift for example the glass bowl of the air preparation unit is often damaged when the forklifts bump into some-thingrdquo elaborates Dave ldquoOn a low-cost throw-away unit yoursquod have to carry a spare unit to replace the whole unit With the new technology howev-er you simply clip off the damaged part to zap a new one into place In terms of cylinders and actuators the latest development is self-lubricating seals which require no additional lubri-cation whatsoeverrdquo

One of the main drawbacks of pneumatics over hydraulics is that a pneumatic cylinder has to be much larger than a hydraulic cylinder in order to deliver the same power However this does not rule out using pneumatics in heavier applications especially underground where the use of air is generally safer and cleaner than hydraulic oils in the first place

UndergroundldquoA while back we were approached by a platinum mine to design a pneumatic system to open and close underground tipsrdquo Andrew explains ldquoTo prevent people from falling into the ore tip it had to be closed with a heavy steel lid between off-loading operations We not only designed a suit-able pneumatic system but also took part in the installation on various levels all the way down to three kilometres undergroundrdquo

Like many other products there are cheap and nasty pneumatic products on the market and cost is not always an indication of inferiority ldquoThe safe route is to always buy from reputable companies who have been around for a long time and who trade in well-known brandsrdquo Dave says in conclusion ldquoSerious consideration should also be given to the repairability of the equipment Itrsquos no use installing a low cost system which has to be replaced regu-larly while another could last a lifetime if properly looked afterrdquo

Dave Mc Nair Applied pneumatics Tel (011) 792-3381 Email davenappliedpneumaticscoza

No special tools in fact no spanners at all are needed to take the unit apart to replace a filter element for instance

HYDRAULICS amp PNEUMATICS

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 23

TICK

ER T

APE

POWER GENERATION

PROMECH PUBLISHINGTel (011) 781-1401Fax (011) 781-1403Email samechengpromechcozaWebsite wwwpromechcozaManaging Editor Susan CustersEditorial Kowie HammanAdvertising Mark BennettCirculation Catherine MacdivaDTP Zinobia Docrat Donovan VadivaluDisclaimerPROMECH Publishing does not take responsibility for the opinions expressed by individuals

CopyrightAll rights reserved No editorial matter published in ldquoPower Generation Todayrdquo may be reproduced in any form or language without written per-mission of the publishers While every effort is made to ensure accurate reproduction the editor authors publishers and their employees or agents shall not be responsible or in any way liable for any errors omissions or inaccuracies in the publication whether arising from negligence or otherwise or for any consequences aris-ing therefrom The inclusion or exclusion of any product does not mean that the publisher or editorial board advocates or rejects its use either gener-ally or in any particular field or fields

POWERGENERATION

TODAY

Harnessing the Powers of the Ocean

Luciano Garcia-Baylleres COO at HAE

Tidal power has long been utilised as an energy resource used early on in tidal mills to grind grain throughout the Middle Ages More recently it has also been used to generate electricity for instance in the 240 MW tidal barrages at La Rance France Tidal currents however are still largely an untapped energy source While several marine current turbine prototypes

have been tested in the last few years there are only a few of these prototypes deployed to generate electrical power to smaller communities

mainly to demonstrate the viability of the technology

There is currently a renewed interest in using the ocean to generate electric-ity using both traditional hydropower technologies and new hydrokinetic

technologies This interest is being spurred on by official and private initiatives to promote the development of cleaner energy sources and diversification of energy supplies through use of alternative and renewable sources

Tidal energyTidal energy projects hold the promise of producing indigenous renewable predictable electricity without greenhouse gas emissions and with higher power densities in terms of power output per unit area than either solar photovoltaic or wind projects

The International Finance Corporation (IFC) the World Bankrsquos private-sector lending arm is partner-ing with Sasfin Bank to develop a portfolio of energy efficiency and renewable-energy financial products for small medium-sized and microenterprises (SMMEs) in South Africa

Alstom South Africa and the South African Nuclear Energy Corporation (Necsa) have signed an agreement under which the local branch of the French power generation power transmission and rail infrastructure

group will invest R8-million in buying equipment for the new coded welding centre being established at Necsarsquos Nuclear Skills Development (NSD)

The operation and maintenance (OampM) costs of wind farms in South Africa were expected to be in the mid-range of the international market Mott MacDonald consultant Matthias Vinard has reported adding that OampM costs ranged from euro28kW a year to euro68kW a year in international markets

24 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

ocean currents driven for instance by thermal gradients or differences in salinity Along the South African east coast the Agulhas Current is one of the most consistent sea currents in the world and this area has now been identified as the ideal spot to test technology developed by an American company Hydro Alternative Energy (HAE) from Florida USA

Current plans with the local gov-ernment of eThekwini Municipality in Durban supporting the concept of a hydrokinetic energy project off the cityrsquos coast calls for HAE to

initially develop a $20 million 1MW demonstration unit utilising the companyrsquos Oceanus technology to generate electric power from the Agulhas current flowing past the city Additional units each with an anticipated electric power generation capacity of 8 megawatts may then be built and likewise be submerged approximately 30 metres below sea level to prevent interference with shipping traffic

ldquoSA Mechanical Engineerrdquo has a QampA session with Luciano Garcia-Baylleres the Chief Operation Of-ficer (COO) of HAE about the project

Q Some background on HAEA HAE founded in March 2009 is an emerging independent power provider (ldquoIPPrdquo) focused on utilising hydrokinetic and other power develop-ment sources to generate electric power worldwide safely cost-effectively reliably and profitably with minimal or no ecological impact

Our business model provides for utilising certain of our own proprietary technology identifying and locating existing and new technologies and when appropriate partnering with others for our power development and generation needs

Q The South Africa connection with the companyA Research by our technical department identified several places throughout the world as optimal for the initial deployment and commercialisation of our technology After extensive research of each location

POWER GENERATIONTI

CKER

TA

PE

Tidal energy projects may also be useful in lsquofilling in the gapsrsquo in generating power from other intermit-tent energy sources such as wind farms

Marine current energy conversion concerns the po-tential generation of electricity from kinetic energy of freely-flowing water This contrasts with tradi-tional hydro power like a dam where the amount of energy extracted from a river is dependent on the head between the reservoir and the water level below the dam

A similar hydro power approach can in fact be used for tidal power in areas with high tides In this case a barrage can be constructed in a nar-row bay or estuary to utilise the head between low and high water

Consistent currentAnother way to generate electricity from water would be to convert the kinetic energy of flowing water similar to the way a wind turbine extracts energy from the wind In such a case a dam or reservoir is not necessary but rather sites are chosen where the currents are strong such as a narrow sound straight estuary around a headland or in a river

The term lsquomarine currentrsquo constitutes any kind of water current be it tidal unregulated rivers or other

Flow anlysis carried out for current simulations

Another way to generate electricity from water would be to convert the kinetic energy of flowing water similar to the way a wind turbine extracts energy from the wind

Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) MD Noah Gwariro says the state-owned company needs at least $300-million to refurbish thermal power stations in Bulawayo Harare and Munyati and to increase their generation capacities

The planned Karuma hydropower project will have capacity to generate 700MW

and is one of the high-priority projects in Ugandarsquos National Development Plan

The State-owned Ethiopian Electric Power Corporation (EEPCo) has signed a $120-million contract with UK-based company Canbridge Industries for the construction of a 50 MW waste-to-energy power plant

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 25

POWER GENERATION

The components of a sea current power gererating system

The Aghullas current and eThekwini Municipality with their infrastructure qualified human resource and an approach to facilitating large scale green projects was the appropriate site for this first endeavour

How the energy is harnessed

and all the surrounding benefits apart from the presence of good quality currents such as politi-cal stability port infrastructure and focus on green projects we determined that South Africa with its infrastructure qualified human resource and an approach to facilitating large scale green projects was the appropriate site for our first endeavour

Q Background on what the project is all aboutA OceanusTM our first power generation system which we are currently developing and which utilises much of our own proprietary technology is planned to harness the kinetic energy of the ocean to produce safe clean reliable cost-effective electric power

Oceanus will consist of two primary modules the amplification module (the shroud) and the engine module The shroud is a housing that will multiply the normal incoming water flow to a faster velocity as it passes through the engine module generat-ing more kinetic energy This will in turn result in potentially greater electrical power generation capability as well as potentially increased usable offshore locations worldwide

Velocity is the major factor which dictates the hydrokinetic energy that can be extracted from water Within the hydrokinetic energy sector of the renewable andor clean energy industry we have seen that research and development has generally focused on developing energy generation technolo-gies for environments that can only work in very high water velocity environments such as 3 4 5 metres per second While these areas of extreme water velocity are very high in hydrokinetic energy they only exist in a very small percentage of the worldrsquos waters

Our goal is to provide electric power to locations

Shroud

Engine module

Combine modular design

worldwide utilising the kinetic energy in lsquotypicalrsquo water conditions Our current design specifications have a base need of 1 metre per second of water

26 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

POWER GENERATION

flow which by amplifying the velocity is planned to produce 1MW of power This design specification once successfully tested may then be adapted into higher velocity waters As most locations in the world have lower velocity waters a turbine designed to work in 3 4 or 5 metres per second water flows will not work in waters that have velocities of 1-2 metres per second

Q How does it workA The theory behind the development of the system is quite basic having been previously used in other energy production systems such as wind and tidal energy generation Basically the engine is composed of an energy extraction system such as but not limited to our perpendicular access turbine a gorlov turbine a darrieus turbine and an Axial turbine

The other module is the shroud which handles two functions serving as an accelerator of the water ve-locity thus increasing the amount of kinetic energy that can be extracted Secondly it houses the engine protecting marine life from direct contact with the tip of the blades Also Oceanus is designed to be positively buoyant and either secured to the ocean floor or to float at a certain predetermined depth while moored to the ocean floor utilising the same techniques that are currently used in mooring floating oil rigs buoys or floating windmill systems

Q How will it work in KZNA There will be a demonstration unit initially and then we will start the commercial phase by entering into the normal contracts and procedures for energy generation in the country This entails a very large investment from our company where we will focus on potentially buildingassembling the units in Durban thus taking advantage of the excellent and qualified infrastructure it has

Q Who is involved locallyA We have no partners as far as investors or concerns as yet on the South African project but we are not against this possibility in the future From the facilita-tion point of view we have received a lot of support from Derek Morgan at the eThekwini Energy Office and Russell Curtis at DIPA each with their respective teams and other government offices that have been very forthcoming with information and support

Q What equipment does it use ndash where will this be madeA We have already scouted several facilities in Durbanrsquos ship building industry as well as other possible suppliers ranging from the maritime indus-try financial sector to legal consultants in order to make sure that we are in compliance with all regulations and that our perception of excellence from the South African maritime industry is in fact there

Q At what stage is the project nowA The project is currently at an initial logistics stage where we are looking at a more site specific design for the demonstration unit At the same time we are gathering all the information with our lawyers and possible suppliers for the norms procedures permits and licences necessary to comply with local and national regulations

Q Where will power go to A From our initial discussions with the regulatory bodies this energy can be locally distributed and then taken up by the grid as needed This will de-pend on the results of the demonstration unit and the first commercial unit operation which we are confident will exceed expectations

Q Are there sceptics criticsA As discussed before the basic technology has been used in other sectors of the energy generation industry what is being developed by us is the ef-ficient shroud and the maintenance systems which include buoyancy controls and depth determination in order to locate the most efficient current

Q Are there any future plans from your company for South Africa in particularA We believe that we have a good relationship with eThekwini municipality and once we fulfil our project with KZN we would then consider further expansion throughout South Africa

Q What about the other parts of AfricaA Eastern Africa in general presents very good conditions for our technology but for now we are going to concentrate our efforts on deploying this endeavour in South Africa before entertaining new opportunities

Luciano Garcia-Baylleres COO at HAE Tel 561-900-7200 EmailLgarciaHAE-USAcom wwwHAE-USAcom

We will focus on potentially building assembling the units in Durban thus taking advantage of the excellent and qualified infrastructure it has

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 27

POWER GENERATION NEWS

MTN has announced that it has entered into a com-mercial arrangement to sell its carbon credits to EDF Trading in an industry first The credits will be pro-duced by MTNrsquos tri-generation plant at 14th Avenue Of-fice Park in Fairland Johannesburg

EDF Trading is a whol-ly-owned subsidiary of Electriciteacute de France SA one of the largest compliance buyers covered by the European Union Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS)

The carbon credit project utilises a Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) meth-odology developed by MTN approved by the United Nations Framework Con-vention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) It is currently in the process of being registered with the UNFCCC Once registered MTN will sell the carbon credits from the project to EDF Trading

The project will make use of the MTN energy-efficient 2MW tri-generation plant at its Fairland office park Tri-generation is the concurrent production of electric-ity heating and cooling which provides

Carbon Credits power hot wa-ter space heat-

ing and cooling for air conditioning

from a single source

Egoli gas is used for the operation

sourced from the Sasol pipeline in Mozambique

The plant displaces grid electricity from Eskom

reducing greenhouse gas emissions and providing up to 85

efficiency on fuel The excess heat at some 400degC is captured

and used to supply heating and to operate an absorption chiller which creates cool water that is used to power an extensive air-conditioning system

Natural gas is clean burning and offers a consistent supply but simply using this to generate electricity would have been too expensive The saving achieved by capturing the waste heat combined with the additional revenue from the sale of the carbon credits however makes the project economically viablerdquo

Promethuim Robbie Louw Tel (011) 706-8185 Email Robbiepromethiumcozawwwpromethuimcoza

Countries across South East Asia Africa and the Middle East have been amending their regulatory frameworks and embarking on privatisation as many of them are in serious need of external fund-ing to ensure that their respective electricity industries are capable of dealing with the inevitable surge in demand The cumulative installed power capacity for these regions according to 2012 estimates will be 212 Gigawatts (GW) However this figure is expected to shoot up to 349 GW by 2020 climbing at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 64

Emerging Power Markets

Rising industrialisa-tion ever-increasing population figures and growing economies all point to an electrical future that most infra-structure systems are currently incapable of handling Therefore to achieve greater in-dustry efficiency and encourage competition governments across this region are opening up their electricity markets and increasing private sector participation The region will have to invest heavily in order to

increase its installed capacity and improve its existing infrastructure

Transmission networks in many of these countries are already under tremendous pressure to supply power without interruption and many new transmission projects are already underway or in the pipeline Therefore energy policy reforms are set to open the doors and create positive opportunities for growth in in the near future this according to Jonathan Cain of GBI Research

GBI ResearchJonathan Cain Tel +44 1204 543 533 Emailjcaingbiresearchcom wwwgbiresearchcom

28 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

POWER GENERATION NEWS

With Gensler Architects Aurecon has completed the design on the faccedilade of what will be Chinarsquos tallest building At 632m the Shanghai Centre is more than 100m taller than the recently-completed Shanghai Financial Centre and is designed as a sustainable eco-tower that sets a new benchmark not only for the region but also the world

Sustainable green features include tri-

Bioclimatic buildingGreywater recycling systems lo-cated at basement and at mid-level have been installed to collect greywater generated from lavatory or bathtub for reuse reducing potable water demand for the office tower by about 40

The ice storage system shifts part of the peak electricity demand of the chillers into the night modeoff peak operation Storage capacity is 26 400 Refrigerant Ton (RT) which reduces about 30 of the summit demand by about 3 through this ice cooling storage system and save up to the yearly energy cost for the user

A large volume water deluge system with rotational nozzles

installed at mid-level of the atria deliv-ers a large volume and accurate water spray onto fire with the assistance of Infra-red detection to lock the exact location and very early warning smoke detection apparatus system

A double curtain wall design provides better control on solar energy entering the tower building resulting in energy saving

Aerecon Group Jody Boshoff Tel (012) 427-2066 Email JodyBoshoffaurecongroupcomwwwaurecongroupcom

generation plant consisting of two sets of 11MW natural gas turbine generating electricity

chilled water hot water and heating water Simultaneous heat recovery of the hot flue gas produced from the tur-bines reduces carbon dioxide by 49 compared with the regular electrical cooling system

15 nos of 3kW vertical axis wind turbines (VAWTs) on the roof provide 157 500 kWh of clean and renewable electricity annually

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 29

Willem Sullivan of HansenA better artificial heart for people who are not eligible for natural heart transplants

Jean Schoeman of National Oilwell Varco My own jet aeroplane

Chris Coetzee of Resonant SolutionsThe problem in industry is practical engineering experience Young engineers donrsquot get the opportunity to learn the practical stuff Irsquod start an academy which teaches the practical side where you can learn from your mistakes Unfortunately mistakes cost money but if you have all the money in the world they can afford to learn from mistakes

In your book what is the most pivotal invention ever

Elbie Cornelius of National Oilwell Varco The computer

Chris Coetzee of Resonant SolutionsI canrsquot see how you can run a business without cellphones

Rudolph Beer of Martin EngineeringThe wheel

Willem Sullivan of HansenFor me personally Excel Without it my world will be dull and lifeless For the world at large Electricity because without it Excel will not be possible

Jean Schoeman of National Oilwell Varco The personal computer

OPINION

On his rounds Kowie Hamman our Editor is conducting an informal survey on the lighter side of engineering We follow up from last month with three pertinent questions

Soapbox

What do you think of computers and the digital world

Elbie Cornelius of National Oilwell Varco Awesome changing our world

Chris Coetzee of Resonant SolutionsNinety percent of all engineering is done using computers but if you rely solely on them yoursquove missed the plot because you always have to verify results by going back into the field to test what yoursquove done on the computer

Rudolph Beer of Martin EngineeringYou canrsquot do without them

Willem Sullivan of HansenIt is where I do all my design work So if it was not for computers we would be decades behind in terms of what we can do I absolutely love it

Greg Perry of SEWThey have definitely made things faster but the en-gineer still needs to understand the theory and pay attention to the detail or you make mistakes faster

Jean Schoeman of National Oilwell Varco Very useful until they give problems Then you just want to hit them with a hammer But the digital world has managed to speed up the communica-tion of information

If you had all the money in the world what would you design

Elbie Cornelius of National Oilwell Varco A solar and wind power station to supply the whole continent with electricity

Rudolph Beer of Martin EngineeringDevelop the safe harvesting of atomic energy

30 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

ldquoSA Mechanical Engineerrdquo speaks to Dave Goodman managing director of Spectra Car-bide Tooling Technology in Cape Town about the various management models they have

developed specifically to control tooling ldquoOur tool management systems were developed through our involvement with some of the major automotive OEMs in South Africardquo he says ldquoThe management system where we take over full control of the tool-ing facility on the premises has been running for twelve years now at some of these plants

Systems for allldquoBut these systems are not only for OEMs and

large operationsrdquo Dave remarks ldquoTo meet dif-ferent requirements we now have four levels of management systems on offer each requiring a different level of active involvement from our side This varies from purely holding stock to supply for a customerrsquos specific needs right through to taking over full control of tooling by having a permanent on-site office manned by fulltime Spectra staffrdquo

A typical level 4 operation with a Spectra team permanently stationed on the customerrsquos premises will be equipped with a fully-computerised store inventory system to control the purchasing of all tooling from spindle to point ldquoThe team will control all the new stock and used tools by negotiating and dealing with tier two suppliers as wellrdquo explains sales manager Wayne Williams ldquoThey are also responsible for presetting tools ready for produc-tion as well as collecting and delivering tools to and from the machines in addition to providing technical support 7 days a week 24 hours a day

BenefitsOne of the cost saving benefits for the customer is less administration because the Spectra team consolidates all invoices so the customer receives

Managing ToolingIn most machine shops the tooling is usually under lock and key to limit access to high-value tool inserts such as end-mills drills reamers and burrs Even so many companies suffer considerable losses as these costly tools get lost are pilfered or are misused because there isnrsquot a proper

management system in place over and above lock and key to control who takes what from the store

To meet different requirements we now have four levels of management on offer each requiring a different level of active involvement from our side

Managing machine tools saves money

Dave Goodman managing director of Spectra Carbide Tooling Technology

MATERIAL SELECTION

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 31

one invoice per month In addition the customer has a highly skilled specialist in-house on tap to provide technical assistance for all tooling drilling tapping milling boring gundrilling honing and line boring on CNC and conventional machines ldquoFrom the management system we can draw extensive reporting for the customer regarding the costs per unit manufactured We produce monthly graphs for trending as well as daily incident reports on tool breakages weekly costs on scrapped tools and we also work out action plans to reduce scrap and improve up-time of the machinesrdquo Wayne adds

In essence this value-add for the customer allows preventative action which ultimately saves the customer money Dave explains ldquoGiven the skills shortage out there no company can afford the personnel purely to manage the machine shop in so much detail With this system we not only fill the skills-gap by integrating with the company but we add value to the company so that they can focus on what they manufacturerdquo

New product developmentIntegration into the customersrsquo operation has proved particularly beneficial when it comes to new product developments Wayne elaborates ldquoWersquore always up to date with the latest technology in tooling and know what can be done in the best possible way Usually it will take a machine shop a while to select the right tooling and method to produce

a new part but with our experts right there on site they can be assured of finding the most suitable solution using the right tooling from the startrdquo

Vending systemOn a lower level of tool management where the operation does not justify a permanent Spectra team on site the company has a tooling vending machine solution ldquoAll the tooling is stored in a vending machine and access to draw the tools out of the machine is controlled by a card or finger-print readerrdquo explains Dave ldquoSuch a system does however have a reporting function which allows the customer to draw the machining cost against each specific job

ldquoThis system has proved popular in South Africa because it can be customised to control the specific functions relevant to each customerrdquo adds David ldquoPart and parcel of this cost-saving solution is training the customer on how best to utilise the system for his needs be it purely controlling the use of tooling or integrating reporting and costing into the business system of the companyrdquo

Wayne Williams Spectra Tel (011) 827-8957 Email waynewspectra-sacoza

From the management system we can draw extensive reporting for the customer regarding the costs per unit manufactured

Special carbide drills reamers end mills and special inserts are manufactured in South Africa

MATERIAL SELECTION

32 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 33

Cubitron can be used to finish profile and or polish materials with high tensile strengths and is particularly useful to extend the lifetime of belts and discs in industrial environments

where hard materials are the order of the dayrdquo

Consistent cutFinishes are little changed through the entire dura-tion of a Cubitron belt from new to completely worn out The secret is that the cutting edges wear in a controlled manner This means that the tiny indi-vidual scratches are the same when the belt is first

put on until it is worn and ready for replacement

ldquoThere are a multitude of cutting edges on each individual grain of the extremely hard ceramic based grain As the grain wears new cutting edges are exposed in a predictable and measured manner to ensure that a consistent action is applied to the surfacerdquo she adds

Using the same ceramic platform 3M developed Cubitron II providing even better results than its predecessor 3M engineers were able to electrostati-cally orient triangular precision shaped ceramic grain acting like a cutting tool This means that the grain slices through metal as opposed to grinding and continuously self-sharpens as points break off This results in discs and belts running cooler and longer The Cubitron II technology is applied in

Starting from Scratch

SURFACE FINISHING

ldquoTo scratch the surface as the saying goes of most modern materials and coatings is not as easy as it used to be Thatrsquos why we developed Cubitron Abrasive Grainrdquo says Kelly Hunt

sales and marketing manager of 3M

34 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

Scratccchingg thhe surfface of abrasivvves ttecchnnologgy is too oopen a compplex sccience

SURFACE FINISHING

belt fibre disc and Roloc form offer-ing a unique solution for wide range of grinding needs

Scratching the surfaceKelly is an abrasives fanatic She says scratching the surface of abrasives technology is to open a complex sci-ence Analysis of different materials and techniques of cutting or finishing has in recent years become a necessity as materials develop and advance Bonding of abrasive onto materials for discs and belts is also more complex than before as manufacturing becomes automated and the tolerance for down-time reduces

But for the average operator technician or engineer it is not so much a matter of what goes into the development of a product but rather finding the solution that suits the intended process The minimum requirement is for a product to perform reliably over an extended period of time and to produce the right finish

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 35

Sometimmess a less expeeensiive buuut mmooree suitaaablee abbrasssivee ccaan give bettterr reesulttss

SURFACE FINISHING

ldquoUsing the abrasives to determine a finish can be as simple or as com-plicated as the producer of finished goods chooses to make it With so many choices available in the market we recommend that industrial users iden-tify the requirements of the abrasive and then speak to trained service technicians from suppliers such as 3M

Not about priceldquoPrice is not always the determining factor Some-times a less expensive but more suitable abrasive can give better results and in other instances the use of cheaper materials in the wrong application may be costly as materials will need to be replaced more oftenrdquo

Kelly recommends that us-ers of industrial abrasives take the time to research new products and as-sess their suitability for their processes ldquoYoursquoll be surprised that some of the new abrasives can do the job better and in half the time than older technology abrasives canrdquo she concludes

3M Dylan Ian Hunter Tel (011) 806-2186 Email dhuntermmmcom www3Mcom

36 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

IT TRENDS

ldquo M o b i l e c o m p u t i n g

continues to grow and alongside other IT trends

such as cloud computing social technologies and the era of big data It is going to play a pivotal role in the IT industry this year In factrdquo Derick adds

Mobile Computing

Mobile computing is growing momentously and is set to account for as much as 57 of worldwide T market growth in 2013 says Derick Roberts CEO of TruTeq Devices a Pretoria-based

company focusing on wireless connectivity solutions

ldquoit is going to account for the lionrsquos share of growth ndash even more than the cloud computingrdquo

The IDC predicts that worldwide IT spending will exceed $21 trillion up 57 from 2012 The research company also states that mobility will be the biggest driver Sales of smart mobile devices including smart phones and tablets is expected to grow by 20 and will contribute a significant 57 of all IT growth Excluding smart mobile devices IT industry growth will clock in at only 29

Truteq Devices Derick Roberts Tel (012) 667-1530 wwwtruteqdevicescom

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 37

ELECTRIC DRIVE

The technology performance and design of the Cigarette powerboat is closely based on the electric super sports vehicle made in Affalterbach Germany

The 116 metre long Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept powerboat uses two drive units each featuring six independent electric motors At the rear of the boat each drive unit has its own trans-mission one on the left and one on the right The boat is fitted with the twelve compact liquid-cooled permanent-magnet synchronous electric motors which are the signature piece of the SLS AMG Coupeacute Electric Drive each electric motor delivers 138 kW and 250 Newton metres

The maximum output of 1 656 Kilowatts and maximum torque of 3 000 Newton metres combine to reach a staggering top speed of over 160 kmh making this locally emission-free Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept the worlds fastest electri-cally driven powerboat The low centre of gravity and optimum weight distribution ensure sublime

The Worlds Most Powerful Powerboat

handling characteristics during more dynamic changes of direction

The high-voltage battery boasts an energy content of 60 Kilowatt hours an electric load potential of 600 Kilowatts and a weight of 548 kg ndash all of which are absolute best values in the automotive sector The liquid-cooled lithium-ion high-voltage battery features a modular design with a maximum voltage of 400 V It consists of 12 modules each comprising 72 lithium-ion cells ldquoCigaretterdquo inte-grates four high-tech batteries with a total of 48 modules and 3 456 cells which generate a total capacity of 240 Kilowatt hours and an electric output of 2 400 Kilowatts respect even in the boat building industry

The Cigarette on-board chargers as standard Adapted to fit the infrastructure standard of many American marinas the boat has a charging capac-ity of 44 Kilowatts The battery is fully charged in approximately seven hours To reduce the charging time to less than three hours the powerboat can be fitted with four on-board chargers as an option

Mercedes-Benz Shirle Greig Tel (012) 677-1904 Email shirlegreigdaimlercom wwwmercedes-benzsacoza

Mercedes-AMG and Cigarette Racing launched the latest development of their cooperation at the Miami International Boat Show in February Numerous components from the SLS AMG Coupeacute Electric Drive have been integrated in the design of the Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept engineering design The high performance drive fitted in the electric super sports car makes the off shore powerboat the worlds most

powerful and fastest electrically-driven motor boat With an output of 1 656 Kilowatts and a maximum torque of 3 000 Newton metres the Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept is a fascinating new development

Combine to reach a staggering top speed of over 160 kmh

38 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

ENVIRONMENT

They have been in service for decades

under the toughest conditions ndash and

have proven themselves worldwide

Voith fluid couplings protect belt con-

veyors and drive components by provid-

ing smooth acceleration and torque

control allowing for frequent loaded

starts with the least amount of stress on

the drive and belt

In multi-motor drives they ensure pre-

cise load distribution Result fewer

downtimes ndash and the service life of the

belt and the drive components is in-

creased The latest product innovation is

the Voith TurboBelt 780 TPXL

infovtzavoithcom

wwwrsavoithturbocom

Protect Your Belt Conveyors with

Voith Fluid Couplings

ai_a

it_44

0_e

n ai

k

Water Disclosure ReportingJust as companies are addressing their carbon emissions and

provide carbon reporting to the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) water is becoming a growing priority

Reporting on it is becoming another critical sustainability issue

2011 saw a marked increase in the number of the worldrsquos largest companies reporting on their water usage on the risks that water presents and on their responses to

that risk Responses from these companies indicate that water is impacting global business now and yet water is not nearly as high on the corporate agenda as climate change

Evidence is mounting that South Africa is facing a water crisis of substantial proportions This crisis encompasses all aspects of water management on both the demand and supply side The mounting impacts of acid mine drainage and declining wa-ter quality add to the crisis South Africarsquos water security is likely to be further complicated by an increasingly uneven and unpredictable supply of rainfall as a result of climate change and by a reli-ance on significant water transfers from neighbour-

ing countries In meeting this crisis South Africa will have to resolve tough trade-offs in water use between agriculture key industrial activities such as mining and power generation and the supply to rapidly growing urban centres

Evidence is clearJSE 100 companies will need to show leadership in sustainably managing the water resources on which they rely for their day-to-day business operations The available evidence is clear It is not sustainable to continue exploiting water resources by follow-ing a lsquobusiness as usualrsquo approach If this is the case South Africarsquos freshwater resources will be depleted and unable to meet the needs of people and industry in the next 20 years if not before

In 2011 the response rate to the CDP Water Disclosure amongst South African companies was 46 (26 out of 56 companies) Many of South Africarsquos most significant corporate water users are therefore not yet able to or are not yet ready to report on their water-related risks

Promethuim Robbie Louw Tel (011) 706-8185 Email Robbiepromethiumcoza wwwpromethuimcoza

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 39

EXHIBITION

The Steel and Engineering Industries Federation (SEI-FSA) the Lifting Equipment Engineering Association

of SA (LEEASA) the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA) and the SA Institute of Welding (SAIW) have thrown their weight behind the biggest industrial and engineering trade show in Africa

The three-day 10-shows-in-one event takes place from 14 to 16 May 2013 at Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand Johannesburg

SEIFSA Conference at Indutec The Steel and Engineering Indus-tries Federation of South Africa (SEIFSA) will hold its annual conference at Indutec celebrating 70 years of active support for its members industry and business in Africa The federation has over 2 220 member companies which employ more than 224 000 people comprising 53 of the industryrsquos workforce

SAIW ldquoWe take our affiliations with leading industry players very seriously including our en-dorsement of Indutecrdquo says Jim Guild chief executive officer of the SA Institute of Welding ldquoThese industry ties form part of our strategy to create strong relationships which support our objective and Governmentrsquos mandate to enhance the manufacturing sector in South Africardquo

LEEASAThe Lifting Equipment Engineer-ing Association of South Africa (LEEASA) which is a division of the Chamber of Engineering Tech-

nology (COET) will also be using its endorsement of Indutec to promote its activities in the engineer-ing and technology sectors in general Chamber spokesperson Viv Nel says its exposure at the fair will create more awareness of the Chamberrsquos role in all engineering and technology-driven industries

ECSAIndustry regulator the Engineering Council of South Africa shares these aims ldquoAs a custodian of en-gineering intellectual capital in South Africa our endorsement of Indutec provides us with a platform to publicise our role in the engineering sector and government infrastructure initiativesrdquo says Edgar Sabela ECSArsquos Strategic Services Executive

ldquoWe need to produce 10 times more engineers to compete with developed economies Involvement with the Indutec show will allow us to promote engineering as a career through our Engenius Programme and showcase our existing engineer-ing excellence Most importantly it enables us to network with all key players in the field and even conclude some businessrdquo

Tenfold Benefits to ExhibitorsJohn Thomson managing director of Exhibition Management Services organisers of the 10-in-one Fair says the unqualified support from leading in-dustry bodies indicates the showrsquos tenfold value to the engineering industrial and technology sectors ldquoThis undoubtedly translates into multiple benefits for the showrsquos exhibitors and ultimately to show visitorsrdquo he concludes

Indutec Serean ThomsonTel (011) 783 7250 Email marketingexhibitionsafricacom wwwexhibitionsafricacom

Boosting the Manufacturing Sector32 of South Africarsquos leading industrial and engineering professional and employer associations Chambers and

Councils have collectively endorsed Indutec the recently launched South African Industry and Technology Fair 2013

Promech Publishing through SA Mechanical Engineer and Bulk Handling Today will produce and publish the Official Catalogue for this prestigious show

Make sure your presence is felt before during and after the show by advertising in this one-of-a-kind reference publication

Contact Mark Bennett Tel (011) 781-1401 Email samechengpromechcoza

Jim Guild CEO of the SA Institute of Welding

Edgar Sabela - ECSArsquos Strategic Services Executive

Adelia Pimentel - Marketing and Communications Manager SEIFSA

40 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

MARKET FORUM

ldquoBMG has identified a need in diverse sectors for on-site maintenance services to overcome production challengesrdquo says Dave Russell technical director BMG ldquoRecognising the extreme constraints of high energy prices low productivity the critical skills shortage and a highly competitive economic environment BMG brings a total solutions service to the fore

ldquoIndustry can now access all critical production efficient products and services from one supplier What this means is lower production costs and higher pro-duction efficiency giving South African industry a distinct competitive advantage

ldquoBMGrsquos on-site services include applica-

tion design evaluation and optimisation as well as installation trouble-shooting and service exchange contracts The company also offers predictive planned and breakdown maintenance and energy and reliability studiesrdquo

The company also offers extensive train-ing which covers electrical mechanical hydraulic pneumatic electronic and materials handling disciplines as well as predictive maintenance and component failure analysis

BMG ndash Bearing Man Group Veronique van Niekerk Tel (031) 576-6221Email veroniquevbmgworldnet wwwbmgworldnet

Tenova Takraf Africa (formerly Bateman Engineered Technologies) is putting the final pieces together in completing an order for the supply of a 55m x 275m hydraulically-driven SAG mill to Ontario Graphite operators of the Kearney Mine located in Kearney O n t a r i o Canada

ldquoTenovarsquos scope

Unique SAG Mill in Canada

ABB started with a bang following the order of 2 400 robots by BMW Group Over the next three years the robots will be installed at factories in Regensburg and Leipzig Germany as well as in Tiexi China The ABB robots will mainly be used for mate-rial handling tasks as well as gluing and spot welding processes

ABB robots enable customers to implement efficient manufacturing systems that sustainably produce high-quality products The com-panyrsquos range of products and solu-tions for lean manufacturing cover the range from body-in-white to the final assembly of complete car bodies They improve competitiveness and at the same time optimally comply with customer specifications ABB has installed more than 200 000 robots worldwide

ABB Robotics Natasha Mathebula Tel (010) 202-6156 Email natashamathebulazaabbcom wwwabbcom

2400

Robots

Total Solution

of work includes the engineering manufacturing shipping and technical assistance during erection of the SAG millrsquos feed end shell discharge end drive and main bearings as well as all supporting equipment (lubrication and jacking systems)rdquo says Tenova Takraf

engineer Pieter van der Walt ldquoThe main hydraulic motor and rubber

shell liners were outside our commercial scope of supply but inside our technical

scope of supplyrdquo he adds

The mill is a conventional SAG (semi-autogenous grinding) mill in all ways apart from its drive assem-bly and it is centre-driven

at the discharge end using a Haggluumlnds hydraulic motor and powerpack ldquoTo date this is the largest hydraulic motor installed on a SAG mill with 950kW of power torque of 1 200 kNm (start-up) and 650 kNm (operational) and speed of 1386 rpmrdquo adds Pieter

Since the mill had to be retrofitted to an existing foundation a number of adaptations were required to maintain the mill centreline as well as feed-end and discharge-end positions Certain additions were required to anchor the main motor torque arm

Tenova Takraf Pieter van der Walt Tel (011) 899-2372 Email pietervanderwaltbatemancom wwwtenovagroupcom

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 41

MARKET FORUM

World Record

The ADR plant at Kisladag Mine

FLSmidth designs and manufactures indirect heated carbon regeneration kilns and calciners from half a ton per day and larger These kilns and calciners can be fuel gas oil or electric and are skid mounted pre-wired and pre-piped The companyrsquos patented bellows kiln seal has proved effective in eliminating air ingress and process gas egress and can be retrofitted to kilns from other manufacturers FLSmidth holds the world record for the lowest emissions on a carbon plant

And at the companyrsquos Merrill Crowe plant capacities range from skid mounted 34 cubic metres per hour modular plants to full size 2 100 cubic metres per hour The range of supply for plants includes clarification filters de-aeration towers vacuum pumps zinc dust feeders lead nitrate feeders and zinc cones precipitate filter feed pumps filter pre-coat and body feed systems as well as precipitate filters used by refinery and smelting facilities to produce gold bullion

These plants incorporate proprietary zinc dustlead nitrate feeder and mix-ing cone system The company offers individual plant components and partial or complete plant equipment packages together with total plant design

FLSmidth Terence Osborn Tel (010) 210-4820

Magnet has extended its range of abrasive products to include 3Mrsquos new Cubitron II abrasive belts with enhanced grinding performance improved productivity and extended service life

ldquo3Mrsquos new technology has resulted in increased speed improved consistency and extended belt liferdquo says Brian How-arth MD Magnet ldquoThese new abrasive belts ensure up to 30 faster cutting on hard to grind metals like stainless steel nickel alloy and cobalt chrome They also divert heat from the workpiece and belt to the swarf which means cooler cutting This helps eliminate burnishing and minimises heat stress Cubitron II abrasive belts last up to four times longer than conventional ceramic aluminium oxide beltsrdquo

3M Abrasives Bradley Reddy Tel (031) 274 1050 Email bradleyrmagnetgroupcozawwwmagnetgroupcoza

4 x Longer

42 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

MARKET FORUM

X-Calibur is one of the latest product offerings from TAL and was specified to protect the concrete structure of the worldrsquos second longest cable-stayed bridge against corrosion throughout its design life

Stonecutters Bridge is a high level cable-stayed bridge which spans the Rambler Channel in Hong Kong connecting Nam Wam Kok Tsing Yi Island and Stonecut-ters Island Hong Kong is well known for its hot summer weather which is also humid and unstable Temperatures

Say No to Corrosionusually exceed 30oC during the day which coupled with high humidity can result in an extreme heat index

ldquoHot and humid environments have a great effect on the durability of concrete As a rule of thumb we say for every 10oC increase in temperature the possibility of corrosion induced damage to concrete is doubled Add humidity in a marine envi-ronment then protection of the structure is of paramount importancerdquo says Brian Davies CEO X-Calibur International In order to guard the bridge from corro-

sion X-Shield EpoxySeal CR was sup-plied to shield the prestressed concrete cable anchorages from the effects of the environment In addition X-Shield FlexCoat was used in various areas of the structure This provides corrosion protection to reinforced concrete from chloride and carbon dioxide

ldquoThe main challenge was compliance with the strict project specifications as the engineer wanted to ensure that protection would be provided throughout the design life of the structure X-Calibur

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 43

MARKET FORUM

had the products independently tested to prove compliance to all aspects of the specificationrdquo John adds

The materials were applied by spe-cialist painters who had been trained by X-Calibur ldquoMaterials were mixed and applied strictly in accordance with method statements supplied by X-Calibur to ensure working time and recoat windows were not exceededrdquo concludes John

TAL Andrew Dekker Tel (031) 579-2263 wwwtalcoza

Fluid conveyance and pumping solutions expert Incledon has supplied a large water supply line project in the Free State with a total of 4 km of Ultraflo pipes manufactured in-house by DPI Plastics - a leading manufacturer of water reticulation drainage and pipe-fitting systems in South Africa

DPI Plastics technical and product manager Renier Snyman points out that the companyrsquos range of Ultraflo pipes are manufactured from modified polyvinyl chloride (mPVC) which is specifically designed to provide similar tensile strength and greater resilience than standard PVC piping products ldquoThe Ultraflo range of pressure piping systems are ideally suited to bulk water supply projects due to the fact that mPVC is considerably more ductile than industry standard unplasticised polyvinyl chloride (uPVC)rdquo he explains

Renier notes that the ductility of the Ultraflo uPVC piping system ensures that

Large Water Supply Project

the pipes have exceptional resistance to crack propagation under pressure ldquoThe product being supplied to the water sup-ply line project is the 500 mm Ultraflo system which is the largest in the DPI Plastics range It boasts a pressure rat-ing of 12 bar with a design stress of up to 18MPa making it ideally suited as a large underground piping systemrdquo

According to Renier Ultraflo pipes offer environmental advantages too ldquoDue to its superior toughness the wall thick-ness of mPVC is less than that of uPVC This ensures that less materials are used during the manufacturing process which ultimately results in a lighter product that is easier to transport and install thereby minimising the carbon footprint of the piperdquo

DPI Plastics Martine Goodchild Tel (021) 957 5600 Email mgoodchilddpiplasticscozawwwdpiplasticscoza

Donrsquot Miss Out

Promech Publishing is putting the Visitorsrsquo Catalogue together for this Show

Contact Mark Bennett on Tel (011) 781-1401 or Email samechengpromechcoza

to book your space

44 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

MARKET FORUM

Displaying and discussing some of the Dodge housed bearings on offer to local industry and mining are (from left) Tony Patten of Specialised Bearings amp Transmission Peter Small-Shaw Wilecrsquos Product Manager Bearings and Frans Odendaal Wilecrsquos Technical Specialist Bearings

The Bearings division of Actom group company Wilec has formed a strategic alliance for the supply of Dodge housed bearings into southern Africa The partner-ship agreement with Johannesburg-based Specialised Bearings amp Transmission the local distributor for Dodge extends Wilecrsquos ability to satisfy the requirements of industry and mining in a diverse range of bearings applications

ldquoThe most exciting thing about our tie-up with Dodge is that housed bearings while already widely accepted in the US and other leading industrialised countries is a relatively new concept locally but one which offers advanced features to users compared with conventional plum-mer block arrangementsrdquo said Frans Odendaal Wilecrsquos Technical Specialist Bearings

ldquoDodge housed bearings are supplied pre-assembled and sealed so eliminating all risk of contamination during fitment The advanced sealing arrangement and unique adapter system guarantees longer

Strategic Alliance

life ndash up to six times that of a conven-tional plummer block Other cost-saving advantages are that they can be installed by a semi-skilled technician very quickly normally in less than 15 minutes and the need to measure pre- and post-reduction clearance is eliminatedrdquo

ldquoIt is a differentiated product and with it we are able to provide a bearing that is especially well suited to local conditions

and offers benefits that are of real value to customers A particularly important aspect to bear in mind is that the total cost of ownership of a Dodge bearing is significantly lower than that of the conventional product due to its greater reliability and durabilityrdquo

Wilec Frans Odendaal Tel (011) 629-9300 Email fransowileccoza

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 45

MARKET FORUM

Emis Sales 2002 part of Becker Min-ing South Africa supplies a wide range of electrical equipment up to 1 100 V for use in hazardous and non-hazardous areas in the mining petrochemical and surface industry sectors

New to the Emis range are Proloc pro-tection and control relays which are suitable for thermal overload protection of conveyors compressors crushers fan and pump motors as well as shuttle cars and flitting panels

ldquoThe stand-alone Emis ProLoc electronic protection and control relay system which has been designed for the optimum protection of motor and feeder circuits connected to outlet sockets has a wide choice of six user-selectable protection features to meet exact requirementsrdquo says Frikkie Quirk managing director Emis Sales 2002 ldquoAn important advan-tage of this system is a door mounted infra-red link that enables a laptop with Proloc software to manage all settings

and downloads without having to open the panel door and expose personnel to dangerous live equipment This is a critical requirement in the OHSA actrdquo

This system is easy to set up via the Proloc MMI 420 display man-to-machine interface or via a laptop with Proloc software

Emis Sales 2002 Tel (016) 341-6134 Email infozabecker-miningcom wwwzabecker-miningcom

Optimum Protection

Birkenmayer a material processing systems supplier in South Africa and local supplier of German-engineered Eirich material processing technology recently released the Evactherm drier a new product that marries the advantages

Superheated Vacuum Steam

of mechanical and thermo dynamical processes to provide cost-effective and highly efficient drying and processing of filter cake and sludgersquos using superheated vacuum steam

Until now it has been important to observe

a maximum middle temperature when applying direct drying to heat sensitive materials and even more important to avoid the excessive local and boundary temperatures that frequently damage the drying product Both heat and ma-terial transport need to be considered and while convective drying processes such as spray drying largely avoid these problems they are only effective if a surface is available for the hot gas flow

Adjustable for both direct and convec-tive drying and processing Evactherm driers overcome these obstacles while providing a number of further benefits

Super-heated vacuum steam performs drying and granulation while the com-bination of mechanical and thermo dynamical processes allows for low dry-ing temperatures and gentle processing of temperature sensitive materials It also enables continuous drying for long periods of time as fresh material may be continuously added into the fluidized bed replacing material that has already been vaporised

H Birkenmayer Louis Eksteen Tel (011) 970 3880-8 Email louisbirkenmayercozawwwbirkenmayercoza

The Evactherm drier

Proloc protection and control relays

46 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

The Eastern Capersquos Coega Industrial Development Zone (IDZ) is one of a number of industrial regions in South Africa to benefit from Air Products South Africarsquos strategy of long-term capital investment

A region which has long been under-served when it comes to reliable gas supply the Eastern Cape will soon have

A Long-term Viewits own air separation unit (ASU) ndash the first of its kind in the province Seelan Gounden GM supply chain at AirProd-ucts explains the reasons behind the companyrsquos latest investment

ldquoCurrently there is no local industrial gas supply in this area and cryogenic gases have to be procured elsewhere This situation compromises the service

MARKET FORUM

ART Solar specialists in the manufacture of solar photovoltaic (PV) modules for the sustainable generation of electrical power has made the following appointment an-nouncementsMark Walsh as managing director Dr Ronald FM Lange as chief operating officer Robert Ramshaw as financial manager and Gavin Rosslee as production manager

Gavin RossleeRobert RamshawMark Walsh

Jeanne Els has been appointed as Hatchrsquos Managing Director of Operations

Jeanne Els

Ronald Lange

Anton Theunissen

SKF South Africa recently appointed Anton Theunissen as Distributor De-velpoment Manager for South Africa and neighbouring coun-tries

Index to Advertisers

Axiom 12

Bearings International 36

Bibby Turboflex 28

Bonfiglioli 10

Engen 34

Festo 35

Hansen 44

Horne SA 29

IDC Inside Back Cover

ILS 32

KDP Services 22

Loesche 31

Polysius 4

PPS 11 29

Mercedes Outside Back Cover

Merseta Inside Front Cover

MIEO Outside Front Cover

Transmission Components 14

Voith 38

Yellotec 16 17

delivery to our existing customers who have to depend on product being trucked over vast distances Thus we identified the Eastern Cape as a key priority invest-ment destination with a clear need for a new air separation facility dedicated to servicing the region We chose the Coega IDZ after careful market analysis We are pleased to be able to be a part of the growth and development of the region through providing a long-needed security of supply and value-added servicerdquo

Ayanda Vilakazi head of Marketing and Communications at the Coega IDZ adds ldquoThe viability of the new ASU is indis-putable It will mean not only security of gas supply to the region benefiting the many industries here but it also means job security for other investors jobs along the value chain and scope for training and human resource develop-ment as well as enhanced Corporate Social Investment initiativesrdquo

Seelan Gounden AirProducts wwwairproductssouthafricacoza

Left to right Chris Mashigo Executive Man-ager - Business Development Coega Develop-ment Corporation Themba Khoza Executive Manager ndash Operations Coega Development Corporation Seelan Gounden GM - Supply Chain Air Products Pierre Fourie Area Sales Manager ndash Eastern Cape Air Products signed the lease agreement between the CDC and Air Products South Africa

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 47To apply online for funding of R1 million or more go to wwwidccoza

Telephone 086 069 3888Email callcentreidccoza

Driving new market innovationsThe IDC supports high-impact job creation projects acting as a

catalyst to lead new sector development and support existing

industry and sector growth in alignment with governmentrsquos

New Growth Path (NGP) National Development Plan (NDP)

and Industrial Policy Action Plan (IPAP)

The IDC Strategic High Impact Projects (SHIP) Strategic Business

Unit in partnership with the IDC Innovation Department has

launched an Open Innovation Challenge to encourage the

development and implementation of sustainable high-impact

industrial initiatives and projects

The IDC calls upon individuals engineering communities

corporates project sponsors and other related entities to enter

into a partnership to develop qualifying projects that result in

sustainable and profi table industries exploit the value-adding

opportunities of existing and new value chains and enable the

development of innovative local economies

Whatwho qualifi es

projects which enable the development of new industries

across multiple IDC focus sectors

introduce new markets and value chains or revolutionise

existing ones through the use of disruptive technologies

or new approaches

development impact and employment creation

across mandated IDC industrial sectors

SHIP wishes to ensure that the projects undertaken play a major

role in industrial development and employment creation within

the South African and SADC regions

Interested applicants are invited to submit their project

proposals online at

httpopeninnovationidccozaidc-ship-challenge between

project proposals will be informed in May regarding SHIP

wishing to partner with them in the development of the

proposed project

Please contact Bertie Strydom BertieSidccoza and

RetiefBidccoza for more information

Chillibush9119IDC

48 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

A D

aim

ler B

rand

You built the bridges the roads and the tunnels We built the carAs a member of the Engineering Council of South Africa you could qualify for exclusive offers a guaranteed 3-day service booking as well as PremiumDrive our 6 year100 000km maintenance plan To take advantage of this outstandingopportunity inform your nearest dealer of your ECSA status

Not in conjunction with other Mercedes-Benz Fleet ProgrammesOffers Excludes AMG and Limited Edition modelsVehicle specifications may vary for the South African market

Page 5: SAME Mar2013

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 5

Cover Story8 Mining and Industry Energy Optimisation (MIEO)

Monthly Column11 Prominent Professionals

Power Transmission13 Italian Gearboxes Now in SA15 Save on Maintenance

CESA18 Empowering Municipal Engineers

HHyyddrrauullicsss ampamp Pneumatiiccss19 New Life for Old Machines21 Compressed Air at Work

POWER GENERATION TODAY23 Harnessing the Powers of the Ocean27 Power Generation News

Opinion29 Soapbox

Produced by PROMECH PUBLISHING P O Box 373 Pinegowrie 2123 Republic of South AfricaTel (011) 781-1401 Fax (011) 781-1403 Managing Editor Susan Custers Editor Kowie HammanCirculation Catherine Macdiva Advertising Mark BennettDTP Zinobia Docrat Donovan VadivaluSubscriptions Please email us at accountspromechcozaif you wish to subscribe to ldquoSA Mechanical Engineerrdquo at R44000 (excl postage and VAT) per year R1 10000 per year for AfricaOverseas

DisclaimerPROMECH Publishing and The South African Institution of Mechanical Engineering as well as any other body do not take responsibility for the opinions expressed by individualsPrinted by Typo Colour Printing Tel (011) 402-34689FSC (Forestry Stewardship Accreditation)

Material Selection30 Managing Tooling

Surface Finishing33 Starting from Scratch

IT Trends36 Mobile Computing

Electric Drive37 The Worldrsquos Most Powerful Powerboat

Environment38 Water Disclosure Reporting

Exhibition39 Boosting the Manufacturing Sector

Regulars3 An Engineerrsquos View7 Institution News40 Market Forum

Contents

The monthly circulation is 4 326

CopyrightAll rights reserved No editorial matter published in ldquoSA Mechanical Engineerrdquo may be reproduced in any form or language without written permission of the publishers While every effort is made to ensure accurate reproduction the editor authors publishers and their employees or agents shall not be responsible or in any way liable for any errors omissions or inaccuracies in the publication whether arising from negligence or otherwise or for any consequences arising therefrom The inclusion or exclusion of any product does not mean that the publisher or editorial board advocates or rejects its use either generally or in any particular field or fields

March 2013 VOLUME 63 NUMBER 3On the Cover

Tel (011) 061-5000wwwmieoorgza

Promech Publish-ing is proud to announce that the SA Capital Equ ipment

Export Coun-cil has endorsed

ldquoSA Mechanical Engineerrdquo We welcome the SACEEC on board and look forward to working together

More news next month

Susan Custers Managing Editor

inganthE

Exxcil h

6 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

THE SA INSTITUTION OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

Council 2012 - 2014

Office BearersPresident KK Nyangoni (Kudzai)Vice President D Findeis (Dirk)National Treasurer A Roos (Andre)Immediate Past President G Barbic (George)

Branch ChairpersonsCentral S Murefu (Stephen)Eastern Cape W Rall (William)KwaZuluNatal J Moto (John)Mpumalanga Highveld L Odendaal (Louis)Western Cape Dr D Blaine (Debbie)

PortfoliosCommunicationsStrategic PlanningSpecialist GroupCD Reay (Chris)Young Engineers ForumProf B Collier-Reed (Brandon)Education Universities of Technology E Zawilska (Ewa)Membership E Zawilska (Ewa)Professional Development ProgrammeM Black (Malcolm)Technology Programme SZ Hrabar (Steve)To be confirmedG Bartholomew (Bart)

Chief Executive Officer Vaughan Rimbault

National Office Manager Anisa Nanabhay PO Box 511 Bruma 2026Tel (011) 615-5660 Fax (011) 388-5356Email infosaimecheorgza

Website wwwsaimecheorgza

Membership Central Eastern Cape

Mpumalanga Highveld amp KZN membershipsaimecheorgza

Membership Western Cape saimechewcvodamailcoza

Company AffiliatesAlstom Power Service SA

Babcock Africa Limited

Bateman Engineered Technologies

Bosch Projects

DCD Rolling Stock A division of DCD

Festo (Pty) Ltd Group (Pty) Ltd

Fluor SA (Pty) Ltd

GEA Air-cooled Systems

Hansen Transmissions SA

Hatch Africa

Howden Power

Howden Projects

Industrial Water Cooling

Inenzo Water (Pty) Ltd

MBE Minerals (SA) (Pty) Ltd (previously KHD Humboldt Wedag SA)

Megchem Eng amp Drafting Services

Mod-U-Flow

Osborn Engineered

Products SA

Rotek Engineering

SAME Water

Sasol Technologies

SEW Eurodrive

Siemens

SNC-Lavalin SA

Spicer Axle SA

Spirax Sarco SA

Technical Systems

Thyssenkrupp Engineering

Transvaal Pressed Nuts amp Bolts

Ultra-Flow Engineering Services

Vital Engineering

Weir Minerals Africa

Winder Controls

Invest in in-house workshops convened by SAIMechEWhen it comes to correct practices and effective productivity is there anything to rival teamwork and group training The benefits of ensuring that all relevant personnel are well informed on com-mon topics are obvious For instance group learn-ing fosters team spirit and co-operation between personnel who may not be interacting successfully in their workplace SAIMechE recommends that instead of incurring travel costs to send staff on engineering related courses corporations should book In-House workshops with SAIMechE

To obtain a comprehensive list of workshops (also avail-able on website wwwsaimecheorgza) or to discuss your corporate short course training needs kindly contact National Events Manager Linda Robinson on Tel 031 764 7136 or E-mail lindasaimecheorgza

Scheduled Forthcoming Training Events ndash Open to All

Code Abbreviated Title

Date Start

Date End

Region

C0913 Refrigeration Explained

19-Mar-13

19-Mar-13

Cape Town

C6613 Effective Negotiation

Methodologies for Engineers

in Practice

20-Mar-13

20-Mar-13

Cape Town

F6213 Technical Communica-tions and Re-port Writing

20-Mar-13

20-Mar-13

Secunda

F5713 Total Produc-tive Mainte-

nance

26-Mar-13

26-Mar-13

Secunda

C2513 Materials Section

Processes Parameters amp Performances

27-Mar-13

27-Mar-13

Cape Town

F5813 Continuous Flow Pro-cesses A

Methodology for Engineers

in Practice

27-Mar-13

27-Mar-13

Secunda

A3613 Project Management A Review of Essentials

3-Apr-13

3-Apr-13

Durban

F2913 Practical Lu-brication and

Lubricants

3-Apr-13

3-Apr-13

Secunda

A4713 Capital Budgeting for

Projects

4-Apr-13

4-Apr-13

Durban

F6913 Lubricants and Oil Monitoring

4-Apr-13

4-Apr-13

Secunda

form may be obtained from Carey Evans on Tel 031 764 7136 or Email careysaimecheorgza All event programmes are posted on website wwwsaimecheorgza

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 7

THE SA INSTITUTION OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

Vaughan Rimbault (SAIMechE CEO) and Anisa Nanab-hay (National Office Manager) recently conducted student road shows at Stellenbosch University Cape Pensinsula University of Technology and University of Cape Town Students were addressed on matters

The award winners for the 2012 SAIMechE Student awards from Stellenbosch University Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering were

1 Best Final Year project Mechanical (Trophy medal prize money amp certificate) ndash Elizna Miles 87

2 Best Final Year Project Mechatronics (Trophy

medal prize money amp certificate) ndash Willem Pienaar 87

3 Best Mechanical Presentation (medal amp certifi-cate) ndash Elizna Miles 90

4 Best Mechatronic Presentation (medal amp certifi-cate) ndash Henri van Eetveldt 82

that directly concern and effect them as well as benefits of SAIMechE membership which is free for students The presentations were well received and there was a lot of interest in what SAIMechE offers to students

SAIMechE Student Road Shows - Western Cape

SAIMechE Student Awards ndash Stellenbosch University

All the 2012 departmental award winners including the SAIMechE award winners

8 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

COVER STORY

The MIEO is a not for profit indepen-dent association that serves the

mining and industry sec-tors of the southern Afri-can economy by promot-ing awareness informing and educating within the realm of energy efficiency and saving

Comparatively speak-ing the industrial and mining sector combined

Mining and Industry Energy Optimisation (MIEO)

Charles Ntsele Grinding Manager at Metso Southern Africa has been elected to Chair the MIEO for the next two years

Serves the mining and industry sectors of the southern African economy by promoting awareness informing and educating within the realm of energy efficiency and saving

Charles Ntsele

Patterns of usage quite different between mining and industry

Industrial

Mining

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 9

use 67 of Eskomrsquos grid capacity classifying this sector as intensive energy users However it is also the sector that contributes to the majority of the countryrsquos economy Hence the focus for a sustainable and secure energy supply in South Africa logically lies with optimising the energy use within this sector

The MIEO constitutes a membership base that not only supply products and services to the mining and industrial sector but has collaborated in assisting energy intensive users to employ a systematic or holistic approach to energy management challenge in their organisations so that energy saving can be optimised

Systematic approachThe collaboration involves a series of seminars presented by the MIEO across the country In this way information on energy optimisation opportuni-ties is taken to the end user

The MIEO initiative brings together leading manu-facturers and suppliers of service and technologies for improvement of energy efficiency in all major energy-consuming plant items Through seminars the MIEO aims to achieve the following objectives

1 To promote awareness of the benefits available to industry and mining in the products and services for energy efficiency from members of the associa-tion

2 To support Eskom and the Department of Energy of the Republic of South Africa in their common objective of increasing energy efficiency in the industrial and mining sectors of the economy

3 To promote opportunities for the dissemination and sharing of information about products services technologies programmes approaches strategies best practice and operational experiences in the field of industrial and mining energy efficiency

4 To promote the adoption of energy efficiency products and services available from members of the association

5 To promote opportunities for training in the methodology and technology for sustained achieve-ment of energy and cost saving when utilising energy efficiency products and services available from members of the association

CredentialsCharles Ntsele currently Grinding Manager at Metso Southern Africa obtained his NHD Extraction Metallurgy from the University of Johannesburg in 1994 and has fulfilled various roles such as re-search metallurgist applications engineer process engineer and product manager He is an associate member of the Southern African Institute of Mining amp Metallurgy

Tel (011) 061-5000 Fax 086 688 7005Email mieovdwcoza wwwmieoorgza

COVER STORY

Electricity Consumption by Sector

10 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 11

the project engineer who worked on this project

Future ndash a concept a dream or a wishUsing the technology and engineering knowledge available to make South Africa more sustainable If we could use this know-how to overcome the challenges that the country faces it would be a major breakthrough for the nation

Irsquod also like to see more being done in terms of renewable energy We are for example closely studying further possibilities to use biomass as a fuel to generate steam and electricity in our processes Wersquore also looking at fluidised bed boiler technology so that we can use the

abundance of low-grade coal in the country

Most Challenging ProjectA few years back we did a recovery optimisation project to improve the recovery of by-products from the pulping pro-cess The main product is caustic soda used in the cooking process We installed a new causticizing plant pulp screen-ing plant scrubber and refurbished the fluidised bed reactor The challenge was combining the new plant installation with the refurbishment work all in an existing plant within a very limited time span

Most Rewarding ProjectIt was the installation of an A-4 sheeting and packaging line We bought a second-hand machine in Germany and just to get the machine up and running was a challenge in itself

CommentaryAre there shortcomings in the Mechanical Engineering Industry in South AfricaYes we have a shortage of maintenance professionals When I was at university we were not trained in maintenance at all Mechanical engineering has a major role to play in this field where the scope for improvement in todayrsquos industry is enormous We need to start training in maintenance at an academic level much like some of the universities have now started doing However mentorship and in-house training has a very important role to play as well

Message to young engineersYoung engineers have to take ownership of their own develop-ment and not expect somebody else to do it for them Many young engineers feel the employer owes them something They must get involved at all levels and work their way up so that when theyrsquore the seniors they know what goes on at the lower levels Remember yoursquore never too clever to learn

MONTHLY COLUMN

Prominent ProfessionalsCarel Kruger Engineering Manager

Academic

School Graduate studies Rob Ferreira High School Whiteriver B Eng at University of Pretoria

Post-graduateB Tech degree in Pulp amp Paper Management Development Programme through Unisa Gov-ernment certificate of competence

Professional bodiesRegistered with Ecsa as Pr Eng and Pr Certifi-cated Engineer

Career Path

First employerStarted with Sappi at the Enstra Mill as an engineering trainee after doing national service in the army

Growth pathAfter a few years at Sappi I left to work for a small engineer-ing company for five years I went back to Sappi as a project engineer I was then promoted to a number of positions at Enstra Mill these included maintenance engineer project manager services manager and maintenance manager before I took up my current position

Present employer amp positionSappi Enstra Mill as an engineering manager

AchievementsA projectMost of our work in the maintenance environment involves minimising breakdowns optimising the performance of the equipment and working on continuous improvements to either overcome business challenges or increase the success rate of our production plant One of our teamrsquos notable project was to de-bottleneck the bleach plant The project involved stabilising the pulp consistency control in a refurbished high density chest system At the same time we installed a new feed system into the oxygen reactor

This was a major breakthrough in terms of availability of equipment and the throughput of the plant because of reduced breakdowns and blockages It was a case of applying new technology in a very old plant challenging our engineering skills to the maximum

Any awardsA Sappi internal silver engineering award was given to me and

WErsquoRE ENGINEERED TO SHAREOver R73 billion N rsquo S S E Hrsquo NA E

S

S S S trade T S S

12 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 201314 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 62 May 2012

AXIOM HYDRAULICS (PTY) LTD

HA

Tel (011) 334-3068 334-3086 Fax (011) 334-4543E-mail axiomjhbmwebcoza

SAMHYDRAULIK which is one of the leaders in the field of hydraulictransmission has been operating for over 25 years in the internationalmarket offering a complete range of orbital hydraulic motors and power steering units axial pumps andmotors for medium and highpressure ranges all characterisedby excellent performances

SAMHYDRAULIK employs 120people who operate inside avery modern and efficient plantthat spans over 6 000 squaremetres to assure a high standardand flexible production capacityThe latest computer technologyis used for both design andproduction combined withstrict quality control proceduresduring all production phaseswhich translates into innovativereliable and functionalproducts that meet the various needs of the marketIts ISO 9001 certificationheld since 1994 is theresult of a quality-orientated philosophyon which SAMHYDRAULIKhas always based itsoperation

17 Heidelberg Road Village Main Johannesburg 2000P O Box 260248 Excom South Africa 2023

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 13T

POWER TRANSMISSION

Rossi a power transmission equipment manu-facturer from Modena in Italy did this by establishing the companyrsquos first permanent subsidiary in South Africa ldquoSA Mechanical

Engineerrdquo speaks with the deputy general manager of Rossi South Africa Kyle Dick about the range of new products theyrsquore now offering locally

ldquoInitially Rossi was represented in South Africa through my company DDI Transmissions in Springs as an agent for their comprehensive range of gear-boxes but now operates as a subsidiary for Rossi SPA to service the whole of sub-Saharan Africardquo he explains ldquoThe product range as such is thus not new to the South African market but wersquore of-fering a much wider range incorporating the latest in drive train technology for a wide variety of applica-tionsrdquo

in KwaZulu Natal ldquoNot only is the market in South Africa very similar to the mining industry there but many of the mining companies and major project

houses operate in both countries This made us realise that the South African market could

certainly be expanded from the footprint which Kyle has already established hererdquo

New rangesThe Rossi Group is one of Europersquos larg-est industrial groups for the production and sale of gear reducers gear motors

electric standard and brake motors Kyle comments ldquoThey constantly undertake

extensive research into new drive solu-tions A typical example is the EP range

of planetary units and the H-series of new helical and bevel-helical gear units specifically developed for heavy industry applicationsrdquo

Manufacturers of bulk handling equipment like conveyor systems ship loaders stacker

reclaimers and mine processing machinery are all familiar with Rossi drives and have been direct clients of the company for many years The gear reducers and gear motors include planetary worm coaxial right angle parallel shaft gear reducers and

Italian Gearboxes Now in SA

With South African industry particularly mining being very similar to that of Australia some international companies build up a strong footprint in Australia and then use this

experience to bring their expertise to the South African mining industry as well

The product range as such is thus not new to the South African market but wersquore now offering a much wider range incorporating the latest in drive train technology for a wide variety of applications

roduct s notcan of-er g ne -

Africa very simany of the

houses oprealise t

certaiwhic

NeTheestand

eleccomm

exteti

Ma

Kyle Dick (left) and Marcello Cassanelli of Rossi South Africa

The Rossi range of products has done extremely well in Australia leading to the establishment of a main subsidiary there and three regional officesrdquo says Marcello Cassanelli the other deputy

general manager from Italy who is helping Kyle in the coming years to get the business going at Tongaat

14 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

POWER TRANSMISSION

I prefer to go on site and help out with tricky problems but I also have good experience in gearbox selection a critical factor in todayrsquos market

speed reducers specifically bring flexibility to the market The system is completely modular allowing each solution to be tailor-made to a specific ap-plication yet itrsquos still cost effective as all products emanate from a standard production unit The new H series covers 825 kNm through to 1700 kNm while the EP series can cover up to 3000 kNm

ldquoComplementary and ancillary equipment such as cooling fans coils or independent cooling units oil heaters and labyrinth seals are of an equal qual-ity and toughness as our rugged gear units which are built and customised for the most challenging conditions or environments any industry can pos-sibly presentrdquo Marcello adds The company is so confident in the quality and reliability of their product range that theyrsquore offering a worldwide warranty on all their geared products

Central baseldquoWe based the new South African headquarters in Tongaat because it puts us close to a port for bringing in components so we can assemble geared units more cost-effectivelyrdquo says Kyle ldquoWersquore in the heart of the sugar industry yet right next to an international airport so that wersquore in reach of any-where in Africa within a couple of hours In addition wersquove established a sales office in Johannesburg

ldquoThe fact that Marcello brings to the table his inter-national experience to complement my knowledge of local conditions and requirements gives me the confidence that wersquoll be able to provide the local market with services and products both the end-users and competitors will regard with respectrdquo adds Kyle ldquoTo top this off we have direct support from highly-experienced engineers in Italyrdquo

SelectionKyle is a hands-on man who has worked his way up in the company through the ranks in the workshop on site and in the office ldquoI prefer to go on site and help out with tricky problems but I also have good experience in gearbox selection a critical factor in todayrsquos marketrdquo he says in conclusion

ldquoAlthough most project houses do the selection wersquore always prepared to share our experience with others in order to make the right selection right from the start I am confident that we now have the right product the right facilities in terms of support and the experience to serve the local market with competitive pricingrdquo

Kyle Dick Rossi South Africa Tel (032) 944-3505 Email kyleddirossicoza

gear motors while other standard products are large size parallel and right angle shaft gear reducers and gear motors for heavy duty applications

ExtrasMarcello adds ldquoThe new EP and the H range of

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 15

POWER TRANSMISSION

He kicks off by telling us ldquoIf yoursquore not saving money in the end condition monitoring serves no effective purpose Also if you can

afford the consequence of a failure then you donrsquot need to do condition monitoring A good example is found in the food processing industry where they use hundreds of small pumps throughout a plant Instead of having to monitor all these pumps they now use low-cost plastic pumps which can be replaced quickly without holding up the production processrdquo

Part of asset managementldquoTypically you start the development of the condition monitoring process by determining the companyrsquos

maintenance strategy a process called the RCM (reliability centred maintenance) planrdquo explains Kobus ldquoFirst off a hardware breakdown structure of the whole plant is drawn up and a Failure Mode and Effectsrsquo Criticality Analysis (FMECA) performed so that you can decide which of the machines are critical to the operation of your plant the ones which will bring the whole lot to a halt if they fail

Kobus continues ldquoThrough this process the company can also determine what spares to carry as well as the level and types of skills which will be needed to maintain the critical machines in the plantrdquo

MethodsIdeas Solutions not only assists companies to under-take this initial criticality audit but will also advise which one of the four main condition monitoring technologies is most appropriate for each specific application fit it and analyse the data as part of a maintenance contract

ldquoThe solution could take the form of vibration moni-toring alignment monitoring any one of a number of methods of temperature measurements or oil analysisrdquo clarifies Kobus ldquoIn the case of a gearbox for instance we carry out an oil analysis to check whether there are any particles of the same mate-rial as the bearings or the gear teeth and so on

VibrationldquoIn our experience ninety percent of the machines with high maintenance costs are the ones where vibration is the highestrdquo adds Kobus ldquoBeing a destructive phenomenon the extent of vibration indicates whether the machine is balanced running in alignment and gives insight into the condition of the bearings regardless of the type of bearing

Save on MaintenanceCondition monitoring is an integral part of asset management ultimately impacting directly on a

companyrsquos bottom line not only in terms of reducing the risk of unexpected breakdowns but also affecting

machinery life Deciding on what to monitor and how is a scientific task which should be undertaken by specialists ldquoSA Mechanical Engineerrdquo speaks to

Kobus van der Westhuizen director of Ideas Solutions a South African company specialising in engineering

analysis solutions with offices in Cape Town and Pietermaritzburg

We can predict how close that bearing is to failure

Kobus van der Westhuizen director of Ideas Solutions

The ldquoOperational Deflection Shaperdquo

16 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

less costly exercise than an unexpected failurerdquo Kobus says ldquoYou can then order a replacement bearing in good time and make sure you have the right skills on hand to do the replace-mentrdquo

What to fitBeing such a clear indicator of a number of problems in machinery vibration moni-toring equipment can be fitted in a variety of ways If itrsquos a critical machine permanent vibration protec-tion instrumentation is typi-cally fitted on the machine Such a system monitors the machine in real time while constantly evaluating vibra-tion in terms of bearings alignment or imbalance in the machinery

ldquoOur systems are so refined today that you can not only pinpoint which bearing is showing faults but we can even see which part of that bearing is showing strain and whyrdquo Kobus adds ldquoWe can also programme the system against certain parameters so that it trips the machine when certain levels of vibration are ex-

ceeded This is the highest level of protection we can providerdquo

An interesting development in the deployment of an online monitoring system is the technique called ldquoOperational Deflection Shaperdquo (ODS) analysis This is possible when an online system has the capabil-ity of simultaneously measuring all the channels

Simultaneously measuring all the channels of vibration in real time

POWER TRANSMISSION

ldquoIf for example we find that the load on the bearing remains constant we can predict how close that bearing is to failure and plan when the machine can be shut down for a bearing replacement a much

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 17

of vibration in real time This preserves the phase relationship between channels resulting in a visual representation of the machine vibration It makes it easier to observe analyse and document noise and vibration problems in machinery and structures ODS analysis is used to display and analyse ex-perimental multi-channel time or frequency domain data acquired during the operation of a machine or forced vibration of a structure

This provides an interactive animated display with which users can observe spatially defined data such as operating deflection shapes (ODSs) mode shapes acoustic sound and intensity fields or other engineering data such at temperatures or pressures By animating the spatial response of a structure in slow motion users can view a structurersquos overall motion and the motion of one part relative to another Locations of excessive vibration or high levels of noise are easily identified

Next levelThe next level down is a surveillance system often used in conjunction with a protection system ldquoIn contrast to a protection system the surveillance system provides answers as to why things did go wrongrdquo explains Kobus ldquoIn a fan application for example the system will tell you that vibration has increased yet the signature reading from the machine has remained constant This can be as a result of dust build up on the blades or a blade has broken off causing an imbalance which prompts the protection system to stop the machine The system will even tell you which blade has been affected by the faultrdquo

The surveillance system can also be used on its own but still in an online mode ldquoThis feature is used to trend parameters leaving the decision to stop a machine at the discretion of the maintenance engineerrdquo explains Kobus ldquoThese online solutions can either be wired or wireless transmitting data from each sensor to the receivers on the system The data is then channelled to whomever needs it in his or her format of choicerdquo

Options for allOn smaller plants that cannot afford an online sys-tem less critical machinery data from machinery is collected by hand and transferred to a computer for analysis either by the maintenance engineer or under a maintenance contract to an engineer at Ideas Solutions

ldquoItrsquos no longer in question the fact that condition monitoring saves companies money has been proved over and over again if itrsquos done rightrdquo Kobus says in conclusion ldquoCondition monitoring regardless of the

The fact that condition monitoring saves companies money has been proved over and over again if itrsquos done right

POWER TRANSMISSION

extent to which it is integrated on a plant should be part of every companyrsquos maintenance strategyrdquo

Kobus van der Westhuizen Ideas Solutions Tel 082 552-4790 Email kobusideas-onlinecozawwwideas-onlinecoza

18 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

Empowering Municipal Engineers

Corruption and tenderpreneurship fraud financial mismanagement lack of understanding of technical issues

priorities difficulties with job creation and skills shortages are just some of the challenges that face municipal engineers in South

Africa

Name and shameCESA unreservedly supports the call for the banning of public servants from doing business with the state including dealstenders with another department or municipality

ldquoWhat is at stake is not the rights of state employees to do business but rather the integrity of the state procurement system The current public procurement environ-ment in the construction sector is highly complex and conducive to corruption and manipulationrdquo warns CESA President Naren Bhojaram

The problem is further compounded by the lack of accountability and punishment for procurement irregularities and wasteful expenditureldquoThe country has good rules but no-one is playing by themrdquo he adds

CESA believes that it is irresponsible and foolhardy to place employees in positions where they can (or are tempted to) manipu-late procurement and other procedures to unfairly benefit themselves at the expense of the statetaxpayer

CESA

Unqualified people should be discouraged from trying to do the job of the municipal engineer

CESA President Naren Bhojaram

Consulting En-gineers South Africa (CESA) President Na-

ren Bhojaram believes that if South Africa is serious about the empowerment of properly-qualified municipal

engineers it should invest in various interventions such as

training development and ca-pacitating of young engineers for

employment by the local authorities and make the municipal engineering

profession attractive

Currently municipal planning is done rather superficially and only a real municipal engi-

neer and a competent team of visionary planners can sort that out

CESA calls for the embracing of the municipal engineer as a trusted ad-visor as well as creating a working environment to attract and retain municipal engineers The munici-pal engineers must be incentivised (long term employment purpose in life emoluments respect and freedom) and unqualified people

should be discouraged from trying to do the job of the municipal engineer

Stumbling BlockInfrastructure deliveryrsquos biggest stumbling block is the lack of business integrity which involves among other things socialising with clients conflict of interest use of agents and partners collusion and bribery and the disregard of procurement regulations

CESA strongly urges structural changes to the way in which municipal engineers operate including the abandonment of long-term employment contracts for key technical and managerial staff Tender and

bid evaluation committees must include technical legal and financial executives in joint sittings and professional teams must be allowed to compile reports in an independent manner on tenders for the bid evaluation committees

The South African procurement legislation should include a Bribery and Corruption Act such as the UK Bribery Act of 2010 enabling the Courts to prosecute corruption and related issues more ef-fectively as well as the naming and shaming of firms contravening the requirements of the Act

Consulting Engineers South Africa (CESA) Graham Pirie Tel (011) 463-2022Email gspiriecesacoza wwwcesacoza

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 19

ldquoSA Mechanical Engineerrdquo speaks to Willie Muller general manager at KDP Services about the modernisation of old hydraulic machinery ldquoIn terms of upgrading wersquove just

done extensive work at a steel mill to re-design

and implement new technology on a large 1 200 tonne cutting press and a shredding machinerdquo he explains ldquoBoth the machines were imported from Germany originally but have lately started picking up problems seriously hampering production flow

ldquoAfter consulting with the supplierrsquos engineers the problems persisted and the client then called us in to investigaterdquo Willie says ldquoWe found that the hydraulics on both these old machines were outdated but could be updated with new tech-nology rather than replacing the old pumps and valves with costly new imported OEM components

New Life for Old Machines

Very often the spare parts for old machinery imported and installed twenty or more years ago is hard to come by and if it is available

it costs an arm and a leg to import If the problem happens to be hydraulic there is

a local hydraulics company that specialises in updating systems so that local easily-available spares can be used to keep the machine going for many years to come

Willie Muller general manager at KDP Services

CNC machining

Overhauled cylinders ready for delivery

Large cylinder

Hydraulic motor of all makes and sizes are serviced

HYDRAULICS amp PNEUMATICS

Analyse the operation and specifically the machinersquos function in situ before returning to the drawing board to redesign the hydraulic system for better functionality

20 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

New technologyAs the designer in the company

Willie goes out to analyse the operation and specifically the machinersquos function

in situ before returning to the drawing board to redesign the hydraulic system for better

functionality This provides the opportunity not only to introduce the latest technology into the upgrade but also to ensure that easily available local components are used He adds ldquoSince our upgrade the shear which can cut through a 150 by 300mm block of steel in one cut has been run-ning smoothly with none of the previous problems cropping up againrdquo

Similarly the shredding machine where a whole vehicle is fed in one end and comes out in pieces of scrap metal the other end has also been up-graded to run consistently ever since Willie adds ldquoThrough this success wersquove now not only landed the maintenance and service contracts for this mill but theyrsquove asked us to audit the entire plant to investigate other hydraulic systems which can be improved Wersquove already re-designed one of the production lines to introduce an integrated fully automated operationrdquo

First projectWillie might be young but he has worked with KDP since his student days gaining invaluable hands-on experience in all aspects of hydraulic work from the owner of the company Karel Podges ldquoOne of my first projects as a student was designing the hydraulic system for a container lifting and tilting machine used in steel mills to collect and handle scrap metalrdquo he recalls as we come across the remnants of the prototype when we walk in the yard behind the workshop ldquoThis is probably what got me hooked on hydraulics because nothing of the sort existed and I had to design it from scratch around a structure someone else had builtrdquo

Inside the workshop we find engineering equipment ranging from lathes to modern CNC machines all humming away as hydraulic components are turned out of a variety of metals At the hose crimping machine Willie points out the neat final product for a custom-made installation theyrsquore doing One of KDPrsquos specialities is hydraulic motor overhaul-ing which is evident when we see several large Hagglunds drives in various stages of repair in the drive section of the workshop

TestingFinally we get to the test-bench area where a large cylinder is under test for leaks before being taken apart for a complete overhaul ldquoOne of the biggest mistakes generally made when it comes to hydraulic equipment is that people think they can treat the hydraulic components roughly just because they are big and ruggedrdquo Willie remarks ldquoThey lose sight of the fact that dirt is the biggest enemy and they donrsquot take the necessary care to keep the oil or equipment clean causing irreparable damage to seals and delicate surface areas in a systemrdquo

One of the main advantages of KDP is that they are not officially tied up with a specific brand of hydraulic equipment allowing them to work on and supply any make on the market Willie concludes ldquoIn addition wersquore a small company where you learn and get the opportunity to work on all types of applications So each and every problem big or small is tackled with great personal attention to detailrdquo

Willie Muller KDP Services Tel (011) 392-5750 Email williekdp-servicescoza

That people think they can treat the hydraulic components roughly just because they are big and rugged

HYDRAULICS amp PNEUMATICS

The full MontyHydraulic system design from the circuit to pumps motors and all the necessary connecting piping are designed in-house at the 22-year old com-pany ldquoWe design the complete circuit specifying all the components necessary to achieve certain functionsrdquo explains Willie ldquoSimilarly all engineer-ing is undertaken in-house except the honing and chroming of shafts when we overhaul cylinder sets New cylinders are manufactured from tubing and shafts which have already been prepared

ldquoIn terms of piping wersquove built up a good name in many industries both in new installations during maintenance shutdowns or when a fixed installa-tion needs to be movedrdquo he adds ldquoNot only do we design the layout but we physically carry out the installation work ourselves especially when it is a stainless steel pipe installation that requires argon welding to fit the fittingsrdquo

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 21

Compressed Air at Work

Pneumatic systems are extensively used in industry where factories are commonly plumbed with

compressed air or compressed inert gases This is because a centrally-located and electrically-powered

compressor which powers cylinders and other pneumatic devices through solenoid valves is often

able to provide motive power in a cheaper safer more flexible and more reliable manner than electric motors

and actuators

Premium brandApplied Pneumatics established 22 years ago is a South African distributor of Parker Hannifin products ldquoAt a time when everyone is increasingly becoming aware of the benefits of buying premium products which last longer and have proven to be value for money Parker has come up with new innovations which extend this value even furtherrdquo says Dave

ldquoTake valves for example Most low-cost valves are throw-away items which are discarded completely if something goes wrong Our premium valves which cost a bit more initially are serviceable This means we can repair and service them at a fraction of the cost of even a cheap complete unit

ldquoIf the premium repairable valve breaks for in-stance itrsquos quick and easy to strip it right there and then fit new parts and have it up and running in no time as opposed to having to order and wait for a complete replacement unitrdquo adds Dave ldquoAll you need to have in stock are a couple of O-rings for the different valves in a systemrdquo

SA Mechanical Engineerrdquo visits a company in Randburg aptly named Applied Pneumat-ics to speak to managing director Dave McNair ldquoIn a pneumatics application we

supply everything beyond the compressor This includes everything down the line the filtration system water traps regulators and then the lubrication system before you get to the actual application which could be a cylinder control valves actuators or even solenoid valves for the control of liquid flows in a process We also do vacuum applications where suction cups pick objects up to move them aboutrdquo

From left Andrew Livesey applications engineer at Applied Pneumatics Teven McNair sales and Dave McNair managing director

Range includes pneumatic cylinders and actuators valves and logic processing air preparation equipment as well as a whole host of other pneumatic components and accessories

The Parker range of pneumatic equipment includes actuator and motors

HYDRAULICS amp PNEUMATICS

22 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

New conceptSimilarly the air prepa-ration systems from Parker are of a modular design and fully repair-able so that just worn or damaged compo-nents can be replaced ldquoThey have now taken this even furtherrdquo says Dave ldquoA new concept in regulators the Modu-flex clip technology system has just been released No special tools in fact no span-ners at all are needed

to take the unit apart to replace a filter element for instance You sim-ply clip the unit apart by hand replace the

element and clip it together again within a minute

ldquoOn a forklift for example the glass bowl of the air preparation unit is often damaged when the forklifts bump into some-thingrdquo elaborates Dave ldquoOn a low-cost throw-away unit yoursquod have to carry a spare unit to replace the whole unit With the new technology howev-er you simply clip off the damaged part to zap a new one into place In terms of cylinders and actuators the latest development is self-lubricating seals which require no additional lubri-cation whatsoeverrdquo

One of the main drawbacks of pneumatics over hydraulics is that a pneumatic cylinder has to be much larger than a hydraulic cylinder in order to deliver the same power However this does not rule out using pneumatics in heavier applications especially underground where the use of air is generally safer and cleaner than hydraulic oils in the first place

UndergroundldquoA while back we were approached by a platinum mine to design a pneumatic system to open and close underground tipsrdquo Andrew explains ldquoTo prevent people from falling into the ore tip it had to be closed with a heavy steel lid between off-loading operations We not only designed a suit-able pneumatic system but also took part in the installation on various levels all the way down to three kilometres undergroundrdquo

Like many other products there are cheap and nasty pneumatic products on the market and cost is not always an indication of inferiority ldquoThe safe route is to always buy from reputable companies who have been around for a long time and who trade in well-known brandsrdquo Dave says in conclusion ldquoSerious consideration should also be given to the repairability of the equipment Itrsquos no use installing a low cost system which has to be replaced regu-larly while another could last a lifetime if properly looked afterrdquo

Dave Mc Nair Applied pneumatics Tel (011) 792-3381 Email davenappliedpneumaticscoza

No special tools in fact no spanners at all are needed to take the unit apart to replace a filter element for instance

HYDRAULICS amp PNEUMATICS

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 23

TICK

ER T

APE

POWER GENERATION

PROMECH PUBLISHINGTel (011) 781-1401Fax (011) 781-1403Email samechengpromechcozaWebsite wwwpromechcozaManaging Editor Susan CustersEditorial Kowie HammanAdvertising Mark BennettCirculation Catherine MacdivaDTP Zinobia Docrat Donovan VadivaluDisclaimerPROMECH Publishing does not take responsibility for the opinions expressed by individuals

CopyrightAll rights reserved No editorial matter published in ldquoPower Generation Todayrdquo may be reproduced in any form or language without written per-mission of the publishers While every effort is made to ensure accurate reproduction the editor authors publishers and their employees or agents shall not be responsible or in any way liable for any errors omissions or inaccuracies in the publication whether arising from negligence or otherwise or for any consequences aris-ing therefrom The inclusion or exclusion of any product does not mean that the publisher or editorial board advocates or rejects its use either gener-ally or in any particular field or fields

POWERGENERATION

TODAY

Harnessing the Powers of the Ocean

Luciano Garcia-Baylleres COO at HAE

Tidal power has long been utilised as an energy resource used early on in tidal mills to grind grain throughout the Middle Ages More recently it has also been used to generate electricity for instance in the 240 MW tidal barrages at La Rance France Tidal currents however are still largely an untapped energy source While several marine current turbine prototypes

have been tested in the last few years there are only a few of these prototypes deployed to generate electrical power to smaller communities

mainly to demonstrate the viability of the technology

There is currently a renewed interest in using the ocean to generate electric-ity using both traditional hydropower technologies and new hydrokinetic

technologies This interest is being spurred on by official and private initiatives to promote the development of cleaner energy sources and diversification of energy supplies through use of alternative and renewable sources

Tidal energyTidal energy projects hold the promise of producing indigenous renewable predictable electricity without greenhouse gas emissions and with higher power densities in terms of power output per unit area than either solar photovoltaic or wind projects

The International Finance Corporation (IFC) the World Bankrsquos private-sector lending arm is partner-ing with Sasfin Bank to develop a portfolio of energy efficiency and renewable-energy financial products for small medium-sized and microenterprises (SMMEs) in South Africa

Alstom South Africa and the South African Nuclear Energy Corporation (Necsa) have signed an agreement under which the local branch of the French power generation power transmission and rail infrastructure

group will invest R8-million in buying equipment for the new coded welding centre being established at Necsarsquos Nuclear Skills Development (NSD)

The operation and maintenance (OampM) costs of wind farms in South Africa were expected to be in the mid-range of the international market Mott MacDonald consultant Matthias Vinard has reported adding that OampM costs ranged from euro28kW a year to euro68kW a year in international markets

24 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

ocean currents driven for instance by thermal gradients or differences in salinity Along the South African east coast the Agulhas Current is one of the most consistent sea currents in the world and this area has now been identified as the ideal spot to test technology developed by an American company Hydro Alternative Energy (HAE) from Florida USA

Current plans with the local gov-ernment of eThekwini Municipality in Durban supporting the concept of a hydrokinetic energy project off the cityrsquos coast calls for HAE to

initially develop a $20 million 1MW demonstration unit utilising the companyrsquos Oceanus technology to generate electric power from the Agulhas current flowing past the city Additional units each with an anticipated electric power generation capacity of 8 megawatts may then be built and likewise be submerged approximately 30 metres below sea level to prevent interference with shipping traffic

ldquoSA Mechanical Engineerrdquo has a QampA session with Luciano Garcia-Baylleres the Chief Operation Of-ficer (COO) of HAE about the project

Q Some background on HAEA HAE founded in March 2009 is an emerging independent power provider (ldquoIPPrdquo) focused on utilising hydrokinetic and other power develop-ment sources to generate electric power worldwide safely cost-effectively reliably and profitably with minimal or no ecological impact

Our business model provides for utilising certain of our own proprietary technology identifying and locating existing and new technologies and when appropriate partnering with others for our power development and generation needs

Q The South Africa connection with the companyA Research by our technical department identified several places throughout the world as optimal for the initial deployment and commercialisation of our technology After extensive research of each location

POWER GENERATIONTI

CKER

TA

PE

Tidal energy projects may also be useful in lsquofilling in the gapsrsquo in generating power from other intermit-tent energy sources such as wind farms

Marine current energy conversion concerns the po-tential generation of electricity from kinetic energy of freely-flowing water This contrasts with tradi-tional hydro power like a dam where the amount of energy extracted from a river is dependent on the head between the reservoir and the water level below the dam

A similar hydro power approach can in fact be used for tidal power in areas with high tides In this case a barrage can be constructed in a nar-row bay or estuary to utilise the head between low and high water

Consistent currentAnother way to generate electricity from water would be to convert the kinetic energy of flowing water similar to the way a wind turbine extracts energy from the wind In such a case a dam or reservoir is not necessary but rather sites are chosen where the currents are strong such as a narrow sound straight estuary around a headland or in a river

The term lsquomarine currentrsquo constitutes any kind of water current be it tidal unregulated rivers or other

Flow anlysis carried out for current simulations

Another way to generate electricity from water would be to convert the kinetic energy of flowing water similar to the way a wind turbine extracts energy from the wind

Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) MD Noah Gwariro says the state-owned company needs at least $300-million to refurbish thermal power stations in Bulawayo Harare and Munyati and to increase their generation capacities

The planned Karuma hydropower project will have capacity to generate 700MW

and is one of the high-priority projects in Ugandarsquos National Development Plan

The State-owned Ethiopian Electric Power Corporation (EEPCo) has signed a $120-million contract with UK-based company Canbridge Industries for the construction of a 50 MW waste-to-energy power plant

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 25

POWER GENERATION

The components of a sea current power gererating system

The Aghullas current and eThekwini Municipality with their infrastructure qualified human resource and an approach to facilitating large scale green projects was the appropriate site for this first endeavour

How the energy is harnessed

and all the surrounding benefits apart from the presence of good quality currents such as politi-cal stability port infrastructure and focus on green projects we determined that South Africa with its infrastructure qualified human resource and an approach to facilitating large scale green projects was the appropriate site for our first endeavour

Q Background on what the project is all aboutA OceanusTM our first power generation system which we are currently developing and which utilises much of our own proprietary technology is planned to harness the kinetic energy of the ocean to produce safe clean reliable cost-effective electric power

Oceanus will consist of two primary modules the amplification module (the shroud) and the engine module The shroud is a housing that will multiply the normal incoming water flow to a faster velocity as it passes through the engine module generat-ing more kinetic energy This will in turn result in potentially greater electrical power generation capability as well as potentially increased usable offshore locations worldwide

Velocity is the major factor which dictates the hydrokinetic energy that can be extracted from water Within the hydrokinetic energy sector of the renewable andor clean energy industry we have seen that research and development has generally focused on developing energy generation technolo-gies for environments that can only work in very high water velocity environments such as 3 4 5 metres per second While these areas of extreme water velocity are very high in hydrokinetic energy they only exist in a very small percentage of the worldrsquos waters

Our goal is to provide electric power to locations

Shroud

Engine module

Combine modular design

worldwide utilising the kinetic energy in lsquotypicalrsquo water conditions Our current design specifications have a base need of 1 metre per second of water

26 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

POWER GENERATION

flow which by amplifying the velocity is planned to produce 1MW of power This design specification once successfully tested may then be adapted into higher velocity waters As most locations in the world have lower velocity waters a turbine designed to work in 3 4 or 5 metres per second water flows will not work in waters that have velocities of 1-2 metres per second

Q How does it workA The theory behind the development of the system is quite basic having been previously used in other energy production systems such as wind and tidal energy generation Basically the engine is composed of an energy extraction system such as but not limited to our perpendicular access turbine a gorlov turbine a darrieus turbine and an Axial turbine

The other module is the shroud which handles two functions serving as an accelerator of the water ve-locity thus increasing the amount of kinetic energy that can be extracted Secondly it houses the engine protecting marine life from direct contact with the tip of the blades Also Oceanus is designed to be positively buoyant and either secured to the ocean floor or to float at a certain predetermined depth while moored to the ocean floor utilising the same techniques that are currently used in mooring floating oil rigs buoys or floating windmill systems

Q How will it work in KZNA There will be a demonstration unit initially and then we will start the commercial phase by entering into the normal contracts and procedures for energy generation in the country This entails a very large investment from our company where we will focus on potentially buildingassembling the units in Durban thus taking advantage of the excellent and qualified infrastructure it has

Q Who is involved locallyA We have no partners as far as investors or concerns as yet on the South African project but we are not against this possibility in the future From the facilita-tion point of view we have received a lot of support from Derek Morgan at the eThekwini Energy Office and Russell Curtis at DIPA each with their respective teams and other government offices that have been very forthcoming with information and support

Q What equipment does it use ndash where will this be madeA We have already scouted several facilities in Durbanrsquos ship building industry as well as other possible suppliers ranging from the maritime indus-try financial sector to legal consultants in order to make sure that we are in compliance with all regulations and that our perception of excellence from the South African maritime industry is in fact there

Q At what stage is the project nowA The project is currently at an initial logistics stage where we are looking at a more site specific design for the demonstration unit At the same time we are gathering all the information with our lawyers and possible suppliers for the norms procedures permits and licences necessary to comply with local and national regulations

Q Where will power go to A From our initial discussions with the regulatory bodies this energy can be locally distributed and then taken up by the grid as needed This will de-pend on the results of the demonstration unit and the first commercial unit operation which we are confident will exceed expectations

Q Are there sceptics criticsA As discussed before the basic technology has been used in other sectors of the energy generation industry what is being developed by us is the ef-ficient shroud and the maintenance systems which include buoyancy controls and depth determination in order to locate the most efficient current

Q Are there any future plans from your company for South Africa in particularA We believe that we have a good relationship with eThekwini municipality and once we fulfil our project with KZN we would then consider further expansion throughout South Africa

Q What about the other parts of AfricaA Eastern Africa in general presents very good conditions for our technology but for now we are going to concentrate our efforts on deploying this endeavour in South Africa before entertaining new opportunities

Luciano Garcia-Baylleres COO at HAE Tel 561-900-7200 EmailLgarciaHAE-USAcom wwwHAE-USAcom

We will focus on potentially building assembling the units in Durban thus taking advantage of the excellent and qualified infrastructure it has

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 27

POWER GENERATION NEWS

MTN has announced that it has entered into a com-mercial arrangement to sell its carbon credits to EDF Trading in an industry first The credits will be pro-duced by MTNrsquos tri-generation plant at 14th Avenue Of-fice Park in Fairland Johannesburg

EDF Trading is a whol-ly-owned subsidiary of Electriciteacute de France SA one of the largest compliance buyers covered by the European Union Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS)

The carbon credit project utilises a Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) meth-odology developed by MTN approved by the United Nations Framework Con-vention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) It is currently in the process of being registered with the UNFCCC Once registered MTN will sell the carbon credits from the project to EDF Trading

The project will make use of the MTN energy-efficient 2MW tri-generation plant at its Fairland office park Tri-generation is the concurrent production of electric-ity heating and cooling which provides

Carbon Credits power hot wa-ter space heat-

ing and cooling for air conditioning

from a single source

Egoli gas is used for the operation

sourced from the Sasol pipeline in Mozambique

The plant displaces grid electricity from Eskom

reducing greenhouse gas emissions and providing up to 85

efficiency on fuel The excess heat at some 400degC is captured

and used to supply heating and to operate an absorption chiller which creates cool water that is used to power an extensive air-conditioning system

Natural gas is clean burning and offers a consistent supply but simply using this to generate electricity would have been too expensive The saving achieved by capturing the waste heat combined with the additional revenue from the sale of the carbon credits however makes the project economically viablerdquo

Promethuim Robbie Louw Tel (011) 706-8185 Email Robbiepromethiumcozawwwpromethuimcoza

Countries across South East Asia Africa and the Middle East have been amending their regulatory frameworks and embarking on privatisation as many of them are in serious need of external fund-ing to ensure that their respective electricity industries are capable of dealing with the inevitable surge in demand The cumulative installed power capacity for these regions according to 2012 estimates will be 212 Gigawatts (GW) However this figure is expected to shoot up to 349 GW by 2020 climbing at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 64

Emerging Power Markets

Rising industrialisa-tion ever-increasing population figures and growing economies all point to an electrical future that most infra-structure systems are currently incapable of handling Therefore to achieve greater in-dustry efficiency and encourage competition governments across this region are opening up their electricity markets and increasing private sector participation The region will have to invest heavily in order to

increase its installed capacity and improve its existing infrastructure

Transmission networks in many of these countries are already under tremendous pressure to supply power without interruption and many new transmission projects are already underway or in the pipeline Therefore energy policy reforms are set to open the doors and create positive opportunities for growth in in the near future this according to Jonathan Cain of GBI Research

GBI ResearchJonathan Cain Tel +44 1204 543 533 Emailjcaingbiresearchcom wwwgbiresearchcom

28 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

POWER GENERATION NEWS

With Gensler Architects Aurecon has completed the design on the faccedilade of what will be Chinarsquos tallest building At 632m the Shanghai Centre is more than 100m taller than the recently-completed Shanghai Financial Centre and is designed as a sustainable eco-tower that sets a new benchmark not only for the region but also the world

Sustainable green features include tri-

Bioclimatic buildingGreywater recycling systems lo-cated at basement and at mid-level have been installed to collect greywater generated from lavatory or bathtub for reuse reducing potable water demand for the office tower by about 40

The ice storage system shifts part of the peak electricity demand of the chillers into the night modeoff peak operation Storage capacity is 26 400 Refrigerant Ton (RT) which reduces about 30 of the summit demand by about 3 through this ice cooling storage system and save up to the yearly energy cost for the user

A large volume water deluge system with rotational nozzles

installed at mid-level of the atria deliv-ers a large volume and accurate water spray onto fire with the assistance of Infra-red detection to lock the exact location and very early warning smoke detection apparatus system

A double curtain wall design provides better control on solar energy entering the tower building resulting in energy saving

Aerecon Group Jody Boshoff Tel (012) 427-2066 Email JodyBoshoffaurecongroupcomwwwaurecongroupcom

generation plant consisting of two sets of 11MW natural gas turbine generating electricity

chilled water hot water and heating water Simultaneous heat recovery of the hot flue gas produced from the tur-bines reduces carbon dioxide by 49 compared with the regular electrical cooling system

15 nos of 3kW vertical axis wind turbines (VAWTs) on the roof provide 157 500 kWh of clean and renewable electricity annually

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 29

Willem Sullivan of HansenA better artificial heart for people who are not eligible for natural heart transplants

Jean Schoeman of National Oilwell Varco My own jet aeroplane

Chris Coetzee of Resonant SolutionsThe problem in industry is practical engineering experience Young engineers donrsquot get the opportunity to learn the practical stuff Irsquod start an academy which teaches the practical side where you can learn from your mistakes Unfortunately mistakes cost money but if you have all the money in the world they can afford to learn from mistakes

In your book what is the most pivotal invention ever

Elbie Cornelius of National Oilwell Varco The computer

Chris Coetzee of Resonant SolutionsI canrsquot see how you can run a business without cellphones

Rudolph Beer of Martin EngineeringThe wheel

Willem Sullivan of HansenFor me personally Excel Without it my world will be dull and lifeless For the world at large Electricity because without it Excel will not be possible

Jean Schoeman of National Oilwell Varco The personal computer

OPINION

On his rounds Kowie Hamman our Editor is conducting an informal survey on the lighter side of engineering We follow up from last month with three pertinent questions

Soapbox

What do you think of computers and the digital world

Elbie Cornelius of National Oilwell Varco Awesome changing our world

Chris Coetzee of Resonant SolutionsNinety percent of all engineering is done using computers but if you rely solely on them yoursquove missed the plot because you always have to verify results by going back into the field to test what yoursquove done on the computer

Rudolph Beer of Martin EngineeringYou canrsquot do without them

Willem Sullivan of HansenIt is where I do all my design work So if it was not for computers we would be decades behind in terms of what we can do I absolutely love it

Greg Perry of SEWThey have definitely made things faster but the en-gineer still needs to understand the theory and pay attention to the detail or you make mistakes faster

Jean Schoeman of National Oilwell Varco Very useful until they give problems Then you just want to hit them with a hammer But the digital world has managed to speed up the communica-tion of information

If you had all the money in the world what would you design

Elbie Cornelius of National Oilwell Varco A solar and wind power station to supply the whole continent with electricity

Rudolph Beer of Martin EngineeringDevelop the safe harvesting of atomic energy

30 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

ldquoSA Mechanical Engineerrdquo speaks to Dave Goodman managing director of Spectra Car-bide Tooling Technology in Cape Town about the various management models they have

developed specifically to control tooling ldquoOur tool management systems were developed through our involvement with some of the major automotive OEMs in South Africardquo he says ldquoThe management system where we take over full control of the tool-ing facility on the premises has been running for twelve years now at some of these plants

Systems for allldquoBut these systems are not only for OEMs and

large operationsrdquo Dave remarks ldquoTo meet dif-ferent requirements we now have four levels of management systems on offer each requiring a different level of active involvement from our side This varies from purely holding stock to supply for a customerrsquos specific needs right through to taking over full control of tooling by having a permanent on-site office manned by fulltime Spectra staffrdquo

A typical level 4 operation with a Spectra team permanently stationed on the customerrsquos premises will be equipped with a fully-computerised store inventory system to control the purchasing of all tooling from spindle to point ldquoThe team will control all the new stock and used tools by negotiating and dealing with tier two suppliers as wellrdquo explains sales manager Wayne Williams ldquoThey are also responsible for presetting tools ready for produc-tion as well as collecting and delivering tools to and from the machines in addition to providing technical support 7 days a week 24 hours a day

BenefitsOne of the cost saving benefits for the customer is less administration because the Spectra team consolidates all invoices so the customer receives

Managing ToolingIn most machine shops the tooling is usually under lock and key to limit access to high-value tool inserts such as end-mills drills reamers and burrs Even so many companies suffer considerable losses as these costly tools get lost are pilfered or are misused because there isnrsquot a proper

management system in place over and above lock and key to control who takes what from the store

To meet different requirements we now have four levels of management on offer each requiring a different level of active involvement from our side

Managing machine tools saves money

Dave Goodman managing director of Spectra Carbide Tooling Technology

MATERIAL SELECTION

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 31

one invoice per month In addition the customer has a highly skilled specialist in-house on tap to provide technical assistance for all tooling drilling tapping milling boring gundrilling honing and line boring on CNC and conventional machines ldquoFrom the management system we can draw extensive reporting for the customer regarding the costs per unit manufactured We produce monthly graphs for trending as well as daily incident reports on tool breakages weekly costs on scrapped tools and we also work out action plans to reduce scrap and improve up-time of the machinesrdquo Wayne adds

In essence this value-add for the customer allows preventative action which ultimately saves the customer money Dave explains ldquoGiven the skills shortage out there no company can afford the personnel purely to manage the machine shop in so much detail With this system we not only fill the skills-gap by integrating with the company but we add value to the company so that they can focus on what they manufacturerdquo

New product developmentIntegration into the customersrsquo operation has proved particularly beneficial when it comes to new product developments Wayne elaborates ldquoWersquore always up to date with the latest technology in tooling and know what can be done in the best possible way Usually it will take a machine shop a while to select the right tooling and method to produce

a new part but with our experts right there on site they can be assured of finding the most suitable solution using the right tooling from the startrdquo

Vending systemOn a lower level of tool management where the operation does not justify a permanent Spectra team on site the company has a tooling vending machine solution ldquoAll the tooling is stored in a vending machine and access to draw the tools out of the machine is controlled by a card or finger-print readerrdquo explains Dave ldquoSuch a system does however have a reporting function which allows the customer to draw the machining cost against each specific job

ldquoThis system has proved popular in South Africa because it can be customised to control the specific functions relevant to each customerrdquo adds David ldquoPart and parcel of this cost-saving solution is training the customer on how best to utilise the system for his needs be it purely controlling the use of tooling or integrating reporting and costing into the business system of the companyrdquo

Wayne Williams Spectra Tel (011) 827-8957 Email waynewspectra-sacoza

From the management system we can draw extensive reporting for the customer regarding the costs per unit manufactured

Special carbide drills reamers end mills and special inserts are manufactured in South Africa

MATERIAL SELECTION

32 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 33

Cubitron can be used to finish profile and or polish materials with high tensile strengths and is particularly useful to extend the lifetime of belts and discs in industrial environments

where hard materials are the order of the dayrdquo

Consistent cutFinishes are little changed through the entire dura-tion of a Cubitron belt from new to completely worn out The secret is that the cutting edges wear in a controlled manner This means that the tiny indi-vidual scratches are the same when the belt is first

put on until it is worn and ready for replacement

ldquoThere are a multitude of cutting edges on each individual grain of the extremely hard ceramic based grain As the grain wears new cutting edges are exposed in a predictable and measured manner to ensure that a consistent action is applied to the surfacerdquo she adds

Using the same ceramic platform 3M developed Cubitron II providing even better results than its predecessor 3M engineers were able to electrostati-cally orient triangular precision shaped ceramic grain acting like a cutting tool This means that the grain slices through metal as opposed to grinding and continuously self-sharpens as points break off This results in discs and belts running cooler and longer The Cubitron II technology is applied in

Starting from Scratch

SURFACE FINISHING

ldquoTo scratch the surface as the saying goes of most modern materials and coatings is not as easy as it used to be Thatrsquos why we developed Cubitron Abrasive Grainrdquo says Kelly Hunt

sales and marketing manager of 3M

34 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

Scratccchingg thhe surfface of abrasivvves ttecchnnologgy is too oopen a compplex sccience

SURFACE FINISHING

belt fibre disc and Roloc form offer-ing a unique solution for wide range of grinding needs

Scratching the surfaceKelly is an abrasives fanatic She says scratching the surface of abrasives technology is to open a complex sci-ence Analysis of different materials and techniques of cutting or finishing has in recent years become a necessity as materials develop and advance Bonding of abrasive onto materials for discs and belts is also more complex than before as manufacturing becomes automated and the tolerance for down-time reduces

But for the average operator technician or engineer it is not so much a matter of what goes into the development of a product but rather finding the solution that suits the intended process The minimum requirement is for a product to perform reliably over an extended period of time and to produce the right finish

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 35

Sometimmess a less expeeensiive buuut mmooree suitaaablee abbrasssivee ccaan give bettterr reesulttss

SURFACE FINISHING

ldquoUsing the abrasives to determine a finish can be as simple or as com-plicated as the producer of finished goods chooses to make it With so many choices available in the market we recommend that industrial users iden-tify the requirements of the abrasive and then speak to trained service technicians from suppliers such as 3M

Not about priceldquoPrice is not always the determining factor Some-times a less expensive but more suitable abrasive can give better results and in other instances the use of cheaper materials in the wrong application may be costly as materials will need to be replaced more oftenrdquo

Kelly recommends that us-ers of industrial abrasives take the time to research new products and as-sess their suitability for their processes ldquoYoursquoll be surprised that some of the new abrasives can do the job better and in half the time than older technology abrasives canrdquo she concludes

3M Dylan Ian Hunter Tel (011) 806-2186 Email dhuntermmmcom www3Mcom

36 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

IT TRENDS

ldquo M o b i l e c o m p u t i n g

continues to grow and alongside other IT trends

such as cloud computing social technologies and the era of big data It is going to play a pivotal role in the IT industry this year In factrdquo Derick adds

Mobile Computing

Mobile computing is growing momentously and is set to account for as much as 57 of worldwide T market growth in 2013 says Derick Roberts CEO of TruTeq Devices a Pretoria-based

company focusing on wireless connectivity solutions

ldquoit is going to account for the lionrsquos share of growth ndash even more than the cloud computingrdquo

The IDC predicts that worldwide IT spending will exceed $21 trillion up 57 from 2012 The research company also states that mobility will be the biggest driver Sales of smart mobile devices including smart phones and tablets is expected to grow by 20 and will contribute a significant 57 of all IT growth Excluding smart mobile devices IT industry growth will clock in at only 29

Truteq Devices Derick Roberts Tel (012) 667-1530 wwwtruteqdevicescom

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 37

ELECTRIC DRIVE

The technology performance and design of the Cigarette powerboat is closely based on the electric super sports vehicle made in Affalterbach Germany

The 116 metre long Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept powerboat uses two drive units each featuring six independent electric motors At the rear of the boat each drive unit has its own trans-mission one on the left and one on the right The boat is fitted with the twelve compact liquid-cooled permanent-magnet synchronous electric motors which are the signature piece of the SLS AMG Coupeacute Electric Drive each electric motor delivers 138 kW and 250 Newton metres

The maximum output of 1 656 Kilowatts and maximum torque of 3 000 Newton metres combine to reach a staggering top speed of over 160 kmh making this locally emission-free Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept the worlds fastest electri-cally driven powerboat The low centre of gravity and optimum weight distribution ensure sublime

The Worlds Most Powerful Powerboat

handling characteristics during more dynamic changes of direction

The high-voltage battery boasts an energy content of 60 Kilowatt hours an electric load potential of 600 Kilowatts and a weight of 548 kg ndash all of which are absolute best values in the automotive sector The liquid-cooled lithium-ion high-voltage battery features a modular design with a maximum voltage of 400 V It consists of 12 modules each comprising 72 lithium-ion cells ldquoCigaretterdquo inte-grates four high-tech batteries with a total of 48 modules and 3 456 cells which generate a total capacity of 240 Kilowatt hours and an electric output of 2 400 Kilowatts respect even in the boat building industry

The Cigarette on-board chargers as standard Adapted to fit the infrastructure standard of many American marinas the boat has a charging capac-ity of 44 Kilowatts The battery is fully charged in approximately seven hours To reduce the charging time to less than three hours the powerboat can be fitted with four on-board chargers as an option

Mercedes-Benz Shirle Greig Tel (012) 677-1904 Email shirlegreigdaimlercom wwwmercedes-benzsacoza

Mercedes-AMG and Cigarette Racing launched the latest development of their cooperation at the Miami International Boat Show in February Numerous components from the SLS AMG Coupeacute Electric Drive have been integrated in the design of the Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept engineering design The high performance drive fitted in the electric super sports car makes the off shore powerboat the worlds most

powerful and fastest electrically-driven motor boat With an output of 1 656 Kilowatts and a maximum torque of 3 000 Newton metres the Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept is a fascinating new development

Combine to reach a staggering top speed of over 160 kmh

38 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

ENVIRONMENT

They have been in service for decades

under the toughest conditions ndash and

have proven themselves worldwide

Voith fluid couplings protect belt con-

veyors and drive components by provid-

ing smooth acceleration and torque

control allowing for frequent loaded

starts with the least amount of stress on

the drive and belt

In multi-motor drives they ensure pre-

cise load distribution Result fewer

downtimes ndash and the service life of the

belt and the drive components is in-

creased The latest product innovation is

the Voith TurboBelt 780 TPXL

infovtzavoithcom

wwwrsavoithturbocom

Protect Your Belt Conveyors with

Voith Fluid Couplings

ai_a

it_44

0_e

n ai

k

Water Disclosure ReportingJust as companies are addressing their carbon emissions and

provide carbon reporting to the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) water is becoming a growing priority

Reporting on it is becoming another critical sustainability issue

2011 saw a marked increase in the number of the worldrsquos largest companies reporting on their water usage on the risks that water presents and on their responses to

that risk Responses from these companies indicate that water is impacting global business now and yet water is not nearly as high on the corporate agenda as climate change

Evidence is mounting that South Africa is facing a water crisis of substantial proportions This crisis encompasses all aspects of water management on both the demand and supply side The mounting impacts of acid mine drainage and declining wa-ter quality add to the crisis South Africarsquos water security is likely to be further complicated by an increasingly uneven and unpredictable supply of rainfall as a result of climate change and by a reli-ance on significant water transfers from neighbour-

ing countries In meeting this crisis South Africa will have to resolve tough trade-offs in water use between agriculture key industrial activities such as mining and power generation and the supply to rapidly growing urban centres

Evidence is clearJSE 100 companies will need to show leadership in sustainably managing the water resources on which they rely for their day-to-day business operations The available evidence is clear It is not sustainable to continue exploiting water resources by follow-ing a lsquobusiness as usualrsquo approach If this is the case South Africarsquos freshwater resources will be depleted and unable to meet the needs of people and industry in the next 20 years if not before

In 2011 the response rate to the CDP Water Disclosure amongst South African companies was 46 (26 out of 56 companies) Many of South Africarsquos most significant corporate water users are therefore not yet able to or are not yet ready to report on their water-related risks

Promethuim Robbie Louw Tel (011) 706-8185 Email Robbiepromethiumcoza wwwpromethuimcoza

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 39

EXHIBITION

The Steel and Engineering Industries Federation (SEI-FSA) the Lifting Equipment Engineering Association

of SA (LEEASA) the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA) and the SA Institute of Welding (SAIW) have thrown their weight behind the biggest industrial and engineering trade show in Africa

The three-day 10-shows-in-one event takes place from 14 to 16 May 2013 at Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand Johannesburg

SEIFSA Conference at Indutec The Steel and Engineering Indus-tries Federation of South Africa (SEIFSA) will hold its annual conference at Indutec celebrating 70 years of active support for its members industry and business in Africa The federation has over 2 220 member companies which employ more than 224 000 people comprising 53 of the industryrsquos workforce

SAIW ldquoWe take our affiliations with leading industry players very seriously including our en-dorsement of Indutecrdquo says Jim Guild chief executive officer of the SA Institute of Welding ldquoThese industry ties form part of our strategy to create strong relationships which support our objective and Governmentrsquos mandate to enhance the manufacturing sector in South Africardquo

LEEASAThe Lifting Equipment Engineer-ing Association of South Africa (LEEASA) which is a division of the Chamber of Engineering Tech-

nology (COET) will also be using its endorsement of Indutec to promote its activities in the engineer-ing and technology sectors in general Chamber spokesperson Viv Nel says its exposure at the fair will create more awareness of the Chamberrsquos role in all engineering and technology-driven industries

ECSAIndustry regulator the Engineering Council of South Africa shares these aims ldquoAs a custodian of en-gineering intellectual capital in South Africa our endorsement of Indutec provides us with a platform to publicise our role in the engineering sector and government infrastructure initiativesrdquo says Edgar Sabela ECSArsquos Strategic Services Executive

ldquoWe need to produce 10 times more engineers to compete with developed economies Involvement with the Indutec show will allow us to promote engineering as a career through our Engenius Programme and showcase our existing engineer-ing excellence Most importantly it enables us to network with all key players in the field and even conclude some businessrdquo

Tenfold Benefits to ExhibitorsJohn Thomson managing director of Exhibition Management Services organisers of the 10-in-one Fair says the unqualified support from leading in-dustry bodies indicates the showrsquos tenfold value to the engineering industrial and technology sectors ldquoThis undoubtedly translates into multiple benefits for the showrsquos exhibitors and ultimately to show visitorsrdquo he concludes

Indutec Serean ThomsonTel (011) 783 7250 Email marketingexhibitionsafricacom wwwexhibitionsafricacom

Boosting the Manufacturing Sector32 of South Africarsquos leading industrial and engineering professional and employer associations Chambers and

Councils have collectively endorsed Indutec the recently launched South African Industry and Technology Fair 2013

Promech Publishing through SA Mechanical Engineer and Bulk Handling Today will produce and publish the Official Catalogue for this prestigious show

Make sure your presence is felt before during and after the show by advertising in this one-of-a-kind reference publication

Contact Mark Bennett Tel (011) 781-1401 Email samechengpromechcoza

Jim Guild CEO of the SA Institute of Welding

Edgar Sabela - ECSArsquos Strategic Services Executive

Adelia Pimentel - Marketing and Communications Manager SEIFSA

40 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

MARKET FORUM

ldquoBMG has identified a need in diverse sectors for on-site maintenance services to overcome production challengesrdquo says Dave Russell technical director BMG ldquoRecognising the extreme constraints of high energy prices low productivity the critical skills shortage and a highly competitive economic environment BMG brings a total solutions service to the fore

ldquoIndustry can now access all critical production efficient products and services from one supplier What this means is lower production costs and higher pro-duction efficiency giving South African industry a distinct competitive advantage

ldquoBMGrsquos on-site services include applica-

tion design evaluation and optimisation as well as installation trouble-shooting and service exchange contracts The company also offers predictive planned and breakdown maintenance and energy and reliability studiesrdquo

The company also offers extensive train-ing which covers electrical mechanical hydraulic pneumatic electronic and materials handling disciplines as well as predictive maintenance and component failure analysis

BMG ndash Bearing Man Group Veronique van Niekerk Tel (031) 576-6221Email veroniquevbmgworldnet wwwbmgworldnet

Tenova Takraf Africa (formerly Bateman Engineered Technologies) is putting the final pieces together in completing an order for the supply of a 55m x 275m hydraulically-driven SAG mill to Ontario Graphite operators of the Kearney Mine located in Kearney O n t a r i o Canada

ldquoTenovarsquos scope

Unique SAG Mill in Canada

ABB started with a bang following the order of 2 400 robots by BMW Group Over the next three years the robots will be installed at factories in Regensburg and Leipzig Germany as well as in Tiexi China The ABB robots will mainly be used for mate-rial handling tasks as well as gluing and spot welding processes

ABB robots enable customers to implement efficient manufacturing systems that sustainably produce high-quality products The com-panyrsquos range of products and solu-tions for lean manufacturing cover the range from body-in-white to the final assembly of complete car bodies They improve competitiveness and at the same time optimally comply with customer specifications ABB has installed more than 200 000 robots worldwide

ABB Robotics Natasha Mathebula Tel (010) 202-6156 Email natashamathebulazaabbcom wwwabbcom

2400

Robots

Total Solution

of work includes the engineering manufacturing shipping and technical assistance during erection of the SAG millrsquos feed end shell discharge end drive and main bearings as well as all supporting equipment (lubrication and jacking systems)rdquo says Tenova Takraf

engineer Pieter van der Walt ldquoThe main hydraulic motor and rubber

shell liners were outside our commercial scope of supply but inside our technical

scope of supplyrdquo he adds

The mill is a conventional SAG (semi-autogenous grinding) mill in all ways apart from its drive assem-bly and it is centre-driven

at the discharge end using a Haggluumlnds hydraulic motor and powerpack ldquoTo date this is the largest hydraulic motor installed on a SAG mill with 950kW of power torque of 1 200 kNm (start-up) and 650 kNm (operational) and speed of 1386 rpmrdquo adds Pieter

Since the mill had to be retrofitted to an existing foundation a number of adaptations were required to maintain the mill centreline as well as feed-end and discharge-end positions Certain additions were required to anchor the main motor torque arm

Tenova Takraf Pieter van der Walt Tel (011) 899-2372 Email pietervanderwaltbatemancom wwwtenovagroupcom

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 41

MARKET FORUM

World Record

The ADR plant at Kisladag Mine

FLSmidth designs and manufactures indirect heated carbon regeneration kilns and calciners from half a ton per day and larger These kilns and calciners can be fuel gas oil or electric and are skid mounted pre-wired and pre-piped The companyrsquos patented bellows kiln seal has proved effective in eliminating air ingress and process gas egress and can be retrofitted to kilns from other manufacturers FLSmidth holds the world record for the lowest emissions on a carbon plant

And at the companyrsquos Merrill Crowe plant capacities range from skid mounted 34 cubic metres per hour modular plants to full size 2 100 cubic metres per hour The range of supply for plants includes clarification filters de-aeration towers vacuum pumps zinc dust feeders lead nitrate feeders and zinc cones precipitate filter feed pumps filter pre-coat and body feed systems as well as precipitate filters used by refinery and smelting facilities to produce gold bullion

These plants incorporate proprietary zinc dustlead nitrate feeder and mix-ing cone system The company offers individual plant components and partial or complete plant equipment packages together with total plant design

FLSmidth Terence Osborn Tel (010) 210-4820

Magnet has extended its range of abrasive products to include 3Mrsquos new Cubitron II abrasive belts with enhanced grinding performance improved productivity and extended service life

ldquo3Mrsquos new technology has resulted in increased speed improved consistency and extended belt liferdquo says Brian How-arth MD Magnet ldquoThese new abrasive belts ensure up to 30 faster cutting on hard to grind metals like stainless steel nickel alloy and cobalt chrome They also divert heat from the workpiece and belt to the swarf which means cooler cutting This helps eliminate burnishing and minimises heat stress Cubitron II abrasive belts last up to four times longer than conventional ceramic aluminium oxide beltsrdquo

3M Abrasives Bradley Reddy Tel (031) 274 1050 Email bradleyrmagnetgroupcozawwwmagnetgroupcoza

4 x Longer

42 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

MARKET FORUM

X-Calibur is one of the latest product offerings from TAL and was specified to protect the concrete structure of the worldrsquos second longest cable-stayed bridge against corrosion throughout its design life

Stonecutters Bridge is a high level cable-stayed bridge which spans the Rambler Channel in Hong Kong connecting Nam Wam Kok Tsing Yi Island and Stonecut-ters Island Hong Kong is well known for its hot summer weather which is also humid and unstable Temperatures

Say No to Corrosionusually exceed 30oC during the day which coupled with high humidity can result in an extreme heat index

ldquoHot and humid environments have a great effect on the durability of concrete As a rule of thumb we say for every 10oC increase in temperature the possibility of corrosion induced damage to concrete is doubled Add humidity in a marine envi-ronment then protection of the structure is of paramount importancerdquo says Brian Davies CEO X-Calibur International In order to guard the bridge from corro-

sion X-Shield EpoxySeal CR was sup-plied to shield the prestressed concrete cable anchorages from the effects of the environment In addition X-Shield FlexCoat was used in various areas of the structure This provides corrosion protection to reinforced concrete from chloride and carbon dioxide

ldquoThe main challenge was compliance with the strict project specifications as the engineer wanted to ensure that protection would be provided throughout the design life of the structure X-Calibur

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 43

MARKET FORUM

had the products independently tested to prove compliance to all aspects of the specificationrdquo John adds

The materials were applied by spe-cialist painters who had been trained by X-Calibur ldquoMaterials were mixed and applied strictly in accordance with method statements supplied by X-Calibur to ensure working time and recoat windows were not exceededrdquo concludes John

TAL Andrew Dekker Tel (031) 579-2263 wwwtalcoza

Fluid conveyance and pumping solutions expert Incledon has supplied a large water supply line project in the Free State with a total of 4 km of Ultraflo pipes manufactured in-house by DPI Plastics - a leading manufacturer of water reticulation drainage and pipe-fitting systems in South Africa

DPI Plastics technical and product manager Renier Snyman points out that the companyrsquos range of Ultraflo pipes are manufactured from modified polyvinyl chloride (mPVC) which is specifically designed to provide similar tensile strength and greater resilience than standard PVC piping products ldquoThe Ultraflo range of pressure piping systems are ideally suited to bulk water supply projects due to the fact that mPVC is considerably more ductile than industry standard unplasticised polyvinyl chloride (uPVC)rdquo he explains

Renier notes that the ductility of the Ultraflo uPVC piping system ensures that

Large Water Supply Project

the pipes have exceptional resistance to crack propagation under pressure ldquoThe product being supplied to the water sup-ply line project is the 500 mm Ultraflo system which is the largest in the DPI Plastics range It boasts a pressure rat-ing of 12 bar with a design stress of up to 18MPa making it ideally suited as a large underground piping systemrdquo

According to Renier Ultraflo pipes offer environmental advantages too ldquoDue to its superior toughness the wall thick-ness of mPVC is less than that of uPVC This ensures that less materials are used during the manufacturing process which ultimately results in a lighter product that is easier to transport and install thereby minimising the carbon footprint of the piperdquo

DPI Plastics Martine Goodchild Tel (021) 957 5600 Email mgoodchilddpiplasticscozawwwdpiplasticscoza

Donrsquot Miss Out

Promech Publishing is putting the Visitorsrsquo Catalogue together for this Show

Contact Mark Bennett on Tel (011) 781-1401 or Email samechengpromechcoza

to book your space

44 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

MARKET FORUM

Displaying and discussing some of the Dodge housed bearings on offer to local industry and mining are (from left) Tony Patten of Specialised Bearings amp Transmission Peter Small-Shaw Wilecrsquos Product Manager Bearings and Frans Odendaal Wilecrsquos Technical Specialist Bearings

The Bearings division of Actom group company Wilec has formed a strategic alliance for the supply of Dodge housed bearings into southern Africa The partner-ship agreement with Johannesburg-based Specialised Bearings amp Transmission the local distributor for Dodge extends Wilecrsquos ability to satisfy the requirements of industry and mining in a diverse range of bearings applications

ldquoThe most exciting thing about our tie-up with Dodge is that housed bearings while already widely accepted in the US and other leading industrialised countries is a relatively new concept locally but one which offers advanced features to users compared with conventional plum-mer block arrangementsrdquo said Frans Odendaal Wilecrsquos Technical Specialist Bearings

ldquoDodge housed bearings are supplied pre-assembled and sealed so eliminating all risk of contamination during fitment The advanced sealing arrangement and unique adapter system guarantees longer

Strategic Alliance

life ndash up to six times that of a conven-tional plummer block Other cost-saving advantages are that they can be installed by a semi-skilled technician very quickly normally in less than 15 minutes and the need to measure pre- and post-reduction clearance is eliminatedrdquo

ldquoIt is a differentiated product and with it we are able to provide a bearing that is especially well suited to local conditions

and offers benefits that are of real value to customers A particularly important aspect to bear in mind is that the total cost of ownership of a Dodge bearing is significantly lower than that of the conventional product due to its greater reliability and durabilityrdquo

Wilec Frans Odendaal Tel (011) 629-9300 Email fransowileccoza

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 45

MARKET FORUM

Emis Sales 2002 part of Becker Min-ing South Africa supplies a wide range of electrical equipment up to 1 100 V for use in hazardous and non-hazardous areas in the mining petrochemical and surface industry sectors

New to the Emis range are Proloc pro-tection and control relays which are suitable for thermal overload protection of conveyors compressors crushers fan and pump motors as well as shuttle cars and flitting panels

ldquoThe stand-alone Emis ProLoc electronic protection and control relay system which has been designed for the optimum protection of motor and feeder circuits connected to outlet sockets has a wide choice of six user-selectable protection features to meet exact requirementsrdquo says Frikkie Quirk managing director Emis Sales 2002 ldquoAn important advan-tage of this system is a door mounted infra-red link that enables a laptop with Proloc software to manage all settings

and downloads without having to open the panel door and expose personnel to dangerous live equipment This is a critical requirement in the OHSA actrdquo

This system is easy to set up via the Proloc MMI 420 display man-to-machine interface or via a laptop with Proloc software

Emis Sales 2002 Tel (016) 341-6134 Email infozabecker-miningcom wwwzabecker-miningcom

Optimum Protection

Birkenmayer a material processing systems supplier in South Africa and local supplier of German-engineered Eirich material processing technology recently released the Evactherm drier a new product that marries the advantages

Superheated Vacuum Steam

of mechanical and thermo dynamical processes to provide cost-effective and highly efficient drying and processing of filter cake and sludgersquos using superheated vacuum steam

Until now it has been important to observe

a maximum middle temperature when applying direct drying to heat sensitive materials and even more important to avoid the excessive local and boundary temperatures that frequently damage the drying product Both heat and ma-terial transport need to be considered and while convective drying processes such as spray drying largely avoid these problems they are only effective if a surface is available for the hot gas flow

Adjustable for both direct and convec-tive drying and processing Evactherm driers overcome these obstacles while providing a number of further benefits

Super-heated vacuum steam performs drying and granulation while the com-bination of mechanical and thermo dynamical processes allows for low dry-ing temperatures and gentle processing of temperature sensitive materials It also enables continuous drying for long periods of time as fresh material may be continuously added into the fluidized bed replacing material that has already been vaporised

H Birkenmayer Louis Eksteen Tel (011) 970 3880-8 Email louisbirkenmayercozawwwbirkenmayercoza

The Evactherm drier

Proloc protection and control relays

46 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

The Eastern Capersquos Coega Industrial Development Zone (IDZ) is one of a number of industrial regions in South Africa to benefit from Air Products South Africarsquos strategy of long-term capital investment

A region which has long been under-served when it comes to reliable gas supply the Eastern Cape will soon have

A Long-term Viewits own air separation unit (ASU) ndash the first of its kind in the province Seelan Gounden GM supply chain at AirProd-ucts explains the reasons behind the companyrsquos latest investment

ldquoCurrently there is no local industrial gas supply in this area and cryogenic gases have to be procured elsewhere This situation compromises the service

MARKET FORUM

ART Solar specialists in the manufacture of solar photovoltaic (PV) modules for the sustainable generation of electrical power has made the following appointment an-nouncementsMark Walsh as managing director Dr Ronald FM Lange as chief operating officer Robert Ramshaw as financial manager and Gavin Rosslee as production manager

Gavin RossleeRobert RamshawMark Walsh

Jeanne Els has been appointed as Hatchrsquos Managing Director of Operations

Jeanne Els

Ronald Lange

Anton Theunissen

SKF South Africa recently appointed Anton Theunissen as Distributor De-velpoment Manager for South Africa and neighbouring coun-tries

Index to Advertisers

Axiom 12

Bearings International 36

Bibby Turboflex 28

Bonfiglioli 10

Engen 34

Festo 35

Hansen 44

Horne SA 29

IDC Inside Back Cover

ILS 32

KDP Services 22

Loesche 31

Polysius 4

PPS 11 29

Mercedes Outside Back Cover

Merseta Inside Front Cover

MIEO Outside Front Cover

Transmission Components 14

Voith 38

Yellotec 16 17

delivery to our existing customers who have to depend on product being trucked over vast distances Thus we identified the Eastern Cape as a key priority invest-ment destination with a clear need for a new air separation facility dedicated to servicing the region We chose the Coega IDZ after careful market analysis We are pleased to be able to be a part of the growth and development of the region through providing a long-needed security of supply and value-added servicerdquo

Ayanda Vilakazi head of Marketing and Communications at the Coega IDZ adds ldquoThe viability of the new ASU is indis-putable It will mean not only security of gas supply to the region benefiting the many industries here but it also means job security for other investors jobs along the value chain and scope for training and human resource develop-ment as well as enhanced Corporate Social Investment initiativesrdquo

Seelan Gounden AirProducts wwwairproductssouthafricacoza

Left to right Chris Mashigo Executive Man-ager - Business Development Coega Develop-ment Corporation Themba Khoza Executive Manager ndash Operations Coega Development Corporation Seelan Gounden GM - Supply Chain Air Products Pierre Fourie Area Sales Manager ndash Eastern Cape Air Products signed the lease agreement between the CDC and Air Products South Africa

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 47To apply online for funding of R1 million or more go to wwwidccoza

Telephone 086 069 3888Email callcentreidccoza

Driving new market innovationsThe IDC supports high-impact job creation projects acting as a

catalyst to lead new sector development and support existing

industry and sector growth in alignment with governmentrsquos

New Growth Path (NGP) National Development Plan (NDP)

and Industrial Policy Action Plan (IPAP)

The IDC Strategic High Impact Projects (SHIP) Strategic Business

Unit in partnership with the IDC Innovation Department has

launched an Open Innovation Challenge to encourage the

development and implementation of sustainable high-impact

industrial initiatives and projects

The IDC calls upon individuals engineering communities

corporates project sponsors and other related entities to enter

into a partnership to develop qualifying projects that result in

sustainable and profi table industries exploit the value-adding

opportunities of existing and new value chains and enable the

development of innovative local economies

Whatwho qualifi es

projects which enable the development of new industries

across multiple IDC focus sectors

introduce new markets and value chains or revolutionise

existing ones through the use of disruptive technologies

or new approaches

development impact and employment creation

across mandated IDC industrial sectors

SHIP wishes to ensure that the projects undertaken play a major

role in industrial development and employment creation within

the South African and SADC regions

Interested applicants are invited to submit their project

proposals online at

httpopeninnovationidccozaidc-ship-challenge between

project proposals will be informed in May regarding SHIP

wishing to partner with them in the development of the

proposed project

Please contact Bertie Strydom BertieSidccoza and

RetiefBidccoza for more information

Chillibush9119IDC

48 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

A D

aim

ler B

rand

You built the bridges the roads and the tunnels We built the carAs a member of the Engineering Council of South Africa you could qualify for exclusive offers a guaranteed 3-day service booking as well as PremiumDrive our 6 year100 000km maintenance plan To take advantage of this outstandingopportunity inform your nearest dealer of your ECSA status

Not in conjunction with other Mercedes-Benz Fleet ProgrammesOffers Excludes AMG and Limited Edition modelsVehicle specifications may vary for the South African market

Page 6: SAME Mar2013

6 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

THE SA INSTITUTION OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

Council 2012 - 2014

Office BearersPresident KK Nyangoni (Kudzai)Vice President D Findeis (Dirk)National Treasurer A Roos (Andre)Immediate Past President G Barbic (George)

Branch ChairpersonsCentral S Murefu (Stephen)Eastern Cape W Rall (William)KwaZuluNatal J Moto (John)Mpumalanga Highveld L Odendaal (Louis)Western Cape Dr D Blaine (Debbie)

PortfoliosCommunicationsStrategic PlanningSpecialist GroupCD Reay (Chris)Young Engineers ForumProf B Collier-Reed (Brandon)Education Universities of Technology E Zawilska (Ewa)Membership E Zawilska (Ewa)Professional Development ProgrammeM Black (Malcolm)Technology Programme SZ Hrabar (Steve)To be confirmedG Bartholomew (Bart)

Chief Executive Officer Vaughan Rimbault

National Office Manager Anisa Nanabhay PO Box 511 Bruma 2026Tel (011) 615-5660 Fax (011) 388-5356Email infosaimecheorgza

Website wwwsaimecheorgza

Membership Central Eastern Cape

Mpumalanga Highveld amp KZN membershipsaimecheorgza

Membership Western Cape saimechewcvodamailcoza

Company AffiliatesAlstom Power Service SA

Babcock Africa Limited

Bateman Engineered Technologies

Bosch Projects

DCD Rolling Stock A division of DCD

Festo (Pty) Ltd Group (Pty) Ltd

Fluor SA (Pty) Ltd

GEA Air-cooled Systems

Hansen Transmissions SA

Hatch Africa

Howden Power

Howden Projects

Industrial Water Cooling

Inenzo Water (Pty) Ltd

MBE Minerals (SA) (Pty) Ltd (previously KHD Humboldt Wedag SA)

Megchem Eng amp Drafting Services

Mod-U-Flow

Osborn Engineered

Products SA

Rotek Engineering

SAME Water

Sasol Technologies

SEW Eurodrive

Siemens

SNC-Lavalin SA

Spicer Axle SA

Spirax Sarco SA

Technical Systems

Thyssenkrupp Engineering

Transvaal Pressed Nuts amp Bolts

Ultra-Flow Engineering Services

Vital Engineering

Weir Minerals Africa

Winder Controls

Invest in in-house workshops convened by SAIMechEWhen it comes to correct practices and effective productivity is there anything to rival teamwork and group training The benefits of ensuring that all relevant personnel are well informed on com-mon topics are obvious For instance group learn-ing fosters team spirit and co-operation between personnel who may not be interacting successfully in their workplace SAIMechE recommends that instead of incurring travel costs to send staff on engineering related courses corporations should book In-House workshops with SAIMechE

To obtain a comprehensive list of workshops (also avail-able on website wwwsaimecheorgza) or to discuss your corporate short course training needs kindly contact National Events Manager Linda Robinson on Tel 031 764 7136 or E-mail lindasaimecheorgza

Scheduled Forthcoming Training Events ndash Open to All

Code Abbreviated Title

Date Start

Date End

Region

C0913 Refrigeration Explained

19-Mar-13

19-Mar-13

Cape Town

C6613 Effective Negotiation

Methodologies for Engineers

in Practice

20-Mar-13

20-Mar-13

Cape Town

F6213 Technical Communica-tions and Re-port Writing

20-Mar-13

20-Mar-13

Secunda

F5713 Total Produc-tive Mainte-

nance

26-Mar-13

26-Mar-13

Secunda

C2513 Materials Section

Processes Parameters amp Performances

27-Mar-13

27-Mar-13

Cape Town

F5813 Continuous Flow Pro-cesses A

Methodology for Engineers

in Practice

27-Mar-13

27-Mar-13

Secunda

A3613 Project Management A Review of Essentials

3-Apr-13

3-Apr-13

Durban

F2913 Practical Lu-brication and

Lubricants

3-Apr-13

3-Apr-13

Secunda

A4713 Capital Budgeting for

Projects

4-Apr-13

4-Apr-13

Durban

F6913 Lubricants and Oil Monitoring

4-Apr-13

4-Apr-13

Secunda

form may be obtained from Carey Evans on Tel 031 764 7136 or Email careysaimecheorgza All event programmes are posted on website wwwsaimecheorgza

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 7

THE SA INSTITUTION OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

Vaughan Rimbault (SAIMechE CEO) and Anisa Nanab-hay (National Office Manager) recently conducted student road shows at Stellenbosch University Cape Pensinsula University of Technology and University of Cape Town Students were addressed on matters

The award winners for the 2012 SAIMechE Student awards from Stellenbosch University Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering were

1 Best Final Year project Mechanical (Trophy medal prize money amp certificate) ndash Elizna Miles 87

2 Best Final Year Project Mechatronics (Trophy

medal prize money amp certificate) ndash Willem Pienaar 87

3 Best Mechanical Presentation (medal amp certifi-cate) ndash Elizna Miles 90

4 Best Mechatronic Presentation (medal amp certifi-cate) ndash Henri van Eetveldt 82

that directly concern and effect them as well as benefits of SAIMechE membership which is free for students The presentations were well received and there was a lot of interest in what SAIMechE offers to students

SAIMechE Student Road Shows - Western Cape

SAIMechE Student Awards ndash Stellenbosch University

All the 2012 departmental award winners including the SAIMechE award winners

8 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

COVER STORY

The MIEO is a not for profit indepen-dent association that serves the

mining and industry sec-tors of the southern Afri-can economy by promot-ing awareness informing and educating within the realm of energy efficiency and saving

Comparatively speak-ing the industrial and mining sector combined

Mining and Industry Energy Optimisation (MIEO)

Charles Ntsele Grinding Manager at Metso Southern Africa has been elected to Chair the MIEO for the next two years

Serves the mining and industry sectors of the southern African economy by promoting awareness informing and educating within the realm of energy efficiency and saving

Charles Ntsele

Patterns of usage quite different between mining and industry

Industrial

Mining

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 9

use 67 of Eskomrsquos grid capacity classifying this sector as intensive energy users However it is also the sector that contributes to the majority of the countryrsquos economy Hence the focus for a sustainable and secure energy supply in South Africa logically lies with optimising the energy use within this sector

The MIEO constitutes a membership base that not only supply products and services to the mining and industrial sector but has collaborated in assisting energy intensive users to employ a systematic or holistic approach to energy management challenge in their organisations so that energy saving can be optimised

Systematic approachThe collaboration involves a series of seminars presented by the MIEO across the country In this way information on energy optimisation opportuni-ties is taken to the end user

The MIEO initiative brings together leading manu-facturers and suppliers of service and technologies for improvement of energy efficiency in all major energy-consuming plant items Through seminars the MIEO aims to achieve the following objectives

1 To promote awareness of the benefits available to industry and mining in the products and services for energy efficiency from members of the associa-tion

2 To support Eskom and the Department of Energy of the Republic of South Africa in their common objective of increasing energy efficiency in the industrial and mining sectors of the economy

3 To promote opportunities for the dissemination and sharing of information about products services technologies programmes approaches strategies best practice and operational experiences in the field of industrial and mining energy efficiency

4 To promote the adoption of energy efficiency products and services available from members of the association

5 To promote opportunities for training in the methodology and technology for sustained achieve-ment of energy and cost saving when utilising energy efficiency products and services available from members of the association

CredentialsCharles Ntsele currently Grinding Manager at Metso Southern Africa obtained his NHD Extraction Metallurgy from the University of Johannesburg in 1994 and has fulfilled various roles such as re-search metallurgist applications engineer process engineer and product manager He is an associate member of the Southern African Institute of Mining amp Metallurgy

Tel (011) 061-5000 Fax 086 688 7005Email mieovdwcoza wwwmieoorgza

COVER STORY

Electricity Consumption by Sector

10 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 11

the project engineer who worked on this project

Future ndash a concept a dream or a wishUsing the technology and engineering knowledge available to make South Africa more sustainable If we could use this know-how to overcome the challenges that the country faces it would be a major breakthrough for the nation

Irsquod also like to see more being done in terms of renewable energy We are for example closely studying further possibilities to use biomass as a fuel to generate steam and electricity in our processes Wersquore also looking at fluidised bed boiler technology so that we can use the

abundance of low-grade coal in the country

Most Challenging ProjectA few years back we did a recovery optimisation project to improve the recovery of by-products from the pulping pro-cess The main product is caustic soda used in the cooking process We installed a new causticizing plant pulp screen-ing plant scrubber and refurbished the fluidised bed reactor The challenge was combining the new plant installation with the refurbishment work all in an existing plant within a very limited time span

Most Rewarding ProjectIt was the installation of an A-4 sheeting and packaging line We bought a second-hand machine in Germany and just to get the machine up and running was a challenge in itself

CommentaryAre there shortcomings in the Mechanical Engineering Industry in South AfricaYes we have a shortage of maintenance professionals When I was at university we were not trained in maintenance at all Mechanical engineering has a major role to play in this field where the scope for improvement in todayrsquos industry is enormous We need to start training in maintenance at an academic level much like some of the universities have now started doing However mentorship and in-house training has a very important role to play as well

Message to young engineersYoung engineers have to take ownership of their own develop-ment and not expect somebody else to do it for them Many young engineers feel the employer owes them something They must get involved at all levels and work their way up so that when theyrsquore the seniors they know what goes on at the lower levels Remember yoursquore never too clever to learn

MONTHLY COLUMN

Prominent ProfessionalsCarel Kruger Engineering Manager

Academic

School Graduate studies Rob Ferreira High School Whiteriver B Eng at University of Pretoria

Post-graduateB Tech degree in Pulp amp Paper Management Development Programme through Unisa Gov-ernment certificate of competence

Professional bodiesRegistered with Ecsa as Pr Eng and Pr Certifi-cated Engineer

Career Path

First employerStarted with Sappi at the Enstra Mill as an engineering trainee after doing national service in the army

Growth pathAfter a few years at Sappi I left to work for a small engineer-ing company for five years I went back to Sappi as a project engineer I was then promoted to a number of positions at Enstra Mill these included maintenance engineer project manager services manager and maintenance manager before I took up my current position

Present employer amp positionSappi Enstra Mill as an engineering manager

AchievementsA projectMost of our work in the maintenance environment involves minimising breakdowns optimising the performance of the equipment and working on continuous improvements to either overcome business challenges or increase the success rate of our production plant One of our teamrsquos notable project was to de-bottleneck the bleach plant The project involved stabilising the pulp consistency control in a refurbished high density chest system At the same time we installed a new feed system into the oxygen reactor

This was a major breakthrough in terms of availability of equipment and the throughput of the plant because of reduced breakdowns and blockages It was a case of applying new technology in a very old plant challenging our engineering skills to the maximum

Any awardsA Sappi internal silver engineering award was given to me and

WErsquoRE ENGINEERED TO SHAREOver R73 billion N rsquo S S E Hrsquo NA E

S

S S S trade T S S

12 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 201314 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 62 May 2012

AXIOM HYDRAULICS (PTY) LTD

HA

Tel (011) 334-3068 334-3086 Fax (011) 334-4543E-mail axiomjhbmwebcoza

SAMHYDRAULIK which is one of the leaders in the field of hydraulictransmission has been operating for over 25 years in the internationalmarket offering a complete range of orbital hydraulic motors and power steering units axial pumps andmotors for medium and highpressure ranges all characterisedby excellent performances

SAMHYDRAULIK employs 120people who operate inside avery modern and efficient plantthat spans over 6 000 squaremetres to assure a high standardand flexible production capacityThe latest computer technologyis used for both design andproduction combined withstrict quality control proceduresduring all production phaseswhich translates into innovativereliable and functionalproducts that meet the various needs of the marketIts ISO 9001 certificationheld since 1994 is theresult of a quality-orientated philosophyon which SAMHYDRAULIKhas always based itsoperation

17 Heidelberg Road Village Main Johannesburg 2000P O Box 260248 Excom South Africa 2023

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 13T

POWER TRANSMISSION

Rossi a power transmission equipment manu-facturer from Modena in Italy did this by establishing the companyrsquos first permanent subsidiary in South Africa ldquoSA Mechanical

Engineerrdquo speaks with the deputy general manager of Rossi South Africa Kyle Dick about the range of new products theyrsquore now offering locally

ldquoInitially Rossi was represented in South Africa through my company DDI Transmissions in Springs as an agent for their comprehensive range of gear-boxes but now operates as a subsidiary for Rossi SPA to service the whole of sub-Saharan Africardquo he explains ldquoThe product range as such is thus not new to the South African market but wersquore of-fering a much wider range incorporating the latest in drive train technology for a wide variety of applica-tionsrdquo

in KwaZulu Natal ldquoNot only is the market in South Africa very similar to the mining industry there but many of the mining companies and major project

houses operate in both countries This made us realise that the South African market could

certainly be expanded from the footprint which Kyle has already established hererdquo

New rangesThe Rossi Group is one of Europersquos larg-est industrial groups for the production and sale of gear reducers gear motors

electric standard and brake motors Kyle comments ldquoThey constantly undertake

extensive research into new drive solu-tions A typical example is the EP range

of planetary units and the H-series of new helical and bevel-helical gear units specifically developed for heavy industry applicationsrdquo

Manufacturers of bulk handling equipment like conveyor systems ship loaders stacker

reclaimers and mine processing machinery are all familiar with Rossi drives and have been direct clients of the company for many years The gear reducers and gear motors include planetary worm coaxial right angle parallel shaft gear reducers and

Italian Gearboxes Now in SA

With South African industry particularly mining being very similar to that of Australia some international companies build up a strong footprint in Australia and then use this

experience to bring their expertise to the South African mining industry as well

The product range as such is thus not new to the South African market but wersquore now offering a much wider range incorporating the latest in drive train technology for a wide variety of applications

roduct s notcan of-er g ne -

Africa very simany of the

houses oprealise t

certaiwhic

NeTheestand

eleccomm

exteti

Ma

Kyle Dick (left) and Marcello Cassanelli of Rossi South Africa

The Rossi range of products has done extremely well in Australia leading to the establishment of a main subsidiary there and three regional officesrdquo says Marcello Cassanelli the other deputy

general manager from Italy who is helping Kyle in the coming years to get the business going at Tongaat

14 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

POWER TRANSMISSION

I prefer to go on site and help out with tricky problems but I also have good experience in gearbox selection a critical factor in todayrsquos market

speed reducers specifically bring flexibility to the market The system is completely modular allowing each solution to be tailor-made to a specific ap-plication yet itrsquos still cost effective as all products emanate from a standard production unit The new H series covers 825 kNm through to 1700 kNm while the EP series can cover up to 3000 kNm

ldquoComplementary and ancillary equipment such as cooling fans coils or independent cooling units oil heaters and labyrinth seals are of an equal qual-ity and toughness as our rugged gear units which are built and customised for the most challenging conditions or environments any industry can pos-sibly presentrdquo Marcello adds The company is so confident in the quality and reliability of their product range that theyrsquore offering a worldwide warranty on all their geared products

Central baseldquoWe based the new South African headquarters in Tongaat because it puts us close to a port for bringing in components so we can assemble geared units more cost-effectivelyrdquo says Kyle ldquoWersquore in the heart of the sugar industry yet right next to an international airport so that wersquore in reach of any-where in Africa within a couple of hours In addition wersquove established a sales office in Johannesburg

ldquoThe fact that Marcello brings to the table his inter-national experience to complement my knowledge of local conditions and requirements gives me the confidence that wersquoll be able to provide the local market with services and products both the end-users and competitors will regard with respectrdquo adds Kyle ldquoTo top this off we have direct support from highly-experienced engineers in Italyrdquo

SelectionKyle is a hands-on man who has worked his way up in the company through the ranks in the workshop on site and in the office ldquoI prefer to go on site and help out with tricky problems but I also have good experience in gearbox selection a critical factor in todayrsquos marketrdquo he says in conclusion

ldquoAlthough most project houses do the selection wersquore always prepared to share our experience with others in order to make the right selection right from the start I am confident that we now have the right product the right facilities in terms of support and the experience to serve the local market with competitive pricingrdquo

Kyle Dick Rossi South Africa Tel (032) 944-3505 Email kyleddirossicoza

gear motors while other standard products are large size parallel and right angle shaft gear reducers and gear motors for heavy duty applications

ExtrasMarcello adds ldquoThe new EP and the H range of

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 15

POWER TRANSMISSION

He kicks off by telling us ldquoIf yoursquore not saving money in the end condition monitoring serves no effective purpose Also if you can

afford the consequence of a failure then you donrsquot need to do condition monitoring A good example is found in the food processing industry where they use hundreds of small pumps throughout a plant Instead of having to monitor all these pumps they now use low-cost plastic pumps which can be replaced quickly without holding up the production processrdquo

Part of asset managementldquoTypically you start the development of the condition monitoring process by determining the companyrsquos

maintenance strategy a process called the RCM (reliability centred maintenance) planrdquo explains Kobus ldquoFirst off a hardware breakdown structure of the whole plant is drawn up and a Failure Mode and Effectsrsquo Criticality Analysis (FMECA) performed so that you can decide which of the machines are critical to the operation of your plant the ones which will bring the whole lot to a halt if they fail

Kobus continues ldquoThrough this process the company can also determine what spares to carry as well as the level and types of skills which will be needed to maintain the critical machines in the plantrdquo

MethodsIdeas Solutions not only assists companies to under-take this initial criticality audit but will also advise which one of the four main condition monitoring technologies is most appropriate for each specific application fit it and analyse the data as part of a maintenance contract

ldquoThe solution could take the form of vibration moni-toring alignment monitoring any one of a number of methods of temperature measurements or oil analysisrdquo clarifies Kobus ldquoIn the case of a gearbox for instance we carry out an oil analysis to check whether there are any particles of the same mate-rial as the bearings or the gear teeth and so on

VibrationldquoIn our experience ninety percent of the machines with high maintenance costs are the ones where vibration is the highestrdquo adds Kobus ldquoBeing a destructive phenomenon the extent of vibration indicates whether the machine is balanced running in alignment and gives insight into the condition of the bearings regardless of the type of bearing

Save on MaintenanceCondition monitoring is an integral part of asset management ultimately impacting directly on a

companyrsquos bottom line not only in terms of reducing the risk of unexpected breakdowns but also affecting

machinery life Deciding on what to monitor and how is a scientific task which should be undertaken by specialists ldquoSA Mechanical Engineerrdquo speaks to

Kobus van der Westhuizen director of Ideas Solutions a South African company specialising in engineering

analysis solutions with offices in Cape Town and Pietermaritzburg

We can predict how close that bearing is to failure

Kobus van der Westhuizen director of Ideas Solutions

The ldquoOperational Deflection Shaperdquo

16 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

less costly exercise than an unexpected failurerdquo Kobus says ldquoYou can then order a replacement bearing in good time and make sure you have the right skills on hand to do the replace-mentrdquo

What to fitBeing such a clear indicator of a number of problems in machinery vibration moni-toring equipment can be fitted in a variety of ways If itrsquos a critical machine permanent vibration protec-tion instrumentation is typi-cally fitted on the machine Such a system monitors the machine in real time while constantly evaluating vibra-tion in terms of bearings alignment or imbalance in the machinery

ldquoOur systems are so refined today that you can not only pinpoint which bearing is showing faults but we can even see which part of that bearing is showing strain and whyrdquo Kobus adds ldquoWe can also programme the system against certain parameters so that it trips the machine when certain levels of vibration are ex-

ceeded This is the highest level of protection we can providerdquo

An interesting development in the deployment of an online monitoring system is the technique called ldquoOperational Deflection Shaperdquo (ODS) analysis This is possible when an online system has the capabil-ity of simultaneously measuring all the channels

Simultaneously measuring all the channels of vibration in real time

POWER TRANSMISSION

ldquoIf for example we find that the load on the bearing remains constant we can predict how close that bearing is to failure and plan when the machine can be shut down for a bearing replacement a much

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 17

of vibration in real time This preserves the phase relationship between channels resulting in a visual representation of the machine vibration It makes it easier to observe analyse and document noise and vibration problems in machinery and structures ODS analysis is used to display and analyse ex-perimental multi-channel time or frequency domain data acquired during the operation of a machine or forced vibration of a structure

This provides an interactive animated display with which users can observe spatially defined data such as operating deflection shapes (ODSs) mode shapes acoustic sound and intensity fields or other engineering data such at temperatures or pressures By animating the spatial response of a structure in slow motion users can view a structurersquos overall motion and the motion of one part relative to another Locations of excessive vibration or high levels of noise are easily identified

Next levelThe next level down is a surveillance system often used in conjunction with a protection system ldquoIn contrast to a protection system the surveillance system provides answers as to why things did go wrongrdquo explains Kobus ldquoIn a fan application for example the system will tell you that vibration has increased yet the signature reading from the machine has remained constant This can be as a result of dust build up on the blades or a blade has broken off causing an imbalance which prompts the protection system to stop the machine The system will even tell you which blade has been affected by the faultrdquo

The surveillance system can also be used on its own but still in an online mode ldquoThis feature is used to trend parameters leaving the decision to stop a machine at the discretion of the maintenance engineerrdquo explains Kobus ldquoThese online solutions can either be wired or wireless transmitting data from each sensor to the receivers on the system The data is then channelled to whomever needs it in his or her format of choicerdquo

Options for allOn smaller plants that cannot afford an online sys-tem less critical machinery data from machinery is collected by hand and transferred to a computer for analysis either by the maintenance engineer or under a maintenance contract to an engineer at Ideas Solutions

ldquoItrsquos no longer in question the fact that condition monitoring saves companies money has been proved over and over again if itrsquos done rightrdquo Kobus says in conclusion ldquoCondition monitoring regardless of the

The fact that condition monitoring saves companies money has been proved over and over again if itrsquos done right

POWER TRANSMISSION

extent to which it is integrated on a plant should be part of every companyrsquos maintenance strategyrdquo

Kobus van der Westhuizen Ideas Solutions Tel 082 552-4790 Email kobusideas-onlinecozawwwideas-onlinecoza

18 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

Empowering Municipal Engineers

Corruption and tenderpreneurship fraud financial mismanagement lack of understanding of technical issues

priorities difficulties with job creation and skills shortages are just some of the challenges that face municipal engineers in South

Africa

Name and shameCESA unreservedly supports the call for the banning of public servants from doing business with the state including dealstenders with another department or municipality

ldquoWhat is at stake is not the rights of state employees to do business but rather the integrity of the state procurement system The current public procurement environ-ment in the construction sector is highly complex and conducive to corruption and manipulationrdquo warns CESA President Naren Bhojaram

The problem is further compounded by the lack of accountability and punishment for procurement irregularities and wasteful expenditureldquoThe country has good rules but no-one is playing by themrdquo he adds

CESA believes that it is irresponsible and foolhardy to place employees in positions where they can (or are tempted to) manipu-late procurement and other procedures to unfairly benefit themselves at the expense of the statetaxpayer

CESA

Unqualified people should be discouraged from trying to do the job of the municipal engineer

CESA President Naren Bhojaram

Consulting En-gineers South Africa (CESA) President Na-

ren Bhojaram believes that if South Africa is serious about the empowerment of properly-qualified municipal

engineers it should invest in various interventions such as

training development and ca-pacitating of young engineers for

employment by the local authorities and make the municipal engineering

profession attractive

Currently municipal planning is done rather superficially and only a real municipal engi-

neer and a competent team of visionary planners can sort that out

CESA calls for the embracing of the municipal engineer as a trusted ad-visor as well as creating a working environment to attract and retain municipal engineers The munici-pal engineers must be incentivised (long term employment purpose in life emoluments respect and freedom) and unqualified people

should be discouraged from trying to do the job of the municipal engineer

Stumbling BlockInfrastructure deliveryrsquos biggest stumbling block is the lack of business integrity which involves among other things socialising with clients conflict of interest use of agents and partners collusion and bribery and the disregard of procurement regulations

CESA strongly urges structural changes to the way in which municipal engineers operate including the abandonment of long-term employment contracts for key technical and managerial staff Tender and

bid evaluation committees must include technical legal and financial executives in joint sittings and professional teams must be allowed to compile reports in an independent manner on tenders for the bid evaluation committees

The South African procurement legislation should include a Bribery and Corruption Act such as the UK Bribery Act of 2010 enabling the Courts to prosecute corruption and related issues more ef-fectively as well as the naming and shaming of firms contravening the requirements of the Act

Consulting Engineers South Africa (CESA) Graham Pirie Tel (011) 463-2022Email gspiriecesacoza wwwcesacoza

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 19

ldquoSA Mechanical Engineerrdquo speaks to Willie Muller general manager at KDP Services about the modernisation of old hydraulic machinery ldquoIn terms of upgrading wersquove just

done extensive work at a steel mill to re-design

and implement new technology on a large 1 200 tonne cutting press and a shredding machinerdquo he explains ldquoBoth the machines were imported from Germany originally but have lately started picking up problems seriously hampering production flow

ldquoAfter consulting with the supplierrsquos engineers the problems persisted and the client then called us in to investigaterdquo Willie says ldquoWe found that the hydraulics on both these old machines were outdated but could be updated with new tech-nology rather than replacing the old pumps and valves with costly new imported OEM components

New Life for Old Machines

Very often the spare parts for old machinery imported and installed twenty or more years ago is hard to come by and if it is available

it costs an arm and a leg to import If the problem happens to be hydraulic there is

a local hydraulics company that specialises in updating systems so that local easily-available spares can be used to keep the machine going for many years to come

Willie Muller general manager at KDP Services

CNC machining

Overhauled cylinders ready for delivery

Large cylinder

Hydraulic motor of all makes and sizes are serviced

HYDRAULICS amp PNEUMATICS

Analyse the operation and specifically the machinersquos function in situ before returning to the drawing board to redesign the hydraulic system for better functionality

20 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

New technologyAs the designer in the company

Willie goes out to analyse the operation and specifically the machinersquos function

in situ before returning to the drawing board to redesign the hydraulic system for better

functionality This provides the opportunity not only to introduce the latest technology into the upgrade but also to ensure that easily available local components are used He adds ldquoSince our upgrade the shear which can cut through a 150 by 300mm block of steel in one cut has been run-ning smoothly with none of the previous problems cropping up againrdquo

Similarly the shredding machine where a whole vehicle is fed in one end and comes out in pieces of scrap metal the other end has also been up-graded to run consistently ever since Willie adds ldquoThrough this success wersquove now not only landed the maintenance and service contracts for this mill but theyrsquove asked us to audit the entire plant to investigate other hydraulic systems which can be improved Wersquove already re-designed one of the production lines to introduce an integrated fully automated operationrdquo

First projectWillie might be young but he has worked with KDP since his student days gaining invaluable hands-on experience in all aspects of hydraulic work from the owner of the company Karel Podges ldquoOne of my first projects as a student was designing the hydraulic system for a container lifting and tilting machine used in steel mills to collect and handle scrap metalrdquo he recalls as we come across the remnants of the prototype when we walk in the yard behind the workshop ldquoThis is probably what got me hooked on hydraulics because nothing of the sort existed and I had to design it from scratch around a structure someone else had builtrdquo

Inside the workshop we find engineering equipment ranging from lathes to modern CNC machines all humming away as hydraulic components are turned out of a variety of metals At the hose crimping machine Willie points out the neat final product for a custom-made installation theyrsquore doing One of KDPrsquos specialities is hydraulic motor overhaul-ing which is evident when we see several large Hagglunds drives in various stages of repair in the drive section of the workshop

TestingFinally we get to the test-bench area where a large cylinder is under test for leaks before being taken apart for a complete overhaul ldquoOne of the biggest mistakes generally made when it comes to hydraulic equipment is that people think they can treat the hydraulic components roughly just because they are big and ruggedrdquo Willie remarks ldquoThey lose sight of the fact that dirt is the biggest enemy and they donrsquot take the necessary care to keep the oil or equipment clean causing irreparable damage to seals and delicate surface areas in a systemrdquo

One of the main advantages of KDP is that they are not officially tied up with a specific brand of hydraulic equipment allowing them to work on and supply any make on the market Willie concludes ldquoIn addition wersquore a small company where you learn and get the opportunity to work on all types of applications So each and every problem big or small is tackled with great personal attention to detailrdquo

Willie Muller KDP Services Tel (011) 392-5750 Email williekdp-servicescoza

That people think they can treat the hydraulic components roughly just because they are big and rugged

HYDRAULICS amp PNEUMATICS

The full MontyHydraulic system design from the circuit to pumps motors and all the necessary connecting piping are designed in-house at the 22-year old com-pany ldquoWe design the complete circuit specifying all the components necessary to achieve certain functionsrdquo explains Willie ldquoSimilarly all engineer-ing is undertaken in-house except the honing and chroming of shafts when we overhaul cylinder sets New cylinders are manufactured from tubing and shafts which have already been prepared

ldquoIn terms of piping wersquove built up a good name in many industries both in new installations during maintenance shutdowns or when a fixed installa-tion needs to be movedrdquo he adds ldquoNot only do we design the layout but we physically carry out the installation work ourselves especially when it is a stainless steel pipe installation that requires argon welding to fit the fittingsrdquo

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 21

Compressed Air at Work

Pneumatic systems are extensively used in industry where factories are commonly plumbed with

compressed air or compressed inert gases This is because a centrally-located and electrically-powered

compressor which powers cylinders and other pneumatic devices through solenoid valves is often

able to provide motive power in a cheaper safer more flexible and more reliable manner than electric motors

and actuators

Premium brandApplied Pneumatics established 22 years ago is a South African distributor of Parker Hannifin products ldquoAt a time when everyone is increasingly becoming aware of the benefits of buying premium products which last longer and have proven to be value for money Parker has come up with new innovations which extend this value even furtherrdquo says Dave

ldquoTake valves for example Most low-cost valves are throw-away items which are discarded completely if something goes wrong Our premium valves which cost a bit more initially are serviceable This means we can repair and service them at a fraction of the cost of even a cheap complete unit

ldquoIf the premium repairable valve breaks for in-stance itrsquos quick and easy to strip it right there and then fit new parts and have it up and running in no time as opposed to having to order and wait for a complete replacement unitrdquo adds Dave ldquoAll you need to have in stock are a couple of O-rings for the different valves in a systemrdquo

SA Mechanical Engineerrdquo visits a company in Randburg aptly named Applied Pneumat-ics to speak to managing director Dave McNair ldquoIn a pneumatics application we

supply everything beyond the compressor This includes everything down the line the filtration system water traps regulators and then the lubrication system before you get to the actual application which could be a cylinder control valves actuators or even solenoid valves for the control of liquid flows in a process We also do vacuum applications where suction cups pick objects up to move them aboutrdquo

From left Andrew Livesey applications engineer at Applied Pneumatics Teven McNair sales and Dave McNair managing director

Range includes pneumatic cylinders and actuators valves and logic processing air preparation equipment as well as a whole host of other pneumatic components and accessories

The Parker range of pneumatic equipment includes actuator and motors

HYDRAULICS amp PNEUMATICS

22 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

New conceptSimilarly the air prepa-ration systems from Parker are of a modular design and fully repair-able so that just worn or damaged compo-nents can be replaced ldquoThey have now taken this even furtherrdquo says Dave ldquoA new concept in regulators the Modu-flex clip technology system has just been released No special tools in fact no span-ners at all are needed

to take the unit apart to replace a filter element for instance You sim-ply clip the unit apart by hand replace the

element and clip it together again within a minute

ldquoOn a forklift for example the glass bowl of the air preparation unit is often damaged when the forklifts bump into some-thingrdquo elaborates Dave ldquoOn a low-cost throw-away unit yoursquod have to carry a spare unit to replace the whole unit With the new technology howev-er you simply clip off the damaged part to zap a new one into place In terms of cylinders and actuators the latest development is self-lubricating seals which require no additional lubri-cation whatsoeverrdquo

One of the main drawbacks of pneumatics over hydraulics is that a pneumatic cylinder has to be much larger than a hydraulic cylinder in order to deliver the same power However this does not rule out using pneumatics in heavier applications especially underground where the use of air is generally safer and cleaner than hydraulic oils in the first place

UndergroundldquoA while back we were approached by a platinum mine to design a pneumatic system to open and close underground tipsrdquo Andrew explains ldquoTo prevent people from falling into the ore tip it had to be closed with a heavy steel lid between off-loading operations We not only designed a suit-able pneumatic system but also took part in the installation on various levels all the way down to three kilometres undergroundrdquo

Like many other products there are cheap and nasty pneumatic products on the market and cost is not always an indication of inferiority ldquoThe safe route is to always buy from reputable companies who have been around for a long time and who trade in well-known brandsrdquo Dave says in conclusion ldquoSerious consideration should also be given to the repairability of the equipment Itrsquos no use installing a low cost system which has to be replaced regu-larly while another could last a lifetime if properly looked afterrdquo

Dave Mc Nair Applied pneumatics Tel (011) 792-3381 Email davenappliedpneumaticscoza

No special tools in fact no spanners at all are needed to take the unit apart to replace a filter element for instance

HYDRAULICS amp PNEUMATICS

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 23

TICK

ER T

APE

POWER GENERATION

PROMECH PUBLISHINGTel (011) 781-1401Fax (011) 781-1403Email samechengpromechcozaWebsite wwwpromechcozaManaging Editor Susan CustersEditorial Kowie HammanAdvertising Mark BennettCirculation Catherine MacdivaDTP Zinobia Docrat Donovan VadivaluDisclaimerPROMECH Publishing does not take responsibility for the opinions expressed by individuals

CopyrightAll rights reserved No editorial matter published in ldquoPower Generation Todayrdquo may be reproduced in any form or language without written per-mission of the publishers While every effort is made to ensure accurate reproduction the editor authors publishers and their employees or agents shall not be responsible or in any way liable for any errors omissions or inaccuracies in the publication whether arising from negligence or otherwise or for any consequences aris-ing therefrom The inclusion or exclusion of any product does not mean that the publisher or editorial board advocates or rejects its use either gener-ally or in any particular field or fields

POWERGENERATION

TODAY

Harnessing the Powers of the Ocean

Luciano Garcia-Baylleres COO at HAE

Tidal power has long been utilised as an energy resource used early on in tidal mills to grind grain throughout the Middle Ages More recently it has also been used to generate electricity for instance in the 240 MW tidal barrages at La Rance France Tidal currents however are still largely an untapped energy source While several marine current turbine prototypes

have been tested in the last few years there are only a few of these prototypes deployed to generate electrical power to smaller communities

mainly to demonstrate the viability of the technology

There is currently a renewed interest in using the ocean to generate electric-ity using both traditional hydropower technologies and new hydrokinetic

technologies This interest is being spurred on by official and private initiatives to promote the development of cleaner energy sources and diversification of energy supplies through use of alternative and renewable sources

Tidal energyTidal energy projects hold the promise of producing indigenous renewable predictable electricity without greenhouse gas emissions and with higher power densities in terms of power output per unit area than either solar photovoltaic or wind projects

The International Finance Corporation (IFC) the World Bankrsquos private-sector lending arm is partner-ing with Sasfin Bank to develop a portfolio of energy efficiency and renewable-energy financial products for small medium-sized and microenterprises (SMMEs) in South Africa

Alstom South Africa and the South African Nuclear Energy Corporation (Necsa) have signed an agreement under which the local branch of the French power generation power transmission and rail infrastructure

group will invest R8-million in buying equipment for the new coded welding centre being established at Necsarsquos Nuclear Skills Development (NSD)

The operation and maintenance (OampM) costs of wind farms in South Africa were expected to be in the mid-range of the international market Mott MacDonald consultant Matthias Vinard has reported adding that OampM costs ranged from euro28kW a year to euro68kW a year in international markets

24 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

ocean currents driven for instance by thermal gradients or differences in salinity Along the South African east coast the Agulhas Current is one of the most consistent sea currents in the world and this area has now been identified as the ideal spot to test technology developed by an American company Hydro Alternative Energy (HAE) from Florida USA

Current plans with the local gov-ernment of eThekwini Municipality in Durban supporting the concept of a hydrokinetic energy project off the cityrsquos coast calls for HAE to

initially develop a $20 million 1MW demonstration unit utilising the companyrsquos Oceanus technology to generate electric power from the Agulhas current flowing past the city Additional units each with an anticipated electric power generation capacity of 8 megawatts may then be built and likewise be submerged approximately 30 metres below sea level to prevent interference with shipping traffic

ldquoSA Mechanical Engineerrdquo has a QampA session with Luciano Garcia-Baylleres the Chief Operation Of-ficer (COO) of HAE about the project

Q Some background on HAEA HAE founded in March 2009 is an emerging independent power provider (ldquoIPPrdquo) focused on utilising hydrokinetic and other power develop-ment sources to generate electric power worldwide safely cost-effectively reliably and profitably with minimal or no ecological impact

Our business model provides for utilising certain of our own proprietary technology identifying and locating existing and new technologies and when appropriate partnering with others for our power development and generation needs

Q The South Africa connection with the companyA Research by our technical department identified several places throughout the world as optimal for the initial deployment and commercialisation of our technology After extensive research of each location

POWER GENERATIONTI

CKER

TA

PE

Tidal energy projects may also be useful in lsquofilling in the gapsrsquo in generating power from other intermit-tent energy sources such as wind farms

Marine current energy conversion concerns the po-tential generation of electricity from kinetic energy of freely-flowing water This contrasts with tradi-tional hydro power like a dam where the amount of energy extracted from a river is dependent on the head between the reservoir and the water level below the dam

A similar hydro power approach can in fact be used for tidal power in areas with high tides In this case a barrage can be constructed in a nar-row bay or estuary to utilise the head between low and high water

Consistent currentAnother way to generate electricity from water would be to convert the kinetic energy of flowing water similar to the way a wind turbine extracts energy from the wind In such a case a dam or reservoir is not necessary but rather sites are chosen where the currents are strong such as a narrow sound straight estuary around a headland or in a river

The term lsquomarine currentrsquo constitutes any kind of water current be it tidal unregulated rivers or other

Flow anlysis carried out for current simulations

Another way to generate electricity from water would be to convert the kinetic energy of flowing water similar to the way a wind turbine extracts energy from the wind

Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) MD Noah Gwariro says the state-owned company needs at least $300-million to refurbish thermal power stations in Bulawayo Harare and Munyati and to increase their generation capacities

The planned Karuma hydropower project will have capacity to generate 700MW

and is one of the high-priority projects in Ugandarsquos National Development Plan

The State-owned Ethiopian Electric Power Corporation (EEPCo) has signed a $120-million contract with UK-based company Canbridge Industries for the construction of a 50 MW waste-to-energy power plant

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 25

POWER GENERATION

The components of a sea current power gererating system

The Aghullas current and eThekwini Municipality with their infrastructure qualified human resource and an approach to facilitating large scale green projects was the appropriate site for this first endeavour

How the energy is harnessed

and all the surrounding benefits apart from the presence of good quality currents such as politi-cal stability port infrastructure and focus on green projects we determined that South Africa with its infrastructure qualified human resource and an approach to facilitating large scale green projects was the appropriate site for our first endeavour

Q Background on what the project is all aboutA OceanusTM our first power generation system which we are currently developing and which utilises much of our own proprietary technology is planned to harness the kinetic energy of the ocean to produce safe clean reliable cost-effective electric power

Oceanus will consist of two primary modules the amplification module (the shroud) and the engine module The shroud is a housing that will multiply the normal incoming water flow to a faster velocity as it passes through the engine module generat-ing more kinetic energy This will in turn result in potentially greater electrical power generation capability as well as potentially increased usable offshore locations worldwide

Velocity is the major factor which dictates the hydrokinetic energy that can be extracted from water Within the hydrokinetic energy sector of the renewable andor clean energy industry we have seen that research and development has generally focused on developing energy generation technolo-gies for environments that can only work in very high water velocity environments such as 3 4 5 metres per second While these areas of extreme water velocity are very high in hydrokinetic energy they only exist in a very small percentage of the worldrsquos waters

Our goal is to provide electric power to locations

Shroud

Engine module

Combine modular design

worldwide utilising the kinetic energy in lsquotypicalrsquo water conditions Our current design specifications have a base need of 1 metre per second of water

26 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

POWER GENERATION

flow which by amplifying the velocity is planned to produce 1MW of power This design specification once successfully tested may then be adapted into higher velocity waters As most locations in the world have lower velocity waters a turbine designed to work in 3 4 or 5 metres per second water flows will not work in waters that have velocities of 1-2 metres per second

Q How does it workA The theory behind the development of the system is quite basic having been previously used in other energy production systems such as wind and tidal energy generation Basically the engine is composed of an energy extraction system such as but not limited to our perpendicular access turbine a gorlov turbine a darrieus turbine and an Axial turbine

The other module is the shroud which handles two functions serving as an accelerator of the water ve-locity thus increasing the amount of kinetic energy that can be extracted Secondly it houses the engine protecting marine life from direct contact with the tip of the blades Also Oceanus is designed to be positively buoyant and either secured to the ocean floor or to float at a certain predetermined depth while moored to the ocean floor utilising the same techniques that are currently used in mooring floating oil rigs buoys or floating windmill systems

Q How will it work in KZNA There will be a demonstration unit initially and then we will start the commercial phase by entering into the normal contracts and procedures for energy generation in the country This entails a very large investment from our company where we will focus on potentially buildingassembling the units in Durban thus taking advantage of the excellent and qualified infrastructure it has

Q Who is involved locallyA We have no partners as far as investors or concerns as yet on the South African project but we are not against this possibility in the future From the facilita-tion point of view we have received a lot of support from Derek Morgan at the eThekwini Energy Office and Russell Curtis at DIPA each with their respective teams and other government offices that have been very forthcoming with information and support

Q What equipment does it use ndash where will this be madeA We have already scouted several facilities in Durbanrsquos ship building industry as well as other possible suppliers ranging from the maritime indus-try financial sector to legal consultants in order to make sure that we are in compliance with all regulations and that our perception of excellence from the South African maritime industry is in fact there

Q At what stage is the project nowA The project is currently at an initial logistics stage where we are looking at a more site specific design for the demonstration unit At the same time we are gathering all the information with our lawyers and possible suppliers for the norms procedures permits and licences necessary to comply with local and national regulations

Q Where will power go to A From our initial discussions with the regulatory bodies this energy can be locally distributed and then taken up by the grid as needed This will de-pend on the results of the demonstration unit and the first commercial unit operation which we are confident will exceed expectations

Q Are there sceptics criticsA As discussed before the basic technology has been used in other sectors of the energy generation industry what is being developed by us is the ef-ficient shroud and the maintenance systems which include buoyancy controls and depth determination in order to locate the most efficient current

Q Are there any future plans from your company for South Africa in particularA We believe that we have a good relationship with eThekwini municipality and once we fulfil our project with KZN we would then consider further expansion throughout South Africa

Q What about the other parts of AfricaA Eastern Africa in general presents very good conditions for our technology but for now we are going to concentrate our efforts on deploying this endeavour in South Africa before entertaining new opportunities

Luciano Garcia-Baylleres COO at HAE Tel 561-900-7200 EmailLgarciaHAE-USAcom wwwHAE-USAcom

We will focus on potentially building assembling the units in Durban thus taking advantage of the excellent and qualified infrastructure it has

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 27

POWER GENERATION NEWS

MTN has announced that it has entered into a com-mercial arrangement to sell its carbon credits to EDF Trading in an industry first The credits will be pro-duced by MTNrsquos tri-generation plant at 14th Avenue Of-fice Park in Fairland Johannesburg

EDF Trading is a whol-ly-owned subsidiary of Electriciteacute de France SA one of the largest compliance buyers covered by the European Union Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS)

The carbon credit project utilises a Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) meth-odology developed by MTN approved by the United Nations Framework Con-vention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) It is currently in the process of being registered with the UNFCCC Once registered MTN will sell the carbon credits from the project to EDF Trading

The project will make use of the MTN energy-efficient 2MW tri-generation plant at its Fairland office park Tri-generation is the concurrent production of electric-ity heating and cooling which provides

Carbon Credits power hot wa-ter space heat-

ing and cooling for air conditioning

from a single source

Egoli gas is used for the operation

sourced from the Sasol pipeline in Mozambique

The plant displaces grid electricity from Eskom

reducing greenhouse gas emissions and providing up to 85

efficiency on fuel The excess heat at some 400degC is captured

and used to supply heating and to operate an absorption chiller which creates cool water that is used to power an extensive air-conditioning system

Natural gas is clean burning and offers a consistent supply but simply using this to generate electricity would have been too expensive The saving achieved by capturing the waste heat combined with the additional revenue from the sale of the carbon credits however makes the project economically viablerdquo

Promethuim Robbie Louw Tel (011) 706-8185 Email Robbiepromethiumcozawwwpromethuimcoza

Countries across South East Asia Africa and the Middle East have been amending their regulatory frameworks and embarking on privatisation as many of them are in serious need of external fund-ing to ensure that their respective electricity industries are capable of dealing with the inevitable surge in demand The cumulative installed power capacity for these regions according to 2012 estimates will be 212 Gigawatts (GW) However this figure is expected to shoot up to 349 GW by 2020 climbing at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 64

Emerging Power Markets

Rising industrialisa-tion ever-increasing population figures and growing economies all point to an electrical future that most infra-structure systems are currently incapable of handling Therefore to achieve greater in-dustry efficiency and encourage competition governments across this region are opening up their electricity markets and increasing private sector participation The region will have to invest heavily in order to

increase its installed capacity and improve its existing infrastructure

Transmission networks in many of these countries are already under tremendous pressure to supply power without interruption and many new transmission projects are already underway or in the pipeline Therefore energy policy reforms are set to open the doors and create positive opportunities for growth in in the near future this according to Jonathan Cain of GBI Research

GBI ResearchJonathan Cain Tel +44 1204 543 533 Emailjcaingbiresearchcom wwwgbiresearchcom

28 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

POWER GENERATION NEWS

With Gensler Architects Aurecon has completed the design on the faccedilade of what will be Chinarsquos tallest building At 632m the Shanghai Centre is more than 100m taller than the recently-completed Shanghai Financial Centre and is designed as a sustainable eco-tower that sets a new benchmark not only for the region but also the world

Sustainable green features include tri-

Bioclimatic buildingGreywater recycling systems lo-cated at basement and at mid-level have been installed to collect greywater generated from lavatory or bathtub for reuse reducing potable water demand for the office tower by about 40

The ice storage system shifts part of the peak electricity demand of the chillers into the night modeoff peak operation Storage capacity is 26 400 Refrigerant Ton (RT) which reduces about 30 of the summit demand by about 3 through this ice cooling storage system and save up to the yearly energy cost for the user

A large volume water deluge system with rotational nozzles

installed at mid-level of the atria deliv-ers a large volume and accurate water spray onto fire with the assistance of Infra-red detection to lock the exact location and very early warning smoke detection apparatus system

A double curtain wall design provides better control on solar energy entering the tower building resulting in energy saving

Aerecon Group Jody Boshoff Tel (012) 427-2066 Email JodyBoshoffaurecongroupcomwwwaurecongroupcom

generation plant consisting of two sets of 11MW natural gas turbine generating electricity

chilled water hot water and heating water Simultaneous heat recovery of the hot flue gas produced from the tur-bines reduces carbon dioxide by 49 compared with the regular electrical cooling system

15 nos of 3kW vertical axis wind turbines (VAWTs) on the roof provide 157 500 kWh of clean and renewable electricity annually

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 29

Willem Sullivan of HansenA better artificial heart for people who are not eligible for natural heart transplants

Jean Schoeman of National Oilwell Varco My own jet aeroplane

Chris Coetzee of Resonant SolutionsThe problem in industry is practical engineering experience Young engineers donrsquot get the opportunity to learn the practical stuff Irsquod start an academy which teaches the practical side where you can learn from your mistakes Unfortunately mistakes cost money but if you have all the money in the world they can afford to learn from mistakes

In your book what is the most pivotal invention ever

Elbie Cornelius of National Oilwell Varco The computer

Chris Coetzee of Resonant SolutionsI canrsquot see how you can run a business without cellphones

Rudolph Beer of Martin EngineeringThe wheel

Willem Sullivan of HansenFor me personally Excel Without it my world will be dull and lifeless For the world at large Electricity because without it Excel will not be possible

Jean Schoeman of National Oilwell Varco The personal computer

OPINION

On his rounds Kowie Hamman our Editor is conducting an informal survey on the lighter side of engineering We follow up from last month with three pertinent questions

Soapbox

What do you think of computers and the digital world

Elbie Cornelius of National Oilwell Varco Awesome changing our world

Chris Coetzee of Resonant SolutionsNinety percent of all engineering is done using computers but if you rely solely on them yoursquove missed the plot because you always have to verify results by going back into the field to test what yoursquove done on the computer

Rudolph Beer of Martin EngineeringYou canrsquot do without them

Willem Sullivan of HansenIt is where I do all my design work So if it was not for computers we would be decades behind in terms of what we can do I absolutely love it

Greg Perry of SEWThey have definitely made things faster but the en-gineer still needs to understand the theory and pay attention to the detail or you make mistakes faster

Jean Schoeman of National Oilwell Varco Very useful until they give problems Then you just want to hit them with a hammer But the digital world has managed to speed up the communica-tion of information

If you had all the money in the world what would you design

Elbie Cornelius of National Oilwell Varco A solar and wind power station to supply the whole continent with electricity

Rudolph Beer of Martin EngineeringDevelop the safe harvesting of atomic energy

30 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

ldquoSA Mechanical Engineerrdquo speaks to Dave Goodman managing director of Spectra Car-bide Tooling Technology in Cape Town about the various management models they have

developed specifically to control tooling ldquoOur tool management systems were developed through our involvement with some of the major automotive OEMs in South Africardquo he says ldquoThe management system where we take over full control of the tool-ing facility on the premises has been running for twelve years now at some of these plants

Systems for allldquoBut these systems are not only for OEMs and

large operationsrdquo Dave remarks ldquoTo meet dif-ferent requirements we now have four levels of management systems on offer each requiring a different level of active involvement from our side This varies from purely holding stock to supply for a customerrsquos specific needs right through to taking over full control of tooling by having a permanent on-site office manned by fulltime Spectra staffrdquo

A typical level 4 operation with a Spectra team permanently stationed on the customerrsquos premises will be equipped with a fully-computerised store inventory system to control the purchasing of all tooling from spindle to point ldquoThe team will control all the new stock and used tools by negotiating and dealing with tier two suppliers as wellrdquo explains sales manager Wayne Williams ldquoThey are also responsible for presetting tools ready for produc-tion as well as collecting and delivering tools to and from the machines in addition to providing technical support 7 days a week 24 hours a day

BenefitsOne of the cost saving benefits for the customer is less administration because the Spectra team consolidates all invoices so the customer receives

Managing ToolingIn most machine shops the tooling is usually under lock and key to limit access to high-value tool inserts such as end-mills drills reamers and burrs Even so many companies suffer considerable losses as these costly tools get lost are pilfered or are misused because there isnrsquot a proper

management system in place over and above lock and key to control who takes what from the store

To meet different requirements we now have four levels of management on offer each requiring a different level of active involvement from our side

Managing machine tools saves money

Dave Goodman managing director of Spectra Carbide Tooling Technology

MATERIAL SELECTION

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 31

one invoice per month In addition the customer has a highly skilled specialist in-house on tap to provide technical assistance for all tooling drilling tapping milling boring gundrilling honing and line boring on CNC and conventional machines ldquoFrom the management system we can draw extensive reporting for the customer regarding the costs per unit manufactured We produce monthly graphs for trending as well as daily incident reports on tool breakages weekly costs on scrapped tools and we also work out action plans to reduce scrap and improve up-time of the machinesrdquo Wayne adds

In essence this value-add for the customer allows preventative action which ultimately saves the customer money Dave explains ldquoGiven the skills shortage out there no company can afford the personnel purely to manage the machine shop in so much detail With this system we not only fill the skills-gap by integrating with the company but we add value to the company so that they can focus on what they manufacturerdquo

New product developmentIntegration into the customersrsquo operation has proved particularly beneficial when it comes to new product developments Wayne elaborates ldquoWersquore always up to date with the latest technology in tooling and know what can be done in the best possible way Usually it will take a machine shop a while to select the right tooling and method to produce

a new part but with our experts right there on site they can be assured of finding the most suitable solution using the right tooling from the startrdquo

Vending systemOn a lower level of tool management where the operation does not justify a permanent Spectra team on site the company has a tooling vending machine solution ldquoAll the tooling is stored in a vending machine and access to draw the tools out of the machine is controlled by a card or finger-print readerrdquo explains Dave ldquoSuch a system does however have a reporting function which allows the customer to draw the machining cost against each specific job

ldquoThis system has proved popular in South Africa because it can be customised to control the specific functions relevant to each customerrdquo adds David ldquoPart and parcel of this cost-saving solution is training the customer on how best to utilise the system for his needs be it purely controlling the use of tooling or integrating reporting and costing into the business system of the companyrdquo

Wayne Williams Spectra Tel (011) 827-8957 Email waynewspectra-sacoza

From the management system we can draw extensive reporting for the customer regarding the costs per unit manufactured

Special carbide drills reamers end mills and special inserts are manufactured in South Africa

MATERIAL SELECTION

32 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 33

Cubitron can be used to finish profile and or polish materials with high tensile strengths and is particularly useful to extend the lifetime of belts and discs in industrial environments

where hard materials are the order of the dayrdquo

Consistent cutFinishes are little changed through the entire dura-tion of a Cubitron belt from new to completely worn out The secret is that the cutting edges wear in a controlled manner This means that the tiny indi-vidual scratches are the same when the belt is first

put on until it is worn and ready for replacement

ldquoThere are a multitude of cutting edges on each individual grain of the extremely hard ceramic based grain As the grain wears new cutting edges are exposed in a predictable and measured manner to ensure that a consistent action is applied to the surfacerdquo she adds

Using the same ceramic platform 3M developed Cubitron II providing even better results than its predecessor 3M engineers were able to electrostati-cally orient triangular precision shaped ceramic grain acting like a cutting tool This means that the grain slices through metal as opposed to grinding and continuously self-sharpens as points break off This results in discs and belts running cooler and longer The Cubitron II technology is applied in

Starting from Scratch

SURFACE FINISHING

ldquoTo scratch the surface as the saying goes of most modern materials and coatings is not as easy as it used to be Thatrsquos why we developed Cubitron Abrasive Grainrdquo says Kelly Hunt

sales and marketing manager of 3M

34 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

Scratccchingg thhe surfface of abrasivvves ttecchnnologgy is too oopen a compplex sccience

SURFACE FINISHING

belt fibre disc and Roloc form offer-ing a unique solution for wide range of grinding needs

Scratching the surfaceKelly is an abrasives fanatic She says scratching the surface of abrasives technology is to open a complex sci-ence Analysis of different materials and techniques of cutting or finishing has in recent years become a necessity as materials develop and advance Bonding of abrasive onto materials for discs and belts is also more complex than before as manufacturing becomes automated and the tolerance for down-time reduces

But for the average operator technician or engineer it is not so much a matter of what goes into the development of a product but rather finding the solution that suits the intended process The minimum requirement is for a product to perform reliably over an extended period of time and to produce the right finish

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 35

Sometimmess a less expeeensiive buuut mmooree suitaaablee abbrasssivee ccaan give bettterr reesulttss

SURFACE FINISHING

ldquoUsing the abrasives to determine a finish can be as simple or as com-plicated as the producer of finished goods chooses to make it With so many choices available in the market we recommend that industrial users iden-tify the requirements of the abrasive and then speak to trained service technicians from suppliers such as 3M

Not about priceldquoPrice is not always the determining factor Some-times a less expensive but more suitable abrasive can give better results and in other instances the use of cheaper materials in the wrong application may be costly as materials will need to be replaced more oftenrdquo

Kelly recommends that us-ers of industrial abrasives take the time to research new products and as-sess their suitability for their processes ldquoYoursquoll be surprised that some of the new abrasives can do the job better and in half the time than older technology abrasives canrdquo she concludes

3M Dylan Ian Hunter Tel (011) 806-2186 Email dhuntermmmcom www3Mcom

36 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

IT TRENDS

ldquo M o b i l e c o m p u t i n g

continues to grow and alongside other IT trends

such as cloud computing social technologies and the era of big data It is going to play a pivotal role in the IT industry this year In factrdquo Derick adds

Mobile Computing

Mobile computing is growing momentously and is set to account for as much as 57 of worldwide T market growth in 2013 says Derick Roberts CEO of TruTeq Devices a Pretoria-based

company focusing on wireless connectivity solutions

ldquoit is going to account for the lionrsquos share of growth ndash even more than the cloud computingrdquo

The IDC predicts that worldwide IT spending will exceed $21 trillion up 57 from 2012 The research company also states that mobility will be the biggest driver Sales of smart mobile devices including smart phones and tablets is expected to grow by 20 and will contribute a significant 57 of all IT growth Excluding smart mobile devices IT industry growth will clock in at only 29

Truteq Devices Derick Roberts Tel (012) 667-1530 wwwtruteqdevicescom

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 37

ELECTRIC DRIVE

The technology performance and design of the Cigarette powerboat is closely based on the electric super sports vehicle made in Affalterbach Germany

The 116 metre long Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept powerboat uses two drive units each featuring six independent electric motors At the rear of the boat each drive unit has its own trans-mission one on the left and one on the right The boat is fitted with the twelve compact liquid-cooled permanent-magnet synchronous electric motors which are the signature piece of the SLS AMG Coupeacute Electric Drive each electric motor delivers 138 kW and 250 Newton metres

The maximum output of 1 656 Kilowatts and maximum torque of 3 000 Newton metres combine to reach a staggering top speed of over 160 kmh making this locally emission-free Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept the worlds fastest electri-cally driven powerboat The low centre of gravity and optimum weight distribution ensure sublime

The Worlds Most Powerful Powerboat

handling characteristics during more dynamic changes of direction

The high-voltage battery boasts an energy content of 60 Kilowatt hours an electric load potential of 600 Kilowatts and a weight of 548 kg ndash all of which are absolute best values in the automotive sector The liquid-cooled lithium-ion high-voltage battery features a modular design with a maximum voltage of 400 V It consists of 12 modules each comprising 72 lithium-ion cells ldquoCigaretterdquo inte-grates four high-tech batteries with a total of 48 modules and 3 456 cells which generate a total capacity of 240 Kilowatt hours and an electric output of 2 400 Kilowatts respect even in the boat building industry

The Cigarette on-board chargers as standard Adapted to fit the infrastructure standard of many American marinas the boat has a charging capac-ity of 44 Kilowatts The battery is fully charged in approximately seven hours To reduce the charging time to less than three hours the powerboat can be fitted with four on-board chargers as an option

Mercedes-Benz Shirle Greig Tel (012) 677-1904 Email shirlegreigdaimlercom wwwmercedes-benzsacoza

Mercedes-AMG and Cigarette Racing launched the latest development of their cooperation at the Miami International Boat Show in February Numerous components from the SLS AMG Coupeacute Electric Drive have been integrated in the design of the Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept engineering design The high performance drive fitted in the electric super sports car makes the off shore powerboat the worlds most

powerful and fastest electrically-driven motor boat With an output of 1 656 Kilowatts and a maximum torque of 3 000 Newton metres the Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept is a fascinating new development

Combine to reach a staggering top speed of over 160 kmh

38 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

ENVIRONMENT

They have been in service for decades

under the toughest conditions ndash and

have proven themselves worldwide

Voith fluid couplings protect belt con-

veyors and drive components by provid-

ing smooth acceleration and torque

control allowing for frequent loaded

starts with the least amount of stress on

the drive and belt

In multi-motor drives they ensure pre-

cise load distribution Result fewer

downtimes ndash and the service life of the

belt and the drive components is in-

creased The latest product innovation is

the Voith TurboBelt 780 TPXL

infovtzavoithcom

wwwrsavoithturbocom

Protect Your Belt Conveyors with

Voith Fluid Couplings

ai_a

it_44

0_e

n ai

k

Water Disclosure ReportingJust as companies are addressing their carbon emissions and

provide carbon reporting to the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) water is becoming a growing priority

Reporting on it is becoming another critical sustainability issue

2011 saw a marked increase in the number of the worldrsquos largest companies reporting on their water usage on the risks that water presents and on their responses to

that risk Responses from these companies indicate that water is impacting global business now and yet water is not nearly as high on the corporate agenda as climate change

Evidence is mounting that South Africa is facing a water crisis of substantial proportions This crisis encompasses all aspects of water management on both the demand and supply side The mounting impacts of acid mine drainage and declining wa-ter quality add to the crisis South Africarsquos water security is likely to be further complicated by an increasingly uneven and unpredictable supply of rainfall as a result of climate change and by a reli-ance on significant water transfers from neighbour-

ing countries In meeting this crisis South Africa will have to resolve tough trade-offs in water use between agriculture key industrial activities such as mining and power generation and the supply to rapidly growing urban centres

Evidence is clearJSE 100 companies will need to show leadership in sustainably managing the water resources on which they rely for their day-to-day business operations The available evidence is clear It is not sustainable to continue exploiting water resources by follow-ing a lsquobusiness as usualrsquo approach If this is the case South Africarsquos freshwater resources will be depleted and unable to meet the needs of people and industry in the next 20 years if not before

In 2011 the response rate to the CDP Water Disclosure amongst South African companies was 46 (26 out of 56 companies) Many of South Africarsquos most significant corporate water users are therefore not yet able to or are not yet ready to report on their water-related risks

Promethuim Robbie Louw Tel (011) 706-8185 Email Robbiepromethiumcoza wwwpromethuimcoza

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 39

EXHIBITION

The Steel and Engineering Industries Federation (SEI-FSA) the Lifting Equipment Engineering Association

of SA (LEEASA) the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA) and the SA Institute of Welding (SAIW) have thrown their weight behind the biggest industrial and engineering trade show in Africa

The three-day 10-shows-in-one event takes place from 14 to 16 May 2013 at Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand Johannesburg

SEIFSA Conference at Indutec The Steel and Engineering Indus-tries Federation of South Africa (SEIFSA) will hold its annual conference at Indutec celebrating 70 years of active support for its members industry and business in Africa The federation has over 2 220 member companies which employ more than 224 000 people comprising 53 of the industryrsquos workforce

SAIW ldquoWe take our affiliations with leading industry players very seriously including our en-dorsement of Indutecrdquo says Jim Guild chief executive officer of the SA Institute of Welding ldquoThese industry ties form part of our strategy to create strong relationships which support our objective and Governmentrsquos mandate to enhance the manufacturing sector in South Africardquo

LEEASAThe Lifting Equipment Engineer-ing Association of South Africa (LEEASA) which is a division of the Chamber of Engineering Tech-

nology (COET) will also be using its endorsement of Indutec to promote its activities in the engineer-ing and technology sectors in general Chamber spokesperson Viv Nel says its exposure at the fair will create more awareness of the Chamberrsquos role in all engineering and technology-driven industries

ECSAIndustry regulator the Engineering Council of South Africa shares these aims ldquoAs a custodian of en-gineering intellectual capital in South Africa our endorsement of Indutec provides us with a platform to publicise our role in the engineering sector and government infrastructure initiativesrdquo says Edgar Sabela ECSArsquos Strategic Services Executive

ldquoWe need to produce 10 times more engineers to compete with developed economies Involvement with the Indutec show will allow us to promote engineering as a career through our Engenius Programme and showcase our existing engineer-ing excellence Most importantly it enables us to network with all key players in the field and even conclude some businessrdquo

Tenfold Benefits to ExhibitorsJohn Thomson managing director of Exhibition Management Services organisers of the 10-in-one Fair says the unqualified support from leading in-dustry bodies indicates the showrsquos tenfold value to the engineering industrial and technology sectors ldquoThis undoubtedly translates into multiple benefits for the showrsquos exhibitors and ultimately to show visitorsrdquo he concludes

Indutec Serean ThomsonTel (011) 783 7250 Email marketingexhibitionsafricacom wwwexhibitionsafricacom

Boosting the Manufacturing Sector32 of South Africarsquos leading industrial and engineering professional and employer associations Chambers and

Councils have collectively endorsed Indutec the recently launched South African Industry and Technology Fair 2013

Promech Publishing through SA Mechanical Engineer and Bulk Handling Today will produce and publish the Official Catalogue for this prestigious show

Make sure your presence is felt before during and after the show by advertising in this one-of-a-kind reference publication

Contact Mark Bennett Tel (011) 781-1401 Email samechengpromechcoza

Jim Guild CEO of the SA Institute of Welding

Edgar Sabela - ECSArsquos Strategic Services Executive

Adelia Pimentel - Marketing and Communications Manager SEIFSA

40 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

MARKET FORUM

ldquoBMG has identified a need in diverse sectors for on-site maintenance services to overcome production challengesrdquo says Dave Russell technical director BMG ldquoRecognising the extreme constraints of high energy prices low productivity the critical skills shortage and a highly competitive economic environment BMG brings a total solutions service to the fore

ldquoIndustry can now access all critical production efficient products and services from one supplier What this means is lower production costs and higher pro-duction efficiency giving South African industry a distinct competitive advantage

ldquoBMGrsquos on-site services include applica-

tion design evaluation and optimisation as well as installation trouble-shooting and service exchange contracts The company also offers predictive planned and breakdown maintenance and energy and reliability studiesrdquo

The company also offers extensive train-ing which covers electrical mechanical hydraulic pneumatic electronic and materials handling disciplines as well as predictive maintenance and component failure analysis

BMG ndash Bearing Man Group Veronique van Niekerk Tel (031) 576-6221Email veroniquevbmgworldnet wwwbmgworldnet

Tenova Takraf Africa (formerly Bateman Engineered Technologies) is putting the final pieces together in completing an order for the supply of a 55m x 275m hydraulically-driven SAG mill to Ontario Graphite operators of the Kearney Mine located in Kearney O n t a r i o Canada

ldquoTenovarsquos scope

Unique SAG Mill in Canada

ABB started with a bang following the order of 2 400 robots by BMW Group Over the next three years the robots will be installed at factories in Regensburg and Leipzig Germany as well as in Tiexi China The ABB robots will mainly be used for mate-rial handling tasks as well as gluing and spot welding processes

ABB robots enable customers to implement efficient manufacturing systems that sustainably produce high-quality products The com-panyrsquos range of products and solu-tions for lean manufacturing cover the range from body-in-white to the final assembly of complete car bodies They improve competitiveness and at the same time optimally comply with customer specifications ABB has installed more than 200 000 robots worldwide

ABB Robotics Natasha Mathebula Tel (010) 202-6156 Email natashamathebulazaabbcom wwwabbcom

2400

Robots

Total Solution

of work includes the engineering manufacturing shipping and technical assistance during erection of the SAG millrsquos feed end shell discharge end drive and main bearings as well as all supporting equipment (lubrication and jacking systems)rdquo says Tenova Takraf

engineer Pieter van der Walt ldquoThe main hydraulic motor and rubber

shell liners were outside our commercial scope of supply but inside our technical

scope of supplyrdquo he adds

The mill is a conventional SAG (semi-autogenous grinding) mill in all ways apart from its drive assem-bly and it is centre-driven

at the discharge end using a Haggluumlnds hydraulic motor and powerpack ldquoTo date this is the largest hydraulic motor installed on a SAG mill with 950kW of power torque of 1 200 kNm (start-up) and 650 kNm (operational) and speed of 1386 rpmrdquo adds Pieter

Since the mill had to be retrofitted to an existing foundation a number of adaptations were required to maintain the mill centreline as well as feed-end and discharge-end positions Certain additions were required to anchor the main motor torque arm

Tenova Takraf Pieter van der Walt Tel (011) 899-2372 Email pietervanderwaltbatemancom wwwtenovagroupcom

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 41

MARKET FORUM

World Record

The ADR plant at Kisladag Mine

FLSmidth designs and manufactures indirect heated carbon regeneration kilns and calciners from half a ton per day and larger These kilns and calciners can be fuel gas oil or electric and are skid mounted pre-wired and pre-piped The companyrsquos patented bellows kiln seal has proved effective in eliminating air ingress and process gas egress and can be retrofitted to kilns from other manufacturers FLSmidth holds the world record for the lowest emissions on a carbon plant

And at the companyrsquos Merrill Crowe plant capacities range from skid mounted 34 cubic metres per hour modular plants to full size 2 100 cubic metres per hour The range of supply for plants includes clarification filters de-aeration towers vacuum pumps zinc dust feeders lead nitrate feeders and zinc cones precipitate filter feed pumps filter pre-coat and body feed systems as well as precipitate filters used by refinery and smelting facilities to produce gold bullion

These plants incorporate proprietary zinc dustlead nitrate feeder and mix-ing cone system The company offers individual plant components and partial or complete plant equipment packages together with total plant design

FLSmidth Terence Osborn Tel (010) 210-4820

Magnet has extended its range of abrasive products to include 3Mrsquos new Cubitron II abrasive belts with enhanced grinding performance improved productivity and extended service life

ldquo3Mrsquos new technology has resulted in increased speed improved consistency and extended belt liferdquo says Brian How-arth MD Magnet ldquoThese new abrasive belts ensure up to 30 faster cutting on hard to grind metals like stainless steel nickel alloy and cobalt chrome They also divert heat from the workpiece and belt to the swarf which means cooler cutting This helps eliminate burnishing and minimises heat stress Cubitron II abrasive belts last up to four times longer than conventional ceramic aluminium oxide beltsrdquo

3M Abrasives Bradley Reddy Tel (031) 274 1050 Email bradleyrmagnetgroupcozawwwmagnetgroupcoza

4 x Longer

42 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

MARKET FORUM

X-Calibur is one of the latest product offerings from TAL and was specified to protect the concrete structure of the worldrsquos second longest cable-stayed bridge against corrosion throughout its design life

Stonecutters Bridge is a high level cable-stayed bridge which spans the Rambler Channel in Hong Kong connecting Nam Wam Kok Tsing Yi Island and Stonecut-ters Island Hong Kong is well known for its hot summer weather which is also humid and unstable Temperatures

Say No to Corrosionusually exceed 30oC during the day which coupled with high humidity can result in an extreme heat index

ldquoHot and humid environments have a great effect on the durability of concrete As a rule of thumb we say for every 10oC increase in temperature the possibility of corrosion induced damage to concrete is doubled Add humidity in a marine envi-ronment then protection of the structure is of paramount importancerdquo says Brian Davies CEO X-Calibur International In order to guard the bridge from corro-

sion X-Shield EpoxySeal CR was sup-plied to shield the prestressed concrete cable anchorages from the effects of the environment In addition X-Shield FlexCoat was used in various areas of the structure This provides corrosion protection to reinforced concrete from chloride and carbon dioxide

ldquoThe main challenge was compliance with the strict project specifications as the engineer wanted to ensure that protection would be provided throughout the design life of the structure X-Calibur

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 43

MARKET FORUM

had the products independently tested to prove compliance to all aspects of the specificationrdquo John adds

The materials were applied by spe-cialist painters who had been trained by X-Calibur ldquoMaterials were mixed and applied strictly in accordance with method statements supplied by X-Calibur to ensure working time and recoat windows were not exceededrdquo concludes John

TAL Andrew Dekker Tel (031) 579-2263 wwwtalcoza

Fluid conveyance and pumping solutions expert Incledon has supplied a large water supply line project in the Free State with a total of 4 km of Ultraflo pipes manufactured in-house by DPI Plastics - a leading manufacturer of water reticulation drainage and pipe-fitting systems in South Africa

DPI Plastics technical and product manager Renier Snyman points out that the companyrsquos range of Ultraflo pipes are manufactured from modified polyvinyl chloride (mPVC) which is specifically designed to provide similar tensile strength and greater resilience than standard PVC piping products ldquoThe Ultraflo range of pressure piping systems are ideally suited to bulk water supply projects due to the fact that mPVC is considerably more ductile than industry standard unplasticised polyvinyl chloride (uPVC)rdquo he explains

Renier notes that the ductility of the Ultraflo uPVC piping system ensures that

Large Water Supply Project

the pipes have exceptional resistance to crack propagation under pressure ldquoThe product being supplied to the water sup-ply line project is the 500 mm Ultraflo system which is the largest in the DPI Plastics range It boasts a pressure rat-ing of 12 bar with a design stress of up to 18MPa making it ideally suited as a large underground piping systemrdquo

According to Renier Ultraflo pipes offer environmental advantages too ldquoDue to its superior toughness the wall thick-ness of mPVC is less than that of uPVC This ensures that less materials are used during the manufacturing process which ultimately results in a lighter product that is easier to transport and install thereby minimising the carbon footprint of the piperdquo

DPI Plastics Martine Goodchild Tel (021) 957 5600 Email mgoodchilddpiplasticscozawwwdpiplasticscoza

Donrsquot Miss Out

Promech Publishing is putting the Visitorsrsquo Catalogue together for this Show

Contact Mark Bennett on Tel (011) 781-1401 or Email samechengpromechcoza

to book your space

44 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

MARKET FORUM

Displaying and discussing some of the Dodge housed bearings on offer to local industry and mining are (from left) Tony Patten of Specialised Bearings amp Transmission Peter Small-Shaw Wilecrsquos Product Manager Bearings and Frans Odendaal Wilecrsquos Technical Specialist Bearings

The Bearings division of Actom group company Wilec has formed a strategic alliance for the supply of Dodge housed bearings into southern Africa The partner-ship agreement with Johannesburg-based Specialised Bearings amp Transmission the local distributor for Dodge extends Wilecrsquos ability to satisfy the requirements of industry and mining in a diverse range of bearings applications

ldquoThe most exciting thing about our tie-up with Dodge is that housed bearings while already widely accepted in the US and other leading industrialised countries is a relatively new concept locally but one which offers advanced features to users compared with conventional plum-mer block arrangementsrdquo said Frans Odendaal Wilecrsquos Technical Specialist Bearings

ldquoDodge housed bearings are supplied pre-assembled and sealed so eliminating all risk of contamination during fitment The advanced sealing arrangement and unique adapter system guarantees longer

Strategic Alliance

life ndash up to six times that of a conven-tional plummer block Other cost-saving advantages are that they can be installed by a semi-skilled technician very quickly normally in less than 15 minutes and the need to measure pre- and post-reduction clearance is eliminatedrdquo

ldquoIt is a differentiated product and with it we are able to provide a bearing that is especially well suited to local conditions

and offers benefits that are of real value to customers A particularly important aspect to bear in mind is that the total cost of ownership of a Dodge bearing is significantly lower than that of the conventional product due to its greater reliability and durabilityrdquo

Wilec Frans Odendaal Tel (011) 629-9300 Email fransowileccoza

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 45

MARKET FORUM

Emis Sales 2002 part of Becker Min-ing South Africa supplies a wide range of electrical equipment up to 1 100 V for use in hazardous and non-hazardous areas in the mining petrochemical and surface industry sectors

New to the Emis range are Proloc pro-tection and control relays which are suitable for thermal overload protection of conveyors compressors crushers fan and pump motors as well as shuttle cars and flitting panels

ldquoThe stand-alone Emis ProLoc electronic protection and control relay system which has been designed for the optimum protection of motor and feeder circuits connected to outlet sockets has a wide choice of six user-selectable protection features to meet exact requirementsrdquo says Frikkie Quirk managing director Emis Sales 2002 ldquoAn important advan-tage of this system is a door mounted infra-red link that enables a laptop with Proloc software to manage all settings

and downloads without having to open the panel door and expose personnel to dangerous live equipment This is a critical requirement in the OHSA actrdquo

This system is easy to set up via the Proloc MMI 420 display man-to-machine interface or via a laptop with Proloc software

Emis Sales 2002 Tel (016) 341-6134 Email infozabecker-miningcom wwwzabecker-miningcom

Optimum Protection

Birkenmayer a material processing systems supplier in South Africa and local supplier of German-engineered Eirich material processing technology recently released the Evactherm drier a new product that marries the advantages

Superheated Vacuum Steam

of mechanical and thermo dynamical processes to provide cost-effective and highly efficient drying and processing of filter cake and sludgersquos using superheated vacuum steam

Until now it has been important to observe

a maximum middle temperature when applying direct drying to heat sensitive materials and even more important to avoid the excessive local and boundary temperatures that frequently damage the drying product Both heat and ma-terial transport need to be considered and while convective drying processes such as spray drying largely avoid these problems they are only effective if a surface is available for the hot gas flow

Adjustable for both direct and convec-tive drying and processing Evactherm driers overcome these obstacles while providing a number of further benefits

Super-heated vacuum steam performs drying and granulation while the com-bination of mechanical and thermo dynamical processes allows for low dry-ing temperatures and gentle processing of temperature sensitive materials It also enables continuous drying for long periods of time as fresh material may be continuously added into the fluidized bed replacing material that has already been vaporised

H Birkenmayer Louis Eksteen Tel (011) 970 3880-8 Email louisbirkenmayercozawwwbirkenmayercoza

The Evactherm drier

Proloc protection and control relays

46 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

The Eastern Capersquos Coega Industrial Development Zone (IDZ) is one of a number of industrial regions in South Africa to benefit from Air Products South Africarsquos strategy of long-term capital investment

A region which has long been under-served when it comes to reliable gas supply the Eastern Cape will soon have

A Long-term Viewits own air separation unit (ASU) ndash the first of its kind in the province Seelan Gounden GM supply chain at AirProd-ucts explains the reasons behind the companyrsquos latest investment

ldquoCurrently there is no local industrial gas supply in this area and cryogenic gases have to be procured elsewhere This situation compromises the service

MARKET FORUM

ART Solar specialists in the manufacture of solar photovoltaic (PV) modules for the sustainable generation of electrical power has made the following appointment an-nouncementsMark Walsh as managing director Dr Ronald FM Lange as chief operating officer Robert Ramshaw as financial manager and Gavin Rosslee as production manager

Gavin RossleeRobert RamshawMark Walsh

Jeanne Els has been appointed as Hatchrsquos Managing Director of Operations

Jeanne Els

Ronald Lange

Anton Theunissen

SKF South Africa recently appointed Anton Theunissen as Distributor De-velpoment Manager for South Africa and neighbouring coun-tries

Index to Advertisers

Axiom 12

Bearings International 36

Bibby Turboflex 28

Bonfiglioli 10

Engen 34

Festo 35

Hansen 44

Horne SA 29

IDC Inside Back Cover

ILS 32

KDP Services 22

Loesche 31

Polysius 4

PPS 11 29

Mercedes Outside Back Cover

Merseta Inside Front Cover

MIEO Outside Front Cover

Transmission Components 14

Voith 38

Yellotec 16 17

delivery to our existing customers who have to depend on product being trucked over vast distances Thus we identified the Eastern Cape as a key priority invest-ment destination with a clear need for a new air separation facility dedicated to servicing the region We chose the Coega IDZ after careful market analysis We are pleased to be able to be a part of the growth and development of the region through providing a long-needed security of supply and value-added servicerdquo

Ayanda Vilakazi head of Marketing and Communications at the Coega IDZ adds ldquoThe viability of the new ASU is indis-putable It will mean not only security of gas supply to the region benefiting the many industries here but it also means job security for other investors jobs along the value chain and scope for training and human resource develop-ment as well as enhanced Corporate Social Investment initiativesrdquo

Seelan Gounden AirProducts wwwairproductssouthafricacoza

Left to right Chris Mashigo Executive Man-ager - Business Development Coega Develop-ment Corporation Themba Khoza Executive Manager ndash Operations Coega Development Corporation Seelan Gounden GM - Supply Chain Air Products Pierre Fourie Area Sales Manager ndash Eastern Cape Air Products signed the lease agreement between the CDC and Air Products South Africa

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 47To apply online for funding of R1 million or more go to wwwidccoza

Telephone 086 069 3888Email callcentreidccoza

Driving new market innovationsThe IDC supports high-impact job creation projects acting as a

catalyst to lead new sector development and support existing

industry and sector growth in alignment with governmentrsquos

New Growth Path (NGP) National Development Plan (NDP)

and Industrial Policy Action Plan (IPAP)

The IDC Strategic High Impact Projects (SHIP) Strategic Business

Unit in partnership with the IDC Innovation Department has

launched an Open Innovation Challenge to encourage the

development and implementation of sustainable high-impact

industrial initiatives and projects

The IDC calls upon individuals engineering communities

corporates project sponsors and other related entities to enter

into a partnership to develop qualifying projects that result in

sustainable and profi table industries exploit the value-adding

opportunities of existing and new value chains and enable the

development of innovative local economies

Whatwho qualifi es

projects which enable the development of new industries

across multiple IDC focus sectors

introduce new markets and value chains or revolutionise

existing ones through the use of disruptive technologies

or new approaches

development impact and employment creation

across mandated IDC industrial sectors

SHIP wishes to ensure that the projects undertaken play a major

role in industrial development and employment creation within

the South African and SADC regions

Interested applicants are invited to submit their project

proposals online at

httpopeninnovationidccozaidc-ship-challenge between

project proposals will be informed in May regarding SHIP

wishing to partner with them in the development of the

proposed project

Please contact Bertie Strydom BertieSidccoza and

RetiefBidccoza for more information

Chillibush9119IDC

48 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

A D

aim

ler B

rand

You built the bridges the roads and the tunnels We built the carAs a member of the Engineering Council of South Africa you could qualify for exclusive offers a guaranteed 3-day service booking as well as PremiumDrive our 6 year100 000km maintenance plan To take advantage of this outstandingopportunity inform your nearest dealer of your ECSA status

Not in conjunction with other Mercedes-Benz Fleet ProgrammesOffers Excludes AMG and Limited Edition modelsVehicle specifications may vary for the South African market

Page 7: SAME Mar2013

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 7

THE SA INSTITUTION OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

Vaughan Rimbault (SAIMechE CEO) and Anisa Nanab-hay (National Office Manager) recently conducted student road shows at Stellenbosch University Cape Pensinsula University of Technology and University of Cape Town Students were addressed on matters

The award winners for the 2012 SAIMechE Student awards from Stellenbosch University Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering were

1 Best Final Year project Mechanical (Trophy medal prize money amp certificate) ndash Elizna Miles 87

2 Best Final Year Project Mechatronics (Trophy

medal prize money amp certificate) ndash Willem Pienaar 87

3 Best Mechanical Presentation (medal amp certifi-cate) ndash Elizna Miles 90

4 Best Mechatronic Presentation (medal amp certifi-cate) ndash Henri van Eetveldt 82

that directly concern and effect them as well as benefits of SAIMechE membership which is free for students The presentations were well received and there was a lot of interest in what SAIMechE offers to students

SAIMechE Student Road Shows - Western Cape

SAIMechE Student Awards ndash Stellenbosch University

All the 2012 departmental award winners including the SAIMechE award winners

8 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

COVER STORY

The MIEO is a not for profit indepen-dent association that serves the

mining and industry sec-tors of the southern Afri-can economy by promot-ing awareness informing and educating within the realm of energy efficiency and saving

Comparatively speak-ing the industrial and mining sector combined

Mining and Industry Energy Optimisation (MIEO)

Charles Ntsele Grinding Manager at Metso Southern Africa has been elected to Chair the MIEO for the next two years

Serves the mining and industry sectors of the southern African economy by promoting awareness informing and educating within the realm of energy efficiency and saving

Charles Ntsele

Patterns of usage quite different between mining and industry

Industrial

Mining

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 9

use 67 of Eskomrsquos grid capacity classifying this sector as intensive energy users However it is also the sector that contributes to the majority of the countryrsquos economy Hence the focus for a sustainable and secure energy supply in South Africa logically lies with optimising the energy use within this sector

The MIEO constitutes a membership base that not only supply products and services to the mining and industrial sector but has collaborated in assisting energy intensive users to employ a systematic or holistic approach to energy management challenge in their organisations so that energy saving can be optimised

Systematic approachThe collaboration involves a series of seminars presented by the MIEO across the country In this way information on energy optimisation opportuni-ties is taken to the end user

The MIEO initiative brings together leading manu-facturers and suppliers of service and technologies for improvement of energy efficiency in all major energy-consuming plant items Through seminars the MIEO aims to achieve the following objectives

1 To promote awareness of the benefits available to industry and mining in the products and services for energy efficiency from members of the associa-tion

2 To support Eskom and the Department of Energy of the Republic of South Africa in their common objective of increasing energy efficiency in the industrial and mining sectors of the economy

3 To promote opportunities for the dissemination and sharing of information about products services technologies programmes approaches strategies best practice and operational experiences in the field of industrial and mining energy efficiency

4 To promote the adoption of energy efficiency products and services available from members of the association

5 To promote opportunities for training in the methodology and technology for sustained achieve-ment of energy and cost saving when utilising energy efficiency products and services available from members of the association

CredentialsCharles Ntsele currently Grinding Manager at Metso Southern Africa obtained his NHD Extraction Metallurgy from the University of Johannesburg in 1994 and has fulfilled various roles such as re-search metallurgist applications engineer process engineer and product manager He is an associate member of the Southern African Institute of Mining amp Metallurgy

Tel (011) 061-5000 Fax 086 688 7005Email mieovdwcoza wwwmieoorgza

COVER STORY

Electricity Consumption by Sector

10 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 11

the project engineer who worked on this project

Future ndash a concept a dream or a wishUsing the technology and engineering knowledge available to make South Africa more sustainable If we could use this know-how to overcome the challenges that the country faces it would be a major breakthrough for the nation

Irsquod also like to see more being done in terms of renewable energy We are for example closely studying further possibilities to use biomass as a fuel to generate steam and electricity in our processes Wersquore also looking at fluidised bed boiler technology so that we can use the

abundance of low-grade coal in the country

Most Challenging ProjectA few years back we did a recovery optimisation project to improve the recovery of by-products from the pulping pro-cess The main product is caustic soda used in the cooking process We installed a new causticizing plant pulp screen-ing plant scrubber and refurbished the fluidised bed reactor The challenge was combining the new plant installation with the refurbishment work all in an existing plant within a very limited time span

Most Rewarding ProjectIt was the installation of an A-4 sheeting and packaging line We bought a second-hand machine in Germany and just to get the machine up and running was a challenge in itself

CommentaryAre there shortcomings in the Mechanical Engineering Industry in South AfricaYes we have a shortage of maintenance professionals When I was at university we were not trained in maintenance at all Mechanical engineering has a major role to play in this field where the scope for improvement in todayrsquos industry is enormous We need to start training in maintenance at an academic level much like some of the universities have now started doing However mentorship and in-house training has a very important role to play as well

Message to young engineersYoung engineers have to take ownership of their own develop-ment and not expect somebody else to do it for them Many young engineers feel the employer owes them something They must get involved at all levels and work their way up so that when theyrsquore the seniors they know what goes on at the lower levels Remember yoursquore never too clever to learn

MONTHLY COLUMN

Prominent ProfessionalsCarel Kruger Engineering Manager

Academic

School Graduate studies Rob Ferreira High School Whiteriver B Eng at University of Pretoria

Post-graduateB Tech degree in Pulp amp Paper Management Development Programme through Unisa Gov-ernment certificate of competence

Professional bodiesRegistered with Ecsa as Pr Eng and Pr Certifi-cated Engineer

Career Path

First employerStarted with Sappi at the Enstra Mill as an engineering trainee after doing national service in the army

Growth pathAfter a few years at Sappi I left to work for a small engineer-ing company for five years I went back to Sappi as a project engineer I was then promoted to a number of positions at Enstra Mill these included maintenance engineer project manager services manager and maintenance manager before I took up my current position

Present employer amp positionSappi Enstra Mill as an engineering manager

AchievementsA projectMost of our work in the maintenance environment involves minimising breakdowns optimising the performance of the equipment and working on continuous improvements to either overcome business challenges or increase the success rate of our production plant One of our teamrsquos notable project was to de-bottleneck the bleach plant The project involved stabilising the pulp consistency control in a refurbished high density chest system At the same time we installed a new feed system into the oxygen reactor

This was a major breakthrough in terms of availability of equipment and the throughput of the plant because of reduced breakdowns and blockages It was a case of applying new technology in a very old plant challenging our engineering skills to the maximum

Any awardsA Sappi internal silver engineering award was given to me and

WErsquoRE ENGINEERED TO SHAREOver R73 billion N rsquo S S E Hrsquo NA E

S

S S S trade T S S

12 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 201314 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 62 May 2012

AXIOM HYDRAULICS (PTY) LTD

HA

Tel (011) 334-3068 334-3086 Fax (011) 334-4543E-mail axiomjhbmwebcoza

SAMHYDRAULIK which is one of the leaders in the field of hydraulictransmission has been operating for over 25 years in the internationalmarket offering a complete range of orbital hydraulic motors and power steering units axial pumps andmotors for medium and highpressure ranges all characterisedby excellent performances

SAMHYDRAULIK employs 120people who operate inside avery modern and efficient plantthat spans over 6 000 squaremetres to assure a high standardand flexible production capacityThe latest computer technologyis used for both design andproduction combined withstrict quality control proceduresduring all production phaseswhich translates into innovativereliable and functionalproducts that meet the various needs of the marketIts ISO 9001 certificationheld since 1994 is theresult of a quality-orientated philosophyon which SAMHYDRAULIKhas always based itsoperation

17 Heidelberg Road Village Main Johannesburg 2000P O Box 260248 Excom South Africa 2023

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 13T

POWER TRANSMISSION

Rossi a power transmission equipment manu-facturer from Modena in Italy did this by establishing the companyrsquos first permanent subsidiary in South Africa ldquoSA Mechanical

Engineerrdquo speaks with the deputy general manager of Rossi South Africa Kyle Dick about the range of new products theyrsquore now offering locally

ldquoInitially Rossi was represented in South Africa through my company DDI Transmissions in Springs as an agent for their comprehensive range of gear-boxes but now operates as a subsidiary for Rossi SPA to service the whole of sub-Saharan Africardquo he explains ldquoThe product range as such is thus not new to the South African market but wersquore of-fering a much wider range incorporating the latest in drive train technology for a wide variety of applica-tionsrdquo

in KwaZulu Natal ldquoNot only is the market in South Africa very similar to the mining industry there but many of the mining companies and major project

houses operate in both countries This made us realise that the South African market could

certainly be expanded from the footprint which Kyle has already established hererdquo

New rangesThe Rossi Group is one of Europersquos larg-est industrial groups for the production and sale of gear reducers gear motors

electric standard and brake motors Kyle comments ldquoThey constantly undertake

extensive research into new drive solu-tions A typical example is the EP range

of planetary units and the H-series of new helical and bevel-helical gear units specifically developed for heavy industry applicationsrdquo

Manufacturers of bulk handling equipment like conveyor systems ship loaders stacker

reclaimers and mine processing machinery are all familiar with Rossi drives and have been direct clients of the company for many years The gear reducers and gear motors include planetary worm coaxial right angle parallel shaft gear reducers and

Italian Gearboxes Now in SA

With South African industry particularly mining being very similar to that of Australia some international companies build up a strong footprint in Australia and then use this

experience to bring their expertise to the South African mining industry as well

The product range as such is thus not new to the South African market but wersquore now offering a much wider range incorporating the latest in drive train technology for a wide variety of applications

roduct s notcan of-er g ne -

Africa very simany of the

houses oprealise t

certaiwhic

NeTheestand

eleccomm

exteti

Ma

Kyle Dick (left) and Marcello Cassanelli of Rossi South Africa

The Rossi range of products has done extremely well in Australia leading to the establishment of a main subsidiary there and three regional officesrdquo says Marcello Cassanelli the other deputy

general manager from Italy who is helping Kyle in the coming years to get the business going at Tongaat

14 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

POWER TRANSMISSION

I prefer to go on site and help out with tricky problems but I also have good experience in gearbox selection a critical factor in todayrsquos market

speed reducers specifically bring flexibility to the market The system is completely modular allowing each solution to be tailor-made to a specific ap-plication yet itrsquos still cost effective as all products emanate from a standard production unit The new H series covers 825 kNm through to 1700 kNm while the EP series can cover up to 3000 kNm

ldquoComplementary and ancillary equipment such as cooling fans coils or independent cooling units oil heaters and labyrinth seals are of an equal qual-ity and toughness as our rugged gear units which are built and customised for the most challenging conditions or environments any industry can pos-sibly presentrdquo Marcello adds The company is so confident in the quality and reliability of their product range that theyrsquore offering a worldwide warranty on all their geared products

Central baseldquoWe based the new South African headquarters in Tongaat because it puts us close to a port for bringing in components so we can assemble geared units more cost-effectivelyrdquo says Kyle ldquoWersquore in the heart of the sugar industry yet right next to an international airport so that wersquore in reach of any-where in Africa within a couple of hours In addition wersquove established a sales office in Johannesburg

ldquoThe fact that Marcello brings to the table his inter-national experience to complement my knowledge of local conditions and requirements gives me the confidence that wersquoll be able to provide the local market with services and products both the end-users and competitors will regard with respectrdquo adds Kyle ldquoTo top this off we have direct support from highly-experienced engineers in Italyrdquo

SelectionKyle is a hands-on man who has worked his way up in the company through the ranks in the workshop on site and in the office ldquoI prefer to go on site and help out with tricky problems but I also have good experience in gearbox selection a critical factor in todayrsquos marketrdquo he says in conclusion

ldquoAlthough most project houses do the selection wersquore always prepared to share our experience with others in order to make the right selection right from the start I am confident that we now have the right product the right facilities in terms of support and the experience to serve the local market with competitive pricingrdquo

Kyle Dick Rossi South Africa Tel (032) 944-3505 Email kyleddirossicoza

gear motors while other standard products are large size parallel and right angle shaft gear reducers and gear motors for heavy duty applications

ExtrasMarcello adds ldquoThe new EP and the H range of

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 15

POWER TRANSMISSION

He kicks off by telling us ldquoIf yoursquore not saving money in the end condition monitoring serves no effective purpose Also if you can

afford the consequence of a failure then you donrsquot need to do condition monitoring A good example is found in the food processing industry where they use hundreds of small pumps throughout a plant Instead of having to monitor all these pumps they now use low-cost plastic pumps which can be replaced quickly without holding up the production processrdquo

Part of asset managementldquoTypically you start the development of the condition monitoring process by determining the companyrsquos

maintenance strategy a process called the RCM (reliability centred maintenance) planrdquo explains Kobus ldquoFirst off a hardware breakdown structure of the whole plant is drawn up and a Failure Mode and Effectsrsquo Criticality Analysis (FMECA) performed so that you can decide which of the machines are critical to the operation of your plant the ones which will bring the whole lot to a halt if they fail

Kobus continues ldquoThrough this process the company can also determine what spares to carry as well as the level and types of skills which will be needed to maintain the critical machines in the plantrdquo

MethodsIdeas Solutions not only assists companies to under-take this initial criticality audit but will also advise which one of the four main condition monitoring technologies is most appropriate for each specific application fit it and analyse the data as part of a maintenance contract

ldquoThe solution could take the form of vibration moni-toring alignment monitoring any one of a number of methods of temperature measurements or oil analysisrdquo clarifies Kobus ldquoIn the case of a gearbox for instance we carry out an oil analysis to check whether there are any particles of the same mate-rial as the bearings or the gear teeth and so on

VibrationldquoIn our experience ninety percent of the machines with high maintenance costs are the ones where vibration is the highestrdquo adds Kobus ldquoBeing a destructive phenomenon the extent of vibration indicates whether the machine is balanced running in alignment and gives insight into the condition of the bearings regardless of the type of bearing

Save on MaintenanceCondition monitoring is an integral part of asset management ultimately impacting directly on a

companyrsquos bottom line not only in terms of reducing the risk of unexpected breakdowns but also affecting

machinery life Deciding on what to monitor and how is a scientific task which should be undertaken by specialists ldquoSA Mechanical Engineerrdquo speaks to

Kobus van der Westhuizen director of Ideas Solutions a South African company specialising in engineering

analysis solutions with offices in Cape Town and Pietermaritzburg

We can predict how close that bearing is to failure

Kobus van der Westhuizen director of Ideas Solutions

The ldquoOperational Deflection Shaperdquo

16 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

less costly exercise than an unexpected failurerdquo Kobus says ldquoYou can then order a replacement bearing in good time and make sure you have the right skills on hand to do the replace-mentrdquo

What to fitBeing such a clear indicator of a number of problems in machinery vibration moni-toring equipment can be fitted in a variety of ways If itrsquos a critical machine permanent vibration protec-tion instrumentation is typi-cally fitted on the machine Such a system monitors the machine in real time while constantly evaluating vibra-tion in terms of bearings alignment or imbalance in the machinery

ldquoOur systems are so refined today that you can not only pinpoint which bearing is showing faults but we can even see which part of that bearing is showing strain and whyrdquo Kobus adds ldquoWe can also programme the system against certain parameters so that it trips the machine when certain levels of vibration are ex-

ceeded This is the highest level of protection we can providerdquo

An interesting development in the deployment of an online monitoring system is the technique called ldquoOperational Deflection Shaperdquo (ODS) analysis This is possible when an online system has the capabil-ity of simultaneously measuring all the channels

Simultaneously measuring all the channels of vibration in real time

POWER TRANSMISSION

ldquoIf for example we find that the load on the bearing remains constant we can predict how close that bearing is to failure and plan when the machine can be shut down for a bearing replacement a much

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 17

of vibration in real time This preserves the phase relationship between channels resulting in a visual representation of the machine vibration It makes it easier to observe analyse and document noise and vibration problems in machinery and structures ODS analysis is used to display and analyse ex-perimental multi-channel time or frequency domain data acquired during the operation of a machine or forced vibration of a structure

This provides an interactive animated display with which users can observe spatially defined data such as operating deflection shapes (ODSs) mode shapes acoustic sound and intensity fields or other engineering data such at temperatures or pressures By animating the spatial response of a structure in slow motion users can view a structurersquos overall motion and the motion of one part relative to another Locations of excessive vibration or high levels of noise are easily identified

Next levelThe next level down is a surveillance system often used in conjunction with a protection system ldquoIn contrast to a protection system the surveillance system provides answers as to why things did go wrongrdquo explains Kobus ldquoIn a fan application for example the system will tell you that vibration has increased yet the signature reading from the machine has remained constant This can be as a result of dust build up on the blades or a blade has broken off causing an imbalance which prompts the protection system to stop the machine The system will even tell you which blade has been affected by the faultrdquo

The surveillance system can also be used on its own but still in an online mode ldquoThis feature is used to trend parameters leaving the decision to stop a machine at the discretion of the maintenance engineerrdquo explains Kobus ldquoThese online solutions can either be wired or wireless transmitting data from each sensor to the receivers on the system The data is then channelled to whomever needs it in his or her format of choicerdquo

Options for allOn smaller plants that cannot afford an online sys-tem less critical machinery data from machinery is collected by hand and transferred to a computer for analysis either by the maintenance engineer or under a maintenance contract to an engineer at Ideas Solutions

ldquoItrsquos no longer in question the fact that condition monitoring saves companies money has been proved over and over again if itrsquos done rightrdquo Kobus says in conclusion ldquoCondition monitoring regardless of the

The fact that condition monitoring saves companies money has been proved over and over again if itrsquos done right

POWER TRANSMISSION

extent to which it is integrated on a plant should be part of every companyrsquos maintenance strategyrdquo

Kobus van der Westhuizen Ideas Solutions Tel 082 552-4790 Email kobusideas-onlinecozawwwideas-onlinecoza

18 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

Empowering Municipal Engineers

Corruption and tenderpreneurship fraud financial mismanagement lack of understanding of technical issues

priorities difficulties with job creation and skills shortages are just some of the challenges that face municipal engineers in South

Africa

Name and shameCESA unreservedly supports the call for the banning of public servants from doing business with the state including dealstenders with another department or municipality

ldquoWhat is at stake is not the rights of state employees to do business but rather the integrity of the state procurement system The current public procurement environ-ment in the construction sector is highly complex and conducive to corruption and manipulationrdquo warns CESA President Naren Bhojaram

The problem is further compounded by the lack of accountability and punishment for procurement irregularities and wasteful expenditureldquoThe country has good rules but no-one is playing by themrdquo he adds

CESA believes that it is irresponsible and foolhardy to place employees in positions where they can (or are tempted to) manipu-late procurement and other procedures to unfairly benefit themselves at the expense of the statetaxpayer

CESA

Unqualified people should be discouraged from trying to do the job of the municipal engineer

CESA President Naren Bhojaram

Consulting En-gineers South Africa (CESA) President Na-

ren Bhojaram believes that if South Africa is serious about the empowerment of properly-qualified municipal

engineers it should invest in various interventions such as

training development and ca-pacitating of young engineers for

employment by the local authorities and make the municipal engineering

profession attractive

Currently municipal planning is done rather superficially and only a real municipal engi-

neer and a competent team of visionary planners can sort that out

CESA calls for the embracing of the municipal engineer as a trusted ad-visor as well as creating a working environment to attract and retain municipal engineers The munici-pal engineers must be incentivised (long term employment purpose in life emoluments respect and freedom) and unqualified people

should be discouraged from trying to do the job of the municipal engineer

Stumbling BlockInfrastructure deliveryrsquos biggest stumbling block is the lack of business integrity which involves among other things socialising with clients conflict of interest use of agents and partners collusion and bribery and the disregard of procurement regulations

CESA strongly urges structural changes to the way in which municipal engineers operate including the abandonment of long-term employment contracts for key technical and managerial staff Tender and

bid evaluation committees must include technical legal and financial executives in joint sittings and professional teams must be allowed to compile reports in an independent manner on tenders for the bid evaluation committees

The South African procurement legislation should include a Bribery and Corruption Act such as the UK Bribery Act of 2010 enabling the Courts to prosecute corruption and related issues more ef-fectively as well as the naming and shaming of firms contravening the requirements of the Act

Consulting Engineers South Africa (CESA) Graham Pirie Tel (011) 463-2022Email gspiriecesacoza wwwcesacoza

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 19

ldquoSA Mechanical Engineerrdquo speaks to Willie Muller general manager at KDP Services about the modernisation of old hydraulic machinery ldquoIn terms of upgrading wersquove just

done extensive work at a steel mill to re-design

and implement new technology on a large 1 200 tonne cutting press and a shredding machinerdquo he explains ldquoBoth the machines were imported from Germany originally but have lately started picking up problems seriously hampering production flow

ldquoAfter consulting with the supplierrsquos engineers the problems persisted and the client then called us in to investigaterdquo Willie says ldquoWe found that the hydraulics on both these old machines were outdated but could be updated with new tech-nology rather than replacing the old pumps and valves with costly new imported OEM components

New Life for Old Machines

Very often the spare parts for old machinery imported and installed twenty or more years ago is hard to come by and if it is available

it costs an arm and a leg to import If the problem happens to be hydraulic there is

a local hydraulics company that specialises in updating systems so that local easily-available spares can be used to keep the machine going for many years to come

Willie Muller general manager at KDP Services

CNC machining

Overhauled cylinders ready for delivery

Large cylinder

Hydraulic motor of all makes and sizes are serviced

HYDRAULICS amp PNEUMATICS

Analyse the operation and specifically the machinersquos function in situ before returning to the drawing board to redesign the hydraulic system for better functionality

20 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

New technologyAs the designer in the company

Willie goes out to analyse the operation and specifically the machinersquos function

in situ before returning to the drawing board to redesign the hydraulic system for better

functionality This provides the opportunity not only to introduce the latest technology into the upgrade but also to ensure that easily available local components are used He adds ldquoSince our upgrade the shear which can cut through a 150 by 300mm block of steel in one cut has been run-ning smoothly with none of the previous problems cropping up againrdquo

Similarly the shredding machine where a whole vehicle is fed in one end and comes out in pieces of scrap metal the other end has also been up-graded to run consistently ever since Willie adds ldquoThrough this success wersquove now not only landed the maintenance and service contracts for this mill but theyrsquove asked us to audit the entire plant to investigate other hydraulic systems which can be improved Wersquove already re-designed one of the production lines to introduce an integrated fully automated operationrdquo

First projectWillie might be young but he has worked with KDP since his student days gaining invaluable hands-on experience in all aspects of hydraulic work from the owner of the company Karel Podges ldquoOne of my first projects as a student was designing the hydraulic system for a container lifting and tilting machine used in steel mills to collect and handle scrap metalrdquo he recalls as we come across the remnants of the prototype when we walk in the yard behind the workshop ldquoThis is probably what got me hooked on hydraulics because nothing of the sort existed and I had to design it from scratch around a structure someone else had builtrdquo

Inside the workshop we find engineering equipment ranging from lathes to modern CNC machines all humming away as hydraulic components are turned out of a variety of metals At the hose crimping machine Willie points out the neat final product for a custom-made installation theyrsquore doing One of KDPrsquos specialities is hydraulic motor overhaul-ing which is evident when we see several large Hagglunds drives in various stages of repair in the drive section of the workshop

TestingFinally we get to the test-bench area where a large cylinder is under test for leaks before being taken apart for a complete overhaul ldquoOne of the biggest mistakes generally made when it comes to hydraulic equipment is that people think they can treat the hydraulic components roughly just because they are big and ruggedrdquo Willie remarks ldquoThey lose sight of the fact that dirt is the biggest enemy and they donrsquot take the necessary care to keep the oil or equipment clean causing irreparable damage to seals and delicate surface areas in a systemrdquo

One of the main advantages of KDP is that they are not officially tied up with a specific brand of hydraulic equipment allowing them to work on and supply any make on the market Willie concludes ldquoIn addition wersquore a small company where you learn and get the opportunity to work on all types of applications So each and every problem big or small is tackled with great personal attention to detailrdquo

Willie Muller KDP Services Tel (011) 392-5750 Email williekdp-servicescoza

That people think they can treat the hydraulic components roughly just because they are big and rugged

HYDRAULICS amp PNEUMATICS

The full MontyHydraulic system design from the circuit to pumps motors and all the necessary connecting piping are designed in-house at the 22-year old com-pany ldquoWe design the complete circuit specifying all the components necessary to achieve certain functionsrdquo explains Willie ldquoSimilarly all engineer-ing is undertaken in-house except the honing and chroming of shafts when we overhaul cylinder sets New cylinders are manufactured from tubing and shafts which have already been prepared

ldquoIn terms of piping wersquove built up a good name in many industries both in new installations during maintenance shutdowns or when a fixed installa-tion needs to be movedrdquo he adds ldquoNot only do we design the layout but we physically carry out the installation work ourselves especially when it is a stainless steel pipe installation that requires argon welding to fit the fittingsrdquo

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 21

Compressed Air at Work

Pneumatic systems are extensively used in industry where factories are commonly plumbed with

compressed air or compressed inert gases This is because a centrally-located and electrically-powered

compressor which powers cylinders and other pneumatic devices through solenoid valves is often

able to provide motive power in a cheaper safer more flexible and more reliable manner than electric motors

and actuators

Premium brandApplied Pneumatics established 22 years ago is a South African distributor of Parker Hannifin products ldquoAt a time when everyone is increasingly becoming aware of the benefits of buying premium products which last longer and have proven to be value for money Parker has come up with new innovations which extend this value even furtherrdquo says Dave

ldquoTake valves for example Most low-cost valves are throw-away items which are discarded completely if something goes wrong Our premium valves which cost a bit more initially are serviceable This means we can repair and service them at a fraction of the cost of even a cheap complete unit

ldquoIf the premium repairable valve breaks for in-stance itrsquos quick and easy to strip it right there and then fit new parts and have it up and running in no time as opposed to having to order and wait for a complete replacement unitrdquo adds Dave ldquoAll you need to have in stock are a couple of O-rings for the different valves in a systemrdquo

SA Mechanical Engineerrdquo visits a company in Randburg aptly named Applied Pneumat-ics to speak to managing director Dave McNair ldquoIn a pneumatics application we

supply everything beyond the compressor This includes everything down the line the filtration system water traps regulators and then the lubrication system before you get to the actual application which could be a cylinder control valves actuators or even solenoid valves for the control of liquid flows in a process We also do vacuum applications where suction cups pick objects up to move them aboutrdquo

From left Andrew Livesey applications engineer at Applied Pneumatics Teven McNair sales and Dave McNair managing director

Range includes pneumatic cylinders and actuators valves and logic processing air preparation equipment as well as a whole host of other pneumatic components and accessories

The Parker range of pneumatic equipment includes actuator and motors

HYDRAULICS amp PNEUMATICS

22 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

New conceptSimilarly the air prepa-ration systems from Parker are of a modular design and fully repair-able so that just worn or damaged compo-nents can be replaced ldquoThey have now taken this even furtherrdquo says Dave ldquoA new concept in regulators the Modu-flex clip technology system has just been released No special tools in fact no span-ners at all are needed

to take the unit apart to replace a filter element for instance You sim-ply clip the unit apart by hand replace the

element and clip it together again within a minute

ldquoOn a forklift for example the glass bowl of the air preparation unit is often damaged when the forklifts bump into some-thingrdquo elaborates Dave ldquoOn a low-cost throw-away unit yoursquod have to carry a spare unit to replace the whole unit With the new technology howev-er you simply clip off the damaged part to zap a new one into place In terms of cylinders and actuators the latest development is self-lubricating seals which require no additional lubri-cation whatsoeverrdquo

One of the main drawbacks of pneumatics over hydraulics is that a pneumatic cylinder has to be much larger than a hydraulic cylinder in order to deliver the same power However this does not rule out using pneumatics in heavier applications especially underground where the use of air is generally safer and cleaner than hydraulic oils in the first place

UndergroundldquoA while back we were approached by a platinum mine to design a pneumatic system to open and close underground tipsrdquo Andrew explains ldquoTo prevent people from falling into the ore tip it had to be closed with a heavy steel lid between off-loading operations We not only designed a suit-able pneumatic system but also took part in the installation on various levels all the way down to three kilometres undergroundrdquo

Like many other products there are cheap and nasty pneumatic products on the market and cost is not always an indication of inferiority ldquoThe safe route is to always buy from reputable companies who have been around for a long time and who trade in well-known brandsrdquo Dave says in conclusion ldquoSerious consideration should also be given to the repairability of the equipment Itrsquos no use installing a low cost system which has to be replaced regu-larly while another could last a lifetime if properly looked afterrdquo

Dave Mc Nair Applied pneumatics Tel (011) 792-3381 Email davenappliedpneumaticscoza

No special tools in fact no spanners at all are needed to take the unit apart to replace a filter element for instance

HYDRAULICS amp PNEUMATICS

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 23

TICK

ER T

APE

POWER GENERATION

PROMECH PUBLISHINGTel (011) 781-1401Fax (011) 781-1403Email samechengpromechcozaWebsite wwwpromechcozaManaging Editor Susan CustersEditorial Kowie HammanAdvertising Mark BennettCirculation Catherine MacdivaDTP Zinobia Docrat Donovan VadivaluDisclaimerPROMECH Publishing does not take responsibility for the opinions expressed by individuals

CopyrightAll rights reserved No editorial matter published in ldquoPower Generation Todayrdquo may be reproduced in any form or language without written per-mission of the publishers While every effort is made to ensure accurate reproduction the editor authors publishers and their employees or agents shall not be responsible or in any way liable for any errors omissions or inaccuracies in the publication whether arising from negligence or otherwise or for any consequences aris-ing therefrom The inclusion or exclusion of any product does not mean that the publisher or editorial board advocates or rejects its use either gener-ally or in any particular field or fields

POWERGENERATION

TODAY

Harnessing the Powers of the Ocean

Luciano Garcia-Baylleres COO at HAE

Tidal power has long been utilised as an energy resource used early on in tidal mills to grind grain throughout the Middle Ages More recently it has also been used to generate electricity for instance in the 240 MW tidal barrages at La Rance France Tidal currents however are still largely an untapped energy source While several marine current turbine prototypes

have been tested in the last few years there are only a few of these prototypes deployed to generate electrical power to smaller communities

mainly to demonstrate the viability of the technology

There is currently a renewed interest in using the ocean to generate electric-ity using both traditional hydropower technologies and new hydrokinetic

technologies This interest is being spurred on by official and private initiatives to promote the development of cleaner energy sources and diversification of energy supplies through use of alternative and renewable sources

Tidal energyTidal energy projects hold the promise of producing indigenous renewable predictable electricity without greenhouse gas emissions and with higher power densities in terms of power output per unit area than either solar photovoltaic or wind projects

The International Finance Corporation (IFC) the World Bankrsquos private-sector lending arm is partner-ing with Sasfin Bank to develop a portfolio of energy efficiency and renewable-energy financial products for small medium-sized and microenterprises (SMMEs) in South Africa

Alstom South Africa and the South African Nuclear Energy Corporation (Necsa) have signed an agreement under which the local branch of the French power generation power transmission and rail infrastructure

group will invest R8-million in buying equipment for the new coded welding centre being established at Necsarsquos Nuclear Skills Development (NSD)

The operation and maintenance (OampM) costs of wind farms in South Africa were expected to be in the mid-range of the international market Mott MacDonald consultant Matthias Vinard has reported adding that OampM costs ranged from euro28kW a year to euro68kW a year in international markets

24 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

ocean currents driven for instance by thermal gradients or differences in salinity Along the South African east coast the Agulhas Current is one of the most consistent sea currents in the world and this area has now been identified as the ideal spot to test technology developed by an American company Hydro Alternative Energy (HAE) from Florida USA

Current plans with the local gov-ernment of eThekwini Municipality in Durban supporting the concept of a hydrokinetic energy project off the cityrsquos coast calls for HAE to

initially develop a $20 million 1MW demonstration unit utilising the companyrsquos Oceanus technology to generate electric power from the Agulhas current flowing past the city Additional units each with an anticipated electric power generation capacity of 8 megawatts may then be built and likewise be submerged approximately 30 metres below sea level to prevent interference with shipping traffic

ldquoSA Mechanical Engineerrdquo has a QampA session with Luciano Garcia-Baylleres the Chief Operation Of-ficer (COO) of HAE about the project

Q Some background on HAEA HAE founded in March 2009 is an emerging independent power provider (ldquoIPPrdquo) focused on utilising hydrokinetic and other power develop-ment sources to generate electric power worldwide safely cost-effectively reliably and profitably with minimal or no ecological impact

Our business model provides for utilising certain of our own proprietary technology identifying and locating existing and new technologies and when appropriate partnering with others for our power development and generation needs

Q The South Africa connection with the companyA Research by our technical department identified several places throughout the world as optimal for the initial deployment and commercialisation of our technology After extensive research of each location

POWER GENERATIONTI

CKER

TA

PE

Tidal energy projects may also be useful in lsquofilling in the gapsrsquo in generating power from other intermit-tent energy sources such as wind farms

Marine current energy conversion concerns the po-tential generation of electricity from kinetic energy of freely-flowing water This contrasts with tradi-tional hydro power like a dam where the amount of energy extracted from a river is dependent on the head between the reservoir and the water level below the dam

A similar hydro power approach can in fact be used for tidal power in areas with high tides In this case a barrage can be constructed in a nar-row bay or estuary to utilise the head between low and high water

Consistent currentAnother way to generate electricity from water would be to convert the kinetic energy of flowing water similar to the way a wind turbine extracts energy from the wind In such a case a dam or reservoir is not necessary but rather sites are chosen where the currents are strong such as a narrow sound straight estuary around a headland or in a river

The term lsquomarine currentrsquo constitutes any kind of water current be it tidal unregulated rivers or other

Flow anlysis carried out for current simulations

Another way to generate electricity from water would be to convert the kinetic energy of flowing water similar to the way a wind turbine extracts energy from the wind

Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) MD Noah Gwariro says the state-owned company needs at least $300-million to refurbish thermal power stations in Bulawayo Harare and Munyati and to increase their generation capacities

The planned Karuma hydropower project will have capacity to generate 700MW

and is one of the high-priority projects in Ugandarsquos National Development Plan

The State-owned Ethiopian Electric Power Corporation (EEPCo) has signed a $120-million contract with UK-based company Canbridge Industries for the construction of a 50 MW waste-to-energy power plant

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 25

POWER GENERATION

The components of a sea current power gererating system

The Aghullas current and eThekwini Municipality with their infrastructure qualified human resource and an approach to facilitating large scale green projects was the appropriate site for this first endeavour

How the energy is harnessed

and all the surrounding benefits apart from the presence of good quality currents such as politi-cal stability port infrastructure and focus on green projects we determined that South Africa with its infrastructure qualified human resource and an approach to facilitating large scale green projects was the appropriate site for our first endeavour

Q Background on what the project is all aboutA OceanusTM our first power generation system which we are currently developing and which utilises much of our own proprietary technology is planned to harness the kinetic energy of the ocean to produce safe clean reliable cost-effective electric power

Oceanus will consist of two primary modules the amplification module (the shroud) and the engine module The shroud is a housing that will multiply the normal incoming water flow to a faster velocity as it passes through the engine module generat-ing more kinetic energy This will in turn result in potentially greater electrical power generation capability as well as potentially increased usable offshore locations worldwide

Velocity is the major factor which dictates the hydrokinetic energy that can be extracted from water Within the hydrokinetic energy sector of the renewable andor clean energy industry we have seen that research and development has generally focused on developing energy generation technolo-gies for environments that can only work in very high water velocity environments such as 3 4 5 metres per second While these areas of extreme water velocity are very high in hydrokinetic energy they only exist in a very small percentage of the worldrsquos waters

Our goal is to provide electric power to locations

Shroud

Engine module

Combine modular design

worldwide utilising the kinetic energy in lsquotypicalrsquo water conditions Our current design specifications have a base need of 1 metre per second of water

26 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

POWER GENERATION

flow which by amplifying the velocity is planned to produce 1MW of power This design specification once successfully tested may then be adapted into higher velocity waters As most locations in the world have lower velocity waters a turbine designed to work in 3 4 or 5 metres per second water flows will not work in waters that have velocities of 1-2 metres per second

Q How does it workA The theory behind the development of the system is quite basic having been previously used in other energy production systems such as wind and tidal energy generation Basically the engine is composed of an energy extraction system such as but not limited to our perpendicular access turbine a gorlov turbine a darrieus turbine and an Axial turbine

The other module is the shroud which handles two functions serving as an accelerator of the water ve-locity thus increasing the amount of kinetic energy that can be extracted Secondly it houses the engine protecting marine life from direct contact with the tip of the blades Also Oceanus is designed to be positively buoyant and either secured to the ocean floor or to float at a certain predetermined depth while moored to the ocean floor utilising the same techniques that are currently used in mooring floating oil rigs buoys or floating windmill systems

Q How will it work in KZNA There will be a demonstration unit initially and then we will start the commercial phase by entering into the normal contracts and procedures for energy generation in the country This entails a very large investment from our company where we will focus on potentially buildingassembling the units in Durban thus taking advantage of the excellent and qualified infrastructure it has

Q Who is involved locallyA We have no partners as far as investors or concerns as yet on the South African project but we are not against this possibility in the future From the facilita-tion point of view we have received a lot of support from Derek Morgan at the eThekwini Energy Office and Russell Curtis at DIPA each with their respective teams and other government offices that have been very forthcoming with information and support

Q What equipment does it use ndash where will this be madeA We have already scouted several facilities in Durbanrsquos ship building industry as well as other possible suppliers ranging from the maritime indus-try financial sector to legal consultants in order to make sure that we are in compliance with all regulations and that our perception of excellence from the South African maritime industry is in fact there

Q At what stage is the project nowA The project is currently at an initial logistics stage where we are looking at a more site specific design for the demonstration unit At the same time we are gathering all the information with our lawyers and possible suppliers for the norms procedures permits and licences necessary to comply with local and national regulations

Q Where will power go to A From our initial discussions with the regulatory bodies this energy can be locally distributed and then taken up by the grid as needed This will de-pend on the results of the demonstration unit and the first commercial unit operation which we are confident will exceed expectations

Q Are there sceptics criticsA As discussed before the basic technology has been used in other sectors of the energy generation industry what is being developed by us is the ef-ficient shroud and the maintenance systems which include buoyancy controls and depth determination in order to locate the most efficient current

Q Are there any future plans from your company for South Africa in particularA We believe that we have a good relationship with eThekwini municipality and once we fulfil our project with KZN we would then consider further expansion throughout South Africa

Q What about the other parts of AfricaA Eastern Africa in general presents very good conditions for our technology but for now we are going to concentrate our efforts on deploying this endeavour in South Africa before entertaining new opportunities

Luciano Garcia-Baylleres COO at HAE Tel 561-900-7200 EmailLgarciaHAE-USAcom wwwHAE-USAcom

We will focus on potentially building assembling the units in Durban thus taking advantage of the excellent and qualified infrastructure it has

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 27

POWER GENERATION NEWS

MTN has announced that it has entered into a com-mercial arrangement to sell its carbon credits to EDF Trading in an industry first The credits will be pro-duced by MTNrsquos tri-generation plant at 14th Avenue Of-fice Park in Fairland Johannesburg

EDF Trading is a whol-ly-owned subsidiary of Electriciteacute de France SA one of the largest compliance buyers covered by the European Union Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS)

The carbon credit project utilises a Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) meth-odology developed by MTN approved by the United Nations Framework Con-vention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) It is currently in the process of being registered with the UNFCCC Once registered MTN will sell the carbon credits from the project to EDF Trading

The project will make use of the MTN energy-efficient 2MW tri-generation plant at its Fairland office park Tri-generation is the concurrent production of electric-ity heating and cooling which provides

Carbon Credits power hot wa-ter space heat-

ing and cooling for air conditioning

from a single source

Egoli gas is used for the operation

sourced from the Sasol pipeline in Mozambique

The plant displaces grid electricity from Eskom

reducing greenhouse gas emissions and providing up to 85

efficiency on fuel The excess heat at some 400degC is captured

and used to supply heating and to operate an absorption chiller which creates cool water that is used to power an extensive air-conditioning system

Natural gas is clean burning and offers a consistent supply but simply using this to generate electricity would have been too expensive The saving achieved by capturing the waste heat combined with the additional revenue from the sale of the carbon credits however makes the project economically viablerdquo

Promethuim Robbie Louw Tel (011) 706-8185 Email Robbiepromethiumcozawwwpromethuimcoza

Countries across South East Asia Africa and the Middle East have been amending their regulatory frameworks and embarking on privatisation as many of them are in serious need of external fund-ing to ensure that their respective electricity industries are capable of dealing with the inevitable surge in demand The cumulative installed power capacity for these regions according to 2012 estimates will be 212 Gigawatts (GW) However this figure is expected to shoot up to 349 GW by 2020 climbing at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 64

Emerging Power Markets

Rising industrialisa-tion ever-increasing population figures and growing economies all point to an electrical future that most infra-structure systems are currently incapable of handling Therefore to achieve greater in-dustry efficiency and encourage competition governments across this region are opening up their electricity markets and increasing private sector participation The region will have to invest heavily in order to

increase its installed capacity and improve its existing infrastructure

Transmission networks in many of these countries are already under tremendous pressure to supply power without interruption and many new transmission projects are already underway or in the pipeline Therefore energy policy reforms are set to open the doors and create positive opportunities for growth in in the near future this according to Jonathan Cain of GBI Research

GBI ResearchJonathan Cain Tel +44 1204 543 533 Emailjcaingbiresearchcom wwwgbiresearchcom

28 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

POWER GENERATION NEWS

With Gensler Architects Aurecon has completed the design on the faccedilade of what will be Chinarsquos tallest building At 632m the Shanghai Centre is more than 100m taller than the recently-completed Shanghai Financial Centre and is designed as a sustainable eco-tower that sets a new benchmark not only for the region but also the world

Sustainable green features include tri-

Bioclimatic buildingGreywater recycling systems lo-cated at basement and at mid-level have been installed to collect greywater generated from lavatory or bathtub for reuse reducing potable water demand for the office tower by about 40

The ice storage system shifts part of the peak electricity demand of the chillers into the night modeoff peak operation Storage capacity is 26 400 Refrigerant Ton (RT) which reduces about 30 of the summit demand by about 3 through this ice cooling storage system and save up to the yearly energy cost for the user

A large volume water deluge system with rotational nozzles

installed at mid-level of the atria deliv-ers a large volume and accurate water spray onto fire with the assistance of Infra-red detection to lock the exact location and very early warning smoke detection apparatus system

A double curtain wall design provides better control on solar energy entering the tower building resulting in energy saving

Aerecon Group Jody Boshoff Tel (012) 427-2066 Email JodyBoshoffaurecongroupcomwwwaurecongroupcom

generation plant consisting of two sets of 11MW natural gas turbine generating electricity

chilled water hot water and heating water Simultaneous heat recovery of the hot flue gas produced from the tur-bines reduces carbon dioxide by 49 compared with the regular electrical cooling system

15 nos of 3kW vertical axis wind turbines (VAWTs) on the roof provide 157 500 kWh of clean and renewable electricity annually

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 29

Willem Sullivan of HansenA better artificial heart for people who are not eligible for natural heart transplants

Jean Schoeman of National Oilwell Varco My own jet aeroplane

Chris Coetzee of Resonant SolutionsThe problem in industry is practical engineering experience Young engineers donrsquot get the opportunity to learn the practical stuff Irsquod start an academy which teaches the practical side where you can learn from your mistakes Unfortunately mistakes cost money but if you have all the money in the world they can afford to learn from mistakes

In your book what is the most pivotal invention ever

Elbie Cornelius of National Oilwell Varco The computer

Chris Coetzee of Resonant SolutionsI canrsquot see how you can run a business without cellphones

Rudolph Beer of Martin EngineeringThe wheel

Willem Sullivan of HansenFor me personally Excel Without it my world will be dull and lifeless For the world at large Electricity because without it Excel will not be possible

Jean Schoeman of National Oilwell Varco The personal computer

OPINION

On his rounds Kowie Hamman our Editor is conducting an informal survey on the lighter side of engineering We follow up from last month with three pertinent questions

Soapbox

What do you think of computers and the digital world

Elbie Cornelius of National Oilwell Varco Awesome changing our world

Chris Coetzee of Resonant SolutionsNinety percent of all engineering is done using computers but if you rely solely on them yoursquove missed the plot because you always have to verify results by going back into the field to test what yoursquove done on the computer

Rudolph Beer of Martin EngineeringYou canrsquot do without them

Willem Sullivan of HansenIt is where I do all my design work So if it was not for computers we would be decades behind in terms of what we can do I absolutely love it

Greg Perry of SEWThey have definitely made things faster but the en-gineer still needs to understand the theory and pay attention to the detail or you make mistakes faster

Jean Schoeman of National Oilwell Varco Very useful until they give problems Then you just want to hit them with a hammer But the digital world has managed to speed up the communica-tion of information

If you had all the money in the world what would you design

Elbie Cornelius of National Oilwell Varco A solar and wind power station to supply the whole continent with electricity

Rudolph Beer of Martin EngineeringDevelop the safe harvesting of atomic energy

30 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

ldquoSA Mechanical Engineerrdquo speaks to Dave Goodman managing director of Spectra Car-bide Tooling Technology in Cape Town about the various management models they have

developed specifically to control tooling ldquoOur tool management systems were developed through our involvement with some of the major automotive OEMs in South Africardquo he says ldquoThe management system where we take over full control of the tool-ing facility on the premises has been running for twelve years now at some of these plants

Systems for allldquoBut these systems are not only for OEMs and

large operationsrdquo Dave remarks ldquoTo meet dif-ferent requirements we now have four levels of management systems on offer each requiring a different level of active involvement from our side This varies from purely holding stock to supply for a customerrsquos specific needs right through to taking over full control of tooling by having a permanent on-site office manned by fulltime Spectra staffrdquo

A typical level 4 operation with a Spectra team permanently stationed on the customerrsquos premises will be equipped with a fully-computerised store inventory system to control the purchasing of all tooling from spindle to point ldquoThe team will control all the new stock and used tools by negotiating and dealing with tier two suppliers as wellrdquo explains sales manager Wayne Williams ldquoThey are also responsible for presetting tools ready for produc-tion as well as collecting and delivering tools to and from the machines in addition to providing technical support 7 days a week 24 hours a day

BenefitsOne of the cost saving benefits for the customer is less administration because the Spectra team consolidates all invoices so the customer receives

Managing ToolingIn most machine shops the tooling is usually under lock and key to limit access to high-value tool inserts such as end-mills drills reamers and burrs Even so many companies suffer considerable losses as these costly tools get lost are pilfered or are misused because there isnrsquot a proper

management system in place over and above lock and key to control who takes what from the store

To meet different requirements we now have four levels of management on offer each requiring a different level of active involvement from our side

Managing machine tools saves money

Dave Goodman managing director of Spectra Carbide Tooling Technology

MATERIAL SELECTION

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 31

one invoice per month In addition the customer has a highly skilled specialist in-house on tap to provide technical assistance for all tooling drilling tapping milling boring gundrilling honing and line boring on CNC and conventional machines ldquoFrom the management system we can draw extensive reporting for the customer regarding the costs per unit manufactured We produce monthly graphs for trending as well as daily incident reports on tool breakages weekly costs on scrapped tools and we also work out action plans to reduce scrap and improve up-time of the machinesrdquo Wayne adds

In essence this value-add for the customer allows preventative action which ultimately saves the customer money Dave explains ldquoGiven the skills shortage out there no company can afford the personnel purely to manage the machine shop in so much detail With this system we not only fill the skills-gap by integrating with the company but we add value to the company so that they can focus on what they manufacturerdquo

New product developmentIntegration into the customersrsquo operation has proved particularly beneficial when it comes to new product developments Wayne elaborates ldquoWersquore always up to date with the latest technology in tooling and know what can be done in the best possible way Usually it will take a machine shop a while to select the right tooling and method to produce

a new part but with our experts right there on site they can be assured of finding the most suitable solution using the right tooling from the startrdquo

Vending systemOn a lower level of tool management where the operation does not justify a permanent Spectra team on site the company has a tooling vending machine solution ldquoAll the tooling is stored in a vending machine and access to draw the tools out of the machine is controlled by a card or finger-print readerrdquo explains Dave ldquoSuch a system does however have a reporting function which allows the customer to draw the machining cost against each specific job

ldquoThis system has proved popular in South Africa because it can be customised to control the specific functions relevant to each customerrdquo adds David ldquoPart and parcel of this cost-saving solution is training the customer on how best to utilise the system for his needs be it purely controlling the use of tooling or integrating reporting and costing into the business system of the companyrdquo

Wayne Williams Spectra Tel (011) 827-8957 Email waynewspectra-sacoza

From the management system we can draw extensive reporting for the customer regarding the costs per unit manufactured

Special carbide drills reamers end mills and special inserts are manufactured in South Africa

MATERIAL SELECTION

32 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 33

Cubitron can be used to finish profile and or polish materials with high tensile strengths and is particularly useful to extend the lifetime of belts and discs in industrial environments

where hard materials are the order of the dayrdquo

Consistent cutFinishes are little changed through the entire dura-tion of a Cubitron belt from new to completely worn out The secret is that the cutting edges wear in a controlled manner This means that the tiny indi-vidual scratches are the same when the belt is first

put on until it is worn and ready for replacement

ldquoThere are a multitude of cutting edges on each individual grain of the extremely hard ceramic based grain As the grain wears new cutting edges are exposed in a predictable and measured manner to ensure that a consistent action is applied to the surfacerdquo she adds

Using the same ceramic platform 3M developed Cubitron II providing even better results than its predecessor 3M engineers were able to electrostati-cally orient triangular precision shaped ceramic grain acting like a cutting tool This means that the grain slices through metal as opposed to grinding and continuously self-sharpens as points break off This results in discs and belts running cooler and longer The Cubitron II technology is applied in

Starting from Scratch

SURFACE FINISHING

ldquoTo scratch the surface as the saying goes of most modern materials and coatings is not as easy as it used to be Thatrsquos why we developed Cubitron Abrasive Grainrdquo says Kelly Hunt

sales and marketing manager of 3M

34 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

Scratccchingg thhe surfface of abrasivvves ttecchnnologgy is too oopen a compplex sccience

SURFACE FINISHING

belt fibre disc and Roloc form offer-ing a unique solution for wide range of grinding needs

Scratching the surfaceKelly is an abrasives fanatic She says scratching the surface of abrasives technology is to open a complex sci-ence Analysis of different materials and techniques of cutting or finishing has in recent years become a necessity as materials develop and advance Bonding of abrasive onto materials for discs and belts is also more complex than before as manufacturing becomes automated and the tolerance for down-time reduces

But for the average operator technician or engineer it is not so much a matter of what goes into the development of a product but rather finding the solution that suits the intended process The minimum requirement is for a product to perform reliably over an extended period of time and to produce the right finish

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 35

Sometimmess a less expeeensiive buuut mmooree suitaaablee abbrasssivee ccaan give bettterr reesulttss

SURFACE FINISHING

ldquoUsing the abrasives to determine a finish can be as simple or as com-plicated as the producer of finished goods chooses to make it With so many choices available in the market we recommend that industrial users iden-tify the requirements of the abrasive and then speak to trained service technicians from suppliers such as 3M

Not about priceldquoPrice is not always the determining factor Some-times a less expensive but more suitable abrasive can give better results and in other instances the use of cheaper materials in the wrong application may be costly as materials will need to be replaced more oftenrdquo

Kelly recommends that us-ers of industrial abrasives take the time to research new products and as-sess their suitability for their processes ldquoYoursquoll be surprised that some of the new abrasives can do the job better and in half the time than older technology abrasives canrdquo she concludes

3M Dylan Ian Hunter Tel (011) 806-2186 Email dhuntermmmcom www3Mcom

36 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

IT TRENDS

ldquo M o b i l e c o m p u t i n g

continues to grow and alongside other IT trends

such as cloud computing social technologies and the era of big data It is going to play a pivotal role in the IT industry this year In factrdquo Derick adds

Mobile Computing

Mobile computing is growing momentously and is set to account for as much as 57 of worldwide T market growth in 2013 says Derick Roberts CEO of TruTeq Devices a Pretoria-based

company focusing on wireless connectivity solutions

ldquoit is going to account for the lionrsquos share of growth ndash even more than the cloud computingrdquo

The IDC predicts that worldwide IT spending will exceed $21 trillion up 57 from 2012 The research company also states that mobility will be the biggest driver Sales of smart mobile devices including smart phones and tablets is expected to grow by 20 and will contribute a significant 57 of all IT growth Excluding smart mobile devices IT industry growth will clock in at only 29

Truteq Devices Derick Roberts Tel (012) 667-1530 wwwtruteqdevicescom

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 37

ELECTRIC DRIVE

The technology performance and design of the Cigarette powerboat is closely based on the electric super sports vehicle made in Affalterbach Germany

The 116 metre long Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept powerboat uses two drive units each featuring six independent electric motors At the rear of the boat each drive unit has its own trans-mission one on the left and one on the right The boat is fitted with the twelve compact liquid-cooled permanent-magnet synchronous electric motors which are the signature piece of the SLS AMG Coupeacute Electric Drive each electric motor delivers 138 kW and 250 Newton metres

The maximum output of 1 656 Kilowatts and maximum torque of 3 000 Newton metres combine to reach a staggering top speed of over 160 kmh making this locally emission-free Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept the worlds fastest electri-cally driven powerboat The low centre of gravity and optimum weight distribution ensure sublime

The Worlds Most Powerful Powerboat

handling characteristics during more dynamic changes of direction

The high-voltage battery boasts an energy content of 60 Kilowatt hours an electric load potential of 600 Kilowatts and a weight of 548 kg ndash all of which are absolute best values in the automotive sector The liquid-cooled lithium-ion high-voltage battery features a modular design with a maximum voltage of 400 V It consists of 12 modules each comprising 72 lithium-ion cells ldquoCigaretterdquo inte-grates four high-tech batteries with a total of 48 modules and 3 456 cells which generate a total capacity of 240 Kilowatt hours and an electric output of 2 400 Kilowatts respect even in the boat building industry

The Cigarette on-board chargers as standard Adapted to fit the infrastructure standard of many American marinas the boat has a charging capac-ity of 44 Kilowatts The battery is fully charged in approximately seven hours To reduce the charging time to less than three hours the powerboat can be fitted with four on-board chargers as an option

Mercedes-Benz Shirle Greig Tel (012) 677-1904 Email shirlegreigdaimlercom wwwmercedes-benzsacoza

Mercedes-AMG and Cigarette Racing launched the latest development of their cooperation at the Miami International Boat Show in February Numerous components from the SLS AMG Coupeacute Electric Drive have been integrated in the design of the Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept engineering design The high performance drive fitted in the electric super sports car makes the off shore powerboat the worlds most

powerful and fastest electrically-driven motor boat With an output of 1 656 Kilowatts and a maximum torque of 3 000 Newton metres the Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept is a fascinating new development

Combine to reach a staggering top speed of over 160 kmh

38 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

ENVIRONMENT

They have been in service for decades

under the toughest conditions ndash and

have proven themselves worldwide

Voith fluid couplings protect belt con-

veyors and drive components by provid-

ing smooth acceleration and torque

control allowing for frequent loaded

starts with the least amount of stress on

the drive and belt

In multi-motor drives they ensure pre-

cise load distribution Result fewer

downtimes ndash and the service life of the

belt and the drive components is in-

creased The latest product innovation is

the Voith TurboBelt 780 TPXL

infovtzavoithcom

wwwrsavoithturbocom

Protect Your Belt Conveyors with

Voith Fluid Couplings

ai_a

it_44

0_e

n ai

k

Water Disclosure ReportingJust as companies are addressing their carbon emissions and

provide carbon reporting to the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) water is becoming a growing priority

Reporting on it is becoming another critical sustainability issue

2011 saw a marked increase in the number of the worldrsquos largest companies reporting on their water usage on the risks that water presents and on their responses to

that risk Responses from these companies indicate that water is impacting global business now and yet water is not nearly as high on the corporate agenda as climate change

Evidence is mounting that South Africa is facing a water crisis of substantial proportions This crisis encompasses all aspects of water management on both the demand and supply side The mounting impacts of acid mine drainage and declining wa-ter quality add to the crisis South Africarsquos water security is likely to be further complicated by an increasingly uneven and unpredictable supply of rainfall as a result of climate change and by a reli-ance on significant water transfers from neighbour-

ing countries In meeting this crisis South Africa will have to resolve tough trade-offs in water use between agriculture key industrial activities such as mining and power generation and the supply to rapidly growing urban centres

Evidence is clearJSE 100 companies will need to show leadership in sustainably managing the water resources on which they rely for their day-to-day business operations The available evidence is clear It is not sustainable to continue exploiting water resources by follow-ing a lsquobusiness as usualrsquo approach If this is the case South Africarsquos freshwater resources will be depleted and unable to meet the needs of people and industry in the next 20 years if not before

In 2011 the response rate to the CDP Water Disclosure amongst South African companies was 46 (26 out of 56 companies) Many of South Africarsquos most significant corporate water users are therefore not yet able to or are not yet ready to report on their water-related risks

Promethuim Robbie Louw Tel (011) 706-8185 Email Robbiepromethiumcoza wwwpromethuimcoza

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 39

EXHIBITION

The Steel and Engineering Industries Federation (SEI-FSA) the Lifting Equipment Engineering Association

of SA (LEEASA) the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA) and the SA Institute of Welding (SAIW) have thrown their weight behind the biggest industrial and engineering trade show in Africa

The three-day 10-shows-in-one event takes place from 14 to 16 May 2013 at Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand Johannesburg

SEIFSA Conference at Indutec The Steel and Engineering Indus-tries Federation of South Africa (SEIFSA) will hold its annual conference at Indutec celebrating 70 years of active support for its members industry and business in Africa The federation has over 2 220 member companies which employ more than 224 000 people comprising 53 of the industryrsquos workforce

SAIW ldquoWe take our affiliations with leading industry players very seriously including our en-dorsement of Indutecrdquo says Jim Guild chief executive officer of the SA Institute of Welding ldquoThese industry ties form part of our strategy to create strong relationships which support our objective and Governmentrsquos mandate to enhance the manufacturing sector in South Africardquo

LEEASAThe Lifting Equipment Engineer-ing Association of South Africa (LEEASA) which is a division of the Chamber of Engineering Tech-

nology (COET) will also be using its endorsement of Indutec to promote its activities in the engineer-ing and technology sectors in general Chamber spokesperson Viv Nel says its exposure at the fair will create more awareness of the Chamberrsquos role in all engineering and technology-driven industries

ECSAIndustry regulator the Engineering Council of South Africa shares these aims ldquoAs a custodian of en-gineering intellectual capital in South Africa our endorsement of Indutec provides us with a platform to publicise our role in the engineering sector and government infrastructure initiativesrdquo says Edgar Sabela ECSArsquos Strategic Services Executive

ldquoWe need to produce 10 times more engineers to compete with developed economies Involvement with the Indutec show will allow us to promote engineering as a career through our Engenius Programme and showcase our existing engineer-ing excellence Most importantly it enables us to network with all key players in the field and even conclude some businessrdquo

Tenfold Benefits to ExhibitorsJohn Thomson managing director of Exhibition Management Services organisers of the 10-in-one Fair says the unqualified support from leading in-dustry bodies indicates the showrsquos tenfold value to the engineering industrial and technology sectors ldquoThis undoubtedly translates into multiple benefits for the showrsquos exhibitors and ultimately to show visitorsrdquo he concludes

Indutec Serean ThomsonTel (011) 783 7250 Email marketingexhibitionsafricacom wwwexhibitionsafricacom

Boosting the Manufacturing Sector32 of South Africarsquos leading industrial and engineering professional and employer associations Chambers and

Councils have collectively endorsed Indutec the recently launched South African Industry and Technology Fair 2013

Promech Publishing through SA Mechanical Engineer and Bulk Handling Today will produce and publish the Official Catalogue for this prestigious show

Make sure your presence is felt before during and after the show by advertising in this one-of-a-kind reference publication

Contact Mark Bennett Tel (011) 781-1401 Email samechengpromechcoza

Jim Guild CEO of the SA Institute of Welding

Edgar Sabela - ECSArsquos Strategic Services Executive

Adelia Pimentel - Marketing and Communications Manager SEIFSA

40 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

MARKET FORUM

ldquoBMG has identified a need in diverse sectors for on-site maintenance services to overcome production challengesrdquo says Dave Russell technical director BMG ldquoRecognising the extreme constraints of high energy prices low productivity the critical skills shortage and a highly competitive economic environment BMG brings a total solutions service to the fore

ldquoIndustry can now access all critical production efficient products and services from one supplier What this means is lower production costs and higher pro-duction efficiency giving South African industry a distinct competitive advantage

ldquoBMGrsquos on-site services include applica-

tion design evaluation and optimisation as well as installation trouble-shooting and service exchange contracts The company also offers predictive planned and breakdown maintenance and energy and reliability studiesrdquo

The company also offers extensive train-ing which covers electrical mechanical hydraulic pneumatic electronic and materials handling disciplines as well as predictive maintenance and component failure analysis

BMG ndash Bearing Man Group Veronique van Niekerk Tel (031) 576-6221Email veroniquevbmgworldnet wwwbmgworldnet

Tenova Takraf Africa (formerly Bateman Engineered Technologies) is putting the final pieces together in completing an order for the supply of a 55m x 275m hydraulically-driven SAG mill to Ontario Graphite operators of the Kearney Mine located in Kearney O n t a r i o Canada

ldquoTenovarsquos scope

Unique SAG Mill in Canada

ABB started with a bang following the order of 2 400 robots by BMW Group Over the next three years the robots will be installed at factories in Regensburg and Leipzig Germany as well as in Tiexi China The ABB robots will mainly be used for mate-rial handling tasks as well as gluing and spot welding processes

ABB robots enable customers to implement efficient manufacturing systems that sustainably produce high-quality products The com-panyrsquos range of products and solu-tions for lean manufacturing cover the range from body-in-white to the final assembly of complete car bodies They improve competitiveness and at the same time optimally comply with customer specifications ABB has installed more than 200 000 robots worldwide

ABB Robotics Natasha Mathebula Tel (010) 202-6156 Email natashamathebulazaabbcom wwwabbcom

2400

Robots

Total Solution

of work includes the engineering manufacturing shipping and technical assistance during erection of the SAG millrsquos feed end shell discharge end drive and main bearings as well as all supporting equipment (lubrication and jacking systems)rdquo says Tenova Takraf

engineer Pieter van der Walt ldquoThe main hydraulic motor and rubber

shell liners were outside our commercial scope of supply but inside our technical

scope of supplyrdquo he adds

The mill is a conventional SAG (semi-autogenous grinding) mill in all ways apart from its drive assem-bly and it is centre-driven

at the discharge end using a Haggluumlnds hydraulic motor and powerpack ldquoTo date this is the largest hydraulic motor installed on a SAG mill with 950kW of power torque of 1 200 kNm (start-up) and 650 kNm (operational) and speed of 1386 rpmrdquo adds Pieter

Since the mill had to be retrofitted to an existing foundation a number of adaptations were required to maintain the mill centreline as well as feed-end and discharge-end positions Certain additions were required to anchor the main motor torque arm

Tenova Takraf Pieter van der Walt Tel (011) 899-2372 Email pietervanderwaltbatemancom wwwtenovagroupcom

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 41

MARKET FORUM

World Record

The ADR plant at Kisladag Mine

FLSmidth designs and manufactures indirect heated carbon regeneration kilns and calciners from half a ton per day and larger These kilns and calciners can be fuel gas oil or electric and are skid mounted pre-wired and pre-piped The companyrsquos patented bellows kiln seal has proved effective in eliminating air ingress and process gas egress and can be retrofitted to kilns from other manufacturers FLSmidth holds the world record for the lowest emissions on a carbon plant

And at the companyrsquos Merrill Crowe plant capacities range from skid mounted 34 cubic metres per hour modular plants to full size 2 100 cubic metres per hour The range of supply for plants includes clarification filters de-aeration towers vacuum pumps zinc dust feeders lead nitrate feeders and zinc cones precipitate filter feed pumps filter pre-coat and body feed systems as well as precipitate filters used by refinery and smelting facilities to produce gold bullion

These plants incorporate proprietary zinc dustlead nitrate feeder and mix-ing cone system The company offers individual plant components and partial or complete plant equipment packages together with total plant design

FLSmidth Terence Osborn Tel (010) 210-4820

Magnet has extended its range of abrasive products to include 3Mrsquos new Cubitron II abrasive belts with enhanced grinding performance improved productivity and extended service life

ldquo3Mrsquos new technology has resulted in increased speed improved consistency and extended belt liferdquo says Brian How-arth MD Magnet ldquoThese new abrasive belts ensure up to 30 faster cutting on hard to grind metals like stainless steel nickel alloy and cobalt chrome They also divert heat from the workpiece and belt to the swarf which means cooler cutting This helps eliminate burnishing and minimises heat stress Cubitron II abrasive belts last up to four times longer than conventional ceramic aluminium oxide beltsrdquo

3M Abrasives Bradley Reddy Tel (031) 274 1050 Email bradleyrmagnetgroupcozawwwmagnetgroupcoza

4 x Longer

42 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

MARKET FORUM

X-Calibur is one of the latest product offerings from TAL and was specified to protect the concrete structure of the worldrsquos second longest cable-stayed bridge against corrosion throughout its design life

Stonecutters Bridge is a high level cable-stayed bridge which spans the Rambler Channel in Hong Kong connecting Nam Wam Kok Tsing Yi Island and Stonecut-ters Island Hong Kong is well known for its hot summer weather which is also humid and unstable Temperatures

Say No to Corrosionusually exceed 30oC during the day which coupled with high humidity can result in an extreme heat index

ldquoHot and humid environments have a great effect on the durability of concrete As a rule of thumb we say for every 10oC increase in temperature the possibility of corrosion induced damage to concrete is doubled Add humidity in a marine envi-ronment then protection of the structure is of paramount importancerdquo says Brian Davies CEO X-Calibur International In order to guard the bridge from corro-

sion X-Shield EpoxySeal CR was sup-plied to shield the prestressed concrete cable anchorages from the effects of the environment In addition X-Shield FlexCoat was used in various areas of the structure This provides corrosion protection to reinforced concrete from chloride and carbon dioxide

ldquoThe main challenge was compliance with the strict project specifications as the engineer wanted to ensure that protection would be provided throughout the design life of the structure X-Calibur

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 43

MARKET FORUM

had the products independently tested to prove compliance to all aspects of the specificationrdquo John adds

The materials were applied by spe-cialist painters who had been trained by X-Calibur ldquoMaterials were mixed and applied strictly in accordance with method statements supplied by X-Calibur to ensure working time and recoat windows were not exceededrdquo concludes John

TAL Andrew Dekker Tel (031) 579-2263 wwwtalcoza

Fluid conveyance and pumping solutions expert Incledon has supplied a large water supply line project in the Free State with a total of 4 km of Ultraflo pipes manufactured in-house by DPI Plastics - a leading manufacturer of water reticulation drainage and pipe-fitting systems in South Africa

DPI Plastics technical and product manager Renier Snyman points out that the companyrsquos range of Ultraflo pipes are manufactured from modified polyvinyl chloride (mPVC) which is specifically designed to provide similar tensile strength and greater resilience than standard PVC piping products ldquoThe Ultraflo range of pressure piping systems are ideally suited to bulk water supply projects due to the fact that mPVC is considerably more ductile than industry standard unplasticised polyvinyl chloride (uPVC)rdquo he explains

Renier notes that the ductility of the Ultraflo uPVC piping system ensures that

Large Water Supply Project

the pipes have exceptional resistance to crack propagation under pressure ldquoThe product being supplied to the water sup-ply line project is the 500 mm Ultraflo system which is the largest in the DPI Plastics range It boasts a pressure rat-ing of 12 bar with a design stress of up to 18MPa making it ideally suited as a large underground piping systemrdquo

According to Renier Ultraflo pipes offer environmental advantages too ldquoDue to its superior toughness the wall thick-ness of mPVC is less than that of uPVC This ensures that less materials are used during the manufacturing process which ultimately results in a lighter product that is easier to transport and install thereby minimising the carbon footprint of the piperdquo

DPI Plastics Martine Goodchild Tel (021) 957 5600 Email mgoodchilddpiplasticscozawwwdpiplasticscoza

Donrsquot Miss Out

Promech Publishing is putting the Visitorsrsquo Catalogue together for this Show

Contact Mark Bennett on Tel (011) 781-1401 or Email samechengpromechcoza

to book your space

44 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

MARKET FORUM

Displaying and discussing some of the Dodge housed bearings on offer to local industry and mining are (from left) Tony Patten of Specialised Bearings amp Transmission Peter Small-Shaw Wilecrsquos Product Manager Bearings and Frans Odendaal Wilecrsquos Technical Specialist Bearings

The Bearings division of Actom group company Wilec has formed a strategic alliance for the supply of Dodge housed bearings into southern Africa The partner-ship agreement with Johannesburg-based Specialised Bearings amp Transmission the local distributor for Dodge extends Wilecrsquos ability to satisfy the requirements of industry and mining in a diverse range of bearings applications

ldquoThe most exciting thing about our tie-up with Dodge is that housed bearings while already widely accepted in the US and other leading industrialised countries is a relatively new concept locally but one which offers advanced features to users compared with conventional plum-mer block arrangementsrdquo said Frans Odendaal Wilecrsquos Technical Specialist Bearings

ldquoDodge housed bearings are supplied pre-assembled and sealed so eliminating all risk of contamination during fitment The advanced sealing arrangement and unique adapter system guarantees longer

Strategic Alliance

life ndash up to six times that of a conven-tional plummer block Other cost-saving advantages are that they can be installed by a semi-skilled technician very quickly normally in less than 15 minutes and the need to measure pre- and post-reduction clearance is eliminatedrdquo

ldquoIt is a differentiated product and with it we are able to provide a bearing that is especially well suited to local conditions

and offers benefits that are of real value to customers A particularly important aspect to bear in mind is that the total cost of ownership of a Dodge bearing is significantly lower than that of the conventional product due to its greater reliability and durabilityrdquo

Wilec Frans Odendaal Tel (011) 629-9300 Email fransowileccoza

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 45

MARKET FORUM

Emis Sales 2002 part of Becker Min-ing South Africa supplies a wide range of electrical equipment up to 1 100 V for use in hazardous and non-hazardous areas in the mining petrochemical and surface industry sectors

New to the Emis range are Proloc pro-tection and control relays which are suitable for thermal overload protection of conveyors compressors crushers fan and pump motors as well as shuttle cars and flitting panels

ldquoThe stand-alone Emis ProLoc electronic protection and control relay system which has been designed for the optimum protection of motor and feeder circuits connected to outlet sockets has a wide choice of six user-selectable protection features to meet exact requirementsrdquo says Frikkie Quirk managing director Emis Sales 2002 ldquoAn important advan-tage of this system is a door mounted infra-red link that enables a laptop with Proloc software to manage all settings

and downloads without having to open the panel door and expose personnel to dangerous live equipment This is a critical requirement in the OHSA actrdquo

This system is easy to set up via the Proloc MMI 420 display man-to-machine interface or via a laptop with Proloc software

Emis Sales 2002 Tel (016) 341-6134 Email infozabecker-miningcom wwwzabecker-miningcom

Optimum Protection

Birkenmayer a material processing systems supplier in South Africa and local supplier of German-engineered Eirich material processing technology recently released the Evactherm drier a new product that marries the advantages

Superheated Vacuum Steam

of mechanical and thermo dynamical processes to provide cost-effective and highly efficient drying and processing of filter cake and sludgersquos using superheated vacuum steam

Until now it has been important to observe

a maximum middle temperature when applying direct drying to heat sensitive materials and even more important to avoid the excessive local and boundary temperatures that frequently damage the drying product Both heat and ma-terial transport need to be considered and while convective drying processes such as spray drying largely avoid these problems they are only effective if a surface is available for the hot gas flow

Adjustable for both direct and convec-tive drying and processing Evactherm driers overcome these obstacles while providing a number of further benefits

Super-heated vacuum steam performs drying and granulation while the com-bination of mechanical and thermo dynamical processes allows for low dry-ing temperatures and gentle processing of temperature sensitive materials It also enables continuous drying for long periods of time as fresh material may be continuously added into the fluidized bed replacing material that has already been vaporised

H Birkenmayer Louis Eksteen Tel (011) 970 3880-8 Email louisbirkenmayercozawwwbirkenmayercoza

The Evactherm drier

Proloc protection and control relays

46 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

The Eastern Capersquos Coega Industrial Development Zone (IDZ) is one of a number of industrial regions in South Africa to benefit from Air Products South Africarsquos strategy of long-term capital investment

A region which has long been under-served when it comes to reliable gas supply the Eastern Cape will soon have

A Long-term Viewits own air separation unit (ASU) ndash the first of its kind in the province Seelan Gounden GM supply chain at AirProd-ucts explains the reasons behind the companyrsquos latest investment

ldquoCurrently there is no local industrial gas supply in this area and cryogenic gases have to be procured elsewhere This situation compromises the service

MARKET FORUM

ART Solar specialists in the manufacture of solar photovoltaic (PV) modules for the sustainable generation of electrical power has made the following appointment an-nouncementsMark Walsh as managing director Dr Ronald FM Lange as chief operating officer Robert Ramshaw as financial manager and Gavin Rosslee as production manager

Gavin RossleeRobert RamshawMark Walsh

Jeanne Els has been appointed as Hatchrsquos Managing Director of Operations

Jeanne Els

Ronald Lange

Anton Theunissen

SKF South Africa recently appointed Anton Theunissen as Distributor De-velpoment Manager for South Africa and neighbouring coun-tries

Index to Advertisers

Axiom 12

Bearings International 36

Bibby Turboflex 28

Bonfiglioli 10

Engen 34

Festo 35

Hansen 44

Horne SA 29

IDC Inside Back Cover

ILS 32

KDP Services 22

Loesche 31

Polysius 4

PPS 11 29

Mercedes Outside Back Cover

Merseta Inside Front Cover

MIEO Outside Front Cover

Transmission Components 14

Voith 38

Yellotec 16 17

delivery to our existing customers who have to depend on product being trucked over vast distances Thus we identified the Eastern Cape as a key priority invest-ment destination with a clear need for a new air separation facility dedicated to servicing the region We chose the Coega IDZ after careful market analysis We are pleased to be able to be a part of the growth and development of the region through providing a long-needed security of supply and value-added servicerdquo

Ayanda Vilakazi head of Marketing and Communications at the Coega IDZ adds ldquoThe viability of the new ASU is indis-putable It will mean not only security of gas supply to the region benefiting the many industries here but it also means job security for other investors jobs along the value chain and scope for training and human resource develop-ment as well as enhanced Corporate Social Investment initiativesrdquo

Seelan Gounden AirProducts wwwairproductssouthafricacoza

Left to right Chris Mashigo Executive Man-ager - Business Development Coega Develop-ment Corporation Themba Khoza Executive Manager ndash Operations Coega Development Corporation Seelan Gounden GM - Supply Chain Air Products Pierre Fourie Area Sales Manager ndash Eastern Cape Air Products signed the lease agreement between the CDC and Air Products South Africa

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 47To apply online for funding of R1 million or more go to wwwidccoza

Telephone 086 069 3888Email callcentreidccoza

Driving new market innovationsThe IDC supports high-impact job creation projects acting as a

catalyst to lead new sector development and support existing

industry and sector growth in alignment with governmentrsquos

New Growth Path (NGP) National Development Plan (NDP)

and Industrial Policy Action Plan (IPAP)

The IDC Strategic High Impact Projects (SHIP) Strategic Business

Unit in partnership with the IDC Innovation Department has

launched an Open Innovation Challenge to encourage the

development and implementation of sustainable high-impact

industrial initiatives and projects

The IDC calls upon individuals engineering communities

corporates project sponsors and other related entities to enter

into a partnership to develop qualifying projects that result in

sustainable and profi table industries exploit the value-adding

opportunities of existing and new value chains and enable the

development of innovative local economies

Whatwho qualifi es

projects which enable the development of new industries

across multiple IDC focus sectors

introduce new markets and value chains or revolutionise

existing ones through the use of disruptive technologies

or new approaches

development impact and employment creation

across mandated IDC industrial sectors

SHIP wishes to ensure that the projects undertaken play a major

role in industrial development and employment creation within

the South African and SADC regions

Interested applicants are invited to submit their project

proposals online at

httpopeninnovationidccozaidc-ship-challenge between

project proposals will be informed in May regarding SHIP

wishing to partner with them in the development of the

proposed project

Please contact Bertie Strydom BertieSidccoza and

RetiefBidccoza for more information

Chillibush9119IDC

48 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

A D

aim

ler B

rand

You built the bridges the roads and the tunnels We built the carAs a member of the Engineering Council of South Africa you could qualify for exclusive offers a guaranteed 3-day service booking as well as PremiumDrive our 6 year100 000km maintenance plan To take advantage of this outstandingopportunity inform your nearest dealer of your ECSA status

Not in conjunction with other Mercedes-Benz Fleet ProgrammesOffers Excludes AMG and Limited Edition modelsVehicle specifications may vary for the South African market

Page 8: SAME Mar2013

8 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

COVER STORY

The MIEO is a not for profit indepen-dent association that serves the

mining and industry sec-tors of the southern Afri-can economy by promot-ing awareness informing and educating within the realm of energy efficiency and saving

Comparatively speak-ing the industrial and mining sector combined

Mining and Industry Energy Optimisation (MIEO)

Charles Ntsele Grinding Manager at Metso Southern Africa has been elected to Chair the MIEO for the next two years

Serves the mining and industry sectors of the southern African economy by promoting awareness informing and educating within the realm of energy efficiency and saving

Charles Ntsele

Patterns of usage quite different between mining and industry

Industrial

Mining

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 9

use 67 of Eskomrsquos grid capacity classifying this sector as intensive energy users However it is also the sector that contributes to the majority of the countryrsquos economy Hence the focus for a sustainable and secure energy supply in South Africa logically lies with optimising the energy use within this sector

The MIEO constitutes a membership base that not only supply products and services to the mining and industrial sector but has collaborated in assisting energy intensive users to employ a systematic or holistic approach to energy management challenge in their organisations so that energy saving can be optimised

Systematic approachThe collaboration involves a series of seminars presented by the MIEO across the country In this way information on energy optimisation opportuni-ties is taken to the end user

The MIEO initiative brings together leading manu-facturers and suppliers of service and technologies for improvement of energy efficiency in all major energy-consuming plant items Through seminars the MIEO aims to achieve the following objectives

1 To promote awareness of the benefits available to industry and mining in the products and services for energy efficiency from members of the associa-tion

2 To support Eskom and the Department of Energy of the Republic of South Africa in their common objective of increasing energy efficiency in the industrial and mining sectors of the economy

3 To promote opportunities for the dissemination and sharing of information about products services technologies programmes approaches strategies best practice and operational experiences in the field of industrial and mining energy efficiency

4 To promote the adoption of energy efficiency products and services available from members of the association

5 To promote opportunities for training in the methodology and technology for sustained achieve-ment of energy and cost saving when utilising energy efficiency products and services available from members of the association

CredentialsCharles Ntsele currently Grinding Manager at Metso Southern Africa obtained his NHD Extraction Metallurgy from the University of Johannesburg in 1994 and has fulfilled various roles such as re-search metallurgist applications engineer process engineer and product manager He is an associate member of the Southern African Institute of Mining amp Metallurgy

Tel (011) 061-5000 Fax 086 688 7005Email mieovdwcoza wwwmieoorgza

COVER STORY

Electricity Consumption by Sector

10 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 11

the project engineer who worked on this project

Future ndash a concept a dream or a wishUsing the technology and engineering knowledge available to make South Africa more sustainable If we could use this know-how to overcome the challenges that the country faces it would be a major breakthrough for the nation

Irsquod also like to see more being done in terms of renewable energy We are for example closely studying further possibilities to use biomass as a fuel to generate steam and electricity in our processes Wersquore also looking at fluidised bed boiler technology so that we can use the

abundance of low-grade coal in the country

Most Challenging ProjectA few years back we did a recovery optimisation project to improve the recovery of by-products from the pulping pro-cess The main product is caustic soda used in the cooking process We installed a new causticizing plant pulp screen-ing plant scrubber and refurbished the fluidised bed reactor The challenge was combining the new plant installation with the refurbishment work all in an existing plant within a very limited time span

Most Rewarding ProjectIt was the installation of an A-4 sheeting and packaging line We bought a second-hand machine in Germany and just to get the machine up and running was a challenge in itself

CommentaryAre there shortcomings in the Mechanical Engineering Industry in South AfricaYes we have a shortage of maintenance professionals When I was at university we were not trained in maintenance at all Mechanical engineering has a major role to play in this field where the scope for improvement in todayrsquos industry is enormous We need to start training in maintenance at an academic level much like some of the universities have now started doing However mentorship and in-house training has a very important role to play as well

Message to young engineersYoung engineers have to take ownership of their own develop-ment and not expect somebody else to do it for them Many young engineers feel the employer owes them something They must get involved at all levels and work their way up so that when theyrsquore the seniors they know what goes on at the lower levels Remember yoursquore never too clever to learn

MONTHLY COLUMN

Prominent ProfessionalsCarel Kruger Engineering Manager

Academic

School Graduate studies Rob Ferreira High School Whiteriver B Eng at University of Pretoria

Post-graduateB Tech degree in Pulp amp Paper Management Development Programme through Unisa Gov-ernment certificate of competence

Professional bodiesRegistered with Ecsa as Pr Eng and Pr Certifi-cated Engineer

Career Path

First employerStarted with Sappi at the Enstra Mill as an engineering trainee after doing national service in the army

Growth pathAfter a few years at Sappi I left to work for a small engineer-ing company for five years I went back to Sappi as a project engineer I was then promoted to a number of positions at Enstra Mill these included maintenance engineer project manager services manager and maintenance manager before I took up my current position

Present employer amp positionSappi Enstra Mill as an engineering manager

AchievementsA projectMost of our work in the maintenance environment involves minimising breakdowns optimising the performance of the equipment and working on continuous improvements to either overcome business challenges or increase the success rate of our production plant One of our teamrsquos notable project was to de-bottleneck the bleach plant The project involved stabilising the pulp consistency control in a refurbished high density chest system At the same time we installed a new feed system into the oxygen reactor

This was a major breakthrough in terms of availability of equipment and the throughput of the plant because of reduced breakdowns and blockages It was a case of applying new technology in a very old plant challenging our engineering skills to the maximum

Any awardsA Sappi internal silver engineering award was given to me and

WErsquoRE ENGINEERED TO SHAREOver R73 billion N rsquo S S E Hrsquo NA E

S

S S S trade T S S

12 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 201314 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 62 May 2012

AXIOM HYDRAULICS (PTY) LTD

HA

Tel (011) 334-3068 334-3086 Fax (011) 334-4543E-mail axiomjhbmwebcoza

SAMHYDRAULIK which is one of the leaders in the field of hydraulictransmission has been operating for over 25 years in the internationalmarket offering a complete range of orbital hydraulic motors and power steering units axial pumps andmotors for medium and highpressure ranges all characterisedby excellent performances

SAMHYDRAULIK employs 120people who operate inside avery modern and efficient plantthat spans over 6 000 squaremetres to assure a high standardand flexible production capacityThe latest computer technologyis used for both design andproduction combined withstrict quality control proceduresduring all production phaseswhich translates into innovativereliable and functionalproducts that meet the various needs of the marketIts ISO 9001 certificationheld since 1994 is theresult of a quality-orientated philosophyon which SAMHYDRAULIKhas always based itsoperation

17 Heidelberg Road Village Main Johannesburg 2000P O Box 260248 Excom South Africa 2023

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 13T

POWER TRANSMISSION

Rossi a power transmission equipment manu-facturer from Modena in Italy did this by establishing the companyrsquos first permanent subsidiary in South Africa ldquoSA Mechanical

Engineerrdquo speaks with the deputy general manager of Rossi South Africa Kyle Dick about the range of new products theyrsquore now offering locally

ldquoInitially Rossi was represented in South Africa through my company DDI Transmissions in Springs as an agent for their comprehensive range of gear-boxes but now operates as a subsidiary for Rossi SPA to service the whole of sub-Saharan Africardquo he explains ldquoThe product range as such is thus not new to the South African market but wersquore of-fering a much wider range incorporating the latest in drive train technology for a wide variety of applica-tionsrdquo

in KwaZulu Natal ldquoNot only is the market in South Africa very similar to the mining industry there but many of the mining companies and major project

houses operate in both countries This made us realise that the South African market could

certainly be expanded from the footprint which Kyle has already established hererdquo

New rangesThe Rossi Group is one of Europersquos larg-est industrial groups for the production and sale of gear reducers gear motors

electric standard and brake motors Kyle comments ldquoThey constantly undertake

extensive research into new drive solu-tions A typical example is the EP range

of planetary units and the H-series of new helical and bevel-helical gear units specifically developed for heavy industry applicationsrdquo

Manufacturers of bulk handling equipment like conveyor systems ship loaders stacker

reclaimers and mine processing machinery are all familiar with Rossi drives and have been direct clients of the company for many years The gear reducers and gear motors include planetary worm coaxial right angle parallel shaft gear reducers and

Italian Gearboxes Now in SA

With South African industry particularly mining being very similar to that of Australia some international companies build up a strong footprint in Australia and then use this

experience to bring their expertise to the South African mining industry as well

The product range as such is thus not new to the South African market but wersquore now offering a much wider range incorporating the latest in drive train technology for a wide variety of applications

roduct s notcan of-er g ne -

Africa very simany of the

houses oprealise t

certaiwhic

NeTheestand

eleccomm

exteti

Ma

Kyle Dick (left) and Marcello Cassanelli of Rossi South Africa

The Rossi range of products has done extremely well in Australia leading to the establishment of a main subsidiary there and three regional officesrdquo says Marcello Cassanelli the other deputy

general manager from Italy who is helping Kyle in the coming years to get the business going at Tongaat

14 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

POWER TRANSMISSION

I prefer to go on site and help out with tricky problems but I also have good experience in gearbox selection a critical factor in todayrsquos market

speed reducers specifically bring flexibility to the market The system is completely modular allowing each solution to be tailor-made to a specific ap-plication yet itrsquos still cost effective as all products emanate from a standard production unit The new H series covers 825 kNm through to 1700 kNm while the EP series can cover up to 3000 kNm

ldquoComplementary and ancillary equipment such as cooling fans coils or independent cooling units oil heaters and labyrinth seals are of an equal qual-ity and toughness as our rugged gear units which are built and customised for the most challenging conditions or environments any industry can pos-sibly presentrdquo Marcello adds The company is so confident in the quality and reliability of their product range that theyrsquore offering a worldwide warranty on all their geared products

Central baseldquoWe based the new South African headquarters in Tongaat because it puts us close to a port for bringing in components so we can assemble geared units more cost-effectivelyrdquo says Kyle ldquoWersquore in the heart of the sugar industry yet right next to an international airport so that wersquore in reach of any-where in Africa within a couple of hours In addition wersquove established a sales office in Johannesburg

ldquoThe fact that Marcello brings to the table his inter-national experience to complement my knowledge of local conditions and requirements gives me the confidence that wersquoll be able to provide the local market with services and products both the end-users and competitors will regard with respectrdquo adds Kyle ldquoTo top this off we have direct support from highly-experienced engineers in Italyrdquo

SelectionKyle is a hands-on man who has worked his way up in the company through the ranks in the workshop on site and in the office ldquoI prefer to go on site and help out with tricky problems but I also have good experience in gearbox selection a critical factor in todayrsquos marketrdquo he says in conclusion

ldquoAlthough most project houses do the selection wersquore always prepared to share our experience with others in order to make the right selection right from the start I am confident that we now have the right product the right facilities in terms of support and the experience to serve the local market with competitive pricingrdquo

Kyle Dick Rossi South Africa Tel (032) 944-3505 Email kyleddirossicoza

gear motors while other standard products are large size parallel and right angle shaft gear reducers and gear motors for heavy duty applications

ExtrasMarcello adds ldquoThe new EP and the H range of

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 15

POWER TRANSMISSION

He kicks off by telling us ldquoIf yoursquore not saving money in the end condition monitoring serves no effective purpose Also if you can

afford the consequence of a failure then you donrsquot need to do condition monitoring A good example is found in the food processing industry where they use hundreds of small pumps throughout a plant Instead of having to monitor all these pumps they now use low-cost plastic pumps which can be replaced quickly without holding up the production processrdquo

Part of asset managementldquoTypically you start the development of the condition monitoring process by determining the companyrsquos

maintenance strategy a process called the RCM (reliability centred maintenance) planrdquo explains Kobus ldquoFirst off a hardware breakdown structure of the whole plant is drawn up and a Failure Mode and Effectsrsquo Criticality Analysis (FMECA) performed so that you can decide which of the machines are critical to the operation of your plant the ones which will bring the whole lot to a halt if they fail

Kobus continues ldquoThrough this process the company can also determine what spares to carry as well as the level and types of skills which will be needed to maintain the critical machines in the plantrdquo

MethodsIdeas Solutions not only assists companies to under-take this initial criticality audit but will also advise which one of the four main condition monitoring technologies is most appropriate for each specific application fit it and analyse the data as part of a maintenance contract

ldquoThe solution could take the form of vibration moni-toring alignment monitoring any one of a number of methods of temperature measurements or oil analysisrdquo clarifies Kobus ldquoIn the case of a gearbox for instance we carry out an oil analysis to check whether there are any particles of the same mate-rial as the bearings or the gear teeth and so on

VibrationldquoIn our experience ninety percent of the machines with high maintenance costs are the ones where vibration is the highestrdquo adds Kobus ldquoBeing a destructive phenomenon the extent of vibration indicates whether the machine is balanced running in alignment and gives insight into the condition of the bearings regardless of the type of bearing

Save on MaintenanceCondition monitoring is an integral part of asset management ultimately impacting directly on a

companyrsquos bottom line not only in terms of reducing the risk of unexpected breakdowns but also affecting

machinery life Deciding on what to monitor and how is a scientific task which should be undertaken by specialists ldquoSA Mechanical Engineerrdquo speaks to

Kobus van der Westhuizen director of Ideas Solutions a South African company specialising in engineering

analysis solutions with offices in Cape Town and Pietermaritzburg

We can predict how close that bearing is to failure

Kobus van der Westhuizen director of Ideas Solutions

The ldquoOperational Deflection Shaperdquo

16 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

less costly exercise than an unexpected failurerdquo Kobus says ldquoYou can then order a replacement bearing in good time and make sure you have the right skills on hand to do the replace-mentrdquo

What to fitBeing such a clear indicator of a number of problems in machinery vibration moni-toring equipment can be fitted in a variety of ways If itrsquos a critical machine permanent vibration protec-tion instrumentation is typi-cally fitted on the machine Such a system monitors the machine in real time while constantly evaluating vibra-tion in terms of bearings alignment or imbalance in the machinery

ldquoOur systems are so refined today that you can not only pinpoint which bearing is showing faults but we can even see which part of that bearing is showing strain and whyrdquo Kobus adds ldquoWe can also programme the system against certain parameters so that it trips the machine when certain levels of vibration are ex-

ceeded This is the highest level of protection we can providerdquo

An interesting development in the deployment of an online monitoring system is the technique called ldquoOperational Deflection Shaperdquo (ODS) analysis This is possible when an online system has the capabil-ity of simultaneously measuring all the channels

Simultaneously measuring all the channels of vibration in real time

POWER TRANSMISSION

ldquoIf for example we find that the load on the bearing remains constant we can predict how close that bearing is to failure and plan when the machine can be shut down for a bearing replacement a much

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 17

of vibration in real time This preserves the phase relationship between channels resulting in a visual representation of the machine vibration It makes it easier to observe analyse and document noise and vibration problems in machinery and structures ODS analysis is used to display and analyse ex-perimental multi-channel time or frequency domain data acquired during the operation of a machine or forced vibration of a structure

This provides an interactive animated display with which users can observe spatially defined data such as operating deflection shapes (ODSs) mode shapes acoustic sound and intensity fields or other engineering data such at temperatures or pressures By animating the spatial response of a structure in slow motion users can view a structurersquos overall motion and the motion of one part relative to another Locations of excessive vibration or high levels of noise are easily identified

Next levelThe next level down is a surveillance system often used in conjunction with a protection system ldquoIn contrast to a protection system the surveillance system provides answers as to why things did go wrongrdquo explains Kobus ldquoIn a fan application for example the system will tell you that vibration has increased yet the signature reading from the machine has remained constant This can be as a result of dust build up on the blades or a blade has broken off causing an imbalance which prompts the protection system to stop the machine The system will even tell you which blade has been affected by the faultrdquo

The surveillance system can also be used on its own but still in an online mode ldquoThis feature is used to trend parameters leaving the decision to stop a machine at the discretion of the maintenance engineerrdquo explains Kobus ldquoThese online solutions can either be wired or wireless transmitting data from each sensor to the receivers on the system The data is then channelled to whomever needs it in his or her format of choicerdquo

Options for allOn smaller plants that cannot afford an online sys-tem less critical machinery data from machinery is collected by hand and transferred to a computer for analysis either by the maintenance engineer or under a maintenance contract to an engineer at Ideas Solutions

ldquoItrsquos no longer in question the fact that condition monitoring saves companies money has been proved over and over again if itrsquos done rightrdquo Kobus says in conclusion ldquoCondition monitoring regardless of the

The fact that condition monitoring saves companies money has been proved over and over again if itrsquos done right

POWER TRANSMISSION

extent to which it is integrated on a plant should be part of every companyrsquos maintenance strategyrdquo

Kobus van der Westhuizen Ideas Solutions Tel 082 552-4790 Email kobusideas-onlinecozawwwideas-onlinecoza

18 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

Empowering Municipal Engineers

Corruption and tenderpreneurship fraud financial mismanagement lack of understanding of technical issues

priorities difficulties with job creation and skills shortages are just some of the challenges that face municipal engineers in South

Africa

Name and shameCESA unreservedly supports the call for the banning of public servants from doing business with the state including dealstenders with another department or municipality

ldquoWhat is at stake is not the rights of state employees to do business but rather the integrity of the state procurement system The current public procurement environ-ment in the construction sector is highly complex and conducive to corruption and manipulationrdquo warns CESA President Naren Bhojaram

The problem is further compounded by the lack of accountability and punishment for procurement irregularities and wasteful expenditureldquoThe country has good rules but no-one is playing by themrdquo he adds

CESA believes that it is irresponsible and foolhardy to place employees in positions where they can (or are tempted to) manipu-late procurement and other procedures to unfairly benefit themselves at the expense of the statetaxpayer

CESA

Unqualified people should be discouraged from trying to do the job of the municipal engineer

CESA President Naren Bhojaram

Consulting En-gineers South Africa (CESA) President Na-

ren Bhojaram believes that if South Africa is serious about the empowerment of properly-qualified municipal

engineers it should invest in various interventions such as

training development and ca-pacitating of young engineers for

employment by the local authorities and make the municipal engineering

profession attractive

Currently municipal planning is done rather superficially and only a real municipal engi-

neer and a competent team of visionary planners can sort that out

CESA calls for the embracing of the municipal engineer as a trusted ad-visor as well as creating a working environment to attract and retain municipal engineers The munici-pal engineers must be incentivised (long term employment purpose in life emoluments respect and freedom) and unqualified people

should be discouraged from trying to do the job of the municipal engineer

Stumbling BlockInfrastructure deliveryrsquos biggest stumbling block is the lack of business integrity which involves among other things socialising with clients conflict of interest use of agents and partners collusion and bribery and the disregard of procurement regulations

CESA strongly urges structural changes to the way in which municipal engineers operate including the abandonment of long-term employment contracts for key technical and managerial staff Tender and

bid evaluation committees must include technical legal and financial executives in joint sittings and professional teams must be allowed to compile reports in an independent manner on tenders for the bid evaluation committees

The South African procurement legislation should include a Bribery and Corruption Act such as the UK Bribery Act of 2010 enabling the Courts to prosecute corruption and related issues more ef-fectively as well as the naming and shaming of firms contravening the requirements of the Act

Consulting Engineers South Africa (CESA) Graham Pirie Tel (011) 463-2022Email gspiriecesacoza wwwcesacoza

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 19

ldquoSA Mechanical Engineerrdquo speaks to Willie Muller general manager at KDP Services about the modernisation of old hydraulic machinery ldquoIn terms of upgrading wersquove just

done extensive work at a steel mill to re-design

and implement new technology on a large 1 200 tonne cutting press and a shredding machinerdquo he explains ldquoBoth the machines were imported from Germany originally but have lately started picking up problems seriously hampering production flow

ldquoAfter consulting with the supplierrsquos engineers the problems persisted and the client then called us in to investigaterdquo Willie says ldquoWe found that the hydraulics on both these old machines were outdated but could be updated with new tech-nology rather than replacing the old pumps and valves with costly new imported OEM components

New Life for Old Machines

Very often the spare parts for old machinery imported and installed twenty or more years ago is hard to come by and if it is available

it costs an arm and a leg to import If the problem happens to be hydraulic there is

a local hydraulics company that specialises in updating systems so that local easily-available spares can be used to keep the machine going for many years to come

Willie Muller general manager at KDP Services

CNC machining

Overhauled cylinders ready for delivery

Large cylinder

Hydraulic motor of all makes and sizes are serviced

HYDRAULICS amp PNEUMATICS

Analyse the operation and specifically the machinersquos function in situ before returning to the drawing board to redesign the hydraulic system for better functionality

20 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

New technologyAs the designer in the company

Willie goes out to analyse the operation and specifically the machinersquos function

in situ before returning to the drawing board to redesign the hydraulic system for better

functionality This provides the opportunity not only to introduce the latest technology into the upgrade but also to ensure that easily available local components are used He adds ldquoSince our upgrade the shear which can cut through a 150 by 300mm block of steel in one cut has been run-ning smoothly with none of the previous problems cropping up againrdquo

Similarly the shredding machine where a whole vehicle is fed in one end and comes out in pieces of scrap metal the other end has also been up-graded to run consistently ever since Willie adds ldquoThrough this success wersquove now not only landed the maintenance and service contracts for this mill but theyrsquove asked us to audit the entire plant to investigate other hydraulic systems which can be improved Wersquove already re-designed one of the production lines to introduce an integrated fully automated operationrdquo

First projectWillie might be young but he has worked with KDP since his student days gaining invaluable hands-on experience in all aspects of hydraulic work from the owner of the company Karel Podges ldquoOne of my first projects as a student was designing the hydraulic system for a container lifting and tilting machine used in steel mills to collect and handle scrap metalrdquo he recalls as we come across the remnants of the prototype when we walk in the yard behind the workshop ldquoThis is probably what got me hooked on hydraulics because nothing of the sort existed and I had to design it from scratch around a structure someone else had builtrdquo

Inside the workshop we find engineering equipment ranging from lathes to modern CNC machines all humming away as hydraulic components are turned out of a variety of metals At the hose crimping machine Willie points out the neat final product for a custom-made installation theyrsquore doing One of KDPrsquos specialities is hydraulic motor overhaul-ing which is evident when we see several large Hagglunds drives in various stages of repair in the drive section of the workshop

TestingFinally we get to the test-bench area where a large cylinder is under test for leaks before being taken apart for a complete overhaul ldquoOne of the biggest mistakes generally made when it comes to hydraulic equipment is that people think they can treat the hydraulic components roughly just because they are big and ruggedrdquo Willie remarks ldquoThey lose sight of the fact that dirt is the biggest enemy and they donrsquot take the necessary care to keep the oil or equipment clean causing irreparable damage to seals and delicate surface areas in a systemrdquo

One of the main advantages of KDP is that they are not officially tied up with a specific brand of hydraulic equipment allowing them to work on and supply any make on the market Willie concludes ldquoIn addition wersquore a small company where you learn and get the opportunity to work on all types of applications So each and every problem big or small is tackled with great personal attention to detailrdquo

Willie Muller KDP Services Tel (011) 392-5750 Email williekdp-servicescoza

That people think they can treat the hydraulic components roughly just because they are big and rugged

HYDRAULICS amp PNEUMATICS

The full MontyHydraulic system design from the circuit to pumps motors and all the necessary connecting piping are designed in-house at the 22-year old com-pany ldquoWe design the complete circuit specifying all the components necessary to achieve certain functionsrdquo explains Willie ldquoSimilarly all engineer-ing is undertaken in-house except the honing and chroming of shafts when we overhaul cylinder sets New cylinders are manufactured from tubing and shafts which have already been prepared

ldquoIn terms of piping wersquove built up a good name in many industries both in new installations during maintenance shutdowns or when a fixed installa-tion needs to be movedrdquo he adds ldquoNot only do we design the layout but we physically carry out the installation work ourselves especially when it is a stainless steel pipe installation that requires argon welding to fit the fittingsrdquo

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 21

Compressed Air at Work

Pneumatic systems are extensively used in industry where factories are commonly plumbed with

compressed air or compressed inert gases This is because a centrally-located and electrically-powered

compressor which powers cylinders and other pneumatic devices through solenoid valves is often

able to provide motive power in a cheaper safer more flexible and more reliable manner than electric motors

and actuators

Premium brandApplied Pneumatics established 22 years ago is a South African distributor of Parker Hannifin products ldquoAt a time when everyone is increasingly becoming aware of the benefits of buying premium products which last longer and have proven to be value for money Parker has come up with new innovations which extend this value even furtherrdquo says Dave

ldquoTake valves for example Most low-cost valves are throw-away items which are discarded completely if something goes wrong Our premium valves which cost a bit more initially are serviceable This means we can repair and service them at a fraction of the cost of even a cheap complete unit

ldquoIf the premium repairable valve breaks for in-stance itrsquos quick and easy to strip it right there and then fit new parts and have it up and running in no time as opposed to having to order and wait for a complete replacement unitrdquo adds Dave ldquoAll you need to have in stock are a couple of O-rings for the different valves in a systemrdquo

SA Mechanical Engineerrdquo visits a company in Randburg aptly named Applied Pneumat-ics to speak to managing director Dave McNair ldquoIn a pneumatics application we

supply everything beyond the compressor This includes everything down the line the filtration system water traps regulators and then the lubrication system before you get to the actual application which could be a cylinder control valves actuators or even solenoid valves for the control of liquid flows in a process We also do vacuum applications where suction cups pick objects up to move them aboutrdquo

From left Andrew Livesey applications engineer at Applied Pneumatics Teven McNair sales and Dave McNair managing director

Range includes pneumatic cylinders and actuators valves and logic processing air preparation equipment as well as a whole host of other pneumatic components and accessories

The Parker range of pneumatic equipment includes actuator and motors

HYDRAULICS amp PNEUMATICS

22 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

New conceptSimilarly the air prepa-ration systems from Parker are of a modular design and fully repair-able so that just worn or damaged compo-nents can be replaced ldquoThey have now taken this even furtherrdquo says Dave ldquoA new concept in regulators the Modu-flex clip technology system has just been released No special tools in fact no span-ners at all are needed

to take the unit apart to replace a filter element for instance You sim-ply clip the unit apart by hand replace the

element and clip it together again within a minute

ldquoOn a forklift for example the glass bowl of the air preparation unit is often damaged when the forklifts bump into some-thingrdquo elaborates Dave ldquoOn a low-cost throw-away unit yoursquod have to carry a spare unit to replace the whole unit With the new technology howev-er you simply clip off the damaged part to zap a new one into place In terms of cylinders and actuators the latest development is self-lubricating seals which require no additional lubri-cation whatsoeverrdquo

One of the main drawbacks of pneumatics over hydraulics is that a pneumatic cylinder has to be much larger than a hydraulic cylinder in order to deliver the same power However this does not rule out using pneumatics in heavier applications especially underground where the use of air is generally safer and cleaner than hydraulic oils in the first place

UndergroundldquoA while back we were approached by a platinum mine to design a pneumatic system to open and close underground tipsrdquo Andrew explains ldquoTo prevent people from falling into the ore tip it had to be closed with a heavy steel lid between off-loading operations We not only designed a suit-able pneumatic system but also took part in the installation on various levels all the way down to three kilometres undergroundrdquo

Like many other products there are cheap and nasty pneumatic products on the market and cost is not always an indication of inferiority ldquoThe safe route is to always buy from reputable companies who have been around for a long time and who trade in well-known brandsrdquo Dave says in conclusion ldquoSerious consideration should also be given to the repairability of the equipment Itrsquos no use installing a low cost system which has to be replaced regu-larly while another could last a lifetime if properly looked afterrdquo

Dave Mc Nair Applied pneumatics Tel (011) 792-3381 Email davenappliedpneumaticscoza

No special tools in fact no spanners at all are needed to take the unit apart to replace a filter element for instance

HYDRAULICS amp PNEUMATICS

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 23

TICK

ER T

APE

POWER GENERATION

PROMECH PUBLISHINGTel (011) 781-1401Fax (011) 781-1403Email samechengpromechcozaWebsite wwwpromechcozaManaging Editor Susan CustersEditorial Kowie HammanAdvertising Mark BennettCirculation Catherine MacdivaDTP Zinobia Docrat Donovan VadivaluDisclaimerPROMECH Publishing does not take responsibility for the opinions expressed by individuals

CopyrightAll rights reserved No editorial matter published in ldquoPower Generation Todayrdquo may be reproduced in any form or language without written per-mission of the publishers While every effort is made to ensure accurate reproduction the editor authors publishers and their employees or agents shall not be responsible or in any way liable for any errors omissions or inaccuracies in the publication whether arising from negligence or otherwise or for any consequences aris-ing therefrom The inclusion or exclusion of any product does not mean that the publisher or editorial board advocates or rejects its use either gener-ally or in any particular field or fields

POWERGENERATION

TODAY

Harnessing the Powers of the Ocean

Luciano Garcia-Baylleres COO at HAE

Tidal power has long been utilised as an energy resource used early on in tidal mills to grind grain throughout the Middle Ages More recently it has also been used to generate electricity for instance in the 240 MW tidal barrages at La Rance France Tidal currents however are still largely an untapped energy source While several marine current turbine prototypes

have been tested in the last few years there are only a few of these prototypes deployed to generate electrical power to smaller communities

mainly to demonstrate the viability of the technology

There is currently a renewed interest in using the ocean to generate electric-ity using both traditional hydropower technologies and new hydrokinetic

technologies This interest is being spurred on by official and private initiatives to promote the development of cleaner energy sources and diversification of energy supplies through use of alternative and renewable sources

Tidal energyTidal energy projects hold the promise of producing indigenous renewable predictable electricity without greenhouse gas emissions and with higher power densities in terms of power output per unit area than either solar photovoltaic or wind projects

The International Finance Corporation (IFC) the World Bankrsquos private-sector lending arm is partner-ing with Sasfin Bank to develop a portfolio of energy efficiency and renewable-energy financial products for small medium-sized and microenterprises (SMMEs) in South Africa

Alstom South Africa and the South African Nuclear Energy Corporation (Necsa) have signed an agreement under which the local branch of the French power generation power transmission and rail infrastructure

group will invest R8-million in buying equipment for the new coded welding centre being established at Necsarsquos Nuclear Skills Development (NSD)

The operation and maintenance (OampM) costs of wind farms in South Africa were expected to be in the mid-range of the international market Mott MacDonald consultant Matthias Vinard has reported adding that OampM costs ranged from euro28kW a year to euro68kW a year in international markets

24 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

ocean currents driven for instance by thermal gradients or differences in salinity Along the South African east coast the Agulhas Current is one of the most consistent sea currents in the world and this area has now been identified as the ideal spot to test technology developed by an American company Hydro Alternative Energy (HAE) from Florida USA

Current plans with the local gov-ernment of eThekwini Municipality in Durban supporting the concept of a hydrokinetic energy project off the cityrsquos coast calls for HAE to

initially develop a $20 million 1MW demonstration unit utilising the companyrsquos Oceanus technology to generate electric power from the Agulhas current flowing past the city Additional units each with an anticipated electric power generation capacity of 8 megawatts may then be built and likewise be submerged approximately 30 metres below sea level to prevent interference with shipping traffic

ldquoSA Mechanical Engineerrdquo has a QampA session with Luciano Garcia-Baylleres the Chief Operation Of-ficer (COO) of HAE about the project

Q Some background on HAEA HAE founded in March 2009 is an emerging independent power provider (ldquoIPPrdquo) focused on utilising hydrokinetic and other power develop-ment sources to generate electric power worldwide safely cost-effectively reliably and profitably with minimal or no ecological impact

Our business model provides for utilising certain of our own proprietary technology identifying and locating existing and new technologies and when appropriate partnering with others for our power development and generation needs

Q The South Africa connection with the companyA Research by our technical department identified several places throughout the world as optimal for the initial deployment and commercialisation of our technology After extensive research of each location

POWER GENERATIONTI

CKER

TA

PE

Tidal energy projects may also be useful in lsquofilling in the gapsrsquo in generating power from other intermit-tent energy sources such as wind farms

Marine current energy conversion concerns the po-tential generation of electricity from kinetic energy of freely-flowing water This contrasts with tradi-tional hydro power like a dam where the amount of energy extracted from a river is dependent on the head between the reservoir and the water level below the dam

A similar hydro power approach can in fact be used for tidal power in areas with high tides In this case a barrage can be constructed in a nar-row bay or estuary to utilise the head between low and high water

Consistent currentAnother way to generate electricity from water would be to convert the kinetic energy of flowing water similar to the way a wind turbine extracts energy from the wind In such a case a dam or reservoir is not necessary but rather sites are chosen where the currents are strong such as a narrow sound straight estuary around a headland or in a river

The term lsquomarine currentrsquo constitutes any kind of water current be it tidal unregulated rivers or other

Flow anlysis carried out for current simulations

Another way to generate electricity from water would be to convert the kinetic energy of flowing water similar to the way a wind turbine extracts energy from the wind

Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) MD Noah Gwariro says the state-owned company needs at least $300-million to refurbish thermal power stations in Bulawayo Harare and Munyati and to increase their generation capacities

The planned Karuma hydropower project will have capacity to generate 700MW

and is one of the high-priority projects in Ugandarsquos National Development Plan

The State-owned Ethiopian Electric Power Corporation (EEPCo) has signed a $120-million contract with UK-based company Canbridge Industries for the construction of a 50 MW waste-to-energy power plant

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 25

POWER GENERATION

The components of a sea current power gererating system

The Aghullas current and eThekwini Municipality with their infrastructure qualified human resource and an approach to facilitating large scale green projects was the appropriate site for this first endeavour

How the energy is harnessed

and all the surrounding benefits apart from the presence of good quality currents such as politi-cal stability port infrastructure and focus on green projects we determined that South Africa with its infrastructure qualified human resource and an approach to facilitating large scale green projects was the appropriate site for our first endeavour

Q Background on what the project is all aboutA OceanusTM our first power generation system which we are currently developing and which utilises much of our own proprietary technology is planned to harness the kinetic energy of the ocean to produce safe clean reliable cost-effective electric power

Oceanus will consist of two primary modules the amplification module (the shroud) and the engine module The shroud is a housing that will multiply the normal incoming water flow to a faster velocity as it passes through the engine module generat-ing more kinetic energy This will in turn result in potentially greater electrical power generation capability as well as potentially increased usable offshore locations worldwide

Velocity is the major factor which dictates the hydrokinetic energy that can be extracted from water Within the hydrokinetic energy sector of the renewable andor clean energy industry we have seen that research and development has generally focused on developing energy generation technolo-gies for environments that can only work in very high water velocity environments such as 3 4 5 metres per second While these areas of extreme water velocity are very high in hydrokinetic energy they only exist in a very small percentage of the worldrsquos waters

Our goal is to provide electric power to locations

Shroud

Engine module

Combine modular design

worldwide utilising the kinetic energy in lsquotypicalrsquo water conditions Our current design specifications have a base need of 1 metre per second of water

26 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

POWER GENERATION

flow which by amplifying the velocity is planned to produce 1MW of power This design specification once successfully tested may then be adapted into higher velocity waters As most locations in the world have lower velocity waters a turbine designed to work in 3 4 or 5 metres per second water flows will not work in waters that have velocities of 1-2 metres per second

Q How does it workA The theory behind the development of the system is quite basic having been previously used in other energy production systems such as wind and tidal energy generation Basically the engine is composed of an energy extraction system such as but not limited to our perpendicular access turbine a gorlov turbine a darrieus turbine and an Axial turbine

The other module is the shroud which handles two functions serving as an accelerator of the water ve-locity thus increasing the amount of kinetic energy that can be extracted Secondly it houses the engine protecting marine life from direct contact with the tip of the blades Also Oceanus is designed to be positively buoyant and either secured to the ocean floor or to float at a certain predetermined depth while moored to the ocean floor utilising the same techniques that are currently used in mooring floating oil rigs buoys or floating windmill systems

Q How will it work in KZNA There will be a demonstration unit initially and then we will start the commercial phase by entering into the normal contracts and procedures for energy generation in the country This entails a very large investment from our company where we will focus on potentially buildingassembling the units in Durban thus taking advantage of the excellent and qualified infrastructure it has

Q Who is involved locallyA We have no partners as far as investors or concerns as yet on the South African project but we are not against this possibility in the future From the facilita-tion point of view we have received a lot of support from Derek Morgan at the eThekwini Energy Office and Russell Curtis at DIPA each with their respective teams and other government offices that have been very forthcoming with information and support

Q What equipment does it use ndash where will this be madeA We have already scouted several facilities in Durbanrsquos ship building industry as well as other possible suppliers ranging from the maritime indus-try financial sector to legal consultants in order to make sure that we are in compliance with all regulations and that our perception of excellence from the South African maritime industry is in fact there

Q At what stage is the project nowA The project is currently at an initial logistics stage where we are looking at a more site specific design for the demonstration unit At the same time we are gathering all the information with our lawyers and possible suppliers for the norms procedures permits and licences necessary to comply with local and national regulations

Q Where will power go to A From our initial discussions with the regulatory bodies this energy can be locally distributed and then taken up by the grid as needed This will de-pend on the results of the demonstration unit and the first commercial unit operation which we are confident will exceed expectations

Q Are there sceptics criticsA As discussed before the basic technology has been used in other sectors of the energy generation industry what is being developed by us is the ef-ficient shroud and the maintenance systems which include buoyancy controls and depth determination in order to locate the most efficient current

Q Are there any future plans from your company for South Africa in particularA We believe that we have a good relationship with eThekwini municipality and once we fulfil our project with KZN we would then consider further expansion throughout South Africa

Q What about the other parts of AfricaA Eastern Africa in general presents very good conditions for our technology but for now we are going to concentrate our efforts on deploying this endeavour in South Africa before entertaining new opportunities

Luciano Garcia-Baylleres COO at HAE Tel 561-900-7200 EmailLgarciaHAE-USAcom wwwHAE-USAcom

We will focus on potentially building assembling the units in Durban thus taking advantage of the excellent and qualified infrastructure it has

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 27

POWER GENERATION NEWS

MTN has announced that it has entered into a com-mercial arrangement to sell its carbon credits to EDF Trading in an industry first The credits will be pro-duced by MTNrsquos tri-generation plant at 14th Avenue Of-fice Park in Fairland Johannesburg

EDF Trading is a whol-ly-owned subsidiary of Electriciteacute de France SA one of the largest compliance buyers covered by the European Union Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS)

The carbon credit project utilises a Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) meth-odology developed by MTN approved by the United Nations Framework Con-vention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) It is currently in the process of being registered with the UNFCCC Once registered MTN will sell the carbon credits from the project to EDF Trading

The project will make use of the MTN energy-efficient 2MW tri-generation plant at its Fairland office park Tri-generation is the concurrent production of electric-ity heating and cooling which provides

Carbon Credits power hot wa-ter space heat-

ing and cooling for air conditioning

from a single source

Egoli gas is used for the operation

sourced from the Sasol pipeline in Mozambique

The plant displaces grid electricity from Eskom

reducing greenhouse gas emissions and providing up to 85

efficiency on fuel The excess heat at some 400degC is captured

and used to supply heating and to operate an absorption chiller which creates cool water that is used to power an extensive air-conditioning system

Natural gas is clean burning and offers a consistent supply but simply using this to generate electricity would have been too expensive The saving achieved by capturing the waste heat combined with the additional revenue from the sale of the carbon credits however makes the project economically viablerdquo

Promethuim Robbie Louw Tel (011) 706-8185 Email Robbiepromethiumcozawwwpromethuimcoza

Countries across South East Asia Africa and the Middle East have been amending their regulatory frameworks and embarking on privatisation as many of them are in serious need of external fund-ing to ensure that their respective electricity industries are capable of dealing with the inevitable surge in demand The cumulative installed power capacity for these regions according to 2012 estimates will be 212 Gigawatts (GW) However this figure is expected to shoot up to 349 GW by 2020 climbing at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 64

Emerging Power Markets

Rising industrialisa-tion ever-increasing population figures and growing economies all point to an electrical future that most infra-structure systems are currently incapable of handling Therefore to achieve greater in-dustry efficiency and encourage competition governments across this region are opening up their electricity markets and increasing private sector participation The region will have to invest heavily in order to

increase its installed capacity and improve its existing infrastructure

Transmission networks in many of these countries are already under tremendous pressure to supply power without interruption and many new transmission projects are already underway or in the pipeline Therefore energy policy reforms are set to open the doors and create positive opportunities for growth in in the near future this according to Jonathan Cain of GBI Research

GBI ResearchJonathan Cain Tel +44 1204 543 533 Emailjcaingbiresearchcom wwwgbiresearchcom

28 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

POWER GENERATION NEWS

With Gensler Architects Aurecon has completed the design on the faccedilade of what will be Chinarsquos tallest building At 632m the Shanghai Centre is more than 100m taller than the recently-completed Shanghai Financial Centre and is designed as a sustainable eco-tower that sets a new benchmark not only for the region but also the world

Sustainable green features include tri-

Bioclimatic buildingGreywater recycling systems lo-cated at basement and at mid-level have been installed to collect greywater generated from lavatory or bathtub for reuse reducing potable water demand for the office tower by about 40

The ice storage system shifts part of the peak electricity demand of the chillers into the night modeoff peak operation Storage capacity is 26 400 Refrigerant Ton (RT) which reduces about 30 of the summit demand by about 3 through this ice cooling storage system and save up to the yearly energy cost for the user

A large volume water deluge system with rotational nozzles

installed at mid-level of the atria deliv-ers a large volume and accurate water spray onto fire with the assistance of Infra-red detection to lock the exact location and very early warning smoke detection apparatus system

A double curtain wall design provides better control on solar energy entering the tower building resulting in energy saving

Aerecon Group Jody Boshoff Tel (012) 427-2066 Email JodyBoshoffaurecongroupcomwwwaurecongroupcom

generation plant consisting of two sets of 11MW natural gas turbine generating electricity

chilled water hot water and heating water Simultaneous heat recovery of the hot flue gas produced from the tur-bines reduces carbon dioxide by 49 compared with the regular electrical cooling system

15 nos of 3kW vertical axis wind turbines (VAWTs) on the roof provide 157 500 kWh of clean and renewable electricity annually

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 29

Willem Sullivan of HansenA better artificial heart for people who are not eligible for natural heart transplants

Jean Schoeman of National Oilwell Varco My own jet aeroplane

Chris Coetzee of Resonant SolutionsThe problem in industry is practical engineering experience Young engineers donrsquot get the opportunity to learn the practical stuff Irsquod start an academy which teaches the practical side where you can learn from your mistakes Unfortunately mistakes cost money but if you have all the money in the world they can afford to learn from mistakes

In your book what is the most pivotal invention ever

Elbie Cornelius of National Oilwell Varco The computer

Chris Coetzee of Resonant SolutionsI canrsquot see how you can run a business without cellphones

Rudolph Beer of Martin EngineeringThe wheel

Willem Sullivan of HansenFor me personally Excel Without it my world will be dull and lifeless For the world at large Electricity because without it Excel will not be possible

Jean Schoeman of National Oilwell Varco The personal computer

OPINION

On his rounds Kowie Hamman our Editor is conducting an informal survey on the lighter side of engineering We follow up from last month with three pertinent questions

Soapbox

What do you think of computers and the digital world

Elbie Cornelius of National Oilwell Varco Awesome changing our world

Chris Coetzee of Resonant SolutionsNinety percent of all engineering is done using computers but if you rely solely on them yoursquove missed the plot because you always have to verify results by going back into the field to test what yoursquove done on the computer

Rudolph Beer of Martin EngineeringYou canrsquot do without them

Willem Sullivan of HansenIt is where I do all my design work So if it was not for computers we would be decades behind in terms of what we can do I absolutely love it

Greg Perry of SEWThey have definitely made things faster but the en-gineer still needs to understand the theory and pay attention to the detail or you make mistakes faster

Jean Schoeman of National Oilwell Varco Very useful until they give problems Then you just want to hit them with a hammer But the digital world has managed to speed up the communica-tion of information

If you had all the money in the world what would you design

Elbie Cornelius of National Oilwell Varco A solar and wind power station to supply the whole continent with electricity

Rudolph Beer of Martin EngineeringDevelop the safe harvesting of atomic energy

30 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

ldquoSA Mechanical Engineerrdquo speaks to Dave Goodman managing director of Spectra Car-bide Tooling Technology in Cape Town about the various management models they have

developed specifically to control tooling ldquoOur tool management systems were developed through our involvement with some of the major automotive OEMs in South Africardquo he says ldquoThe management system where we take over full control of the tool-ing facility on the premises has been running for twelve years now at some of these plants

Systems for allldquoBut these systems are not only for OEMs and

large operationsrdquo Dave remarks ldquoTo meet dif-ferent requirements we now have four levels of management systems on offer each requiring a different level of active involvement from our side This varies from purely holding stock to supply for a customerrsquos specific needs right through to taking over full control of tooling by having a permanent on-site office manned by fulltime Spectra staffrdquo

A typical level 4 operation with a Spectra team permanently stationed on the customerrsquos premises will be equipped with a fully-computerised store inventory system to control the purchasing of all tooling from spindle to point ldquoThe team will control all the new stock and used tools by negotiating and dealing with tier two suppliers as wellrdquo explains sales manager Wayne Williams ldquoThey are also responsible for presetting tools ready for produc-tion as well as collecting and delivering tools to and from the machines in addition to providing technical support 7 days a week 24 hours a day

BenefitsOne of the cost saving benefits for the customer is less administration because the Spectra team consolidates all invoices so the customer receives

Managing ToolingIn most machine shops the tooling is usually under lock and key to limit access to high-value tool inserts such as end-mills drills reamers and burrs Even so many companies suffer considerable losses as these costly tools get lost are pilfered or are misused because there isnrsquot a proper

management system in place over and above lock and key to control who takes what from the store

To meet different requirements we now have four levels of management on offer each requiring a different level of active involvement from our side

Managing machine tools saves money

Dave Goodman managing director of Spectra Carbide Tooling Technology

MATERIAL SELECTION

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 31

one invoice per month In addition the customer has a highly skilled specialist in-house on tap to provide technical assistance for all tooling drilling tapping milling boring gundrilling honing and line boring on CNC and conventional machines ldquoFrom the management system we can draw extensive reporting for the customer regarding the costs per unit manufactured We produce monthly graphs for trending as well as daily incident reports on tool breakages weekly costs on scrapped tools and we also work out action plans to reduce scrap and improve up-time of the machinesrdquo Wayne adds

In essence this value-add for the customer allows preventative action which ultimately saves the customer money Dave explains ldquoGiven the skills shortage out there no company can afford the personnel purely to manage the machine shop in so much detail With this system we not only fill the skills-gap by integrating with the company but we add value to the company so that they can focus on what they manufacturerdquo

New product developmentIntegration into the customersrsquo operation has proved particularly beneficial when it comes to new product developments Wayne elaborates ldquoWersquore always up to date with the latest technology in tooling and know what can be done in the best possible way Usually it will take a machine shop a while to select the right tooling and method to produce

a new part but with our experts right there on site they can be assured of finding the most suitable solution using the right tooling from the startrdquo

Vending systemOn a lower level of tool management where the operation does not justify a permanent Spectra team on site the company has a tooling vending machine solution ldquoAll the tooling is stored in a vending machine and access to draw the tools out of the machine is controlled by a card or finger-print readerrdquo explains Dave ldquoSuch a system does however have a reporting function which allows the customer to draw the machining cost against each specific job

ldquoThis system has proved popular in South Africa because it can be customised to control the specific functions relevant to each customerrdquo adds David ldquoPart and parcel of this cost-saving solution is training the customer on how best to utilise the system for his needs be it purely controlling the use of tooling or integrating reporting and costing into the business system of the companyrdquo

Wayne Williams Spectra Tel (011) 827-8957 Email waynewspectra-sacoza

From the management system we can draw extensive reporting for the customer regarding the costs per unit manufactured

Special carbide drills reamers end mills and special inserts are manufactured in South Africa

MATERIAL SELECTION

32 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 33

Cubitron can be used to finish profile and or polish materials with high tensile strengths and is particularly useful to extend the lifetime of belts and discs in industrial environments

where hard materials are the order of the dayrdquo

Consistent cutFinishes are little changed through the entire dura-tion of a Cubitron belt from new to completely worn out The secret is that the cutting edges wear in a controlled manner This means that the tiny indi-vidual scratches are the same when the belt is first

put on until it is worn and ready for replacement

ldquoThere are a multitude of cutting edges on each individual grain of the extremely hard ceramic based grain As the grain wears new cutting edges are exposed in a predictable and measured manner to ensure that a consistent action is applied to the surfacerdquo she adds

Using the same ceramic platform 3M developed Cubitron II providing even better results than its predecessor 3M engineers were able to electrostati-cally orient triangular precision shaped ceramic grain acting like a cutting tool This means that the grain slices through metal as opposed to grinding and continuously self-sharpens as points break off This results in discs and belts running cooler and longer The Cubitron II technology is applied in

Starting from Scratch

SURFACE FINISHING

ldquoTo scratch the surface as the saying goes of most modern materials and coatings is not as easy as it used to be Thatrsquos why we developed Cubitron Abrasive Grainrdquo says Kelly Hunt

sales and marketing manager of 3M

34 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

Scratccchingg thhe surfface of abrasivvves ttecchnnologgy is too oopen a compplex sccience

SURFACE FINISHING

belt fibre disc and Roloc form offer-ing a unique solution for wide range of grinding needs

Scratching the surfaceKelly is an abrasives fanatic She says scratching the surface of abrasives technology is to open a complex sci-ence Analysis of different materials and techniques of cutting or finishing has in recent years become a necessity as materials develop and advance Bonding of abrasive onto materials for discs and belts is also more complex than before as manufacturing becomes automated and the tolerance for down-time reduces

But for the average operator technician or engineer it is not so much a matter of what goes into the development of a product but rather finding the solution that suits the intended process The minimum requirement is for a product to perform reliably over an extended period of time and to produce the right finish

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 35

Sometimmess a less expeeensiive buuut mmooree suitaaablee abbrasssivee ccaan give bettterr reesulttss

SURFACE FINISHING

ldquoUsing the abrasives to determine a finish can be as simple or as com-plicated as the producer of finished goods chooses to make it With so many choices available in the market we recommend that industrial users iden-tify the requirements of the abrasive and then speak to trained service technicians from suppliers such as 3M

Not about priceldquoPrice is not always the determining factor Some-times a less expensive but more suitable abrasive can give better results and in other instances the use of cheaper materials in the wrong application may be costly as materials will need to be replaced more oftenrdquo

Kelly recommends that us-ers of industrial abrasives take the time to research new products and as-sess their suitability for their processes ldquoYoursquoll be surprised that some of the new abrasives can do the job better and in half the time than older technology abrasives canrdquo she concludes

3M Dylan Ian Hunter Tel (011) 806-2186 Email dhuntermmmcom www3Mcom

36 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

IT TRENDS

ldquo M o b i l e c o m p u t i n g

continues to grow and alongside other IT trends

such as cloud computing social technologies and the era of big data It is going to play a pivotal role in the IT industry this year In factrdquo Derick adds

Mobile Computing

Mobile computing is growing momentously and is set to account for as much as 57 of worldwide T market growth in 2013 says Derick Roberts CEO of TruTeq Devices a Pretoria-based

company focusing on wireless connectivity solutions

ldquoit is going to account for the lionrsquos share of growth ndash even more than the cloud computingrdquo

The IDC predicts that worldwide IT spending will exceed $21 trillion up 57 from 2012 The research company also states that mobility will be the biggest driver Sales of smart mobile devices including smart phones and tablets is expected to grow by 20 and will contribute a significant 57 of all IT growth Excluding smart mobile devices IT industry growth will clock in at only 29

Truteq Devices Derick Roberts Tel (012) 667-1530 wwwtruteqdevicescom

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 37

ELECTRIC DRIVE

The technology performance and design of the Cigarette powerboat is closely based on the electric super sports vehicle made in Affalterbach Germany

The 116 metre long Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept powerboat uses two drive units each featuring six independent electric motors At the rear of the boat each drive unit has its own trans-mission one on the left and one on the right The boat is fitted with the twelve compact liquid-cooled permanent-magnet synchronous electric motors which are the signature piece of the SLS AMG Coupeacute Electric Drive each electric motor delivers 138 kW and 250 Newton metres

The maximum output of 1 656 Kilowatts and maximum torque of 3 000 Newton metres combine to reach a staggering top speed of over 160 kmh making this locally emission-free Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept the worlds fastest electri-cally driven powerboat The low centre of gravity and optimum weight distribution ensure sublime

The Worlds Most Powerful Powerboat

handling characteristics during more dynamic changes of direction

The high-voltage battery boasts an energy content of 60 Kilowatt hours an electric load potential of 600 Kilowatts and a weight of 548 kg ndash all of which are absolute best values in the automotive sector The liquid-cooled lithium-ion high-voltage battery features a modular design with a maximum voltage of 400 V It consists of 12 modules each comprising 72 lithium-ion cells ldquoCigaretterdquo inte-grates four high-tech batteries with a total of 48 modules and 3 456 cells which generate a total capacity of 240 Kilowatt hours and an electric output of 2 400 Kilowatts respect even in the boat building industry

The Cigarette on-board chargers as standard Adapted to fit the infrastructure standard of many American marinas the boat has a charging capac-ity of 44 Kilowatts The battery is fully charged in approximately seven hours To reduce the charging time to less than three hours the powerboat can be fitted with four on-board chargers as an option

Mercedes-Benz Shirle Greig Tel (012) 677-1904 Email shirlegreigdaimlercom wwwmercedes-benzsacoza

Mercedes-AMG and Cigarette Racing launched the latest development of their cooperation at the Miami International Boat Show in February Numerous components from the SLS AMG Coupeacute Electric Drive have been integrated in the design of the Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept engineering design The high performance drive fitted in the electric super sports car makes the off shore powerboat the worlds most

powerful and fastest electrically-driven motor boat With an output of 1 656 Kilowatts and a maximum torque of 3 000 Newton metres the Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept is a fascinating new development

Combine to reach a staggering top speed of over 160 kmh

38 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

ENVIRONMENT

They have been in service for decades

under the toughest conditions ndash and

have proven themselves worldwide

Voith fluid couplings protect belt con-

veyors and drive components by provid-

ing smooth acceleration and torque

control allowing for frequent loaded

starts with the least amount of stress on

the drive and belt

In multi-motor drives they ensure pre-

cise load distribution Result fewer

downtimes ndash and the service life of the

belt and the drive components is in-

creased The latest product innovation is

the Voith TurboBelt 780 TPXL

infovtzavoithcom

wwwrsavoithturbocom

Protect Your Belt Conveyors with

Voith Fluid Couplings

ai_a

it_44

0_e

n ai

k

Water Disclosure ReportingJust as companies are addressing their carbon emissions and

provide carbon reporting to the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) water is becoming a growing priority

Reporting on it is becoming another critical sustainability issue

2011 saw a marked increase in the number of the worldrsquos largest companies reporting on their water usage on the risks that water presents and on their responses to

that risk Responses from these companies indicate that water is impacting global business now and yet water is not nearly as high on the corporate agenda as climate change

Evidence is mounting that South Africa is facing a water crisis of substantial proportions This crisis encompasses all aspects of water management on both the demand and supply side The mounting impacts of acid mine drainage and declining wa-ter quality add to the crisis South Africarsquos water security is likely to be further complicated by an increasingly uneven and unpredictable supply of rainfall as a result of climate change and by a reli-ance on significant water transfers from neighbour-

ing countries In meeting this crisis South Africa will have to resolve tough trade-offs in water use between agriculture key industrial activities such as mining and power generation and the supply to rapidly growing urban centres

Evidence is clearJSE 100 companies will need to show leadership in sustainably managing the water resources on which they rely for their day-to-day business operations The available evidence is clear It is not sustainable to continue exploiting water resources by follow-ing a lsquobusiness as usualrsquo approach If this is the case South Africarsquos freshwater resources will be depleted and unable to meet the needs of people and industry in the next 20 years if not before

In 2011 the response rate to the CDP Water Disclosure amongst South African companies was 46 (26 out of 56 companies) Many of South Africarsquos most significant corporate water users are therefore not yet able to or are not yet ready to report on their water-related risks

Promethuim Robbie Louw Tel (011) 706-8185 Email Robbiepromethiumcoza wwwpromethuimcoza

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 39

EXHIBITION

The Steel and Engineering Industries Federation (SEI-FSA) the Lifting Equipment Engineering Association

of SA (LEEASA) the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA) and the SA Institute of Welding (SAIW) have thrown their weight behind the biggest industrial and engineering trade show in Africa

The three-day 10-shows-in-one event takes place from 14 to 16 May 2013 at Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand Johannesburg

SEIFSA Conference at Indutec The Steel and Engineering Indus-tries Federation of South Africa (SEIFSA) will hold its annual conference at Indutec celebrating 70 years of active support for its members industry and business in Africa The federation has over 2 220 member companies which employ more than 224 000 people comprising 53 of the industryrsquos workforce

SAIW ldquoWe take our affiliations with leading industry players very seriously including our en-dorsement of Indutecrdquo says Jim Guild chief executive officer of the SA Institute of Welding ldquoThese industry ties form part of our strategy to create strong relationships which support our objective and Governmentrsquos mandate to enhance the manufacturing sector in South Africardquo

LEEASAThe Lifting Equipment Engineer-ing Association of South Africa (LEEASA) which is a division of the Chamber of Engineering Tech-

nology (COET) will also be using its endorsement of Indutec to promote its activities in the engineer-ing and technology sectors in general Chamber spokesperson Viv Nel says its exposure at the fair will create more awareness of the Chamberrsquos role in all engineering and technology-driven industries

ECSAIndustry regulator the Engineering Council of South Africa shares these aims ldquoAs a custodian of en-gineering intellectual capital in South Africa our endorsement of Indutec provides us with a platform to publicise our role in the engineering sector and government infrastructure initiativesrdquo says Edgar Sabela ECSArsquos Strategic Services Executive

ldquoWe need to produce 10 times more engineers to compete with developed economies Involvement with the Indutec show will allow us to promote engineering as a career through our Engenius Programme and showcase our existing engineer-ing excellence Most importantly it enables us to network with all key players in the field and even conclude some businessrdquo

Tenfold Benefits to ExhibitorsJohn Thomson managing director of Exhibition Management Services organisers of the 10-in-one Fair says the unqualified support from leading in-dustry bodies indicates the showrsquos tenfold value to the engineering industrial and technology sectors ldquoThis undoubtedly translates into multiple benefits for the showrsquos exhibitors and ultimately to show visitorsrdquo he concludes

Indutec Serean ThomsonTel (011) 783 7250 Email marketingexhibitionsafricacom wwwexhibitionsafricacom

Boosting the Manufacturing Sector32 of South Africarsquos leading industrial and engineering professional and employer associations Chambers and

Councils have collectively endorsed Indutec the recently launched South African Industry and Technology Fair 2013

Promech Publishing through SA Mechanical Engineer and Bulk Handling Today will produce and publish the Official Catalogue for this prestigious show

Make sure your presence is felt before during and after the show by advertising in this one-of-a-kind reference publication

Contact Mark Bennett Tel (011) 781-1401 Email samechengpromechcoza

Jim Guild CEO of the SA Institute of Welding

Edgar Sabela - ECSArsquos Strategic Services Executive

Adelia Pimentel - Marketing and Communications Manager SEIFSA

40 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

MARKET FORUM

ldquoBMG has identified a need in diverse sectors for on-site maintenance services to overcome production challengesrdquo says Dave Russell technical director BMG ldquoRecognising the extreme constraints of high energy prices low productivity the critical skills shortage and a highly competitive economic environment BMG brings a total solutions service to the fore

ldquoIndustry can now access all critical production efficient products and services from one supplier What this means is lower production costs and higher pro-duction efficiency giving South African industry a distinct competitive advantage

ldquoBMGrsquos on-site services include applica-

tion design evaluation and optimisation as well as installation trouble-shooting and service exchange contracts The company also offers predictive planned and breakdown maintenance and energy and reliability studiesrdquo

The company also offers extensive train-ing which covers electrical mechanical hydraulic pneumatic electronic and materials handling disciplines as well as predictive maintenance and component failure analysis

BMG ndash Bearing Man Group Veronique van Niekerk Tel (031) 576-6221Email veroniquevbmgworldnet wwwbmgworldnet

Tenova Takraf Africa (formerly Bateman Engineered Technologies) is putting the final pieces together in completing an order for the supply of a 55m x 275m hydraulically-driven SAG mill to Ontario Graphite operators of the Kearney Mine located in Kearney O n t a r i o Canada

ldquoTenovarsquos scope

Unique SAG Mill in Canada

ABB started with a bang following the order of 2 400 robots by BMW Group Over the next three years the robots will be installed at factories in Regensburg and Leipzig Germany as well as in Tiexi China The ABB robots will mainly be used for mate-rial handling tasks as well as gluing and spot welding processes

ABB robots enable customers to implement efficient manufacturing systems that sustainably produce high-quality products The com-panyrsquos range of products and solu-tions for lean manufacturing cover the range from body-in-white to the final assembly of complete car bodies They improve competitiveness and at the same time optimally comply with customer specifications ABB has installed more than 200 000 robots worldwide

ABB Robotics Natasha Mathebula Tel (010) 202-6156 Email natashamathebulazaabbcom wwwabbcom

2400

Robots

Total Solution

of work includes the engineering manufacturing shipping and technical assistance during erection of the SAG millrsquos feed end shell discharge end drive and main bearings as well as all supporting equipment (lubrication and jacking systems)rdquo says Tenova Takraf

engineer Pieter van der Walt ldquoThe main hydraulic motor and rubber

shell liners were outside our commercial scope of supply but inside our technical

scope of supplyrdquo he adds

The mill is a conventional SAG (semi-autogenous grinding) mill in all ways apart from its drive assem-bly and it is centre-driven

at the discharge end using a Haggluumlnds hydraulic motor and powerpack ldquoTo date this is the largest hydraulic motor installed on a SAG mill with 950kW of power torque of 1 200 kNm (start-up) and 650 kNm (operational) and speed of 1386 rpmrdquo adds Pieter

Since the mill had to be retrofitted to an existing foundation a number of adaptations were required to maintain the mill centreline as well as feed-end and discharge-end positions Certain additions were required to anchor the main motor torque arm

Tenova Takraf Pieter van der Walt Tel (011) 899-2372 Email pietervanderwaltbatemancom wwwtenovagroupcom

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 41

MARKET FORUM

World Record

The ADR plant at Kisladag Mine

FLSmidth designs and manufactures indirect heated carbon regeneration kilns and calciners from half a ton per day and larger These kilns and calciners can be fuel gas oil or electric and are skid mounted pre-wired and pre-piped The companyrsquos patented bellows kiln seal has proved effective in eliminating air ingress and process gas egress and can be retrofitted to kilns from other manufacturers FLSmidth holds the world record for the lowest emissions on a carbon plant

And at the companyrsquos Merrill Crowe plant capacities range from skid mounted 34 cubic metres per hour modular plants to full size 2 100 cubic metres per hour The range of supply for plants includes clarification filters de-aeration towers vacuum pumps zinc dust feeders lead nitrate feeders and zinc cones precipitate filter feed pumps filter pre-coat and body feed systems as well as precipitate filters used by refinery and smelting facilities to produce gold bullion

These plants incorporate proprietary zinc dustlead nitrate feeder and mix-ing cone system The company offers individual plant components and partial or complete plant equipment packages together with total plant design

FLSmidth Terence Osborn Tel (010) 210-4820

Magnet has extended its range of abrasive products to include 3Mrsquos new Cubitron II abrasive belts with enhanced grinding performance improved productivity and extended service life

ldquo3Mrsquos new technology has resulted in increased speed improved consistency and extended belt liferdquo says Brian How-arth MD Magnet ldquoThese new abrasive belts ensure up to 30 faster cutting on hard to grind metals like stainless steel nickel alloy and cobalt chrome They also divert heat from the workpiece and belt to the swarf which means cooler cutting This helps eliminate burnishing and minimises heat stress Cubitron II abrasive belts last up to four times longer than conventional ceramic aluminium oxide beltsrdquo

3M Abrasives Bradley Reddy Tel (031) 274 1050 Email bradleyrmagnetgroupcozawwwmagnetgroupcoza

4 x Longer

42 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

MARKET FORUM

X-Calibur is one of the latest product offerings from TAL and was specified to protect the concrete structure of the worldrsquos second longest cable-stayed bridge against corrosion throughout its design life

Stonecutters Bridge is a high level cable-stayed bridge which spans the Rambler Channel in Hong Kong connecting Nam Wam Kok Tsing Yi Island and Stonecut-ters Island Hong Kong is well known for its hot summer weather which is also humid and unstable Temperatures

Say No to Corrosionusually exceed 30oC during the day which coupled with high humidity can result in an extreme heat index

ldquoHot and humid environments have a great effect on the durability of concrete As a rule of thumb we say for every 10oC increase in temperature the possibility of corrosion induced damage to concrete is doubled Add humidity in a marine envi-ronment then protection of the structure is of paramount importancerdquo says Brian Davies CEO X-Calibur International In order to guard the bridge from corro-

sion X-Shield EpoxySeal CR was sup-plied to shield the prestressed concrete cable anchorages from the effects of the environment In addition X-Shield FlexCoat was used in various areas of the structure This provides corrosion protection to reinforced concrete from chloride and carbon dioxide

ldquoThe main challenge was compliance with the strict project specifications as the engineer wanted to ensure that protection would be provided throughout the design life of the structure X-Calibur

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 43

MARKET FORUM

had the products independently tested to prove compliance to all aspects of the specificationrdquo John adds

The materials were applied by spe-cialist painters who had been trained by X-Calibur ldquoMaterials were mixed and applied strictly in accordance with method statements supplied by X-Calibur to ensure working time and recoat windows were not exceededrdquo concludes John

TAL Andrew Dekker Tel (031) 579-2263 wwwtalcoza

Fluid conveyance and pumping solutions expert Incledon has supplied a large water supply line project in the Free State with a total of 4 km of Ultraflo pipes manufactured in-house by DPI Plastics - a leading manufacturer of water reticulation drainage and pipe-fitting systems in South Africa

DPI Plastics technical and product manager Renier Snyman points out that the companyrsquos range of Ultraflo pipes are manufactured from modified polyvinyl chloride (mPVC) which is specifically designed to provide similar tensile strength and greater resilience than standard PVC piping products ldquoThe Ultraflo range of pressure piping systems are ideally suited to bulk water supply projects due to the fact that mPVC is considerably more ductile than industry standard unplasticised polyvinyl chloride (uPVC)rdquo he explains

Renier notes that the ductility of the Ultraflo uPVC piping system ensures that

Large Water Supply Project

the pipes have exceptional resistance to crack propagation under pressure ldquoThe product being supplied to the water sup-ply line project is the 500 mm Ultraflo system which is the largest in the DPI Plastics range It boasts a pressure rat-ing of 12 bar with a design stress of up to 18MPa making it ideally suited as a large underground piping systemrdquo

According to Renier Ultraflo pipes offer environmental advantages too ldquoDue to its superior toughness the wall thick-ness of mPVC is less than that of uPVC This ensures that less materials are used during the manufacturing process which ultimately results in a lighter product that is easier to transport and install thereby minimising the carbon footprint of the piperdquo

DPI Plastics Martine Goodchild Tel (021) 957 5600 Email mgoodchilddpiplasticscozawwwdpiplasticscoza

Donrsquot Miss Out

Promech Publishing is putting the Visitorsrsquo Catalogue together for this Show

Contact Mark Bennett on Tel (011) 781-1401 or Email samechengpromechcoza

to book your space

44 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

MARKET FORUM

Displaying and discussing some of the Dodge housed bearings on offer to local industry and mining are (from left) Tony Patten of Specialised Bearings amp Transmission Peter Small-Shaw Wilecrsquos Product Manager Bearings and Frans Odendaal Wilecrsquos Technical Specialist Bearings

The Bearings division of Actom group company Wilec has formed a strategic alliance for the supply of Dodge housed bearings into southern Africa The partner-ship agreement with Johannesburg-based Specialised Bearings amp Transmission the local distributor for Dodge extends Wilecrsquos ability to satisfy the requirements of industry and mining in a diverse range of bearings applications

ldquoThe most exciting thing about our tie-up with Dodge is that housed bearings while already widely accepted in the US and other leading industrialised countries is a relatively new concept locally but one which offers advanced features to users compared with conventional plum-mer block arrangementsrdquo said Frans Odendaal Wilecrsquos Technical Specialist Bearings

ldquoDodge housed bearings are supplied pre-assembled and sealed so eliminating all risk of contamination during fitment The advanced sealing arrangement and unique adapter system guarantees longer

Strategic Alliance

life ndash up to six times that of a conven-tional plummer block Other cost-saving advantages are that they can be installed by a semi-skilled technician very quickly normally in less than 15 minutes and the need to measure pre- and post-reduction clearance is eliminatedrdquo

ldquoIt is a differentiated product and with it we are able to provide a bearing that is especially well suited to local conditions

and offers benefits that are of real value to customers A particularly important aspect to bear in mind is that the total cost of ownership of a Dodge bearing is significantly lower than that of the conventional product due to its greater reliability and durabilityrdquo

Wilec Frans Odendaal Tel (011) 629-9300 Email fransowileccoza

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 45

MARKET FORUM

Emis Sales 2002 part of Becker Min-ing South Africa supplies a wide range of electrical equipment up to 1 100 V for use in hazardous and non-hazardous areas in the mining petrochemical and surface industry sectors

New to the Emis range are Proloc pro-tection and control relays which are suitable for thermal overload protection of conveyors compressors crushers fan and pump motors as well as shuttle cars and flitting panels

ldquoThe stand-alone Emis ProLoc electronic protection and control relay system which has been designed for the optimum protection of motor and feeder circuits connected to outlet sockets has a wide choice of six user-selectable protection features to meet exact requirementsrdquo says Frikkie Quirk managing director Emis Sales 2002 ldquoAn important advan-tage of this system is a door mounted infra-red link that enables a laptop with Proloc software to manage all settings

and downloads without having to open the panel door and expose personnel to dangerous live equipment This is a critical requirement in the OHSA actrdquo

This system is easy to set up via the Proloc MMI 420 display man-to-machine interface or via a laptop with Proloc software

Emis Sales 2002 Tel (016) 341-6134 Email infozabecker-miningcom wwwzabecker-miningcom

Optimum Protection

Birkenmayer a material processing systems supplier in South Africa and local supplier of German-engineered Eirich material processing technology recently released the Evactherm drier a new product that marries the advantages

Superheated Vacuum Steam

of mechanical and thermo dynamical processes to provide cost-effective and highly efficient drying and processing of filter cake and sludgersquos using superheated vacuum steam

Until now it has been important to observe

a maximum middle temperature when applying direct drying to heat sensitive materials and even more important to avoid the excessive local and boundary temperatures that frequently damage the drying product Both heat and ma-terial transport need to be considered and while convective drying processes such as spray drying largely avoid these problems they are only effective if a surface is available for the hot gas flow

Adjustable for both direct and convec-tive drying and processing Evactherm driers overcome these obstacles while providing a number of further benefits

Super-heated vacuum steam performs drying and granulation while the com-bination of mechanical and thermo dynamical processes allows for low dry-ing temperatures and gentle processing of temperature sensitive materials It also enables continuous drying for long periods of time as fresh material may be continuously added into the fluidized bed replacing material that has already been vaporised

H Birkenmayer Louis Eksteen Tel (011) 970 3880-8 Email louisbirkenmayercozawwwbirkenmayercoza

The Evactherm drier

Proloc protection and control relays

46 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

The Eastern Capersquos Coega Industrial Development Zone (IDZ) is one of a number of industrial regions in South Africa to benefit from Air Products South Africarsquos strategy of long-term capital investment

A region which has long been under-served when it comes to reliable gas supply the Eastern Cape will soon have

A Long-term Viewits own air separation unit (ASU) ndash the first of its kind in the province Seelan Gounden GM supply chain at AirProd-ucts explains the reasons behind the companyrsquos latest investment

ldquoCurrently there is no local industrial gas supply in this area and cryogenic gases have to be procured elsewhere This situation compromises the service

MARKET FORUM

ART Solar specialists in the manufacture of solar photovoltaic (PV) modules for the sustainable generation of electrical power has made the following appointment an-nouncementsMark Walsh as managing director Dr Ronald FM Lange as chief operating officer Robert Ramshaw as financial manager and Gavin Rosslee as production manager

Gavin RossleeRobert RamshawMark Walsh

Jeanne Els has been appointed as Hatchrsquos Managing Director of Operations

Jeanne Els

Ronald Lange

Anton Theunissen

SKF South Africa recently appointed Anton Theunissen as Distributor De-velpoment Manager for South Africa and neighbouring coun-tries

Index to Advertisers

Axiom 12

Bearings International 36

Bibby Turboflex 28

Bonfiglioli 10

Engen 34

Festo 35

Hansen 44

Horne SA 29

IDC Inside Back Cover

ILS 32

KDP Services 22

Loesche 31

Polysius 4

PPS 11 29

Mercedes Outside Back Cover

Merseta Inside Front Cover

MIEO Outside Front Cover

Transmission Components 14

Voith 38

Yellotec 16 17

delivery to our existing customers who have to depend on product being trucked over vast distances Thus we identified the Eastern Cape as a key priority invest-ment destination with a clear need for a new air separation facility dedicated to servicing the region We chose the Coega IDZ after careful market analysis We are pleased to be able to be a part of the growth and development of the region through providing a long-needed security of supply and value-added servicerdquo

Ayanda Vilakazi head of Marketing and Communications at the Coega IDZ adds ldquoThe viability of the new ASU is indis-putable It will mean not only security of gas supply to the region benefiting the many industries here but it also means job security for other investors jobs along the value chain and scope for training and human resource develop-ment as well as enhanced Corporate Social Investment initiativesrdquo

Seelan Gounden AirProducts wwwairproductssouthafricacoza

Left to right Chris Mashigo Executive Man-ager - Business Development Coega Develop-ment Corporation Themba Khoza Executive Manager ndash Operations Coega Development Corporation Seelan Gounden GM - Supply Chain Air Products Pierre Fourie Area Sales Manager ndash Eastern Cape Air Products signed the lease agreement between the CDC and Air Products South Africa

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 47To apply online for funding of R1 million or more go to wwwidccoza

Telephone 086 069 3888Email callcentreidccoza

Driving new market innovationsThe IDC supports high-impact job creation projects acting as a

catalyst to lead new sector development and support existing

industry and sector growth in alignment with governmentrsquos

New Growth Path (NGP) National Development Plan (NDP)

and Industrial Policy Action Plan (IPAP)

The IDC Strategic High Impact Projects (SHIP) Strategic Business

Unit in partnership with the IDC Innovation Department has

launched an Open Innovation Challenge to encourage the

development and implementation of sustainable high-impact

industrial initiatives and projects

The IDC calls upon individuals engineering communities

corporates project sponsors and other related entities to enter

into a partnership to develop qualifying projects that result in

sustainable and profi table industries exploit the value-adding

opportunities of existing and new value chains and enable the

development of innovative local economies

Whatwho qualifi es

projects which enable the development of new industries

across multiple IDC focus sectors

introduce new markets and value chains or revolutionise

existing ones through the use of disruptive technologies

or new approaches

development impact and employment creation

across mandated IDC industrial sectors

SHIP wishes to ensure that the projects undertaken play a major

role in industrial development and employment creation within

the South African and SADC regions

Interested applicants are invited to submit their project

proposals online at

httpopeninnovationidccozaidc-ship-challenge between

project proposals will be informed in May regarding SHIP

wishing to partner with them in the development of the

proposed project

Please contact Bertie Strydom BertieSidccoza and

RetiefBidccoza for more information

Chillibush9119IDC

48 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

A D

aim

ler B

rand

You built the bridges the roads and the tunnels We built the carAs a member of the Engineering Council of South Africa you could qualify for exclusive offers a guaranteed 3-day service booking as well as PremiumDrive our 6 year100 000km maintenance plan To take advantage of this outstandingopportunity inform your nearest dealer of your ECSA status

Not in conjunction with other Mercedes-Benz Fleet ProgrammesOffers Excludes AMG and Limited Edition modelsVehicle specifications may vary for the South African market

Page 9: SAME Mar2013

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 9

use 67 of Eskomrsquos grid capacity classifying this sector as intensive energy users However it is also the sector that contributes to the majority of the countryrsquos economy Hence the focus for a sustainable and secure energy supply in South Africa logically lies with optimising the energy use within this sector

The MIEO constitutes a membership base that not only supply products and services to the mining and industrial sector but has collaborated in assisting energy intensive users to employ a systematic or holistic approach to energy management challenge in their organisations so that energy saving can be optimised

Systematic approachThe collaboration involves a series of seminars presented by the MIEO across the country In this way information on energy optimisation opportuni-ties is taken to the end user

The MIEO initiative brings together leading manu-facturers and suppliers of service and technologies for improvement of energy efficiency in all major energy-consuming plant items Through seminars the MIEO aims to achieve the following objectives

1 To promote awareness of the benefits available to industry and mining in the products and services for energy efficiency from members of the associa-tion

2 To support Eskom and the Department of Energy of the Republic of South Africa in their common objective of increasing energy efficiency in the industrial and mining sectors of the economy

3 To promote opportunities for the dissemination and sharing of information about products services technologies programmes approaches strategies best practice and operational experiences in the field of industrial and mining energy efficiency

4 To promote the adoption of energy efficiency products and services available from members of the association

5 To promote opportunities for training in the methodology and technology for sustained achieve-ment of energy and cost saving when utilising energy efficiency products and services available from members of the association

CredentialsCharles Ntsele currently Grinding Manager at Metso Southern Africa obtained his NHD Extraction Metallurgy from the University of Johannesburg in 1994 and has fulfilled various roles such as re-search metallurgist applications engineer process engineer and product manager He is an associate member of the Southern African Institute of Mining amp Metallurgy

Tel (011) 061-5000 Fax 086 688 7005Email mieovdwcoza wwwmieoorgza

COVER STORY

Electricity Consumption by Sector

10 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 11

the project engineer who worked on this project

Future ndash a concept a dream or a wishUsing the technology and engineering knowledge available to make South Africa more sustainable If we could use this know-how to overcome the challenges that the country faces it would be a major breakthrough for the nation

Irsquod also like to see more being done in terms of renewable energy We are for example closely studying further possibilities to use biomass as a fuel to generate steam and electricity in our processes Wersquore also looking at fluidised bed boiler technology so that we can use the

abundance of low-grade coal in the country

Most Challenging ProjectA few years back we did a recovery optimisation project to improve the recovery of by-products from the pulping pro-cess The main product is caustic soda used in the cooking process We installed a new causticizing plant pulp screen-ing plant scrubber and refurbished the fluidised bed reactor The challenge was combining the new plant installation with the refurbishment work all in an existing plant within a very limited time span

Most Rewarding ProjectIt was the installation of an A-4 sheeting and packaging line We bought a second-hand machine in Germany and just to get the machine up and running was a challenge in itself

CommentaryAre there shortcomings in the Mechanical Engineering Industry in South AfricaYes we have a shortage of maintenance professionals When I was at university we were not trained in maintenance at all Mechanical engineering has a major role to play in this field where the scope for improvement in todayrsquos industry is enormous We need to start training in maintenance at an academic level much like some of the universities have now started doing However mentorship and in-house training has a very important role to play as well

Message to young engineersYoung engineers have to take ownership of their own develop-ment and not expect somebody else to do it for them Many young engineers feel the employer owes them something They must get involved at all levels and work their way up so that when theyrsquore the seniors they know what goes on at the lower levels Remember yoursquore never too clever to learn

MONTHLY COLUMN

Prominent ProfessionalsCarel Kruger Engineering Manager

Academic

School Graduate studies Rob Ferreira High School Whiteriver B Eng at University of Pretoria

Post-graduateB Tech degree in Pulp amp Paper Management Development Programme through Unisa Gov-ernment certificate of competence

Professional bodiesRegistered with Ecsa as Pr Eng and Pr Certifi-cated Engineer

Career Path

First employerStarted with Sappi at the Enstra Mill as an engineering trainee after doing national service in the army

Growth pathAfter a few years at Sappi I left to work for a small engineer-ing company for five years I went back to Sappi as a project engineer I was then promoted to a number of positions at Enstra Mill these included maintenance engineer project manager services manager and maintenance manager before I took up my current position

Present employer amp positionSappi Enstra Mill as an engineering manager

AchievementsA projectMost of our work in the maintenance environment involves minimising breakdowns optimising the performance of the equipment and working on continuous improvements to either overcome business challenges or increase the success rate of our production plant One of our teamrsquos notable project was to de-bottleneck the bleach plant The project involved stabilising the pulp consistency control in a refurbished high density chest system At the same time we installed a new feed system into the oxygen reactor

This was a major breakthrough in terms of availability of equipment and the throughput of the plant because of reduced breakdowns and blockages It was a case of applying new technology in a very old plant challenging our engineering skills to the maximum

Any awardsA Sappi internal silver engineering award was given to me and

WErsquoRE ENGINEERED TO SHAREOver R73 billion N rsquo S S E Hrsquo NA E

S

S S S trade T S S

12 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 201314 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 62 May 2012

AXIOM HYDRAULICS (PTY) LTD

HA

Tel (011) 334-3068 334-3086 Fax (011) 334-4543E-mail axiomjhbmwebcoza

SAMHYDRAULIK which is one of the leaders in the field of hydraulictransmission has been operating for over 25 years in the internationalmarket offering a complete range of orbital hydraulic motors and power steering units axial pumps andmotors for medium and highpressure ranges all characterisedby excellent performances

SAMHYDRAULIK employs 120people who operate inside avery modern and efficient plantthat spans over 6 000 squaremetres to assure a high standardand flexible production capacityThe latest computer technologyis used for both design andproduction combined withstrict quality control proceduresduring all production phaseswhich translates into innovativereliable and functionalproducts that meet the various needs of the marketIts ISO 9001 certificationheld since 1994 is theresult of a quality-orientated philosophyon which SAMHYDRAULIKhas always based itsoperation

17 Heidelberg Road Village Main Johannesburg 2000P O Box 260248 Excom South Africa 2023

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 13T

POWER TRANSMISSION

Rossi a power transmission equipment manu-facturer from Modena in Italy did this by establishing the companyrsquos first permanent subsidiary in South Africa ldquoSA Mechanical

Engineerrdquo speaks with the deputy general manager of Rossi South Africa Kyle Dick about the range of new products theyrsquore now offering locally

ldquoInitially Rossi was represented in South Africa through my company DDI Transmissions in Springs as an agent for their comprehensive range of gear-boxes but now operates as a subsidiary for Rossi SPA to service the whole of sub-Saharan Africardquo he explains ldquoThe product range as such is thus not new to the South African market but wersquore of-fering a much wider range incorporating the latest in drive train technology for a wide variety of applica-tionsrdquo

in KwaZulu Natal ldquoNot only is the market in South Africa very similar to the mining industry there but many of the mining companies and major project

houses operate in both countries This made us realise that the South African market could

certainly be expanded from the footprint which Kyle has already established hererdquo

New rangesThe Rossi Group is one of Europersquos larg-est industrial groups for the production and sale of gear reducers gear motors

electric standard and brake motors Kyle comments ldquoThey constantly undertake

extensive research into new drive solu-tions A typical example is the EP range

of planetary units and the H-series of new helical and bevel-helical gear units specifically developed for heavy industry applicationsrdquo

Manufacturers of bulk handling equipment like conveyor systems ship loaders stacker

reclaimers and mine processing machinery are all familiar with Rossi drives and have been direct clients of the company for many years The gear reducers and gear motors include planetary worm coaxial right angle parallel shaft gear reducers and

Italian Gearboxes Now in SA

With South African industry particularly mining being very similar to that of Australia some international companies build up a strong footprint in Australia and then use this

experience to bring their expertise to the South African mining industry as well

The product range as such is thus not new to the South African market but wersquore now offering a much wider range incorporating the latest in drive train technology for a wide variety of applications

roduct s notcan of-er g ne -

Africa very simany of the

houses oprealise t

certaiwhic

NeTheestand

eleccomm

exteti

Ma

Kyle Dick (left) and Marcello Cassanelli of Rossi South Africa

The Rossi range of products has done extremely well in Australia leading to the establishment of a main subsidiary there and three regional officesrdquo says Marcello Cassanelli the other deputy

general manager from Italy who is helping Kyle in the coming years to get the business going at Tongaat

14 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

POWER TRANSMISSION

I prefer to go on site and help out with tricky problems but I also have good experience in gearbox selection a critical factor in todayrsquos market

speed reducers specifically bring flexibility to the market The system is completely modular allowing each solution to be tailor-made to a specific ap-plication yet itrsquos still cost effective as all products emanate from a standard production unit The new H series covers 825 kNm through to 1700 kNm while the EP series can cover up to 3000 kNm

ldquoComplementary and ancillary equipment such as cooling fans coils or independent cooling units oil heaters and labyrinth seals are of an equal qual-ity and toughness as our rugged gear units which are built and customised for the most challenging conditions or environments any industry can pos-sibly presentrdquo Marcello adds The company is so confident in the quality and reliability of their product range that theyrsquore offering a worldwide warranty on all their geared products

Central baseldquoWe based the new South African headquarters in Tongaat because it puts us close to a port for bringing in components so we can assemble geared units more cost-effectivelyrdquo says Kyle ldquoWersquore in the heart of the sugar industry yet right next to an international airport so that wersquore in reach of any-where in Africa within a couple of hours In addition wersquove established a sales office in Johannesburg

ldquoThe fact that Marcello brings to the table his inter-national experience to complement my knowledge of local conditions and requirements gives me the confidence that wersquoll be able to provide the local market with services and products both the end-users and competitors will regard with respectrdquo adds Kyle ldquoTo top this off we have direct support from highly-experienced engineers in Italyrdquo

SelectionKyle is a hands-on man who has worked his way up in the company through the ranks in the workshop on site and in the office ldquoI prefer to go on site and help out with tricky problems but I also have good experience in gearbox selection a critical factor in todayrsquos marketrdquo he says in conclusion

ldquoAlthough most project houses do the selection wersquore always prepared to share our experience with others in order to make the right selection right from the start I am confident that we now have the right product the right facilities in terms of support and the experience to serve the local market with competitive pricingrdquo

Kyle Dick Rossi South Africa Tel (032) 944-3505 Email kyleddirossicoza

gear motors while other standard products are large size parallel and right angle shaft gear reducers and gear motors for heavy duty applications

ExtrasMarcello adds ldquoThe new EP and the H range of

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 15

POWER TRANSMISSION

He kicks off by telling us ldquoIf yoursquore not saving money in the end condition monitoring serves no effective purpose Also if you can

afford the consequence of a failure then you donrsquot need to do condition monitoring A good example is found in the food processing industry where they use hundreds of small pumps throughout a plant Instead of having to monitor all these pumps they now use low-cost plastic pumps which can be replaced quickly without holding up the production processrdquo

Part of asset managementldquoTypically you start the development of the condition monitoring process by determining the companyrsquos

maintenance strategy a process called the RCM (reliability centred maintenance) planrdquo explains Kobus ldquoFirst off a hardware breakdown structure of the whole plant is drawn up and a Failure Mode and Effectsrsquo Criticality Analysis (FMECA) performed so that you can decide which of the machines are critical to the operation of your plant the ones which will bring the whole lot to a halt if they fail

Kobus continues ldquoThrough this process the company can also determine what spares to carry as well as the level and types of skills which will be needed to maintain the critical machines in the plantrdquo

MethodsIdeas Solutions not only assists companies to under-take this initial criticality audit but will also advise which one of the four main condition monitoring technologies is most appropriate for each specific application fit it and analyse the data as part of a maintenance contract

ldquoThe solution could take the form of vibration moni-toring alignment monitoring any one of a number of methods of temperature measurements or oil analysisrdquo clarifies Kobus ldquoIn the case of a gearbox for instance we carry out an oil analysis to check whether there are any particles of the same mate-rial as the bearings or the gear teeth and so on

VibrationldquoIn our experience ninety percent of the machines with high maintenance costs are the ones where vibration is the highestrdquo adds Kobus ldquoBeing a destructive phenomenon the extent of vibration indicates whether the machine is balanced running in alignment and gives insight into the condition of the bearings regardless of the type of bearing

Save on MaintenanceCondition monitoring is an integral part of asset management ultimately impacting directly on a

companyrsquos bottom line not only in terms of reducing the risk of unexpected breakdowns but also affecting

machinery life Deciding on what to monitor and how is a scientific task which should be undertaken by specialists ldquoSA Mechanical Engineerrdquo speaks to

Kobus van der Westhuizen director of Ideas Solutions a South African company specialising in engineering

analysis solutions with offices in Cape Town and Pietermaritzburg

We can predict how close that bearing is to failure

Kobus van der Westhuizen director of Ideas Solutions

The ldquoOperational Deflection Shaperdquo

16 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

less costly exercise than an unexpected failurerdquo Kobus says ldquoYou can then order a replacement bearing in good time and make sure you have the right skills on hand to do the replace-mentrdquo

What to fitBeing such a clear indicator of a number of problems in machinery vibration moni-toring equipment can be fitted in a variety of ways If itrsquos a critical machine permanent vibration protec-tion instrumentation is typi-cally fitted on the machine Such a system monitors the machine in real time while constantly evaluating vibra-tion in terms of bearings alignment or imbalance in the machinery

ldquoOur systems are so refined today that you can not only pinpoint which bearing is showing faults but we can even see which part of that bearing is showing strain and whyrdquo Kobus adds ldquoWe can also programme the system against certain parameters so that it trips the machine when certain levels of vibration are ex-

ceeded This is the highest level of protection we can providerdquo

An interesting development in the deployment of an online monitoring system is the technique called ldquoOperational Deflection Shaperdquo (ODS) analysis This is possible when an online system has the capabil-ity of simultaneously measuring all the channels

Simultaneously measuring all the channels of vibration in real time

POWER TRANSMISSION

ldquoIf for example we find that the load on the bearing remains constant we can predict how close that bearing is to failure and plan when the machine can be shut down for a bearing replacement a much

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 17

of vibration in real time This preserves the phase relationship between channels resulting in a visual representation of the machine vibration It makes it easier to observe analyse and document noise and vibration problems in machinery and structures ODS analysis is used to display and analyse ex-perimental multi-channel time or frequency domain data acquired during the operation of a machine or forced vibration of a structure

This provides an interactive animated display with which users can observe spatially defined data such as operating deflection shapes (ODSs) mode shapes acoustic sound and intensity fields or other engineering data such at temperatures or pressures By animating the spatial response of a structure in slow motion users can view a structurersquos overall motion and the motion of one part relative to another Locations of excessive vibration or high levels of noise are easily identified

Next levelThe next level down is a surveillance system often used in conjunction with a protection system ldquoIn contrast to a protection system the surveillance system provides answers as to why things did go wrongrdquo explains Kobus ldquoIn a fan application for example the system will tell you that vibration has increased yet the signature reading from the machine has remained constant This can be as a result of dust build up on the blades or a blade has broken off causing an imbalance which prompts the protection system to stop the machine The system will even tell you which blade has been affected by the faultrdquo

The surveillance system can also be used on its own but still in an online mode ldquoThis feature is used to trend parameters leaving the decision to stop a machine at the discretion of the maintenance engineerrdquo explains Kobus ldquoThese online solutions can either be wired or wireless transmitting data from each sensor to the receivers on the system The data is then channelled to whomever needs it in his or her format of choicerdquo

Options for allOn smaller plants that cannot afford an online sys-tem less critical machinery data from machinery is collected by hand and transferred to a computer for analysis either by the maintenance engineer or under a maintenance contract to an engineer at Ideas Solutions

ldquoItrsquos no longer in question the fact that condition monitoring saves companies money has been proved over and over again if itrsquos done rightrdquo Kobus says in conclusion ldquoCondition monitoring regardless of the

The fact that condition monitoring saves companies money has been proved over and over again if itrsquos done right

POWER TRANSMISSION

extent to which it is integrated on a plant should be part of every companyrsquos maintenance strategyrdquo

Kobus van der Westhuizen Ideas Solutions Tel 082 552-4790 Email kobusideas-onlinecozawwwideas-onlinecoza

18 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

Empowering Municipal Engineers

Corruption and tenderpreneurship fraud financial mismanagement lack of understanding of technical issues

priorities difficulties with job creation and skills shortages are just some of the challenges that face municipal engineers in South

Africa

Name and shameCESA unreservedly supports the call for the banning of public servants from doing business with the state including dealstenders with another department or municipality

ldquoWhat is at stake is not the rights of state employees to do business but rather the integrity of the state procurement system The current public procurement environ-ment in the construction sector is highly complex and conducive to corruption and manipulationrdquo warns CESA President Naren Bhojaram

The problem is further compounded by the lack of accountability and punishment for procurement irregularities and wasteful expenditureldquoThe country has good rules but no-one is playing by themrdquo he adds

CESA believes that it is irresponsible and foolhardy to place employees in positions where they can (or are tempted to) manipu-late procurement and other procedures to unfairly benefit themselves at the expense of the statetaxpayer

CESA

Unqualified people should be discouraged from trying to do the job of the municipal engineer

CESA President Naren Bhojaram

Consulting En-gineers South Africa (CESA) President Na-

ren Bhojaram believes that if South Africa is serious about the empowerment of properly-qualified municipal

engineers it should invest in various interventions such as

training development and ca-pacitating of young engineers for

employment by the local authorities and make the municipal engineering

profession attractive

Currently municipal planning is done rather superficially and only a real municipal engi-

neer and a competent team of visionary planners can sort that out

CESA calls for the embracing of the municipal engineer as a trusted ad-visor as well as creating a working environment to attract and retain municipal engineers The munici-pal engineers must be incentivised (long term employment purpose in life emoluments respect and freedom) and unqualified people

should be discouraged from trying to do the job of the municipal engineer

Stumbling BlockInfrastructure deliveryrsquos biggest stumbling block is the lack of business integrity which involves among other things socialising with clients conflict of interest use of agents and partners collusion and bribery and the disregard of procurement regulations

CESA strongly urges structural changes to the way in which municipal engineers operate including the abandonment of long-term employment contracts for key technical and managerial staff Tender and

bid evaluation committees must include technical legal and financial executives in joint sittings and professional teams must be allowed to compile reports in an independent manner on tenders for the bid evaluation committees

The South African procurement legislation should include a Bribery and Corruption Act such as the UK Bribery Act of 2010 enabling the Courts to prosecute corruption and related issues more ef-fectively as well as the naming and shaming of firms contravening the requirements of the Act

Consulting Engineers South Africa (CESA) Graham Pirie Tel (011) 463-2022Email gspiriecesacoza wwwcesacoza

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 19

ldquoSA Mechanical Engineerrdquo speaks to Willie Muller general manager at KDP Services about the modernisation of old hydraulic machinery ldquoIn terms of upgrading wersquove just

done extensive work at a steel mill to re-design

and implement new technology on a large 1 200 tonne cutting press and a shredding machinerdquo he explains ldquoBoth the machines were imported from Germany originally but have lately started picking up problems seriously hampering production flow

ldquoAfter consulting with the supplierrsquos engineers the problems persisted and the client then called us in to investigaterdquo Willie says ldquoWe found that the hydraulics on both these old machines were outdated but could be updated with new tech-nology rather than replacing the old pumps and valves with costly new imported OEM components

New Life for Old Machines

Very often the spare parts for old machinery imported and installed twenty or more years ago is hard to come by and if it is available

it costs an arm and a leg to import If the problem happens to be hydraulic there is

a local hydraulics company that specialises in updating systems so that local easily-available spares can be used to keep the machine going for many years to come

Willie Muller general manager at KDP Services

CNC machining

Overhauled cylinders ready for delivery

Large cylinder

Hydraulic motor of all makes and sizes are serviced

HYDRAULICS amp PNEUMATICS

Analyse the operation and specifically the machinersquos function in situ before returning to the drawing board to redesign the hydraulic system for better functionality

20 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

New technologyAs the designer in the company

Willie goes out to analyse the operation and specifically the machinersquos function

in situ before returning to the drawing board to redesign the hydraulic system for better

functionality This provides the opportunity not only to introduce the latest technology into the upgrade but also to ensure that easily available local components are used He adds ldquoSince our upgrade the shear which can cut through a 150 by 300mm block of steel in one cut has been run-ning smoothly with none of the previous problems cropping up againrdquo

Similarly the shredding machine where a whole vehicle is fed in one end and comes out in pieces of scrap metal the other end has also been up-graded to run consistently ever since Willie adds ldquoThrough this success wersquove now not only landed the maintenance and service contracts for this mill but theyrsquove asked us to audit the entire plant to investigate other hydraulic systems which can be improved Wersquove already re-designed one of the production lines to introduce an integrated fully automated operationrdquo

First projectWillie might be young but he has worked with KDP since his student days gaining invaluable hands-on experience in all aspects of hydraulic work from the owner of the company Karel Podges ldquoOne of my first projects as a student was designing the hydraulic system for a container lifting and tilting machine used in steel mills to collect and handle scrap metalrdquo he recalls as we come across the remnants of the prototype when we walk in the yard behind the workshop ldquoThis is probably what got me hooked on hydraulics because nothing of the sort existed and I had to design it from scratch around a structure someone else had builtrdquo

Inside the workshop we find engineering equipment ranging from lathes to modern CNC machines all humming away as hydraulic components are turned out of a variety of metals At the hose crimping machine Willie points out the neat final product for a custom-made installation theyrsquore doing One of KDPrsquos specialities is hydraulic motor overhaul-ing which is evident when we see several large Hagglunds drives in various stages of repair in the drive section of the workshop

TestingFinally we get to the test-bench area where a large cylinder is under test for leaks before being taken apart for a complete overhaul ldquoOne of the biggest mistakes generally made when it comes to hydraulic equipment is that people think they can treat the hydraulic components roughly just because they are big and ruggedrdquo Willie remarks ldquoThey lose sight of the fact that dirt is the biggest enemy and they donrsquot take the necessary care to keep the oil or equipment clean causing irreparable damage to seals and delicate surface areas in a systemrdquo

One of the main advantages of KDP is that they are not officially tied up with a specific brand of hydraulic equipment allowing them to work on and supply any make on the market Willie concludes ldquoIn addition wersquore a small company where you learn and get the opportunity to work on all types of applications So each and every problem big or small is tackled with great personal attention to detailrdquo

Willie Muller KDP Services Tel (011) 392-5750 Email williekdp-servicescoza

That people think they can treat the hydraulic components roughly just because they are big and rugged

HYDRAULICS amp PNEUMATICS

The full MontyHydraulic system design from the circuit to pumps motors and all the necessary connecting piping are designed in-house at the 22-year old com-pany ldquoWe design the complete circuit specifying all the components necessary to achieve certain functionsrdquo explains Willie ldquoSimilarly all engineer-ing is undertaken in-house except the honing and chroming of shafts when we overhaul cylinder sets New cylinders are manufactured from tubing and shafts which have already been prepared

ldquoIn terms of piping wersquove built up a good name in many industries both in new installations during maintenance shutdowns or when a fixed installa-tion needs to be movedrdquo he adds ldquoNot only do we design the layout but we physically carry out the installation work ourselves especially when it is a stainless steel pipe installation that requires argon welding to fit the fittingsrdquo

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 21

Compressed Air at Work

Pneumatic systems are extensively used in industry where factories are commonly plumbed with

compressed air or compressed inert gases This is because a centrally-located and electrically-powered

compressor which powers cylinders and other pneumatic devices through solenoid valves is often

able to provide motive power in a cheaper safer more flexible and more reliable manner than electric motors

and actuators

Premium brandApplied Pneumatics established 22 years ago is a South African distributor of Parker Hannifin products ldquoAt a time when everyone is increasingly becoming aware of the benefits of buying premium products which last longer and have proven to be value for money Parker has come up with new innovations which extend this value even furtherrdquo says Dave

ldquoTake valves for example Most low-cost valves are throw-away items which are discarded completely if something goes wrong Our premium valves which cost a bit more initially are serviceable This means we can repair and service them at a fraction of the cost of even a cheap complete unit

ldquoIf the premium repairable valve breaks for in-stance itrsquos quick and easy to strip it right there and then fit new parts and have it up and running in no time as opposed to having to order and wait for a complete replacement unitrdquo adds Dave ldquoAll you need to have in stock are a couple of O-rings for the different valves in a systemrdquo

SA Mechanical Engineerrdquo visits a company in Randburg aptly named Applied Pneumat-ics to speak to managing director Dave McNair ldquoIn a pneumatics application we

supply everything beyond the compressor This includes everything down the line the filtration system water traps regulators and then the lubrication system before you get to the actual application which could be a cylinder control valves actuators or even solenoid valves for the control of liquid flows in a process We also do vacuum applications where suction cups pick objects up to move them aboutrdquo

From left Andrew Livesey applications engineer at Applied Pneumatics Teven McNair sales and Dave McNair managing director

Range includes pneumatic cylinders and actuators valves and logic processing air preparation equipment as well as a whole host of other pneumatic components and accessories

The Parker range of pneumatic equipment includes actuator and motors

HYDRAULICS amp PNEUMATICS

22 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

New conceptSimilarly the air prepa-ration systems from Parker are of a modular design and fully repair-able so that just worn or damaged compo-nents can be replaced ldquoThey have now taken this even furtherrdquo says Dave ldquoA new concept in regulators the Modu-flex clip technology system has just been released No special tools in fact no span-ners at all are needed

to take the unit apart to replace a filter element for instance You sim-ply clip the unit apart by hand replace the

element and clip it together again within a minute

ldquoOn a forklift for example the glass bowl of the air preparation unit is often damaged when the forklifts bump into some-thingrdquo elaborates Dave ldquoOn a low-cost throw-away unit yoursquod have to carry a spare unit to replace the whole unit With the new technology howev-er you simply clip off the damaged part to zap a new one into place In terms of cylinders and actuators the latest development is self-lubricating seals which require no additional lubri-cation whatsoeverrdquo

One of the main drawbacks of pneumatics over hydraulics is that a pneumatic cylinder has to be much larger than a hydraulic cylinder in order to deliver the same power However this does not rule out using pneumatics in heavier applications especially underground where the use of air is generally safer and cleaner than hydraulic oils in the first place

UndergroundldquoA while back we were approached by a platinum mine to design a pneumatic system to open and close underground tipsrdquo Andrew explains ldquoTo prevent people from falling into the ore tip it had to be closed with a heavy steel lid between off-loading operations We not only designed a suit-able pneumatic system but also took part in the installation on various levels all the way down to three kilometres undergroundrdquo

Like many other products there are cheap and nasty pneumatic products on the market and cost is not always an indication of inferiority ldquoThe safe route is to always buy from reputable companies who have been around for a long time and who trade in well-known brandsrdquo Dave says in conclusion ldquoSerious consideration should also be given to the repairability of the equipment Itrsquos no use installing a low cost system which has to be replaced regu-larly while another could last a lifetime if properly looked afterrdquo

Dave Mc Nair Applied pneumatics Tel (011) 792-3381 Email davenappliedpneumaticscoza

No special tools in fact no spanners at all are needed to take the unit apart to replace a filter element for instance

HYDRAULICS amp PNEUMATICS

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 23

TICK

ER T

APE

POWER GENERATION

PROMECH PUBLISHINGTel (011) 781-1401Fax (011) 781-1403Email samechengpromechcozaWebsite wwwpromechcozaManaging Editor Susan CustersEditorial Kowie HammanAdvertising Mark BennettCirculation Catherine MacdivaDTP Zinobia Docrat Donovan VadivaluDisclaimerPROMECH Publishing does not take responsibility for the opinions expressed by individuals

CopyrightAll rights reserved No editorial matter published in ldquoPower Generation Todayrdquo may be reproduced in any form or language without written per-mission of the publishers While every effort is made to ensure accurate reproduction the editor authors publishers and their employees or agents shall not be responsible or in any way liable for any errors omissions or inaccuracies in the publication whether arising from negligence or otherwise or for any consequences aris-ing therefrom The inclusion or exclusion of any product does not mean that the publisher or editorial board advocates or rejects its use either gener-ally or in any particular field or fields

POWERGENERATION

TODAY

Harnessing the Powers of the Ocean

Luciano Garcia-Baylleres COO at HAE

Tidal power has long been utilised as an energy resource used early on in tidal mills to grind grain throughout the Middle Ages More recently it has also been used to generate electricity for instance in the 240 MW tidal barrages at La Rance France Tidal currents however are still largely an untapped energy source While several marine current turbine prototypes

have been tested in the last few years there are only a few of these prototypes deployed to generate electrical power to smaller communities

mainly to demonstrate the viability of the technology

There is currently a renewed interest in using the ocean to generate electric-ity using both traditional hydropower technologies and new hydrokinetic

technologies This interest is being spurred on by official and private initiatives to promote the development of cleaner energy sources and diversification of energy supplies through use of alternative and renewable sources

Tidal energyTidal energy projects hold the promise of producing indigenous renewable predictable electricity without greenhouse gas emissions and with higher power densities in terms of power output per unit area than either solar photovoltaic or wind projects

The International Finance Corporation (IFC) the World Bankrsquos private-sector lending arm is partner-ing with Sasfin Bank to develop a portfolio of energy efficiency and renewable-energy financial products for small medium-sized and microenterprises (SMMEs) in South Africa

Alstom South Africa and the South African Nuclear Energy Corporation (Necsa) have signed an agreement under which the local branch of the French power generation power transmission and rail infrastructure

group will invest R8-million in buying equipment for the new coded welding centre being established at Necsarsquos Nuclear Skills Development (NSD)

The operation and maintenance (OampM) costs of wind farms in South Africa were expected to be in the mid-range of the international market Mott MacDonald consultant Matthias Vinard has reported adding that OampM costs ranged from euro28kW a year to euro68kW a year in international markets

24 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

ocean currents driven for instance by thermal gradients or differences in salinity Along the South African east coast the Agulhas Current is one of the most consistent sea currents in the world and this area has now been identified as the ideal spot to test technology developed by an American company Hydro Alternative Energy (HAE) from Florida USA

Current plans with the local gov-ernment of eThekwini Municipality in Durban supporting the concept of a hydrokinetic energy project off the cityrsquos coast calls for HAE to

initially develop a $20 million 1MW demonstration unit utilising the companyrsquos Oceanus technology to generate electric power from the Agulhas current flowing past the city Additional units each with an anticipated electric power generation capacity of 8 megawatts may then be built and likewise be submerged approximately 30 metres below sea level to prevent interference with shipping traffic

ldquoSA Mechanical Engineerrdquo has a QampA session with Luciano Garcia-Baylleres the Chief Operation Of-ficer (COO) of HAE about the project

Q Some background on HAEA HAE founded in March 2009 is an emerging independent power provider (ldquoIPPrdquo) focused on utilising hydrokinetic and other power develop-ment sources to generate electric power worldwide safely cost-effectively reliably and profitably with minimal or no ecological impact

Our business model provides for utilising certain of our own proprietary technology identifying and locating existing and new technologies and when appropriate partnering with others for our power development and generation needs

Q The South Africa connection with the companyA Research by our technical department identified several places throughout the world as optimal for the initial deployment and commercialisation of our technology After extensive research of each location

POWER GENERATIONTI

CKER

TA

PE

Tidal energy projects may also be useful in lsquofilling in the gapsrsquo in generating power from other intermit-tent energy sources such as wind farms

Marine current energy conversion concerns the po-tential generation of electricity from kinetic energy of freely-flowing water This contrasts with tradi-tional hydro power like a dam where the amount of energy extracted from a river is dependent on the head between the reservoir and the water level below the dam

A similar hydro power approach can in fact be used for tidal power in areas with high tides In this case a barrage can be constructed in a nar-row bay or estuary to utilise the head between low and high water

Consistent currentAnother way to generate electricity from water would be to convert the kinetic energy of flowing water similar to the way a wind turbine extracts energy from the wind In such a case a dam or reservoir is not necessary but rather sites are chosen where the currents are strong such as a narrow sound straight estuary around a headland or in a river

The term lsquomarine currentrsquo constitutes any kind of water current be it tidal unregulated rivers or other

Flow anlysis carried out for current simulations

Another way to generate electricity from water would be to convert the kinetic energy of flowing water similar to the way a wind turbine extracts energy from the wind

Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) MD Noah Gwariro says the state-owned company needs at least $300-million to refurbish thermal power stations in Bulawayo Harare and Munyati and to increase their generation capacities

The planned Karuma hydropower project will have capacity to generate 700MW

and is one of the high-priority projects in Ugandarsquos National Development Plan

The State-owned Ethiopian Electric Power Corporation (EEPCo) has signed a $120-million contract with UK-based company Canbridge Industries for the construction of a 50 MW waste-to-energy power plant

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 25

POWER GENERATION

The components of a sea current power gererating system

The Aghullas current and eThekwini Municipality with their infrastructure qualified human resource and an approach to facilitating large scale green projects was the appropriate site for this first endeavour

How the energy is harnessed

and all the surrounding benefits apart from the presence of good quality currents such as politi-cal stability port infrastructure and focus on green projects we determined that South Africa with its infrastructure qualified human resource and an approach to facilitating large scale green projects was the appropriate site for our first endeavour

Q Background on what the project is all aboutA OceanusTM our first power generation system which we are currently developing and which utilises much of our own proprietary technology is planned to harness the kinetic energy of the ocean to produce safe clean reliable cost-effective electric power

Oceanus will consist of two primary modules the amplification module (the shroud) and the engine module The shroud is a housing that will multiply the normal incoming water flow to a faster velocity as it passes through the engine module generat-ing more kinetic energy This will in turn result in potentially greater electrical power generation capability as well as potentially increased usable offshore locations worldwide

Velocity is the major factor which dictates the hydrokinetic energy that can be extracted from water Within the hydrokinetic energy sector of the renewable andor clean energy industry we have seen that research and development has generally focused on developing energy generation technolo-gies for environments that can only work in very high water velocity environments such as 3 4 5 metres per second While these areas of extreme water velocity are very high in hydrokinetic energy they only exist in a very small percentage of the worldrsquos waters

Our goal is to provide electric power to locations

Shroud

Engine module

Combine modular design

worldwide utilising the kinetic energy in lsquotypicalrsquo water conditions Our current design specifications have a base need of 1 metre per second of water

26 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

POWER GENERATION

flow which by amplifying the velocity is planned to produce 1MW of power This design specification once successfully tested may then be adapted into higher velocity waters As most locations in the world have lower velocity waters a turbine designed to work in 3 4 or 5 metres per second water flows will not work in waters that have velocities of 1-2 metres per second

Q How does it workA The theory behind the development of the system is quite basic having been previously used in other energy production systems such as wind and tidal energy generation Basically the engine is composed of an energy extraction system such as but not limited to our perpendicular access turbine a gorlov turbine a darrieus turbine and an Axial turbine

The other module is the shroud which handles two functions serving as an accelerator of the water ve-locity thus increasing the amount of kinetic energy that can be extracted Secondly it houses the engine protecting marine life from direct contact with the tip of the blades Also Oceanus is designed to be positively buoyant and either secured to the ocean floor or to float at a certain predetermined depth while moored to the ocean floor utilising the same techniques that are currently used in mooring floating oil rigs buoys or floating windmill systems

Q How will it work in KZNA There will be a demonstration unit initially and then we will start the commercial phase by entering into the normal contracts and procedures for energy generation in the country This entails a very large investment from our company where we will focus on potentially buildingassembling the units in Durban thus taking advantage of the excellent and qualified infrastructure it has

Q Who is involved locallyA We have no partners as far as investors or concerns as yet on the South African project but we are not against this possibility in the future From the facilita-tion point of view we have received a lot of support from Derek Morgan at the eThekwini Energy Office and Russell Curtis at DIPA each with their respective teams and other government offices that have been very forthcoming with information and support

Q What equipment does it use ndash where will this be madeA We have already scouted several facilities in Durbanrsquos ship building industry as well as other possible suppliers ranging from the maritime indus-try financial sector to legal consultants in order to make sure that we are in compliance with all regulations and that our perception of excellence from the South African maritime industry is in fact there

Q At what stage is the project nowA The project is currently at an initial logistics stage where we are looking at a more site specific design for the demonstration unit At the same time we are gathering all the information with our lawyers and possible suppliers for the norms procedures permits and licences necessary to comply with local and national regulations

Q Where will power go to A From our initial discussions with the regulatory bodies this energy can be locally distributed and then taken up by the grid as needed This will de-pend on the results of the demonstration unit and the first commercial unit operation which we are confident will exceed expectations

Q Are there sceptics criticsA As discussed before the basic technology has been used in other sectors of the energy generation industry what is being developed by us is the ef-ficient shroud and the maintenance systems which include buoyancy controls and depth determination in order to locate the most efficient current

Q Are there any future plans from your company for South Africa in particularA We believe that we have a good relationship with eThekwini municipality and once we fulfil our project with KZN we would then consider further expansion throughout South Africa

Q What about the other parts of AfricaA Eastern Africa in general presents very good conditions for our technology but for now we are going to concentrate our efforts on deploying this endeavour in South Africa before entertaining new opportunities

Luciano Garcia-Baylleres COO at HAE Tel 561-900-7200 EmailLgarciaHAE-USAcom wwwHAE-USAcom

We will focus on potentially building assembling the units in Durban thus taking advantage of the excellent and qualified infrastructure it has

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 27

POWER GENERATION NEWS

MTN has announced that it has entered into a com-mercial arrangement to sell its carbon credits to EDF Trading in an industry first The credits will be pro-duced by MTNrsquos tri-generation plant at 14th Avenue Of-fice Park in Fairland Johannesburg

EDF Trading is a whol-ly-owned subsidiary of Electriciteacute de France SA one of the largest compliance buyers covered by the European Union Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS)

The carbon credit project utilises a Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) meth-odology developed by MTN approved by the United Nations Framework Con-vention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) It is currently in the process of being registered with the UNFCCC Once registered MTN will sell the carbon credits from the project to EDF Trading

The project will make use of the MTN energy-efficient 2MW tri-generation plant at its Fairland office park Tri-generation is the concurrent production of electric-ity heating and cooling which provides

Carbon Credits power hot wa-ter space heat-

ing and cooling for air conditioning

from a single source

Egoli gas is used for the operation

sourced from the Sasol pipeline in Mozambique

The plant displaces grid electricity from Eskom

reducing greenhouse gas emissions and providing up to 85

efficiency on fuel The excess heat at some 400degC is captured

and used to supply heating and to operate an absorption chiller which creates cool water that is used to power an extensive air-conditioning system

Natural gas is clean burning and offers a consistent supply but simply using this to generate electricity would have been too expensive The saving achieved by capturing the waste heat combined with the additional revenue from the sale of the carbon credits however makes the project economically viablerdquo

Promethuim Robbie Louw Tel (011) 706-8185 Email Robbiepromethiumcozawwwpromethuimcoza

Countries across South East Asia Africa and the Middle East have been amending their regulatory frameworks and embarking on privatisation as many of them are in serious need of external fund-ing to ensure that their respective electricity industries are capable of dealing with the inevitable surge in demand The cumulative installed power capacity for these regions according to 2012 estimates will be 212 Gigawatts (GW) However this figure is expected to shoot up to 349 GW by 2020 climbing at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 64

Emerging Power Markets

Rising industrialisa-tion ever-increasing population figures and growing economies all point to an electrical future that most infra-structure systems are currently incapable of handling Therefore to achieve greater in-dustry efficiency and encourage competition governments across this region are opening up their electricity markets and increasing private sector participation The region will have to invest heavily in order to

increase its installed capacity and improve its existing infrastructure

Transmission networks in many of these countries are already under tremendous pressure to supply power without interruption and many new transmission projects are already underway or in the pipeline Therefore energy policy reforms are set to open the doors and create positive opportunities for growth in in the near future this according to Jonathan Cain of GBI Research

GBI ResearchJonathan Cain Tel +44 1204 543 533 Emailjcaingbiresearchcom wwwgbiresearchcom

28 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

POWER GENERATION NEWS

With Gensler Architects Aurecon has completed the design on the faccedilade of what will be Chinarsquos tallest building At 632m the Shanghai Centre is more than 100m taller than the recently-completed Shanghai Financial Centre and is designed as a sustainable eco-tower that sets a new benchmark not only for the region but also the world

Sustainable green features include tri-

Bioclimatic buildingGreywater recycling systems lo-cated at basement and at mid-level have been installed to collect greywater generated from lavatory or bathtub for reuse reducing potable water demand for the office tower by about 40

The ice storage system shifts part of the peak electricity demand of the chillers into the night modeoff peak operation Storage capacity is 26 400 Refrigerant Ton (RT) which reduces about 30 of the summit demand by about 3 through this ice cooling storage system and save up to the yearly energy cost for the user

A large volume water deluge system with rotational nozzles

installed at mid-level of the atria deliv-ers a large volume and accurate water spray onto fire with the assistance of Infra-red detection to lock the exact location and very early warning smoke detection apparatus system

A double curtain wall design provides better control on solar energy entering the tower building resulting in energy saving

Aerecon Group Jody Boshoff Tel (012) 427-2066 Email JodyBoshoffaurecongroupcomwwwaurecongroupcom

generation plant consisting of two sets of 11MW natural gas turbine generating electricity

chilled water hot water and heating water Simultaneous heat recovery of the hot flue gas produced from the tur-bines reduces carbon dioxide by 49 compared with the regular electrical cooling system

15 nos of 3kW vertical axis wind turbines (VAWTs) on the roof provide 157 500 kWh of clean and renewable electricity annually

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 29

Willem Sullivan of HansenA better artificial heart for people who are not eligible for natural heart transplants

Jean Schoeman of National Oilwell Varco My own jet aeroplane

Chris Coetzee of Resonant SolutionsThe problem in industry is practical engineering experience Young engineers donrsquot get the opportunity to learn the practical stuff Irsquod start an academy which teaches the practical side where you can learn from your mistakes Unfortunately mistakes cost money but if you have all the money in the world they can afford to learn from mistakes

In your book what is the most pivotal invention ever

Elbie Cornelius of National Oilwell Varco The computer

Chris Coetzee of Resonant SolutionsI canrsquot see how you can run a business without cellphones

Rudolph Beer of Martin EngineeringThe wheel

Willem Sullivan of HansenFor me personally Excel Without it my world will be dull and lifeless For the world at large Electricity because without it Excel will not be possible

Jean Schoeman of National Oilwell Varco The personal computer

OPINION

On his rounds Kowie Hamman our Editor is conducting an informal survey on the lighter side of engineering We follow up from last month with three pertinent questions

Soapbox

What do you think of computers and the digital world

Elbie Cornelius of National Oilwell Varco Awesome changing our world

Chris Coetzee of Resonant SolutionsNinety percent of all engineering is done using computers but if you rely solely on them yoursquove missed the plot because you always have to verify results by going back into the field to test what yoursquove done on the computer

Rudolph Beer of Martin EngineeringYou canrsquot do without them

Willem Sullivan of HansenIt is where I do all my design work So if it was not for computers we would be decades behind in terms of what we can do I absolutely love it

Greg Perry of SEWThey have definitely made things faster but the en-gineer still needs to understand the theory and pay attention to the detail or you make mistakes faster

Jean Schoeman of National Oilwell Varco Very useful until they give problems Then you just want to hit them with a hammer But the digital world has managed to speed up the communica-tion of information

If you had all the money in the world what would you design

Elbie Cornelius of National Oilwell Varco A solar and wind power station to supply the whole continent with electricity

Rudolph Beer of Martin EngineeringDevelop the safe harvesting of atomic energy

30 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

ldquoSA Mechanical Engineerrdquo speaks to Dave Goodman managing director of Spectra Car-bide Tooling Technology in Cape Town about the various management models they have

developed specifically to control tooling ldquoOur tool management systems were developed through our involvement with some of the major automotive OEMs in South Africardquo he says ldquoThe management system where we take over full control of the tool-ing facility on the premises has been running for twelve years now at some of these plants

Systems for allldquoBut these systems are not only for OEMs and

large operationsrdquo Dave remarks ldquoTo meet dif-ferent requirements we now have four levels of management systems on offer each requiring a different level of active involvement from our side This varies from purely holding stock to supply for a customerrsquos specific needs right through to taking over full control of tooling by having a permanent on-site office manned by fulltime Spectra staffrdquo

A typical level 4 operation with a Spectra team permanently stationed on the customerrsquos premises will be equipped with a fully-computerised store inventory system to control the purchasing of all tooling from spindle to point ldquoThe team will control all the new stock and used tools by negotiating and dealing with tier two suppliers as wellrdquo explains sales manager Wayne Williams ldquoThey are also responsible for presetting tools ready for produc-tion as well as collecting and delivering tools to and from the machines in addition to providing technical support 7 days a week 24 hours a day

BenefitsOne of the cost saving benefits for the customer is less administration because the Spectra team consolidates all invoices so the customer receives

Managing ToolingIn most machine shops the tooling is usually under lock and key to limit access to high-value tool inserts such as end-mills drills reamers and burrs Even so many companies suffer considerable losses as these costly tools get lost are pilfered or are misused because there isnrsquot a proper

management system in place over and above lock and key to control who takes what from the store

To meet different requirements we now have four levels of management on offer each requiring a different level of active involvement from our side

Managing machine tools saves money

Dave Goodman managing director of Spectra Carbide Tooling Technology

MATERIAL SELECTION

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 31

one invoice per month In addition the customer has a highly skilled specialist in-house on tap to provide technical assistance for all tooling drilling tapping milling boring gundrilling honing and line boring on CNC and conventional machines ldquoFrom the management system we can draw extensive reporting for the customer regarding the costs per unit manufactured We produce monthly graphs for trending as well as daily incident reports on tool breakages weekly costs on scrapped tools and we also work out action plans to reduce scrap and improve up-time of the machinesrdquo Wayne adds

In essence this value-add for the customer allows preventative action which ultimately saves the customer money Dave explains ldquoGiven the skills shortage out there no company can afford the personnel purely to manage the machine shop in so much detail With this system we not only fill the skills-gap by integrating with the company but we add value to the company so that they can focus on what they manufacturerdquo

New product developmentIntegration into the customersrsquo operation has proved particularly beneficial when it comes to new product developments Wayne elaborates ldquoWersquore always up to date with the latest technology in tooling and know what can be done in the best possible way Usually it will take a machine shop a while to select the right tooling and method to produce

a new part but with our experts right there on site they can be assured of finding the most suitable solution using the right tooling from the startrdquo

Vending systemOn a lower level of tool management where the operation does not justify a permanent Spectra team on site the company has a tooling vending machine solution ldquoAll the tooling is stored in a vending machine and access to draw the tools out of the machine is controlled by a card or finger-print readerrdquo explains Dave ldquoSuch a system does however have a reporting function which allows the customer to draw the machining cost against each specific job

ldquoThis system has proved popular in South Africa because it can be customised to control the specific functions relevant to each customerrdquo adds David ldquoPart and parcel of this cost-saving solution is training the customer on how best to utilise the system for his needs be it purely controlling the use of tooling or integrating reporting and costing into the business system of the companyrdquo

Wayne Williams Spectra Tel (011) 827-8957 Email waynewspectra-sacoza

From the management system we can draw extensive reporting for the customer regarding the costs per unit manufactured

Special carbide drills reamers end mills and special inserts are manufactured in South Africa

MATERIAL SELECTION

32 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 33

Cubitron can be used to finish profile and or polish materials with high tensile strengths and is particularly useful to extend the lifetime of belts and discs in industrial environments

where hard materials are the order of the dayrdquo

Consistent cutFinishes are little changed through the entire dura-tion of a Cubitron belt from new to completely worn out The secret is that the cutting edges wear in a controlled manner This means that the tiny indi-vidual scratches are the same when the belt is first

put on until it is worn and ready for replacement

ldquoThere are a multitude of cutting edges on each individual grain of the extremely hard ceramic based grain As the grain wears new cutting edges are exposed in a predictable and measured manner to ensure that a consistent action is applied to the surfacerdquo she adds

Using the same ceramic platform 3M developed Cubitron II providing even better results than its predecessor 3M engineers were able to electrostati-cally orient triangular precision shaped ceramic grain acting like a cutting tool This means that the grain slices through metal as opposed to grinding and continuously self-sharpens as points break off This results in discs and belts running cooler and longer The Cubitron II technology is applied in

Starting from Scratch

SURFACE FINISHING

ldquoTo scratch the surface as the saying goes of most modern materials and coatings is not as easy as it used to be Thatrsquos why we developed Cubitron Abrasive Grainrdquo says Kelly Hunt

sales and marketing manager of 3M

34 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

Scratccchingg thhe surfface of abrasivvves ttecchnnologgy is too oopen a compplex sccience

SURFACE FINISHING

belt fibre disc and Roloc form offer-ing a unique solution for wide range of grinding needs

Scratching the surfaceKelly is an abrasives fanatic She says scratching the surface of abrasives technology is to open a complex sci-ence Analysis of different materials and techniques of cutting or finishing has in recent years become a necessity as materials develop and advance Bonding of abrasive onto materials for discs and belts is also more complex than before as manufacturing becomes automated and the tolerance for down-time reduces

But for the average operator technician or engineer it is not so much a matter of what goes into the development of a product but rather finding the solution that suits the intended process The minimum requirement is for a product to perform reliably over an extended period of time and to produce the right finish

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 35

Sometimmess a less expeeensiive buuut mmooree suitaaablee abbrasssivee ccaan give bettterr reesulttss

SURFACE FINISHING

ldquoUsing the abrasives to determine a finish can be as simple or as com-plicated as the producer of finished goods chooses to make it With so many choices available in the market we recommend that industrial users iden-tify the requirements of the abrasive and then speak to trained service technicians from suppliers such as 3M

Not about priceldquoPrice is not always the determining factor Some-times a less expensive but more suitable abrasive can give better results and in other instances the use of cheaper materials in the wrong application may be costly as materials will need to be replaced more oftenrdquo

Kelly recommends that us-ers of industrial abrasives take the time to research new products and as-sess their suitability for their processes ldquoYoursquoll be surprised that some of the new abrasives can do the job better and in half the time than older technology abrasives canrdquo she concludes

3M Dylan Ian Hunter Tel (011) 806-2186 Email dhuntermmmcom www3Mcom

36 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

IT TRENDS

ldquo M o b i l e c o m p u t i n g

continues to grow and alongside other IT trends

such as cloud computing social technologies and the era of big data It is going to play a pivotal role in the IT industry this year In factrdquo Derick adds

Mobile Computing

Mobile computing is growing momentously and is set to account for as much as 57 of worldwide T market growth in 2013 says Derick Roberts CEO of TruTeq Devices a Pretoria-based

company focusing on wireless connectivity solutions

ldquoit is going to account for the lionrsquos share of growth ndash even more than the cloud computingrdquo

The IDC predicts that worldwide IT spending will exceed $21 trillion up 57 from 2012 The research company also states that mobility will be the biggest driver Sales of smart mobile devices including smart phones and tablets is expected to grow by 20 and will contribute a significant 57 of all IT growth Excluding smart mobile devices IT industry growth will clock in at only 29

Truteq Devices Derick Roberts Tel (012) 667-1530 wwwtruteqdevicescom

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 37

ELECTRIC DRIVE

The technology performance and design of the Cigarette powerboat is closely based on the electric super sports vehicle made in Affalterbach Germany

The 116 metre long Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept powerboat uses two drive units each featuring six independent electric motors At the rear of the boat each drive unit has its own trans-mission one on the left and one on the right The boat is fitted with the twelve compact liquid-cooled permanent-magnet synchronous electric motors which are the signature piece of the SLS AMG Coupeacute Electric Drive each electric motor delivers 138 kW and 250 Newton metres

The maximum output of 1 656 Kilowatts and maximum torque of 3 000 Newton metres combine to reach a staggering top speed of over 160 kmh making this locally emission-free Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept the worlds fastest electri-cally driven powerboat The low centre of gravity and optimum weight distribution ensure sublime

The Worlds Most Powerful Powerboat

handling characteristics during more dynamic changes of direction

The high-voltage battery boasts an energy content of 60 Kilowatt hours an electric load potential of 600 Kilowatts and a weight of 548 kg ndash all of which are absolute best values in the automotive sector The liquid-cooled lithium-ion high-voltage battery features a modular design with a maximum voltage of 400 V It consists of 12 modules each comprising 72 lithium-ion cells ldquoCigaretterdquo inte-grates four high-tech batteries with a total of 48 modules and 3 456 cells which generate a total capacity of 240 Kilowatt hours and an electric output of 2 400 Kilowatts respect even in the boat building industry

The Cigarette on-board chargers as standard Adapted to fit the infrastructure standard of many American marinas the boat has a charging capac-ity of 44 Kilowatts The battery is fully charged in approximately seven hours To reduce the charging time to less than three hours the powerboat can be fitted with four on-board chargers as an option

Mercedes-Benz Shirle Greig Tel (012) 677-1904 Email shirlegreigdaimlercom wwwmercedes-benzsacoza

Mercedes-AMG and Cigarette Racing launched the latest development of their cooperation at the Miami International Boat Show in February Numerous components from the SLS AMG Coupeacute Electric Drive have been integrated in the design of the Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept engineering design The high performance drive fitted in the electric super sports car makes the off shore powerboat the worlds most

powerful and fastest electrically-driven motor boat With an output of 1 656 Kilowatts and a maximum torque of 3 000 Newton metres the Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept is a fascinating new development

Combine to reach a staggering top speed of over 160 kmh

38 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

ENVIRONMENT

They have been in service for decades

under the toughest conditions ndash and

have proven themselves worldwide

Voith fluid couplings protect belt con-

veyors and drive components by provid-

ing smooth acceleration and torque

control allowing for frequent loaded

starts with the least amount of stress on

the drive and belt

In multi-motor drives they ensure pre-

cise load distribution Result fewer

downtimes ndash and the service life of the

belt and the drive components is in-

creased The latest product innovation is

the Voith TurboBelt 780 TPXL

infovtzavoithcom

wwwrsavoithturbocom

Protect Your Belt Conveyors with

Voith Fluid Couplings

ai_a

it_44

0_e

n ai

k

Water Disclosure ReportingJust as companies are addressing their carbon emissions and

provide carbon reporting to the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) water is becoming a growing priority

Reporting on it is becoming another critical sustainability issue

2011 saw a marked increase in the number of the worldrsquos largest companies reporting on their water usage on the risks that water presents and on their responses to

that risk Responses from these companies indicate that water is impacting global business now and yet water is not nearly as high on the corporate agenda as climate change

Evidence is mounting that South Africa is facing a water crisis of substantial proportions This crisis encompasses all aspects of water management on both the demand and supply side The mounting impacts of acid mine drainage and declining wa-ter quality add to the crisis South Africarsquos water security is likely to be further complicated by an increasingly uneven and unpredictable supply of rainfall as a result of climate change and by a reli-ance on significant water transfers from neighbour-

ing countries In meeting this crisis South Africa will have to resolve tough trade-offs in water use between agriculture key industrial activities such as mining and power generation and the supply to rapidly growing urban centres

Evidence is clearJSE 100 companies will need to show leadership in sustainably managing the water resources on which they rely for their day-to-day business operations The available evidence is clear It is not sustainable to continue exploiting water resources by follow-ing a lsquobusiness as usualrsquo approach If this is the case South Africarsquos freshwater resources will be depleted and unable to meet the needs of people and industry in the next 20 years if not before

In 2011 the response rate to the CDP Water Disclosure amongst South African companies was 46 (26 out of 56 companies) Many of South Africarsquos most significant corporate water users are therefore not yet able to or are not yet ready to report on their water-related risks

Promethuim Robbie Louw Tel (011) 706-8185 Email Robbiepromethiumcoza wwwpromethuimcoza

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 39

EXHIBITION

The Steel and Engineering Industries Federation (SEI-FSA) the Lifting Equipment Engineering Association

of SA (LEEASA) the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA) and the SA Institute of Welding (SAIW) have thrown their weight behind the biggest industrial and engineering trade show in Africa

The three-day 10-shows-in-one event takes place from 14 to 16 May 2013 at Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand Johannesburg

SEIFSA Conference at Indutec The Steel and Engineering Indus-tries Federation of South Africa (SEIFSA) will hold its annual conference at Indutec celebrating 70 years of active support for its members industry and business in Africa The federation has over 2 220 member companies which employ more than 224 000 people comprising 53 of the industryrsquos workforce

SAIW ldquoWe take our affiliations with leading industry players very seriously including our en-dorsement of Indutecrdquo says Jim Guild chief executive officer of the SA Institute of Welding ldquoThese industry ties form part of our strategy to create strong relationships which support our objective and Governmentrsquos mandate to enhance the manufacturing sector in South Africardquo

LEEASAThe Lifting Equipment Engineer-ing Association of South Africa (LEEASA) which is a division of the Chamber of Engineering Tech-

nology (COET) will also be using its endorsement of Indutec to promote its activities in the engineer-ing and technology sectors in general Chamber spokesperson Viv Nel says its exposure at the fair will create more awareness of the Chamberrsquos role in all engineering and technology-driven industries

ECSAIndustry regulator the Engineering Council of South Africa shares these aims ldquoAs a custodian of en-gineering intellectual capital in South Africa our endorsement of Indutec provides us with a platform to publicise our role in the engineering sector and government infrastructure initiativesrdquo says Edgar Sabela ECSArsquos Strategic Services Executive

ldquoWe need to produce 10 times more engineers to compete with developed economies Involvement with the Indutec show will allow us to promote engineering as a career through our Engenius Programme and showcase our existing engineer-ing excellence Most importantly it enables us to network with all key players in the field and even conclude some businessrdquo

Tenfold Benefits to ExhibitorsJohn Thomson managing director of Exhibition Management Services organisers of the 10-in-one Fair says the unqualified support from leading in-dustry bodies indicates the showrsquos tenfold value to the engineering industrial and technology sectors ldquoThis undoubtedly translates into multiple benefits for the showrsquos exhibitors and ultimately to show visitorsrdquo he concludes

Indutec Serean ThomsonTel (011) 783 7250 Email marketingexhibitionsafricacom wwwexhibitionsafricacom

Boosting the Manufacturing Sector32 of South Africarsquos leading industrial and engineering professional and employer associations Chambers and

Councils have collectively endorsed Indutec the recently launched South African Industry and Technology Fair 2013

Promech Publishing through SA Mechanical Engineer and Bulk Handling Today will produce and publish the Official Catalogue for this prestigious show

Make sure your presence is felt before during and after the show by advertising in this one-of-a-kind reference publication

Contact Mark Bennett Tel (011) 781-1401 Email samechengpromechcoza

Jim Guild CEO of the SA Institute of Welding

Edgar Sabela - ECSArsquos Strategic Services Executive

Adelia Pimentel - Marketing and Communications Manager SEIFSA

40 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

MARKET FORUM

ldquoBMG has identified a need in diverse sectors for on-site maintenance services to overcome production challengesrdquo says Dave Russell technical director BMG ldquoRecognising the extreme constraints of high energy prices low productivity the critical skills shortage and a highly competitive economic environment BMG brings a total solutions service to the fore

ldquoIndustry can now access all critical production efficient products and services from one supplier What this means is lower production costs and higher pro-duction efficiency giving South African industry a distinct competitive advantage

ldquoBMGrsquos on-site services include applica-

tion design evaluation and optimisation as well as installation trouble-shooting and service exchange contracts The company also offers predictive planned and breakdown maintenance and energy and reliability studiesrdquo

The company also offers extensive train-ing which covers electrical mechanical hydraulic pneumatic electronic and materials handling disciplines as well as predictive maintenance and component failure analysis

BMG ndash Bearing Man Group Veronique van Niekerk Tel (031) 576-6221Email veroniquevbmgworldnet wwwbmgworldnet

Tenova Takraf Africa (formerly Bateman Engineered Technologies) is putting the final pieces together in completing an order for the supply of a 55m x 275m hydraulically-driven SAG mill to Ontario Graphite operators of the Kearney Mine located in Kearney O n t a r i o Canada

ldquoTenovarsquos scope

Unique SAG Mill in Canada

ABB started with a bang following the order of 2 400 robots by BMW Group Over the next three years the robots will be installed at factories in Regensburg and Leipzig Germany as well as in Tiexi China The ABB robots will mainly be used for mate-rial handling tasks as well as gluing and spot welding processes

ABB robots enable customers to implement efficient manufacturing systems that sustainably produce high-quality products The com-panyrsquos range of products and solu-tions for lean manufacturing cover the range from body-in-white to the final assembly of complete car bodies They improve competitiveness and at the same time optimally comply with customer specifications ABB has installed more than 200 000 robots worldwide

ABB Robotics Natasha Mathebula Tel (010) 202-6156 Email natashamathebulazaabbcom wwwabbcom

2400

Robots

Total Solution

of work includes the engineering manufacturing shipping and technical assistance during erection of the SAG millrsquos feed end shell discharge end drive and main bearings as well as all supporting equipment (lubrication and jacking systems)rdquo says Tenova Takraf

engineer Pieter van der Walt ldquoThe main hydraulic motor and rubber

shell liners were outside our commercial scope of supply but inside our technical

scope of supplyrdquo he adds

The mill is a conventional SAG (semi-autogenous grinding) mill in all ways apart from its drive assem-bly and it is centre-driven

at the discharge end using a Haggluumlnds hydraulic motor and powerpack ldquoTo date this is the largest hydraulic motor installed on a SAG mill with 950kW of power torque of 1 200 kNm (start-up) and 650 kNm (operational) and speed of 1386 rpmrdquo adds Pieter

Since the mill had to be retrofitted to an existing foundation a number of adaptations were required to maintain the mill centreline as well as feed-end and discharge-end positions Certain additions were required to anchor the main motor torque arm

Tenova Takraf Pieter van der Walt Tel (011) 899-2372 Email pietervanderwaltbatemancom wwwtenovagroupcom

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 41

MARKET FORUM

World Record

The ADR plant at Kisladag Mine

FLSmidth designs and manufactures indirect heated carbon regeneration kilns and calciners from half a ton per day and larger These kilns and calciners can be fuel gas oil or electric and are skid mounted pre-wired and pre-piped The companyrsquos patented bellows kiln seal has proved effective in eliminating air ingress and process gas egress and can be retrofitted to kilns from other manufacturers FLSmidth holds the world record for the lowest emissions on a carbon plant

And at the companyrsquos Merrill Crowe plant capacities range from skid mounted 34 cubic metres per hour modular plants to full size 2 100 cubic metres per hour The range of supply for plants includes clarification filters de-aeration towers vacuum pumps zinc dust feeders lead nitrate feeders and zinc cones precipitate filter feed pumps filter pre-coat and body feed systems as well as precipitate filters used by refinery and smelting facilities to produce gold bullion

These plants incorporate proprietary zinc dustlead nitrate feeder and mix-ing cone system The company offers individual plant components and partial or complete plant equipment packages together with total plant design

FLSmidth Terence Osborn Tel (010) 210-4820

Magnet has extended its range of abrasive products to include 3Mrsquos new Cubitron II abrasive belts with enhanced grinding performance improved productivity and extended service life

ldquo3Mrsquos new technology has resulted in increased speed improved consistency and extended belt liferdquo says Brian How-arth MD Magnet ldquoThese new abrasive belts ensure up to 30 faster cutting on hard to grind metals like stainless steel nickel alloy and cobalt chrome They also divert heat from the workpiece and belt to the swarf which means cooler cutting This helps eliminate burnishing and minimises heat stress Cubitron II abrasive belts last up to four times longer than conventional ceramic aluminium oxide beltsrdquo

3M Abrasives Bradley Reddy Tel (031) 274 1050 Email bradleyrmagnetgroupcozawwwmagnetgroupcoza

4 x Longer

42 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

MARKET FORUM

X-Calibur is one of the latest product offerings from TAL and was specified to protect the concrete structure of the worldrsquos second longest cable-stayed bridge against corrosion throughout its design life

Stonecutters Bridge is a high level cable-stayed bridge which spans the Rambler Channel in Hong Kong connecting Nam Wam Kok Tsing Yi Island and Stonecut-ters Island Hong Kong is well known for its hot summer weather which is also humid and unstable Temperatures

Say No to Corrosionusually exceed 30oC during the day which coupled with high humidity can result in an extreme heat index

ldquoHot and humid environments have a great effect on the durability of concrete As a rule of thumb we say for every 10oC increase in temperature the possibility of corrosion induced damage to concrete is doubled Add humidity in a marine envi-ronment then protection of the structure is of paramount importancerdquo says Brian Davies CEO X-Calibur International In order to guard the bridge from corro-

sion X-Shield EpoxySeal CR was sup-plied to shield the prestressed concrete cable anchorages from the effects of the environment In addition X-Shield FlexCoat was used in various areas of the structure This provides corrosion protection to reinforced concrete from chloride and carbon dioxide

ldquoThe main challenge was compliance with the strict project specifications as the engineer wanted to ensure that protection would be provided throughout the design life of the structure X-Calibur

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 43

MARKET FORUM

had the products independently tested to prove compliance to all aspects of the specificationrdquo John adds

The materials were applied by spe-cialist painters who had been trained by X-Calibur ldquoMaterials were mixed and applied strictly in accordance with method statements supplied by X-Calibur to ensure working time and recoat windows were not exceededrdquo concludes John

TAL Andrew Dekker Tel (031) 579-2263 wwwtalcoza

Fluid conveyance and pumping solutions expert Incledon has supplied a large water supply line project in the Free State with a total of 4 km of Ultraflo pipes manufactured in-house by DPI Plastics - a leading manufacturer of water reticulation drainage and pipe-fitting systems in South Africa

DPI Plastics technical and product manager Renier Snyman points out that the companyrsquos range of Ultraflo pipes are manufactured from modified polyvinyl chloride (mPVC) which is specifically designed to provide similar tensile strength and greater resilience than standard PVC piping products ldquoThe Ultraflo range of pressure piping systems are ideally suited to bulk water supply projects due to the fact that mPVC is considerably more ductile than industry standard unplasticised polyvinyl chloride (uPVC)rdquo he explains

Renier notes that the ductility of the Ultraflo uPVC piping system ensures that

Large Water Supply Project

the pipes have exceptional resistance to crack propagation under pressure ldquoThe product being supplied to the water sup-ply line project is the 500 mm Ultraflo system which is the largest in the DPI Plastics range It boasts a pressure rat-ing of 12 bar with a design stress of up to 18MPa making it ideally suited as a large underground piping systemrdquo

According to Renier Ultraflo pipes offer environmental advantages too ldquoDue to its superior toughness the wall thick-ness of mPVC is less than that of uPVC This ensures that less materials are used during the manufacturing process which ultimately results in a lighter product that is easier to transport and install thereby minimising the carbon footprint of the piperdquo

DPI Plastics Martine Goodchild Tel (021) 957 5600 Email mgoodchilddpiplasticscozawwwdpiplasticscoza

Donrsquot Miss Out

Promech Publishing is putting the Visitorsrsquo Catalogue together for this Show

Contact Mark Bennett on Tel (011) 781-1401 or Email samechengpromechcoza

to book your space

44 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

MARKET FORUM

Displaying and discussing some of the Dodge housed bearings on offer to local industry and mining are (from left) Tony Patten of Specialised Bearings amp Transmission Peter Small-Shaw Wilecrsquos Product Manager Bearings and Frans Odendaal Wilecrsquos Technical Specialist Bearings

The Bearings division of Actom group company Wilec has formed a strategic alliance for the supply of Dodge housed bearings into southern Africa The partner-ship agreement with Johannesburg-based Specialised Bearings amp Transmission the local distributor for Dodge extends Wilecrsquos ability to satisfy the requirements of industry and mining in a diverse range of bearings applications

ldquoThe most exciting thing about our tie-up with Dodge is that housed bearings while already widely accepted in the US and other leading industrialised countries is a relatively new concept locally but one which offers advanced features to users compared with conventional plum-mer block arrangementsrdquo said Frans Odendaal Wilecrsquos Technical Specialist Bearings

ldquoDodge housed bearings are supplied pre-assembled and sealed so eliminating all risk of contamination during fitment The advanced sealing arrangement and unique adapter system guarantees longer

Strategic Alliance

life ndash up to six times that of a conven-tional plummer block Other cost-saving advantages are that they can be installed by a semi-skilled technician very quickly normally in less than 15 minutes and the need to measure pre- and post-reduction clearance is eliminatedrdquo

ldquoIt is a differentiated product and with it we are able to provide a bearing that is especially well suited to local conditions

and offers benefits that are of real value to customers A particularly important aspect to bear in mind is that the total cost of ownership of a Dodge bearing is significantly lower than that of the conventional product due to its greater reliability and durabilityrdquo

Wilec Frans Odendaal Tel (011) 629-9300 Email fransowileccoza

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 45

MARKET FORUM

Emis Sales 2002 part of Becker Min-ing South Africa supplies a wide range of electrical equipment up to 1 100 V for use in hazardous and non-hazardous areas in the mining petrochemical and surface industry sectors

New to the Emis range are Proloc pro-tection and control relays which are suitable for thermal overload protection of conveyors compressors crushers fan and pump motors as well as shuttle cars and flitting panels

ldquoThe stand-alone Emis ProLoc electronic protection and control relay system which has been designed for the optimum protection of motor and feeder circuits connected to outlet sockets has a wide choice of six user-selectable protection features to meet exact requirementsrdquo says Frikkie Quirk managing director Emis Sales 2002 ldquoAn important advan-tage of this system is a door mounted infra-red link that enables a laptop with Proloc software to manage all settings

and downloads without having to open the panel door and expose personnel to dangerous live equipment This is a critical requirement in the OHSA actrdquo

This system is easy to set up via the Proloc MMI 420 display man-to-machine interface or via a laptop with Proloc software

Emis Sales 2002 Tel (016) 341-6134 Email infozabecker-miningcom wwwzabecker-miningcom

Optimum Protection

Birkenmayer a material processing systems supplier in South Africa and local supplier of German-engineered Eirich material processing technology recently released the Evactherm drier a new product that marries the advantages

Superheated Vacuum Steam

of mechanical and thermo dynamical processes to provide cost-effective and highly efficient drying and processing of filter cake and sludgersquos using superheated vacuum steam

Until now it has been important to observe

a maximum middle temperature when applying direct drying to heat sensitive materials and even more important to avoid the excessive local and boundary temperatures that frequently damage the drying product Both heat and ma-terial transport need to be considered and while convective drying processes such as spray drying largely avoid these problems they are only effective if a surface is available for the hot gas flow

Adjustable for both direct and convec-tive drying and processing Evactherm driers overcome these obstacles while providing a number of further benefits

Super-heated vacuum steam performs drying and granulation while the com-bination of mechanical and thermo dynamical processes allows for low dry-ing temperatures and gentle processing of temperature sensitive materials It also enables continuous drying for long periods of time as fresh material may be continuously added into the fluidized bed replacing material that has already been vaporised

H Birkenmayer Louis Eksteen Tel (011) 970 3880-8 Email louisbirkenmayercozawwwbirkenmayercoza

The Evactherm drier

Proloc protection and control relays

46 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

The Eastern Capersquos Coega Industrial Development Zone (IDZ) is one of a number of industrial regions in South Africa to benefit from Air Products South Africarsquos strategy of long-term capital investment

A region which has long been under-served when it comes to reliable gas supply the Eastern Cape will soon have

A Long-term Viewits own air separation unit (ASU) ndash the first of its kind in the province Seelan Gounden GM supply chain at AirProd-ucts explains the reasons behind the companyrsquos latest investment

ldquoCurrently there is no local industrial gas supply in this area and cryogenic gases have to be procured elsewhere This situation compromises the service

MARKET FORUM

ART Solar specialists in the manufacture of solar photovoltaic (PV) modules for the sustainable generation of electrical power has made the following appointment an-nouncementsMark Walsh as managing director Dr Ronald FM Lange as chief operating officer Robert Ramshaw as financial manager and Gavin Rosslee as production manager

Gavin RossleeRobert RamshawMark Walsh

Jeanne Els has been appointed as Hatchrsquos Managing Director of Operations

Jeanne Els

Ronald Lange

Anton Theunissen

SKF South Africa recently appointed Anton Theunissen as Distributor De-velpoment Manager for South Africa and neighbouring coun-tries

Index to Advertisers

Axiom 12

Bearings International 36

Bibby Turboflex 28

Bonfiglioli 10

Engen 34

Festo 35

Hansen 44

Horne SA 29

IDC Inside Back Cover

ILS 32

KDP Services 22

Loesche 31

Polysius 4

PPS 11 29

Mercedes Outside Back Cover

Merseta Inside Front Cover

MIEO Outside Front Cover

Transmission Components 14

Voith 38

Yellotec 16 17

delivery to our existing customers who have to depend on product being trucked over vast distances Thus we identified the Eastern Cape as a key priority invest-ment destination with a clear need for a new air separation facility dedicated to servicing the region We chose the Coega IDZ after careful market analysis We are pleased to be able to be a part of the growth and development of the region through providing a long-needed security of supply and value-added servicerdquo

Ayanda Vilakazi head of Marketing and Communications at the Coega IDZ adds ldquoThe viability of the new ASU is indis-putable It will mean not only security of gas supply to the region benefiting the many industries here but it also means job security for other investors jobs along the value chain and scope for training and human resource develop-ment as well as enhanced Corporate Social Investment initiativesrdquo

Seelan Gounden AirProducts wwwairproductssouthafricacoza

Left to right Chris Mashigo Executive Man-ager - Business Development Coega Develop-ment Corporation Themba Khoza Executive Manager ndash Operations Coega Development Corporation Seelan Gounden GM - Supply Chain Air Products Pierre Fourie Area Sales Manager ndash Eastern Cape Air Products signed the lease agreement between the CDC and Air Products South Africa

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 47To apply online for funding of R1 million or more go to wwwidccoza

Telephone 086 069 3888Email callcentreidccoza

Driving new market innovationsThe IDC supports high-impact job creation projects acting as a

catalyst to lead new sector development and support existing

industry and sector growth in alignment with governmentrsquos

New Growth Path (NGP) National Development Plan (NDP)

and Industrial Policy Action Plan (IPAP)

The IDC Strategic High Impact Projects (SHIP) Strategic Business

Unit in partnership with the IDC Innovation Department has

launched an Open Innovation Challenge to encourage the

development and implementation of sustainable high-impact

industrial initiatives and projects

The IDC calls upon individuals engineering communities

corporates project sponsors and other related entities to enter

into a partnership to develop qualifying projects that result in

sustainable and profi table industries exploit the value-adding

opportunities of existing and new value chains and enable the

development of innovative local economies

Whatwho qualifi es

projects which enable the development of new industries

across multiple IDC focus sectors

introduce new markets and value chains or revolutionise

existing ones through the use of disruptive technologies

or new approaches

development impact and employment creation

across mandated IDC industrial sectors

SHIP wishes to ensure that the projects undertaken play a major

role in industrial development and employment creation within

the South African and SADC regions

Interested applicants are invited to submit their project

proposals online at

httpopeninnovationidccozaidc-ship-challenge between

project proposals will be informed in May regarding SHIP

wishing to partner with them in the development of the

proposed project

Please contact Bertie Strydom BertieSidccoza and

RetiefBidccoza for more information

Chillibush9119IDC

48 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

A D

aim

ler B

rand

You built the bridges the roads and the tunnels We built the carAs a member of the Engineering Council of South Africa you could qualify for exclusive offers a guaranteed 3-day service booking as well as PremiumDrive our 6 year100 000km maintenance plan To take advantage of this outstandingopportunity inform your nearest dealer of your ECSA status

Not in conjunction with other Mercedes-Benz Fleet ProgrammesOffers Excludes AMG and Limited Edition modelsVehicle specifications may vary for the South African market

Page 10: SAME Mar2013

10 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 11

the project engineer who worked on this project

Future ndash a concept a dream or a wishUsing the technology and engineering knowledge available to make South Africa more sustainable If we could use this know-how to overcome the challenges that the country faces it would be a major breakthrough for the nation

Irsquod also like to see more being done in terms of renewable energy We are for example closely studying further possibilities to use biomass as a fuel to generate steam and electricity in our processes Wersquore also looking at fluidised bed boiler technology so that we can use the

abundance of low-grade coal in the country

Most Challenging ProjectA few years back we did a recovery optimisation project to improve the recovery of by-products from the pulping pro-cess The main product is caustic soda used in the cooking process We installed a new causticizing plant pulp screen-ing plant scrubber and refurbished the fluidised bed reactor The challenge was combining the new plant installation with the refurbishment work all in an existing plant within a very limited time span

Most Rewarding ProjectIt was the installation of an A-4 sheeting and packaging line We bought a second-hand machine in Germany and just to get the machine up and running was a challenge in itself

CommentaryAre there shortcomings in the Mechanical Engineering Industry in South AfricaYes we have a shortage of maintenance professionals When I was at university we were not trained in maintenance at all Mechanical engineering has a major role to play in this field where the scope for improvement in todayrsquos industry is enormous We need to start training in maintenance at an academic level much like some of the universities have now started doing However mentorship and in-house training has a very important role to play as well

Message to young engineersYoung engineers have to take ownership of their own develop-ment and not expect somebody else to do it for them Many young engineers feel the employer owes them something They must get involved at all levels and work their way up so that when theyrsquore the seniors they know what goes on at the lower levels Remember yoursquore never too clever to learn

MONTHLY COLUMN

Prominent ProfessionalsCarel Kruger Engineering Manager

Academic

School Graduate studies Rob Ferreira High School Whiteriver B Eng at University of Pretoria

Post-graduateB Tech degree in Pulp amp Paper Management Development Programme through Unisa Gov-ernment certificate of competence

Professional bodiesRegistered with Ecsa as Pr Eng and Pr Certifi-cated Engineer

Career Path

First employerStarted with Sappi at the Enstra Mill as an engineering trainee after doing national service in the army

Growth pathAfter a few years at Sappi I left to work for a small engineer-ing company for five years I went back to Sappi as a project engineer I was then promoted to a number of positions at Enstra Mill these included maintenance engineer project manager services manager and maintenance manager before I took up my current position

Present employer amp positionSappi Enstra Mill as an engineering manager

AchievementsA projectMost of our work in the maintenance environment involves minimising breakdowns optimising the performance of the equipment and working on continuous improvements to either overcome business challenges or increase the success rate of our production plant One of our teamrsquos notable project was to de-bottleneck the bleach plant The project involved stabilising the pulp consistency control in a refurbished high density chest system At the same time we installed a new feed system into the oxygen reactor

This was a major breakthrough in terms of availability of equipment and the throughput of the plant because of reduced breakdowns and blockages It was a case of applying new technology in a very old plant challenging our engineering skills to the maximum

Any awardsA Sappi internal silver engineering award was given to me and

WErsquoRE ENGINEERED TO SHAREOver R73 billion N rsquo S S E Hrsquo NA E

S

S S S trade T S S

12 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 201314 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 62 May 2012

AXIOM HYDRAULICS (PTY) LTD

HA

Tel (011) 334-3068 334-3086 Fax (011) 334-4543E-mail axiomjhbmwebcoza

SAMHYDRAULIK which is one of the leaders in the field of hydraulictransmission has been operating for over 25 years in the internationalmarket offering a complete range of orbital hydraulic motors and power steering units axial pumps andmotors for medium and highpressure ranges all characterisedby excellent performances

SAMHYDRAULIK employs 120people who operate inside avery modern and efficient plantthat spans over 6 000 squaremetres to assure a high standardand flexible production capacityThe latest computer technologyis used for both design andproduction combined withstrict quality control proceduresduring all production phaseswhich translates into innovativereliable and functionalproducts that meet the various needs of the marketIts ISO 9001 certificationheld since 1994 is theresult of a quality-orientated philosophyon which SAMHYDRAULIKhas always based itsoperation

17 Heidelberg Road Village Main Johannesburg 2000P O Box 260248 Excom South Africa 2023

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 13T

POWER TRANSMISSION

Rossi a power transmission equipment manu-facturer from Modena in Italy did this by establishing the companyrsquos first permanent subsidiary in South Africa ldquoSA Mechanical

Engineerrdquo speaks with the deputy general manager of Rossi South Africa Kyle Dick about the range of new products theyrsquore now offering locally

ldquoInitially Rossi was represented in South Africa through my company DDI Transmissions in Springs as an agent for their comprehensive range of gear-boxes but now operates as a subsidiary for Rossi SPA to service the whole of sub-Saharan Africardquo he explains ldquoThe product range as such is thus not new to the South African market but wersquore of-fering a much wider range incorporating the latest in drive train technology for a wide variety of applica-tionsrdquo

in KwaZulu Natal ldquoNot only is the market in South Africa very similar to the mining industry there but many of the mining companies and major project

houses operate in both countries This made us realise that the South African market could

certainly be expanded from the footprint which Kyle has already established hererdquo

New rangesThe Rossi Group is one of Europersquos larg-est industrial groups for the production and sale of gear reducers gear motors

electric standard and brake motors Kyle comments ldquoThey constantly undertake

extensive research into new drive solu-tions A typical example is the EP range

of planetary units and the H-series of new helical and bevel-helical gear units specifically developed for heavy industry applicationsrdquo

Manufacturers of bulk handling equipment like conveyor systems ship loaders stacker

reclaimers and mine processing machinery are all familiar with Rossi drives and have been direct clients of the company for many years The gear reducers and gear motors include planetary worm coaxial right angle parallel shaft gear reducers and

Italian Gearboxes Now in SA

With South African industry particularly mining being very similar to that of Australia some international companies build up a strong footprint in Australia and then use this

experience to bring their expertise to the South African mining industry as well

The product range as such is thus not new to the South African market but wersquore now offering a much wider range incorporating the latest in drive train technology for a wide variety of applications

roduct s notcan of-er g ne -

Africa very simany of the

houses oprealise t

certaiwhic

NeTheestand

eleccomm

exteti

Ma

Kyle Dick (left) and Marcello Cassanelli of Rossi South Africa

The Rossi range of products has done extremely well in Australia leading to the establishment of a main subsidiary there and three regional officesrdquo says Marcello Cassanelli the other deputy

general manager from Italy who is helping Kyle in the coming years to get the business going at Tongaat

14 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

POWER TRANSMISSION

I prefer to go on site and help out with tricky problems but I also have good experience in gearbox selection a critical factor in todayrsquos market

speed reducers specifically bring flexibility to the market The system is completely modular allowing each solution to be tailor-made to a specific ap-plication yet itrsquos still cost effective as all products emanate from a standard production unit The new H series covers 825 kNm through to 1700 kNm while the EP series can cover up to 3000 kNm

ldquoComplementary and ancillary equipment such as cooling fans coils or independent cooling units oil heaters and labyrinth seals are of an equal qual-ity and toughness as our rugged gear units which are built and customised for the most challenging conditions or environments any industry can pos-sibly presentrdquo Marcello adds The company is so confident in the quality and reliability of their product range that theyrsquore offering a worldwide warranty on all their geared products

Central baseldquoWe based the new South African headquarters in Tongaat because it puts us close to a port for bringing in components so we can assemble geared units more cost-effectivelyrdquo says Kyle ldquoWersquore in the heart of the sugar industry yet right next to an international airport so that wersquore in reach of any-where in Africa within a couple of hours In addition wersquove established a sales office in Johannesburg

ldquoThe fact that Marcello brings to the table his inter-national experience to complement my knowledge of local conditions and requirements gives me the confidence that wersquoll be able to provide the local market with services and products both the end-users and competitors will regard with respectrdquo adds Kyle ldquoTo top this off we have direct support from highly-experienced engineers in Italyrdquo

SelectionKyle is a hands-on man who has worked his way up in the company through the ranks in the workshop on site and in the office ldquoI prefer to go on site and help out with tricky problems but I also have good experience in gearbox selection a critical factor in todayrsquos marketrdquo he says in conclusion

ldquoAlthough most project houses do the selection wersquore always prepared to share our experience with others in order to make the right selection right from the start I am confident that we now have the right product the right facilities in terms of support and the experience to serve the local market with competitive pricingrdquo

Kyle Dick Rossi South Africa Tel (032) 944-3505 Email kyleddirossicoza

gear motors while other standard products are large size parallel and right angle shaft gear reducers and gear motors for heavy duty applications

ExtrasMarcello adds ldquoThe new EP and the H range of

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 15

POWER TRANSMISSION

He kicks off by telling us ldquoIf yoursquore not saving money in the end condition monitoring serves no effective purpose Also if you can

afford the consequence of a failure then you donrsquot need to do condition monitoring A good example is found in the food processing industry where they use hundreds of small pumps throughout a plant Instead of having to monitor all these pumps they now use low-cost plastic pumps which can be replaced quickly without holding up the production processrdquo

Part of asset managementldquoTypically you start the development of the condition monitoring process by determining the companyrsquos

maintenance strategy a process called the RCM (reliability centred maintenance) planrdquo explains Kobus ldquoFirst off a hardware breakdown structure of the whole plant is drawn up and a Failure Mode and Effectsrsquo Criticality Analysis (FMECA) performed so that you can decide which of the machines are critical to the operation of your plant the ones which will bring the whole lot to a halt if they fail

Kobus continues ldquoThrough this process the company can also determine what spares to carry as well as the level and types of skills which will be needed to maintain the critical machines in the plantrdquo

MethodsIdeas Solutions not only assists companies to under-take this initial criticality audit but will also advise which one of the four main condition monitoring technologies is most appropriate for each specific application fit it and analyse the data as part of a maintenance contract

ldquoThe solution could take the form of vibration moni-toring alignment monitoring any one of a number of methods of temperature measurements or oil analysisrdquo clarifies Kobus ldquoIn the case of a gearbox for instance we carry out an oil analysis to check whether there are any particles of the same mate-rial as the bearings or the gear teeth and so on

VibrationldquoIn our experience ninety percent of the machines with high maintenance costs are the ones where vibration is the highestrdquo adds Kobus ldquoBeing a destructive phenomenon the extent of vibration indicates whether the machine is balanced running in alignment and gives insight into the condition of the bearings regardless of the type of bearing

Save on MaintenanceCondition monitoring is an integral part of asset management ultimately impacting directly on a

companyrsquos bottom line not only in terms of reducing the risk of unexpected breakdowns but also affecting

machinery life Deciding on what to monitor and how is a scientific task which should be undertaken by specialists ldquoSA Mechanical Engineerrdquo speaks to

Kobus van der Westhuizen director of Ideas Solutions a South African company specialising in engineering

analysis solutions with offices in Cape Town and Pietermaritzburg

We can predict how close that bearing is to failure

Kobus van der Westhuizen director of Ideas Solutions

The ldquoOperational Deflection Shaperdquo

16 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

less costly exercise than an unexpected failurerdquo Kobus says ldquoYou can then order a replacement bearing in good time and make sure you have the right skills on hand to do the replace-mentrdquo

What to fitBeing such a clear indicator of a number of problems in machinery vibration moni-toring equipment can be fitted in a variety of ways If itrsquos a critical machine permanent vibration protec-tion instrumentation is typi-cally fitted on the machine Such a system monitors the machine in real time while constantly evaluating vibra-tion in terms of bearings alignment or imbalance in the machinery

ldquoOur systems are so refined today that you can not only pinpoint which bearing is showing faults but we can even see which part of that bearing is showing strain and whyrdquo Kobus adds ldquoWe can also programme the system against certain parameters so that it trips the machine when certain levels of vibration are ex-

ceeded This is the highest level of protection we can providerdquo

An interesting development in the deployment of an online monitoring system is the technique called ldquoOperational Deflection Shaperdquo (ODS) analysis This is possible when an online system has the capabil-ity of simultaneously measuring all the channels

Simultaneously measuring all the channels of vibration in real time

POWER TRANSMISSION

ldquoIf for example we find that the load on the bearing remains constant we can predict how close that bearing is to failure and plan when the machine can be shut down for a bearing replacement a much

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 17

of vibration in real time This preserves the phase relationship between channels resulting in a visual representation of the machine vibration It makes it easier to observe analyse and document noise and vibration problems in machinery and structures ODS analysis is used to display and analyse ex-perimental multi-channel time or frequency domain data acquired during the operation of a machine or forced vibration of a structure

This provides an interactive animated display with which users can observe spatially defined data such as operating deflection shapes (ODSs) mode shapes acoustic sound and intensity fields or other engineering data such at temperatures or pressures By animating the spatial response of a structure in slow motion users can view a structurersquos overall motion and the motion of one part relative to another Locations of excessive vibration or high levels of noise are easily identified

Next levelThe next level down is a surveillance system often used in conjunction with a protection system ldquoIn contrast to a protection system the surveillance system provides answers as to why things did go wrongrdquo explains Kobus ldquoIn a fan application for example the system will tell you that vibration has increased yet the signature reading from the machine has remained constant This can be as a result of dust build up on the blades or a blade has broken off causing an imbalance which prompts the protection system to stop the machine The system will even tell you which blade has been affected by the faultrdquo

The surveillance system can also be used on its own but still in an online mode ldquoThis feature is used to trend parameters leaving the decision to stop a machine at the discretion of the maintenance engineerrdquo explains Kobus ldquoThese online solutions can either be wired or wireless transmitting data from each sensor to the receivers on the system The data is then channelled to whomever needs it in his or her format of choicerdquo

Options for allOn smaller plants that cannot afford an online sys-tem less critical machinery data from machinery is collected by hand and transferred to a computer for analysis either by the maintenance engineer or under a maintenance contract to an engineer at Ideas Solutions

ldquoItrsquos no longer in question the fact that condition monitoring saves companies money has been proved over and over again if itrsquos done rightrdquo Kobus says in conclusion ldquoCondition monitoring regardless of the

The fact that condition monitoring saves companies money has been proved over and over again if itrsquos done right

POWER TRANSMISSION

extent to which it is integrated on a plant should be part of every companyrsquos maintenance strategyrdquo

Kobus van der Westhuizen Ideas Solutions Tel 082 552-4790 Email kobusideas-onlinecozawwwideas-onlinecoza

18 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

Empowering Municipal Engineers

Corruption and tenderpreneurship fraud financial mismanagement lack of understanding of technical issues

priorities difficulties with job creation and skills shortages are just some of the challenges that face municipal engineers in South

Africa

Name and shameCESA unreservedly supports the call for the banning of public servants from doing business with the state including dealstenders with another department or municipality

ldquoWhat is at stake is not the rights of state employees to do business but rather the integrity of the state procurement system The current public procurement environ-ment in the construction sector is highly complex and conducive to corruption and manipulationrdquo warns CESA President Naren Bhojaram

The problem is further compounded by the lack of accountability and punishment for procurement irregularities and wasteful expenditureldquoThe country has good rules but no-one is playing by themrdquo he adds

CESA believes that it is irresponsible and foolhardy to place employees in positions where they can (or are tempted to) manipu-late procurement and other procedures to unfairly benefit themselves at the expense of the statetaxpayer

CESA

Unqualified people should be discouraged from trying to do the job of the municipal engineer

CESA President Naren Bhojaram

Consulting En-gineers South Africa (CESA) President Na-

ren Bhojaram believes that if South Africa is serious about the empowerment of properly-qualified municipal

engineers it should invest in various interventions such as

training development and ca-pacitating of young engineers for

employment by the local authorities and make the municipal engineering

profession attractive

Currently municipal planning is done rather superficially and only a real municipal engi-

neer and a competent team of visionary planners can sort that out

CESA calls for the embracing of the municipal engineer as a trusted ad-visor as well as creating a working environment to attract and retain municipal engineers The munici-pal engineers must be incentivised (long term employment purpose in life emoluments respect and freedom) and unqualified people

should be discouraged from trying to do the job of the municipal engineer

Stumbling BlockInfrastructure deliveryrsquos biggest stumbling block is the lack of business integrity which involves among other things socialising with clients conflict of interest use of agents and partners collusion and bribery and the disregard of procurement regulations

CESA strongly urges structural changes to the way in which municipal engineers operate including the abandonment of long-term employment contracts for key technical and managerial staff Tender and

bid evaluation committees must include technical legal and financial executives in joint sittings and professional teams must be allowed to compile reports in an independent manner on tenders for the bid evaluation committees

The South African procurement legislation should include a Bribery and Corruption Act such as the UK Bribery Act of 2010 enabling the Courts to prosecute corruption and related issues more ef-fectively as well as the naming and shaming of firms contravening the requirements of the Act

Consulting Engineers South Africa (CESA) Graham Pirie Tel (011) 463-2022Email gspiriecesacoza wwwcesacoza

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 19

ldquoSA Mechanical Engineerrdquo speaks to Willie Muller general manager at KDP Services about the modernisation of old hydraulic machinery ldquoIn terms of upgrading wersquove just

done extensive work at a steel mill to re-design

and implement new technology on a large 1 200 tonne cutting press and a shredding machinerdquo he explains ldquoBoth the machines were imported from Germany originally but have lately started picking up problems seriously hampering production flow

ldquoAfter consulting with the supplierrsquos engineers the problems persisted and the client then called us in to investigaterdquo Willie says ldquoWe found that the hydraulics on both these old machines were outdated but could be updated with new tech-nology rather than replacing the old pumps and valves with costly new imported OEM components

New Life for Old Machines

Very often the spare parts for old machinery imported and installed twenty or more years ago is hard to come by and if it is available

it costs an arm and a leg to import If the problem happens to be hydraulic there is

a local hydraulics company that specialises in updating systems so that local easily-available spares can be used to keep the machine going for many years to come

Willie Muller general manager at KDP Services

CNC machining

Overhauled cylinders ready for delivery

Large cylinder

Hydraulic motor of all makes and sizes are serviced

HYDRAULICS amp PNEUMATICS

Analyse the operation and specifically the machinersquos function in situ before returning to the drawing board to redesign the hydraulic system for better functionality

20 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

New technologyAs the designer in the company

Willie goes out to analyse the operation and specifically the machinersquos function

in situ before returning to the drawing board to redesign the hydraulic system for better

functionality This provides the opportunity not only to introduce the latest technology into the upgrade but also to ensure that easily available local components are used He adds ldquoSince our upgrade the shear which can cut through a 150 by 300mm block of steel in one cut has been run-ning smoothly with none of the previous problems cropping up againrdquo

Similarly the shredding machine where a whole vehicle is fed in one end and comes out in pieces of scrap metal the other end has also been up-graded to run consistently ever since Willie adds ldquoThrough this success wersquove now not only landed the maintenance and service contracts for this mill but theyrsquove asked us to audit the entire plant to investigate other hydraulic systems which can be improved Wersquove already re-designed one of the production lines to introduce an integrated fully automated operationrdquo

First projectWillie might be young but he has worked with KDP since his student days gaining invaluable hands-on experience in all aspects of hydraulic work from the owner of the company Karel Podges ldquoOne of my first projects as a student was designing the hydraulic system for a container lifting and tilting machine used in steel mills to collect and handle scrap metalrdquo he recalls as we come across the remnants of the prototype when we walk in the yard behind the workshop ldquoThis is probably what got me hooked on hydraulics because nothing of the sort existed and I had to design it from scratch around a structure someone else had builtrdquo

Inside the workshop we find engineering equipment ranging from lathes to modern CNC machines all humming away as hydraulic components are turned out of a variety of metals At the hose crimping machine Willie points out the neat final product for a custom-made installation theyrsquore doing One of KDPrsquos specialities is hydraulic motor overhaul-ing which is evident when we see several large Hagglunds drives in various stages of repair in the drive section of the workshop

TestingFinally we get to the test-bench area where a large cylinder is under test for leaks before being taken apart for a complete overhaul ldquoOne of the biggest mistakes generally made when it comes to hydraulic equipment is that people think they can treat the hydraulic components roughly just because they are big and ruggedrdquo Willie remarks ldquoThey lose sight of the fact that dirt is the biggest enemy and they donrsquot take the necessary care to keep the oil or equipment clean causing irreparable damage to seals and delicate surface areas in a systemrdquo

One of the main advantages of KDP is that they are not officially tied up with a specific brand of hydraulic equipment allowing them to work on and supply any make on the market Willie concludes ldquoIn addition wersquore a small company where you learn and get the opportunity to work on all types of applications So each and every problem big or small is tackled with great personal attention to detailrdquo

Willie Muller KDP Services Tel (011) 392-5750 Email williekdp-servicescoza

That people think they can treat the hydraulic components roughly just because they are big and rugged

HYDRAULICS amp PNEUMATICS

The full MontyHydraulic system design from the circuit to pumps motors and all the necessary connecting piping are designed in-house at the 22-year old com-pany ldquoWe design the complete circuit specifying all the components necessary to achieve certain functionsrdquo explains Willie ldquoSimilarly all engineer-ing is undertaken in-house except the honing and chroming of shafts when we overhaul cylinder sets New cylinders are manufactured from tubing and shafts which have already been prepared

ldquoIn terms of piping wersquove built up a good name in many industries both in new installations during maintenance shutdowns or when a fixed installa-tion needs to be movedrdquo he adds ldquoNot only do we design the layout but we physically carry out the installation work ourselves especially when it is a stainless steel pipe installation that requires argon welding to fit the fittingsrdquo

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 21

Compressed Air at Work

Pneumatic systems are extensively used in industry where factories are commonly plumbed with

compressed air or compressed inert gases This is because a centrally-located and electrically-powered

compressor which powers cylinders and other pneumatic devices through solenoid valves is often

able to provide motive power in a cheaper safer more flexible and more reliable manner than electric motors

and actuators

Premium brandApplied Pneumatics established 22 years ago is a South African distributor of Parker Hannifin products ldquoAt a time when everyone is increasingly becoming aware of the benefits of buying premium products which last longer and have proven to be value for money Parker has come up with new innovations which extend this value even furtherrdquo says Dave

ldquoTake valves for example Most low-cost valves are throw-away items which are discarded completely if something goes wrong Our premium valves which cost a bit more initially are serviceable This means we can repair and service them at a fraction of the cost of even a cheap complete unit

ldquoIf the premium repairable valve breaks for in-stance itrsquos quick and easy to strip it right there and then fit new parts and have it up and running in no time as opposed to having to order and wait for a complete replacement unitrdquo adds Dave ldquoAll you need to have in stock are a couple of O-rings for the different valves in a systemrdquo

SA Mechanical Engineerrdquo visits a company in Randburg aptly named Applied Pneumat-ics to speak to managing director Dave McNair ldquoIn a pneumatics application we

supply everything beyond the compressor This includes everything down the line the filtration system water traps regulators and then the lubrication system before you get to the actual application which could be a cylinder control valves actuators or even solenoid valves for the control of liquid flows in a process We also do vacuum applications where suction cups pick objects up to move them aboutrdquo

From left Andrew Livesey applications engineer at Applied Pneumatics Teven McNair sales and Dave McNair managing director

Range includes pneumatic cylinders and actuators valves and logic processing air preparation equipment as well as a whole host of other pneumatic components and accessories

The Parker range of pneumatic equipment includes actuator and motors

HYDRAULICS amp PNEUMATICS

22 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

New conceptSimilarly the air prepa-ration systems from Parker are of a modular design and fully repair-able so that just worn or damaged compo-nents can be replaced ldquoThey have now taken this even furtherrdquo says Dave ldquoA new concept in regulators the Modu-flex clip technology system has just been released No special tools in fact no span-ners at all are needed

to take the unit apart to replace a filter element for instance You sim-ply clip the unit apart by hand replace the

element and clip it together again within a minute

ldquoOn a forklift for example the glass bowl of the air preparation unit is often damaged when the forklifts bump into some-thingrdquo elaborates Dave ldquoOn a low-cost throw-away unit yoursquod have to carry a spare unit to replace the whole unit With the new technology howev-er you simply clip off the damaged part to zap a new one into place In terms of cylinders and actuators the latest development is self-lubricating seals which require no additional lubri-cation whatsoeverrdquo

One of the main drawbacks of pneumatics over hydraulics is that a pneumatic cylinder has to be much larger than a hydraulic cylinder in order to deliver the same power However this does not rule out using pneumatics in heavier applications especially underground where the use of air is generally safer and cleaner than hydraulic oils in the first place

UndergroundldquoA while back we were approached by a platinum mine to design a pneumatic system to open and close underground tipsrdquo Andrew explains ldquoTo prevent people from falling into the ore tip it had to be closed with a heavy steel lid between off-loading operations We not only designed a suit-able pneumatic system but also took part in the installation on various levels all the way down to three kilometres undergroundrdquo

Like many other products there are cheap and nasty pneumatic products on the market and cost is not always an indication of inferiority ldquoThe safe route is to always buy from reputable companies who have been around for a long time and who trade in well-known brandsrdquo Dave says in conclusion ldquoSerious consideration should also be given to the repairability of the equipment Itrsquos no use installing a low cost system which has to be replaced regu-larly while another could last a lifetime if properly looked afterrdquo

Dave Mc Nair Applied pneumatics Tel (011) 792-3381 Email davenappliedpneumaticscoza

No special tools in fact no spanners at all are needed to take the unit apart to replace a filter element for instance

HYDRAULICS amp PNEUMATICS

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 23

TICK

ER T

APE

POWER GENERATION

PROMECH PUBLISHINGTel (011) 781-1401Fax (011) 781-1403Email samechengpromechcozaWebsite wwwpromechcozaManaging Editor Susan CustersEditorial Kowie HammanAdvertising Mark BennettCirculation Catherine MacdivaDTP Zinobia Docrat Donovan VadivaluDisclaimerPROMECH Publishing does not take responsibility for the opinions expressed by individuals

CopyrightAll rights reserved No editorial matter published in ldquoPower Generation Todayrdquo may be reproduced in any form or language without written per-mission of the publishers While every effort is made to ensure accurate reproduction the editor authors publishers and their employees or agents shall not be responsible or in any way liable for any errors omissions or inaccuracies in the publication whether arising from negligence or otherwise or for any consequences aris-ing therefrom The inclusion or exclusion of any product does not mean that the publisher or editorial board advocates or rejects its use either gener-ally or in any particular field or fields

POWERGENERATION

TODAY

Harnessing the Powers of the Ocean

Luciano Garcia-Baylleres COO at HAE

Tidal power has long been utilised as an energy resource used early on in tidal mills to grind grain throughout the Middle Ages More recently it has also been used to generate electricity for instance in the 240 MW tidal barrages at La Rance France Tidal currents however are still largely an untapped energy source While several marine current turbine prototypes

have been tested in the last few years there are only a few of these prototypes deployed to generate electrical power to smaller communities

mainly to demonstrate the viability of the technology

There is currently a renewed interest in using the ocean to generate electric-ity using both traditional hydropower technologies and new hydrokinetic

technologies This interest is being spurred on by official and private initiatives to promote the development of cleaner energy sources and diversification of energy supplies through use of alternative and renewable sources

Tidal energyTidal energy projects hold the promise of producing indigenous renewable predictable electricity without greenhouse gas emissions and with higher power densities in terms of power output per unit area than either solar photovoltaic or wind projects

The International Finance Corporation (IFC) the World Bankrsquos private-sector lending arm is partner-ing with Sasfin Bank to develop a portfolio of energy efficiency and renewable-energy financial products for small medium-sized and microenterprises (SMMEs) in South Africa

Alstom South Africa and the South African Nuclear Energy Corporation (Necsa) have signed an agreement under which the local branch of the French power generation power transmission and rail infrastructure

group will invest R8-million in buying equipment for the new coded welding centre being established at Necsarsquos Nuclear Skills Development (NSD)

The operation and maintenance (OampM) costs of wind farms in South Africa were expected to be in the mid-range of the international market Mott MacDonald consultant Matthias Vinard has reported adding that OampM costs ranged from euro28kW a year to euro68kW a year in international markets

24 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

ocean currents driven for instance by thermal gradients or differences in salinity Along the South African east coast the Agulhas Current is one of the most consistent sea currents in the world and this area has now been identified as the ideal spot to test technology developed by an American company Hydro Alternative Energy (HAE) from Florida USA

Current plans with the local gov-ernment of eThekwini Municipality in Durban supporting the concept of a hydrokinetic energy project off the cityrsquos coast calls for HAE to

initially develop a $20 million 1MW demonstration unit utilising the companyrsquos Oceanus technology to generate electric power from the Agulhas current flowing past the city Additional units each with an anticipated electric power generation capacity of 8 megawatts may then be built and likewise be submerged approximately 30 metres below sea level to prevent interference with shipping traffic

ldquoSA Mechanical Engineerrdquo has a QampA session with Luciano Garcia-Baylleres the Chief Operation Of-ficer (COO) of HAE about the project

Q Some background on HAEA HAE founded in March 2009 is an emerging independent power provider (ldquoIPPrdquo) focused on utilising hydrokinetic and other power develop-ment sources to generate electric power worldwide safely cost-effectively reliably and profitably with minimal or no ecological impact

Our business model provides for utilising certain of our own proprietary technology identifying and locating existing and new technologies and when appropriate partnering with others for our power development and generation needs

Q The South Africa connection with the companyA Research by our technical department identified several places throughout the world as optimal for the initial deployment and commercialisation of our technology After extensive research of each location

POWER GENERATIONTI

CKER

TA

PE

Tidal energy projects may also be useful in lsquofilling in the gapsrsquo in generating power from other intermit-tent energy sources such as wind farms

Marine current energy conversion concerns the po-tential generation of electricity from kinetic energy of freely-flowing water This contrasts with tradi-tional hydro power like a dam where the amount of energy extracted from a river is dependent on the head between the reservoir and the water level below the dam

A similar hydro power approach can in fact be used for tidal power in areas with high tides In this case a barrage can be constructed in a nar-row bay or estuary to utilise the head between low and high water

Consistent currentAnother way to generate electricity from water would be to convert the kinetic energy of flowing water similar to the way a wind turbine extracts energy from the wind In such a case a dam or reservoir is not necessary but rather sites are chosen where the currents are strong such as a narrow sound straight estuary around a headland or in a river

The term lsquomarine currentrsquo constitutes any kind of water current be it tidal unregulated rivers or other

Flow anlysis carried out for current simulations

Another way to generate electricity from water would be to convert the kinetic energy of flowing water similar to the way a wind turbine extracts energy from the wind

Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) MD Noah Gwariro says the state-owned company needs at least $300-million to refurbish thermal power stations in Bulawayo Harare and Munyati and to increase their generation capacities

The planned Karuma hydropower project will have capacity to generate 700MW

and is one of the high-priority projects in Ugandarsquos National Development Plan

The State-owned Ethiopian Electric Power Corporation (EEPCo) has signed a $120-million contract with UK-based company Canbridge Industries for the construction of a 50 MW waste-to-energy power plant

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 25

POWER GENERATION

The components of a sea current power gererating system

The Aghullas current and eThekwini Municipality with their infrastructure qualified human resource and an approach to facilitating large scale green projects was the appropriate site for this first endeavour

How the energy is harnessed

and all the surrounding benefits apart from the presence of good quality currents such as politi-cal stability port infrastructure and focus on green projects we determined that South Africa with its infrastructure qualified human resource and an approach to facilitating large scale green projects was the appropriate site for our first endeavour

Q Background on what the project is all aboutA OceanusTM our first power generation system which we are currently developing and which utilises much of our own proprietary technology is planned to harness the kinetic energy of the ocean to produce safe clean reliable cost-effective electric power

Oceanus will consist of two primary modules the amplification module (the shroud) and the engine module The shroud is a housing that will multiply the normal incoming water flow to a faster velocity as it passes through the engine module generat-ing more kinetic energy This will in turn result in potentially greater electrical power generation capability as well as potentially increased usable offshore locations worldwide

Velocity is the major factor which dictates the hydrokinetic energy that can be extracted from water Within the hydrokinetic energy sector of the renewable andor clean energy industry we have seen that research and development has generally focused on developing energy generation technolo-gies for environments that can only work in very high water velocity environments such as 3 4 5 metres per second While these areas of extreme water velocity are very high in hydrokinetic energy they only exist in a very small percentage of the worldrsquos waters

Our goal is to provide electric power to locations

Shroud

Engine module

Combine modular design

worldwide utilising the kinetic energy in lsquotypicalrsquo water conditions Our current design specifications have a base need of 1 metre per second of water

26 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

POWER GENERATION

flow which by amplifying the velocity is planned to produce 1MW of power This design specification once successfully tested may then be adapted into higher velocity waters As most locations in the world have lower velocity waters a turbine designed to work in 3 4 or 5 metres per second water flows will not work in waters that have velocities of 1-2 metres per second

Q How does it workA The theory behind the development of the system is quite basic having been previously used in other energy production systems such as wind and tidal energy generation Basically the engine is composed of an energy extraction system such as but not limited to our perpendicular access turbine a gorlov turbine a darrieus turbine and an Axial turbine

The other module is the shroud which handles two functions serving as an accelerator of the water ve-locity thus increasing the amount of kinetic energy that can be extracted Secondly it houses the engine protecting marine life from direct contact with the tip of the blades Also Oceanus is designed to be positively buoyant and either secured to the ocean floor or to float at a certain predetermined depth while moored to the ocean floor utilising the same techniques that are currently used in mooring floating oil rigs buoys or floating windmill systems

Q How will it work in KZNA There will be a demonstration unit initially and then we will start the commercial phase by entering into the normal contracts and procedures for energy generation in the country This entails a very large investment from our company where we will focus on potentially buildingassembling the units in Durban thus taking advantage of the excellent and qualified infrastructure it has

Q Who is involved locallyA We have no partners as far as investors or concerns as yet on the South African project but we are not against this possibility in the future From the facilita-tion point of view we have received a lot of support from Derek Morgan at the eThekwini Energy Office and Russell Curtis at DIPA each with their respective teams and other government offices that have been very forthcoming with information and support

Q What equipment does it use ndash where will this be madeA We have already scouted several facilities in Durbanrsquos ship building industry as well as other possible suppliers ranging from the maritime indus-try financial sector to legal consultants in order to make sure that we are in compliance with all regulations and that our perception of excellence from the South African maritime industry is in fact there

Q At what stage is the project nowA The project is currently at an initial logistics stage where we are looking at a more site specific design for the demonstration unit At the same time we are gathering all the information with our lawyers and possible suppliers for the norms procedures permits and licences necessary to comply with local and national regulations

Q Where will power go to A From our initial discussions with the regulatory bodies this energy can be locally distributed and then taken up by the grid as needed This will de-pend on the results of the demonstration unit and the first commercial unit operation which we are confident will exceed expectations

Q Are there sceptics criticsA As discussed before the basic technology has been used in other sectors of the energy generation industry what is being developed by us is the ef-ficient shroud and the maintenance systems which include buoyancy controls and depth determination in order to locate the most efficient current

Q Are there any future plans from your company for South Africa in particularA We believe that we have a good relationship with eThekwini municipality and once we fulfil our project with KZN we would then consider further expansion throughout South Africa

Q What about the other parts of AfricaA Eastern Africa in general presents very good conditions for our technology but for now we are going to concentrate our efforts on deploying this endeavour in South Africa before entertaining new opportunities

Luciano Garcia-Baylleres COO at HAE Tel 561-900-7200 EmailLgarciaHAE-USAcom wwwHAE-USAcom

We will focus on potentially building assembling the units in Durban thus taking advantage of the excellent and qualified infrastructure it has

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 27

POWER GENERATION NEWS

MTN has announced that it has entered into a com-mercial arrangement to sell its carbon credits to EDF Trading in an industry first The credits will be pro-duced by MTNrsquos tri-generation plant at 14th Avenue Of-fice Park in Fairland Johannesburg

EDF Trading is a whol-ly-owned subsidiary of Electriciteacute de France SA one of the largest compliance buyers covered by the European Union Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS)

The carbon credit project utilises a Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) meth-odology developed by MTN approved by the United Nations Framework Con-vention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) It is currently in the process of being registered with the UNFCCC Once registered MTN will sell the carbon credits from the project to EDF Trading

The project will make use of the MTN energy-efficient 2MW tri-generation plant at its Fairland office park Tri-generation is the concurrent production of electric-ity heating and cooling which provides

Carbon Credits power hot wa-ter space heat-

ing and cooling for air conditioning

from a single source

Egoli gas is used for the operation

sourced from the Sasol pipeline in Mozambique

The plant displaces grid electricity from Eskom

reducing greenhouse gas emissions and providing up to 85

efficiency on fuel The excess heat at some 400degC is captured

and used to supply heating and to operate an absorption chiller which creates cool water that is used to power an extensive air-conditioning system

Natural gas is clean burning and offers a consistent supply but simply using this to generate electricity would have been too expensive The saving achieved by capturing the waste heat combined with the additional revenue from the sale of the carbon credits however makes the project economically viablerdquo

Promethuim Robbie Louw Tel (011) 706-8185 Email Robbiepromethiumcozawwwpromethuimcoza

Countries across South East Asia Africa and the Middle East have been amending their regulatory frameworks and embarking on privatisation as many of them are in serious need of external fund-ing to ensure that their respective electricity industries are capable of dealing with the inevitable surge in demand The cumulative installed power capacity for these regions according to 2012 estimates will be 212 Gigawatts (GW) However this figure is expected to shoot up to 349 GW by 2020 climbing at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 64

Emerging Power Markets

Rising industrialisa-tion ever-increasing population figures and growing economies all point to an electrical future that most infra-structure systems are currently incapable of handling Therefore to achieve greater in-dustry efficiency and encourage competition governments across this region are opening up their electricity markets and increasing private sector participation The region will have to invest heavily in order to

increase its installed capacity and improve its existing infrastructure

Transmission networks in many of these countries are already under tremendous pressure to supply power without interruption and many new transmission projects are already underway or in the pipeline Therefore energy policy reforms are set to open the doors and create positive opportunities for growth in in the near future this according to Jonathan Cain of GBI Research

GBI ResearchJonathan Cain Tel +44 1204 543 533 Emailjcaingbiresearchcom wwwgbiresearchcom

28 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

POWER GENERATION NEWS

With Gensler Architects Aurecon has completed the design on the faccedilade of what will be Chinarsquos tallest building At 632m the Shanghai Centre is more than 100m taller than the recently-completed Shanghai Financial Centre and is designed as a sustainable eco-tower that sets a new benchmark not only for the region but also the world

Sustainable green features include tri-

Bioclimatic buildingGreywater recycling systems lo-cated at basement and at mid-level have been installed to collect greywater generated from lavatory or bathtub for reuse reducing potable water demand for the office tower by about 40

The ice storage system shifts part of the peak electricity demand of the chillers into the night modeoff peak operation Storage capacity is 26 400 Refrigerant Ton (RT) which reduces about 30 of the summit demand by about 3 through this ice cooling storage system and save up to the yearly energy cost for the user

A large volume water deluge system with rotational nozzles

installed at mid-level of the atria deliv-ers a large volume and accurate water spray onto fire with the assistance of Infra-red detection to lock the exact location and very early warning smoke detection apparatus system

A double curtain wall design provides better control on solar energy entering the tower building resulting in energy saving

Aerecon Group Jody Boshoff Tel (012) 427-2066 Email JodyBoshoffaurecongroupcomwwwaurecongroupcom

generation plant consisting of two sets of 11MW natural gas turbine generating electricity

chilled water hot water and heating water Simultaneous heat recovery of the hot flue gas produced from the tur-bines reduces carbon dioxide by 49 compared with the regular electrical cooling system

15 nos of 3kW vertical axis wind turbines (VAWTs) on the roof provide 157 500 kWh of clean and renewable electricity annually

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 29

Willem Sullivan of HansenA better artificial heart for people who are not eligible for natural heart transplants

Jean Schoeman of National Oilwell Varco My own jet aeroplane

Chris Coetzee of Resonant SolutionsThe problem in industry is practical engineering experience Young engineers donrsquot get the opportunity to learn the practical stuff Irsquod start an academy which teaches the practical side where you can learn from your mistakes Unfortunately mistakes cost money but if you have all the money in the world they can afford to learn from mistakes

In your book what is the most pivotal invention ever

Elbie Cornelius of National Oilwell Varco The computer

Chris Coetzee of Resonant SolutionsI canrsquot see how you can run a business without cellphones

Rudolph Beer of Martin EngineeringThe wheel

Willem Sullivan of HansenFor me personally Excel Without it my world will be dull and lifeless For the world at large Electricity because without it Excel will not be possible

Jean Schoeman of National Oilwell Varco The personal computer

OPINION

On his rounds Kowie Hamman our Editor is conducting an informal survey on the lighter side of engineering We follow up from last month with three pertinent questions

Soapbox

What do you think of computers and the digital world

Elbie Cornelius of National Oilwell Varco Awesome changing our world

Chris Coetzee of Resonant SolutionsNinety percent of all engineering is done using computers but if you rely solely on them yoursquove missed the plot because you always have to verify results by going back into the field to test what yoursquove done on the computer

Rudolph Beer of Martin EngineeringYou canrsquot do without them

Willem Sullivan of HansenIt is where I do all my design work So if it was not for computers we would be decades behind in terms of what we can do I absolutely love it

Greg Perry of SEWThey have definitely made things faster but the en-gineer still needs to understand the theory and pay attention to the detail or you make mistakes faster

Jean Schoeman of National Oilwell Varco Very useful until they give problems Then you just want to hit them with a hammer But the digital world has managed to speed up the communica-tion of information

If you had all the money in the world what would you design

Elbie Cornelius of National Oilwell Varco A solar and wind power station to supply the whole continent with electricity

Rudolph Beer of Martin EngineeringDevelop the safe harvesting of atomic energy

30 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

ldquoSA Mechanical Engineerrdquo speaks to Dave Goodman managing director of Spectra Car-bide Tooling Technology in Cape Town about the various management models they have

developed specifically to control tooling ldquoOur tool management systems were developed through our involvement with some of the major automotive OEMs in South Africardquo he says ldquoThe management system where we take over full control of the tool-ing facility on the premises has been running for twelve years now at some of these plants

Systems for allldquoBut these systems are not only for OEMs and

large operationsrdquo Dave remarks ldquoTo meet dif-ferent requirements we now have four levels of management systems on offer each requiring a different level of active involvement from our side This varies from purely holding stock to supply for a customerrsquos specific needs right through to taking over full control of tooling by having a permanent on-site office manned by fulltime Spectra staffrdquo

A typical level 4 operation with a Spectra team permanently stationed on the customerrsquos premises will be equipped with a fully-computerised store inventory system to control the purchasing of all tooling from spindle to point ldquoThe team will control all the new stock and used tools by negotiating and dealing with tier two suppliers as wellrdquo explains sales manager Wayne Williams ldquoThey are also responsible for presetting tools ready for produc-tion as well as collecting and delivering tools to and from the machines in addition to providing technical support 7 days a week 24 hours a day

BenefitsOne of the cost saving benefits for the customer is less administration because the Spectra team consolidates all invoices so the customer receives

Managing ToolingIn most machine shops the tooling is usually under lock and key to limit access to high-value tool inserts such as end-mills drills reamers and burrs Even so many companies suffer considerable losses as these costly tools get lost are pilfered or are misused because there isnrsquot a proper

management system in place over and above lock and key to control who takes what from the store

To meet different requirements we now have four levels of management on offer each requiring a different level of active involvement from our side

Managing machine tools saves money

Dave Goodman managing director of Spectra Carbide Tooling Technology

MATERIAL SELECTION

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 31

one invoice per month In addition the customer has a highly skilled specialist in-house on tap to provide technical assistance for all tooling drilling tapping milling boring gundrilling honing and line boring on CNC and conventional machines ldquoFrom the management system we can draw extensive reporting for the customer regarding the costs per unit manufactured We produce monthly graphs for trending as well as daily incident reports on tool breakages weekly costs on scrapped tools and we also work out action plans to reduce scrap and improve up-time of the machinesrdquo Wayne adds

In essence this value-add for the customer allows preventative action which ultimately saves the customer money Dave explains ldquoGiven the skills shortage out there no company can afford the personnel purely to manage the machine shop in so much detail With this system we not only fill the skills-gap by integrating with the company but we add value to the company so that they can focus on what they manufacturerdquo

New product developmentIntegration into the customersrsquo operation has proved particularly beneficial when it comes to new product developments Wayne elaborates ldquoWersquore always up to date with the latest technology in tooling and know what can be done in the best possible way Usually it will take a machine shop a while to select the right tooling and method to produce

a new part but with our experts right there on site they can be assured of finding the most suitable solution using the right tooling from the startrdquo

Vending systemOn a lower level of tool management where the operation does not justify a permanent Spectra team on site the company has a tooling vending machine solution ldquoAll the tooling is stored in a vending machine and access to draw the tools out of the machine is controlled by a card or finger-print readerrdquo explains Dave ldquoSuch a system does however have a reporting function which allows the customer to draw the machining cost against each specific job

ldquoThis system has proved popular in South Africa because it can be customised to control the specific functions relevant to each customerrdquo adds David ldquoPart and parcel of this cost-saving solution is training the customer on how best to utilise the system for his needs be it purely controlling the use of tooling or integrating reporting and costing into the business system of the companyrdquo

Wayne Williams Spectra Tel (011) 827-8957 Email waynewspectra-sacoza

From the management system we can draw extensive reporting for the customer regarding the costs per unit manufactured

Special carbide drills reamers end mills and special inserts are manufactured in South Africa

MATERIAL SELECTION

32 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 33

Cubitron can be used to finish profile and or polish materials with high tensile strengths and is particularly useful to extend the lifetime of belts and discs in industrial environments

where hard materials are the order of the dayrdquo

Consistent cutFinishes are little changed through the entire dura-tion of a Cubitron belt from new to completely worn out The secret is that the cutting edges wear in a controlled manner This means that the tiny indi-vidual scratches are the same when the belt is first

put on until it is worn and ready for replacement

ldquoThere are a multitude of cutting edges on each individual grain of the extremely hard ceramic based grain As the grain wears new cutting edges are exposed in a predictable and measured manner to ensure that a consistent action is applied to the surfacerdquo she adds

Using the same ceramic platform 3M developed Cubitron II providing even better results than its predecessor 3M engineers were able to electrostati-cally orient triangular precision shaped ceramic grain acting like a cutting tool This means that the grain slices through metal as opposed to grinding and continuously self-sharpens as points break off This results in discs and belts running cooler and longer The Cubitron II technology is applied in

Starting from Scratch

SURFACE FINISHING

ldquoTo scratch the surface as the saying goes of most modern materials and coatings is not as easy as it used to be Thatrsquos why we developed Cubitron Abrasive Grainrdquo says Kelly Hunt

sales and marketing manager of 3M

34 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

Scratccchingg thhe surfface of abrasivvves ttecchnnologgy is too oopen a compplex sccience

SURFACE FINISHING

belt fibre disc and Roloc form offer-ing a unique solution for wide range of grinding needs

Scratching the surfaceKelly is an abrasives fanatic She says scratching the surface of abrasives technology is to open a complex sci-ence Analysis of different materials and techniques of cutting or finishing has in recent years become a necessity as materials develop and advance Bonding of abrasive onto materials for discs and belts is also more complex than before as manufacturing becomes automated and the tolerance for down-time reduces

But for the average operator technician or engineer it is not so much a matter of what goes into the development of a product but rather finding the solution that suits the intended process The minimum requirement is for a product to perform reliably over an extended period of time and to produce the right finish

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 35

Sometimmess a less expeeensiive buuut mmooree suitaaablee abbrasssivee ccaan give bettterr reesulttss

SURFACE FINISHING

ldquoUsing the abrasives to determine a finish can be as simple or as com-plicated as the producer of finished goods chooses to make it With so many choices available in the market we recommend that industrial users iden-tify the requirements of the abrasive and then speak to trained service technicians from suppliers such as 3M

Not about priceldquoPrice is not always the determining factor Some-times a less expensive but more suitable abrasive can give better results and in other instances the use of cheaper materials in the wrong application may be costly as materials will need to be replaced more oftenrdquo

Kelly recommends that us-ers of industrial abrasives take the time to research new products and as-sess their suitability for their processes ldquoYoursquoll be surprised that some of the new abrasives can do the job better and in half the time than older technology abrasives canrdquo she concludes

3M Dylan Ian Hunter Tel (011) 806-2186 Email dhuntermmmcom www3Mcom

36 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

IT TRENDS

ldquo M o b i l e c o m p u t i n g

continues to grow and alongside other IT trends

such as cloud computing social technologies and the era of big data It is going to play a pivotal role in the IT industry this year In factrdquo Derick adds

Mobile Computing

Mobile computing is growing momentously and is set to account for as much as 57 of worldwide T market growth in 2013 says Derick Roberts CEO of TruTeq Devices a Pretoria-based

company focusing on wireless connectivity solutions

ldquoit is going to account for the lionrsquos share of growth ndash even more than the cloud computingrdquo

The IDC predicts that worldwide IT spending will exceed $21 trillion up 57 from 2012 The research company also states that mobility will be the biggest driver Sales of smart mobile devices including smart phones and tablets is expected to grow by 20 and will contribute a significant 57 of all IT growth Excluding smart mobile devices IT industry growth will clock in at only 29

Truteq Devices Derick Roberts Tel (012) 667-1530 wwwtruteqdevicescom

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 37

ELECTRIC DRIVE

The technology performance and design of the Cigarette powerboat is closely based on the electric super sports vehicle made in Affalterbach Germany

The 116 metre long Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept powerboat uses two drive units each featuring six independent electric motors At the rear of the boat each drive unit has its own trans-mission one on the left and one on the right The boat is fitted with the twelve compact liquid-cooled permanent-magnet synchronous electric motors which are the signature piece of the SLS AMG Coupeacute Electric Drive each electric motor delivers 138 kW and 250 Newton metres

The maximum output of 1 656 Kilowatts and maximum torque of 3 000 Newton metres combine to reach a staggering top speed of over 160 kmh making this locally emission-free Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept the worlds fastest electri-cally driven powerboat The low centre of gravity and optimum weight distribution ensure sublime

The Worlds Most Powerful Powerboat

handling characteristics during more dynamic changes of direction

The high-voltage battery boasts an energy content of 60 Kilowatt hours an electric load potential of 600 Kilowatts and a weight of 548 kg ndash all of which are absolute best values in the automotive sector The liquid-cooled lithium-ion high-voltage battery features a modular design with a maximum voltage of 400 V It consists of 12 modules each comprising 72 lithium-ion cells ldquoCigaretterdquo inte-grates four high-tech batteries with a total of 48 modules and 3 456 cells which generate a total capacity of 240 Kilowatt hours and an electric output of 2 400 Kilowatts respect even in the boat building industry

The Cigarette on-board chargers as standard Adapted to fit the infrastructure standard of many American marinas the boat has a charging capac-ity of 44 Kilowatts The battery is fully charged in approximately seven hours To reduce the charging time to less than three hours the powerboat can be fitted with four on-board chargers as an option

Mercedes-Benz Shirle Greig Tel (012) 677-1904 Email shirlegreigdaimlercom wwwmercedes-benzsacoza

Mercedes-AMG and Cigarette Racing launched the latest development of their cooperation at the Miami International Boat Show in February Numerous components from the SLS AMG Coupeacute Electric Drive have been integrated in the design of the Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept engineering design The high performance drive fitted in the electric super sports car makes the off shore powerboat the worlds most

powerful and fastest electrically-driven motor boat With an output of 1 656 Kilowatts and a maximum torque of 3 000 Newton metres the Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept is a fascinating new development

Combine to reach a staggering top speed of over 160 kmh

38 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

ENVIRONMENT

They have been in service for decades

under the toughest conditions ndash and

have proven themselves worldwide

Voith fluid couplings protect belt con-

veyors and drive components by provid-

ing smooth acceleration and torque

control allowing for frequent loaded

starts with the least amount of stress on

the drive and belt

In multi-motor drives they ensure pre-

cise load distribution Result fewer

downtimes ndash and the service life of the

belt and the drive components is in-

creased The latest product innovation is

the Voith TurboBelt 780 TPXL

infovtzavoithcom

wwwrsavoithturbocom

Protect Your Belt Conveyors with

Voith Fluid Couplings

ai_a

it_44

0_e

n ai

k

Water Disclosure ReportingJust as companies are addressing their carbon emissions and

provide carbon reporting to the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) water is becoming a growing priority

Reporting on it is becoming another critical sustainability issue

2011 saw a marked increase in the number of the worldrsquos largest companies reporting on their water usage on the risks that water presents and on their responses to

that risk Responses from these companies indicate that water is impacting global business now and yet water is not nearly as high on the corporate agenda as climate change

Evidence is mounting that South Africa is facing a water crisis of substantial proportions This crisis encompasses all aspects of water management on both the demand and supply side The mounting impacts of acid mine drainage and declining wa-ter quality add to the crisis South Africarsquos water security is likely to be further complicated by an increasingly uneven and unpredictable supply of rainfall as a result of climate change and by a reli-ance on significant water transfers from neighbour-

ing countries In meeting this crisis South Africa will have to resolve tough trade-offs in water use between agriculture key industrial activities such as mining and power generation and the supply to rapidly growing urban centres

Evidence is clearJSE 100 companies will need to show leadership in sustainably managing the water resources on which they rely for their day-to-day business operations The available evidence is clear It is not sustainable to continue exploiting water resources by follow-ing a lsquobusiness as usualrsquo approach If this is the case South Africarsquos freshwater resources will be depleted and unable to meet the needs of people and industry in the next 20 years if not before

In 2011 the response rate to the CDP Water Disclosure amongst South African companies was 46 (26 out of 56 companies) Many of South Africarsquos most significant corporate water users are therefore not yet able to or are not yet ready to report on their water-related risks

Promethuim Robbie Louw Tel (011) 706-8185 Email Robbiepromethiumcoza wwwpromethuimcoza

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 39

EXHIBITION

The Steel and Engineering Industries Federation (SEI-FSA) the Lifting Equipment Engineering Association

of SA (LEEASA) the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA) and the SA Institute of Welding (SAIW) have thrown their weight behind the biggest industrial and engineering trade show in Africa

The three-day 10-shows-in-one event takes place from 14 to 16 May 2013 at Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand Johannesburg

SEIFSA Conference at Indutec The Steel and Engineering Indus-tries Federation of South Africa (SEIFSA) will hold its annual conference at Indutec celebrating 70 years of active support for its members industry and business in Africa The federation has over 2 220 member companies which employ more than 224 000 people comprising 53 of the industryrsquos workforce

SAIW ldquoWe take our affiliations with leading industry players very seriously including our en-dorsement of Indutecrdquo says Jim Guild chief executive officer of the SA Institute of Welding ldquoThese industry ties form part of our strategy to create strong relationships which support our objective and Governmentrsquos mandate to enhance the manufacturing sector in South Africardquo

LEEASAThe Lifting Equipment Engineer-ing Association of South Africa (LEEASA) which is a division of the Chamber of Engineering Tech-

nology (COET) will also be using its endorsement of Indutec to promote its activities in the engineer-ing and technology sectors in general Chamber spokesperson Viv Nel says its exposure at the fair will create more awareness of the Chamberrsquos role in all engineering and technology-driven industries

ECSAIndustry regulator the Engineering Council of South Africa shares these aims ldquoAs a custodian of en-gineering intellectual capital in South Africa our endorsement of Indutec provides us with a platform to publicise our role in the engineering sector and government infrastructure initiativesrdquo says Edgar Sabela ECSArsquos Strategic Services Executive

ldquoWe need to produce 10 times more engineers to compete with developed economies Involvement with the Indutec show will allow us to promote engineering as a career through our Engenius Programme and showcase our existing engineer-ing excellence Most importantly it enables us to network with all key players in the field and even conclude some businessrdquo

Tenfold Benefits to ExhibitorsJohn Thomson managing director of Exhibition Management Services organisers of the 10-in-one Fair says the unqualified support from leading in-dustry bodies indicates the showrsquos tenfold value to the engineering industrial and technology sectors ldquoThis undoubtedly translates into multiple benefits for the showrsquos exhibitors and ultimately to show visitorsrdquo he concludes

Indutec Serean ThomsonTel (011) 783 7250 Email marketingexhibitionsafricacom wwwexhibitionsafricacom

Boosting the Manufacturing Sector32 of South Africarsquos leading industrial and engineering professional and employer associations Chambers and

Councils have collectively endorsed Indutec the recently launched South African Industry and Technology Fair 2013

Promech Publishing through SA Mechanical Engineer and Bulk Handling Today will produce and publish the Official Catalogue for this prestigious show

Make sure your presence is felt before during and after the show by advertising in this one-of-a-kind reference publication

Contact Mark Bennett Tel (011) 781-1401 Email samechengpromechcoza

Jim Guild CEO of the SA Institute of Welding

Edgar Sabela - ECSArsquos Strategic Services Executive

Adelia Pimentel - Marketing and Communications Manager SEIFSA

40 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

MARKET FORUM

ldquoBMG has identified a need in diverse sectors for on-site maintenance services to overcome production challengesrdquo says Dave Russell technical director BMG ldquoRecognising the extreme constraints of high energy prices low productivity the critical skills shortage and a highly competitive economic environment BMG brings a total solutions service to the fore

ldquoIndustry can now access all critical production efficient products and services from one supplier What this means is lower production costs and higher pro-duction efficiency giving South African industry a distinct competitive advantage

ldquoBMGrsquos on-site services include applica-

tion design evaluation and optimisation as well as installation trouble-shooting and service exchange contracts The company also offers predictive planned and breakdown maintenance and energy and reliability studiesrdquo

The company also offers extensive train-ing which covers electrical mechanical hydraulic pneumatic electronic and materials handling disciplines as well as predictive maintenance and component failure analysis

BMG ndash Bearing Man Group Veronique van Niekerk Tel (031) 576-6221Email veroniquevbmgworldnet wwwbmgworldnet

Tenova Takraf Africa (formerly Bateman Engineered Technologies) is putting the final pieces together in completing an order for the supply of a 55m x 275m hydraulically-driven SAG mill to Ontario Graphite operators of the Kearney Mine located in Kearney O n t a r i o Canada

ldquoTenovarsquos scope

Unique SAG Mill in Canada

ABB started with a bang following the order of 2 400 robots by BMW Group Over the next three years the robots will be installed at factories in Regensburg and Leipzig Germany as well as in Tiexi China The ABB robots will mainly be used for mate-rial handling tasks as well as gluing and spot welding processes

ABB robots enable customers to implement efficient manufacturing systems that sustainably produce high-quality products The com-panyrsquos range of products and solu-tions for lean manufacturing cover the range from body-in-white to the final assembly of complete car bodies They improve competitiveness and at the same time optimally comply with customer specifications ABB has installed more than 200 000 robots worldwide

ABB Robotics Natasha Mathebula Tel (010) 202-6156 Email natashamathebulazaabbcom wwwabbcom

2400

Robots

Total Solution

of work includes the engineering manufacturing shipping and technical assistance during erection of the SAG millrsquos feed end shell discharge end drive and main bearings as well as all supporting equipment (lubrication and jacking systems)rdquo says Tenova Takraf

engineer Pieter van der Walt ldquoThe main hydraulic motor and rubber

shell liners were outside our commercial scope of supply but inside our technical

scope of supplyrdquo he adds

The mill is a conventional SAG (semi-autogenous grinding) mill in all ways apart from its drive assem-bly and it is centre-driven

at the discharge end using a Haggluumlnds hydraulic motor and powerpack ldquoTo date this is the largest hydraulic motor installed on a SAG mill with 950kW of power torque of 1 200 kNm (start-up) and 650 kNm (operational) and speed of 1386 rpmrdquo adds Pieter

Since the mill had to be retrofitted to an existing foundation a number of adaptations were required to maintain the mill centreline as well as feed-end and discharge-end positions Certain additions were required to anchor the main motor torque arm

Tenova Takraf Pieter van der Walt Tel (011) 899-2372 Email pietervanderwaltbatemancom wwwtenovagroupcom

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 41

MARKET FORUM

World Record

The ADR plant at Kisladag Mine

FLSmidth designs and manufactures indirect heated carbon regeneration kilns and calciners from half a ton per day and larger These kilns and calciners can be fuel gas oil or electric and are skid mounted pre-wired and pre-piped The companyrsquos patented bellows kiln seal has proved effective in eliminating air ingress and process gas egress and can be retrofitted to kilns from other manufacturers FLSmidth holds the world record for the lowest emissions on a carbon plant

And at the companyrsquos Merrill Crowe plant capacities range from skid mounted 34 cubic metres per hour modular plants to full size 2 100 cubic metres per hour The range of supply for plants includes clarification filters de-aeration towers vacuum pumps zinc dust feeders lead nitrate feeders and zinc cones precipitate filter feed pumps filter pre-coat and body feed systems as well as precipitate filters used by refinery and smelting facilities to produce gold bullion

These plants incorporate proprietary zinc dustlead nitrate feeder and mix-ing cone system The company offers individual plant components and partial or complete plant equipment packages together with total plant design

FLSmidth Terence Osborn Tel (010) 210-4820

Magnet has extended its range of abrasive products to include 3Mrsquos new Cubitron II abrasive belts with enhanced grinding performance improved productivity and extended service life

ldquo3Mrsquos new technology has resulted in increased speed improved consistency and extended belt liferdquo says Brian How-arth MD Magnet ldquoThese new abrasive belts ensure up to 30 faster cutting on hard to grind metals like stainless steel nickel alloy and cobalt chrome They also divert heat from the workpiece and belt to the swarf which means cooler cutting This helps eliminate burnishing and minimises heat stress Cubitron II abrasive belts last up to four times longer than conventional ceramic aluminium oxide beltsrdquo

3M Abrasives Bradley Reddy Tel (031) 274 1050 Email bradleyrmagnetgroupcozawwwmagnetgroupcoza

4 x Longer

42 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

MARKET FORUM

X-Calibur is one of the latest product offerings from TAL and was specified to protect the concrete structure of the worldrsquos second longest cable-stayed bridge against corrosion throughout its design life

Stonecutters Bridge is a high level cable-stayed bridge which spans the Rambler Channel in Hong Kong connecting Nam Wam Kok Tsing Yi Island and Stonecut-ters Island Hong Kong is well known for its hot summer weather which is also humid and unstable Temperatures

Say No to Corrosionusually exceed 30oC during the day which coupled with high humidity can result in an extreme heat index

ldquoHot and humid environments have a great effect on the durability of concrete As a rule of thumb we say for every 10oC increase in temperature the possibility of corrosion induced damage to concrete is doubled Add humidity in a marine envi-ronment then protection of the structure is of paramount importancerdquo says Brian Davies CEO X-Calibur International In order to guard the bridge from corro-

sion X-Shield EpoxySeal CR was sup-plied to shield the prestressed concrete cable anchorages from the effects of the environment In addition X-Shield FlexCoat was used in various areas of the structure This provides corrosion protection to reinforced concrete from chloride and carbon dioxide

ldquoThe main challenge was compliance with the strict project specifications as the engineer wanted to ensure that protection would be provided throughout the design life of the structure X-Calibur

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 43

MARKET FORUM

had the products independently tested to prove compliance to all aspects of the specificationrdquo John adds

The materials were applied by spe-cialist painters who had been trained by X-Calibur ldquoMaterials were mixed and applied strictly in accordance with method statements supplied by X-Calibur to ensure working time and recoat windows were not exceededrdquo concludes John

TAL Andrew Dekker Tel (031) 579-2263 wwwtalcoza

Fluid conveyance and pumping solutions expert Incledon has supplied a large water supply line project in the Free State with a total of 4 km of Ultraflo pipes manufactured in-house by DPI Plastics - a leading manufacturer of water reticulation drainage and pipe-fitting systems in South Africa

DPI Plastics technical and product manager Renier Snyman points out that the companyrsquos range of Ultraflo pipes are manufactured from modified polyvinyl chloride (mPVC) which is specifically designed to provide similar tensile strength and greater resilience than standard PVC piping products ldquoThe Ultraflo range of pressure piping systems are ideally suited to bulk water supply projects due to the fact that mPVC is considerably more ductile than industry standard unplasticised polyvinyl chloride (uPVC)rdquo he explains

Renier notes that the ductility of the Ultraflo uPVC piping system ensures that

Large Water Supply Project

the pipes have exceptional resistance to crack propagation under pressure ldquoThe product being supplied to the water sup-ply line project is the 500 mm Ultraflo system which is the largest in the DPI Plastics range It boasts a pressure rat-ing of 12 bar with a design stress of up to 18MPa making it ideally suited as a large underground piping systemrdquo

According to Renier Ultraflo pipes offer environmental advantages too ldquoDue to its superior toughness the wall thick-ness of mPVC is less than that of uPVC This ensures that less materials are used during the manufacturing process which ultimately results in a lighter product that is easier to transport and install thereby minimising the carbon footprint of the piperdquo

DPI Plastics Martine Goodchild Tel (021) 957 5600 Email mgoodchilddpiplasticscozawwwdpiplasticscoza

Donrsquot Miss Out

Promech Publishing is putting the Visitorsrsquo Catalogue together for this Show

Contact Mark Bennett on Tel (011) 781-1401 or Email samechengpromechcoza

to book your space

44 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

MARKET FORUM

Displaying and discussing some of the Dodge housed bearings on offer to local industry and mining are (from left) Tony Patten of Specialised Bearings amp Transmission Peter Small-Shaw Wilecrsquos Product Manager Bearings and Frans Odendaal Wilecrsquos Technical Specialist Bearings

The Bearings division of Actom group company Wilec has formed a strategic alliance for the supply of Dodge housed bearings into southern Africa The partner-ship agreement with Johannesburg-based Specialised Bearings amp Transmission the local distributor for Dodge extends Wilecrsquos ability to satisfy the requirements of industry and mining in a diverse range of bearings applications

ldquoThe most exciting thing about our tie-up with Dodge is that housed bearings while already widely accepted in the US and other leading industrialised countries is a relatively new concept locally but one which offers advanced features to users compared with conventional plum-mer block arrangementsrdquo said Frans Odendaal Wilecrsquos Technical Specialist Bearings

ldquoDodge housed bearings are supplied pre-assembled and sealed so eliminating all risk of contamination during fitment The advanced sealing arrangement and unique adapter system guarantees longer

Strategic Alliance

life ndash up to six times that of a conven-tional plummer block Other cost-saving advantages are that they can be installed by a semi-skilled technician very quickly normally in less than 15 minutes and the need to measure pre- and post-reduction clearance is eliminatedrdquo

ldquoIt is a differentiated product and with it we are able to provide a bearing that is especially well suited to local conditions

and offers benefits that are of real value to customers A particularly important aspect to bear in mind is that the total cost of ownership of a Dodge bearing is significantly lower than that of the conventional product due to its greater reliability and durabilityrdquo

Wilec Frans Odendaal Tel (011) 629-9300 Email fransowileccoza

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 45

MARKET FORUM

Emis Sales 2002 part of Becker Min-ing South Africa supplies a wide range of electrical equipment up to 1 100 V for use in hazardous and non-hazardous areas in the mining petrochemical and surface industry sectors

New to the Emis range are Proloc pro-tection and control relays which are suitable for thermal overload protection of conveyors compressors crushers fan and pump motors as well as shuttle cars and flitting panels

ldquoThe stand-alone Emis ProLoc electronic protection and control relay system which has been designed for the optimum protection of motor and feeder circuits connected to outlet sockets has a wide choice of six user-selectable protection features to meet exact requirementsrdquo says Frikkie Quirk managing director Emis Sales 2002 ldquoAn important advan-tage of this system is a door mounted infra-red link that enables a laptop with Proloc software to manage all settings

and downloads without having to open the panel door and expose personnel to dangerous live equipment This is a critical requirement in the OHSA actrdquo

This system is easy to set up via the Proloc MMI 420 display man-to-machine interface or via a laptop with Proloc software

Emis Sales 2002 Tel (016) 341-6134 Email infozabecker-miningcom wwwzabecker-miningcom

Optimum Protection

Birkenmayer a material processing systems supplier in South Africa and local supplier of German-engineered Eirich material processing technology recently released the Evactherm drier a new product that marries the advantages

Superheated Vacuum Steam

of mechanical and thermo dynamical processes to provide cost-effective and highly efficient drying and processing of filter cake and sludgersquos using superheated vacuum steam

Until now it has been important to observe

a maximum middle temperature when applying direct drying to heat sensitive materials and even more important to avoid the excessive local and boundary temperatures that frequently damage the drying product Both heat and ma-terial transport need to be considered and while convective drying processes such as spray drying largely avoid these problems they are only effective if a surface is available for the hot gas flow

Adjustable for both direct and convec-tive drying and processing Evactherm driers overcome these obstacles while providing a number of further benefits

Super-heated vacuum steam performs drying and granulation while the com-bination of mechanical and thermo dynamical processes allows for low dry-ing temperatures and gentle processing of temperature sensitive materials It also enables continuous drying for long periods of time as fresh material may be continuously added into the fluidized bed replacing material that has already been vaporised

H Birkenmayer Louis Eksteen Tel (011) 970 3880-8 Email louisbirkenmayercozawwwbirkenmayercoza

The Evactherm drier

Proloc protection and control relays

46 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

The Eastern Capersquos Coega Industrial Development Zone (IDZ) is one of a number of industrial regions in South Africa to benefit from Air Products South Africarsquos strategy of long-term capital investment

A region which has long been under-served when it comes to reliable gas supply the Eastern Cape will soon have

A Long-term Viewits own air separation unit (ASU) ndash the first of its kind in the province Seelan Gounden GM supply chain at AirProd-ucts explains the reasons behind the companyrsquos latest investment

ldquoCurrently there is no local industrial gas supply in this area and cryogenic gases have to be procured elsewhere This situation compromises the service

MARKET FORUM

ART Solar specialists in the manufacture of solar photovoltaic (PV) modules for the sustainable generation of electrical power has made the following appointment an-nouncementsMark Walsh as managing director Dr Ronald FM Lange as chief operating officer Robert Ramshaw as financial manager and Gavin Rosslee as production manager

Gavin RossleeRobert RamshawMark Walsh

Jeanne Els has been appointed as Hatchrsquos Managing Director of Operations

Jeanne Els

Ronald Lange

Anton Theunissen

SKF South Africa recently appointed Anton Theunissen as Distributor De-velpoment Manager for South Africa and neighbouring coun-tries

Index to Advertisers

Axiom 12

Bearings International 36

Bibby Turboflex 28

Bonfiglioli 10

Engen 34

Festo 35

Hansen 44

Horne SA 29

IDC Inside Back Cover

ILS 32

KDP Services 22

Loesche 31

Polysius 4

PPS 11 29

Mercedes Outside Back Cover

Merseta Inside Front Cover

MIEO Outside Front Cover

Transmission Components 14

Voith 38

Yellotec 16 17

delivery to our existing customers who have to depend on product being trucked over vast distances Thus we identified the Eastern Cape as a key priority invest-ment destination with a clear need for a new air separation facility dedicated to servicing the region We chose the Coega IDZ after careful market analysis We are pleased to be able to be a part of the growth and development of the region through providing a long-needed security of supply and value-added servicerdquo

Ayanda Vilakazi head of Marketing and Communications at the Coega IDZ adds ldquoThe viability of the new ASU is indis-putable It will mean not only security of gas supply to the region benefiting the many industries here but it also means job security for other investors jobs along the value chain and scope for training and human resource develop-ment as well as enhanced Corporate Social Investment initiativesrdquo

Seelan Gounden AirProducts wwwairproductssouthafricacoza

Left to right Chris Mashigo Executive Man-ager - Business Development Coega Develop-ment Corporation Themba Khoza Executive Manager ndash Operations Coega Development Corporation Seelan Gounden GM - Supply Chain Air Products Pierre Fourie Area Sales Manager ndash Eastern Cape Air Products signed the lease agreement between the CDC and Air Products South Africa

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 47To apply online for funding of R1 million or more go to wwwidccoza

Telephone 086 069 3888Email callcentreidccoza

Driving new market innovationsThe IDC supports high-impact job creation projects acting as a

catalyst to lead new sector development and support existing

industry and sector growth in alignment with governmentrsquos

New Growth Path (NGP) National Development Plan (NDP)

and Industrial Policy Action Plan (IPAP)

The IDC Strategic High Impact Projects (SHIP) Strategic Business

Unit in partnership with the IDC Innovation Department has

launched an Open Innovation Challenge to encourage the

development and implementation of sustainable high-impact

industrial initiatives and projects

The IDC calls upon individuals engineering communities

corporates project sponsors and other related entities to enter

into a partnership to develop qualifying projects that result in

sustainable and profi table industries exploit the value-adding

opportunities of existing and new value chains and enable the

development of innovative local economies

Whatwho qualifi es

projects which enable the development of new industries

across multiple IDC focus sectors

introduce new markets and value chains or revolutionise

existing ones through the use of disruptive technologies

or new approaches

development impact and employment creation

across mandated IDC industrial sectors

SHIP wishes to ensure that the projects undertaken play a major

role in industrial development and employment creation within

the South African and SADC regions

Interested applicants are invited to submit their project

proposals online at

httpopeninnovationidccozaidc-ship-challenge between

project proposals will be informed in May regarding SHIP

wishing to partner with them in the development of the

proposed project

Please contact Bertie Strydom BertieSidccoza and

RetiefBidccoza for more information

Chillibush9119IDC

48 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

A D

aim

ler B

rand

You built the bridges the roads and the tunnels We built the carAs a member of the Engineering Council of South Africa you could qualify for exclusive offers a guaranteed 3-day service booking as well as PremiumDrive our 6 year100 000km maintenance plan To take advantage of this outstandingopportunity inform your nearest dealer of your ECSA status

Not in conjunction with other Mercedes-Benz Fleet ProgrammesOffers Excludes AMG and Limited Edition modelsVehicle specifications may vary for the South African market

Page 11: SAME Mar2013

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 11

the project engineer who worked on this project

Future ndash a concept a dream or a wishUsing the technology and engineering knowledge available to make South Africa more sustainable If we could use this know-how to overcome the challenges that the country faces it would be a major breakthrough for the nation

Irsquod also like to see more being done in terms of renewable energy We are for example closely studying further possibilities to use biomass as a fuel to generate steam and electricity in our processes Wersquore also looking at fluidised bed boiler technology so that we can use the

abundance of low-grade coal in the country

Most Challenging ProjectA few years back we did a recovery optimisation project to improve the recovery of by-products from the pulping pro-cess The main product is caustic soda used in the cooking process We installed a new causticizing plant pulp screen-ing plant scrubber and refurbished the fluidised bed reactor The challenge was combining the new plant installation with the refurbishment work all in an existing plant within a very limited time span

Most Rewarding ProjectIt was the installation of an A-4 sheeting and packaging line We bought a second-hand machine in Germany and just to get the machine up and running was a challenge in itself

CommentaryAre there shortcomings in the Mechanical Engineering Industry in South AfricaYes we have a shortage of maintenance professionals When I was at university we were not trained in maintenance at all Mechanical engineering has a major role to play in this field where the scope for improvement in todayrsquos industry is enormous We need to start training in maintenance at an academic level much like some of the universities have now started doing However mentorship and in-house training has a very important role to play as well

Message to young engineersYoung engineers have to take ownership of their own develop-ment and not expect somebody else to do it for them Many young engineers feel the employer owes them something They must get involved at all levels and work their way up so that when theyrsquore the seniors they know what goes on at the lower levels Remember yoursquore never too clever to learn

MONTHLY COLUMN

Prominent ProfessionalsCarel Kruger Engineering Manager

Academic

School Graduate studies Rob Ferreira High School Whiteriver B Eng at University of Pretoria

Post-graduateB Tech degree in Pulp amp Paper Management Development Programme through Unisa Gov-ernment certificate of competence

Professional bodiesRegistered with Ecsa as Pr Eng and Pr Certifi-cated Engineer

Career Path

First employerStarted with Sappi at the Enstra Mill as an engineering trainee after doing national service in the army

Growth pathAfter a few years at Sappi I left to work for a small engineer-ing company for five years I went back to Sappi as a project engineer I was then promoted to a number of positions at Enstra Mill these included maintenance engineer project manager services manager and maintenance manager before I took up my current position

Present employer amp positionSappi Enstra Mill as an engineering manager

AchievementsA projectMost of our work in the maintenance environment involves minimising breakdowns optimising the performance of the equipment and working on continuous improvements to either overcome business challenges or increase the success rate of our production plant One of our teamrsquos notable project was to de-bottleneck the bleach plant The project involved stabilising the pulp consistency control in a refurbished high density chest system At the same time we installed a new feed system into the oxygen reactor

This was a major breakthrough in terms of availability of equipment and the throughput of the plant because of reduced breakdowns and blockages It was a case of applying new technology in a very old plant challenging our engineering skills to the maximum

Any awardsA Sappi internal silver engineering award was given to me and

WErsquoRE ENGINEERED TO SHAREOver R73 billion N rsquo S S E Hrsquo NA E

S

S S S trade T S S

12 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 201314 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 62 May 2012

AXIOM HYDRAULICS (PTY) LTD

HA

Tel (011) 334-3068 334-3086 Fax (011) 334-4543E-mail axiomjhbmwebcoza

SAMHYDRAULIK which is one of the leaders in the field of hydraulictransmission has been operating for over 25 years in the internationalmarket offering a complete range of orbital hydraulic motors and power steering units axial pumps andmotors for medium and highpressure ranges all characterisedby excellent performances

SAMHYDRAULIK employs 120people who operate inside avery modern and efficient plantthat spans over 6 000 squaremetres to assure a high standardand flexible production capacityThe latest computer technologyis used for both design andproduction combined withstrict quality control proceduresduring all production phaseswhich translates into innovativereliable and functionalproducts that meet the various needs of the marketIts ISO 9001 certificationheld since 1994 is theresult of a quality-orientated philosophyon which SAMHYDRAULIKhas always based itsoperation

17 Heidelberg Road Village Main Johannesburg 2000P O Box 260248 Excom South Africa 2023

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 13T

POWER TRANSMISSION

Rossi a power transmission equipment manu-facturer from Modena in Italy did this by establishing the companyrsquos first permanent subsidiary in South Africa ldquoSA Mechanical

Engineerrdquo speaks with the deputy general manager of Rossi South Africa Kyle Dick about the range of new products theyrsquore now offering locally

ldquoInitially Rossi was represented in South Africa through my company DDI Transmissions in Springs as an agent for their comprehensive range of gear-boxes but now operates as a subsidiary for Rossi SPA to service the whole of sub-Saharan Africardquo he explains ldquoThe product range as such is thus not new to the South African market but wersquore of-fering a much wider range incorporating the latest in drive train technology for a wide variety of applica-tionsrdquo

in KwaZulu Natal ldquoNot only is the market in South Africa very similar to the mining industry there but many of the mining companies and major project

houses operate in both countries This made us realise that the South African market could

certainly be expanded from the footprint which Kyle has already established hererdquo

New rangesThe Rossi Group is one of Europersquos larg-est industrial groups for the production and sale of gear reducers gear motors

electric standard and brake motors Kyle comments ldquoThey constantly undertake

extensive research into new drive solu-tions A typical example is the EP range

of planetary units and the H-series of new helical and bevel-helical gear units specifically developed for heavy industry applicationsrdquo

Manufacturers of bulk handling equipment like conveyor systems ship loaders stacker

reclaimers and mine processing machinery are all familiar with Rossi drives and have been direct clients of the company for many years The gear reducers and gear motors include planetary worm coaxial right angle parallel shaft gear reducers and

Italian Gearboxes Now in SA

With South African industry particularly mining being very similar to that of Australia some international companies build up a strong footprint in Australia and then use this

experience to bring their expertise to the South African mining industry as well

The product range as such is thus not new to the South African market but wersquore now offering a much wider range incorporating the latest in drive train technology for a wide variety of applications

roduct s notcan of-er g ne -

Africa very simany of the

houses oprealise t

certaiwhic

NeTheestand

eleccomm

exteti

Ma

Kyle Dick (left) and Marcello Cassanelli of Rossi South Africa

The Rossi range of products has done extremely well in Australia leading to the establishment of a main subsidiary there and three regional officesrdquo says Marcello Cassanelli the other deputy

general manager from Italy who is helping Kyle in the coming years to get the business going at Tongaat

14 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

POWER TRANSMISSION

I prefer to go on site and help out with tricky problems but I also have good experience in gearbox selection a critical factor in todayrsquos market

speed reducers specifically bring flexibility to the market The system is completely modular allowing each solution to be tailor-made to a specific ap-plication yet itrsquos still cost effective as all products emanate from a standard production unit The new H series covers 825 kNm through to 1700 kNm while the EP series can cover up to 3000 kNm

ldquoComplementary and ancillary equipment such as cooling fans coils or independent cooling units oil heaters and labyrinth seals are of an equal qual-ity and toughness as our rugged gear units which are built and customised for the most challenging conditions or environments any industry can pos-sibly presentrdquo Marcello adds The company is so confident in the quality and reliability of their product range that theyrsquore offering a worldwide warranty on all their geared products

Central baseldquoWe based the new South African headquarters in Tongaat because it puts us close to a port for bringing in components so we can assemble geared units more cost-effectivelyrdquo says Kyle ldquoWersquore in the heart of the sugar industry yet right next to an international airport so that wersquore in reach of any-where in Africa within a couple of hours In addition wersquove established a sales office in Johannesburg

ldquoThe fact that Marcello brings to the table his inter-national experience to complement my knowledge of local conditions and requirements gives me the confidence that wersquoll be able to provide the local market with services and products both the end-users and competitors will regard with respectrdquo adds Kyle ldquoTo top this off we have direct support from highly-experienced engineers in Italyrdquo

SelectionKyle is a hands-on man who has worked his way up in the company through the ranks in the workshop on site and in the office ldquoI prefer to go on site and help out with tricky problems but I also have good experience in gearbox selection a critical factor in todayrsquos marketrdquo he says in conclusion

ldquoAlthough most project houses do the selection wersquore always prepared to share our experience with others in order to make the right selection right from the start I am confident that we now have the right product the right facilities in terms of support and the experience to serve the local market with competitive pricingrdquo

Kyle Dick Rossi South Africa Tel (032) 944-3505 Email kyleddirossicoza

gear motors while other standard products are large size parallel and right angle shaft gear reducers and gear motors for heavy duty applications

ExtrasMarcello adds ldquoThe new EP and the H range of

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 15

POWER TRANSMISSION

He kicks off by telling us ldquoIf yoursquore not saving money in the end condition monitoring serves no effective purpose Also if you can

afford the consequence of a failure then you donrsquot need to do condition monitoring A good example is found in the food processing industry where they use hundreds of small pumps throughout a plant Instead of having to monitor all these pumps they now use low-cost plastic pumps which can be replaced quickly without holding up the production processrdquo

Part of asset managementldquoTypically you start the development of the condition monitoring process by determining the companyrsquos

maintenance strategy a process called the RCM (reliability centred maintenance) planrdquo explains Kobus ldquoFirst off a hardware breakdown structure of the whole plant is drawn up and a Failure Mode and Effectsrsquo Criticality Analysis (FMECA) performed so that you can decide which of the machines are critical to the operation of your plant the ones which will bring the whole lot to a halt if they fail

Kobus continues ldquoThrough this process the company can also determine what spares to carry as well as the level and types of skills which will be needed to maintain the critical machines in the plantrdquo

MethodsIdeas Solutions not only assists companies to under-take this initial criticality audit but will also advise which one of the four main condition monitoring technologies is most appropriate for each specific application fit it and analyse the data as part of a maintenance contract

ldquoThe solution could take the form of vibration moni-toring alignment monitoring any one of a number of methods of temperature measurements or oil analysisrdquo clarifies Kobus ldquoIn the case of a gearbox for instance we carry out an oil analysis to check whether there are any particles of the same mate-rial as the bearings or the gear teeth and so on

VibrationldquoIn our experience ninety percent of the machines with high maintenance costs are the ones where vibration is the highestrdquo adds Kobus ldquoBeing a destructive phenomenon the extent of vibration indicates whether the machine is balanced running in alignment and gives insight into the condition of the bearings regardless of the type of bearing

Save on MaintenanceCondition monitoring is an integral part of asset management ultimately impacting directly on a

companyrsquos bottom line not only in terms of reducing the risk of unexpected breakdowns but also affecting

machinery life Deciding on what to monitor and how is a scientific task which should be undertaken by specialists ldquoSA Mechanical Engineerrdquo speaks to

Kobus van der Westhuizen director of Ideas Solutions a South African company specialising in engineering

analysis solutions with offices in Cape Town and Pietermaritzburg

We can predict how close that bearing is to failure

Kobus van der Westhuizen director of Ideas Solutions

The ldquoOperational Deflection Shaperdquo

16 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

less costly exercise than an unexpected failurerdquo Kobus says ldquoYou can then order a replacement bearing in good time and make sure you have the right skills on hand to do the replace-mentrdquo

What to fitBeing such a clear indicator of a number of problems in machinery vibration moni-toring equipment can be fitted in a variety of ways If itrsquos a critical machine permanent vibration protec-tion instrumentation is typi-cally fitted on the machine Such a system monitors the machine in real time while constantly evaluating vibra-tion in terms of bearings alignment or imbalance in the machinery

ldquoOur systems are so refined today that you can not only pinpoint which bearing is showing faults but we can even see which part of that bearing is showing strain and whyrdquo Kobus adds ldquoWe can also programme the system against certain parameters so that it trips the machine when certain levels of vibration are ex-

ceeded This is the highest level of protection we can providerdquo

An interesting development in the deployment of an online monitoring system is the technique called ldquoOperational Deflection Shaperdquo (ODS) analysis This is possible when an online system has the capabil-ity of simultaneously measuring all the channels

Simultaneously measuring all the channels of vibration in real time

POWER TRANSMISSION

ldquoIf for example we find that the load on the bearing remains constant we can predict how close that bearing is to failure and plan when the machine can be shut down for a bearing replacement a much

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 17

of vibration in real time This preserves the phase relationship between channels resulting in a visual representation of the machine vibration It makes it easier to observe analyse and document noise and vibration problems in machinery and structures ODS analysis is used to display and analyse ex-perimental multi-channel time or frequency domain data acquired during the operation of a machine or forced vibration of a structure

This provides an interactive animated display with which users can observe spatially defined data such as operating deflection shapes (ODSs) mode shapes acoustic sound and intensity fields or other engineering data such at temperatures or pressures By animating the spatial response of a structure in slow motion users can view a structurersquos overall motion and the motion of one part relative to another Locations of excessive vibration or high levels of noise are easily identified

Next levelThe next level down is a surveillance system often used in conjunction with a protection system ldquoIn contrast to a protection system the surveillance system provides answers as to why things did go wrongrdquo explains Kobus ldquoIn a fan application for example the system will tell you that vibration has increased yet the signature reading from the machine has remained constant This can be as a result of dust build up on the blades or a blade has broken off causing an imbalance which prompts the protection system to stop the machine The system will even tell you which blade has been affected by the faultrdquo

The surveillance system can also be used on its own but still in an online mode ldquoThis feature is used to trend parameters leaving the decision to stop a machine at the discretion of the maintenance engineerrdquo explains Kobus ldquoThese online solutions can either be wired or wireless transmitting data from each sensor to the receivers on the system The data is then channelled to whomever needs it in his or her format of choicerdquo

Options for allOn smaller plants that cannot afford an online sys-tem less critical machinery data from machinery is collected by hand and transferred to a computer for analysis either by the maintenance engineer or under a maintenance contract to an engineer at Ideas Solutions

ldquoItrsquos no longer in question the fact that condition monitoring saves companies money has been proved over and over again if itrsquos done rightrdquo Kobus says in conclusion ldquoCondition monitoring regardless of the

The fact that condition monitoring saves companies money has been proved over and over again if itrsquos done right

POWER TRANSMISSION

extent to which it is integrated on a plant should be part of every companyrsquos maintenance strategyrdquo

Kobus van der Westhuizen Ideas Solutions Tel 082 552-4790 Email kobusideas-onlinecozawwwideas-onlinecoza

18 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

Empowering Municipal Engineers

Corruption and tenderpreneurship fraud financial mismanagement lack of understanding of technical issues

priorities difficulties with job creation and skills shortages are just some of the challenges that face municipal engineers in South

Africa

Name and shameCESA unreservedly supports the call for the banning of public servants from doing business with the state including dealstenders with another department or municipality

ldquoWhat is at stake is not the rights of state employees to do business but rather the integrity of the state procurement system The current public procurement environ-ment in the construction sector is highly complex and conducive to corruption and manipulationrdquo warns CESA President Naren Bhojaram

The problem is further compounded by the lack of accountability and punishment for procurement irregularities and wasteful expenditureldquoThe country has good rules but no-one is playing by themrdquo he adds

CESA believes that it is irresponsible and foolhardy to place employees in positions where they can (or are tempted to) manipu-late procurement and other procedures to unfairly benefit themselves at the expense of the statetaxpayer

CESA

Unqualified people should be discouraged from trying to do the job of the municipal engineer

CESA President Naren Bhojaram

Consulting En-gineers South Africa (CESA) President Na-

ren Bhojaram believes that if South Africa is serious about the empowerment of properly-qualified municipal

engineers it should invest in various interventions such as

training development and ca-pacitating of young engineers for

employment by the local authorities and make the municipal engineering

profession attractive

Currently municipal planning is done rather superficially and only a real municipal engi-

neer and a competent team of visionary planners can sort that out

CESA calls for the embracing of the municipal engineer as a trusted ad-visor as well as creating a working environment to attract and retain municipal engineers The munici-pal engineers must be incentivised (long term employment purpose in life emoluments respect and freedom) and unqualified people

should be discouraged from trying to do the job of the municipal engineer

Stumbling BlockInfrastructure deliveryrsquos biggest stumbling block is the lack of business integrity which involves among other things socialising with clients conflict of interest use of agents and partners collusion and bribery and the disregard of procurement regulations

CESA strongly urges structural changes to the way in which municipal engineers operate including the abandonment of long-term employment contracts for key technical and managerial staff Tender and

bid evaluation committees must include technical legal and financial executives in joint sittings and professional teams must be allowed to compile reports in an independent manner on tenders for the bid evaluation committees

The South African procurement legislation should include a Bribery and Corruption Act such as the UK Bribery Act of 2010 enabling the Courts to prosecute corruption and related issues more ef-fectively as well as the naming and shaming of firms contravening the requirements of the Act

Consulting Engineers South Africa (CESA) Graham Pirie Tel (011) 463-2022Email gspiriecesacoza wwwcesacoza

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 19

ldquoSA Mechanical Engineerrdquo speaks to Willie Muller general manager at KDP Services about the modernisation of old hydraulic machinery ldquoIn terms of upgrading wersquove just

done extensive work at a steel mill to re-design

and implement new technology on a large 1 200 tonne cutting press and a shredding machinerdquo he explains ldquoBoth the machines were imported from Germany originally but have lately started picking up problems seriously hampering production flow

ldquoAfter consulting with the supplierrsquos engineers the problems persisted and the client then called us in to investigaterdquo Willie says ldquoWe found that the hydraulics on both these old machines were outdated but could be updated with new tech-nology rather than replacing the old pumps and valves with costly new imported OEM components

New Life for Old Machines

Very often the spare parts for old machinery imported and installed twenty or more years ago is hard to come by and if it is available

it costs an arm and a leg to import If the problem happens to be hydraulic there is

a local hydraulics company that specialises in updating systems so that local easily-available spares can be used to keep the machine going for many years to come

Willie Muller general manager at KDP Services

CNC machining

Overhauled cylinders ready for delivery

Large cylinder

Hydraulic motor of all makes and sizes are serviced

HYDRAULICS amp PNEUMATICS

Analyse the operation and specifically the machinersquos function in situ before returning to the drawing board to redesign the hydraulic system for better functionality

20 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

New technologyAs the designer in the company

Willie goes out to analyse the operation and specifically the machinersquos function

in situ before returning to the drawing board to redesign the hydraulic system for better

functionality This provides the opportunity not only to introduce the latest technology into the upgrade but also to ensure that easily available local components are used He adds ldquoSince our upgrade the shear which can cut through a 150 by 300mm block of steel in one cut has been run-ning smoothly with none of the previous problems cropping up againrdquo

Similarly the shredding machine where a whole vehicle is fed in one end and comes out in pieces of scrap metal the other end has also been up-graded to run consistently ever since Willie adds ldquoThrough this success wersquove now not only landed the maintenance and service contracts for this mill but theyrsquove asked us to audit the entire plant to investigate other hydraulic systems which can be improved Wersquove already re-designed one of the production lines to introduce an integrated fully automated operationrdquo

First projectWillie might be young but he has worked with KDP since his student days gaining invaluable hands-on experience in all aspects of hydraulic work from the owner of the company Karel Podges ldquoOne of my first projects as a student was designing the hydraulic system for a container lifting and tilting machine used in steel mills to collect and handle scrap metalrdquo he recalls as we come across the remnants of the prototype when we walk in the yard behind the workshop ldquoThis is probably what got me hooked on hydraulics because nothing of the sort existed and I had to design it from scratch around a structure someone else had builtrdquo

Inside the workshop we find engineering equipment ranging from lathes to modern CNC machines all humming away as hydraulic components are turned out of a variety of metals At the hose crimping machine Willie points out the neat final product for a custom-made installation theyrsquore doing One of KDPrsquos specialities is hydraulic motor overhaul-ing which is evident when we see several large Hagglunds drives in various stages of repair in the drive section of the workshop

TestingFinally we get to the test-bench area where a large cylinder is under test for leaks before being taken apart for a complete overhaul ldquoOne of the biggest mistakes generally made when it comes to hydraulic equipment is that people think they can treat the hydraulic components roughly just because they are big and ruggedrdquo Willie remarks ldquoThey lose sight of the fact that dirt is the biggest enemy and they donrsquot take the necessary care to keep the oil or equipment clean causing irreparable damage to seals and delicate surface areas in a systemrdquo

One of the main advantages of KDP is that they are not officially tied up with a specific brand of hydraulic equipment allowing them to work on and supply any make on the market Willie concludes ldquoIn addition wersquore a small company where you learn and get the opportunity to work on all types of applications So each and every problem big or small is tackled with great personal attention to detailrdquo

Willie Muller KDP Services Tel (011) 392-5750 Email williekdp-servicescoza

That people think they can treat the hydraulic components roughly just because they are big and rugged

HYDRAULICS amp PNEUMATICS

The full MontyHydraulic system design from the circuit to pumps motors and all the necessary connecting piping are designed in-house at the 22-year old com-pany ldquoWe design the complete circuit specifying all the components necessary to achieve certain functionsrdquo explains Willie ldquoSimilarly all engineer-ing is undertaken in-house except the honing and chroming of shafts when we overhaul cylinder sets New cylinders are manufactured from tubing and shafts which have already been prepared

ldquoIn terms of piping wersquove built up a good name in many industries both in new installations during maintenance shutdowns or when a fixed installa-tion needs to be movedrdquo he adds ldquoNot only do we design the layout but we physically carry out the installation work ourselves especially when it is a stainless steel pipe installation that requires argon welding to fit the fittingsrdquo

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 21

Compressed Air at Work

Pneumatic systems are extensively used in industry where factories are commonly plumbed with

compressed air or compressed inert gases This is because a centrally-located and electrically-powered

compressor which powers cylinders and other pneumatic devices through solenoid valves is often

able to provide motive power in a cheaper safer more flexible and more reliable manner than electric motors

and actuators

Premium brandApplied Pneumatics established 22 years ago is a South African distributor of Parker Hannifin products ldquoAt a time when everyone is increasingly becoming aware of the benefits of buying premium products which last longer and have proven to be value for money Parker has come up with new innovations which extend this value even furtherrdquo says Dave

ldquoTake valves for example Most low-cost valves are throw-away items which are discarded completely if something goes wrong Our premium valves which cost a bit more initially are serviceable This means we can repair and service them at a fraction of the cost of even a cheap complete unit

ldquoIf the premium repairable valve breaks for in-stance itrsquos quick and easy to strip it right there and then fit new parts and have it up and running in no time as opposed to having to order and wait for a complete replacement unitrdquo adds Dave ldquoAll you need to have in stock are a couple of O-rings for the different valves in a systemrdquo

SA Mechanical Engineerrdquo visits a company in Randburg aptly named Applied Pneumat-ics to speak to managing director Dave McNair ldquoIn a pneumatics application we

supply everything beyond the compressor This includes everything down the line the filtration system water traps regulators and then the lubrication system before you get to the actual application which could be a cylinder control valves actuators or even solenoid valves for the control of liquid flows in a process We also do vacuum applications where suction cups pick objects up to move them aboutrdquo

From left Andrew Livesey applications engineer at Applied Pneumatics Teven McNair sales and Dave McNair managing director

Range includes pneumatic cylinders and actuators valves and logic processing air preparation equipment as well as a whole host of other pneumatic components and accessories

The Parker range of pneumatic equipment includes actuator and motors

HYDRAULICS amp PNEUMATICS

22 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

New conceptSimilarly the air prepa-ration systems from Parker are of a modular design and fully repair-able so that just worn or damaged compo-nents can be replaced ldquoThey have now taken this even furtherrdquo says Dave ldquoA new concept in regulators the Modu-flex clip technology system has just been released No special tools in fact no span-ners at all are needed

to take the unit apart to replace a filter element for instance You sim-ply clip the unit apart by hand replace the

element and clip it together again within a minute

ldquoOn a forklift for example the glass bowl of the air preparation unit is often damaged when the forklifts bump into some-thingrdquo elaborates Dave ldquoOn a low-cost throw-away unit yoursquod have to carry a spare unit to replace the whole unit With the new technology howev-er you simply clip off the damaged part to zap a new one into place In terms of cylinders and actuators the latest development is self-lubricating seals which require no additional lubri-cation whatsoeverrdquo

One of the main drawbacks of pneumatics over hydraulics is that a pneumatic cylinder has to be much larger than a hydraulic cylinder in order to deliver the same power However this does not rule out using pneumatics in heavier applications especially underground where the use of air is generally safer and cleaner than hydraulic oils in the first place

UndergroundldquoA while back we were approached by a platinum mine to design a pneumatic system to open and close underground tipsrdquo Andrew explains ldquoTo prevent people from falling into the ore tip it had to be closed with a heavy steel lid between off-loading operations We not only designed a suit-able pneumatic system but also took part in the installation on various levels all the way down to three kilometres undergroundrdquo

Like many other products there are cheap and nasty pneumatic products on the market and cost is not always an indication of inferiority ldquoThe safe route is to always buy from reputable companies who have been around for a long time and who trade in well-known brandsrdquo Dave says in conclusion ldquoSerious consideration should also be given to the repairability of the equipment Itrsquos no use installing a low cost system which has to be replaced regu-larly while another could last a lifetime if properly looked afterrdquo

Dave Mc Nair Applied pneumatics Tel (011) 792-3381 Email davenappliedpneumaticscoza

No special tools in fact no spanners at all are needed to take the unit apart to replace a filter element for instance

HYDRAULICS amp PNEUMATICS

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 23

TICK

ER T

APE

POWER GENERATION

PROMECH PUBLISHINGTel (011) 781-1401Fax (011) 781-1403Email samechengpromechcozaWebsite wwwpromechcozaManaging Editor Susan CustersEditorial Kowie HammanAdvertising Mark BennettCirculation Catherine MacdivaDTP Zinobia Docrat Donovan VadivaluDisclaimerPROMECH Publishing does not take responsibility for the opinions expressed by individuals

CopyrightAll rights reserved No editorial matter published in ldquoPower Generation Todayrdquo may be reproduced in any form or language without written per-mission of the publishers While every effort is made to ensure accurate reproduction the editor authors publishers and their employees or agents shall not be responsible or in any way liable for any errors omissions or inaccuracies in the publication whether arising from negligence or otherwise or for any consequences aris-ing therefrom The inclusion or exclusion of any product does not mean that the publisher or editorial board advocates or rejects its use either gener-ally or in any particular field or fields

POWERGENERATION

TODAY

Harnessing the Powers of the Ocean

Luciano Garcia-Baylleres COO at HAE

Tidal power has long been utilised as an energy resource used early on in tidal mills to grind grain throughout the Middle Ages More recently it has also been used to generate electricity for instance in the 240 MW tidal barrages at La Rance France Tidal currents however are still largely an untapped energy source While several marine current turbine prototypes

have been tested in the last few years there are only a few of these prototypes deployed to generate electrical power to smaller communities

mainly to demonstrate the viability of the technology

There is currently a renewed interest in using the ocean to generate electric-ity using both traditional hydropower technologies and new hydrokinetic

technologies This interest is being spurred on by official and private initiatives to promote the development of cleaner energy sources and diversification of energy supplies through use of alternative and renewable sources

Tidal energyTidal energy projects hold the promise of producing indigenous renewable predictable electricity without greenhouse gas emissions and with higher power densities in terms of power output per unit area than either solar photovoltaic or wind projects

The International Finance Corporation (IFC) the World Bankrsquos private-sector lending arm is partner-ing with Sasfin Bank to develop a portfolio of energy efficiency and renewable-energy financial products for small medium-sized and microenterprises (SMMEs) in South Africa

Alstom South Africa and the South African Nuclear Energy Corporation (Necsa) have signed an agreement under which the local branch of the French power generation power transmission and rail infrastructure

group will invest R8-million in buying equipment for the new coded welding centre being established at Necsarsquos Nuclear Skills Development (NSD)

The operation and maintenance (OampM) costs of wind farms in South Africa were expected to be in the mid-range of the international market Mott MacDonald consultant Matthias Vinard has reported adding that OampM costs ranged from euro28kW a year to euro68kW a year in international markets

24 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

ocean currents driven for instance by thermal gradients or differences in salinity Along the South African east coast the Agulhas Current is one of the most consistent sea currents in the world and this area has now been identified as the ideal spot to test technology developed by an American company Hydro Alternative Energy (HAE) from Florida USA

Current plans with the local gov-ernment of eThekwini Municipality in Durban supporting the concept of a hydrokinetic energy project off the cityrsquos coast calls for HAE to

initially develop a $20 million 1MW demonstration unit utilising the companyrsquos Oceanus technology to generate electric power from the Agulhas current flowing past the city Additional units each with an anticipated electric power generation capacity of 8 megawatts may then be built and likewise be submerged approximately 30 metres below sea level to prevent interference with shipping traffic

ldquoSA Mechanical Engineerrdquo has a QampA session with Luciano Garcia-Baylleres the Chief Operation Of-ficer (COO) of HAE about the project

Q Some background on HAEA HAE founded in March 2009 is an emerging independent power provider (ldquoIPPrdquo) focused on utilising hydrokinetic and other power develop-ment sources to generate electric power worldwide safely cost-effectively reliably and profitably with minimal or no ecological impact

Our business model provides for utilising certain of our own proprietary technology identifying and locating existing and new technologies and when appropriate partnering with others for our power development and generation needs

Q The South Africa connection with the companyA Research by our technical department identified several places throughout the world as optimal for the initial deployment and commercialisation of our technology After extensive research of each location

POWER GENERATIONTI

CKER

TA

PE

Tidal energy projects may also be useful in lsquofilling in the gapsrsquo in generating power from other intermit-tent energy sources such as wind farms

Marine current energy conversion concerns the po-tential generation of electricity from kinetic energy of freely-flowing water This contrasts with tradi-tional hydro power like a dam where the amount of energy extracted from a river is dependent on the head between the reservoir and the water level below the dam

A similar hydro power approach can in fact be used for tidal power in areas with high tides In this case a barrage can be constructed in a nar-row bay or estuary to utilise the head between low and high water

Consistent currentAnother way to generate electricity from water would be to convert the kinetic energy of flowing water similar to the way a wind turbine extracts energy from the wind In such a case a dam or reservoir is not necessary but rather sites are chosen where the currents are strong such as a narrow sound straight estuary around a headland or in a river

The term lsquomarine currentrsquo constitutes any kind of water current be it tidal unregulated rivers or other

Flow anlysis carried out for current simulations

Another way to generate electricity from water would be to convert the kinetic energy of flowing water similar to the way a wind turbine extracts energy from the wind

Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) MD Noah Gwariro says the state-owned company needs at least $300-million to refurbish thermal power stations in Bulawayo Harare and Munyati and to increase their generation capacities

The planned Karuma hydropower project will have capacity to generate 700MW

and is one of the high-priority projects in Ugandarsquos National Development Plan

The State-owned Ethiopian Electric Power Corporation (EEPCo) has signed a $120-million contract with UK-based company Canbridge Industries for the construction of a 50 MW waste-to-energy power plant

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 25

POWER GENERATION

The components of a sea current power gererating system

The Aghullas current and eThekwini Municipality with their infrastructure qualified human resource and an approach to facilitating large scale green projects was the appropriate site for this first endeavour

How the energy is harnessed

and all the surrounding benefits apart from the presence of good quality currents such as politi-cal stability port infrastructure and focus on green projects we determined that South Africa with its infrastructure qualified human resource and an approach to facilitating large scale green projects was the appropriate site for our first endeavour

Q Background on what the project is all aboutA OceanusTM our first power generation system which we are currently developing and which utilises much of our own proprietary technology is planned to harness the kinetic energy of the ocean to produce safe clean reliable cost-effective electric power

Oceanus will consist of two primary modules the amplification module (the shroud) and the engine module The shroud is a housing that will multiply the normal incoming water flow to a faster velocity as it passes through the engine module generat-ing more kinetic energy This will in turn result in potentially greater electrical power generation capability as well as potentially increased usable offshore locations worldwide

Velocity is the major factor which dictates the hydrokinetic energy that can be extracted from water Within the hydrokinetic energy sector of the renewable andor clean energy industry we have seen that research and development has generally focused on developing energy generation technolo-gies for environments that can only work in very high water velocity environments such as 3 4 5 metres per second While these areas of extreme water velocity are very high in hydrokinetic energy they only exist in a very small percentage of the worldrsquos waters

Our goal is to provide electric power to locations

Shroud

Engine module

Combine modular design

worldwide utilising the kinetic energy in lsquotypicalrsquo water conditions Our current design specifications have a base need of 1 metre per second of water

26 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

POWER GENERATION

flow which by amplifying the velocity is planned to produce 1MW of power This design specification once successfully tested may then be adapted into higher velocity waters As most locations in the world have lower velocity waters a turbine designed to work in 3 4 or 5 metres per second water flows will not work in waters that have velocities of 1-2 metres per second

Q How does it workA The theory behind the development of the system is quite basic having been previously used in other energy production systems such as wind and tidal energy generation Basically the engine is composed of an energy extraction system such as but not limited to our perpendicular access turbine a gorlov turbine a darrieus turbine and an Axial turbine

The other module is the shroud which handles two functions serving as an accelerator of the water ve-locity thus increasing the amount of kinetic energy that can be extracted Secondly it houses the engine protecting marine life from direct contact with the tip of the blades Also Oceanus is designed to be positively buoyant and either secured to the ocean floor or to float at a certain predetermined depth while moored to the ocean floor utilising the same techniques that are currently used in mooring floating oil rigs buoys or floating windmill systems

Q How will it work in KZNA There will be a demonstration unit initially and then we will start the commercial phase by entering into the normal contracts and procedures for energy generation in the country This entails a very large investment from our company where we will focus on potentially buildingassembling the units in Durban thus taking advantage of the excellent and qualified infrastructure it has

Q Who is involved locallyA We have no partners as far as investors or concerns as yet on the South African project but we are not against this possibility in the future From the facilita-tion point of view we have received a lot of support from Derek Morgan at the eThekwini Energy Office and Russell Curtis at DIPA each with their respective teams and other government offices that have been very forthcoming with information and support

Q What equipment does it use ndash where will this be madeA We have already scouted several facilities in Durbanrsquos ship building industry as well as other possible suppliers ranging from the maritime indus-try financial sector to legal consultants in order to make sure that we are in compliance with all regulations and that our perception of excellence from the South African maritime industry is in fact there

Q At what stage is the project nowA The project is currently at an initial logistics stage where we are looking at a more site specific design for the demonstration unit At the same time we are gathering all the information with our lawyers and possible suppliers for the norms procedures permits and licences necessary to comply with local and national regulations

Q Where will power go to A From our initial discussions with the regulatory bodies this energy can be locally distributed and then taken up by the grid as needed This will de-pend on the results of the demonstration unit and the first commercial unit operation which we are confident will exceed expectations

Q Are there sceptics criticsA As discussed before the basic technology has been used in other sectors of the energy generation industry what is being developed by us is the ef-ficient shroud and the maintenance systems which include buoyancy controls and depth determination in order to locate the most efficient current

Q Are there any future plans from your company for South Africa in particularA We believe that we have a good relationship with eThekwini municipality and once we fulfil our project with KZN we would then consider further expansion throughout South Africa

Q What about the other parts of AfricaA Eastern Africa in general presents very good conditions for our technology but for now we are going to concentrate our efforts on deploying this endeavour in South Africa before entertaining new opportunities

Luciano Garcia-Baylleres COO at HAE Tel 561-900-7200 EmailLgarciaHAE-USAcom wwwHAE-USAcom

We will focus on potentially building assembling the units in Durban thus taking advantage of the excellent and qualified infrastructure it has

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 27

POWER GENERATION NEWS

MTN has announced that it has entered into a com-mercial arrangement to sell its carbon credits to EDF Trading in an industry first The credits will be pro-duced by MTNrsquos tri-generation plant at 14th Avenue Of-fice Park in Fairland Johannesburg

EDF Trading is a whol-ly-owned subsidiary of Electriciteacute de France SA one of the largest compliance buyers covered by the European Union Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS)

The carbon credit project utilises a Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) meth-odology developed by MTN approved by the United Nations Framework Con-vention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) It is currently in the process of being registered with the UNFCCC Once registered MTN will sell the carbon credits from the project to EDF Trading

The project will make use of the MTN energy-efficient 2MW tri-generation plant at its Fairland office park Tri-generation is the concurrent production of electric-ity heating and cooling which provides

Carbon Credits power hot wa-ter space heat-

ing and cooling for air conditioning

from a single source

Egoli gas is used for the operation

sourced from the Sasol pipeline in Mozambique

The plant displaces grid electricity from Eskom

reducing greenhouse gas emissions and providing up to 85

efficiency on fuel The excess heat at some 400degC is captured

and used to supply heating and to operate an absorption chiller which creates cool water that is used to power an extensive air-conditioning system

Natural gas is clean burning and offers a consistent supply but simply using this to generate electricity would have been too expensive The saving achieved by capturing the waste heat combined with the additional revenue from the sale of the carbon credits however makes the project economically viablerdquo

Promethuim Robbie Louw Tel (011) 706-8185 Email Robbiepromethiumcozawwwpromethuimcoza

Countries across South East Asia Africa and the Middle East have been amending their regulatory frameworks and embarking on privatisation as many of them are in serious need of external fund-ing to ensure that their respective electricity industries are capable of dealing with the inevitable surge in demand The cumulative installed power capacity for these regions according to 2012 estimates will be 212 Gigawatts (GW) However this figure is expected to shoot up to 349 GW by 2020 climbing at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 64

Emerging Power Markets

Rising industrialisa-tion ever-increasing population figures and growing economies all point to an electrical future that most infra-structure systems are currently incapable of handling Therefore to achieve greater in-dustry efficiency and encourage competition governments across this region are opening up their electricity markets and increasing private sector participation The region will have to invest heavily in order to

increase its installed capacity and improve its existing infrastructure

Transmission networks in many of these countries are already under tremendous pressure to supply power without interruption and many new transmission projects are already underway or in the pipeline Therefore energy policy reforms are set to open the doors and create positive opportunities for growth in in the near future this according to Jonathan Cain of GBI Research

GBI ResearchJonathan Cain Tel +44 1204 543 533 Emailjcaingbiresearchcom wwwgbiresearchcom

28 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

POWER GENERATION NEWS

With Gensler Architects Aurecon has completed the design on the faccedilade of what will be Chinarsquos tallest building At 632m the Shanghai Centre is more than 100m taller than the recently-completed Shanghai Financial Centre and is designed as a sustainable eco-tower that sets a new benchmark not only for the region but also the world

Sustainable green features include tri-

Bioclimatic buildingGreywater recycling systems lo-cated at basement and at mid-level have been installed to collect greywater generated from lavatory or bathtub for reuse reducing potable water demand for the office tower by about 40

The ice storage system shifts part of the peak electricity demand of the chillers into the night modeoff peak operation Storage capacity is 26 400 Refrigerant Ton (RT) which reduces about 30 of the summit demand by about 3 through this ice cooling storage system and save up to the yearly energy cost for the user

A large volume water deluge system with rotational nozzles

installed at mid-level of the atria deliv-ers a large volume and accurate water spray onto fire with the assistance of Infra-red detection to lock the exact location and very early warning smoke detection apparatus system

A double curtain wall design provides better control on solar energy entering the tower building resulting in energy saving

Aerecon Group Jody Boshoff Tel (012) 427-2066 Email JodyBoshoffaurecongroupcomwwwaurecongroupcom

generation plant consisting of two sets of 11MW natural gas turbine generating electricity

chilled water hot water and heating water Simultaneous heat recovery of the hot flue gas produced from the tur-bines reduces carbon dioxide by 49 compared with the regular electrical cooling system

15 nos of 3kW vertical axis wind turbines (VAWTs) on the roof provide 157 500 kWh of clean and renewable electricity annually

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 29

Willem Sullivan of HansenA better artificial heart for people who are not eligible for natural heart transplants

Jean Schoeman of National Oilwell Varco My own jet aeroplane

Chris Coetzee of Resonant SolutionsThe problem in industry is practical engineering experience Young engineers donrsquot get the opportunity to learn the practical stuff Irsquod start an academy which teaches the practical side where you can learn from your mistakes Unfortunately mistakes cost money but if you have all the money in the world they can afford to learn from mistakes

In your book what is the most pivotal invention ever

Elbie Cornelius of National Oilwell Varco The computer

Chris Coetzee of Resonant SolutionsI canrsquot see how you can run a business without cellphones

Rudolph Beer of Martin EngineeringThe wheel

Willem Sullivan of HansenFor me personally Excel Without it my world will be dull and lifeless For the world at large Electricity because without it Excel will not be possible

Jean Schoeman of National Oilwell Varco The personal computer

OPINION

On his rounds Kowie Hamman our Editor is conducting an informal survey on the lighter side of engineering We follow up from last month with three pertinent questions

Soapbox

What do you think of computers and the digital world

Elbie Cornelius of National Oilwell Varco Awesome changing our world

Chris Coetzee of Resonant SolutionsNinety percent of all engineering is done using computers but if you rely solely on them yoursquove missed the plot because you always have to verify results by going back into the field to test what yoursquove done on the computer

Rudolph Beer of Martin EngineeringYou canrsquot do without them

Willem Sullivan of HansenIt is where I do all my design work So if it was not for computers we would be decades behind in terms of what we can do I absolutely love it

Greg Perry of SEWThey have definitely made things faster but the en-gineer still needs to understand the theory and pay attention to the detail or you make mistakes faster

Jean Schoeman of National Oilwell Varco Very useful until they give problems Then you just want to hit them with a hammer But the digital world has managed to speed up the communica-tion of information

If you had all the money in the world what would you design

Elbie Cornelius of National Oilwell Varco A solar and wind power station to supply the whole continent with electricity

Rudolph Beer of Martin EngineeringDevelop the safe harvesting of atomic energy

30 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

ldquoSA Mechanical Engineerrdquo speaks to Dave Goodman managing director of Spectra Car-bide Tooling Technology in Cape Town about the various management models they have

developed specifically to control tooling ldquoOur tool management systems were developed through our involvement with some of the major automotive OEMs in South Africardquo he says ldquoThe management system where we take over full control of the tool-ing facility on the premises has been running for twelve years now at some of these plants

Systems for allldquoBut these systems are not only for OEMs and

large operationsrdquo Dave remarks ldquoTo meet dif-ferent requirements we now have four levels of management systems on offer each requiring a different level of active involvement from our side This varies from purely holding stock to supply for a customerrsquos specific needs right through to taking over full control of tooling by having a permanent on-site office manned by fulltime Spectra staffrdquo

A typical level 4 operation with a Spectra team permanently stationed on the customerrsquos premises will be equipped with a fully-computerised store inventory system to control the purchasing of all tooling from spindle to point ldquoThe team will control all the new stock and used tools by negotiating and dealing with tier two suppliers as wellrdquo explains sales manager Wayne Williams ldquoThey are also responsible for presetting tools ready for produc-tion as well as collecting and delivering tools to and from the machines in addition to providing technical support 7 days a week 24 hours a day

BenefitsOne of the cost saving benefits for the customer is less administration because the Spectra team consolidates all invoices so the customer receives

Managing ToolingIn most machine shops the tooling is usually under lock and key to limit access to high-value tool inserts such as end-mills drills reamers and burrs Even so many companies suffer considerable losses as these costly tools get lost are pilfered or are misused because there isnrsquot a proper

management system in place over and above lock and key to control who takes what from the store

To meet different requirements we now have four levels of management on offer each requiring a different level of active involvement from our side

Managing machine tools saves money

Dave Goodman managing director of Spectra Carbide Tooling Technology

MATERIAL SELECTION

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 31

one invoice per month In addition the customer has a highly skilled specialist in-house on tap to provide technical assistance for all tooling drilling tapping milling boring gundrilling honing and line boring on CNC and conventional machines ldquoFrom the management system we can draw extensive reporting for the customer regarding the costs per unit manufactured We produce monthly graphs for trending as well as daily incident reports on tool breakages weekly costs on scrapped tools and we also work out action plans to reduce scrap and improve up-time of the machinesrdquo Wayne adds

In essence this value-add for the customer allows preventative action which ultimately saves the customer money Dave explains ldquoGiven the skills shortage out there no company can afford the personnel purely to manage the machine shop in so much detail With this system we not only fill the skills-gap by integrating with the company but we add value to the company so that they can focus on what they manufacturerdquo

New product developmentIntegration into the customersrsquo operation has proved particularly beneficial when it comes to new product developments Wayne elaborates ldquoWersquore always up to date with the latest technology in tooling and know what can be done in the best possible way Usually it will take a machine shop a while to select the right tooling and method to produce

a new part but with our experts right there on site they can be assured of finding the most suitable solution using the right tooling from the startrdquo

Vending systemOn a lower level of tool management where the operation does not justify a permanent Spectra team on site the company has a tooling vending machine solution ldquoAll the tooling is stored in a vending machine and access to draw the tools out of the machine is controlled by a card or finger-print readerrdquo explains Dave ldquoSuch a system does however have a reporting function which allows the customer to draw the machining cost against each specific job

ldquoThis system has proved popular in South Africa because it can be customised to control the specific functions relevant to each customerrdquo adds David ldquoPart and parcel of this cost-saving solution is training the customer on how best to utilise the system for his needs be it purely controlling the use of tooling or integrating reporting and costing into the business system of the companyrdquo

Wayne Williams Spectra Tel (011) 827-8957 Email waynewspectra-sacoza

From the management system we can draw extensive reporting for the customer regarding the costs per unit manufactured

Special carbide drills reamers end mills and special inserts are manufactured in South Africa

MATERIAL SELECTION

32 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 33

Cubitron can be used to finish profile and or polish materials with high tensile strengths and is particularly useful to extend the lifetime of belts and discs in industrial environments

where hard materials are the order of the dayrdquo

Consistent cutFinishes are little changed through the entire dura-tion of a Cubitron belt from new to completely worn out The secret is that the cutting edges wear in a controlled manner This means that the tiny indi-vidual scratches are the same when the belt is first

put on until it is worn and ready for replacement

ldquoThere are a multitude of cutting edges on each individual grain of the extremely hard ceramic based grain As the grain wears new cutting edges are exposed in a predictable and measured manner to ensure that a consistent action is applied to the surfacerdquo she adds

Using the same ceramic platform 3M developed Cubitron II providing even better results than its predecessor 3M engineers were able to electrostati-cally orient triangular precision shaped ceramic grain acting like a cutting tool This means that the grain slices through metal as opposed to grinding and continuously self-sharpens as points break off This results in discs and belts running cooler and longer The Cubitron II technology is applied in

Starting from Scratch

SURFACE FINISHING

ldquoTo scratch the surface as the saying goes of most modern materials and coatings is not as easy as it used to be Thatrsquos why we developed Cubitron Abrasive Grainrdquo says Kelly Hunt

sales and marketing manager of 3M

34 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

Scratccchingg thhe surfface of abrasivvves ttecchnnologgy is too oopen a compplex sccience

SURFACE FINISHING

belt fibre disc and Roloc form offer-ing a unique solution for wide range of grinding needs

Scratching the surfaceKelly is an abrasives fanatic She says scratching the surface of abrasives technology is to open a complex sci-ence Analysis of different materials and techniques of cutting or finishing has in recent years become a necessity as materials develop and advance Bonding of abrasive onto materials for discs and belts is also more complex than before as manufacturing becomes automated and the tolerance for down-time reduces

But for the average operator technician or engineer it is not so much a matter of what goes into the development of a product but rather finding the solution that suits the intended process The minimum requirement is for a product to perform reliably over an extended period of time and to produce the right finish

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 35

Sometimmess a less expeeensiive buuut mmooree suitaaablee abbrasssivee ccaan give bettterr reesulttss

SURFACE FINISHING

ldquoUsing the abrasives to determine a finish can be as simple or as com-plicated as the producer of finished goods chooses to make it With so many choices available in the market we recommend that industrial users iden-tify the requirements of the abrasive and then speak to trained service technicians from suppliers such as 3M

Not about priceldquoPrice is not always the determining factor Some-times a less expensive but more suitable abrasive can give better results and in other instances the use of cheaper materials in the wrong application may be costly as materials will need to be replaced more oftenrdquo

Kelly recommends that us-ers of industrial abrasives take the time to research new products and as-sess their suitability for their processes ldquoYoursquoll be surprised that some of the new abrasives can do the job better and in half the time than older technology abrasives canrdquo she concludes

3M Dylan Ian Hunter Tel (011) 806-2186 Email dhuntermmmcom www3Mcom

36 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

IT TRENDS

ldquo M o b i l e c o m p u t i n g

continues to grow and alongside other IT trends

such as cloud computing social technologies and the era of big data It is going to play a pivotal role in the IT industry this year In factrdquo Derick adds

Mobile Computing

Mobile computing is growing momentously and is set to account for as much as 57 of worldwide T market growth in 2013 says Derick Roberts CEO of TruTeq Devices a Pretoria-based

company focusing on wireless connectivity solutions

ldquoit is going to account for the lionrsquos share of growth ndash even more than the cloud computingrdquo

The IDC predicts that worldwide IT spending will exceed $21 trillion up 57 from 2012 The research company also states that mobility will be the biggest driver Sales of smart mobile devices including smart phones and tablets is expected to grow by 20 and will contribute a significant 57 of all IT growth Excluding smart mobile devices IT industry growth will clock in at only 29

Truteq Devices Derick Roberts Tel (012) 667-1530 wwwtruteqdevicescom

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 37

ELECTRIC DRIVE

The technology performance and design of the Cigarette powerboat is closely based on the electric super sports vehicle made in Affalterbach Germany

The 116 metre long Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept powerboat uses two drive units each featuring six independent electric motors At the rear of the boat each drive unit has its own trans-mission one on the left and one on the right The boat is fitted with the twelve compact liquid-cooled permanent-magnet synchronous electric motors which are the signature piece of the SLS AMG Coupeacute Electric Drive each electric motor delivers 138 kW and 250 Newton metres

The maximum output of 1 656 Kilowatts and maximum torque of 3 000 Newton metres combine to reach a staggering top speed of over 160 kmh making this locally emission-free Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept the worlds fastest electri-cally driven powerboat The low centre of gravity and optimum weight distribution ensure sublime

The Worlds Most Powerful Powerboat

handling characteristics during more dynamic changes of direction

The high-voltage battery boasts an energy content of 60 Kilowatt hours an electric load potential of 600 Kilowatts and a weight of 548 kg ndash all of which are absolute best values in the automotive sector The liquid-cooled lithium-ion high-voltage battery features a modular design with a maximum voltage of 400 V It consists of 12 modules each comprising 72 lithium-ion cells ldquoCigaretterdquo inte-grates four high-tech batteries with a total of 48 modules and 3 456 cells which generate a total capacity of 240 Kilowatt hours and an electric output of 2 400 Kilowatts respect even in the boat building industry

The Cigarette on-board chargers as standard Adapted to fit the infrastructure standard of many American marinas the boat has a charging capac-ity of 44 Kilowatts The battery is fully charged in approximately seven hours To reduce the charging time to less than three hours the powerboat can be fitted with four on-board chargers as an option

Mercedes-Benz Shirle Greig Tel (012) 677-1904 Email shirlegreigdaimlercom wwwmercedes-benzsacoza

Mercedes-AMG and Cigarette Racing launched the latest development of their cooperation at the Miami International Boat Show in February Numerous components from the SLS AMG Coupeacute Electric Drive have been integrated in the design of the Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept engineering design The high performance drive fitted in the electric super sports car makes the off shore powerboat the worlds most

powerful and fastest electrically-driven motor boat With an output of 1 656 Kilowatts and a maximum torque of 3 000 Newton metres the Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept is a fascinating new development

Combine to reach a staggering top speed of over 160 kmh

38 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

ENVIRONMENT

They have been in service for decades

under the toughest conditions ndash and

have proven themselves worldwide

Voith fluid couplings protect belt con-

veyors and drive components by provid-

ing smooth acceleration and torque

control allowing for frequent loaded

starts with the least amount of stress on

the drive and belt

In multi-motor drives they ensure pre-

cise load distribution Result fewer

downtimes ndash and the service life of the

belt and the drive components is in-

creased The latest product innovation is

the Voith TurboBelt 780 TPXL

infovtzavoithcom

wwwrsavoithturbocom

Protect Your Belt Conveyors with

Voith Fluid Couplings

ai_a

it_44

0_e

n ai

k

Water Disclosure ReportingJust as companies are addressing their carbon emissions and

provide carbon reporting to the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) water is becoming a growing priority

Reporting on it is becoming another critical sustainability issue

2011 saw a marked increase in the number of the worldrsquos largest companies reporting on their water usage on the risks that water presents and on their responses to

that risk Responses from these companies indicate that water is impacting global business now and yet water is not nearly as high on the corporate agenda as climate change

Evidence is mounting that South Africa is facing a water crisis of substantial proportions This crisis encompasses all aspects of water management on both the demand and supply side The mounting impacts of acid mine drainage and declining wa-ter quality add to the crisis South Africarsquos water security is likely to be further complicated by an increasingly uneven and unpredictable supply of rainfall as a result of climate change and by a reli-ance on significant water transfers from neighbour-

ing countries In meeting this crisis South Africa will have to resolve tough trade-offs in water use between agriculture key industrial activities such as mining and power generation and the supply to rapidly growing urban centres

Evidence is clearJSE 100 companies will need to show leadership in sustainably managing the water resources on which they rely for their day-to-day business operations The available evidence is clear It is not sustainable to continue exploiting water resources by follow-ing a lsquobusiness as usualrsquo approach If this is the case South Africarsquos freshwater resources will be depleted and unable to meet the needs of people and industry in the next 20 years if not before

In 2011 the response rate to the CDP Water Disclosure amongst South African companies was 46 (26 out of 56 companies) Many of South Africarsquos most significant corporate water users are therefore not yet able to or are not yet ready to report on their water-related risks

Promethuim Robbie Louw Tel (011) 706-8185 Email Robbiepromethiumcoza wwwpromethuimcoza

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 39

EXHIBITION

The Steel and Engineering Industries Federation (SEI-FSA) the Lifting Equipment Engineering Association

of SA (LEEASA) the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA) and the SA Institute of Welding (SAIW) have thrown their weight behind the biggest industrial and engineering trade show in Africa

The three-day 10-shows-in-one event takes place from 14 to 16 May 2013 at Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand Johannesburg

SEIFSA Conference at Indutec The Steel and Engineering Indus-tries Federation of South Africa (SEIFSA) will hold its annual conference at Indutec celebrating 70 years of active support for its members industry and business in Africa The federation has over 2 220 member companies which employ more than 224 000 people comprising 53 of the industryrsquos workforce

SAIW ldquoWe take our affiliations with leading industry players very seriously including our en-dorsement of Indutecrdquo says Jim Guild chief executive officer of the SA Institute of Welding ldquoThese industry ties form part of our strategy to create strong relationships which support our objective and Governmentrsquos mandate to enhance the manufacturing sector in South Africardquo

LEEASAThe Lifting Equipment Engineer-ing Association of South Africa (LEEASA) which is a division of the Chamber of Engineering Tech-

nology (COET) will also be using its endorsement of Indutec to promote its activities in the engineer-ing and technology sectors in general Chamber spokesperson Viv Nel says its exposure at the fair will create more awareness of the Chamberrsquos role in all engineering and technology-driven industries

ECSAIndustry regulator the Engineering Council of South Africa shares these aims ldquoAs a custodian of en-gineering intellectual capital in South Africa our endorsement of Indutec provides us with a platform to publicise our role in the engineering sector and government infrastructure initiativesrdquo says Edgar Sabela ECSArsquos Strategic Services Executive

ldquoWe need to produce 10 times more engineers to compete with developed economies Involvement with the Indutec show will allow us to promote engineering as a career through our Engenius Programme and showcase our existing engineer-ing excellence Most importantly it enables us to network with all key players in the field and even conclude some businessrdquo

Tenfold Benefits to ExhibitorsJohn Thomson managing director of Exhibition Management Services organisers of the 10-in-one Fair says the unqualified support from leading in-dustry bodies indicates the showrsquos tenfold value to the engineering industrial and technology sectors ldquoThis undoubtedly translates into multiple benefits for the showrsquos exhibitors and ultimately to show visitorsrdquo he concludes

Indutec Serean ThomsonTel (011) 783 7250 Email marketingexhibitionsafricacom wwwexhibitionsafricacom

Boosting the Manufacturing Sector32 of South Africarsquos leading industrial and engineering professional and employer associations Chambers and

Councils have collectively endorsed Indutec the recently launched South African Industry and Technology Fair 2013

Promech Publishing through SA Mechanical Engineer and Bulk Handling Today will produce and publish the Official Catalogue for this prestigious show

Make sure your presence is felt before during and after the show by advertising in this one-of-a-kind reference publication

Contact Mark Bennett Tel (011) 781-1401 Email samechengpromechcoza

Jim Guild CEO of the SA Institute of Welding

Edgar Sabela - ECSArsquos Strategic Services Executive

Adelia Pimentel - Marketing and Communications Manager SEIFSA

40 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

MARKET FORUM

ldquoBMG has identified a need in diverse sectors for on-site maintenance services to overcome production challengesrdquo says Dave Russell technical director BMG ldquoRecognising the extreme constraints of high energy prices low productivity the critical skills shortage and a highly competitive economic environment BMG brings a total solutions service to the fore

ldquoIndustry can now access all critical production efficient products and services from one supplier What this means is lower production costs and higher pro-duction efficiency giving South African industry a distinct competitive advantage

ldquoBMGrsquos on-site services include applica-

tion design evaluation and optimisation as well as installation trouble-shooting and service exchange contracts The company also offers predictive planned and breakdown maintenance and energy and reliability studiesrdquo

The company also offers extensive train-ing which covers electrical mechanical hydraulic pneumatic electronic and materials handling disciplines as well as predictive maintenance and component failure analysis

BMG ndash Bearing Man Group Veronique van Niekerk Tel (031) 576-6221Email veroniquevbmgworldnet wwwbmgworldnet

Tenova Takraf Africa (formerly Bateman Engineered Technologies) is putting the final pieces together in completing an order for the supply of a 55m x 275m hydraulically-driven SAG mill to Ontario Graphite operators of the Kearney Mine located in Kearney O n t a r i o Canada

ldquoTenovarsquos scope

Unique SAG Mill in Canada

ABB started with a bang following the order of 2 400 robots by BMW Group Over the next three years the robots will be installed at factories in Regensburg and Leipzig Germany as well as in Tiexi China The ABB robots will mainly be used for mate-rial handling tasks as well as gluing and spot welding processes

ABB robots enable customers to implement efficient manufacturing systems that sustainably produce high-quality products The com-panyrsquos range of products and solu-tions for lean manufacturing cover the range from body-in-white to the final assembly of complete car bodies They improve competitiveness and at the same time optimally comply with customer specifications ABB has installed more than 200 000 robots worldwide

ABB Robotics Natasha Mathebula Tel (010) 202-6156 Email natashamathebulazaabbcom wwwabbcom

2400

Robots

Total Solution

of work includes the engineering manufacturing shipping and technical assistance during erection of the SAG millrsquos feed end shell discharge end drive and main bearings as well as all supporting equipment (lubrication and jacking systems)rdquo says Tenova Takraf

engineer Pieter van der Walt ldquoThe main hydraulic motor and rubber

shell liners were outside our commercial scope of supply but inside our technical

scope of supplyrdquo he adds

The mill is a conventional SAG (semi-autogenous grinding) mill in all ways apart from its drive assem-bly and it is centre-driven

at the discharge end using a Haggluumlnds hydraulic motor and powerpack ldquoTo date this is the largest hydraulic motor installed on a SAG mill with 950kW of power torque of 1 200 kNm (start-up) and 650 kNm (operational) and speed of 1386 rpmrdquo adds Pieter

Since the mill had to be retrofitted to an existing foundation a number of adaptations were required to maintain the mill centreline as well as feed-end and discharge-end positions Certain additions were required to anchor the main motor torque arm

Tenova Takraf Pieter van der Walt Tel (011) 899-2372 Email pietervanderwaltbatemancom wwwtenovagroupcom

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 41

MARKET FORUM

World Record

The ADR plant at Kisladag Mine

FLSmidth designs and manufactures indirect heated carbon regeneration kilns and calciners from half a ton per day and larger These kilns and calciners can be fuel gas oil or electric and are skid mounted pre-wired and pre-piped The companyrsquos patented bellows kiln seal has proved effective in eliminating air ingress and process gas egress and can be retrofitted to kilns from other manufacturers FLSmidth holds the world record for the lowest emissions on a carbon plant

And at the companyrsquos Merrill Crowe plant capacities range from skid mounted 34 cubic metres per hour modular plants to full size 2 100 cubic metres per hour The range of supply for plants includes clarification filters de-aeration towers vacuum pumps zinc dust feeders lead nitrate feeders and zinc cones precipitate filter feed pumps filter pre-coat and body feed systems as well as precipitate filters used by refinery and smelting facilities to produce gold bullion

These plants incorporate proprietary zinc dustlead nitrate feeder and mix-ing cone system The company offers individual plant components and partial or complete plant equipment packages together with total plant design

FLSmidth Terence Osborn Tel (010) 210-4820

Magnet has extended its range of abrasive products to include 3Mrsquos new Cubitron II abrasive belts with enhanced grinding performance improved productivity and extended service life

ldquo3Mrsquos new technology has resulted in increased speed improved consistency and extended belt liferdquo says Brian How-arth MD Magnet ldquoThese new abrasive belts ensure up to 30 faster cutting on hard to grind metals like stainless steel nickel alloy and cobalt chrome They also divert heat from the workpiece and belt to the swarf which means cooler cutting This helps eliminate burnishing and minimises heat stress Cubitron II abrasive belts last up to four times longer than conventional ceramic aluminium oxide beltsrdquo

3M Abrasives Bradley Reddy Tel (031) 274 1050 Email bradleyrmagnetgroupcozawwwmagnetgroupcoza

4 x Longer

42 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

MARKET FORUM

X-Calibur is one of the latest product offerings from TAL and was specified to protect the concrete structure of the worldrsquos second longest cable-stayed bridge against corrosion throughout its design life

Stonecutters Bridge is a high level cable-stayed bridge which spans the Rambler Channel in Hong Kong connecting Nam Wam Kok Tsing Yi Island and Stonecut-ters Island Hong Kong is well known for its hot summer weather which is also humid and unstable Temperatures

Say No to Corrosionusually exceed 30oC during the day which coupled with high humidity can result in an extreme heat index

ldquoHot and humid environments have a great effect on the durability of concrete As a rule of thumb we say for every 10oC increase in temperature the possibility of corrosion induced damage to concrete is doubled Add humidity in a marine envi-ronment then protection of the structure is of paramount importancerdquo says Brian Davies CEO X-Calibur International In order to guard the bridge from corro-

sion X-Shield EpoxySeal CR was sup-plied to shield the prestressed concrete cable anchorages from the effects of the environment In addition X-Shield FlexCoat was used in various areas of the structure This provides corrosion protection to reinforced concrete from chloride and carbon dioxide

ldquoThe main challenge was compliance with the strict project specifications as the engineer wanted to ensure that protection would be provided throughout the design life of the structure X-Calibur

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 43

MARKET FORUM

had the products independently tested to prove compliance to all aspects of the specificationrdquo John adds

The materials were applied by spe-cialist painters who had been trained by X-Calibur ldquoMaterials were mixed and applied strictly in accordance with method statements supplied by X-Calibur to ensure working time and recoat windows were not exceededrdquo concludes John

TAL Andrew Dekker Tel (031) 579-2263 wwwtalcoza

Fluid conveyance and pumping solutions expert Incledon has supplied a large water supply line project in the Free State with a total of 4 km of Ultraflo pipes manufactured in-house by DPI Plastics - a leading manufacturer of water reticulation drainage and pipe-fitting systems in South Africa

DPI Plastics technical and product manager Renier Snyman points out that the companyrsquos range of Ultraflo pipes are manufactured from modified polyvinyl chloride (mPVC) which is specifically designed to provide similar tensile strength and greater resilience than standard PVC piping products ldquoThe Ultraflo range of pressure piping systems are ideally suited to bulk water supply projects due to the fact that mPVC is considerably more ductile than industry standard unplasticised polyvinyl chloride (uPVC)rdquo he explains

Renier notes that the ductility of the Ultraflo uPVC piping system ensures that

Large Water Supply Project

the pipes have exceptional resistance to crack propagation under pressure ldquoThe product being supplied to the water sup-ply line project is the 500 mm Ultraflo system which is the largest in the DPI Plastics range It boasts a pressure rat-ing of 12 bar with a design stress of up to 18MPa making it ideally suited as a large underground piping systemrdquo

According to Renier Ultraflo pipes offer environmental advantages too ldquoDue to its superior toughness the wall thick-ness of mPVC is less than that of uPVC This ensures that less materials are used during the manufacturing process which ultimately results in a lighter product that is easier to transport and install thereby minimising the carbon footprint of the piperdquo

DPI Plastics Martine Goodchild Tel (021) 957 5600 Email mgoodchilddpiplasticscozawwwdpiplasticscoza

Donrsquot Miss Out

Promech Publishing is putting the Visitorsrsquo Catalogue together for this Show

Contact Mark Bennett on Tel (011) 781-1401 or Email samechengpromechcoza

to book your space

44 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

MARKET FORUM

Displaying and discussing some of the Dodge housed bearings on offer to local industry and mining are (from left) Tony Patten of Specialised Bearings amp Transmission Peter Small-Shaw Wilecrsquos Product Manager Bearings and Frans Odendaal Wilecrsquos Technical Specialist Bearings

The Bearings division of Actom group company Wilec has formed a strategic alliance for the supply of Dodge housed bearings into southern Africa The partner-ship agreement with Johannesburg-based Specialised Bearings amp Transmission the local distributor for Dodge extends Wilecrsquos ability to satisfy the requirements of industry and mining in a diverse range of bearings applications

ldquoThe most exciting thing about our tie-up with Dodge is that housed bearings while already widely accepted in the US and other leading industrialised countries is a relatively new concept locally but one which offers advanced features to users compared with conventional plum-mer block arrangementsrdquo said Frans Odendaal Wilecrsquos Technical Specialist Bearings

ldquoDodge housed bearings are supplied pre-assembled and sealed so eliminating all risk of contamination during fitment The advanced sealing arrangement and unique adapter system guarantees longer

Strategic Alliance

life ndash up to six times that of a conven-tional plummer block Other cost-saving advantages are that they can be installed by a semi-skilled technician very quickly normally in less than 15 minutes and the need to measure pre- and post-reduction clearance is eliminatedrdquo

ldquoIt is a differentiated product and with it we are able to provide a bearing that is especially well suited to local conditions

and offers benefits that are of real value to customers A particularly important aspect to bear in mind is that the total cost of ownership of a Dodge bearing is significantly lower than that of the conventional product due to its greater reliability and durabilityrdquo

Wilec Frans Odendaal Tel (011) 629-9300 Email fransowileccoza

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 45

MARKET FORUM

Emis Sales 2002 part of Becker Min-ing South Africa supplies a wide range of electrical equipment up to 1 100 V for use in hazardous and non-hazardous areas in the mining petrochemical and surface industry sectors

New to the Emis range are Proloc pro-tection and control relays which are suitable for thermal overload protection of conveyors compressors crushers fan and pump motors as well as shuttle cars and flitting panels

ldquoThe stand-alone Emis ProLoc electronic protection and control relay system which has been designed for the optimum protection of motor and feeder circuits connected to outlet sockets has a wide choice of six user-selectable protection features to meet exact requirementsrdquo says Frikkie Quirk managing director Emis Sales 2002 ldquoAn important advan-tage of this system is a door mounted infra-red link that enables a laptop with Proloc software to manage all settings

and downloads without having to open the panel door and expose personnel to dangerous live equipment This is a critical requirement in the OHSA actrdquo

This system is easy to set up via the Proloc MMI 420 display man-to-machine interface or via a laptop with Proloc software

Emis Sales 2002 Tel (016) 341-6134 Email infozabecker-miningcom wwwzabecker-miningcom

Optimum Protection

Birkenmayer a material processing systems supplier in South Africa and local supplier of German-engineered Eirich material processing technology recently released the Evactherm drier a new product that marries the advantages

Superheated Vacuum Steam

of mechanical and thermo dynamical processes to provide cost-effective and highly efficient drying and processing of filter cake and sludgersquos using superheated vacuum steam

Until now it has been important to observe

a maximum middle temperature when applying direct drying to heat sensitive materials and even more important to avoid the excessive local and boundary temperatures that frequently damage the drying product Both heat and ma-terial transport need to be considered and while convective drying processes such as spray drying largely avoid these problems they are only effective if a surface is available for the hot gas flow

Adjustable for both direct and convec-tive drying and processing Evactherm driers overcome these obstacles while providing a number of further benefits

Super-heated vacuum steam performs drying and granulation while the com-bination of mechanical and thermo dynamical processes allows for low dry-ing temperatures and gentle processing of temperature sensitive materials It also enables continuous drying for long periods of time as fresh material may be continuously added into the fluidized bed replacing material that has already been vaporised

H Birkenmayer Louis Eksteen Tel (011) 970 3880-8 Email louisbirkenmayercozawwwbirkenmayercoza

The Evactherm drier

Proloc protection and control relays

46 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

The Eastern Capersquos Coega Industrial Development Zone (IDZ) is one of a number of industrial regions in South Africa to benefit from Air Products South Africarsquos strategy of long-term capital investment

A region which has long been under-served when it comes to reliable gas supply the Eastern Cape will soon have

A Long-term Viewits own air separation unit (ASU) ndash the first of its kind in the province Seelan Gounden GM supply chain at AirProd-ucts explains the reasons behind the companyrsquos latest investment

ldquoCurrently there is no local industrial gas supply in this area and cryogenic gases have to be procured elsewhere This situation compromises the service

MARKET FORUM

ART Solar specialists in the manufacture of solar photovoltaic (PV) modules for the sustainable generation of electrical power has made the following appointment an-nouncementsMark Walsh as managing director Dr Ronald FM Lange as chief operating officer Robert Ramshaw as financial manager and Gavin Rosslee as production manager

Gavin RossleeRobert RamshawMark Walsh

Jeanne Els has been appointed as Hatchrsquos Managing Director of Operations

Jeanne Els

Ronald Lange

Anton Theunissen

SKF South Africa recently appointed Anton Theunissen as Distributor De-velpoment Manager for South Africa and neighbouring coun-tries

Index to Advertisers

Axiom 12

Bearings International 36

Bibby Turboflex 28

Bonfiglioli 10

Engen 34

Festo 35

Hansen 44

Horne SA 29

IDC Inside Back Cover

ILS 32

KDP Services 22

Loesche 31

Polysius 4

PPS 11 29

Mercedes Outside Back Cover

Merseta Inside Front Cover

MIEO Outside Front Cover

Transmission Components 14

Voith 38

Yellotec 16 17

delivery to our existing customers who have to depend on product being trucked over vast distances Thus we identified the Eastern Cape as a key priority invest-ment destination with a clear need for a new air separation facility dedicated to servicing the region We chose the Coega IDZ after careful market analysis We are pleased to be able to be a part of the growth and development of the region through providing a long-needed security of supply and value-added servicerdquo

Ayanda Vilakazi head of Marketing and Communications at the Coega IDZ adds ldquoThe viability of the new ASU is indis-putable It will mean not only security of gas supply to the region benefiting the many industries here but it also means job security for other investors jobs along the value chain and scope for training and human resource develop-ment as well as enhanced Corporate Social Investment initiativesrdquo

Seelan Gounden AirProducts wwwairproductssouthafricacoza

Left to right Chris Mashigo Executive Man-ager - Business Development Coega Develop-ment Corporation Themba Khoza Executive Manager ndash Operations Coega Development Corporation Seelan Gounden GM - Supply Chain Air Products Pierre Fourie Area Sales Manager ndash Eastern Cape Air Products signed the lease agreement between the CDC and Air Products South Africa

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 47To apply online for funding of R1 million or more go to wwwidccoza

Telephone 086 069 3888Email callcentreidccoza

Driving new market innovationsThe IDC supports high-impact job creation projects acting as a

catalyst to lead new sector development and support existing

industry and sector growth in alignment with governmentrsquos

New Growth Path (NGP) National Development Plan (NDP)

and Industrial Policy Action Plan (IPAP)

The IDC Strategic High Impact Projects (SHIP) Strategic Business

Unit in partnership with the IDC Innovation Department has

launched an Open Innovation Challenge to encourage the

development and implementation of sustainable high-impact

industrial initiatives and projects

The IDC calls upon individuals engineering communities

corporates project sponsors and other related entities to enter

into a partnership to develop qualifying projects that result in

sustainable and profi table industries exploit the value-adding

opportunities of existing and new value chains and enable the

development of innovative local economies

Whatwho qualifi es

projects which enable the development of new industries

across multiple IDC focus sectors

introduce new markets and value chains or revolutionise

existing ones through the use of disruptive technologies

or new approaches

development impact and employment creation

across mandated IDC industrial sectors

SHIP wishes to ensure that the projects undertaken play a major

role in industrial development and employment creation within

the South African and SADC regions

Interested applicants are invited to submit their project

proposals online at

httpopeninnovationidccozaidc-ship-challenge between

project proposals will be informed in May regarding SHIP

wishing to partner with them in the development of the

proposed project

Please contact Bertie Strydom BertieSidccoza and

RetiefBidccoza for more information

Chillibush9119IDC

48 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

A D

aim

ler B

rand

You built the bridges the roads and the tunnels We built the carAs a member of the Engineering Council of South Africa you could qualify for exclusive offers a guaranteed 3-day service booking as well as PremiumDrive our 6 year100 000km maintenance plan To take advantage of this outstandingopportunity inform your nearest dealer of your ECSA status

Not in conjunction with other Mercedes-Benz Fleet ProgrammesOffers Excludes AMG and Limited Edition modelsVehicle specifications may vary for the South African market

Page 12: SAME Mar2013

12 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 201314 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 62 May 2012

AXIOM HYDRAULICS (PTY) LTD

HA

Tel (011) 334-3068 334-3086 Fax (011) 334-4543E-mail axiomjhbmwebcoza

SAMHYDRAULIK which is one of the leaders in the field of hydraulictransmission has been operating for over 25 years in the internationalmarket offering a complete range of orbital hydraulic motors and power steering units axial pumps andmotors for medium and highpressure ranges all characterisedby excellent performances

SAMHYDRAULIK employs 120people who operate inside avery modern and efficient plantthat spans over 6 000 squaremetres to assure a high standardand flexible production capacityThe latest computer technologyis used for both design andproduction combined withstrict quality control proceduresduring all production phaseswhich translates into innovativereliable and functionalproducts that meet the various needs of the marketIts ISO 9001 certificationheld since 1994 is theresult of a quality-orientated philosophyon which SAMHYDRAULIKhas always based itsoperation

17 Heidelberg Road Village Main Johannesburg 2000P O Box 260248 Excom South Africa 2023

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 13T

POWER TRANSMISSION

Rossi a power transmission equipment manu-facturer from Modena in Italy did this by establishing the companyrsquos first permanent subsidiary in South Africa ldquoSA Mechanical

Engineerrdquo speaks with the deputy general manager of Rossi South Africa Kyle Dick about the range of new products theyrsquore now offering locally

ldquoInitially Rossi was represented in South Africa through my company DDI Transmissions in Springs as an agent for their comprehensive range of gear-boxes but now operates as a subsidiary for Rossi SPA to service the whole of sub-Saharan Africardquo he explains ldquoThe product range as such is thus not new to the South African market but wersquore of-fering a much wider range incorporating the latest in drive train technology for a wide variety of applica-tionsrdquo

in KwaZulu Natal ldquoNot only is the market in South Africa very similar to the mining industry there but many of the mining companies and major project

houses operate in both countries This made us realise that the South African market could

certainly be expanded from the footprint which Kyle has already established hererdquo

New rangesThe Rossi Group is one of Europersquos larg-est industrial groups for the production and sale of gear reducers gear motors

electric standard and brake motors Kyle comments ldquoThey constantly undertake

extensive research into new drive solu-tions A typical example is the EP range

of planetary units and the H-series of new helical and bevel-helical gear units specifically developed for heavy industry applicationsrdquo

Manufacturers of bulk handling equipment like conveyor systems ship loaders stacker

reclaimers and mine processing machinery are all familiar with Rossi drives and have been direct clients of the company for many years The gear reducers and gear motors include planetary worm coaxial right angle parallel shaft gear reducers and

Italian Gearboxes Now in SA

With South African industry particularly mining being very similar to that of Australia some international companies build up a strong footprint in Australia and then use this

experience to bring their expertise to the South African mining industry as well

The product range as such is thus not new to the South African market but wersquore now offering a much wider range incorporating the latest in drive train technology for a wide variety of applications

roduct s notcan of-er g ne -

Africa very simany of the

houses oprealise t

certaiwhic

NeTheestand

eleccomm

exteti

Ma

Kyle Dick (left) and Marcello Cassanelli of Rossi South Africa

The Rossi range of products has done extremely well in Australia leading to the establishment of a main subsidiary there and three regional officesrdquo says Marcello Cassanelli the other deputy

general manager from Italy who is helping Kyle in the coming years to get the business going at Tongaat

14 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

POWER TRANSMISSION

I prefer to go on site and help out with tricky problems but I also have good experience in gearbox selection a critical factor in todayrsquos market

speed reducers specifically bring flexibility to the market The system is completely modular allowing each solution to be tailor-made to a specific ap-plication yet itrsquos still cost effective as all products emanate from a standard production unit The new H series covers 825 kNm through to 1700 kNm while the EP series can cover up to 3000 kNm

ldquoComplementary and ancillary equipment such as cooling fans coils or independent cooling units oil heaters and labyrinth seals are of an equal qual-ity and toughness as our rugged gear units which are built and customised for the most challenging conditions or environments any industry can pos-sibly presentrdquo Marcello adds The company is so confident in the quality and reliability of their product range that theyrsquore offering a worldwide warranty on all their geared products

Central baseldquoWe based the new South African headquarters in Tongaat because it puts us close to a port for bringing in components so we can assemble geared units more cost-effectivelyrdquo says Kyle ldquoWersquore in the heart of the sugar industry yet right next to an international airport so that wersquore in reach of any-where in Africa within a couple of hours In addition wersquove established a sales office in Johannesburg

ldquoThe fact that Marcello brings to the table his inter-national experience to complement my knowledge of local conditions and requirements gives me the confidence that wersquoll be able to provide the local market with services and products both the end-users and competitors will regard with respectrdquo adds Kyle ldquoTo top this off we have direct support from highly-experienced engineers in Italyrdquo

SelectionKyle is a hands-on man who has worked his way up in the company through the ranks in the workshop on site and in the office ldquoI prefer to go on site and help out with tricky problems but I also have good experience in gearbox selection a critical factor in todayrsquos marketrdquo he says in conclusion

ldquoAlthough most project houses do the selection wersquore always prepared to share our experience with others in order to make the right selection right from the start I am confident that we now have the right product the right facilities in terms of support and the experience to serve the local market with competitive pricingrdquo

Kyle Dick Rossi South Africa Tel (032) 944-3505 Email kyleddirossicoza

gear motors while other standard products are large size parallel and right angle shaft gear reducers and gear motors for heavy duty applications

ExtrasMarcello adds ldquoThe new EP and the H range of

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 15

POWER TRANSMISSION

He kicks off by telling us ldquoIf yoursquore not saving money in the end condition monitoring serves no effective purpose Also if you can

afford the consequence of a failure then you donrsquot need to do condition monitoring A good example is found in the food processing industry where they use hundreds of small pumps throughout a plant Instead of having to monitor all these pumps they now use low-cost plastic pumps which can be replaced quickly without holding up the production processrdquo

Part of asset managementldquoTypically you start the development of the condition monitoring process by determining the companyrsquos

maintenance strategy a process called the RCM (reliability centred maintenance) planrdquo explains Kobus ldquoFirst off a hardware breakdown structure of the whole plant is drawn up and a Failure Mode and Effectsrsquo Criticality Analysis (FMECA) performed so that you can decide which of the machines are critical to the operation of your plant the ones which will bring the whole lot to a halt if they fail

Kobus continues ldquoThrough this process the company can also determine what spares to carry as well as the level and types of skills which will be needed to maintain the critical machines in the plantrdquo

MethodsIdeas Solutions not only assists companies to under-take this initial criticality audit but will also advise which one of the four main condition monitoring technologies is most appropriate for each specific application fit it and analyse the data as part of a maintenance contract

ldquoThe solution could take the form of vibration moni-toring alignment monitoring any one of a number of methods of temperature measurements or oil analysisrdquo clarifies Kobus ldquoIn the case of a gearbox for instance we carry out an oil analysis to check whether there are any particles of the same mate-rial as the bearings or the gear teeth and so on

VibrationldquoIn our experience ninety percent of the machines with high maintenance costs are the ones where vibration is the highestrdquo adds Kobus ldquoBeing a destructive phenomenon the extent of vibration indicates whether the machine is balanced running in alignment and gives insight into the condition of the bearings regardless of the type of bearing

Save on MaintenanceCondition monitoring is an integral part of asset management ultimately impacting directly on a

companyrsquos bottom line not only in terms of reducing the risk of unexpected breakdowns but also affecting

machinery life Deciding on what to monitor and how is a scientific task which should be undertaken by specialists ldquoSA Mechanical Engineerrdquo speaks to

Kobus van der Westhuizen director of Ideas Solutions a South African company specialising in engineering

analysis solutions with offices in Cape Town and Pietermaritzburg

We can predict how close that bearing is to failure

Kobus van der Westhuizen director of Ideas Solutions

The ldquoOperational Deflection Shaperdquo

16 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

less costly exercise than an unexpected failurerdquo Kobus says ldquoYou can then order a replacement bearing in good time and make sure you have the right skills on hand to do the replace-mentrdquo

What to fitBeing such a clear indicator of a number of problems in machinery vibration moni-toring equipment can be fitted in a variety of ways If itrsquos a critical machine permanent vibration protec-tion instrumentation is typi-cally fitted on the machine Such a system monitors the machine in real time while constantly evaluating vibra-tion in terms of bearings alignment or imbalance in the machinery

ldquoOur systems are so refined today that you can not only pinpoint which bearing is showing faults but we can even see which part of that bearing is showing strain and whyrdquo Kobus adds ldquoWe can also programme the system against certain parameters so that it trips the machine when certain levels of vibration are ex-

ceeded This is the highest level of protection we can providerdquo

An interesting development in the deployment of an online monitoring system is the technique called ldquoOperational Deflection Shaperdquo (ODS) analysis This is possible when an online system has the capabil-ity of simultaneously measuring all the channels

Simultaneously measuring all the channels of vibration in real time

POWER TRANSMISSION

ldquoIf for example we find that the load on the bearing remains constant we can predict how close that bearing is to failure and plan when the machine can be shut down for a bearing replacement a much

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 17

of vibration in real time This preserves the phase relationship between channels resulting in a visual representation of the machine vibration It makes it easier to observe analyse and document noise and vibration problems in machinery and structures ODS analysis is used to display and analyse ex-perimental multi-channel time or frequency domain data acquired during the operation of a machine or forced vibration of a structure

This provides an interactive animated display with which users can observe spatially defined data such as operating deflection shapes (ODSs) mode shapes acoustic sound and intensity fields or other engineering data such at temperatures or pressures By animating the spatial response of a structure in slow motion users can view a structurersquos overall motion and the motion of one part relative to another Locations of excessive vibration or high levels of noise are easily identified

Next levelThe next level down is a surveillance system often used in conjunction with a protection system ldquoIn contrast to a protection system the surveillance system provides answers as to why things did go wrongrdquo explains Kobus ldquoIn a fan application for example the system will tell you that vibration has increased yet the signature reading from the machine has remained constant This can be as a result of dust build up on the blades or a blade has broken off causing an imbalance which prompts the protection system to stop the machine The system will even tell you which blade has been affected by the faultrdquo

The surveillance system can also be used on its own but still in an online mode ldquoThis feature is used to trend parameters leaving the decision to stop a machine at the discretion of the maintenance engineerrdquo explains Kobus ldquoThese online solutions can either be wired or wireless transmitting data from each sensor to the receivers on the system The data is then channelled to whomever needs it in his or her format of choicerdquo

Options for allOn smaller plants that cannot afford an online sys-tem less critical machinery data from machinery is collected by hand and transferred to a computer for analysis either by the maintenance engineer or under a maintenance contract to an engineer at Ideas Solutions

ldquoItrsquos no longer in question the fact that condition monitoring saves companies money has been proved over and over again if itrsquos done rightrdquo Kobus says in conclusion ldquoCondition monitoring regardless of the

The fact that condition monitoring saves companies money has been proved over and over again if itrsquos done right

POWER TRANSMISSION

extent to which it is integrated on a plant should be part of every companyrsquos maintenance strategyrdquo

Kobus van der Westhuizen Ideas Solutions Tel 082 552-4790 Email kobusideas-onlinecozawwwideas-onlinecoza

18 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

Empowering Municipal Engineers

Corruption and tenderpreneurship fraud financial mismanagement lack of understanding of technical issues

priorities difficulties with job creation and skills shortages are just some of the challenges that face municipal engineers in South

Africa

Name and shameCESA unreservedly supports the call for the banning of public servants from doing business with the state including dealstenders with another department or municipality

ldquoWhat is at stake is not the rights of state employees to do business but rather the integrity of the state procurement system The current public procurement environ-ment in the construction sector is highly complex and conducive to corruption and manipulationrdquo warns CESA President Naren Bhojaram

The problem is further compounded by the lack of accountability and punishment for procurement irregularities and wasteful expenditureldquoThe country has good rules but no-one is playing by themrdquo he adds

CESA believes that it is irresponsible and foolhardy to place employees in positions where they can (or are tempted to) manipu-late procurement and other procedures to unfairly benefit themselves at the expense of the statetaxpayer

CESA

Unqualified people should be discouraged from trying to do the job of the municipal engineer

CESA President Naren Bhojaram

Consulting En-gineers South Africa (CESA) President Na-

ren Bhojaram believes that if South Africa is serious about the empowerment of properly-qualified municipal

engineers it should invest in various interventions such as

training development and ca-pacitating of young engineers for

employment by the local authorities and make the municipal engineering

profession attractive

Currently municipal planning is done rather superficially and only a real municipal engi-

neer and a competent team of visionary planners can sort that out

CESA calls for the embracing of the municipal engineer as a trusted ad-visor as well as creating a working environment to attract and retain municipal engineers The munici-pal engineers must be incentivised (long term employment purpose in life emoluments respect and freedom) and unqualified people

should be discouraged from trying to do the job of the municipal engineer

Stumbling BlockInfrastructure deliveryrsquos biggest stumbling block is the lack of business integrity which involves among other things socialising with clients conflict of interest use of agents and partners collusion and bribery and the disregard of procurement regulations

CESA strongly urges structural changes to the way in which municipal engineers operate including the abandonment of long-term employment contracts for key technical and managerial staff Tender and

bid evaluation committees must include technical legal and financial executives in joint sittings and professional teams must be allowed to compile reports in an independent manner on tenders for the bid evaluation committees

The South African procurement legislation should include a Bribery and Corruption Act such as the UK Bribery Act of 2010 enabling the Courts to prosecute corruption and related issues more ef-fectively as well as the naming and shaming of firms contravening the requirements of the Act

Consulting Engineers South Africa (CESA) Graham Pirie Tel (011) 463-2022Email gspiriecesacoza wwwcesacoza

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 19

ldquoSA Mechanical Engineerrdquo speaks to Willie Muller general manager at KDP Services about the modernisation of old hydraulic machinery ldquoIn terms of upgrading wersquove just

done extensive work at a steel mill to re-design

and implement new technology on a large 1 200 tonne cutting press and a shredding machinerdquo he explains ldquoBoth the machines were imported from Germany originally but have lately started picking up problems seriously hampering production flow

ldquoAfter consulting with the supplierrsquos engineers the problems persisted and the client then called us in to investigaterdquo Willie says ldquoWe found that the hydraulics on both these old machines were outdated but could be updated with new tech-nology rather than replacing the old pumps and valves with costly new imported OEM components

New Life for Old Machines

Very often the spare parts for old machinery imported and installed twenty or more years ago is hard to come by and if it is available

it costs an arm and a leg to import If the problem happens to be hydraulic there is

a local hydraulics company that specialises in updating systems so that local easily-available spares can be used to keep the machine going for many years to come

Willie Muller general manager at KDP Services

CNC machining

Overhauled cylinders ready for delivery

Large cylinder

Hydraulic motor of all makes and sizes are serviced

HYDRAULICS amp PNEUMATICS

Analyse the operation and specifically the machinersquos function in situ before returning to the drawing board to redesign the hydraulic system for better functionality

20 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

New technologyAs the designer in the company

Willie goes out to analyse the operation and specifically the machinersquos function

in situ before returning to the drawing board to redesign the hydraulic system for better

functionality This provides the opportunity not only to introduce the latest technology into the upgrade but also to ensure that easily available local components are used He adds ldquoSince our upgrade the shear which can cut through a 150 by 300mm block of steel in one cut has been run-ning smoothly with none of the previous problems cropping up againrdquo

Similarly the shredding machine where a whole vehicle is fed in one end and comes out in pieces of scrap metal the other end has also been up-graded to run consistently ever since Willie adds ldquoThrough this success wersquove now not only landed the maintenance and service contracts for this mill but theyrsquove asked us to audit the entire plant to investigate other hydraulic systems which can be improved Wersquove already re-designed one of the production lines to introduce an integrated fully automated operationrdquo

First projectWillie might be young but he has worked with KDP since his student days gaining invaluable hands-on experience in all aspects of hydraulic work from the owner of the company Karel Podges ldquoOne of my first projects as a student was designing the hydraulic system for a container lifting and tilting machine used in steel mills to collect and handle scrap metalrdquo he recalls as we come across the remnants of the prototype when we walk in the yard behind the workshop ldquoThis is probably what got me hooked on hydraulics because nothing of the sort existed and I had to design it from scratch around a structure someone else had builtrdquo

Inside the workshop we find engineering equipment ranging from lathes to modern CNC machines all humming away as hydraulic components are turned out of a variety of metals At the hose crimping machine Willie points out the neat final product for a custom-made installation theyrsquore doing One of KDPrsquos specialities is hydraulic motor overhaul-ing which is evident when we see several large Hagglunds drives in various stages of repair in the drive section of the workshop

TestingFinally we get to the test-bench area where a large cylinder is under test for leaks before being taken apart for a complete overhaul ldquoOne of the biggest mistakes generally made when it comes to hydraulic equipment is that people think they can treat the hydraulic components roughly just because they are big and ruggedrdquo Willie remarks ldquoThey lose sight of the fact that dirt is the biggest enemy and they donrsquot take the necessary care to keep the oil or equipment clean causing irreparable damage to seals and delicate surface areas in a systemrdquo

One of the main advantages of KDP is that they are not officially tied up with a specific brand of hydraulic equipment allowing them to work on and supply any make on the market Willie concludes ldquoIn addition wersquore a small company where you learn and get the opportunity to work on all types of applications So each and every problem big or small is tackled with great personal attention to detailrdquo

Willie Muller KDP Services Tel (011) 392-5750 Email williekdp-servicescoza

That people think they can treat the hydraulic components roughly just because they are big and rugged

HYDRAULICS amp PNEUMATICS

The full MontyHydraulic system design from the circuit to pumps motors and all the necessary connecting piping are designed in-house at the 22-year old com-pany ldquoWe design the complete circuit specifying all the components necessary to achieve certain functionsrdquo explains Willie ldquoSimilarly all engineer-ing is undertaken in-house except the honing and chroming of shafts when we overhaul cylinder sets New cylinders are manufactured from tubing and shafts which have already been prepared

ldquoIn terms of piping wersquove built up a good name in many industries both in new installations during maintenance shutdowns or when a fixed installa-tion needs to be movedrdquo he adds ldquoNot only do we design the layout but we physically carry out the installation work ourselves especially when it is a stainless steel pipe installation that requires argon welding to fit the fittingsrdquo

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 21

Compressed Air at Work

Pneumatic systems are extensively used in industry where factories are commonly plumbed with

compressed air or compressed inert gases This is because a centrally-located and electrically-powered

compressor which powers cylinders and other pneumatic devices through solenoid valves is often

able to provide motive power in a cheaper safer more flexible and more reliable manner than electric motors

and actuators

Premium brandApplied Pneumatics established 22 years ago is a South African distributor of Parker Hannifin products ldquoAt a time when everyone is increasingly becoming aware of the benefits of buying premium products which last longer and have proven to be value for money Parker has come up with new innovations which extend this value even furtherrdquo says Dave

ldquoTake valves for example Most low-cost valves are throw-away items which are discarded completely if something goes wrong Our premium valves which cost a bit more initially are serviceable This means we can repair and service them at a fraction of the cost of even a cheap complete unit

ldquoIf the premium repairable valve breaks for in-stance itrsquos quick and easy to strip it right there and then fit new parts and have it up and running in no time as opposed to having to order and wait for a complete replacement unitrdquo adds Dave ldquoAll you need to have in stock are a couple of O-rings for the different valves in a systemrdquo

SA Mechanical Engineerrdquo visits a company in Randburg aptly named Applied Pneumat-ics to speak to managing director Dave McNair ldquoIn a pneumatics application we

supply everything beyond the compressor This includes everything down the line the filtration system water traps regulators and then the lubrication system before you get to the actual application which could be a cylinder control valves actuators or even solenoid valves for the control of liquid flows in a process We also do vacuum applications where suction cups pick objects up to move them aboutrdquo

From left Andrew Livesey applications engineer at Applied Pneumatics Teven McNair sales and Dave McNair managing director

Range includes pneumatic cylinders and actuators valves and logic processing air preparation equipment as well as a whole host of other pneumatic components and accessories

The Parker range of pneumatic equipment includes actuator and motors

HYDRAULICS amp PNEUMATICS

22 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

New conceptSimilarly the air prepa-ration systems from Parker are of a modular design and fully repair-able so that just worn or damaged compo-nents can be replaced ldquoThey have now taken this even furtherrdquo says Dave ldquoA new concept in regulators the Modu-flex clip technology system has just been released No special tools in fact no span-ners at all are needed

to take the unit apart to replace a filter element for instance You sim-ply clip the unit apart by hand replace the

element and clip it together again within a minute

ldquoOn a forklift for example the glass bowl of the air preparation unit is often damaged when the forklifts bump into some-thingrdquo elaborates Dave ldquoOn a low-cost throw-away unit yoursquod have to carry a spare unit to replace the whole unit With the new technology howev-er you simply clip off the damaged part to zap a new one into place In terms of cylinders and actuators the latest development is self-lubricating seals which require no additional lubri-cation whatsoeverrdquo

One of the main drawbacks of pneumatics over hydraulics is that a pneumatic cylinder has to be much larger than a hydraulic cylinder in order to deliver the same power However this does not rule out using pneumatics in heavier applications especially underground where the use of air is generally safer and cleaner than hydraulic oils in the first place

UndergroundldquoA while back we were approached by a platinum mine to design a pneumatic system to open and close underground tipsrdquo Andrew explains ldquoTo prevent people from falling into the ore tip it had to be closed with a heavy steel lid between off-loading operations We not only designed a suit-able pneumatic system but also took part in the installation on various levels all the way down to three kilometres undergroundrdquo

Like many other products there are cheap and nasty pneumatic products on the market and cost is not always an indication of inferiority ldquoThe safe route is to always buy from reputable companies who have been around for a long time and who trade in well-known brandsrdquo Dave says in conclusion ldquoSerious consideration should also be given to the repairability of the equipment Itrsquos no use installing a low cost system which has to be replaced regu-larly while another could last a lifetime if properly looked afterrdquo

Dave Mc Nair Applied pneumatics Tel (011) 792-3381 Email davenappliedpneumaticscoza

No special tools in fact no spanners at all are needed to take the unit apart to replace a filter element for instance

HYDRAULICS amp PNEUMATICS

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 23

TICK

ER T

APE

POWER GENERATION

PROMECH PUBLISHINGTel (011) 781-1401Fax (011) 781-1403Email samechengpromechcozaWebsite wwwpromechcozaManaging Editor Susan CustersEditorial Kowie HammanAdvertising Mark BennettCirculation Catherine MacdivaDTP Zinobia Docrat Donovan VadivaluDisclaimerPROMECH Publishing does not take responsibility for the opinions expressed by individuals

CopyrightAll rights reserved No editorial matter published in ldquoPower Generation Todayrdquo may be reproduced in any form or language without written per-mission of the publishers While every effort is made to ensure accurate reproduction the editor authors publishers and their employees or agents shall not be responsible or in any way liable for any errors omissions or inaccuracies in the publication whether arising from negligence or otherwise or for any consequences aris-ing therefrom The inclusion or exclusion of any product does not mean that the publisher or editorial board advocates or rejects its use either gener-ally or in any particular field or fields

POWERGENERATION

TODAY

Harnessing the Powers of the Ocean

Luciano Garcia-Baylleres COO at HAE

Tidal power has long been utilised as an energy resource used early on in tidal mills to grind grain throughout the Middle Ages More recently it has also been used to generate electricity for instance in the 240 MW tidal barrages at La Rance France Tidal currents however are still largely an untapped energy source While several marine current turbine prototypes

have been tested in the last few years there are only a few of these prototypes deployed to generate electrical power to smaller communities

mainly to demonstrate the viability of the technology

There is currently a renewed interest in using the ocean to generate electric-ity using both traditional hydropower technologies and new hydrokinetic

technologies This interest is being spurred on by official and private initiatives to promote the development of cleaner energy sources and diversification of energy supplies through use of alternative and renewable sources

Tidal energyTidal energy projects hold the promise of producing indigenous renewable predictable electricity without greenhouse gas emissions and with higher power densities in terms of power output per unit area than either solar photovoltaic or wind projects

The International Finance Corporation (IFC) the World Bankrsquos private-sector lending arm is partner-ing with Sasfin Bank to develop a portfolio of energy efficiency and renewable-energy financial products for small medium-sized and microenterprises (SMMEs) in South Africa

Alstom South Africa and the South African Nuclear Energy Corporation (Necsa) have signed an agreement under which the local branch of the French power generation power transmission and rail infrastructure

group will invest R8-million in buying equipment for the new coded welding centre being established at Necsarsquos Nuclear Skills Development (NSD)

The operation and maintenance (OampM) costs of wind farms in South Africa were expected to be in the mid-range of the international market Mott MacDonald consultant Matthias Vinard has reported adding that OampM costs ranged from euro28kW a year to euro68kW a year in international markets

24 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

ocean currents driven for instance by thermal gradients or differences in salinity Along the South African east coast the Agulhas Current is one of the most consistent sea currents in the world and this area has now been identified as the ideal spot to test technology developed by an American company Hydro Alternative Energy (HAE) from Florida USA

Current plans with the local gov-ernment of eThekwini Municipality in Durban supporting the concept of a hydrokinetic energy project off the cityrsquos coast calls for HAE to

initially develop a $20 million 1MW demonstration unit utilising the companyrsquos Oceanus technology to generate electric power from the Agulhas current flowing past the city Additional units each with an anticipated electric power generation capacity of 8 megawatts may then be built and likewise be submerged approximately 30 metres below sea level to prevent interference with shipping traffic

ldquoSA Mechanical Engineerrdquo has a QampA session with Luciano Garcia-Baylleres the Chief Operation Of-ficer (COO) of HAE about the project

Q Some background on HAEA HAE founded in March 2009 is an emerging independent power provider (ldquoIPPrdquo) focused on utilising hydrokinetic and other power develop-ment sources to generate electric power worldwide safely cost-effectively reliably and profitably with minimal or no ecological impact

Our business model provides for utilising certain of our own proprietary technology identifying and locating existing and new technologies and when appropriate partnering with others for our power development and generation needs

Q The South Africa connection with the companyA Research by our technical department identified several places throughout the world as optimal for the initial deployment and commercialisation of our technology After extensive research of each location

POWER GENERATIONTI

CKER

TA

PE

Tidal energy projects may also be useful in lsquofilling in the gapsrsquo in generating power from other intermit-tent energy sources such as wind farms

Marine current energy conversion concerns the po-tential generation of electricity from kinetic energy of freely-flowing water This contrasts with tradi-tional hydro power like a dam where the amount of energy extracted from a river is dependent on the head between the reservoir and the water level below the dam

A similar hydro power approach can in fact be used for tidal power in areas with high tides In this case a barrage can be constructed in a nar-row bay or estuary to utilise the head between low and high water

Consistent currentAnother way to generate electricity from water would be to convert the kinetic energy of flowing water similar to the way a wind turbine extracts energy from the wind In such a case a dam or reservoir is not necessary but rather sites are chosen where the currents are strong such as a narrow sound straight estuary around a headland or in a river

The term lsquomarine currentrsquo constitutes any kind of water current be it tidal unregulated rivers or other

Flow anlysis carried out for current simulations

Another way to generate electricity from water would be to convert the kinetic energy of flowing water similar to the way a wind turbine extracts energy from the wind

Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) MD Noah Gwariro says the state-owned company needs at least $300-million to refurbish thermal power stations in Bulawayo Harare and Munyati and to increase their generation capacities

The planned Karuma hydropower project will have capacity to generate 700MW

and is one of the high-priority projects in Ugandarsquos National Development Plan

The State-owned Ethiopian Electric Power Corporation (EEPCo) has signed a $120-million contract with UK-based company Canbridge Industries for the construction of a 50 MW waste-to-energy power plant

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 25

POWER GENERATION

The components of a sea current power gererating system

The Aghullas current and eThekwini Municipality with their infrastructure qualified human resource and an approach to facilitating large scale green projects was the appropriate site for this first endeavour

How the energy is harnessed

and all the surrounding benefits apart from the presence of good quality currents such as politi-cal stability port infrastructure and focus on green projects we determined that South Africa with its infrastructure qualified human resource and an approach to facilitating large scale green projects was the appropriate site for our first endeavour

Q Background on what the project is all aboutA OceanusTM our first power generation system which we are currently developing and which utilises much of our own proprietary technology is planned to harness the kinetic energy of the ocean to produce safe clean reliable cost-effective electric power

Oceanus will consist of two primary modules the amplification module (the shroud) and the engine module The shroud is a housing that will multiply the normal incoming water flow to a faster velocity as it passes through the engine module generat-ing more kinetic energy This will in turn result in potentially greater electrical power generation capability as well as potentially increased usable offshore locations worldwide

Velocity is the major factor which dictates the hydrokinetic energy that can be extracted from water Within the hydrokinetic energy sector of the renewable andor clean energy industry we have seen that research and development has generally focused on developing energy generation technolo-gies for environments that can only work in very high water velocity environments such as 3 4 5 metres per second While these areas of extreme water velocity are very high in hydrokinetic energy they only exist in a very small percentage of the worldrsquos waters

Our goal is to provide electric power to locations

Shroud

Engine module

Combine modular design

worldwide utilising the kinetic energy in lsquotypicalrsquo water conditions Our current design specifications have a base need of 1 metre per second of water

26 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

POWER GENERATION

flow which by amplifying the velocity is planned to produce 1MW of power This design specification once successfully tested may then be adapted into higher velocity waters As most locations in the world have lower velocity waters a turbine designed to work in 3 4 or 5 metres per second water flows will not work in waters that have velocities of 1-2 metres per second

Q How does it workA The theory behind the development of the system is quite basic having been previously used in other energy production systems such as wind and tidal energy generation Basically the engine is composed of an energy extraction system such as but not limited to our perpendicular access turbine a gorlov turbine a darrieus turbine and an Axial turbine

The other module is the shroud which handles two functions serving as an accelerator of the water ve-locity thus increasing the amount of kinetic energy that can be extracted Secondly it houses the engine protecting marine life from direct contact with the tip of the blades Also Oceanus is designed to be positively buoyant and either secured to the ocean floor or to float at a certain predetermined depth while moored to the ocean floor utilising the same techniques that are currently used in mooring floating oil rigs buoys or floating windmill systems

Q How will it work in KZNA There will be a demonstration unit initially and then we will start the commercial phase by entering into the normal contracts and procedures for energy generation in the country This entails a very large investment from our company where we will focus on potentially buildingassembling the units in Durban thus taking advantage of the excellent and qualified infrastructure it has

Q Who is involved locallyA We have no partners as far as investors or concerns as yet on the South African project but we are not against this possibility in the future From the facilita-tion point of view we have received a lot of support from Derek Morgan at the eThekwini Energy Office and Russell Curtis at DIPA each with their respective teams and other government offices that have been very forthcoming with information and support

Q What equipment does it use ndash where will this be madeA We have already scouted several facilities in Durbanrsquos ship building industry as well as other possible suppliers ranging from the maritime indus-try financial sector to legal consultants in order to make sure that we are in compliance with all regulations and that our perception of excellence from the South African maritime industry is in fact there

Q At what stage is the project nowA The project is currently at an initial logistics stage where we are looking at a more site specific design for the demonstration unit At the same time we are gathering all the information with our lawyers and possible suppliers for the norms procedures permits and licences necessary to comply with local and national regulations

Q Where will power go to A From our initial discussions with the regulatory bodies this energy can be locally distributed and then taken up by the grid as needed This will de-pend on the results of the demonstration unit and the first commercial unit operation which we are confident will exceed expectations

Q Are there sceptics criticsA As discussed before the basic technology has been used in other sectors of the energy generation industry what is being developed by us is the ef-ficient shroud and the maintenance systems which include buoyancy controls and depth determination in order to locate the most efficient current

Q Are there any future plans from your company for South Africa in particularA We believe that we have a good relationship with eThekwini municipality and once we fulfil our project with KZN we would then consider further expansion throughout South Africa

Q What about the other parts of AfricaA Eastern Africa in general presents very good conditions for our technology but for now we are going to concentrate our efforts on deploying this endeavour in South Africa before entertaining new opportunities

Luciano Garcia-Baylleres COO at HAE Tel 561-900-7200 EmailLgarciaHAE-USAcom wwwHAE-USAcom

We will focus on potentially building assembling the units in Durban thus taking advantage of the excellent and qualified infrastructure it has

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 27

POWER GENERATION NEWS

MTN has announced that it has entered into a com-mercial arrangement to sell its carbon credits to EDF Trading in an industry first The credits will be pro-duced by MTNrsquos tri-generation plant at 14th Avenue Of-fice Park in Fairland Johannesburg

EDF Trading is a whol-ly-owned subsidiary of Electriciteacute de France SA one of the largest compliance buyers covered by the European Union Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS)

The carbon credit project utilises a Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) meth-odology developed by MTN approved by the United Nations Framework Con-vention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) It is currently in the process of being registered with the UNFCCC Once registered MTN will sell the carbon credits from the project to EDF Trading

The project will make use of the MTN energy-efficient 2MW tri-generation plant at its Fairland office park Tri-generation is the concurrent production of electric-ity heating and cooling which provides

Carbon Credits power hot wa-ter space heat-

ing and cooling for air conditioning

from a single source

Egoli gas is used for the operation

sourced from the Sasol pipeline in Mozambique

The plant displaces grid electricity from Eskom

reducing greenhouse gas emissions and providing up to 85

efficiency on fuel The excess heat at some 400degC is captured

and used to supply heating and to operate an absorption chiller which creates cool water that is used to power an extensive air-conditioning system

Natural gas is clean burning and offers a consistent supply but simply using this to generate electricity would have been too expensive The saving achieved by capturing the waste heat combined with the additional revenue from the sale of the carbon credits however makes the project economically viablerdquo

Promethuim Robbie Louw Tel (011) 706-8185 Email Robbiepromethiumcozawwwpromethuimcoza

Countries across South East Asia Africa and the Middle East have been amending their regulatory frameworks and embarking on privatisation as many of them are in serious need of external fund-ing to ensure that their respective electricity industries are capable of dealing with the inevitable surge in demand The cumulative installed power capacity for these regions according to 2012 estimates will be 212 Gigawatts (GW) However this figure is expected to shoot up to 349 GW by 2020 climbing at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 64

Emerging Power Markets

Rising industrialisa-tion ever-increasing population figures and growing economies all point to an electrical future that most infra-structure systems are currently incapable of handling Therefore to achieve greater in-dustry efficiency and encourage competition governments across this region are opening up their electricity markets and increasing private sector participation The region will have to invest heavily in order to

increase its installed capacity and improve its existing infrastructure

Transmission networks in many of these countries are already under tremendous pressure to supply power without interruption and many new transmission projects are already underway or in the pipeline Therefore energy policy reforms are set to open the doors and create positive opportunities for growth in in the near future this according to Jonathan Cain of GBI Research

GBI ResearchJonathan Cain Tel +44 1204 543 533 Emailjcaingbiresearchcom wwwgbiresearchcom

28 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

POWER GENERATION NEWS

With Gensler Architects Aurecon has completed the design on the faccedilade of what will be Chinarsquos tallest building At 632m the Shanghai Centre is more than 100m taller than the recently-completed Shanghai Financial Centre and is designed as a sustainable eco-tower that sets a new benchmark not only for the region but also the world

Sustainable green features include tri-

Bioclimatic buildingGreywater recycling systems lo-cated at basement and at mid-level have been installed to collect greywater generated from lavatory or bathtub for reuse reducing potable water demand for the office tower by about 40

The ice storage system shifts part of the peak electricity demand of the chillers into the night modeoff peak operation Storage capacity is 26 400 Refrigerant Ton (RT) which reduces about 30 of the summit demand by about 3 through this ice cooling storage system and save up to the yearly energy cost for the user

A large volume water deluge system with rotational nozzles

installed at mid-level of the atria deliv-ers a large volume and accurate water spray onto fire with the assistance of Infra-red detection to lock the exact location and very early warning smoke detection apparatus system

A double curtain wall design provides better control on solar energy entering the tower building resulting in energy saving

Aerecon Group Jody Boshoff Tel (012) 427-2066 Email JodyBoshoffaurecongroupcomwwwaurecongroupcom

generation plant consisting of two sets of 11MW natural gas turbine generating electricity

chilled water hot water and heating water Simultaneous heat recovery of the hot flue gas produced from the tur-bines reduces carbon dioxide by 49 compared with the regular electrical cooling system

15 nos of 3kW vertical axis wind turbines (VAWTs) on the roof provide 157 500 kWh of clean and renewable electricity annually

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 29

Willem Sullivan of HansenA better artificial heart for people who are not eligible for natural heart transplants

Jean Schoeman of National Oilwell Varco My own jet aeroplane

Chris Coetzee of Resonant SolutionsThe problem in industry is practical engineering experience Young engineers donrsquot get the opportunity to learn the practical stuff Irsquod start an academy which teaches the practical side where you can learn from your mistakes Unfortunately mistakes cost money but if you have all the money in the world they can afford to learn from mistakes

In your book what is the most pivotal invention ever

Elbie Cornelius of National Oilwell Varco The computer

Chris Coetzee of Resonant SolutionsI canrsquot see how you can run a business without cellphones

Rudolph Beer of Martin EngineeringThe wheel

Willem Sullivan of HansenFor me personally Excel Without it my world will be dull and lifeless For the world at large Electricity because without it Excel will not be possible

Jean Schoeman of National Oilwell Varco The personal computer

OPINION

On his rounds Kowie Hamman our Editor is conducting an informal survey on the lighter side of engineering We follow up from last month with three pertinent questions

Soapbox

What do you think of computers and the digital world

Elbie Cornelius of National Oilwell Varco Awesome changing our world

Chris Coetzee of Resonant SolutionsNinety percent of all engineering is done using computers but if you rely solely on them yoursquove missed the plot because you always have to verify results by going back into the field to test what yoursquove done on the computer

Rudolph Beer of Martin EngineeringYou canrsquot do without them

Willem Sullivan of HansenIt is where I do all my design work So if it was not for computers we would be decades behind in terms of what we can do I absolutely love it

Greg Perry of SEWThey have definitely made things faster but the en-gineer still needs to understand the theory and pay attention to the detail or you make mistakes faster

Jean Schoeman of National Oilwell Varco Very useful until they give problems Then you just want to hit them with a hammer But the digital world has managed to speed up the communica-tion of information

If you had all the money in the world what would you design

Elbie Cornelius of National Oilwell Varco A solar and wind power station to supply the whole continent with electricity

Rudolph Beer of Martin EngineeringDevelop the safe harvesting of atomic energy

30 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

ldquoSA Mechanical Engineerrdquo speaks to Dave Goodman managing director of Spectra Car-bide Tooling Technology in Cape Town about the various management models they have

developed specifically to control tooling ldquoOur tool management systems were developed through our involvement with some of the major automotive OEMs in South Africardquo he says ldquoThe management system where we take over full control of the tool-ing facility on the premises has been running for twelve years now at some of these plants

Systems for allldquoBut these systems are not only for OEMs and

large operationsrdquo Dave remarks ldquoTo meet dif-ferent requirements we now have four levels of management systems on offer each requiring a different level of active involvement from our side This varies from purely holding stock to supply for a customerrsquos specific needs right through to taking over full control of tooling by having a permanent on-site office manned by fulltime Spectra staffrdquo

A typical level 4 operation with a Spectra team permanently stationed on the customerrsquos premises will be equipped with a fully-computerised store inventory system to control the purchasing of all tooling from spindle to point ldquoThe team will control all the new stock and used tools by negotiating and dealing with tier two suppliers as wellrdquo explains sales manager Wayne Williams ldquoThey are also responsible for presetting tools ready for produc-tion as well as collecting and delivering tools to and from the machines in addition to providing technical support 7 days a week 24 hours a day

BenefitsOne of the cost saving benefits for the customer is less administration because the Spectra team consolidates all invoices so the customer receives

Managing ToolingIn most machine shops the tooling is usually under lock and key to limit access to high-value tool inserts such as end-mills drills reamers and burrs Even so many companies suffer considerable losses as these costly tools get lost are pilfered or are misused because there isnrsquot a proper

management system in place over and above lock and key to control who takes what from the store

To meet different requirements we now have four levels of management on offer each requiring a different level of active involvement from our side

Managing machine tools saves money

Dave Goodman managing director of Spectra Carbide Tooling Technology

MATERIAL SELECTION

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 31

one invoice per month In addition the customer has a highly skilled specialist in-house on tap to provide technical assistance for all tooling drilling tapping milling boring gundrilling honing and line boring on CNC and conventional machines ldquoFrom the management system we can draw extensive reporting for the customer regarding the costs per unit manufactured We produce monthly graphs for trending as well as daily incident reports on tool breakages weekly costs on scrapped tools and we also work out action plans to reduce scrap and improve up-time of the machinesrdquo Wayne adds

In essence this value-add for the customer allows preventative action which ultimately saves the customer money Dave explains ldquoGiven the skills shortage out there no company can afford the personnel purely to manage the machine shop in so much detail With this system we not only fill the skills-gap by integrating with the company but we add value to the company so that they can focus on what they manufacturerdquo

New product developmentIntegration into the customersrsquo operation has proved particularly beneficial when it comes to new product developments Wayne elaborates ldquoWersquore always up to date with the latest technology in tooling and know what can be done in the best possible way Usually it will take a machine shop a while to select the right tooling and method to produce

a new part but with our experts right there on site they can be assured of finding the most suitable solution using the right tooling from the startrdquo

Vending systemOn a lower level of tool management where the operation does not justify a permanent Spectra team on site the company has a tooling vending machine solution ldquoAll the tooling is stored in a vending machine and access to draw the tools out of the machine is controlled by a card or finger-print readerrdquo explains Dave ldquoSuch a system does however have a reporting function which allows the customer to draw the machining cost against each specific job

ldquoThis system has proved popular in South Africa because it can be customised to control the specific functions relevant to each customerrdquo adds David ldquoPart and parcel of this cost-saving solution is training the customer on how best to utilise the system for his needs be it purely controlling the use of tooling or integrating reporting and costing into the business system of the companyrdquo

Wayne Williams Spectra Tel (011) 827-8957 Email waynewspectra-sacoza

From the management system we can draw extensive reporting for the customer regarding the costs per unit manufactured

Special carbide drills reamers end mills and special inserts are manufactured in South Africa

MATERIAL SELECTION

32 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 33

Cubitron can be used to finish profile and or polish materials with high tensile strengths and is particularly useful to extend the lifetime of belts and discs in industrial environments

where hard materials are the order of the dayrdquo

Consistent cutFinishes are little changed through the entire dura-tion of a Cubitron belt from new to completely worn out The secret is that the cutting edges wear in a controlled manner This means that the tiny indi-vidual scratches are the same when the belt is first

put on until it is worn and ready for replacement

ldquoThere are a multitude of cutting edges on each individual grain of the extremely hard ceramic based grain As the grain wears new cutting edges are exposed in a predictable and measured manner to ensure that a consistent action is applied to the surfacerdquo she adds

Using the same ceramic platform 3M developed Cubitron II providing even better results than its predecessor 3M engineers were able to electrostati-cally orient triangular precision shaped ceramic grain acting like a cutting tool This means that the grain slices through metal as opposed to grinding and continuously self-sharpens as points break off This results in discs and belts running cooler and longer The Cubitron II technology is applied in

Starting from Scratch

SURFACE FINISHING

ldquoTo scratch the surface as the saying goes of most modern materials and coatings is not as easy as it used to be Thatrsquos why we developed Cubitron Abrasive Grainrdquo says Kelly Hunt

sales and marketing manager of 3M

34 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

Scratccchingg thhe surfface of abrasivvves ttecchnnologgy is too oopen a compplex sccience

SURFACE FINISHING

belt fibre disc and Roloc form offer-ing a unique solution for wide range of grinding needs

Scratching the surfaceKelly is an abrasives fanatic She says scratching the surface of abrasives technology is to open a complex sci-ence Analysis of different materials and techniques of cutting or finishing has in recent years become a necessity as materials develop and advance Bonding of abrasive onto materials for discs and belts is also more complex than before as manufacturing becomes automated and the tolerance for down-time reduces

But for the average operator technician or engineer it is not so much a matter of what goes into the development of a product but rather finding the solution that suits the intended process The minimum requirement is for a product to perform reliably over an extended period of time and to produce the right finish

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 35

Sometimmess a less expeeensiive buuut mmooree suitaaablee abbrasssivee ccaan give bettterr reesulttss

SURFACE FINISHING

ldquoUsing the abrasives to determine a finish can be as simple or as com-plicated as the producer of finished goods chooses to make it With so many choices available in the market we recommend that industrial users iden-tify the requirements of the abrasive and then speak to trained service technicians from suppliers such as 3M

Not about priceldquoPrice is not always the determining factor Some-times a less expensive but more suitable abrasive can give better results and in other instances the use of cheaper materials in the wrong application may be costly as materials will need to be replaced more oftenrdquo

Kelly recommends that us-ers of industrial abrasives take the time to research new products and as-sess their suitability for their processes ldquoYoursquoll be surprised that some of the new abrasives can do the job better and in half the time than older technology abrasives canrdquo she concludes

3M Dylan Ian Hunter Tel (011) 806-2186 Email dhuntermmmcom www3Mcom

36 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

IT TRENDS

ldquo M o b i l e c o m p u t i n g

continues to grow and alongside other IT trends

such as cloud computing social technologies and the era of big data It is going to play a pivotal role in the IT industry this year In factrdquo Derick adds

Mobile Computing

Mobile computing is growing momentously and is set to account for as much as 57 of worldwide T market growth in 2013 says Derick Roberts CEO of TruTeq Devices a Pretoria-based

company focusing on wireless connectivity solutions

ldquoit is going to account for the lionrsquos share of growth ndash even more than the cloud computingrdquo

The IDC predicts that worldwide IT spending will exceed $21 trillion up 57 from 2012 The research company also states that mobility will be the biggest driver Sales of smart mobile devices including smart phones and tablets is expected to grow by 20 and will contribute a significant 57 of all IT growth Excluding smart mobile devices IT industry growth will clock in at only 29

Truteq Devices Derick Roberts Tel (012) 667-1530 wwwtruteqdevicescom

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 37

ELECTRIC DRIVE

The technology performance and design of the Cigarette powerboat is closely based on the electric super sports vehicle made in Affalterbach Germany

The 116 metre long Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept powerboat uses two drive units each featuring six independent electric motors At the rear of the boat each drive unit has its own trans-mission one on the left and one on the right The boat is fitted with the twelve compact liquid-cooled permanent-magnet synchronous electric motors which are the signature piece of the SLS AMG Coupeacute Electric Drive each electric motor delivers 138 kW and 250 Newton metres

The maximum output of 1 656 Kilowatts and maximum torque of 3 000 Newton metres combine to reach a staggering top speed of over 160 kmh making this locally emission-free Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept the worlds fastest electri-cally driven powerboat The low centre of gravity and optimum weight distribution ensure sublime

The Worlds Most Powerful Powerboat

handling characteristics during more dynamic changes of direction

The high-voltage battery boasts an energy content of 60 Kilowatt hours an electric load potential of 600 Kilowatts and a weight of 548 kg ndash all of which are absolute best values in the automotive sector The liquid-cooled lithium-ion high-voltage battery features a modular design with a maximum voltage of 400 V It consists of 12 modules each comprising 72 lithium-ion cells ldquoCigaretterdquo inte-grates four high-tech batteries with a total of 48 modules and 3 456 cells which generate a total capacity of 240 Kilowatt hours and an electric output of 2 400 Kilowatts respect even in the boat building industry

The Cigarette on-board chargers as standard Adapted to fit the infrastructure standard of many American marinas the boat has a charging capac-ity of 44 Kilowatts The battery is fully charged in approximately seven hours To reduce the charging time to less than three hours the powerboat can be fitted with four on-board chargers as an option

Mercedes-Benz Shirle Greig Tel (012) 677-1904 Email shirlegreigdaimlercom wwwmercedes-benzsacoza

Mercedes-AMG and Cigarette Racing launched the latest development of their cooperation at the Miami International Boat Show in February Numerous components from the SLS AMG Coupeacute Electric Drive have been integrated in the design of the Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept engineering design The high performance drive fitted in the electric super sports car makes the off shore powerboat the worlds most

powerful and fastest electrically-driven motor boat With an output of 1 656 Kilowatts and a maximum torque of 3 000 Newton metres the Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept is a fascinating new development

Combine to reach a staggering top speed of over 160 kmh

38 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

ENVIRONMENT

They have been in service for decades

under the toughest conditions ndash and

have proven themselves worldwide

Voith fluid couplings protect belt con-

veyors and drive components by provid-

ing smooth acceleration and torque

control allowing for frequent loaded

starts with the least amount of stress on

the drive and belt

In multi-motor drives they ensure pre-

cise load distribution Result fewer

downtimes ndash and the service life of the

belt and the drive components is in-

creased The latest product innovation is

the Voith TurboBelt 780 TPXL

infovtzavoithcom

wwwrsavoithturbocom

Protect Your Belt Conveyors with

Voith Fluid Couplings

ai_a

it_44

0_e

n ai

k

Water Disclosure ReportingJust as companies are addressing their carbon emissions and

provide carbon reporting to the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) water is becoming a growing priority

Reporting on it is becoming another critical sustainability issue

2011 saw a marked increase in the number of the worldrsquos largest companies reporting on their water usage on the risks that water presents and on their responses to

that risk Responses from these companies indicate that water is impacting global business now and yet water is not nearly as high on the corporate agenda as climate change

Evidence is mounting that South Africa is facing a water crisis of substantial proportions This crisis encompasses all aspects of water management on both the demand and supply side The mounting impacts of acid mine drainage and declining wa-ter quality add to the crisis South Africarsquos water security is likely to be further complicated by an increasingly uneven and unpredictable supply of rainfall as a result of climate change and by a reli-ance on significant water transfers from neighbour-

ing countries In meeting this crisis South Africa will have to resolve tough trade-offs in water use between agriculture key industrial activities such as mining and power generation and the supply to rapidly growing urban centres

Evidence is clearJSE 100 companies will need to show leadership in sustainably managing the water resources on which they rely for their day-to-day business operations The available evidence is clear It is not sustainable to continue exploiting water resources by follow-ing a lsquobusiness as usualrsquo approach If this is the case South Africarsquos freshwater resources will be depleted and unable to meet the needs of people and industry in the next 20 years if not before

In 2011 the response rate to the CDP Water Disclosure amongst South African companies was 46 (26 out of 56 companies) Many of South Africarsquos most significant corporate water users are therefore not yet able to or are not yet ready to report on their water-related risks

Promethuim Robbie Louw Tel (011) 706-8185 Email Robbiepromethiumcoza wwwpromethuimcoza

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 39

EXHIBITION

The Steel and Engineering Industries Federation (SEI-FSA) the Lifting Equipment Engineering Association

of SA (LEEASA) the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA) and the SA Institute of Welding (SAIW) have thrown their weight behind the biggest industrial and engineering trade show in Africa

The three-day 10-shows-in-one event takes place from 14 to 16 May 2013 at Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand Johannesburg

SEIFSA Conference at Indutec The Steel and Engineering Indus-tries Federation of South Africa (SEIFSA) will hold its annual conference at Indutec celebrating 70 years of active support for its members industry and business in Africa The federation has over 2 220 member companies which employ more than 224 000 people comprising 53 of the industryrsquos workforce

SAIW ldquoWe take our affiliations with leading industry players very seriously including our en-dorsement of Indutecrdquo says Jim Guild chief executive officer of the SA Institute of Welding ldquoThese industry ties form part of our strategy to create strong relationships which support our objective and Governmentrsquos mandate to enhance the manufacturing sector in South Africardquo

LEEASAThe Lifting Equipment Engineer-ing Association of South Africa (LEEASA) which is a division of the Chamber of Engineering Tech-

nology (COET) will also be using its endorsement of Indutec to promote its activities in the engineer-ing and technology sectors in general Chamber spokesperson Viv Nel says its exposure at the fair will create more awareness of the Chamberrsquos role in all engineering and technology-driven industries

ECSAIndustry regulator the Engineering Council of South Africa shares these aims ldquoAs a custodian of en-gineering intellectual capital in South Africa our endorsement of Indutec provides us with a platform to publicise our role in the engineering sector and government infrastructure initiativesrdquo says Edgar Sabela ECSArsquos Strategic Services Executive

ldquoWe need to produce 10 times more engineers to compete with developed economies Involvement with the Indutec show will allow us to promote engineering as a career through our Engenius Programme and showcase our existing engineer-ing excellence Most importantly it enables us to network with all key players in the field and even conclude some businessrdquo

Tenfold Benefits to ExhibitorsJohn Thomson managing director of Exhibition Management Services organisers of the 10-in-one Fair says the unqualified support from leading in-dustry bodies indicates the showrsquos tenfold value to the engineering industrial and technology sectors ldquoThis undoubtedly translates into multiple benefits for the showrsquos exhibitors and ultimately to show visitorsrdquo he concludes

Indutec Serean ThomsonTel (011) 783 7250 Email marketingexhibitionsafricacom wwwexhibitionsafricacom

Boosting the Manufacturing Sector32 of South Africarsquos leading industrial and engineering professional and employer associations Chambers and

Councils have collectively endorsed Indutec the recently launched South African Industry and Technology Fair 2013

Promech Publishing through SA Mechanical Engineer and Bulk Handling Today will produce and publish the Official Catalogue for this prestigious show

Make sure your presence is felt before during and after the show by advertising in this one-of-a-kind reference publication

Contact Mark Bennett Tel (011) 781-1401 Email samechengpromechcoza

Jim Guild CEO of the SA Institute of Welding

Edgar Sabela - ECSArsquos Strategic Services Executive

Adelia Pimentel - Marketing and Communications Manager SEIFSA

40 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

MARKET FORUM

ldquoBMG has identified a need in diverse sectors for on-site maintenance services to overcome production challengesrdquo says Dave Russell technical director BMG ldquoRecognising the extreme constraints of high energy prices low productivity the critical skills shortage and a highly competitive economic environment BMG brings a total solutions service to the fore

ldquoIndustry can now access all critical production efficient products and services from one supplier What this means is lower production costs and higher pro-duction efficiency giving South African industry a distinct competitive advantage

ldquoBMGrsquos on-site services include applica-

tion design evaluation and optimisation as well as installation trouble-shooting and service exchange contracts The company also offers predictive planned and breakdown maintenance and energy and reliability studiesrdquo

The company also offers extensive train-ing which covers electrical mechanical hydraulic pneumatic electronic and materials handling disciplines as well as predictive maintenance and component failure analysis

BMG ndash Bearing Man Group Veronique van Niekerk Tel (031) 576-6221Email veroniquevbmgworldnet wwwbmgworldnet

Tenova Takraf Africa (formerly Bateman Engineered Technologies) is putting the final pieces together in completing an order for the supply of a 55m x 275m hydraulically-driven SAG mill to Ontario Graphite operators of the Kearney Mine located in Kearney O n t a r i o Canada

ldquoTenovarsquos scope

Unique SAG Mill in Canada

ABB started with a bang following the order of 2 400 robots by BMW Group Over the next three years the robots will be installed at factories in Regensburg and Leipzig Germany as well as in Tiexi China The ABB robots will mainly be used for mate-rial handling tasks as well as gluing and spot welding processes

ABB robots enable customers to implement efficient manufacturing systems that sustainably produce high-quality products The com-panyrsquos range of products and solu-tions for lean manufacturing cover the range from body-in-white to the final assembly of complete car bodies They improve competitiveness and at the same time optimally comply with customer specifications ABB has installed more than 200 000 robots worldwide

ABB Robotics Natasha Mathebula Tel (010) 202-6156 Email natashamathebulazaabbcom wwwabbcom

2400

Robots

Total Solution

of work includes the engineering manufacturing shipping and technical assistance during erection of the SAG millrsquos feed end shell discharge end drive and main bearings as well as all supporting equipment (lubrication and jacking systems)rdquo says Tenova Takraf

engineer Pieter van der Walt ldquoThe main hydraulic motor and rubber

shell liners were outside our commercial scope of supply but inside our technical

scope of supplyrdquo he adds

The mill is a conventional SAG (semi-autogenous grinding) mill in all ways apart from its drive assem-bly and it is centre-driven

at the discharge end using a Haggluumlnds hydraulic motor and powerpack ldquoTo date this is the largest hydraulic motor installed on a SAG mill with 950kW of power torque of 1 200 kNm (start-up) and 650 kNm (operational) and speed of 1386 rpmrdquo adds Pieter

Since the mill had to be retrofitted to an existing foundation a number of adaptations were required to maintain the mill centreline as well as feed-end and discharge-end positions Certain additions were required to anchor the main motor torque arm

Tenova Takraf Pieter van der Walt Tel (011) 899-2372 Email pietervanderwaltbatemancom wwwtenovagroupcom

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 41

MARKET FORUM

World Record

The ADR plant at Kisladag Mine

FLSmidth designs and manufactures indirect heated carbon regeneration kilns and calciners from half a ton per day and larger These kilns and calciners can be fuel gas oil or electric and are skid mounted pre-wired and pre-piped The companyrsquos patented bellows kiln seal has proved effective in eliminating air ingress and process gas egress and can be retrofitted to kilns from other manufacturers FLSmidth holds the world record for the lowest emissions on a carbon plant

And at the companyrsquos Merrill Crowe plant capacities range from skid mounted 34 cubic metres per hour modular plants to full size 2 100 cubic metres per hour The range of supply for plants includes clarification filters de-aeration towers vacuum pumps zinc dust feeders lead nitrate feeders and zinc cones precipitate filter feed pumps filter pre-coat and body feed systems as well as precipitate filters used by refinery and smelting facilities to produce gold bullion

These plants incorporate proprietary zinc dustlead nitrate feeder and mix-ing cone system The company offers individual plant components and partial or complete plant equipment packages together with total plant design

FLSmidth Terence Osborn Tel (010) 210-4820

Magnet has extended its range of abrasive products to include 3Mrsquos new Cubitron II abrasive belts with enhanced grinding performance improved productivity and extended service life

ldquo3Mrsquos new technology has resulted in increased speed improved consistency and extended belt liferdquo says Brian How-arth MD Magnet ldquoThese new abrasive belts ensure up to 30 faster cutting on hard to grind metals like stainless steel nickel alloy and cobalt chrome They also divert heat from the workpiece and belt to the swarf which means cooler cutting This helps eliminate burnishing and minimises heat stress Cubitron II abrasive belts last up to four times longer than conventional ceramic aluminium oxide beltsrdquo

3M Abrasives Bradley Reddy Tel (031) 274 1050 Email bradleyrmagnetgroupcozawwwmagnetgroupcoza

4 x Longer

42 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

MARKET FORUM

X-Calibur is one of the latest product offerings from TAL and was specified to protect the concrete structure of the worldrsquos second longest cable-stayed bridge against corrosion throughout its design life

Stonecutters Bridge is a high level cable-stayed bridge which spans the Rambler Channel in Hong Kong connecting Nam Wam Kok Tsing Yi Island and Stonecut-ters Island Hong Kong is well known for its hot summer weather which is also humid and unstable Temperatures

Say No to Corrosionusually exceed 30oC during the day which coupled with high humidity can result in an extreme heat index

ldquoHot and humid environments have a great effect on the durability of concrete As a rule of thumb we say for every 10oC increase in temperature the possibility of corrosion induced damage to concrete is doubled Add humidity in a marine envi-ronment then protection of the structure is of paramount importancerdquo says Brian Davies CEO X-Calibur International In order to guard the bridge from corro-

sion X-Shield EpoxySeal CR was sup-plied to shield the prestressed concrete cable anchorages from the effects of the environment In addition X-Shield FlexCoat was used in various areas of the structure This provides corrosion protection to reinforced concrete from chloride and carbon dioxide

ldquoThe main challenge was compliance with the strict project specifications as the engineer wanted to ensure that protection would be provided throughout the design life of the structure X-Calibur

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 43

MARKET FORUM

had the products independently tested to prove compliance to all aspects of the specificationrdquo John adds

The materials were applied by spe-cialist painters who had been trained by X-Calibur ldquoMaterials were mixed and applied strictly in accordance with method statements supplied by X-Calibur to ensure working time and recoat windows were not exceededrdquo concludes John

TAL Andrew Dekker Tel (031) 579-2263 wwwtalcoza

Fluid conveyance and pumping solutions expert Incledon has supplied a large water supply line project in the Free State with a total of 4 km of Ultraflo pipes manufactured in-house by DPI Plastics - a leading manufacturer of water reticulation drainage and pipe-fitting systems in South Africa

DPI Plastics technical and product manager Renier Snyman points out that the companyrsquos range of Ultraflo pipes are manufactured from modified polyvinyl chloride (mPVC) which is specifically designed to provide similar tensile strength and greater resilience than standard PVC piping products ldquoThe Ultraflo range of pressure piping systems are ideally suited to bulk water supply projects due to the fact that mPVC is considerably more ductile than industry standard unplasticised polyvinyl chloride (uPVC)rdquo he explains

Renier notes that the ductility of the Ultraflo uPVC piping system ensures that

Large Water Supply Project

the pipes have exceptional resistance to crack propagation under pressure ldquoThe product being supplied to the water sup-ply line project is the 500 mm Ultraflo system which is the largest in the DPI Plastics range It boasts a pressure rat-ing of 12 bar with a design stress of up to 18MPa making it ideally suited as a large underground piping systemrdquo

According to Renier Ultraflo pipes offer environmental advantages too ldquoDue to its superior toughness the wall thick-ness of mPVC is less than that of uPVC This ensures that less materials are used during the manufacturing process which ultimately results in a lighter product that is easier to transport and install thereby minimising the carbon footprint of the piperdquo

DPI Plastics Martine Goodchild Tel (021) 957 5600 Email mgoodchilddpiplasticscozawwwdpiplasticscoza

Donrsquot Miss Out

Promech Publishing is putting the Visitorsrsquo Catalogue together for this Show

Contact Mark Bennett on Tel (011) 781-1401 or Email samechengpromechcoza

to book your space

44 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

MARKET FORUM

Displaying and discussing some of the Dodge housed bearings on offer to local industry and mining are (from left) Tony Patten of Specialised Bearings amp Transmission Peter Small-Shaw Wilecrsquos Product Manager Bearings and Frans Odendaal Wilecrsquos Technical Specialist Bearings

The Bearings division of Actom group company Wilec has formed a strategic alliance for the supply of Dodge housed bearings into southern Africa The partner-ship agreement with Johannesburg-based Specialised Bearings amp Transmission the local distributor for Dodge extends Wilecrsquos ability to satisfy the requirements of industry and mining in a diverse range of bearings applications

ldquoThe most exciting thing about our tie-up with Dodge is that housed bearings while already widely accepted in the US and other leading industrialised countries is a relatively new concept locally but one which offers advanced features to users compared with conventional plum-mer block arrangementsrdquo said Frans Odendaal Wilecrsquos Technical Specialist Bearings

ldquoDodge housed bearings are supplied pre-assembled and sealed so eliminating all risk of contamination during fitment The advanced sealing arrangement and unique adapter system guarantees longer

Strategic Alliance

life ndash up to six times that of a conven-tional plummer block Other cost-saving advantages are that they can be installed by a semi-skilled technician very quickly normally in less than 15 minutes and the need to measure pre- and post-reduction clearance is eliminatedrdquo

ldquoIt is a differentiated product and with it we are able to provide a bearing that is especially well suited to local conditions

and offers benefits that are of real value to customers A particularly important aspect to bear in mind is that the total cost of ownership of a Dodge bearing is significantly lower than that of the conventional product due to its greater reliability and durabilityrdquo

Wilec Frans Odendaal Tel (011) 629-9300 Email fransowileccoza

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 45

MARKET FORUM

Emis Sales 2002 part of Becker Min-ing South Africa supplies a wide range of electrical equipment up to 1 100 V for use in hazardous and non-hazardous areas in the mining petrochemical and surface industry sectors

New to the Emis range are Proloc pro-tection and control relays which are suitable for thermal overload protection of conveyors compressors crushers fan and pump motors as well as shuttle cars and flitting panels

ldquoThe stand-alone Emis ProLoc electronic protection and control relay system which has been designed for the optimum protection of motor and feeder circuits connected to outlet sockets has a wide choice of six user-selectable protection features to meet exact requirementsrdquo says Frikkie Quirk managing director Emis Sales 2002 ldquoAn important advan-tage of this system is a door mounted infra-red link that enables a laptop with Proloc software to manage all settings

and downloads without having to open the panel door and expose personnel to dangerous live equipment This is a critical requirement in the OHSA actrdquo

This system is easy to set up via the Proloc MMI 420 display man-to-machine interface or via a laptop with Proloc software

Emis Sales 2002 Tel (016) 341-6134 Email infozabecker-miningcom wwwzabecker-miningcom

Optimum Protection

Birkenmayer a material processing systems supplier in South Africa and local supplier of German-engineered Eirich material processing technology recently released the Evactherm drier a new product that marries the advantages

Superheated Vacuum Steam

of mechanical and thermo dynamical processes to provide cost-effective and highly efficient drying and processing of filter cake and sludgersquos using superheated vacuum steam

Until now it has been important to observe

a maximum middle temperature when applying direct drying to heat sensitive materials and even more important to avoid the excessive local and boundary temperatures that frequently damage the drying product Both heat and ma-terial transport need to be considered and while convective drying processes such as spray drying largely avoid these problems they are only effective if a surface is available for the hot gas flow

Adjustable for both direct and convec-tive drying and processing Evactherm driers overcome these obstacles while providing a number of further benefits

Super-heated vacuum steam performs drying and granulation while the com-bination of mechanical and thermo dynamical processes allows for low dry-ing temperatures and gentle processing of temperature sensitive materials It also enables continuous drying for long periods of time as fresh material may be continuously added into the fluidized bed replacing material that has already been vaporised

H Birkenmayer Louis Eksteen Tel (011) 970 3880-8 Email louisbirkenmayercozawwwbirkenmayercoza

The Evactherm drier

Proloc protection and control relays

46 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

The Eastern Capersquos Coega Industrial Development Zone (IDZ) is one of a number of industrial regions in South Africa to benefit from Air Products South Africarsquos strategy of long-term capital investment

A region which has long been under-served when it comes to reliable gas supply the Eastern Cape will soon have

A Long-term Viewits own air separation unit (ASU) ndash the first of its kind in the province Seelan Gounden GM supply chain at AirProd-ucts explains the reasons behind the companyrsquos latest investment

ldquoCurrently there is no local industrial gas supply in this area and cryogenic gases have to be procured elsewhere This situation compromises the service

MARKET FORUM

ART Solar specialists in the manufacture of solar photovoltaic (PV) modules for the sustainable generation of electrical power has made the following appointment an-nouncementsMark Walsh as managing director Dr Ronald FM Lange as chief operating officer Robert Ramshaw as financial manager and Gavin Rosslee as production manager

Gavin RossleeRobert RamshawMark Walsh

Jeanne Els has been appointed as Hatchrsquos Managing Director of Operations

Jeanne Els

Ronald Lange

Anton Theunissen

SKF South Africa recently appointed Anton Theunissen as Distributor De-velpoment Manager for South Africa and neighbouring coun-tries

Index to Advertisers

Axiom 12

Bearings International 36

Bibby Turboflex 28

Bonfiglioli 10

Engen 34

Festo 35

Hansen 44

Horne SA 29

IDC Inside Back Cover

ILS 32

KDP Services 22

Loesche 31

Polysius 4

PPS 11 29

Mercedes Outside Back Cover

Merseta Inside Front Cover

MIEO Outside Front Cover

Transmission Components 14

Voith 38

Yellotec 16 17

delivery to our existing customers who have to depend on product being trucked over vast distances Thus we identified the Eastern Cape as a key priority invest-ment destination with a clear need for a new air separation facility dedicated to servicing the region We chose the Coega IDZ after careful market analysis We are pleased to be able to be a part of the growth and development of the region through providing a long-needed security of supply and value-added servicerdquo

Ayanda Vilakazi head of Marketing and Communications at the Coega IDZ adds ldquoThe viability of the new ASU is indis-putable It will mean not only security of gas supply to the region benefiting the many industries here but it also means job security for other investors jobs along the value chain and scope for training and human resource develop-ment as well as enhanced Corporate Social Investment initiativesrdquo

Seelan Gounden AirProducts wwwairproductssouthafricacoza

Left to right Chris Mashigo Executive Man-ager - Business Development Coega Develop-ment Corporation Themba Khoza Executive Manager ndash Operations Coega Development Corporation Seelan Gounden GM - Supply Chain Air Products Pierre Fourie Area Sales Manager ndash Eastern Cape Air Products signed the lease agreement between the CDC and Air Products South Africa

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 47To apply online for funding of R1 million or more go to wwwidccoza

Telephone 086 069 3888Email callcentreidccoza

Driving new market innovationsThe IDC supports high-impact job creation projects acting as a

catalyst to lead new sector development and support existing

industry and sector growth in alignment with governmentrsquos

New Growth Path (NGP) National Development Plan (NDP)

and Industrial Policy Action Plan (IPAP)

The IDC Strategic High Impact Projects (SHIP) Strategic Business

Unit in partnership with the IDC Innovation Department has

launched an Open Innovation Challenge to encourage the

development and implementation of sustainable high-impact

industrial initiatives and projects

The IDC calls upon individuals engineering communities

corporates project sponsors and other related entities to enter

into a partnership to develop qualifying projects that result in

sustainable and profi table industries exploit the value-adding

opportunities of existing and new value chains and enable the

development of innovative local economies

Whatwho qualifi es

projects which enable the development of new industries

across multiple IDC focus sectors

introduce new markets and value chains or revolutionise

existing ones through the use of disruptive technologies

or new approaches

development impact and employment creation

across mandated IDC industrial sectors

SHIP wishes to ensure that the projects undertaken play a major

role in industrial development and employment creation within

the South African and SADC regions

Interested applicants are invited to submit their project

proposals online at

httpopeninnovationidccozaidc-ship-challenge between

project proposals will be informed in May regarding SHIP

wishing to partner with them in the development of the

proposed project

Please contact Bertie Strydom BertieSidccoza and

RetiefBidccoza for more information

Chillibush9119IDC

48 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

A D

aim

ler B

rand

You built the bridges the roads and the tunnels We built the carAs a member of the Engineering Council of South Africa you could qualify for exclusive offers a guaranteed 3-day service booking as well as PremiumDrive our 6 year100 000km maintenance plan To take advantage of this outstandingopportunity inform your nearest dealer of your ECSA status

Not in conjunction with other Mercedes-Benz Fleet ProgrammesOffers Excludes AMG and Limited Edition modelsVehicle specifications may vary for the South African market

Page 13: SAME Mar2013

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 13T

POWER TRANSMISSION

Rossi a power transmission equipment manu-facturer from Modena in Italy did this by establishing the companyrsquos first permanent subsidiary in South Africa ldquoSA Mechanical

Engineerrdquo speaks with the deputy general manager of Rossi South Africa Kyle Dick about the range of new products theyrsquore now offering locally

ldquoInitially Rossi was represented in South Africa through my company DDI Transmissions in Springs as an agent for their comprehensive range of gear-boxes but now operates as a subsidiary for Rossi SPA to service the whole of sub-Saharan Africardquo he explains ldquoThe product range as such is thus not new to the South African market but wersquore of-fering a much wider range incorporating the latest in drive train technology for a wide variety of applica-tionsrdquo

in KwaZulu Natal ldquoNot only is the market in South Africa very similar to the mining industry there but many of the mining companies and major project

houses operate in both countries This made us realise that the South African market could

certainly be expanded from the footprint which Kyle has already established hererdquo

New rangesThe Rossi Group is one of Europersquos larg-est industrial groups for the production and sale of gear reducers gear motors

electric standard and brake motors Kyle comments ldquoThey constantly undertake

extensive research into new drive solu-tions A typical example is the EP range

of planetary units and the H-series of new helical and bevel-helical gear units specifically developed for heavy industry applicationsrdquo

Manufacturers of bulk handling equipment like conveyor systems ship loaders stacker

reclaimers and mine processing machinery are all familiar with Rossi drives and have been direct clients of the company for many years The gear reducers and gear motors include planetary worm coaxial right angle parallel shaft gear reducers and

Italian Gearboxes Now in SA

With South African industry particularly mining being very similar to that of Australia some international companies build up a strong footprint in Australia and then use this

experience to bring their expertise to the South African mining industry as well

The product range as such is thus not new to the South African market but wersquore now offering a much wider range incorporating the latest in drive train technology for a wide variety of applications

roduct s notcan of-er g ne -

Africa very simany of the

houses oprealise t

certaiwhic

NeTheestand

eleccomm

exteti

Ma

Kyle Dick (left) and Marcello Cassanelli of Rossi South Africa

The Rossi range of products has done extremely well in Australia leading to the establishment of a main subsidiary there and three regional officesrdquo says Marcello Cassanelli the other deputy

general manager from Italy who is helping Kyle in the coming years to get the business going at Tongaat

14 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

POWER TRANSMISSION

I prefer to go on site and help out with tricky problems but I also have good experience in gearbox selection a critical factor in todayrsquos market

speed reducers specifically bring flexibility to the market The system is completely modular allowing each solution to be tailor-made to a specific ap-plication yet itrsquos still cost effective as all products emanate from a standard production unit The new H series covers 825 kNm through to 1700 kNm while the EP series can cover up to 3000 kNm

ldquoComplementary and ancillary equipment such as cooling fans coils or independent cooling units oil heaters and labyrinth seals are of an equal qual-ity and toughness as our rugged gear units which are built and customised for the most challenging conditions or environments any industry can pos-sibly presentrdquo Marcello adds The company is so confident in the quality and reliability of their product range that theyrsquore offering a worldwide warranty on all their geared products

Central baseldquoWe based the new South African headquarters in Tongaat because it puts us close to a port for bringing in components so we can assemble geared units more cost-effectivelyrdquo says Kyle ldquoWersquore in the heart of the sugar industry yet right next to an international airport so that wersquore in reach of any-where in Africa within a couple of hours In addition wersquove established a sales office in Johannesburg

ldquoThe fact that Marcello brings to the table his inter-national experience to complement my knowledge of local conditions and requirements gives me the confidence that wersquoll be able to provide the local market with services and products both the end-users and competitors will regard with respectrdquo adds Kyle ldquoTo top this off we have direct support from highly-experienced engineers in Italyrdquo

SelectionKyle is a hands-on man who has worked his way up in the company through the ranks in the workshop on site and in the office ldquoI prefer to go on site and help out with tricky problems but I also have good experience in gearbox selection a critical factor in todayrsquos marketrdquo he says in conclusion

ldquoAlthough most project houses do the selection wersquore always prepared to share our experience with others in order to make the right selection right from the start I am confident that we now have the right product the right facilities in terms of support and the experience to serve the local market with competitive pricingrdquo

Kyle Dick Rossi South Africa Tel (032) 944-3505 Email kyleddirossicoza

gear motors while other standard products are large size parallel and right angle shaft gear reducers and gear motors for heavy duty applications

ExtrasMarcello adds ldquoThe new EP and the H range of

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 15

POWER TRANSMISSION

He kicks off by telling us ldquoIf yoursquore not saving money in the end condition monitoring serves no effective purpose Also if you can

afford the consequence of a failure then you donrsquot need to do condition monitoring A good example is found in the food processing industry where they use hundreds of small pumps throughout a plant Instead of having to monitor all these pumps they now use low-cost plastic pumps which can be replaced quickly without holding up the production processrdquo

Part of asset managementldquoTypically you start the development of the condition monitoring process by determining the companyrsquos

maintenance strategy a process called the RCM (reliability centred maintenance) planrdquo explains Kobus ldquoFirst off a hardware breakdown structure of the whole plant is drawn up and a Failure Mode and Effectsrsquo Criticality Analysis (FMECA) performed so that you can decide which of the machines are critical to the operation of your plant the ones which will bring the whole lot to a halt if they fail

Kobus continues ldquoThrough this process the company can also determine what spares to carry as well as the level and types of skills which will be needed to maintain the critical machines in the plantrdquo

MethodsIdeas Solutions not only assists companies to under-take this initial criticality audit but will also advise which one of the four main condition monitoring technologies is most appropriate for each specific application fit it and analyse the data as part of a maintenance contract

ldquoThe solution could take the form of vibration moni-toring alignment monitoring any one of a number of methods of temperature measurements or oil analysisrdquo clarifies Kobus ldquoIn the case of a gearbox for instance we carry out an oil analysis to check whether there are any particles of the same mate-rial as the bearings or the gear teeth and so on

VibrationldquoIn our experience ninety percent of the machines with high maintenance costs are the ones where vibration is the highestrdquo adds Kobus ldquoBeing a destructive phenomenon the extent of vibration indicates whether the machine is balanced running in alignment and gives insight into the condition of the bearings regardless of the type of bearing

Save on MaintenanceCondition monitoring is an integral part of asset management ultimately impacting directly on a

companyrsquos bottom line not only in terms of reducing the risk of unexpected breakdowns but also affecting

machinery life Deciding on what to monitor and how is a scientific task which should be undertaken by specialists ldquoSA Mechanical Engineerrdquo speaks to

Kobus van der Westhuizen director of Ideas Solutions a South African company specialising in engineering

analysis solutions with offices in Cape Town and Pietermaritzburg

We can predict how close that bearing is to failure

Kobus van der Westhuizen director of Ideas Solutions

The ldquoOperational Deflection Shaperdquo

16 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

less costly exercise than an unexpected failurerdquo Kobus says ldquoYou can then order a replacement bearing in good time and make sure you have the right skills on hand to do the replace-mentrdquo

What to fitBeing such a clear indicator of a number of problems in machinery vibration moni-toring equipment can be fitted in a variety of ways If itrsquos a critical machine permanent vibration protec-tion instrumentation is typi-cally fitted on the machine Such a system monitors the machine in real time while constantly evaluating vibra-tion in terms of bearings alignment or imbalance in the machinery

ldquoOur systems are so refined today that you can not only pinpoint which bearing is showing faults but we can even see which part of that bearing is showing strain and whyrdquo Kobus adds ldquoWe can also programme the system against certain parameters so that it trips the machine when certain levels of vibration are ex-

ceeded This is the highest level of protection we can providerdquo

An interesting development in the deployment of an online monitoring system is the technique called ldquoOperational Deflection Shaperdquo (ODS) analysis This is possible when an online system has the capabil-ity of simultaneously measuring all the channels

Simultaneously measuring all the channels of vibration in real time

POWER TRANSMISSION

ldquoIf for example we find that the load on the bearing remains constant we can predict how close that bearing is to failure and plan when the machine can be shut down for a bearing replacement a much

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 17

of vibration in real time This preserves the phase relationship between channels resulting in a visual representation of the machine vibration It makes it easier to observe analyse and document noise and vibration problems in machinery and structures ODS analysis is used to display and analyse ex-perimental multi-channel time or frequency domain data acquired during the operation of a machine or forced vibration of a structure

This provides an interactive animated display with which users can observe spatially defined data such as operating deflection shapes (ODSs) mode shapes acoustic sound and intensity fields or other engineering data such at temperatures or pressures By animating the spatial response of a structure in slow motion users can view a structurersquos overall motion and the motion of one part relative to another Locations of excessive vibration or high levels of noise are easily identified

Next levelThe next level down is a surveillance system often used in conjunction with a protection system ldquoIn contrast to a protection system the surveillance system provides answers as to why things did go wrongrdquo explains Kobus ldquoIn a fan application for example the system will tell you that vibration has increased yet the signature reading from the machine has remained constant This can be as a result of dust build up on the blades or a blade has broken off causing an imbalance which prompts the protection system to stop the machine The system will even tell you which blade has been affected by the faultrdquo

The surveillance system can also be used on its own but still in an online mode ldquoThis feature is used to trend parameters leaving the decision to stop a machine at the discretion of the maintenance engineerrdquo explains Kobus ldquoThese online solutions can either be wired or wireless transmitting data from each sensor to the receivers on the system The data is then channelled to whomever needs it in his or her format of choicerdquo

Options for allOn smaller plants that cannot afford an online sys-tem less critical machinery data from machinery is collected by hand and transferred to a computer for analysis either by the maintenance engineer or under a maintenance contract to an engineer at Ideas Solutions

ldquoItrsquos no longer in question the fact that condition monitoring saves companies money has been proved over and over again if itrsquos done rightrdquo Kobus says in conclusion ldquoCondition monitoring regardless of the

The fact that condition monitoring saves companies money has been proved over and over again if itrsquos done right

POWER TRANSMISSION

extent to which it is integrated on a plant should be part of every companyrsquos maintenance strategyrdquo

Kobus van der Westhuizen Ideas Solutions Tel 082 552-4790 Email kobusideas-onlinecozawwwideas-onlinecoza

18 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

Empowering Municipal Engineers

Corruption and tenderpreneurship fraud financial mismanagement lack of understanding of technical issues

priorities difficulties with job creation and skills shortages are just some of the challenges that face municipal engineers in South

Africa

Name and shameCESA unreservedly supports the call for the banning of public servants from doing business with the state including dealstenders with another department or municipality

ldquoWhat is at stake is not the rights of state employees to do business but rather the integrity of the state procurement system The current public procurement environ-ment in the construction sector is highly complex and conducive to corruption and manipulationrdquo warns CESA President Naren Bhojaram

The problem is further compounded by the lack of accountability and punishment for procurement irregularities and wasteful expenditureldquoThe country has good rules but no-one is playing by themrdquo he adds

CESA believes that it is irresponsible and foolhardy to place employees in positions where they can (or are tempted to) manipu-late procurement and other procedures to unfairly benefit themselves at the expense of the statetaxpayer

CESA

Unqualified people should be discouraged from trying to do the job of the municipal engineer

CESA President Naren Bhojaram

Consulting En-gineers South Africa (CESA) President Na-

ren Bhojaram believes that if South Africa is serious about the empowerment of properly-qualified municipal

engineers it should invest in various interventions such as

training development and ca-pacitating of young engineers for

employment by the local authorities and make the municipal engineering

profession attractive

Currently municipal planning is done rather superficially and only a real municipal engi-

neer and a competent team of visionary planners can sort that out

CESA calls for the embracing of the municipal engineer as a trusted ad-visor as well as creating a working environment to attract and retain municipal engineers The munici-pal engineers must be incentivised (long term employment purpose in life emoluments respect and freedom) and unqualified people

should be discouraged from trying to do the job of the municipal engineer

Stumbling BlockInfrastructure deliveryrsquos biggest stumbling block is the lack of business integrity which involves among other things socialising with clients conflict of interest use of agents and partners collusion and bribery and the disregard of procurement regulations

CESA strongly urges structural changes to the way in which municipal engineers operate including the abandonment of long-term employment contracts for key technical and managerial staff Tender and

bid evaluation committees must include technical legal and financial executives in joint sittings and professional teams must be allowed to compile reports in an independent manner on tenders for the bid evaluation committees

The South African procurement legislation should include a Bribery and Corruption Act such as the UK Bribery Act of 2010 enabling the Courts to prosecute corruption and related issues more ef-fectively as well as the naming and shaming of firms contravening the requirements of the Act

Consulting Engineers South Africa (CESA) Graham Pirie Tel (011) 463-2022Email gspiriecesacoza wwwcesacoza

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 19

ldquoSA Mechanical Engineerrdquo speaks to Willie Muller general manager at KDP Services about the modernisation of old hydraulic machinery ldquoIn terms of upgrading wersquove just

done extensive work at a steel mill to re-design

and implement new technology on a large 1 200 tonne cutting press and a shredding machinerdquo he explains ldquoBoth the machines were imported from Germany originally but have lately started picking up problems seriously hampering production flow

ldquoAfter consulting with the supplierrsquos engineers the problems persisted and the client then called us in to investigaterdquo Willie says ldquoWe found that the hydraulics on both these old machines were outdated but could be updated with new tech-nology rather than replacing the old pumps and valves with costly new imported OEM components

New Life for Old Machines

Very often the spare parts for old machinery imported and installed twenty or more years ago is hard to come by and if it is available

it costs an arm and a leg to import If the problem happens to be hydraulic there is

a local hydraulics company that specialises in updating systems so that local easily-available spares can be used to keep the machine going for many years to come

Willie Muller general manager at KDP Services

CNC machining

Overhauled cylinders ready for delivery

Large cylinder

Hydraulic motor of all makes and sizes are serviced

HYDRAULICS amp PNEUMATICS

Analyse the operation and specifically the machinersquos function in situ before returning to the drawing board to redesign the hydraulic system for better functionality

20 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

New technologyAs the designer in the company

Willie goes out to analyse the operation and specifically the machinersquos function

in situ before returning to the drawing board to redesign the hydraulic system for better

functionality This provides the opportunity not only to introduce the latest technology into the upgrade but also to ensure that easily available local components are used He adds ldquoSince our upgrade the shear which can cut through a 150 by 300mm block of steel in one cut has been run-ning smoothly with none of the previous problems cropping up againrdquo

Similarly the shredding machine where a whole vehicle is fed in one end and comes out in pieces of scrap metal the other end has also been up-graded to run consistently ever since Willie adds ldquoThrough this success wersquove now not only landed the maintenance and service contracts for this mill but theyrsquove asked us to audit the entire plant to investigate other hydraulic systems which can be improved Wersquove already re-designed one of the production lines to introduce an integrated fully automated operationrdquo

First projectWillie might be young but he has worked with KDP since his student days gaining invaluable hands-on experience in all aspects of hydraulic work from the owner of the company Karel Podges ldquoOne of my first projects as a student was designing the hydraulic system for a container lifting and tilting machine used in steel mills to collect and handle scrap metalrdquo he recalls as we come across the remnants of the prototype when we walk in the yard behind the workshop ldquoThis is probably what got me hooked on hydraulics because nothing of the sort existed and I had to design it from scratch around a structure someone else had builtrdquo

Inside the workshop we find engineering equipment ranging from lathes to modern CNC machines all humming away as hydraulic components are turned out of a variety of metals At the hose crimping machine Willie points out the neat final product for a custom-made installation theyrsquore doing One of KDPrsquos specialities is hydraulic motor overhaul-ing which is evident when we see several large Hagglunds drives in various stages of repair in the drive section of the workshop

TestingFinally we get to the test-bench area where a large cylinder is under test for leaks before being taken apart for a complete overhaul ldquoOne of the biggest mistakes generally made when it comes to hydraulic equipment is that people think they can treat the hydraulic components roughly just because they are big and ruggedrdquo Willie remarks ldquoThey lose sight of the fact that dirt is the biggest enemy and they donrsquot take the necessary care to keep the oil or equipment clean causing irreparable damage to seals and delicate surface areas in a systemrdquo

One of the main advantages of KDP is that they are not officially tied up with a specific brand of hydraulic equipment allowing them to work on and supply any make on the market Willie concludes ldquoIn addition wersquore a small company where you learn and get the opportunity to work on all types of applications So each and every problem big or small is tackled with great personal attention to detailrdquo

Willie Muller KDP Services Tel (011) 392-5750 Email williekdp-servicescoza

That people think they can treat the hydraulic components roughly just because they are big and rugged

HYDRAULICS amp PNEUMATICS

The full MontyHydraulic system design from the circuit to pumps motors and all the necessary connecting piping are designed in-house at the 22-year old com-pany ldquoWe design the complete circuit specifying all the components necessary to achieve certain functionsrdquo explains Willie ldquoSimilarly all engineer-ing is undertaken in-house except the honing and chroming of shafts when we overhaul cylinder sets New cylinders are manufactured from tubing and shafts which have already been prepared

ldquoIn terms of piping wersquove built up a good name in many industries both in new installations during maintenance shutdowns or when a fixed installa-tion needs to be movedrdquo he adds ldquoNot only do we design the layout but we physically carry out the installation work ourselves especially when it is a stainless steel pipe installation that requires argon welding to fit the fittingsrdquo

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 21

Compressed Air at Work

Pneumatic systems are extensively used in industry where factories are commonly plumbed with

compressed air or compressed inert gases This is because a centrally-located and electrically-powered

compressor which powers cylinders and other pneumatic devices through solenoid valves is often

able to provide motive power in a cheaper safer more flexible and more reliable manner than electric motors

and actuators

Premium brandApplied Pneumatics established 22 years ago is a South African distributor of Parker Hannifin products ldquoAt a time when everyone is increasingly becoming aware of the benefits of buying premium products which last longer and have proven to be value for money Parker has come up with new innovations which extend this value even furtherrdquo says Dave

ldquoTake valves for example Most low-cost valves are throw-away items which are discarded completely if something goes wrong Our premium valves which cost a bit more initially are serviceable This means we can repair and service them at a fraction of the cost of even a cheap complete unit

ldquoIf the premium repairable valve breaks for in-stance itrsquos quick and easy to strip it right there and then fit new parts and have it up and running in no time as opposed to having to order and wait for a complete replacement unitrdquo adds Dave ldquoAll you need to have in stock are a couple of O-rings for the different valves in a systemrdquo

SA Mechanical Engineerrdquo visits a company in Randburg aptly named Applied Pneumat-ics to speak to managing director Dave McNair ldquoIn a pneumatics application we

supply everything beyond the compressor This includes everything down the line the filtration system water traps regulators and then the lubrication system before you get to the actual application which could be a cylinder control valves actuators or even solenoid valves for the control of liquid flows in a process We also do vacuum applications where suction cups pick objects up to move them aboutrdquo

From left Andrew Livesey applications engineer at Applied Pneumatics Teven McNair sales and Dave McNair managing director

Range includes pneumatic cylinders and actuators valves and logic processing air preparation equipment as well as a whole host of other pneumatic components and accessories

The Parker range of pneumatic equipment includes actuator and motors

HYDRAULICS amp PNEUMATICS

22 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

New conceptSimilarly the air prepa-ration systems from Parker are of a modular design and fully repair-able so that just worn or damaged compo-nents can be replaced ldquoThey have now taken this even furtherrdquo says Dave ldquoA new concept in regulators the Modu-flex clip technology system has just been released No special tools in fact no span-ners at all are needed

to take the unit apart to replace a filter element for instance You sim-ply clip the unit apart by hand replace the

element and clip it together again within a minute

ldquoOn a forklift for example the glass bowl of the air preparation unit is often damaged when the forklifts bump into some-thingrdquo elaborates Dave ldquoOn a low-cost throw-away unit yoursquod have to carry a spare unit to replace the whole unit With the new technology howev-er you simply clip off the damaged part to zap a new one into place In terms of cylinders and actuators the latest development is self-lubricating seals which require no additional lubri-cation whatsoeverrdquo

One of the main drawbacks of pneumatics over hydraulics is that a pneumatic cylinder has to be much larger than a hydraulic cylinder in order to deliver the same power However this does not rule out using pneumatics in heavier applications especially underground where the use of air is generally safer and cleaner than hydraulic oils in the first place

UndergroundldquoA while back we were approached by a platinum mine to design a pneumatic system to open and close underground tipsrdquo Andrew explains ldquoTo prevent people from falling into the ore tip it had to be closed with a heavy steel lid between off-loading operations We not only designed a suit-able pneumatic system but also took part in the installation on various levels all the way down to three kilometres undergroundrdquo

Like many other products there are cheap and nasty pneumatic products on the market and cost is not always an indication of inferiority ldquoThe safe route is to always buy from reputable companies who have been around for a long time and who trade in well-known brandsrdquo Dave says in conclusion ldquoSerious consideration should also be given to the repairability of the equipment Itrsquos no use installing a low cost system which has to be replaced regu-larly while another could last a lifetime if properly looked afterrdquo

Dave Mc Nair Applied pneumatics Tel (011) 792-3381 Email davenappliedpneumaticscoza

No special tools in fact no spanners at all are needed to take the unit apart to replace a filter element for instance

HYDRAULICS amp PNEUMATICS

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 23

TICK

ER T

APE

POWER GENERATION

PROMECH PUBLISHINGTel (011) 781-1401Fax (011) 781-1403Email samechengpromechcozaWebsite wwwpromechcozaManaging Editor Susan CustersEditorial Kowie HammanAdvertising Mark BennettCirculation Catherine MacdivaDTP Zinobia Docrat Donovan VadivaluDisclaimerPROMECH Publishing does not take responsibility for the opinions expressed by individuals

CopyrightAll rights reserved No editorial matter published in ldquoPower Generation Todayrdquo may be reproduced in any form or language without written per-mission of the publishers While every effort is made to ensure accurate reproduction the editor authors publishers and their employees or agents shall not be responsible or in any way liable for any errors omissions or inaccuracies in the publication whether arising from negligence or otherwise or for any consequences aris-ing therefrom The inclusion or exclusion of any product does not mean that the publisher or editorial board advocates or rejects its use either gener-ally or in any particular field or fields

POWERGENERATION

TODAY

Harnessing the Powers of the Ocean

Luciano Garcia-Baylleres COO at HAE

Tidal power has long been utilised as an energy resource used early on in tidal mills to grind grain throughout the Middle Ages More recently it has also been used to generate electricity for instance in the 240 MW tidal barrages at La Rance France Tidal currents however are still largely an untapped energy source While several marine current turbine prototypes

have been tested in the last few years there are only a few of these prototypes deployed to generate electrical power to smaller communities

mainly to demonstrate the viability of the technology

There is currently a renewed interest in using the ocean to generate electric-ity using both traditional hydropower technologies and new hydrokinetic

technologies This interest is being spurred on by official and private initiatives to promote the development of cleaner energy sources and diversification of energy supplies through use of alternative and renewable sources

Tidal energyTidal energy projects hold the promise of producing indigenous renewable predictable electricity without greenhouse gas emissions and with higher power densities in terms of power output per unit area than either solar photovoltaic or wind projects

The International Finance Corporation (IFC) the World Bankrsquos private-sector lending arm is partner-ing with Sasfin Bank to develop a portfolio of energy efficiency and renewable-energy financial products for small medium-sized and microenterprises (SMMEs) in South Africa

Alstom South Africa and the South African Nuclear Energy Corporation (Necsa) have signed an agreement under which the local branch of the French power generation power transmission and rail infrastructure

group will invest R8-million in buying equipment for the new coded welding centre being established at Necsarsquos Nuclear Skills Development (NSD)

The operation and maintenance (OampM) costs of wind farms in South Africa were expected to be in the mid-range of the international market Mott MacDonald consultant Matthias Vinard has reported adding that OampM costs ranged from euro28kW a year to euro68kW a year in international markets

24 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

ocean currents driven for instance by thermal gradients or differences in salinity Along the South African east coast the Agulhas Current is one of the most consistent sea currents in the world and this area has now been identified as the ideal spot to test technology developed by an American company Hydro Alternative Energy (HAE) from Florida USA

Current plans with the local gov-ernment of eThekwini Municipality in Durban supporting the concept of a hydrokinetic energy project off the cityrsquos coast calls for HAE to

initially develop a $20 million 1MW demonstration unit utilising the companyrsquos Oceanus technology to generate electric power from the Agulhas current flowing past the city Additional units each with an anticipated electric power generation capacity of 8 megawatts may then be built and likewise be submerged approximately 30 metres below sea level to prevent interference with shipping traffic

ldquoSA Mechanical Engineerrdquo has a QampA session with Luciano Garcia-Baylleres the Chief Operation Of-ficer (COO) of HAE about the project

Q Some background on HAEA HAE founded in March 2009 is an emerging independent power provider (ldquoIPPrdquo) focused on utilising hydrokinetic and other power develop-ment sources to generate electric power worldwide safely cost-effectively reliably and profitably with minimal or no ecological impact

Our business model provides for utilising certain of our own proprietary technology identifying and locating existing and new technologies and when appropriate partnering with others for our power development and generation needs

Q The South Africa connection with the companyA Research by our technical department identified several places throughout the world as optimal for the initial deployment and commercialisation of our technology After extensive research of each location

POWER GENERATIONTI

CKER

TA

PE

Tidal energy projects may also be useful in lsquofilling in the gapsrsquo in generating power from other intermit-tent energy sources such as wind farms

Marine current energy conversion concerns the po-tential generation of electricity from kinetic energy of freely-flowing water This contrasts with tradi-tional hydro power like a dam where the amount of energy extracted from a river is dependent on the head between the reservoir and the water level below the dam

A similar hydro power approach can in fact be used for tidal power in areas with high tides In this case a barrage can be constructed in a nar-row bay or estuary to utilise the head between low and high water

Consistent currentAnother way to generate electricity from water would be to convert the kinetic energy of flowing water similar to the way a wind turbine extracts energy from the wind In such a case a dam or reservoir is not necessary but rather sites are chosen where the currents are strong such as a narrow sound straight estuary around a headland or in a river

The term lsquomarine currentrsquo constitutes any kind of water current be it tidal unregulated rivers or other

Flow anlysis carried out for current simulations

Another way to generate electricity from water would be to convert the kinetic energy of flowing water similar to the way a wind turbine extracts energy from the wind

Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) MD Noah Gwariro says the state-owned company needs at least $300-million to refurbish thermal power stations in Bulawayo Harare and Munyati and to increase their generation capacities

The planned Karuma hydropower project will have capacity to generate 700MW

and is one of the high-priority projects in Ugandarsquos National Development Plan

The State-owned Ethiopian Electric Power Corporation (EEPCo) has signed a $120-million contract with UK-based company Canbridge Industries for the construction of a 50 MW waste-to-energy power plant

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 25

POWER GENERATION

The components of a sea current power gererating system

The Aghullas current and eThekwini Municipality with their infrastructure qualified human resource and an approach to facilitating large scale green projects was the appropriate site for this first endeavour

How the energy is harnessed

and all the surrounding benefits apart from the presence of good quality currents such as politi-cal stability port infrastructure and focus on green projects we determined that South Africa with its infrastructure qualified human resource and an approach to facilitating large scale green projects was the appropriate site for our first endeavour

Q Background on what the project is all aboutA OceanusTM our first power generation system which we are currently developing and which utilises much of our own proprietary technology is planned to harness the kinetic energy of the ocean to produce safe clean reliable cost-effective electric power

Oceanus will consist of two primary modules the amplification module (the shroud) and the engine module The shroud is a housing that will multiply the normal incoming water flow to a faster velocity as it passes through the engine module generat-ing more kinetic energy This will in turn result in potentially greater electrical power generation capability as well as potentially increased usable offshore locations worldwide

Velocity is the major factor which dictates the hydrokinetic energy that can be extracted from water Within the hydrokinetic energy sector of the renewable andor clean energy industry we have seen that research and development has generally focused on developing energy generation technolo-gies for environments that can only work in very high water velocity environments such as 3 4 5 metres per second While these areas of extreme water velocity are very high in hydrokinetic energy they only exist in a very small percentage of the worldrsquos waters

Our goal is to provide electric power to locations

Shroud

Engine module

Combine modular design

worldwide utilising the kinetic energy in lsquotypicalrsquo water conditions Our current design specifications have a base need of 1 metre per second of water

26 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

POWER GENERATION

flow which by amplifying the velocity is planned to produce 1MW of power This design specification once successfully tested may then be adapted into higher velocity waters As most locations in the world have lower velocity waters a turbine designed to work in 3 4 or 5 metres per second water flows will not work in waters that have velocities of 1-2 metres per second

Q How does it workA The theory behind the development of the system is quite basic having been previously used in other energy production systems such as wind and tidal energy generation Basically the engine is composed of an energy extraction system such as but not limited to our perpendicular access turbine a gorlov turbine a darrieus turbine and an Axial turbine

The other module is the shroud which handles two functions serving as an accelerator of the water ve-locity thus increasing the amount of kinetic energy that can be extracted Secondly it houses the engine protecting marine life from direct contact with the tip of the blades Also Oceanus is designed to be positively buoyant and either secured to the ocean floor or to float at a certain predetermined depth while moored to the ocean floor utilising the same techniques that are currently used in mooring floating oil rigs buoys or floating windmill systems

Q How will it work in KZNA There will be a demonstration unit initially and then we will start the commercial phase by entering into the normal contracts and procedures for energy generation in the country This entails a very large investment from our company where we will focus on potentially buildingassembling the units in Durban thus taking advantage of the excellent and qualified infrastructure it has

Q Who is involved locallyA We have no partners as far as investors or concerns as yet on the South African project but we are not against this possibility in the future From the facilita-tion point of view we have received a lot of support from Derek Morgan at the eThekwini Energy Office and Russell Curtis at DIPA each with their respective teams and other government offices that have been very forthcoming with information and support

Q What equipment does it use ndash where will this be madeA We have already scouted several facilities in Durbanrsquos ship building industry as well as other possible suppliers ranging from the maritime indus-try financial sector to legal consultants in order to make sure that we are in compliance with all regulations and that our perception of excellence from the South African maritime industry is in fact there

Q At what stage is the project nowA The project is currently at an initial logistics stage where we are looking at a more site specific design for the demonstration unit At the same time we are gathering all the information with our lawyers and possible suppliers for the norms procedures permits and licences necessary to comply with local and national regulations

Q Where will power go to A From our initial discussions with the regulatory bodies this energy can be locally distributed and then taken up by the grid as needed This will de-pend on the results of the demonstration unit and the first commercial unit operation which we are confident will exceed expectations

Q Are there sceptics criticsA As discussed before the basic technology has been used in other sectors of the energy generation industry what is being developed by us is the ef-ficient shroud and the maintenance systems which include buoyancy controls and depth determination in order to locate the most efficient current

Q Are there any future plans from your company for South Africa in particularA We believe that we have a good relationship with eThekwini municipality and once we fulfil our project with KZN we would then consider further expansion throughout South Africa

Q What about the other parts of AfricaA Eastern Africa in general presents very good conditions for our technology but for now we are going to concentrate our efforts on deploying this endeavour in South Africa before entertaining new opportunities

Luciano Garcia-Baylleres COO at HAE Tel 561-900-7200 EmailLgarciaHAE-USAcom wwwHAE-USAcom

We will focus on potentially building assembling the units in Durban thus taking advantage of the excellent and qualified infrastructure it has

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 27

POWER GENERATION NEWS

MTN has announced that it has entered into a com-mercial arrangement to sell its carbon credits to EDF Trading in an industry first The credits will be pro-duced by MTNrsquos tri-generation plant at 14th Avenue Of-fice Park in Fairland Johannesburg

EDF Trading is a whol-ly-owned subsidiary of Electriciteacute de France SA one of the largest compliance buyers covered by the European Union Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS)

The carbon credit project utilises a Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) meth-odology developed by MTN approved by the United Nations Framework Con-vention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) It is currently in the process of being registered with the UNFCCC Once registered MTN will sell the carbon credits from the project to EDF Trading

The project will make use of the MTN energy-efficient 2MW tri-generation plant at its Fairland office park Tri-generation is the concurrent production of electric-ity heating and cooling which provides

Carbon Credits power hot wa-ter space heat-

ing and cooling for air conditioning

from a single source

Egoli gas is used for the operation

sourced from the Sasol pipeline in Mozambique

The plant displaces grid electricity from Eskom

reducing greenhouse gas emissions and providing up to 85

efficiency on fuel The excess heat at some 400degC is captured

and used to supply heating and to operate an absorption chiller which creates cool water that is used to power an extensive air-conditioning system

Natural gas is clean burning and offers a consistent supply but simply using this to generate electricity would have been too expensive The saving achieved by capturing the waste heat combined with the additional revenue from the sale of the carbon credits however makes the project economically viablerdquo

Promethuim Robbie Louw Tel (011) 706-8185 Email Robbiepromethiumcozawwwpromethuimcoza

Countries across South East Asia Africa and the Middle East have been amending their regulatory frameworks and embarking on privatisation as many of them are in serious need of external fund-ing to ensure that their respective electricity industries are capable of dealing with the inevitable surge in demand The cumulative installed power capacity for these regions according to 2012 estimates will be 212 Gigawatts (GW) However this figure is expected to shoot up to 349 GW by 2020 climbing at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 64

Emerging Power Markets

Rising industrialisa-tion ever-increasing population figures and growing economies all point to an electrical future that most infra-structure systems are currently incapable of handling Therefore to achieve greater in-dustry efficiency and encourage competition governments across this region are opening up their electricity markets and increasing private sector participation The region will have to invest heavily in order to

increase its installed capacity and improve its existing infrastructure

Transmission networks in many of these countries are already under tremendous pressure to supply power without interruption and many new transmission projects are already underway or in the pipeline Therefore energy policy reforms are set to open the doors and create positive opportunities for growth in in the near future this according to Jonathan Cain of GBI Research

GBI ResearchJonathan Cain Tel +44 1204 543 533 Emailjcaingbiresearchcom wwwgbiresearchcom

28 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

POWER GENERATION NEWS

With Gensler Architects Aurecon has completed the design on the faccedilade of what will be Chinarsquos tallest building At 632m the Shanghai Centre is more than 100m taller than the recently-completed Shanghai Financial Centre and is designed as a sustainable eco-tower that sets a new benchmark not only for the region but also the world

Sustainable green features include tri-

Bioclimatic buildingGreywater recycling systems lo-cated at basement and at mid-level have been installed to collect greywater generated from lavatory or bathtub for reuse reducing potable water demand for the office tower by about 40

The ice storage system shifts part of the peak electricity demand of the chillers into the night modeoff peak operation Storage capacity is 26 400 Refrigerant Ton (RT) which reduces about 30 of the summit demand by about 3 through this ice cooling storage system and save up to the yearly energy cost for the user

A large volume water deluge system with rotational nozzles

installed at mid-level of the atria deliv-ers a large volume and accurate water spray onto fire with the assistance of Infra-red detection to lock the exact location and very early warning smoke detection apparatus system

A double curtain wall design provides better control on solar energy entering the tower building resulting in energy saving

Aerecon Group Jody Boshoff Tel (012) 427-2066 Email JodyBoshoffaurecongroupcomwwwaurecongroupcom

generation plant consisting of two sets of 11MW natural gas turbine generating electricity

chilled water hot water and heating water Simultaneous heat recovery of the hot flue gas produced from the tur-bines reduces carbon dioxide by 49 compared with the regular electrical cooling system

15 nos of 3kW vertical axis wind turbines (VAWTs) on the roof provide 157 500 kWh of clean and renewable electricity annually

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 29

Willem Sullivan of HansenA better artificial heart for people who are not eligible for natural heart transplants

Jean Schoeman of National Oilwell Varco My own jet aeroplane

Chris Coetzee of Resonant SolutionsThe problem in industry is practical engineering experience Young engineers donrsquot get the opportunity to learn the practical stuff Irsquod start an academy which teaches the practical side where you can learn from your mistakes Unfortunately mistakes cost money but if you have all the money in the world they can afford to learn from mistakes

In your book what is the most pivotal invention ever

Elbie Cornelius of National Oilwell Varco The computer

Chris Coetzee of Resonant SolutionsI canrsquot see how you can run a business without cellphones

Rudolph Beer of Martin EngineeringThe wheel

Willem Sullivan of HansenFor me personally Excel Without it my world will be dull and lifeless For the world at large Electricity because without it Excel will not be possible

Jean Schoeman of National Oilwell Varco The personal computer

OPINION

On his rounds Kowie Hamman our Editor is conducting an informal survey on the lighter side of engineering We follow up from last month with three pertinent questions

Soapbox

What do you think of computers and the digital world

Elbie Cornelius of National Oilwell Varco Awesome changing our world

Chris Coetzee of Resonant SolutionsNinety percent of all engineering is done using computers but if you rely solely on them yoursquove missed the plot because you always have to verify results by going back into the field to test what yoursquove done on the computer

Rudolph Beer of Martin EngineeringYou canrsquot do without them

Willem Sullivan of HansenIt is where I do all my design work So if it was not for computers we would be decades behind in terms of what we can do I absolutely love it

Greg Perry of SEWThey have definitely made things faster but the en-gineer still needs to understand the theory and pay attention to the detail or you make mistakes faster

Jean Schoeman of National Oilwell Varco Very useful until they give problems Then you just want to hit them with a hammer But the digital world has managed to speed up the communica-tion of information

If you had all the money in the world what would you design

Elbie Cornelius of National Oilwell Varco A solar and wind power station to supply the whole continent with electricity

Rudolph Beer of Martin EngineeringDevelop the safe harvesting of atomic energy

30 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

ldquoSA Mechanical Engineerrdquo speaks to Dave Goodman managing director of Spectra Car-bide Tooling Technology in Cape Town about the various management models they have

developed specifically to control tooling ldquoOur tool management systems were developed through our involvement with some of the major automotive OEMs in South Africardquo he says ldquoThe management system where we take over full control of the tool-ing facility on the premises has been running for twelve years now at some of these plants

Systems for allldquoBut these systems are not only for OEMs and

large operationsrdquo Dave remarks ldquoTo meet dif-ferent requirements we now have four levels of management systems on offer each requiring a different level of active involvement from our side This varies from purely holding stock to supply for a customerrsquos specific needs right through to taking over full control of tooling by having a permanent on-site office manned by fulltime Spectra staffrdquo

A typical level 4 operation with a Spectra team permanently stationed on the customerrsquos premises will be equipped with a fully-computerised store inventory system to control the purchasing of all tooling from spindle to point ldquoThe team will control all the new stock and used tools by negotiating and dealing with tier two suppliers as wellrdquo explains sales manager Wayne Williams ldquoThey are also responsible for presetting tools ready for produc-tion as well as collecting and delivering tools to and from the machines in addition to providing technical support 7 days a week 24 hours a day

BenefitsOne of the cost saving benefits for the customer is less administration because the Spectra team consolidates all invoices so the customer receives

Managing ToolingIn most machine shops the tooling is usually under lock and key to limit access to high-value tool inserts such as end-mills drills reamers and burrs Even so many companies suffer considerable losses as these costly tools get lost are pilfered or are misused because there isnrsquot a proper

management system in place over and above lock and key to control who takes what from the store

To meet different requirements we now have four levels of management on offer each requiring a different level of active involvement from our side

Managing machine tools saves money

Dave Goodman managing director of Spectra Carbide Tooling Technology

MATERIAL SELECTION

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 31

one invoice per month In addition the customer has a highly skilled specialist in-house on tap to provide technical assistance for all tooling drilling tapping milling boring gundrilling honing and line boring on CNC and conventional machines ldquoFrom the management system we can draw extensive reporting for the customer regarding the costs per unit manufactured We produce monthly graphs for trending as well as daily incident reports on tool breakages weekly costs on scrapped tools and we also work out action plans to reduce scrap and improve up-time of the machinesrdquo Wayne adds

In essence this value-add for the customer allows preventative action which ultimately saves the customer money Dave explains ldquoGiven the skills shortage out there no company can afford the personnel purely to manage the machine shop in so much detail With this system we not only fill the skills-gap by integrating with the company but we add value to the company so that they can focus on what they manufacturerdquo

New product developmentIntegration into the customersrsquo operation has proved particularly beneficial when it comes to new product developments Wayne elaborates ldquoWersquore always up to date with the latest technology in tooling and know what can be done in the best possible way Usually it will take a machine shop a while to select the right tooling and method to produce

a new part but with our experts right there on site they can be assured of finding the most suitable solution using the right tooling from the startrdquo

Vending systemOn a lower level of tool management where the operation does not justify a permanent Spectra team on site the company has a tooling vending machine solution ldquoAll the tooling is stored in a vending machine and access to draw the tools out of the machine is controlled by a card or finger-print readerrdquo explains Dave ldquoSuch a system does however have a reporting function which allows the customer to draw the machining cost against each specific job

ldquoThis system has proved popular in South Africa because it can be customised to control the specific functions relevant to each customerrdquo adds David ldquoPart and parcel of this cost-saving solution is training the customer on how best to utilise the system for his needs be it purely controlling the use of tooling or integrating reporting and costing into the business system of the companyrdquo

Wayne Williams Spectra Tel (011) 827-8957 Email waynewspectra-sacoza

From the management system we can draw extensive reporting for the customer regarding the costs per unit manufactured

Special carbide drills reamers end mills and special inserts are manufactured in South Africa

MATERIAL SELECTION

32 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 33

Cubitron can be used to finish profile and or polish materials with high tensile strengths and is particularly useful to extend the lifetime of belts and discs in industrial environments

where hard materials are the order of the dayrdquo

Consistent cutFinishes are little changed through the entire dura-tion of a Cubitron belt from new to completely worn out The secret is that the cutting edges wear in a controlled manner This means that the tiny indi-vidual scratches are the same when the belt is first

put on until it is worn and ready for replacement

ldquoThere are a multitude of cutting edges on each individual grain of the extremely hard ceramic based grain As the grain wears new cutting edges are exposed in a predictable and measured manner to ensure that a consistent action is applied to the surfacerdquo she adds

Using the same ceramic platform 3M developed Cubitron II providing even better results than its predecessor 3M engineers were able to electrostati-cally orient triangular precision shaped ceramic grain acting like a cutting tool This means that the grain slices through metal as opposed to grinding and continuously self-sharpens as points break off This results in discs and belts running cooler and longer The Cubitron II technology is applied in

Starting from Scratch

SURFACE FINISHING

ldquoTo scratch the surface as the saying goes of most modern materials and coatings is not as easy as it used to be Thatrsquos why we developed Cubitron Abrasive Grainrdquo says Kelly Hunt

sales and marketing manager of 3M

34 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

Scratccchingg thhe surfface of abrasivvves ttecchnnologgy is too oopen a compplex sccience

SURFACE FINISHING

belt fibre disc and Roloc form offer-ing a unique solution for wide range of grinding needs

Scratching the surfaceKelly is an abrasives fanatic She says scratching the surface of abrasives technology is to open a complex sci-ence Analysis of different materials and techniques of cutting or finishing has in recent years become a necessity as materials develop and advance Bonding of abrasive onto materials for discs and belts is also more complex than before as manufacturing becomes automated and the tolerance for down-time reduces

But for the average operator technician or engineer it is not so much a matter of what goes into the development of a product but rather finding the solution that suits the intended process The minimum requirement is for a product to perform reliably over an extended period of time and to produce the right finish

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 35

Sometimmess a less expeeensiive buuut mmooree suitaaablee abbrasssivee ccaan give bettterr reesulttss

SURFACE FINISHING

ldquoUsing the abrasives to determine a finish can be as simple or as com-plicated as the producer of finished goods chooses to make it With so many choices available in the market we recommend that industrial users iden-tify the requirements of the abrasive and then speak to trained service technicians from suppliers such as 3M

Not about priceldquoPrice is not always the determining factor Some-times a less expensive but more suitable abrasive can give better results and in other instances the use of cheaper materials in the wrong application may be costly as materials will need to be replaced more oftenrdquo

Kelly recommends that us-ers of industrial abrasives take the time to research new products and as-sess their suitability for their processes ldquoYoursquoll be surprised that some of the new abrasives can do the job better and in half the time than older technology abrasives canrdquo she concludes

3M Dylan Ian Hunter Tel (011) 806-2186 Email dhuntermmmcom www3Mcom

36 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

IT TRENDS

ldquo M o b i l e c o m p u t i n g

continues to grow and alongside other IT trends

such as cloud computing social technologies and the era of big data It is going to play a pivotal role in the IT industry this year In factrdquo Derick adds

Mobile Computing

Mobile computing is growing momentously and is set to account for as much as 57 of worldwide T market growth in 2013 says Derick Roberts CEO of TruTeq Devices a Pretoria-based

company focusing on wireless connectivity solutions

ldquoit is going to account for the lionrsquos share of growth ndash even more than the cloud computingrdquo

The IDC predicts that worldwide IT spending will exceed $21 trillion up 57 from 2012 The research company also states that mobility will be the biggest driver Sales of smart mobile devices including smart phones and tablets is expected to grow by 20 and will contribute a significant 57 of all IT growth Excluding smart mobile devices IT industry growth will clock in at only 29

Truteq Devices Derick Roberts Tel (012) 667-1530 wwwtruteqdevicescom

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 37

ELECTRIC DRIVE

The technology performance and design of the Cigarette powerboat is closely based on the electric super sports vehicle made in Affalterbach Germany

The 116 metre long Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept powerboat uses two drive units each featuring six independent electric motors At the rear of the boat each drive unit has its own trans-mission one on the left and one on the right The boat is fitted with the twelve compact liquid-cooled permanent-magnet synchronous electric motors which are the signature piece of the SLS AMG Coupeacute Electric Drive each electric motor delivers 138 kW and 250 Newton metres

The maximum output of 1 656 Kilowatts and maximum torque of 3 000 Newton metres combine to reach a staggering top speed of over 160 kmh making this locally emission-free Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept the worlds fastest electri-cally driven powerboat The low centre of gravity and optimum weight distribution ensure sublime

The Worlds Most Powerful Powerboat

handling characteristics during more dynamic changes of direction

The high-voltage battery boasts an energy content of 60 Kilowatt hours an electric load potential of 600 Kilowatts and a weight of 548 kg ndash all of which are absolute best values in the automotive sector The liquid-cooled lithium-ion high-voltage battery features a modular design with a maximum voltage of 400 V It consists of 12 modules each comprising 72 lithium-ion cells ldquoCigaretterdquo inte-grates four high-tech batteries with a total of 48 modules and 3 456 cells which generate a total capacity of 240 Kilowatt hours and an electric output of 2 400 Kilowatts respect even in the boat building industry

The Cigarette on-board chargers as standard Adapted to fit the infrastructure standard of many American marinas the boat has a charging capac-ity of 44 Kilowatts The battery is fully charged in approximately seven hours To reduce the charging time to less than three hours the powerboat can be fitted with four on-board chargers as an option

Mercedes-Benz Shirle Greig Tel (012) 677-1904 Email shirlegreigdaimlercom wwwmercedes-benzsacoza

Mercedes-AMG and Cigarette Racing launched the latest development of their cooperation at the Miami International Boat Show in February Numerous components from the SLS AMG Coupeacute Electric Drive have been integrated in the design of the Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept engineering design The high performance drive fitted in the electric super sports car makes the off shore powerboat the worlds most

powerful and fastest electrically-driven motor boat With an output of 1 656 Kilowatts and a maximum torque of 3 000 Newton metres the Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept is a fascinating new development

Combine to reach a staggering top speed of over 160 kmh

38 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

ENVIRONMENT

They have been in service for decades

under the toughest conditions ndash and

have proven themselves worldwide

Voith fluid couplings protect belt con-

veyors and drive components by provid-

ing smooth acceleration and torque

control allowing for frequent loaded

starts with the least amount of stress on

the drive and belt

In multi-motor drives they ensure pre-

cise load distribution Result fewer

downtimes ndash and the service life of the

belt and the drive components is in-

creased The latest product innovation is

the Voith TurboBelt 780 TPXL

infovtzavoithcom

wwwrsavoithturbocom

Protect Your Belt Conveyors with

Voith Fluid Couplings

ai_a

it_44

0_e

n ai

k

Water Disclosure ReportingJust as companies are addressing their carbon emissions and

provide carbon reporting to the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) water is becoming a growing priority

Reporting on it is becoming another critical sustainability issue

2011 saw a marked increase in the number of the worldrsquos largest companies reporting on their water usage on the risks that water presents and on their responses to

that risk Responses from these companies indicate that water is impacting global business now and yet water is not nearly as high on the corporate agenda as climate change

Evidence is mounting that South Africa is facing a water crisis of substantial proportions This crisis encompasses all aspects of water management on both the demand and supply side The mounting impacts of acid mine drainage and declining wa-ter quality add to the crisis South Africarsquos water security is likely to be further complicated by an increasingly uneven and unpredictable supply of rainfall as a result of climate change and by a reli-ance on significant water transfers from neighbour-

ing countries In meeting this crisis South Africa will have to resolve tough trade-offs in water use between agriculture key industrial activities such as mining and power generation and the supply to rapidly growing urban centres

Evidence is clearJSE 100 companies will need to show leadership in sustainably managing the water resources on which they rely for their day-to-day business operations The available evidence is clear It is not sustainable to continue exploiting water resources by follow-ing a lsquobusiness as usualrsquo approach If this is the case South Africarsquos freshwater resources will be depleted and unable to meet the needs of people and industry in the next 20 years if not before

In 2011 the response rate to the CDP Water Disclosure amongst South African companies was 46 (26 out of 56 companies) Many of South Africarsquos most significant corporate water users are therefore not yet able to or are not yet ready to report on their water-related risks

Promethuim Robbie Louw Tel (011) 706-8185 Email Robbiepromethiumcoza wwwpromethuimcoza

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 39

EXHIBITION

The Steel and Engineering Industries Federation (SEI-FSA) the Lifting Equipment Engineering Association

of SA (LEEASA) the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA) and the SA Institute of Welding (SAIW) have thrown their weight behind the biggest industrial and engineering trade show in Africa

The three-day 10-shows-in-one event takes place from 14 to 16 May 2013 at Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand Johannesburg

SEIFSA Conference at Indutec The Steel and Engineering Indus-tries Federation of South Africa (SEIFSA) will hold its annual conference at Indutec celebrating 70 years of active support for its members industry and business in Africa The federation has over 2 220 member companies which employ more than 224 000 people comprising 53 of the industryrsquos workforce

SAIW ldquoWe take our affiliations with leading industry players very seriously including our en-dorsement of Indutecrdquo says Jim Guild chief executive officer of the SA Institute of Welding ldquoThese industry ties form part of our strategy to create strong relationships which support our objective and Governmentrsquos mandate to enhance the manufacturing sector in South Africardquo

LEEASAThe Lifting Equipment Engineer-ing Association of South Africa (LEEASA) which is a division of the Chamber of Engineering Tech-

nology (COET) will also be using its endorsement of Indutec to promote its activities in the engineer-ing and technology sectors in general Chamber spokesperson Viv Nel says its exposure at the fair will create more awareness of the Chamberrsquos role in all engineering and technology-driven industries

ECSAIndustry regulator the Engineering Council of South Africa shares these aims ldquoAs a custodian of en-gineering intellectual capital in South Africa our endorsement of Indutec provides us with a platform to publicise our role in the engineering sector and government infrastructure initiativesrdquo says Edgar Sabela ECSArsquos Strategic Services Executive

ldquoWe need to produce 10 times more engineers to compete with developed economies Involvement with the Indutec show will allow us to promote engineering as a career through our Engenius Programme and showcase our existing engineer-ing excellence Most importantly it enables us to network with all key players in the field and even conclude some businessrdquo

Tenfold Benefits to ExhibitorsJohn Thomson managing director of Exhibition Management Services organisers of the 10-in-one Fair says the unqualified support from leading in-dustry bodies indicates the showrsquos tenfold value to the engineering industrial and technology sectors ldquoThis undoubtedly translates into multiple benefits for the showrsquos exhibitors and ultimately to show visitorsrdquo he concludes

Indutec Serean ThomsonTel (011) 783 7250 Email marketingexhibitionsafricacom wwwexhibitionsafricacom

Boosting the Manufacturing Sector32 of South Africarsquos leading industrial and engineering professional and employer associations Chambers and

Councils have collectively endorsed Indutec the recently launched South African Industry and Technology Fair 2013

Promech Publishing through SA Mechanical Engineer and Bulk Handling Today will produce and publish the Official Catalogue for this prestigious show

Make sure your presence is felt before during and after the show by advertising in this one-of-a-kind reference publication

Contact Mark Bennett Tel (011) 781-1401 Email samechengpromechcoza

Jim Guild CEO of the SA Institute of Welding

Edgar Sabela - ECSArsquos Strategic Services Executive

Adelia Pimentel - Marketing and Communications Manager SEIFSA

40 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

MARKET FORUM

ldquoBMG has identified a need in diverse sectors for on-site maintenance services to overcome production challengesrdquo says Dave Russell technical director BMG ldquoRecognising the extreme constraints of high energy prices low productivity the critical skills shortage and a highly competitive economic environment BMG brings a total solutions service to the fore

ldquoIndustry can now access all critical production efficient products and services from one supplier What this means is lower production costs and higher pro-duction efficiency giving South African industry a distinct competitive advantage

ldquoBMGrsquos on-site services include applica-

tion design evaluation and optimisation as well as installation trouble-shooting and service exchange contracts The company also offers predictive planned and breakdown maintenance and energy and reliability studiesrdquo

The company also offers extensive train-ing which covers electrical mechanical hydraulic pneumatic electronic and materials handling disciplines as well as predictive maintenance and component failure analysis

BMG ndash Bearing Man Group Veronique van Niekerk Tel (031) 576-6221Email veroniquevbmgworldnet wwwbmgworldnet

Tenova Takraf Africa (formerly Bateman Engineered Technologies) is putting the final pieces together in completing an order for the supply of a 55m x 275m hydraulically-driven SAG mill to Ontario Graphite operators of the Kearney Mine located in Kearney O n t a r i o Canada

ldquoTenovarsquos scope

Unique SAG Mill in Canada

ABB started with a bang following the order of 2 400 robots by BMW Group Over the next three years the robots will be installed at factories in Regensburg and Leipzig Germany as well as in Tiexi China The ABB robots will mainly be used for mate-rial handling tasks as well as gluing and spot welding processes

ABB robots enable customers to implement efficient manufacturing systems that sustainably produce high-quality products The com-panyrsquos range of products and solu-tions for lean manufacturing cover the range from body-in-white to the final assembly of complete car bodies They improve competitiveness and at the same time optimally comply with customer specifications ABB has installed more than 200 000 robots worldwide

ABB Robotics Natasha Mathebula Tel (010) 202-6156 Email natashamathebulazaabbcom wwwabbcom

2400

Robots

Total Solution

of work includes the engineering manufacturing shipping and technical assistance during erection of the SAG millrsquos feed end shell discharge end drive and main bearings as well as all supporting equipment (lubrication and jacking systems)rdquo says Tenova Takraf

engineer Pieter van der Walt ldquoThe main hydraulic motor and rubber

shell liners were outside our commercial scope of supply but inside our technical

scope of supplyrdquo he adds

The mill is a conventional SAG (semi-autogenous grinding) mill in all ways apart from its drive assem-bly and it is centre-driven

at the discharge end using a Haggluumlnds hydraulic motor and powerpack ldquoTo date this is the largest hydraulic motor installed on a SAG mill with 950kW of power torque of 1 200 kNm (start-up) and 650 kNm (operational) and speed of 1386 rpmrdquo adds Pieter

Since the mill had to be retrofitted to an existing foundation a number of adaptations were required to maintain the mill centreline as well as feed-end and discharge-end positions Certain additions were required to anchor the main motor torque arm

Tenova Takraf Pieter van der Walt Tel (011) 899-2372 Email pietervanderwaltbatemancom wwwtenovagroupcom

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 41

MARKET FORUM

World Record

The ADR plant at Kisladag Mine

FLSmidth designs and manufactures indirect heated carbon regeneration kilns and calciners from half a ton per day and larger These kilns and calciners can be fuel gas oil or electric and are skid mounted pre-wired and pre-piped The companyrsquos patented bellows kiln seal has proved effective in eliminating air ingress and process gas egress and can be retrofitted to kilns from other manufacturers FLSmidth holds the world record for the lowest emissions on a carbon plant

And at the companyrsquos Merrill Crowe plant capacities range from skid mounted 34 cubic metres per hour modular plants to full size 2 100 cubic metres per hour The range of supply for plants includes clarification filters de-aeration towers vacuum pumps zinc dust feeders lead nitrate feeders and zinc cones precipitate filter feed pumps filter pre-coat and body feed systems as well as precipitate filters used by refinery and smelting facilities to produce gold bullion

These plants incorporate proprietary zinc dustlead nitrate feeder and mix-ing cone system The company offers individual plant components and partial or complete plant equipment packages together with total plant design

FLSmidth Terence Osborn Tel (010) 210-4820

Magnet has extended its range of abrasive products to include 3Mrsquos new Cubitron II abrasive belts with enhanced grinding performance improved productivity and extended service life

ldquo3Mrsquos new technology has resulted in increased speed improved consistency and extended belt liferdquo says Brian How-arth MD Magnet ldquoThese new abrasive belts ensure up to 30 faster cutting on hard to grind metals like stainless steel nickel alloy and cobalt chrome They also divert heat from the workpiece and belt to the swarf which means cooler cutting This helps eliminate burnishing and minimises heat stress Cubitron II abrasive belts last up to four times longer than conventional ceramic aluminium oxide beltsrdquo

3M Abrasives Bradley Reddy Tel (031) 274 1050 Email bradleyrmagnetgroupcozawwwmagnetgroupcoza

4 x Longer

42 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

MARKET FORUM

X-Calibur is one of the latest product offerings from TAL and was specified to protect the concrete structure of the worldrsquos second longest cable-stayed bridge against corrosion throughout its design life

Stonecutters Bridge is a high level cable-stayed bridge which spans the Rambler Channel in Hong Kong connecting Nam Wam Kok Tsing Yi Island and Stonecut-ters Island Hong Kong is well known for its hot summer weather which is also humid and unstable Temperatures

Say No to Corrosionusually exceed 30oC during the day which coupled with high humidity can result in an extreme heat index

ldquoHot and humid environments have a great effect on the durability of concrete As a rule of thumb we say for every 10oC increase in temperature the possibility of corrosion induced damage to concrete is doubled Add humidity in a marine envi-ronment then protection of the structure is of paramount importancerdquo says Brian Davies CEO X-Calibur International In order to guard the bridge from corro-

sion X-Shield EpoxySeal CR was sup-plied to shield the prestressed concrete cable anchorages from the effects of the environment In addition X-Shield FlexCoat was used in various areas of the structure This provides corrosion protection to reinforced concrete from chloride and carbon dioxide

ldquoThe main challenge was compliance with the strict project specifications as the engineer wanted to ensure that protection would be provided throughout the design life of the structure X-Calibur

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 43

MARKET FORUM

had the products independently tested to prove compliance to all aspects of the specificationrdquo John adds

The materials were applied by spe-cialist painters who had been trained by X-Calibur ldquoMaterials were mixed and applied strictly in accordance with method statements supplied by X-Calibur to ensure working time and recoat windows were not exceededrdquo concludes John

TAL Andrew Dekker Tel (031) 579-2263 wwwtalcoza

Fluid conveyance and pumping solutions expert Incledon has supplied a large water supply line project in the Free State with a total of 4 km of Ultraflo pipes manufactured in-house by DPI Plastics - a leading manufacturer of water reticulation drainage and pipe-fitting systems in South Africa

DPI Plastics technical and product manager Renier Snyman points out that the companyrsquos range of Ultraflo pipes are manufactured from modified polyvinyl chloride (mPVC) which is specifically designed to provide similar tensile strength and greater resilience than standard PVC piping products ldquoThe Ultraflo range of pressure piping systems are ideally suited to bulk water supply projects due to the fact that mPVC is considerably more ductile than industry standard unplasticised polyvinyl chloride (uPVC)rdquo he explains

Renier notes that the ductility of the Ultraflo uPVC piping system ensures that

Large Water Supply Project

the pipes have exceptional resistance to crack propagation under pressure ldquoThe product being supplied to the water sup-ply line project is the 500 mm Ultraflo system which is the largest in the DPI Plastics range It boasts a pressure rat-ing of 12 bar with a design stress of up to 18MPa making it ideally suited as a large underground piping systemrdquo

According to Renier Ultraflo pipes offer environmental advantages too ldquoDue to its superior toughness the wall thick-ness of mPVC is less than that of uPVC This ensures that less materials are used during the manufacturing process which ultimately results in a lighter product that is easier to transport and install thereby minimising the carbon footprint of the piperdquo

DPI Plastics Martine Goodchild Tel (021) 957 5600 Email mgoodchilddpiplasticscozawwwdpiplasticscoza

Donrsquot Miss Out

Promech Publishing is putting the Visitorsrsquo Catalogue together for this Show

Contact Mark Bennett on Tel (011) 781-1401 or Email samechengpromechcoza

to book your space

44 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

MARKET FORUM

Displaying and discussing some of the Dodge housed bearings on offer to local industry and mining are (from left) Tony Patten of Specialised Bearings amp Transmission Peter Small-Shaw Wilecrsquos Product Manager Bearings and Frans Odendaal Wilecrsquos Technical Specialist Bearings

The Bearings division of Actom group company Wilec has formed a strategic alliance for the supply of Dodge housed bearings into southern Africa The partner-ship agreement with Johannesburg-based Specialised Bearings amp Transmission the local distributor for Dodge extends Wilecrsquos ability to satisfy the requirements of industry and mining in a diverse range of bearings applications

ldquoThe most exciting thing about our tie-up with Dodge is that housed bearings while already widely accepted in the US and other leading industrialised countries is a relatively new concept locally but one which offers advanced features to users compared with conventional plum-mer block arrangementsrdquo said Frans Odendaal Wilecrsquos Technical Specialist Bearings

ldquoDodge housed bearings are supplied pre-assembled and sealed so eliminating all risk of contamination during fitment The advanced sealing arrangement and unique adapter system guarantees longer

Strategic Alliance

life ndash up to six times that of a conven-tional plummer block Other cost-saving advantages are that they can be installed by a semi-skilled technician very quickly normally in less than 15 minutes and the need to measure pre- and post-reduction clearance is eliminatedrdquo

ldquoIt is a differentiated product and with it we are able to provide a bearing that is especially well suited to local conditions

and offers benefits that are of real value to customers A particularly important aspect to bear in mind is that the total cost of ownership of a Dodge bearing is significantly lower than that of the conventional product due to its greater reliability and durabilityrdquo

Wilec Frans Odendaal Tel (011) 629-9300 Email fransowileccoza

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 45

MARKET FORUM

Emis Sales 2002 part of Becker Min-ing South Africa supplies a wide range of electrical equipment up to 1 100 V for use in hazardous and non-hazardous areas in the mining petrochemical and surface industry sectors

New to the Emis range are Proloc pro-tection and control relays which are suitable for thermal overload protection of conveyors compressors crushers fan and pump motors as well as shuttle cars and flitting panels

ldquoThe stand-alone Emis ProLoc electronic protection and control relay system which has been designed for the optimum protection of motor and feeder circuits connected to outlet sockets has a wide choice of six user-selectable protection features to meet exact requirementsrdquo says Frikkie Quirk managing director Emis Sales 2002 ldquoAn important advan-tage of this system is a door mounted infra-red link that enables a laptop with Proloc software to manage all settings

and downloads without having to open the panel door and expose personnel to dangerous live equipment This is a critical requirement in the OHSA actrdquo

This system is easy to set up via the Proloc MMI 420 display man-to-machine interface or via a laptop with Proloc software

Emis Sales 2002 Tel (016) 341-6134 Email infozabecker-miningcom wwwzabecker-miningcom

Optimum Protection

Birkenmayer a material processing systems supplier in South Africa and local supplier of German-engineered Eirich material processing technology recently released the Evactherm drier a new product that marries the advantages

Superheated Vacuum Steam

of mechanical and thermo dynamical processes to provide cost-effective and highly efficient drying and processing of filter cake and sludgersquos using superheated vacuum steam

Until now it has been important to observe

a maximum middle temperature when applying direct drying to heat sensitive materials and even more important to avoid the excessive local and boundary temperatures that frequently damage the drying product Both heat and ma-terial transport need to be considered and while convective drying processes such as spray drying largely avoid these problems they are only effective if a surface is available for the hot gas flow

Adjustable for both direct and convec-tive drying and processing Evactherm driers overcome these obstacles while providing a number of further benefits

Super-heated vacuum steam performs drying and granulation while the com-bination of mechanical and thermo dynamical processes allows for low dry-ing temperatures and gentle processing of temperature sensitive materials It also enables continuous drying for long periods of time as fresh material may be continuously added into the fluidized bed replacing material that has already been vaporised

H Birkenmayer Louis Eksteen Tel (011) 970 3880-8 Email louisbirkenmayercozawwwbirkenmayercoza

The Evactherm drier

Proloc protection and control relays

46 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

The Eastern Capersquos Coega Industrial Development Zone (IDZ) is one of a number of industrial regions in South Africa to benefit from Air Products South Africarsquos strategy of long-term capital investment

A region which has long been under-served when it comes to reliable gas supply the Eastern Cape will soon have

A Long-term Viewits own air separation unit (ASU) ndash the first of its kind in the province Seelan Gounden GM supply chain at AirProd-ucts explains the reasons behind the companyrsquos latest investment

ldquoCurrently there is no local industrial gas supply in this area and cryogenic gases have to be procured elsewhere This situation compromises the service

MARKET FORUM

ART Solar specialists in the manufacture of solar photovoltaic (PV) modules for the sustainable generation of electrical power has made the following appointment an-nouncementsMark Walsh as managing director Dr Ronald FM Lange as chief operating officer Robert Ramshaw as financial manager and Gavin Rosslee as production manager

Gavin RossleeRobert RamshawMark Walsh

Jeanne Els has been appointed as Hatchrsquos Managing Director of Operations

Jeanne Els

Ronald Lange

Anton Theunissen

SKF South Africa recently appointed Anton Theunissen as Distributor De-velpoment Manager for South Africa and neighbouring coun-tries

Index to Advertisers

Axiom 12

Bearings International 36

Bibby Turboflex 28

Bonfiglioli 10

Engen 34

Festo 35

Hansen 44

Horne SA 29

IDC Inside Back Cover

ILS 32

KDP Services 22

Loesche 31

Polysius 4

PPS 11 29

Mercedes Outside Back Cover

Merseta Inside Front Cover

MIEO Outside Front Cover

Transmission Components 14

Voith 38

Yellotec 16 17

delivery to our existing customers who have to depend on product being trucked over vast distances Thus we identified the Eastern Cape as a key priority invest-ment destination with a clear need for a new air separation facility dedicated to servicing the region We chose the Coega IDZ after careful market analysis We are pleased to be able to be a part of the growth and development of the region through providing a long-needed security of supply and value-added servicerdquo

Ayanda Vilakazi head of Marketing and Communications at the Coega IDZ adds ldquoThe viability of the new ASU is indis-putable It will mean not only security of gas supply to the region benefiting the many industries here but it also means job security for other investors jobs along the value chain and scope for training and human resource develop-ment as well as enhanced Corporate Social Investment initiativesrdquo

Seelan Gounden AirProducts wwwairproductssouthafricacoza

Left to right Chris Mashigo Executive Man-ager - Business Development Coega Develop-ment Corporation Themba Khoza Executive Manager ndash Operations Coega Development Corporation Seelan Gounden GM - Supply Chain Air Products Pierre Fourie Area Sales Manager ndash Eastern Cape Air Products signed the lease agreement between the CDC and Air Products South Africa

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 47To apply online for funding of R1 million or more go to wwwidccoza

Telephone 086 069 3888Email callcentreidccoza

Driving new market innovationsThe IDC supports high-impact job creation projects acting as a

catalyst to lead new sector development and support existing

industry and sector growth in alignment with governmentrsquos

New Growth Path (NGP) National Development Plan (NDP)

and Industrial Policy Action Plan (IPAP)

The IDC Strategic High Impact Projects (SHIP) Strategic Business

Unit in partnership with the IDC Innovation Department has

launched an Open Innovation Challenge to encourage the

development and implementation of sustainable high-impact

industrial initiatives and projects

The IDC calls upon individuals engineering communities

corporates project sponsors and other related entities to enter

into a partnership to develop qualifying projects that result in

sustainable and profi table industries exploit the value-adding

opportunities of existing and new value chains and enable the

development of innovative local economies

Whatwho qualifi es

projects which enable the development of new industries

across multiple IDC focus sectors

introduce new markets and value chains or revolutionise

existing ones through the use of disruptive technologies

or new approaches

development impact and employment creation

across mandated IDC industrial sectors

SHIP wishes to ensure that the projects undertaken play a major

role in industrial development and employment creation within

the South African and SADC regions

Interested applicants are invited to submit their project

proposals online at

httpopeninnovationidccozaidc-ship-challenge between

project proposals will be informed in May regarding SHIP

wishing to partner with them in the development of the

proposed project

Please contact Bertie Strydom BertieSidccoza and

RetiefBidccoza for more information

Chillibush9119IDC

48 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

A D

aim

ler B

rand

You built the bridges the roads and the tunnels We built the carAs a member of the Engineering Council of South Africa you could qualify for exclusive offers a guaranteed 3-day service booking as well as PremiumDrive our 6 year100 000km maintenance plan To take advantage of this outstandingopportunity inform your nearest dealer of your ECSA status

Not in conjunction with other Mercedes-Benz Fleet ProgrammesOffers Excludes AMG and Limited Edition modelsVehicle specifications may vary for the South African market

Page 14: SAME Mar2013

14 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

POWER TRANSMISSION

I prefer to go on site and help out with tricky problems but I also have good experience in gearbox selection a critical factor in todayrsquos market

speed reducers specifically bring flexibility to the market The system is completely modular allowing each solution to be tailor-made to a specific ap-plication yet itrsquos still cost effective as all products emanate from a standard production unit The new H series covers 825 kNm through to 1700 kNm while the EP series can cover up to 3000 kNm

ldquoComplementary and ancillary equipment such as cooling fans coils or independent cooling units oil heaters and labyrinth seals are of an equal qual-ity and toughness as our rugged gear units which are built and customised for the most challenging conditions or environments any industry can pos-sibly presentrdquo Marcello adds The company is so confident in the quality and reliability of their product range that theyrsquore offering a worldwide warranty on all their geared products

Central baseldquoWe based the new South African headquarters in Tongaat because it puts us close to a port for bringing in components so we can assemble geared units more cost-effectivelyrdquo says Kyle ldquoWersquore in the heart of the sugar industry yet right next to an international airport so that wersquore in reach of any-where in Africa within a couple of hours In addition wersquove established a sales office in Johannesburg

ldquoThe fact that Marcello brings to the table his inter-national experience to complement my knowledge of local conditions and requirements gives me the confidence that wersquoll be able to provide the local market with services and products both the end-users and competitors will regard with respectrdquo adds Kyle ldquoTo top this off we have direct support from highly-experienced engineers in Italyrdquo

SelectionKyle is a hands-on man who has worked his way up in the company through the ranks in the workshop on site and in the office ldquoI prefer to go on site and help out with tricky problems but I also have good experience in gearbox selection a critical factor in todayrsquos marketrdquo he says in conclusion

ldquoAlthough most project houses do the selection wersquore always prepared to share our experience with others in order to make the right selection right from the start I am confident that we now have the right product the right facilities in terms of support and the experience to serve the local market with competitive pricingrdquo

Kyle Dick Rossi South Africa Tel (032) 944-3505 Email kyleddirossicoza

gear motors while other standard products are large size parallel and right angle shaft gear reducers and gear motors for heavy duty applications

ExtrasMarcello adds ldquoThe new EP and the H range of

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 15

POWER TRANSMISSION

He kicks off by telling us ldquoIf yoursquore not saving money in the end condition monitoring serves no effective purpose Also if you can

afford the consequence of a failure then you donrsquot need to do condition monitoring A good example is found in the food processing industry where they use hundreds of small pumps throughout a plant Instead of having to monitor all these pumps they now use low-cost plastic pumps which can be replaced quickly without holding up the production processrdquo

Part of asset managementldquoTypically you start the development of the condition monitoring process by determining the companyrsquos

maintenance strategy a process called the RCM (reliability centred maintenance) planrdquo explains Kobus ldquoFirst off a hardware breakdown structure of the whole plant is drawn up and a Failure Mode and Effectsrsquo Criticality Analysis (FMECA) performed so that you can decide which of the machines are critical to the operation of your plant the ones which will bring the whole lot to a halt if they fail

Kobus continues ldquoThrough this process the company can also determine what spares to carry as well as the level and types of skills which will be needed to maintain the critical machines in the plantrdquo

MethodsIdeas Solutions not only assists companies to under-take this initial criticality audit but will also advise which one of the four main condition monitoring technologies is most appropriate for each specific application fit it and analyse the data as part of a maintenance contract

ldquoThe solution could take the form of vibration moni-toring alignment monitoring any one of a number of methods of temperature measurements or oil analysisrdquo clarifies Kobus ldquoIn the case of a gearbox for instance we carry out an oil analysis to check whether there are any particles of the same mate-rial as the bearings or the gear teeth and so on

VibrationldquoIn our experience ninety percent of the machines with high maintenance costs are the ones where vibration is the highestrdquo adds Kobus ldquoBeing a destructive phenomenon the extent of vibration indicates whether the machine is balanced running in alignment and gives insight into the condition of the bearings regardless of the type of bearing

Save on MaintenanceCondition monitoring is an integral part of asset management ultimately impacting directly on a

companyrsquos bottom line not only in terms of reducing the risk of unexpected breakdowns but also affecting

machinery life Deciding on what to monitor and how is a scientific task which should be undertaken by specialists ldquoSA Mechanical Engineerrdquo speaks to

Kobus van der Westhuizen director of Ideas Solutions a South African company specialising in engineering

analysis solutions with offices in Cape Town and Pietermaritzburg

We can predict how close that bearing is to failure

Kobus van der Westhuizen director of Ideas Solutions

The ldquoOperational Deflection Shaperdquo

16 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

less costly exercise than an unexpected failurerdquo Kobus says ldquoYou can then order a replacement bearing in good time and make sure you have the right skills on hand to do the replace-mentrdquo

What to fitBeing such a clear indicator of a number of problems in machinery vibration moni-toring equipment can be fitted in a variety of ways If itrsquos a critical machine permanent vibration protec-tion instrumentation is typi-cally fitted on the machine Such a system monitors the machine in real time while constantly evaluating vibra-tion in terms of bearings alignment or imbalance in the machinery

ldquoOur systems are so refined today that you can not only pinpoint which bearing is showing faults but we can even see which part of that bearing is showing strain and whyrdquo Kobus adds ldquoWe can also programme the system against certain parameters so that it trips the machine when certain levels of vibration are ex-

ceeded This is the highest level of protection we can providerdquo

An interesting development in the deployment of an online monitoring system is the technique called ldquoOperational Deflection Shaperdquo (ODS) analysis This is possible when an online system has the capabil-ity of simultaneously measuring all the channels

Simultaneously measuring all the channels of vibration in real time

POWER TRANSMISSION

ldquoIf for example we find that the load on the bearing remains constant we can predict how close that bearing is to failure and plan when the machine can be shut down for a bearing replacement a much

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 17

of vibration in real time This preserves the phase relationship between channels resulting in a visual representation of the machine vibration It makes it easier to observe analyse and document noise and vibration problems in machinery and structures ODS analysis is used to display and analyse ex-perimental multi-channel time or frequency domain data acquired during the operation of a machine or forced vibration of a structure

This provides an interactive animated display with which users can observe spatially defined data such as operating deflection shapes (ODSs) mode shapes acoustic sound and intensity fields or other engineering data such at temperatures or pressures By animating the spatial response of a structure in slow motion users can view a structurersquos overall motion and the motion of one part relative to another Locations of excessive vibration or high levels of noise are easily identified

Next levelThe next level down is a surveillance system often used in conjunction with a protection system ldquoIn contrast to a protection system the surveillance system provides answers as to why things did go wrongrdquo explains Kobus ldquoIn a fan application for example the system will tell you that vibration has increased yet the signature reading from the machine has remained constant This can be as a result of dust build up on the blades or a blade has broken off causing an imbalance which prompts the protection system to stop the machine The system will even tell you which blade has been affected by the faultrdquo

The surveillance system can also be used on its own but still in an online mode ldquoThis feature is used to trend parameters leaving the decision to stop a machine at the discretion of the maintenance engineerrdquo explains Kobus ldquoThese online solutions can either be wired or wireless transmitting data from each sensor to the receivers on the system The data is then channelled to whomever needs it in his or her format of choicerdquo

Options for allOn smaller plants that cannot afford an online sys-tem less critical machinery data from machinery is collected by hand and transferred to a computer for analysis either by the maintenance engineer or under a maintenance contract to an engineer at Ideas Solutions

ldquoItrsquos no longer in question the fact that condition monitoring saves companies money has been proved over and over again if itrsquos done rightrdquo Kobus says in conclusion ldquoCondition monitoring regardless of the

The fact that condition monitoring saves companies money has been proved over and over again if itrsquos done right

POWER TRANSMISSION

extent to which it is integrated on a plant should be part of every companyrsquos maintenance strategyrdquo

Kobus van der Westhuizen Ideas Solutions Tel 082 552-4790 Email kobusideas-onlinecozawwwideas-onlinecoza

18 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

Empowering Municipal Engineers

Corruption and tenderpreneurship fraud financial mismanagement lack of understanding of technical issues

priorities difficulties with job creation and skills shortages are just some of the challenges that face municipal engineers in South

Africa

Name and shameCESA unreservedly supports the call for the banning of public servants from doing business with the state including dealstenders with another department or municipality

ldquoWhat is at stake is not the rights of state employees to do business but rather the integrity of the state procurement system The current public procurement environ-ment in the construction sector is highly complex and conducive to corruption and manipulationrdquo warns CESA President Naren Bhojaram

The problem is further compounded by the lack of accountability and punishment for procurement irregularities and wasteful expenditureldquoThe country has good rules but no-one is playing by themrdquo he adds

CESA believes that it is irresponsible and foolhardy to place employees in positions where they can (or are tempted to) manipu-late procurement and other procedures to unfairly benefit themselves at the expense of the statetaxpayer

CESA

Unqualified people should be discouraged from trying to do the job of the municipal engineer

CESA President Naren Bhojaram

Consulting En-gineers South Africa (CESA) President Na-

ren Bhojaram believes that if South Africa is serious about the empowerment of properly-qualified municipal

engineers it should invest in various interventions such as

training development and ca-pacitating of young engineers for

employment by the local authorities and make the municipal engineering

profession attractive

Currently municipal planning is done rather superficially and only a real municipal engi-

neer and a competent team of visionary planners can sort that out

CESA calls for the embracing of the municipal engineer as a trusted ad-visor as well as creating a working environment to attract and retain municipal engineers The munici-pal engineers must be incentivised (long term employment purpose in life emoluments respect and freedom) and unqualified people

should be discouraged from trying to do the job of the municipal engineer

Stumbling BlockInfrastructure deliveryrsquos biggest stumbling block is the lack of business integrity which involves among other things socialising with clients conflict of interest use of agents and partners collusion and bribery and the disregard of procurement regulations

CESA strongly urges structural changes to the way in which municipal engineers operate including the abandonment of long-term employment contracts for key technical and managerial staff Tender and

bid evaluation committees must include technical legal and financial executives in joint sittings and professional teams must be allowed to compile reports in an independent manner on tenders for the bid evaluation committees

The South African procurement legislation should include a Bribery and Corruption Act such as the UK Bribery Act of 2010 enabling the Courts to prosecute corruption and related issues more ef-fectively as well as the naming and shaming of firms contravening the requirements of the Act

Consulting Engineers South Africa (CESA) Graham Pirie Tel (011) 463-2022Email gspiriecesacoza wwwcesacoza

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 19

ldquoSA Mechanical Engineerrdquo speaks to Willie Muller general manager at KDP Services about the modernisation of old hydraulic machinery ldquoIn terms of upgrading wersquove just

done extensive work at a steel mill to re-design

and implement new technology on a large 1 200 tonne cutting press and a shredding machinerdquo he explains ldquoBoth the machines were imported from Germany originally but have lately started picking up problems seriously hampering production flow

ldquoAfter consulting with the supplierrsquos engineers the problems persisted and the client then called us in to investigaterdquo Willie says ldquoWe found that the hydraulics on both these old machines were outdated but could be updated with new tech-nology rather than replacing the old pumps and valves with costly new imported OEM components

New Life for Old Machines

Very often the spare parts for old machinery imported and installed twenty or more years ago is hard to come by and if it is available

it costs an arm and a leg to import If the problem happens to be hydraulic there is

a local hydraulics company that specialises in updating systems so that local easily-available spares can be used to keep the machine going for many years to come

Willie Muller general manager at KDP Services

CNC machining

Overhauled cylinders ready for delivery

Large cylinder

Hydraulic motor of all makes and sizes are serviced

HYDRAULICS amp PNEUMATICS

Analyse the operation and specifically the machinersquos function in situ before returning to the drawing board to redesign the hydraulic system for better functionality

20 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

New technologyAs the designer in the company

Willie goes out to analyse the operation and specifically the machinersquos function

in situ before returning to the drawing board to redesign the hydraulic system for better

functionality This provides the opportunity not only to introduce the latest technology into the upgrade but also to ensure that easily available local components are used He adds ldquoSince our upgrade the shear which can cut through a 150 by 300mm block of steel in one cut has been run-ning smoothly with none of the previous problems cropping up againrdquo

Similarly the shredding machine where a whole vehicle is fed in one end and comes out in pieces of scrap metal the other end has also been up-graded to run consistently ever since Willie adds ldquoThrough this success wersquove now not only landed the maintenance and service contracts for this mill but theyrsquove asked us to audit the entire plant to investigate other hydraulic systems which can be improved Wersquove already re-designed one of the production lines to introduce an integrated fully automated operationrdquo

First projectWillie might be young but he has worked with KDP since his student days gaining invaluable hands-on experience in all aspects of hydraulic work from the owner of the company Karel Podges ldquoOne of my first projects as a student was designing the hydraulic system for a container lifting and tilting machine used in steel mills to collect and handle scrap metalrdquo he recalls as we come across the remnants of the prototype when we walk in the yard behind the workshop ldquoThis is probably what got me hooked on hydraulics because nothing of the sort existed and I had to design it from scratch around a structure someone else had builtrdquo

Inside the workshop we find engineering equipment ranging from lathes to modern CNC machines all humming away as hydraulic components are turned out of a variety of metals At the hose crimping machine Willie points out the neat final product for a custom-made installation theyrsquore doing One of KDPrsquos specialities is hydraulic motor overhaul-ing which is evident when we see several large Hagglunds drives in various stages of repair in the drive section of the workshop

TestingFinally we get to the test-bench area where a large cylinder is under test for leaks before being taken apart for a complete overhaul ldquoOne of the biggest mistakes generally made when it comes to hydraulic equipment is that people think they can treat the hydraulic components roughly just because they are big and ruggedrdquo Willie remarks ldquoThey lose sight of the fact that dirt is the biggest enemy and they donrsquot take the necessary care to keep the oil or equipment clean causing irreparable damage to seals and delicate surface areas in a systemrdquo

One of the main advantages of KDP is that they are not officially tied up with a specific brand of hydraulic equipment allowing them to work on and supply any make on the market Willie concludes ldquoIn addition wersquore a small company where you learn and get the opportunity to work on all types of applications So each and every problem big or small is tackled with great personal attention to detailrdquo

Willie Muller KDP Services Tel (011) 392-5750 Email williekdp-servicescoza

That people think they can treat the hydraulic components roughly just because they are big and rugged

HYDRAULICS amp PNEUMATICS

The full MontyHydraulic system design from the circuit to pumps motors and all the necessary connecting piping are designed in-house at the 22-year old com-pany ldquoWe design the complete circuit specifying all the components necessary to achieve certain functionsrdquo explains Willie ldquoSimilarly all engineer-ing is undertaken in-house except the honing and chroming of shafts when we overhaul cylinder sets New cylinders are manufactured from tubing and shafts which have already been prepared

ldquoIn terms of piping wersquove built up a good name in many industries both in new installations during maintenance shutdowns or when a fixed installa-tion needs to be movedrdquo he adds ldquoNot only do we design the layout but we physically carry out the installation work ourselves especially when it is a stainless steel pipe installation that requires argon welding to fit the fittingsrdquo

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 21

Compressed Air at Work

Pneumatic systems are extensively used in industry where factories are commonly plumbed with

compressed air or compressed inert gases This is because a centrally-located and electrically-powered

compressor which powers cylinders and other pneumatic devices through solenoid valves is often

able to provide motive power in a cheaper safer more flexible and more reliable manner than electric motors

and actuators

Premium brandApplied Pneumatics established 22 years ago is a South African distributor of Parker Hannifin products ldquoAt a time when everyone is increasingly becoming aware of the benefits of buying premium products which last longer and have proven to be value for money Parker has come up with new innovations which extend this value even furtherrdquo says Dave

ldquoTake valves for example Most low-cost valves are throw-away items which are discarded completely if something goes wrong Our premium valves which cost a bit more initially are serviceable This means we can repair and service them at a fraction of the cost of even a cheap complete unit

ldquoIf the premium repairable valve breaks for in-stance itrsquos quick and easy to strip it right there and then fit new parts and have it up and running in no time as opposed to having to order and wait for a complete replacement unitrdquo adds Dave ldquoAll you need to have in stock are a couple of O-rings for the different valves in a systemrdquo

SA Mechanical Engineerrdquo visits a company in Randburg aptly named Applied Pneumat-ics to speak to managing director Dave McNair ldquoIn a pneumatics application we

supply everything beyond the compressor This includes everything down the line the filtration system water traps regulators and then the lubrication system before you get to the actual application which could be a cylinder control valves actuators or even solenoid valves for the control of liquid flows in a process We also do vacuum applications where suction cups pick objects up to move them aboutrdquo

From left Andrew Livesey applications engineer at Applied Pneumatics Teven McNair sales and Dave McNair managing director

Range includes pneumatic cylinders and actuators valves and logic processing air preparation equipment as well as a whole host of other pneumatic components and accessories

The Parker range of pneumatic equipment includes actuator and motors

HYDRAULICS amp PNEUMATICS

22 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

New conceptSimilarly the air prepa-ration systems from Parker are of a modular design and fully repair-able so that just worn or damaged compo-nents can be replaced ldquoThey have now taken this even furtherrdquo says Dave ldquoA new concept in regulators the Modu-flex clip technology system has just been released No special tools in fact no span-ners at all are needed

to take the unit apart to replace a filter element for instance You sim-ply clip the unit apart by hand replace the

element and clip it together again within a minute

ldquoOn a forklift for example the glass bowl of the air preparation unit is often damaged when the forklifts bump into some-thingrdquo elaborates Dave ldquoOn a low-cost throw-away unit yoursquod have to carry a spare unit to replace the whole unit With the new technology howev-er you simply clip off the damaged part to zap a new one into place In terms of cylinders and actuators the latest development is self-lubricating seals which require no additional lubri-cation whatsoeverrdquo

One of the main drawbacks of pneumatics over hydraulics is that a pneumatic cylinder has to be much larger than a hydraulic cylinder in order to deliver the same power However this does not rule out using pneumatics in heavier applications especially underground where the use of air is generally safer and cleaner than hydraulic oils in the first place

UndergroundldquoA while back we were approached by a platinum mine to design a pneumatic system to open and close underground tipsrdquo Andrew explains ldquoTo prevent people from falling into the ore tip it had to be closed with a heavy steel lid between off-loading operations We not only designed a suit-able pneumatic system but also took part in the installation on various levels all the way down to three kilometres undergroundrdquo

Like many other products there are cheap and nasty pneumatic products on the market and cost is not always an indication of inferiority ldquoThe safe route is to always buy from reputable companies who have been around for a long time and who trade in well-known brandsrdquo Dave says in conclusion ldquoSerious consideration should also be given to the repairability of the equipment Itrsquos no use installing a low cost system which has to be replaced regu-larly while another could last a lifetime if properly looked afterrdquo

Dave Mc Nair Applied pneumatics Tel (011) 792-3381 Email davenappliedpneumaticscoza

No special tools in fact no spanners at all are needed to take the unit apart to replace a filter element for instance

HYDRAULICS amp PNEUMATICS

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 23

TICK

ER T

APE

POWER GENERATION

PROMECH PUBLISHINGTel (011) 781-1401Fax (011) 781-1403Email samechengpromechcozaWebsite wwwpromechcozaManaging Editor Susan CustersEditorial Kowie HammanAdvertising Mark BennettCirculation Catherine MacdivaDTP Zinobia Docrat Donovan VadivaluDisclaimerPROMECH Publishing does not take responsibility for the opinions expressed by individuals

CopyrightAll rights reserved No editorial matter published in ldquoPower Generation Todayrdquo may be reproduced in any form or language without written per-mission of the publishers While every effort is made to ensure accurate reproduction the editor authors publishers and their employees or agents shall not be responsible or in any way liable for any errors omissions or inaccuracies in the publication whether arising from negligence or otherwise or for any consequences aris-ing therefrom The inclusion or exclusion of any product does not mean that the publisher or editorial board advocates or rejects its use either gener-ally or in any particular field or fields

POWERGENERATION

TODAY

Harnessing the Powers of the Ocean

Luciano Garcia-Baylleres COO at HAE

Tidal power has long been utilised as an energy resource used early on in tidal mills to grind grain throughout the Middle Ages More recently it has also been used to generate electricity for instance in the 240 MW tidal barrages at La Rance France Tidal currents however are still largely an untapped energy source While several marine current turbine prototypes

have been tested in the last few years there are only a few of these prototypes deployed to generate electrical power to smaller communities

mainly to demonstrate the viability of the technology

There is currently a renewed interest in using the ocean to generate electric-ity using both traditional hydropower technologies and new hydrokinetic

technologies This interest is being spurred on by official and private initiatives to promote the development of cleaner energy sources and diversification of energy supplies through use of alternative and renewable sources

Tidal energyTidal energy projects hold the promise of producing indigenous renewable predictable electricity without greenhouse gas emissions and with higher power densities in terms of power output per unit area than either solar photovoltaic or wind projects

The International Finance Corporation (IFC) the World Bankrsquos private-sector lending arm is partner-ing with Sasfin Bank to develop a portfolio of energy efficiency and renewable-energy financial products for small medium-sized and microenterprises (SMMEs) in South Africa

Alstom South Africa and the South African Nuclear Energy Corporation (Necsa) have signed an agreement under which the local branch of the French power generation power transmission and rail infrastructure

group will invest R8-million in buying equipment for the new coded welding centre being established at Necsarsquos Nuclear Skills Development (NSD)

The operation and maintenance (OampM) costs of wind farms in South Africa were expected to be in the mid-range of the international market Mott MacDonald consultant Matthias Vinard has reported adding that OampM costs ranged from euro28kW a year to euro68kW a year in international markets

24 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

ocean currents driven for instance by thermal gradients or differences in salinity Along the South African east coast the Agulhas Current is one of the most consistent sea currents in the world and this area has now been identified as the ideal spot to test technology developed by an American company Hydro Alternative Energy (HAE) from Florida USA

Current plans with the local gov-ernment of eThekwini Municipality in Durban supporting the concept of a hydrokinetic energy project off the cityrsquos coast calls for HAE to

initially develop a $20 million 1MW demonstration unit utilising the companyrsquos Oceanus technology to generate electric power from the Agulhas current flowing past the city Additional units each with an anticipated electric power generation capacity of 8 megawatts may then be built and likewise be submerged approximately 30 metres below sea level to prevent interference with shipping traffic

ldquoSA Mechanical Engineerrdquo has a QampA session with Luciano Garcia-Baylleres the Chief Operation Of-ficer (COO) of HAE about the project

Q Some background on HAEA HAE founded in March 2009 is an emerging independent power provider (ldquoIPPrdquo) focused on utilising hydrokinetic and other power develop-ment sources to generate electric power worldwide safely cost-effectively reliably and profitably with minimal or no ecological impact

Our business model provides for utilising certain of our own proprietary technology identifying and locating existing and new technologies and when appropriate partnering with others for our power development and generation needs

Q The South Africa connection with the companyA Research by our technical department identified several places throughout the world as optimal for the initial deployment and commercialisation of our technology After extensive research of each location

POWER GENERATIONTI

CKER

TA

PE

Tidal energy projects may also be useful in lsquofilling in the gapsrsquo in generating power from other intermit-tent energy sources such as wind farms

Marine current energy conversion concerns the po-tential generation of electricity from kinetic energy of freely-flowing water This contrasts with tradi-tional hydro power like a dam where the amount of energy extracted from a river is dependent on the head between the reservoir and the water level below the dam

A similar hydro power approach can in fact be used for tidal power in areas with high tides In this case a barrage can be constructed in a nar-row bay or estuary to utilise the head between low and high water

Consistent currentAnother way to generate electricity from water would be to convert the kinetic energy of flowing water similar to the way a wind turbine extracts energy from the wind In such a case a dam or reservoir is not necessary but rather sites are chosen where the currents are strong such as a narrow sound straight estuary around a headland or in a river

The term lsquomarine currentrsquo constitutes any kind of water current be it tidal unregulated rivers or other

Flow anlysis carried out for current simulations

Another way to generate electricity from water would be to convert the kinetic energy of flowing water similar to the way a wind turbine extracts energy from the wind

Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) MD Noah Gwariro says the state-owned company needs at least $300-million to refurbish thermal power stations in Bulawayo Harare and Munyati and to increase their generation capacities

The planned Karuma hydropower project will have capacity to generate 700MW

and is one of the high-priority projects in Ugandarsquos National Development Plan

The State-owned Ethiopian Electric Power Corporation (EEPCo) has signed a $120-million contract with UK-based company Canbridge Industries for the construction of a 50 MW waste-to-energy power plant

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 25

POWER GENERATION

The components of a sea current power gererating system

The Aghullas current and eThekwini Municipality with their infrastructure qualified human resource and an approach to facilitating large scale green projects was the appropriate site for this first endeavour

How the energy is harnessed

and all the surrounding benefits apart from the presence of good quality currents such as politi-cal stability port infrastructure and focus on green projects we determined that South Africa with its infrastructure qualified human resource and an approach to facilitating large scale green projects was the appropriate site for our first endeavour

Q Background on what the project is all aboutA OceanusTM our first power generation system which we are currently developing and which utilises much of our own proprietary technology is planned to harness the kinetic energy of the ocean to produce safe clean reliable cost-effective electric power

Oceanus will consist of two primary modules the amplification module (the shroud) and the engine module The shroud is a housing that will multiply the normal incoming water flow to a faster velocity as it passes through the engine module generat-ing more kinetic energy This will in turn result in potentially greater electrical power generation capability as well as potentially increased usable offshore locations worldwide

Velocity is the major factor which dictates the hydrokinetic energy that can be extracted from water Within the hydrokinetic energy sector of the renewable andor clean energy industry we have seen that research and development has generally focused on developing energy generation technolo-gies for environments that can only work in very high water velocity environments such as 3 4 5 metres per second While these areas of extreme water velocity are very high in hydrokinetic energy they only exist in a very small percentage of the worldrsquos waters

Our goal is to provide electric power to locations

Shroud

Engine module

Combine modular design

worldwide utilising the kinetic energy in lsquotypicalrsquo water conditions Our current design specifications have a base need of 1 metre per second of water

26 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

POWER GENERATION

flow which by amplifying the velocity is planned to produce 1MW of power This design specification once successfully tested may then be adapted into higher velocity waters As most locations in the world have lower velocity waters a turbine designed to work in 3 4 or 5 metres per second water flows will not work in waters that have velocities of 1-2 metres per second

Q How does it workA The theory behind the development of the system is quite basic having been previously used in other energy production systems such as wind and tidal energy generation Basically the engine is composed of an energy extraction system such as but not limited to our perpendicular access turbine a gorlov turbine a darrieus turbine and an Axial turbine

The other module is the shroud which handles two functions serving as an accelerator of the water ve-locity thus increasing the amount of kinetic energy that can be extracted Secondly it houses the engine protecting marine life from direct contact with the tip of the blades Also Oceanus is designed to be positively buoyant and either secured to the ocean floor or to float at a certain predetermined depth while moored to the ocean floor utilising the same techniques that are currently used in mooring floating oil rigs buoys or floating windmill systems

Q How will it work in KZNA There will be a demonstration unit initially and then we will start the commercial phase by entering into the normal contracts and procedures for energy generation in the country This entails a very large investment from our company where we will focus on potentially buildingassembling the units in Durban thus taking advantage of the excellent and qualified infrastructure it has

Q Who is involved locallyA We have no partners as far as investors or concerns as yet on the South African project but we are not against this possibility in the future From the facilita-tion point of view we have received a lot of support from Derek Morgan at the eThekwini Energy Office and Russell Curtis at DIPA each with their respective teams and other government offices that have been very forthcoming with information and support

Q What equipment does it use ndash where will this be madeA We have already scouted several facilities in Durbanrsquos ship building industry as well as other possible suppliers ranging from the maritime indus-try financial sector to legal consultants in order to make sure that we are in compliance with all regulations and that our perception of excellence from the South African maritime industry is in fact there

Q At what stage is the project nowA The project is currently at an initial logistics stage where we are looking at a more site specific design for the demonstration unit At the same time we are gathering all the information with our lawyers and possible suppliers for the norms procedures permits and licences necessary to comply with local and national regulations

Q Where will power go to A From our initial discussions with the regulatory bodies this energy can be locally distributed and then taken up by the grid as needed This will de-pend on the results of the demonstration unit and the first commercial unit operation which we are confident will exceed expectations

Q Are there sceptics criticsA As discussed before the basic technology has been used in other sectors of the energy generation industry what is being developed by us is the ef-ficient shroud and the maintenance systems which include buoyancy controls and depth determination in order to locate the most efficient current

Q Are there any future plans from your company for South Africa in particularA We believe that we have a good relationship with eThekwini municipality and once we fulfil our project with KZN we would then consider further expansion throughout South Africa

Q What about the other parts of AfricaA Eastern Africa in general presents very good conditions for our technology but for now we are going to concentrate our efforts on deploying this endeavour in South Africa before entertaining new opportunities

Luciano Garcia-Baylleres COO at HAE Tel 561-900-7200 EmailLgarciaHAE-USAcom wwwHAE-USAcom

We will focus on potentially building assembling the units in Durban thus taking advantage of the excellent and qualified infrastructure it has

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 27

POWER GENERATION NEWS

MTN has announced that it has entered into a com-mercial arrangement to sell its carbon credits to EDF Trading in an industry first The credits will be pro-duced by MTNrsquos tri-generation plant at 14th Avenue Of-fice Park in Fairland Johannesburg

EDF Trading is a whol-ly-owned subsidiary of Electriciteacute de France SA one of the largest compliance buyers covered by the European Union Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS)

The carbon credit project utilises a Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) meth-odology developed by MTN approved by the United Nations Framework Con-vention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) It is currently in the process of being registered with the UNFCCC Once registered MTN will sell the carbon credits from the project to EDF Trading

The project will make use of the MTN energy-efficient 2MW tri-generation plant at its Fairland office park Tri-generation is the concurrent production of electric-ity heating and cooling which provides

Carbon Credits power hot wa-ter space heat-

ing and cooling for air conditioning

from a single source

Egoli gas is used for the operation

sourced from the Sasol pipeline in Mozambique

The plant displaces grid electricity from Eskom

reducing greenhouse gas emissions and providing up to 85

efficiency on fuel The excess heat at some 400degC is captured

and used to supply heating and to operate an absorption chiller which creates cool water that is used to power an extensive air-conditioning system

Natural gas is clean burning and offers a consistent supply but simply using this to generate electricity would have been too expensive The saving achieved by capturing the waste heat combined with the additional revenue from the sale of the carbon credits however makes the project economically viablerdquo

Promethuim Robbie Louw Tel (011) 706-8185 Email Robbiepromethiumcozawwwpromethuimcoza

Countries across South East Asia Africa and the Middle East have been amending their regulatory frameworks and embarking on privatisation as many of them are in serious need of external fund-ing to ensure that their respective electricity industries are capable of dealing with the inevitable surge in demand The cumulative installed power capacity for these regions according to 2012 estimates will be 212 Gigawatts (GW) However this figure is expected to shoot up to 349 GW by 2020 climbing at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 64

Emerging Power Markets

Rising industrialisa-tion ever-increasing population figures and growing economies all point to an electrical future that most infra-structure systems are currently incapable of handling Therefore to achieve greater in-dustry efficiency and encourage competition governments across this region are opening up their electricity markets and increasing private sector participation The region will have to invest heavily in order to

increase its installed capacity and improve its existing infrastructure

Transmission networks in many of these countries are already under tremendous pressure to supply power without interruption and many new transmission projects are already underway or in the pipeline Therefore energy policy reforms are set to open the doors and create positive opportunities for growth in in the near future this according to Jonathan Cain of GBI Research

GBI ResearchJonathan Cain Tel +44 1204 543 533 Emailjcaingbiresearchcom wwwgbiresearchcom

28 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

POWER GENERATION NEWS

With Gensler Architects Aurecon has completed the design on the faccedilade of what will be Chinarsquos tallest building At 632m the Shanghai Centre is more than 100m taller than the recently-completed Shanghai Financial Centre and is designed as a sustainable eco-tower that sets a new benchmark not only for the region but also the world

Sustainable green features include tri-

Bioclimatic buildingGreywater recycling systems lo-cated at basement and at mid-level have been installed to collect greywater generated from lavatory or bathtub for reuse reducing potable water demand for the office tower by about 40

The ice storage system shifts part of the peak electricity demand of the chillers into the night modeoff peak operation Storage capacity is 26 400 Refrigerant Ton (RT) which reduces about 30 of the summit demand by about 3 through this ice cooling storage system and save up to the yearly energy cost for the user

A large volume water deluge system with rotational nozzles

installed at mid-level of the atria deliv-ers a large volume and accurate water spray onto fire with the assistance of Infra-red detection to lock the exact location and very early warning smoke detection apparatus system

A double curtain wall design provides better control on solar energy entering the tower building resulting in energy saving

Aerecon Group Jody Boshoff Tel (012) 427-2066 Email JodyBoshoffaurecongroupcomwwwaurecongroupcom

generation plant consisting of two sets of 11MW natural gas turbine generating electricity

chilled water hot water and heating water Simultaneous heat recovery of the hot flue gas produced from the tur-bines reduces carbon dioxide by 49 compared with the regular electrical cooling system

15 nos of 3kW vertical axis wind turbines (VAWTs) on the roof provide 157 500 kWh of clean and renewable electricity annually

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 29

Willem Sullivan of HansenA better artificial heart for people who are not eligible for natural heart transplants

Jean Schoeman of National Oilwell Varco My own jet aeroplane

Chris Coetzee of Resonant SolutionsThe problem in industry is practical engineering experience Young engineers donrsquot get the opportunity to learn the practical stuff Irsquod start an academy which teaches the practical side where you can learn from your mistakes Unfortunately mistakes cost money but if you have all the money in the world they can afford to learn from mistakes

In your book what is the most pivotal invention ever

Elbie Cornelius of National Oilwell Varco The computer

Chris Coetzee of Resonant SolutionsI canrsquot see how you can run a business without cellphones

Rudolph Beer of Martin EngineeringThe wheel

Willem Sullivan of HansenFor me personally Excel Without it my world will be dull and lifeless For the world at large Electricity because without it Excel will not be possible

Jean Schoeman of National Oilwell Varco The personal computer

OPINION

On his rounds Kowie Hamman our Editor is conducting an informal survey on the lighter side of engineering We follow up from last month with three pertinent questions

Soapbox

What do you think of computers and the digital world

Elbie Cornelius of National Oilwell Varco Awesome changing our world

Chris Coetzee of Resonant SolutionsNinety percent of all engineering is done using computers but if you rely solely on them yoursquove missed the plot because you always have to verify results by going back into the field to test what yoursquove done on the computer

Rudolph Beer of Martin EngineeringYou canrsquot do without them

Willem Sullivan of HansenIt is where I do all my design work So if it was not for computers we would be decades behind in terms of what we can do I absolutely love it

Greg Perry of SEWThey have definitely made things faster but the en-gineer still needs to understand the theory and pay attention to the detail or you make mistakes faster

Jean Schoeman of National Oilwell Varco Very useful until they give problems Then you just want to hit them with a hammer But the digital world has managed to speed up the communica-tion of information

If you had all the money in the world what would you design

Elbie Cornelius of National Oilwell Varco A solar and wind power station to supply the whole continent with electricity

Rudolph Beer of Martin EngineeringDevelop the safe harvesting of atomic energy

30 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

ldquoSA Mechanical Engineerrdquo speaks to Dave Goodman managing director of Spectra Car-bide Tooling Technology in Cape Town about the various management models they have

developed specifically to control tooling ldquoOur tool management systems were developed through our involvement with some of the major automotive OEMs in South Africardquo he says ldquoThe management system where we take over full control of the tool-ing facility on the premises has been running for twelve years now at some of these plants

Systems for allldquoBut these systems are not only for OEMs and

large operationsrdquo Dave remarks ldquoTo meet dif-ferent requirements we now have four levels of management systems on offer each requiring a different level of active involvement from our side This varies from purely holding stock to supply for a customerrsquos specific needs right through to taking over full control of tooling by having a permanent on-site office manned by fulltime Spectra staffrdquo

A typical level 4 operation with a Spectra team permanently stationed on the customerrsquos premises will be equipped with a fully-computerised store inventory system to control the purchasing of all tooling from spindle to point ldquoThe team will control all the new stock and used tools by negotiating and dealing with tier two suppliers as wellrdquo explains sales manager Wayne Williams ldquoThey are also responsible for presetting tools ready for produc-tion as well as collecting and delivering tools to and from the machines in addition to providing technical support 7 days a week 24 hours a day

BenefitsOne of the cost saving benefits for the customer is less administration because the Spectra team consolidates all invoices so the customer receives

Managing ToolingIn most machine shops the tooling is usually under lock and key to limit access to high-value tool inserts such as end-mills drills reamers and burrs Even so many companies suffer considerable losses as these costly tools get lost are pilfered or are misused because there isnrsquot a proper

management system in place over and above lock and key to control who takes what from the store

To meet different requirements we now have four levels of management on offer each requiring a different level of active involvement from our side

Managing machine tools saves money

Dave Goodman managing director of Spectra Carbide Tooling Technology

MATERIAL SELECTION

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 31

one invoice per month In addition the customer has a highly skilled specialist in-house on tap to provide technical assistance for all tooling drilling tapping milling boring gundrilling honing and line boring on CNC and conventional machines ldquoFrom the management system we can draw extensive reporting for the customer regarding the costs per unit manufactured We produce monthly graphs for trending as well as daily incident reports on tool breakages weekly costs on scrapped tools and we also work out action plans to reduce scrap and improve up-time of the machinesrdquo Wayne adds

In essence this value-add for the customer allows preventative action which ultimately saves the customer money Dave explains ldquoGiven the skills shortage out there no company can afford the personnel purely to manage the machine shop in so much detail With this system we not only fill the skills-gap by integrating with the company but we add value to the company so that they can focus on what they manufacturerdquo

New product developmentIntegration into the customersrsquo operation has proved particularly beneficial when it comes to new product developments Wayne elaborates ldquoWersquore always up to date with the latest technology in tooling and know what can be done in the best possible way Usually it will take a machine shop a while to select the right tooling and method to produce

a new part but with our experts right there on site they can be assured of finding the most suitable solution using the right tooling from the startrdquo

Vending systemOn a lower level of tool management where the operation does not justify a permanent Spectra team on site the company has a tooling vending machine solution ldquoAll the tooling is stored in a vending machine and access to draw the tools out of the machine is controlled by a card or finger-print readerrdquo explains Dave ldquoSuch a system does however have a reporting function which allows the customer to draw the machining cost against each specific job

ldquoThis system has proved popular in South Africa because it can be customised to control the specific functions relevant to each customerrdquo adds David ldquoPart and parcel of this cost-saving solution is training the customer on how best to utilise the system for his needs be it purely controlling the use of tooling or integrating reporting and costing into the business system of the companyrdquo

Wayne Williams Spectra Tel (011) 827-8957 Email waynewspectra-sacoza

From the management system we can draw extensive reporting for the customer regarding the costs per unit manufactured

Special carbide drills reamers end mills and special inserts are manufactured in South Africa

MATERIAL SELECTION

32 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 33

Cubitron can be used to finish profile and or polish materials with high tensile strengths and is particularly useful to extend the lifetime of belts and discs in industrial environments

where hard materials are the order of the dayrdquo

Consistent cutFinishes are little changed through the entire dura-tion of a Cubitron belt from new to completely worn out The secret is that the cutting edges wear in a controlled manner This means that the tiny indi-vidual scratches are the same when the belt is first

put on until it is worn and ready for replacement

ldquoThere are a multitude of cutting edges on each individual grain of the extremely hard ceramic based grain As the grain wears new cutting edges are exposed in a predictable and measured manner to ensure that a consistent action is applied to the surfacerdquo she adds

Using the same ceramic platform 3M developed Cubitron II providing even better results than its predecessor 3M engineers were able to electrostati-cally orient triangular precision shaped ceramic grain acting like a cutting tool This means that the grain slices through metal as opposed to grinding and continuously self-sharpens as points break off This results in discs and belts running cooler and longer The Cubitron II technology is applied in

Starting from Scratch

SURFACE FINISHING

ldquoTo scratch the surface as the saying goes of most modern materials and coatings is not as easy as it used to be Thatrsquos why we developed Cubitron Abrasive Grainrdquo says Kelly Hunt

sales and marketing manager of 3M

34 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

Scratccchingg thhe surfface of abrasivvves ttecchnnologgy is too oopen a compplex sccience

SURFACE FINISHING

belt fibre disc and Roloc form offer-ing a unique solution for wide range of grinding needs

Scratching the surfaceKelly is an abrasives fanatic She says scratching the surface of abrasives technology is to open a complex sci-ence Analysis of different materials and techniques of cutting or finishing has in recent years become a necessity as materials develop and advance Bonding of abrasive onto materials for discs and belts is also more complex than before as manufacturing becomes automated and the tolerance for down-time reduces

But for the average operator technician or engineer it is not so much a matter of what goes into the development of a product but rather finding the solution that suits the intended process The minimum requirement is for a product to perform reliably over an extended period of time and to produce the right finish

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 35

Sometimmess a less expeeensiive buuut mmooree suitaaablee abbrasssivee ccaan give bettterr reesulttss

SURFACE FINISHING

ldquoUsing the abrasives to determine a finish can be as simple or as com-plicated as the producer of finished goods chooses to make it With so many choices available in the market we recommend that industrial users iden-tify the requirements of the abrasive and then speak to trained service technicians from suppliers such as 3M

Not about priceldquoPrice is not always the determining factor Some-times a less expensive but more suitable abrasive can give better results and in other instances the use of cheaper materials in the wrong application may be costly as materials will need to be replaced more oftenrdquo

Kelly recommends that us-ers of industrial abrasives take the time to research new products and as-sess their suitability for their processes ldquoYoursquoll be surprised that some of the new abrasives can do the job better and in half the time than older technology abrasives canrdquo she concludes

3M Dylan Ian Hunter Tel (011) 806-2186 Email dhuntermmmcom www3Mcom

36 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

IT TRENDS

ldquo M o b i l e c o m p u t i n g

continues to grow and alongside other IT trends

such as cloud computing social technologies and the era of big data It is going to play a pivotal role in the IT industry this year In factrdquo Derick adds

Mobile Computing

Mobile computing is growing momentously and is set to account for as much as 57 of worldwide T market growth in 2013 says Derick Roberts CEO of TruTeq Devices a Pretoria-based

company focusing on wireless connectivity solutions

ldquoit is going to account for the lionrsquos share of growth ndash even more than the cloud computingrdquo

The IDC predicts that worldwide IT spending will exceed $21 trillion up 57 from 2012 The research company also states that mobility will be the biggest driver Sales of smart mobile devices including smart phones and tablets is expected to grow by 20 and will contribute a significant 57 of all IT growth Excluding smart mobile devices IT industry growth will clock in at only 29

Truteq Devices Derick Roberts Tel (012) 667-1530 wwwtruteqdevicescom

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 37

ELECTRIC DRIVE

The technology performance and design of the Cigarette powerboat is closely based on the electric super sports vehicle made in Affalterbach Germany

The 116 metre long Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept powerboat uses two drive units each featuring six independent electric motors At the rear of the boat each drive unit has its own trans-mission one on the left and one on the right The boat is fitted with the twelve compact liquid-cooled permanent-magnet synchronous electric motors which are the signature piece of the SLS AMG Coupeacute Electric Drive each electric motor delivers 138 kW and 250 Newton metres

The maximum output of 1 656 Kilowatts and maximum torque of 3 000 Newton metres combine to reach a staggering top speed of over 160 kmh making this locally emission-free Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept the worlds fastest electri-cally driven powerboat The low centre of gravity and optimum weight distribution ensure sublime

The Worlds Most Powerful Powerboat

handling characteristics during more dynamic changes of direction

The high-voltage battery boasts an energy content of 60 Kilowatt hours an electric load potential of 600 Kilowatts and a weight of 548 kg ndash all of which are absolute best values in the automotive sector The liquid-cooled lithium-ion high-voltage battery features a modular design with a maximum voltage of 400 V It consists of 12 modules each comprising 72 lithium-ion cells ldquoCigaretterdquo inte-grates four high-tech batteries with a total of 48 modules and 3 456 cells which generate a total capacity of 240 Kilowatt hours and an electric output of 2 400 Kilowatts respect even in the boat building industry

The Cigarette on-board chargers as standard Adapted to fit the infrastructure standard of many American marinas the boat has a charging capac-ity of 44 Kilowatts The battery is fully charged in approximately seven hours To reduce the charging time to less than three hours the powerboat can be fitted with four on-board chargers as an option

Mercedes-Benz Shirle Greig Tel (012) 677-1904 Email shirlegreigdaimlercom wwwmercedes-benzsacoza

Mercedes-AMG and Cigarette Racing launched the latest development of their cooperation at the Miami International Boat Show in February Numerous components from the SLS AMG Coupeacute Electric Drive have been integrated in the design of the Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept engineering design The high performance drive fitted in the electric super sports car makes the off shore powerboat the worlds most

powerful and fastest electrically-driven motor boat With an output of 1 656 Kilowatts and a maximum torque of 3 000 Newton metres the Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept is a fascinating new development

Combine to reach a staggering top speed of over 160 kmh

38 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

ENVIRONMENT

They have been in service for decades

under the toughest conditions ndash and

have proven themselves worldwide

Voith fluid couplings protect belt con-

veyors and drive components by provid-

ing smooth acceleration and torque

control allowing for frequent loaded

starts with the least amount of stress on

the drive and belt

In multi-motor drives they ensure pre-

cise load distribution Result fewer

downtimes ndash and the service life of the

belt and the drive components is in-

creased The latest product innovation is

the Voith TurboBelt 780 TPXL

infovtzavoithcom

wwwrsavoithturbocom

Protect Your Belt Conveyors with

Voith Fluid Couplings

ai_a

it_44

0_e

n ai

k

Water Disclosure ReportingJust as companies are addressing their carbon emissions and

provide carbon reporting to the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) water is becoming a growing priority

Reporting on it is becoming another critical sustainability issue

2011 saw a marked increase in the number of the worldrsquos largest companies reporting on their water usage on the risks that water presents and on their responses to

that risk Responses from these companies indicate that water is impacting global business now and yet water is not nearly as high on the corporate agenda as climate change

Evidence is mounting that South Africa is facing a water crisis of substantial proportions This crisis encompasses all aspects of water management on both the demand and supply side The mounting impacts of acid mine drainage and declining wa-ter quality add to the crisis South Africarsquos water security is likely to be further complicated by an increasingly uneven and unpredictable supply of rainfall as a result of climate change and by a reli-ance on significant water transfers from neighbour-

ing countries In meeting this crisis South Africa will have to resolve tough trade-offs in water use between agriculture key industrial activities such as mining and power generation and the supply to rapidly growing urban centres

Evidence is clearJSE 100 companies will need to show leadership in sustainably managing the water resources on which they rely for their day-to-day business operations The available evidence is clear It is not sustainable to continue exploiting water resources by follow-ing a lsquobusiness as usualrsquo approach If this is the case South Africarsquos freshwater resources will be depleted and unable to meet the needs of people and industry in the next 20 years if not before

In 2011 the response rate to the CDP Water Disclosure amongst South African companies was 46 (26 out of 56 companies) Many of South Africarsquos most significant corporate water users are therefore not yet able to or are not yet ready to report on their water-related risks

Promethuim Robbie Louw Tel (011) 706-8185 Email Robbiepromethiumcoza wwwpromethuimcoza

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 39

EXHIBITION

The Steel and Engineering Industries Federation (SEI-FSA) the Lifting Equipment Engineering Association

of SA (LEEASA) the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA) and the SA Institute of Welding (SAIW) have thrown their weight behind the biggest industrial and engineering trade show in Africa

The three-day 10-shows-in-one event takes place from 14 to 16 May 2013 at Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand Johannesburg

SEIFSA Conference at Indutec The Steel and Engineering Indus-tries Federation of South Africa (SEIFSA) will hold its annual conference at Indutec celebrating 70 years of active support for its members industry and business in Africa The federation has over 2 220 member companies which employ more than 224 000 people comprising 53 of the industryrsquos workforce

SAIW ldquoWe take our affiliations with leading industry players very seriously including our en-dorsement of Indutecrdquo says Jim Guild chief executive officer of the SA Institute of Welding ldquoThese industry ties form part of our strategy to create strong relationships which support our objective and Governmentrsquos mandate to enhance the manufacturing sector in South Africardquo

LEEASAThe Lifting Equipment Engineer-ing Association of South Africa (LEEASA) which is a division of the Chamber of Engineering Tech-

nology (COET) will also be using its endorsement of Indutec to promote its activities in the engineer-ing and technology sectors in general Chamber spokesperson Viv Nel says its exposure at the fair will create more awareness of the Chamberrsquos role in all engineering and technology-driven industries

ECSAIndustry regulator the Engineering Council of South Africa shares these aims ldquoAs a custodian of en-gineering intellectual capital in South Africa our endorsement of Indutec provides us with a platform to publicise our role in the engineering sector and government infrastructure initiativesrdquo says Edgar Sabela ECSArsquos Strategic Services Executive

ldquoWe need to produce 10 times more engineers to compete with developed economies Involvement with the Indutec show will allow us to promote engineering as a career through our Engenius Programme and showcase our existing engineer-ing excellence Most importantly it enables us to network with all key players in the field and even conclude some businessrdquo

Tenfold Benefits to ExhibitorsJohn Thomson managing director of Exhibition Management Services organisers of the 10-in-one Fair says the unqualified support from leading in-dustry bodies indicates the showrsquos tenfold value to the engineering industrial and technology sectors ldquoThis undoubtedly translates into multiple benefits for the showrsquos exhibitors and ultimately to show visitorsrdquo he concludes

Indutec Serean ThomsonTel (011) 783 7250 Email marketingexhibitionsafricacom wwwexhibitionsafricacom

Boosting the Manufacturing Sector32 of South Africarsquos leading industrial and engineering professional and employer associations Chambers and

Councils have collectively endorsed Indutec the recently launched South African Industry and Technology Fair 2013

Promech Publishing through SA Mechanical Engineer and Bulk Handling Today will produce and publish the Official Catalogue for this prestigious show

Make sure your presence is felt before during and after the show by advertising in this one-of-a-kind reference publication

Contact Mark Bennett Tel (011) 781-1401 Email samechengpromechcoza

Jim Guild CEO of the SA Institute of Welding

Edgar Sabela - ECSArsquos Strategic Services Executive

Adelia Pimentel - Marketing and Communications Manager SEIFSA

40 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

MARKET FORUM

ldquoBMG has identified a need in diverse sectors for on-site maintenance services to overcome production challengesrdquo says Dave Russell technical director BMG ldquoRecognising the extreme constraints of high energy prices low productivity the critical skills shortage and a highly competitive economic environment BMG brings a total solutions service to the fore

ldquoIndustry can now access all critical production efficient products and services from one supplier What this means is lower production costs and higher pro-duction efficiency giving South African industry a distinct competitive advantage

ldquoBMGrsquos on-site services include applica-

tion design evaluation and optimisation as well as installation trouble-shooting and service exchange contracts The company also offers predictive planned and breakdown maintenance and energy and reliability studiesrdquo

The company also offers extensive train-ing which covers electrical mechanical hydraulic pneumatic electronic and materials handling disciplines as well as predictive maintenance and component failure analysis

BMG ndash Bearing Man Group Veronique van Niekerk Tel (031) 576-6221Email veroniquevbmgworldnet wwwbmgworldnet

Tenova Takraf Africa (formerly Bateman Engineered Technologies) is putting the final pieces together in completing an order for the supply of a 55m x 275m hydraulically-driven SAG mill to Ontario Graphite operators of the Kearney Mine located in Kearney O n t a r i o Canada

ldquoTenovarsquos scope

Unique SAG Mill in Canada

ABB started with a bang following the order of 2 400 robots by BMW Group Over the next three years the robots will be installed at factories in Regensburg and Leipzig Germany as well as in Tiexi China The ABB robots will mainly be used for mate-rial handling tasks as well as gluing and spot welding processes

ABB robots enable customers to implement efficient manufacturing systems that sustainably produce high-quality products The com-panyrsquos range of products and solu-tions for lean manufacturing cover the range from body-in-white to the final assembly of complete car bodies They improve competitiveness and at the same time optimally comply with customer specifications ABB has installed more than 200 000 robots worldwide

ABB Robotics Natasha Mathebula Tel (010) 202-6156 Email natashamathebulazaabbcom wwwabbcom

2400

Robots

Total Solution

of work includes the engineering manufacturing shipping and technical assistance during erection of the SAG millrsquos feed end shell discharge end drive and main bearings as well as all supporting equipment (lubrication and jacking systems)rdquo says Tenova Takraf

engineer Pieter van der Walt ldquoThe main hydraulic motor and rubber

shell liners were outside our commercial scope of supply but inside our technical

scope of supplyrdquo he adds

The mill is a conventional SAG (semi-autogenous grinding) mill in all ways apart from its drive assem-bly and it is centre-driven

at the discharge end using a Haggluumlnds hydraulic motor and powerpack ldquoTo date this is the largest hydraulic motor installed on a SAG mill with 950kW of power torque of 1 200 kNm (start-up) and 650 kNm (operational) and speed of 1386 rpmrdquo adds Pieter

Since the mill had to be retrofitted to an existing foundation a number of adaptations were required to maintain the mill centreline as well as feed-end and discharge-end positions Certain additions were required to anchor the main motor torque arm

Tenova Takraf Pieter van der Walt Tel (011) 899-2372 Email pietervanderwaltbatemancom wwwtenovagroupcom

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 41

MARKET FORUM

World Record

The ADR plant at Kisladag Mine

FLSmidth designs and manufactures indirect heated carbon regeneration kilns and calciners from half a ton per day and larger These kilns and calciners can be fuel gas oil or electric and are skid mounted pre-wired and pre-piped The companyrsquos patented bellows kiln seal has proved effective in eliminating air ingress and process gas egress and can be retrofitted to kilns from other manufacturers FLSmidth holds the world record for the lowest emissions on a carbon plant

And at the companyrsquos Merrill Crowe plant capacities range from skid mounted 34 cubic metres per hour modular plants to full size 2 100 cubic metres per hour The range of supply for plants includes clarification filters de-aeration towers vacuum pumps zinc dust feeders lead nitrate feeders and zinc cones precipitate filter feed pumps filter pre-coat and body feed systems as well as precipitate filters used by refinery and smelting facilities to produce gold bullion

These plants incorporate proprietary zinc dustlead nitrate feeder and mix-ing cone system The company offers individual plant components and partial or complete plant equipment packages together with total plant design

FLSmidth Terence Osborn Tel (010) 210-4820

Magnet has extended its range of abrasive products to include 3Mrsquos new Cubitron II abrasive belts with enhanced grinding performance improved productivity and extended service life

ldquo3Mrsquos new technology has resulted in increased speed improved consistency and extended belt liferdquo says Brian How-arth MD Magnet ldquoThese new abrasive belts ensure up to 30 faster cutting on hard to grind metals like stainless steel nickel alloy and cobalt chrome They also divert heat from the workpiece and belt to the swarf which means cooler cutting This helps eliminate burnishing and minimises heat stress Cubitron II abrasive belts last up to four times longer than conventional ceramic aluminium oxide beltsrdquo

3M Abrasives Bradley Reddy Tel (031) 274 1050 Email bradleyrmagnetgroupcozawwwmagnetgroupcoza

4 x Longer

42 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

MARKET FORUM

X-Calibur is one of the latest product offerings from TAL and was specified to protect the concrete structure of the worldrsquos second longest cable-stayed bridge against corrosion throughout its design life

Stonecutters Bridge is a high level cable-stayed bridge which spans the Rambler Channel in Hong Kong connecting Nam Wam Kok Tsing Yi Island and Stonecut-ters Island Hong Kong is well known for its hot summer weather which is also humid and unstable Temperatures

Say No to Corrosionusually exceed 30oC during the day which coupled with high humidity can result in an extreme heat index

ldquoHot and humid environments have a great effect on the durability of concrete As a rule of thumb we say for every 10oC increase in temperature the possibility of corrosion induced damage to concrete is doubled Add humidity in a marine envi-ronment then protection of the structure is of paramount importancerdquo says Brian Davies CEO X-Calibur International In order to guard the bridge from corro-

sion X-Shield EpoxySeal CR was sup-plied to shield the prestressed concrete cable anchorages from the effects of the environment In addition X-Shield FlexCoat was used in various areas of the structure This provides corrosion protection to reinforced concrete from chloride and carbon dioxide

ldquoThe main challenge was compliance with the strict project specifications as the engineer wanted to ensure that protection would be provided throughout the design life of the structure X-Calibur

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 43

MARKET FORUM

had the products independently tested to prove compliance to all aspects of the specificationrdquo John adds

The materials were applied by spe-cialist painters who had been trained by X-Calibur ldquoMaterials were mixed and applied strictly in accordance with method statements supplied by X-Calibur to ensure working time and recoat windows were not exceededrdquo concludes John

TAL Andrew Dekker Tel (031) 579-2263 wwwtalcoza

Fluid conveyance and pumping solutions expert Incledon has supplied a large water supply line project in the Free State with a total of 4 km of Ultraflo pipes manufactured in-house by DPI Plastics - a leading manufacturer of water reticulation drainage and pipe-fitting systems in South Africa

DPI Plastics technical and product manager Renier Snyman points out that the companyrsquos range of Ultraflo pipes are manufactured from modified polyvinyl chloride (mPVC) which is specifically designed to provide similar tensile strength and greater resilience than standard PVC piping products ldquoThe Ultraflo range of pressure piping systems are ideally suited to bulk water supply projects due to the fact that mPVC is considerably more ductile than industry standard unplasticised polyvinyl chloride (uPVC)rdquo he explains

Renier notes that the ductility of the Ultraflo uPVC piping system ensures that

Large Water Supply Project

the pipes have exceptional resistance to crack propagation under pressure ldquoThe product being supplied to the water sup-ply line project is the 500 mm Ultraflo system which is the largest in the DPI Plastics range It boasts a pressure rat-ing of 12 bar with a design stress of up to 18MPa making it ideally suited as a large underground piping systemrdquo

According to Renier Ultraflo pipes offer environmental advantages too ldquoDue to its superior toughness the wall thick-ness of mPVC is less than that of uPVC This ensures that less materials are used during the manufacturing process which ultimately results in a lighter product that is easier to transport and install thereby minimising the carbon footprint of the piperdquo

DPI Plastics Martine Goodchild Tel (021) 957 5600 Email mgoodchilddpiplasticscozawwwdpiplasticscoza

Donrsquot Miss Out

Promech Publishing is putting the Visitorsrsquo Catalogue together for this Show

Contact Mark Bennett on Tel (011) 781-1401 or Email samechengpromechcoza

to book your space

44 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

MARKET FORUM

Displaying and discussing some of the Dodge housed bearings on offer to local industry and mining are (from left) Tony Patten of Specialised Bearings amp Transmission Peter Small-Shaw Wilecrsquos Product Manager Bearings and Frans Odendaal Wilecrsquos Technical Specialist Bearings

The Bearings division of Actom group company Wilec has formed a strategic alliance for the supply of Dodge housed bearings into southern Africa The partner-ship agreement with Johannesburg-based Specialised Bearings amp Transmission the local distributor for Dodge extends Wilecrsquos ability to satisfy the requirements of industry and mining in a diverse range of bearings applications

ldquoThe most exciting thing about our tie-up with Dodge is that housed bearings while already widely accepted in the US and other leading industrialised countries is a relatively new concept locally but one which offers advanced features to users compared with conventional plum-mer block arrangementsrdquo said Frans Odendaal Wilecrsquos Technical Specialist Bearings

ldquoDodge housed bearings are supplied pre-assembled and sealed so eliminating all risk of contamination during fitment The advanced sealing arrangement and unique adapter system guarantees longer

Strategic Alliance

life ndash up to six times that of a conven-tional plummer block Other cost-saving advantages are that they can be installed by a semi-skilled technician very quickly normally in less than 15 minutes and the need to measure pre- and post-reduction clearance is eliminatedrdquo

ldquoIt is a differentiated product and with it we are able to provide a bearing that is especially well suited to local conditions

and offers benefits that are of real value to customers A particularly important aspect to bear in mind is that the total cost of ownership of a Dodge bearing is significantly lower than that of the conventional product due to its greater reliability and durabilityrdquo

Wilec Frans Odendaal Tel (011) 629-9300 Email fransowileccoza

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 45

MARKET FORUM

Emis Sales 2002 part of Becker Min-ing South Africa supplies a wide range of electrical equipment up to 1 100 V for use in hazardous and non-hazardous areas in the mining petrochemical and surface industry sectors

New to the Emis range are Proloc pro-tection and control relays which are suitable for thermal overload protection of conveyors compressors crushers fan and pump motors as well as shuttle cars and flitting panels

ldquoThe stand-alone Emis ProLoc electronic protection and control relay system which has been designed for the optimum protection of motor and feeder circuits connected to outlet sockets has a wide choice of six user-selectable protection features to meet exact requirementsrdquo says Frikkie Quirk managing director Emis Sales 2002 ldquoAn important advan-tage of this system is a door mounted infra-red link that enables a laptop with Proloc software to manage all settings

and downloads without having to open the panel door and expose personnel to dangerous live equipment This is a critical requirement in the OHSA actrdquo

This system is easy to set up via the Proloc MMI 420 display man-to-machine interface or via a laptop with Proloc software

Emis Sales 2002 Tel (016) 341-6134 Email infozabecker-miningcom wwwzabecker-miningcom

Optimum Protection

Birkenmayer a material processing systems supplier in South Africa and local supplier of German-engineered Eirich material processing technology recently released the Evactherm drier a new product that marries the advantages

Superheated Vacuum Steam

of mechanical and thermo dynamical processes to provide cost-effective and highly efficient drying and processing of filter cake and sludgersquos using superheated vacuum steam

Until now it has been important to observe

a maximum middle temperature when applying direct drying to heat sensitive materials and even more important to avoid the excessive local and boundary temperatures that frequently damage the drying product Both heat and ma-terial transport need to be considered and while convective drying processes such as spray drying largely avoid these problems they are only effective if a surface is available for the hot gas flow

Adjustable for both direct and convec-tive drying and processing Evactherm driers overcome these obstacles while providing a number of further benefits

Super-heated vacuum steam performs drying and granulation while the com-bination of mechanical and thermo dynamical processes allows for low dry-ing temperatures and gentle processing of temperature sensitive materials It also enables continuous drying for long periods of time as fresh material may be continuously added into the fluidized bed replacing material that has already been vaporised

H Birkenmayer Louis Eksteen Tel (011) 970 3880-8 Email louisbirkenmayercozawwwbirkenmayercoza

The Evactherm drier

Proloc protection and control relays

46 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

The Eastern Capersquos Coega Industrial Development Zone (IDZ) is one of a number of industrial regions in South Africa to benefit from Air Products South Africarsquos strategy of long-term capital investment

A region which has long been under-served when it comes to reliable gas supply the Eastern Cape will soon have

A Long-term Viewits own air separation unit (ASU) ndash the first of its kind in the province Seelan Gounden GM supply chain at AirProd-ucts explains the reasons behind the companyrsquos latest investment

ldquoCurrently there is no local industrial gas supply in this area and cryogenic gases have to be procured elsewhere This situation compromises the service

MARKET FORUM

ART Solar specialists in the manufacture of solar photovoltaic (PV) modules for the sustainable generation of electrical power has made the following appointment an-nouncementsMark Walsh as managing director Dr Ronald FM Lange as chief operating officer Robert Ramshaw as financial manager and Gavin Rosslee as production manager

Gavin RossleeRobert RamshawMark Walsh

Jeanne Els has been appointed as Hatchrsquos Managing Director of Operations

Jeanne Els

Ronald Lange

Anton Theunissen

SKF South Africa recently appointed Anton Theunissen as Distributor De-velpoment Manager for South Africa and neighbouring coun-tries

Index to Advertisers

Axiom 12

Bearings International 36

Bibby Turboflex 28

Bonfiglioli 10

Engen 34

Festo 35

Hansen 44

Horne SA 29

IDC Inside Back Cover

ILS 32

KDP Services 22

Loesche 31

Polysius 4

PPS 11 29

Mercedes Outside Back Cover

Merseta Inside Front Cover

MIEO Outside Front Cover

Transmission Components 14

Voith 38

Yellotec 16 17

delivery to our existing customers who have to depend on product being trucked over vast distances Thus we identified the Eastern Cape as a key priority invest-ment destination with a clear need for a new air separation facility dedicated to servicing the region We chose the Coega IDZ after careful market analysis We are pleased to be able to be a part of the growth and development of the region through providing a long-needed security of supply and value-added servicerdquo

Ayanda Vilakazi head of Marketing and Communications at the Coega IDZ adds ldquoThe viability of the new ASU is indis-putable It will mean not only security of gas supply to the region benefiting the many industries here but it also means job security for other investors jobs along the value chain and scope for training and human resource develop-ment as well as enhanced Corporate Social Investment initiativesrdquo

Seelan Gounden AirProducts wwwairproductssouthafricacoza

Left to right Chris Mashigo Executive Man-ager - Business Development Coega Develop-ment Corporation Themba Khoza Executive Manager ndash Operations Coega Development Corporation Seelan Gounden GM - Supply Chain Air Products Pierre Fourie Area Sales Manager ndash Eastern Cape Air Products signed the lease agreement between the CDC and Air Products South Africa

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 47To apply online for funding of R1 million or more go to wwwidccoza

Telephone 086 069 3888Email callcentreidccoza

Driving new market innovationsThe IDC supports high-impact job creation projects acting as a

catalyst to lead new sector development and support existing

industry and sector growth in alignment with governmentrsquos

New Growth Path (NGP) National Development Plan (NDP)

and Industrial Policy Action Plan (IPAP)

The IDC Strategic High Impact Projects (SHIP) Strategic Business

Unit in partnership with the IDC Innovation Department has

launched an Open Innovation Challenge to encourage the

development and implementation of sustainable high-impact

industrial initiatives and projects

The IDC calls upon individuals engineering communities

corporates project sponsors and other related entities to enter

into a partnership to develop qualifying projects that result in

sustainable and profi table industries exploit the value-adding

opportunities of existing and new value chains and enable the

development of innovative local economies

Whatwho qualifi es

projects which enable the development of new industries

across multiple IDC focus sectors

introduce new markets and value chains or revolutionise

existing ones through the use of disruptive technologies

or new approaches

development impact and employment creation

across mandated IDC industrial sectors

SHIP wishes to ensure that the projects undertaken play a major

role in industrial development and employment creation within

the South African and SADC regions

Interested applicants are invited to submit their project

proposals online at

httpopeninnovationidccozaidc-ship-challenge between

project proposals will be informed in May regarding SHIP

wishing to partner with them in the development of the

proposed project

Please contact Bertie Strydom BertieSidccoza and

RetiefBidccoza for more information

Chillibush9119IDC

48 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

A D

aim

ler B

rand

You built the bridges the roads and the tunnels We built the carAs a member of the Engineering Council of South Africa you could qualify for exclusive offers a guaranteed 3-day service booking as well as PremiumDrive our 6 year100 000km maintenance plan To take advantage of this outstandingopportunity inform your nearest dealer of your ECSA status

Not in conjunction with other Mercedes-Benz Fleet ProgrammesOffers Excludes AMG and Limited Edition modelsVehicle specifications may vary for the South African market

Page 15: SAME Mar2013

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 15

POWER TRANSMISSION

He kicks off by telling us ldquoIf yoursquore not saving money in the end condition monitoring serves no effective purpose Also if you can

afford the consequence of a failure then you donrsquot need to do condition monitoring A good example is found in the food processing industry where they use hundreds of small pumps throughout a plant Instead of having to monitor all these pumps they now use low-cost plastic pumps which can be replaced quickly without holding up the production processrdquo

Part of asset managementldquoTypically you start the development of the condition monitoring process by determining the companyrsquos

maintenance strategy a process called the RCM (reliability centred maintenance) planrdquo explains Kobus ldquoFirst off a hardware breakdown structure of the whole plant is drawn up and a Failure Mode and Effectsrsquo Criticality Analysis (FMECA) performed so that you can decide which of the machines are critical to the operation of your plant the ones which will bring the whole lot to a halt if they fail

Kobus continues ldquoThrough this process the company can also determine what spares to carry as well as the level and types of skills which will be needed to maintain the critical machines in the plantrdquo

MethodsIdeas Solutions not only assists companies to under-take this initial criticality audit but will also advise which one of the four main condition monitoring technologies is most appropriate for each specific application fit it and analyse the data as part of a maintenance contract

ldquoThe solution could take the form of vibration moni-toring alignment monitoring any one of a number of methods of temperature measurements or oil analysisrdquo clarifies Kobus ldquoIn the case of a gearbox for instance we carry out an oil analysis to check whether there are any particles of the same mate-rial as the bearings or the gear teeth and so on

VibrationldquoIn our experience ninety percent of the machines with high maintenance costs are the ones where vibration is the highestrdquo adds Kobus ldquoBeing a destructive phenomenon the extent of vibration indicates whether the machine is balanced running in alignment and gives insight into the condition of the bearings regardless of the type of bearing

Save on MaintenanceCondition monitoring is an integral part of asset management ultimately impacting directly on a

companyrsquos bottom line not only in terms of reducing the risk of unexpected breakdowns but also affecting

machinery life Deciding on what to monitor and how is a scientific task which should be undertaken by specialists ldquoSA Mechanical Engineerrdquo speaks to

Kobus van der Westhuizen director of Ideas Solutions a South African company specialising in engineering

analysis solutions with offices in Cape Town and Pietermaritzburg

We can predict how close that bearing is to failure

Kobus van der Westhuizen director of Ideas Solutions

The ldquoOperational Deflection Shaperdquo

16 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

less costly exercise than an unexpected failurerdquo Kobus says ldquoYou can then order a replacement bearing in good time and make sure you have the right skills on hand to do the replace-mentrdquo

What to fitBeing such a clear indicator of a number of problems in machinery vibration moni-toring equipment can be fitted in a variety of ways If itrsquos a critical machine permanent vibration protec-tion instrumentation is typi-cally fitted on the machine Such a system monitors the machine in real time while constantly evaluating vibra-tion in terms of bearings alignment or imbalance in the machinery

ldquoOur systems are so refined today that you can not only pinpoint which bearing is showing faults but we can even see which part of that bearing is showing strain and whyrdquo Kobus adds ldquoWe can also programme the system against certain parameters so that it trips the machine when certain levels of vibration are ex-

ceeded This is the highest level of protection we can providerdquo

An interesting development in the deployment of an online monitoring system is the technique called ldquoOperational Deflection Shaperdquo (ODS) analysis This is possible when an online system has the capabil-ity of simultaneously measuring all the channels

Simultaneously measuring all the channels of vibration in real time

POWER TRANSMISSION

ldquoIf for example we find that the load on the bearing remains constant we can predict how close that bearing is to failure and plan when the machine can be shut down for a bearing replacement a much

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 17

of vibration in real time This preserves the phase relationship between channels resulting in a visual representation of the machine vibration It makes it easier to observe analyse and document noise and vibration problems in machinery and structures ODS analysis is used to display and analyse ex-perimental multi-channel time or frequency domain data acquired during the operation of a machine or forced vibration of a structure

This provides an interactive animated display with which users can observe spatially defined data such as operating deflection shapes (ODSs) mode shapes acoustic sound and intensity fields or other engineering data such at temperatures or pressures By animating the spatial response of a structure in slow motion users can view a structurersquos overall motion and the motion of one part relative to another Locations of excessive vibration or high levels of noise are easily identified

Next levelThe next level down is a surveillance system often used in conjunction with a protection system ldquoIn contrast to a protection system the surveillance system provides answers as to why things did go wrongrdquo explains Kobus ldquoIn a fan application for example the system will tell you that vibration has increased yet the signature reading from the machine has remained constant This can be as a result of dust build up on the blades or a blade has broken off causing an imbalance which prompts the protection system to stop the machine The system will even tell you which blade has been affected by the faultrdquo

The surveillance system can also be used on its own but still in an online mode ldquoThis feature is used to trend parameters leaving the decision to stop a machine at the discretion of the maintenance engineerrdquo explains Kobus ldquoThese online solutions can either be wired or wireless transmitting data from each sensor to the receivers on the system The data is then channelled to whomever needs it in his or her format of choicerdquo

Options for allOn smaller plants that cannot afford an online sys-tem less critical machinery data from machinery is collected by hand and transferred to a computer for analysis either by the maintenance engineer or under a maintenance contract to an engineer at Ideas Solutions

ldquoItrsquos no longer in question the fact that condition monitoring saves companies money has been proved over and over again if itrsquos done rightrdquo Kobus says in conclusion ldquoCondition monitoring regardless of the

The fact that condition monitoring saves companies money has been proved over and over again if itrsquos done right

POWER TRANSMISSION

extent to which it is integrated on a plant should be part of every companyrsquos maintenance strategyrdquo

Kobus van der Westhuizen Ideas Solutions Tel 082 552-4790 Email kobusideas-onlinecozawwwideas-onlinecoza

18 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

Empowering Municipal Engineers

Corruption and tenderpreneurship fraud financial mismanagement lack of understanding of technical issues

priorities difficulties with job creation and skills shortages are just some of the challenges that face municipal engineers in South

Africa

Name and shameCESA unreservedly supports the call for the banning of public servants from doing business with the state including dealstenders with another department or municipality

ldquoWhat is at stake is not the rights of state employees to do business but rather the integrity of the state procurement system The current public procurement environ-ment in the construction sector is highly complex and conducive to corruption and manipulationrdquo warns CESA President Naren Bhojaram

The problem is further compounded by the lack of accountability and punishment for procurement irregularities and wasteful expenditureldquoThe country has good rules but no-one is playing by themrdquo he adds

CESA believes that it is irresponsible and foolhardy to place employees in positions where they can (or are tempted to) manipu-late procurement and other procedures to unfairly benefit themselves at the expense of the statetaxpayer

CESA

Unqualified people should be discouraged from trying to do the job of the municipal engineer

CESA President Naren Bhojaram

Consulting En-gineers South Africa (CESA) President Na-

ren Bhojaram believes that if South Africa is serious about the empowerment of properly-qualified municipal

engineers it should invest in various interventions such as

training development and ca-pacitating of young engineers for

employment by the local authorities and make the municipal engineering

profession attractive

Currently municipal planning is done rather superficially and only a real municipal engi-

neer and a competent team of visionary planners can sort that out

CESA calls for the embracing of the municipal engineer as a trusted ad-visor as well as creating a working environment to attract and retain municipal engineers The munici-pal engineers must be incentivised (long term employment purpose in life emoluments respect and freedom) and unqualified people

should be discouraged from trying to do the job of the municipal engineer

Stumbling BlockInfrastructure deliveryrsquos biggest stumbling block is the lack of business integrity which involves among other things socialising with clients conflict of interest use of agents and partners collusion and bribery and the disregard of procurement regulations

CESA strongly urges structural changes to the way in which municipal engineers operate including the abandonment of long-term employment contracts for key technical and managerial staff Tender and

bid evaluation committees must include technical legal and financial executives in joint sittings and professional teams must be allowed to compile reports in an independent manner on tenders for the bid evaluation committees

The South African procurement legislation should include a Bribery and Corruption Act such as the UK Bribery Act of 2010 enabling the Courts to prosecute corruption and related issues more ef-fectively as well as the naming and shaming of firms contravening the requirements of the Act

Consulting Engineers South Africa (CESA) Graham Pirie Tel (011) 463-2022Email gspiriecesacoza wwwcesacoza

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 19

ldquoSA Mechanical Engineerrdquo speaks to Willie Muller general manager at KDP Services about the modernisation of old hydraulic machinery ldquoIn terms of upgrading wersquove just

done extensive work at a steel mill to re-design

and implement new technology on a large 1 200 tonne cutting press and a shredding machinerdquo he explains ldquoBoth the machines were imported from Germany originally but have lately started picking up problems seriously hampering production flow

ldquoAfter consulting with the supplierrsquos engineers the problems persisted and the client then called us in to investigaterdquo Willie says ldquoWe found that the hydraulics on both these old machines were outdated but could be updated with new tech-nology rather than replacing the old pumps and valves with costly new imported OEM components

New Life for Old Machines

Very often the spare parts for old machinery imported and installed twenty or more years ago is hard to come by and if it is available

it costs an arm and a leg to import If the problem happens to be hydraulic there is

a local hydraulics company that specialises in updating systems so that local easily-available spares can be used to keep the machine going for many years to come

Willie Muller general manager at KDP Services

CNC machining

Overhauled cylinders ready for delivery

Large cylinder

Hydraulic motor of all makes and sizes are serviced

HYDRAULICS amp PNEUMATICS

Analyse the operation and specifically the machinersquos function in situ before returning to the drawing board to redesign the hydraulic system for better functionality

20 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

New technologyAs the designer in the company

Willie goes out to analyse the operation and specifically the machinersquos function

in situ before returning to the drawing board to redesign the hydraulic system for better

functionality This provides the opportunity not only to introduce the latest technology into the upgrade but also to ensure that easily available local components are used He adds ldquoSince our upgrade the shear which can cut through a 150 by 300mm block of steel in one cut has been run-ning smoothly with none of the previous problems cropping up againrdquo

Similarly the shredding machine where a whole vehicle is fed in one end and comes out in pieces of scrap metal the other end has also been up-graded to run consistently ever since Willie adds ldquoThrough this success wersquove now not only landed the maintenance and service contracts for this mill but theyrsquove asked us to audit the entire plant to investigate other hydraulic systems which can be improved Wersquove already re-designed one of the production lines to introduce an integrated fully automated operationrdquo

First projectWillie might be young but he has worked with KDP since his student days gaining invaluable hands-on experience in all aspects of hydraulic work from the owner of the company Karel Podges ldquoOne of my first projects as a student was designing the hydraulic system for a container lifting and tilting machine used in steel mills to collect and handle scrap metalrdquo he recalls as we come across the remnants of the prototype when we walk in the yard behind the workshop ldquoThis is probably what got me hooked on hydraulics because nothing of the sort existed and I had to design it from scratch around a structure someone else had builtrdquo

Inside the workshop we find engineering equipment ranging from lathes to modern CNC machines all humming away as hydraulic components are turned out of a variety of metals At the hose crimping machine Willie points out the neat final product for a custom-made installation theyrsquore doing One of KDPrsquos specialities is hydraulic motor overhaul-ing which is evident when we see several large Hagglunds drives in various stages of repair in the drive section of the workshop

TestingFinally we get to the test-bench area where a large cylinder is under test for leaks before being taken apart for a complete overhaul ldquoOne of the biggest mistakes generally made when it comes to hydraulic equipment is that people think they can treat the hydraulic components roughly just because they are big and ruggedrdquo Willie remarks ldquoThey lose sight of the fact that dirt is the biggest enemy and they donrsquot take the necessary care to keep the oil or equipment clean causing irreparable damage to seals and delicate surface areas in a systemrdquo

One of the main advantages of KDP is that they are not officially tied up with a specific brand of hydraulic equipment allowing them to work on and supply any make on the market Willie concludes ldquoIn addition wersquore a small company where you learn and get the opportunity to work on all types of applications So each and every problem big or small is tackled with great personal attention to detailrdquo

Willie Muller KDP Services Tel (011) 392-5750 Email williekdp-servicescoza

That people think they can treat the hydraulic components roughly just because they are big and rugged

HYDRAULICS amp PNEUMATICS

The full MontyHydraulic system design from the circuit to pumps motors and all the necessary connecting piping are designed in-house at the 22-year old com-pany ldquoWe design the complete circuit specifying all the components necessary to achieve certain functionsrdquo explains Willie ldquoSimilarly all engineer-ing is undertaken in-house except the honing and chroming of shafts when we overhaul cylinder sets New cylinders are manufactured from tubing and shafts which have already been prepared

ldquoIn terms of piping wersquove built up a good name in many industries both in new installations during maintenance shutdowns or when a fixed installa-tion needs to be movedrdquo he adds ldquoNot only do we design the layout but we physically carry out the installation work ourselves especially when it is a stainless steel pipe installation that requires argon welding to fit the fittingsrdquo

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 21

Compressed Air at Work

Pneumatic systems are extensively used in industry where factories are commonly plumbed with

compressed air or compressed inert gases This is because a centrally-located and electrically-powered

compressor which powers cylinders and other pneumatic devices through solenoid valves is often

able to provide motive power in a cheaper safer more flexible and more reliable manner than electric motors

and actuators

Premium brandApplied Pneumatics established 22 years ago is a South African distributor of Parker Hannifin products ldquoAt a time when everyone is increasingly becoming aware of the benefits of buying premium products which last longer and have proven to be value for money Parker has come up with new innovations which extend this value even furtherrdquo says Dave

ldquoTake valves for example Most low-cost valves are throw-away items which are discarded completely if something goes wrong Our premium valves which cost a bit more initially are serviceable This means we can repair and service them at a fraction of the cost of even a cheap complete unit

ldquoIf the premium repairable valve breaks for in-stance itrsquos quick and easy to strip it right there and then fit new parts and have it up and running in no time as opposed to having to order and wait for a complete replacement unitrdquo adds Dave ldquoAll you need to have in stock are a couple of O-rings for the different valves in a systemrdquo

SA Mechanical Engineerrdquo visits a company in Randburg aptly named Applied Pneumat-ics to speak to managing director Dave McNair ldquoIn a pneumatics application we

supply everything beyond the compressor This includes everything down the line the filtration system water traps regulators and then the lubrication system before you get to the actual application which could be a cylinder control valves actuators or even solenoid valves for the control of liquid flows in a process We also do vacuum applications where suction cups pick objects up to move them aboutrdquo

From left Andrew Livesey applications engineer at Applied Pneumatics Teven McNair sales and Dave McNair managing director

Range includes pneumatic cylinders and actuators valves and logic processing air preparation equipment as well as a whole host of other pneumatic components and accessories

The Parker range of pneumatic equipment includes actuator and motors

HYDRAULICS amp PNEUMATICS

22 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

New conceptSimilarly the air prepa-ration systems from Parker are of a modular design and fully repair-able so that just worn or damaged compo-nents can be replaced ldquoThey have now taken this even furtherrdquo says Dave ldquoA new concept in regulators the Modu-flex clip technology system has just been released No special tools in fact no span-ners at all are needed

to take the unit apart to replace a filter element for instance You sim-ply clip the unit apart by hand replace the

element and clip it together again within a minute

ldquoOn a forklift for example the glass bowl of the air preparation unit is often damaged when the forklifts bump into some-thingrdquo elaborates Dave ldquoOn a low-cost throw-away unit yoursquod have to carry a spare unit to replace the whole unit With the new technology howev-er you simply clip off the damaged part to zap a new one into place In terms of cylinders and actuators the latest development is self-lubricating seals which require no additional lubri-cation whatsoeverrdquo

One of the main drawbacks of pneumatics over hydraulics is that a pneumatic cylinder has to be much larger than a hydraulic cylinder in order to deliver the same power However this does not rule out using pneumatics in heavier applications especially underground where the use of air is generally safer and cleaner than hydraulic oils in the first place

UndergroundldquoA while back we were approached by a platinum mine to design a pneumatic system to open and close underground tipsrdquo Andrew explains ldquoTo prevent people from falling into the ore tip it had to be closed with a heavy steel lid between off-loading operations We not only designed a suit-able pneumatic system but also took part in the installation on various levels all the way down to three kilometres undergroundrdquo

Like many other products there are cheap and nasty pneumatic products on the market and cost is not always an indication of inferiority ldquoThe safe route is to always buy from reputable companies who have been around for a long time and who trade in well-known brandsrdquo Dave says in conclusion ldquoSerious consideration should also be given to the repairability of the equipment Itrsquos no use installing a low cost system which has to be replaced regu-larly while another could last a lifetime if properly looked afterrdquo

Dave Mc Nair Applied pneumatics Tel (011) 792-3381 Email davenappliedpneumaticscoza

No special tools in fact no spanners at all are needed to take the unit apart to replace a filter element for instance

HYDRAULICS amp PNEUMATICS

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 23

TICK

ER T

APE

POWER GENERATION

PROMECH PUBLISHINGTel (011) 781-1401Fax (011) 781-1403Email samechengpromechcozaWebsite wwwpromechcozaManaging Editor Susan CustersEditorial Kowie HammanAdvertising Mark BennettCirculation Catherine MacdivaDTP Zinobia Docrat Donovan VadivaluDisclaimerPROMECH Publishing does not take responsibility for the opinions expressed by individuals

CopyrightAll rights reserved No editorial matter published in ldquoPower Generation Todayrdquo may be reproduced in any form or language without written per-mission of the publishers While every effort is made to ensure accurate reproduction the editor authors publishers and their employees or agents shall not be responsible or in any way liable for any errors omissions or inaccuracies in the publication whether arising from negligence or otherwise or for any consequences aris-ing therefrom The inclusion or exclusion of any product does not mean that the publisher or editorial board advocates or rejects its use either gener-ally or in any particular field or fields

POWERGENERATION

TODAY

Harnessing the Powers of the Ocean

Luciano Garcia-Baylleres COO at HAE

Tidal power has long been utilised as an energy resource used early on in tidal mills to grind grain throughout the Middle Ages More recently it has also been used to generate electricity for instance in the 240 MW tidal barrages at La Rance France Tidal currents however are still largely an untapped energy source While several marine current turbine prototypes

have been tested in the last few years there are only a few of these prototypes deployed to generate electrical power to smaller communities

mainly to demonstrate the viability of the technology

There is currently a renewed interest in using the ocean to generate electric-ity using both traditional hydropower technologies and new hydrokinetic

technologies This interest is being spurred on by official and private initiatives to promote the development of cleaner energy sources and diversification of energy supplies through use of alternative and renewable sources

Tidal energyTidal energy projects hold the promise of producing indigenous renewable predictable electricity without greenhouse gas emissions and with higher power densities in terms of power output per unit area than either solar photovoltaic or wind projects

The International Finance Corporation (IFC) the World Bankrsquos private-sector lending arm is partner-ing with Sasfin Bank to develop a portfolio of energy efficiency and renewable-energy financial products for small medium-sized and microenterprises (SMMEs) in South Africa

Alstom South Africa and the South African Nuclear Energy Corporation (Necsa) have signed an agreement under which the local branch of the French power generation power transmission and rail infrastructure

group will invest R8-million in buying equipment for the new coded welding centre being established at Necsarsquos Nuclear Skills Development (NSD)

The operation and maintenance (OampM) costs of wind farms in South Africa were expected to be in the mid-range of the international market Mott MacDonald consultant Matthias Vinard has reported adding that OampM costs ranged from euro28kW a year to euro68kW a year in international markets

24 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

ocean currents driven for instance by thermal gradients or differences in salinity Along the South African east coast the Agulhas Current is one of the most consistent sea currents in the world and this area has now been identified as the ideal spot to test technology developed by an American company Hydro Alternative Energy (HAE) from Florida USA

Current plans with the local gov-ernment of eThekwini Municipality in Durban supporting the concept of a hydrokinetic energy project off the cityrsquos coast calls for HAE to

initially develop a $20 million 1MW demonstration unit utilising the companyrsquos Oceanus technology to generate electric power from the Agulhas current flowing past the city Additional units each with an anticipated electric power generation capacity of 8 megawatts may then be built and likewise be submerged approximately 30 metres below sea level to prevent interference with shipping traffic

ldquoSA Mechanical Engineerrdquo has a QampA session with Luciano Garcia-Baylleres the Chief Operation Of-ficer (COO) of HAE about the project

Q Some background on HAEA HAE founded in March 2009 is an emerging independent power provider (ldquoIPPrdquo) focused on utilising hydrokinetic and other power develop-ment sources to generate electric power worldwide safely cost-effectively reliably and profitably with minimal or no ecological impact

Our business model provides for utilising certain of our own proprietary technology identifying and locating existing and new technologies and when appropriate partnering with others for our power development and generation needs

Q The South Africa connection with the companyA Research by our technical department identified several places throughout the world as optimal for the initial deployment and commercialisation of our technology After extensive research of each location

POWER GENERATIONTI

CKER

TA

PE

Tidal energy projects may also be useful in lsquofilling in the gapsrsquo in generating power from other intermit-tent energy sources such as wind farms

Marine current energy conversion concerns the po-tential generation of electricity from kinetic energy of freely-flowing water This contrasts with tradi-tional hydro power like a dam where the amount of energy extracted from a river is dependent on the head between the reservoir and the water level below the dam

A similar hydro power approach can in fact be used for tidal power in areas with high tides In this case a barrage can be constructed in a nar-row bay or estuary to utilise the head between low and high water

Consistent currentAnother way to generate electricity from water would be to convert the kinetic energy of flowing water similar to the way a wind turbine extracts energy from the wind In such a case a dam or reservoir is not necessary but rather sites are chosen where the currents are strong such as a narrow sound straight estuary around a headland or in a river

The term lsquomarine currentrsquo constitutes any kind of water current be it tidal unregulated rivers or other

Flow anlysis carried out for current simulations

Another way to generate electricity from water would be to convert the kinetic energy of flowing water similar to the way a wind turbine extracts energy from the wind

Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) MD Noah Gwariro says the state-owned company needs at least $300-million to refurbish thermal power stations in Bulawayo Harare and Munyati and to increase their generation capacities

The planned Karuma hydropower project will have capacity to generate 700MW

and is one of the high-priority projects in Ugandarsquos National Development Plan

The State-owned Ethiopian Electric Power Corporation (EEPCo) has signed a $120-million contract with UK-based company Canbridge Industries for the construction of a 50 MW waste-to-energy power plant

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 25

POWER GENERATION

The components of a sea current power gererating system

The Aghullas current and eThekwini Municipality with their infrastructure qualified human resource and an approach to facilitating large scale green projects was the appropriate site for this first endeavour

How the energy is harnessed

and all the surrounding benefits apart from the presence of good quality currents such as politi-cal stability port infrastructure and focus on green projects we determined that South Africa with its infrastructure qualified human resource and an approach to facilitating large scale green projects was the appropriate site for our first endeavour

Q Background on what the project is all aboutA OceanusTM our first power generation system which we are currently developing and which utilises much of our own proprietary technology is planned to harness the kinetic energy of the ocean to produce safe clean reliable cost-effective electric power

Oceanus will consist of two primary modules the amplification module (the shroud) and the engine module The shroud is a housing that will multiply the normal incoming water flow to a faster velocity as it passes through the engine module generat-ing more kinetic energy This will in turn result in potentially greater electrical power generation capability as well as potentially increased usable offshore locations worldwide

Velocity is the major factor which dictates the hydrokinetic energy that can be extracted from water Within the hydrokinetic energy sector of the renewable andor clean energy industry we have seen that research and development has generally focused on developing energy generation technolo-gies for environments that can only work in very high water velocity environments such as 3 4 5 metres per second While these areas of extreme water velocity are very high in hydrokinetic energy they only exist in a very small percentage of the worldrsquos waters

Our goal is to provide electric power to locations

Shroud

Engine module

Combine modular design

worldwide utilising the kinetic energy in lsquotypicalrsquo water conditions Our current design specifications have a base need of 1 metre per second of water

26 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

POWER GENERATION

flow which by amplifying the velocity is planned to produce 1MW of power This design specification once successfully tested may then be adapted into higher velocity waters As most locations in the world have lower velocity waters a turbine designed to work in 3 4 or 5 metres per second water flows will not work in waters that have velocities of 1-2 metres per second

Q How does it workA The theory behind the development of the system is quite basic having been previously used in other energy production systems such as wind and tidal energy generation Basically the engine is composed of an energy extraction system such as but not limited to our perpendicular access turbine a gorlov turbine a darrieus turbine and an Axial turbine

The other module is the shroud which handles two functions serving as an accelerator of the water ve-locity thus increasing the amount of kinetic energy that can be extracted Secondly it houses the engine protecting marine life from direct contact with the tip of the blades Also Oceanus is designed to be positively buoyant and either secured to the ocean floor or to float at a certain predetermined depth while moored to the ocean floor utilising the same techniques that are currently used in mooring floating oil rigs buoys or floating windmill systems

Q How will it work in KZNA There will be a demonstration unit initially and then we will start the commercial phase by entering into the normal contracts and procedures for energy generation in the country This entails a very large investment from our company where we will focus on potentially buildingassembling the units in Durban thus taking advantage of the excellent and qualified infrastructure it has

Q Who is involved locallyA We have no partners as far as investors or concerns as yet on the South African project but we are not against this possibility in the future From the facilita-tion point of view we have received a lot of support from Derek Morgan at the eThekwini Energy Office and Russell Curtis at DIPA each with their respective teams and other government offices that have been very forthcoming with information and support

Q What equipment does it use ndash where will this be madeA We have already scouted several facilities in Durbanrsquos ship building industry as well as other possible suppliers ranging from the maritime indus-try financial sector to legal consultants in order to make sure that we are in compliance with all regulations and that our perception of excellence from the South African maritime industry is in fact there

Q At what stage is the project nowA The project is currently at an initial logistics stage where we are looking at a more site specific design for the demonstration unit At the same time we are gathering all the information with our lawyers and possible suppliers for the norms procedures permits and licences necessary to comply with local and national regulations

Q Where will power go to A From our initial discussions with the regulatory bodies this energy can be locally distributed and then taken up by the grid as needed This will de-pend on the results of the demonstration unit and the first commercial unit operation which we are confident will exceed expectations

Q Are there sceptics criticsA As discussed before the basic technology has been used in other sectors of the energy generation industry what is being developed by us is the ef-ficient shroud and the maintenance systems which include buoyancy controls and depth determination in order to locate the most efficient current

Q Are there any future plans from your company for South Africa in particularA We believe that we have a good relationship with eThekwini municipality and once we fulfil our project with KZN we would then consider further expansion throughout South Africa

Q What about the other parts of AfricaA Eastern Africa in general presents very good conditions for our technology but for now we are going to concentrate our efforts on deploying this endeavour in South Africa before entertaining new opportunities

Luciano Garcia-Baylleres COO at HAE Tel 561-900-7200 EmailLgarciaHAE-USAcom wwwHAE-USAcom

We will focus on potentially building assembling the units in Durban thus taking advantage of the excellent and qualified infrastructure it has

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 27

POWER GENERATION NEWS

MTN has announced that it has entered into a com-mercial arrangement to sell its carbon credits to EDF Trading in an industry first The credits will be pro-duced by MTNrsquos tri-generation plant at 14th Avenue Of-fice Park in Fairland Johannesburg

EDF Trading is a whol-ly-owned subsidiary of Electriciteacute de France SA one of the largest compliance buyers covered by the European Union Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS)

The carbon credit project utilises a Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) meth-odology developed by MTN approved by the United Nations Framework Con-vention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) It is currently in the process of being registered with the UNFCCC Once registered MTN will sell the carbon credits from the project to EDF Trading

The project will make use of the MTN energy-efficient 2MW tri-generation plant at its Fairland office park Tri-generation is the concurrent production of electric-ity heating and cooling which provides

Carbon Credits power hot wa-ter space heat-

ing and cooling for air conditioning

from a single source

Egoli gas is used for the operation

sourced from the Sasol pipeline in Mozambique

The plant displaces grid electricity from Eskom

reducing greenhouse gas emissions and providing up to 85

efficiency on fuel The excess heat at some 400degC is captured

and used to supply heating and to operate an absorption chiller which creates cool water that is used to power an extensive air-conditioning system

Natural gas is clean burning and offers a consistent supply but simply using this to generate electricity would have been too expensive The saving achieved by capturing the waste heat combined with the additional revenue from the sale of the carbon credits however makes the project economically viablerdquo

Promethuim Robbie Louw Tel (011) 706-8185 Email Robbiepromethiumcozawwwpromethuimcoza

Countries across South East Asia Africa and the Middle East have been amending their regulatory frameworks and embarking on privatisation as many of them are in serious need of external fund-ing to ensure that their respective electricity industries are capable of dealing with the inevitable surge in demand The cumulative installed power capacity for these regions according to 2012 estimates will be 212 Gigawatts (GW) However this figure is expected to shoot up to 349 GW by 2020 climbing at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 64

Emerging Power Markets

Rising industrialisa-tion ever-increasing population figures and growing economies all point to an electrical future that most infra-structure systems are currently incapable of handling Therefore to achieve greater in-dustry efficiency and encourage competition governments across this region are opening up their electricity markets and increasing private sector participation The region will have to invest heavily in order to

increase its installed capacity and improve its existing infrastructure

Transmission networks in many of these countries are already under tremendous pressure to supply power without interruption and many new transmission projects are already underway or in the pipeline Therefore energy policy reforms are set to open the doors and create positive opportunities for growth in in the near future this according to Jonathan Cain of GBI Research

GBI ResearchJonathan Cain Tel +44 1204 543 533 Emailjcaingbiresearchcom wwwgbiresearchcom

28 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

POWER GENERATION NEWS

With Gensler Architects Aurecon has completed the design on the faccedilade of what will be Chinarsquos tallest building At 632m the Shanghai Centre is more than 100m taller than the recently-completed Shanghai Financial Centre and is designed as a sustainable eco-tower that sets a new benchmark not only for the region but also the world

Sustainable green features include tri-

Bioclimatic buildingGreywater recycling systems lo-cated at basement and at mid-level have been installed to collect greywater generated from lavatory or bathtub for reuse reducing potable water demand for the office tower by about 40

The ice storage system shifts part of the peak electricity demand of the chillers into the night modeoff peak operation Storage capacity is 26 400 Refrigerant Ton (RT) which reduces about 30 of the summit demand by about 3 through this ice cooling storage system and save up to the yearly energy cost for the user

A large volume water deluge system with rotational nozzles

installed at mid-level of the atria deliv-ers a large volume and accurate water spray onto fire with the assistance of Infra-red detection to lock the exact location and very early warning smoke detection apparatus system

A double curtain wall design provides better control on solar energy entering the tower building resulting in energy saving

Aerecon Group Jody Boshoff Tel (012) 427-2066 Email JodyBoshoffaurecongroupcomwwwaurecongroupcom

generation plant consisting of two sets of 11MW natural gas turbine generating electricity

chilled water hot water and heating water Simultaneous heat recovery of the hot flue gas produced from the tur-bines reduces carbon dioxide by 49 compared with the regular electrical cooling system

15 nos of 3kW vertical axis wind turbines (VAWTs) on the roof provide 157 500 kWh of clean and renewable electricity annually

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 29

Willem Sullivan of HansenA better artificial heart for people who are not eligible for natural heart transplants

Jean Schoeman of National Oilwell Varco My own jet aeroplane

Chris Coetzee of Resonant SolutionsThe problem in industry is practical engineering experience Young engineers donrsquot get the opportunity to learn the practical stuff Irsquod start an academy which teaches the practical side where you can learn from your mistakes Unfortunately mistakes cost money but if you have all the money in the world they can afford to learn from mistakes

In your book what is the most pivotal invention ever

Elbie Cornelius of National Oilwell Varco The computer

Chris Coetzee of Resonant SolutionsI canrsquot see how you can run a business without cellphones

Rudolph Beer of Martin EngineeringThe wheel

Willem Sullivan of HansenFor me personally Excel Without it my world will be dull and lifeless For the world at large Electricity because without it Excel will not be possible

Jean Schoeman of National Oilwell Varco The personal computer

OPINION

On his rounds Kowie Hamman our Editor is conducting an informal survey on the lighter side of engineering We follow up from last month with three pertinent questions

Soapbox

What do you think of computers and the digital world

Elbie Cornelius of National Oilwell Varco Awesome changing our world

Chris Coetzee of Resonant SolutionsNinety percent of all engineering is done using computers but if you rely solely on them yoursquove missed the plot because you always have to verify results by going back into the field to test what yoursquove done on the computer

Rudolph Beer of Martin EngineeringYou canrsquot do without them

Willem Sullivan of HansenIt is where I do all my design work So if it was not for computers we would be decades behind in terms of what we can do I absolutely love it

Greg Perry of SEWThey have definitely made things faster but the en-gineer still needs to understand the theory and pay attention to the detail or you make mistakes faster

Jean Schoeman of National Oilwell Varco Very useful until they give problems Then you just want to hit them with a hammer But the digital world has managed to speed up the communica-tion of information

If you had all the money in the world what would you design

Elbie Cornelius of National Oilwell Varco A solar and wind power station to supply the whole continent with electricity

Rudolph Beer of Martin EngineeringDevelop the safe harvesting of atomic energy

30 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

ldquoSA Mechanical Engineerrdquo speaks to Dave Goodman managing director of Spectra Car-bide Tooling Technology in Cape Town about the various management models they have

developed specifically to control tooling ldquoOur tool management systems were developed through our involvement with some of the major automotive OEMs in South Africardquo he says ldquoThe management system where we take over full control of the tool-ing facility on the premises has been running for twelve years now at some of these plants

Systems for allldquoBut these systems are not only for OEMs and

large operationsrdquo Dave remarks ldquoTo meet dif-ferent requirements we now have four levels of management systems on offer each requiring a different level of active involvement from our side This varies from purely holding stock to supply for a customerrsquos specific needs right through to taking over full control of tooling by having a permanent on-site office manned by fulltime Spectra staffrdquo

A typical level 4 operation with a Spectra team permanently stationed on the customerrsquos premises will be equipped with a fully-computerised store inventory system to control the purchasing of all tooling from spindle to point ldquoThe team will control all the new stock and used tools by negotiating and dealing with tier two suppliers as wellrdquo explains sales manager Wayne Williams ldquoThey are also responsible for presetting tools ready for produc-tion as well as collecting and delivering tools to and from the machines in addition to providing technical support 7 days a week 24 hours a day

BenefitsOne of the cost saving benefits for the customer is less administration because the Spectra team consolidates all invoices so the customer receives

Managing ToolingIn most machine shops the tooling is usually under lock and key to limit access to high-value tool inserts such as end-mills drills reamers and burrs Even so many companies suffer considerable losses as these costly tools get lost are pilfered or are misused because there isnrsquot a proper

management system in place over and above lock and key to control who takes what from the store

To meet different requirements we now have four levels of management on offer each requiring a different level of active involvement from our side

Managing machine tools saves money

Dave Goodman managing director of Spectra Carbide Tooling Technology

MATERIAL SELECTION

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 31

one invoice per month In addition the customer has a highly skilled specialist in-house on tap to provide technical assistance for all tooling drilling tapping milling boring gundrilling honing and line boring on CNC and conventional machines ldquoFrom the management system we can draw extensive reporting for the customer regarding the costs per unit manufactured We produce monthly graphs for trending as well as daily incident reports on tool breakages weekly costs on scrapped tools and we also work out action plans to reduce scrap and improve up-time of the machinesrdquo Wayne adds

In essence this value-add for the customer allows preventative action which ultimately saves the customer money Dave explains ldquoGiven the skills shortage out there no company can afford the personnel purely to manage the machine shop in so much detail With this system we not only fill the skills-gap by integrating with the company but we add value to the company so that they can focus on what they manufacturerdquo

New product developmentIntegration into the customersrsquo operation has proved particularly beneficial when it comes to new product developments Wayne elaborates ldquoWersquore always up to date with the latest technology in tooling and know what can be done in the best possible way Usually it will take a machine shop a while to select the right tooling and method to produce

a new part but with our experts right there on site they can be assured of finding the most suitable solution using the right tooling from the startrdquo

Vending systemOn a lower level of tool management where the operation does not justify a permanent Spectra team on site the company has a tooling vending machine solution ldquoAll the tooling is stored in a vending machine and access to draw the tools out of the machine is controlled by a card or finger-print readerrdquo explains Dave ldquoSuch a system does however have a reporting function which allows the customer to draw the machining cost against each specific job

ldquoThis system has proved popular in South Africa because it can be customised to control the specific functions relevant to each customerrdquo adds David ldquoPart and parcel of this cost-saving solution is training the customer on how best to utilise the system for his needs be it purely controlling the use of tooling or integrating reporting and costing into the business system of the companyrdquo

Wayne Williams Spectra Tel (011) 827-8957 Email waynewspectra-sacoza

From the management system we can draw extensive reporting for the customer regarding the costs per unit manufactured

Special carbide drills reamers end mills and special inserts are manufactured in South Africa

MATERIAL SELECTION

32 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 33

Cubitron can be used to finish profile and or polish materials with high tensile strengths and is particularly useful to extend the lifetime of belts and discs in industrial environments

where hard materials are the order of the dayrdquo

Consistent cutFinishes are little changed through the entire dura-tion of a Cubitron belt from new to completely worn out The secret is that the cutting edges wear in a controlled manner This means that the tiny indi-vidual scratches are the same when the belt is first

put on until it is worn and ready for replacement

ldquoThere are a multitude of cutting edges on each individual grain of the extremely hard ceramic based grain As the grain wears new cutting edges are exposed in a predictable and measured manner to ensure that a consistent action is applied to the surfacerdquo she adds

Using the same ceramic platform 3M developed Cubitron II providing even better results than its predecessor 3M engineers were able to electrostati-cally orient triangular precision shaped ceramic grain acting like a cutting tool This means that the grain slices through metal as opposed to grinding and continuously self-sharpens as points break off This results in discs and belts running cooler and longer The Cubitron II technology is applied in

Starting from Scratch

SURFACE FINISHING

ldquoTo scratch the surface as the saying goes of most modern materials and coatings is not as easy as it used to be Thatrsquos why we developed Cubitron Abrasive Grainrdquo says Kelly Hunt

sales and marketing manager of 3M

34 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

Scratccchingg thhe surfface of abrasivvves ttecchnnologgy is too oopen a compplex sccience

SURFACE FINISHING

belt fibre disc and Roloc form offer-ing a unique solution for wide range of grinding needs

Scratching the surfaceKelly is an abrasives fanatic She says scratching the surface of abrasives technology is to open a complex sci-ence Analysis of different materials and techniques of cutting or finishing has in recent years become a necessity as materials develop and advance Bonding of abrasive onto materials for discs and belts is also more complex than before as manufacturing becomes automated and the tolerance for down-time reduces

But for the average operator technician or engineer it is not so much a matter of what goes into the development of a product but rather finding the solution that suits the intended process The minimum requirement is for a product to perform reliably over an extended period of time and to produce the right finish

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 35

Sometimmess a less expeeensiive buuut mmooree suitaaablee abbrasssivee ccaan give bettterr reesulttss

SURFACE FINISHING

ldquoUsing the abrasives to determine a finish can be as simple or as com-plicated as the producer of finished goods chooses to make it With so many choices available in the market we recommend that industrial users iden-tify the requirements of the abrasive and then speak to trained service technicians from suppliers such as 3M

Not about priceldquoPrice is not always the determining factor Some-times a less expensive but more suitable abrasive can give better results and in other instances the use of cheaper materials in the wrong application may be costly as materials will need to be replaced more oftenrdquo

Kelly recommends that us-ers of industrial abrasives take the time to research new products and as-sess their suitability for their processes ldquoYoursquoll be surprised that some of the new abrasives can do the job better and in half the time than older technology abrasives canrdquo she concludes

3M Dylan Ian Hunter Tel (011) 806-2186 Email dhuntermmmcom www3Mcom

36 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

IT TRENDS

ldquo M o b i l e c o m p u t i n g

continues to grow and alongside other IT trends

such as cloud computing social technologies and the era of big data It is going to play a pivotal role in the IT industry this year In factrdquo Derick adds

Mobile Computing

Mobile computing is growing momentously and is set to account for as much as 57 of worldwide T market growth in 2013 says Derick Roberts CEO of TruTeq Devices a Pretoria-based

company focusing on wireless connectivity solutions

ldquoit is going to account for the lionrsquos share of growth ndash even more than the cloud computingrdquo

The IDC predicts that worldwide IT spending will exceed $21 trillion up 57 from 2012 The research company also states that mobility will be the biggest driver Sales of smart mobile devices including smart phones and tablets is expected to grow by 20 and will contribute a significant 57 of all IT growth Excluding smart mobile devices IT industry growth will clock in at only 29

Truteq Devices Derick Roberts Tel (012) 667-1530 wwwtruteqdevicescom

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 37

ELECTRIC DRIVE

The technology performance and design of the Cigarette powerboat is closely based on the electric super sports vehicle made in Affalterbach Germany

The 116 metre long Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept powerboat uses two drive units each featuring six independent electric motors At the rear of the boat each drive unit has its own trans-mission one on the left and one on the right The boat is fitted with the twelve compact liquid-cooled permanent-magnet synchronous electric motors which are the signature piece of the SLS AMG Coupeacute Electric Drive each electric motor delivers 138 kW and 250 Newton metres

The maximum output of 1 656 Kilowatts and maximum torque of 3 000 Newton metres combine to reach a staggering top speed of over 160 kmh making this locally emission-free Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept the worlds fastest electri-cally driven powerboat The low centre of gravity and optimum weight distribution ensure sublime

The Worlds Most Powerful Powerboat

handling characteristics during more dynamic changes of direction

The high-voltage battery boasts an energy content of 60 Kilowatt hours an electric load potential of 600 Kilowatts and a weight of 548 kg ndash all of which are absolute best values in the automotive sector The liquid-cooled lithium-ion high-voltage battery features a modular design with a maximum voltage of 400 V It consists of 12 modules each comprising 72 lithium-ion cells ldquoCigaretterdquo inte-grates four high-tech batteries with a total of 48 modules and 3 456 cells which generate a total capacity of 240 Kilowatt hours and an electric output of 2 400 Kilowatts respect even in the boat building industry

The Cigarette on-board chargers as standard Adapted to fit the infrastructure standard of many American marinas the boat has a charging capac-ity of 44 Kilowatts The battery is fully charged in approximately seven hours To reduce the charging time to less than three hours the powerboat can be fitted with four on-board chargers as an option

Mercedes-Benz Shirle Greig Tel (012) 677-1904 Email shirlegreigdaimlercom wwwmercedes-benzsacoza

Mercedes-AMG and Cigarette Racing launched the latest development of their cooperation at the Miami International Boat Show in February Numerous components from the SLS AMG Coupeacute Electric Drive have been integrated in the design of the Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept engineering design The high performance drive fitted in the electric super sports car makes the off shore powerboat the worlds most

powerful and fastest electrically-driven motor boat With an output of 1 656 Kilowatts and a maximum torque of 3 000 Newton metres the Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept is a fascinating new development

Combine to reach a staggering top speed of over 160 kmh

38 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

ENVIRONMENT

They have been in service for decades

under the toughest conditions ndash and

have proven themselves worldwide

Voith fluid couplings protect belt con-

veyors and drive components by provid-

ing smooth acceleration and torque

control allowing for frequent loaded

starts with the least amount of stress on

the drive and belt

In multi-motor drives they ensure pre-

cise load distribution Result fewer

downtimes ndash and the service life of the

belt and the drive components is in-

creased The latest product innovation is

the Voith TurboBelt 780 TPXL

infovtzavoithcom

wwwrsavoithturbocom

Protect Your Belt Conveyors with

Voith Fluid Couplings

ai_a

it_44

0_e

n ai

k

Water Disclosure ReportingJust as companies are addressing their carbon emissions and

provide carbon reporting to the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) water is becoming a growing priority

Reporting on it is becoming another critical sustainability issue

2011 saw a marked increase in the number of the worldrsquos largest companies reporting on their water usage on the risks that water presents and on their responses to

that risk Responses from these companies indicate that water is impacting global business now and yet water is not nearly as high on the corporate agenda as climate change

Evidence is mounting that South Africa is facing a water crisis of substantial proportions This crisis encompasses all aspects of water management on both the demand and supply side The mounting impacts of acid mine drainage and declining wa-ter quality add to the crisis South Africarsquos water security is likely to be further complicated by an increasingly uneven and unpredictable supply of rainfall as a result of climate change and by a reli-ance on significant water transfers from neighbour-

ing countries In meeting this crisis South Africa will have to resolve tough trade-offs in water use between agriculture key industrial activities such as mining and power generation and the supply to rapidly growing urban centres

Evidence is clearJSE 100 companies will need to show leadership in sustainably managing the water resources on which they rely for their day-to-day business operations The available evidence is clear It is not sustainable to continue exploiting water resources by follow-ing a lsquobusiness as usualrsquo approach If this is the case South Africarsquos freshwater resources will be depleted and unable to meet the needs of people and industry in the next 20 years if not before

In 2011 the response rate to the CDP Water Disclosure amongst South African companies was 46 (26 out of 56 companies) Many of South Africarsquos most significant corporate water users are therefore not yet able to or are not yet ready to report on their water-related risks

Promethuim Robbie Louw Tel (011) 706-8185 Email Robbiepromethiumcoza wwwpromethuimcoza

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 39

EXHIBITION

The Steel and Engineering Industries Federation (SEI-FSA) the Lifting Equipment Engineering Association

of SA (LEEASA) the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA) and the SA Institute of Welding (SAIW) have thrown their weight behind the biggest industrial and engineering trade show in Africa

The three-day 10-shows-in-one event takes place from 14 to 16 May 2013 at Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand Johannesburg

SEIFSA Conference at Indutec The Steel and Engineering Indus-tries Federation of South Africa (SEIFSA) will hold its annual conference at Indutec celebrating 70 years of active support for its members industry and business in Africa The federation has over 2 220 member companies which employ more than 224 000 people comprising 53 of the industryrsquos workforce

SAIW ldquoWe take our affiliations with leading industry players very seriously including our en-dorsement of Indutecrdquo says Jim Guild chief executive officer of the SA Institute of Welding ldquoThese industry ties form part of our strategy to create strong relationships which support our objective and Governmentrsquos mandate to enhance the manufacturing sector in South Africardquo

LEEASAThe Lifting Equipment Engineer-ing Association of South Africa (LEEASA) which is a division of the Chamber of Engineering Tech-

nology (COET) will also be using its endorsement of Indutec to promote its activities in the engineer-ing and technology sectors in general Chamber spokesperson Viv Nel says its exposure at the fair will create more awareness of the Chamberrsquos role in all engineering and technology-driven industries

ECSAIndustry regulator the Engineering Council of South Africa shares these aims ldquoAs a custodian of en-gineering intellectual capital in South Africa our endorsement of Indutec provides us with a platform to publicise our role in the engineering sector and government infrastructure initiativesrdquo says Edgar Sabela ECSArsquos Strategic Services Executive

ldquoWe need to produce 10 times more engineers to compete with developed economies Involvement with the Indutec show will allow us to promote engineering as a career through our Engenius Programme and showcase our existing engineer-ing excellence Most importantly it enables us to network with all key players in the field and even conclude some businessrdquo

Tenfold Benefits to ExhibitorsJohn Thomson managing director of Exhibition Management Services organisers of the 10-in-one Fair says the unqualified support from leading in-dustry bodies indicates the showrsquos tenfold value to the engineering industrial and technology sectors ldquoThis undoubtedly translates into multiple benefits for the showrsquos exhibitors and ultimately to show visitorsrdquo he concludes

Indutec Serean ThomsonTel (011) 783 7250 Email marketingexhibitionsafricacom wwwexhibitionsafricacom

Boosting the Manufacturing Sector32 of South Africarsquos leading industrial and engineering professional and employer associations Chambers and

Councils have collectively endorsed Indutec the recently launched South African Industry and Technology Fair 2013

Promech Publishing through SA Mechanical Engineer and Bulk Handling Today will produce and publish the Official Catalogue for this prestigious show

Make sure your presence is felt before during and after the show by advertising in this one-of-a-kind reference publication

Contact Mark Bennett Tel (011) 781-1401 Email samechengpromechcoza

Jim Guild CEO of the SA Institute of Welding

Edgar Sabela - ECSArsquos Strategic Services Executive

Adelia Pimentel - Marketing and Communications Manager SEIFSA

40 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

MARKET FORUM

ldquoBMG has identified a need in diverse sectors for on-site maintenance services to overcome production challengesrdquo says Dave Russell technical director BMG ldquoRecognising the extreme constraints of high energy prices low productivity the critical skills shortage and a highly competitive economic environment BMG brings a total solutions service to the fore

ldquoIndustry can now access all critical production efficient products and services from one supplier What this means is lower production costs and higher pro-duction efficiency giving South African industry a distinct competitive advantage

ldquoBMGrsquos on-site services include applica-

tion design evaluation and optimisation as well as installation trouble-shooting and service exchange contracts The company also offers predictive planned and breakdown maintenance and energy and reliability studiesrdquo

The company also offers extensive train-ing which covers electrical mechanical hydraulic pneumatic electronic and materials handling disciplines as well as predictive maintenance and component failure analysis

BMG ndash Bearing Man Group Veronique van Niekerk Tel (031) 576-6221Email veroniquevbmgworldnet wwwbmgworldnet

Tenova Takraf Africa (formerly Bateman Engineered Technologies) is putting the final pieces together in completing an order for the supply of a 55m x 275m hydraulically-driven SAG mill to Ontario Graphite operators of the Kearney Mine located in Kearney O n t a r i o Canada

ldquoTenovarsquos scope

Unique SAG Mill in Canada

ABB started with a bang following the order of 2 400 robots by BMW Group Over the next three years the robots will be installed at factories in Regensburg and Leipzig Germany as well as in Tiexi China The ABB robots will mainly be used for mate-rial handling tasks as well as gluing and spot welding processes

ABB robots enable customers to implement efficient manufacturing systems that sustainably produce high-quality products The com-panyrsquos range of products and solu-tions for lean manufacturing cover the range from body-in-white to the final assembly of complete car bodies They improve competitiveness and at the same time optimally comply with customer specifications ABB has installed more than 200 000 robots worldwide

ABB Robotics Natasha Mathebula Tel (010) 202-6156 Email natashamathebulazaabbcom wwwabbcom

2400

Robots

Total Solution

of work includes the engineering manufacturing shipping and technical assistance during erection of the SAG millrsquos feed end shell discharge end drive and main bearings as well as all supporting equipment (lubrication and jacking systems)rdquo says Tenova Takraf

engineer Pieter van der Walt ldquoThe main hydraulic motor and rubber

shell liners were outside our commercial scope of supply but inside our technical

scope of supplyrdquo he adds

The mill is a conventional SAG (semi-autogenous grinding) mill in all ways apart from its drive assem-bly and it is centre-driven

at the discharge end using a Haggluumlnds hydraulic motor and powerpack ldquoTo date this is the largest hydraulic motor installed on a SAG mill with 950kW of power torque of 1 200 kNm (start-up) and 650 kNm (operational) and speed of 1386 rpmrdquo adds Pieter

Since the mill had to be retrofitted to an existing foundation a number of adaptations were required to maintain the mill centreline as well as feed-end and discharge-end positions Certain additions were required to anchor the main motor torque arm

Tenova Takraf Pieter van der Walt Tel (011) 899-2372 Email pietervanderwaltbatemancom wwwtenovagroupcom

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 41

MARKET FORUM

World Record

The ADR plant at Kisladag Mine

FLSmidth designs and manufactures indirect heated carbon regeneration kilns and calciners from half a ton per day and larger These kilns and calciners can be fuel gas oil or electric and are skid mounted pre-wired and pre-piped The companyrsquos patented bellows kiln seal has proved effective in eliminating air ingress and process gas egress and can be retrofitted to kilns from other manufacturers FLSmidth holds the world record for the lowest emissions on a carbon plant

And at the companyrsquos Merrill Crowe plant capacities range from skid mounted 34 cubic metres per hour modular plants to full size 2 100 cubic metres per hour The range of supply for plants includes clarification filters de-aeration towers vacuum pumps zinc dust feeders lead nitrate feeders and zinc cones precipitate filter feed pumps filter pre-coat and body feed systems as well as precipitate filters used by refinery and smelting facilities to produce gold bullion

These plants incorporate proprietary zinc dustlead nitrate feeder and mix-ing cone system The company offers individual plant components and partial or complete plant equipment packages together with total plant design

FLSmidth Terence Osborn Tel (010) 210-4820

Magnet has extended its range of abrasive products to include 3Mrsquos new Cubitron II abrasive belts with enhanced grinding performance improved productivity and extended service life

ldquo3Mrsquos new technology has resulted in increased speed improved consistency and extended belt liferdquo says Brian How-arth MD Magnet ldquoThese new abrasive belts ensure up to 30 faster cutting on hard to grind metals like stainless steel nickel alloy and cobalt chrome They also divert heat from the workpiece and belt to the swarf which means cooler cutting This helps eliminate burnishing and minimises heat stress Cubitron II abrasive belts last up to four times longer than conventional ceramic aluminium oxide beltsrdquo

3M Abrasives Bradley Reddy Tel (031) 274 1050 Email bradleyrmagnetgroupcozawwwmagnetgroupcoza

4 x Longer

42 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

MARKET FORUM

X-Calibur is one of the latest product offerings from TAL and was specified to protect the concrete structure of the worldrsquos second longest cable-stayed bridge against corrosion throughout its design life

Stonecutters Bridge is a high level cable-stayed bridge which spans the Rambler Channel in Hong Kong connecting Nam Wam Kok Tsing Yi Island and Stonecut-ters Island Hong Kong is well known for its hot summer weather which is also humid and unstable Temperatures

Say No to Corrosionusually exceed 30oC during the day which coupled with high humidity can result in an extreme heat index

ldquoHot and humid environments have a great effect on the durability of concrete As a rule of thumb we say for every 10oC increase in temperature the possibility of corrosion induced damage to concrete is doubled Add humidity in a marine envi-ronment then protection of the structure is of paramount importancerdquo says Brian Davies CEO X-Calibur International In order to guard the bridge from corro-

sion X-Shield EpoxySeal CR was sup-plied to shield the prestressed concrete cable anchorages from the effects of the environment In addition X-Shield FlexCoat was used in various areas of the structure This provides corrosion protection to reinforced concrete from chloride and carbon dioxide

ldquoThe main challenge was compliance with the strict project specifications as the engineer wanted to ensure that protection would be provided throughout the design life of the structure X-Calibur

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 43

MARKET FORUM

had the products independently tested to prove compliance to all aspects of the specificationrdquo John adds

The materials were applied by spe-cialist painters who had been trained by X-Calibur ldquoMaterials were mixed and applied strictly in accordance with method statements supplied by X-Calibur to ensure working time and recoat windows were not exceededrdquo concludes John

TAL Andrew Dekker Tel (031) 579-2263 wwwtalcoza

Fluid conveyance and pumping solutions expert Incledon has supplied a large water supply line project in the Free State with a total of 4 km of Ultraflo pipes manufactured in-house by DPI Plastics - a leading manufacturer of water reticulation drainage and pipe-fitting systems in South Africa

DPI Plastics technical and product manager Renier Snyman points out that the companyrsquos range of Ultraflo pipes are manufactured from modified polyvinyl chloride (mPVC) which is specifically designed to provide similar tensile strength and greater resilience than standard PVC piping products ldquoThe Ultraflo range of pressure piping systems are ideally suited to bulk water supply projects due to the fact that mPVC is considerably more ductile than industry standard unplasticised polyvinyl chloride (uPVC)rdquo he explains

Renier notes that the ductility of the Ultraflo uPVC piping system ensures that

Large Water Supply Project

the pipes have exceptional resistance to crack propagation under pressure ldquoThe product being supplied to the water sup-ply line project is the 500 mm Ultraflo system which is the largest in the DPI Plastics range It boasts a pressure rat-ing of 12 bar with a design stress of up to 18MPa making it ideally suited as a large underground piping systemrdquo

According to Renier Ultraflo pipes offer environmental advantages too ldquoDue to its superior toughness the wall thick-ness of mPVC is less than that of uPVC This ensures that less materials are used during the manufacturing process which ultimately results in a lighter product that is easier to transport and install thereby minimising the carbon footprint of the piperdquo

DPI Plastics Martine Goodchild Tel (021) 957 5600 Email mgoodchilddpiplasticscozawwwdpiplasticscoza

Donrsquot Miss Out

Promech Publishing is putting the Visitorsrsquo Catalogue together for this Show

Contact Mark Bennett on Tel (011) 781-1401 or Email samechengpromechcoza

to book your space

44 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

MARKET FORUM

Displaying and discussing some of the Dodge housed bearings on offer to local industry and mining are (from left) Tony Patten of Specialised Bearings amp Transmission Peter Small-Shaw Wilecrsquos Product Manager Bearings and Frans Odendaal Wilecrsquos Technical Specialist Bearings

The Bearings division of Actom group company Wilec has formed a strategic alliance for the supply of Dodge housed bearings into southern Africa The partner-ship agreement with Johannesburg-based Specialised Bearings amp Transmission the local distributor for Dodge extends Wilecrsquos ability to satisfy the requirements of industry and mining in a diverse range of bearings applications

ldquoThe most exciting thing about our tie-up with Dodge is that housed bearings while already widely accepted in the US and other leading industrialised countries is a relatively new concept locally but one which offers advanced features to users compared with conventional plum-mer block arrangementsrdquo said Frans Odendaal Wilecrsquos Technical Specialist Bearings

ldquoDodge housed bearings are supplied pre-assembled and sealed so eliminating all risk of contamination during fitment The advanced sealing arrangement and unique adapter system guarantees longer

Strategic Alliance

life ndash up to six times that of a conven-tional plummer block Other cost-saving advantages are that they can be installed by a semi-skilled technician very quickly normally in less than 15 minutes and the need to measure pre- and post-reduction clearance is eliminatedrdquo

ldquoIt is a differentiated product and with it we are able to provide a bearing that is especially well suited to local conditions

and offers benefits that are of real value to customers A particularly important aspect to bear in mind is that the total cost of ownership of a Dodge bearing is significantly lower than that of the conventional product due to its greater reliability and durabilityrdquo

Wilec Frans Odendaal Tel (011) 629-9300 Email fransowileccoza

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 45

MARKET FORUM

Emis Sales 2002 part of Becker Min-ing South Africa supplies a wide range of electrical equipment up to 1 100 V for use in hazardous and non-hazardous areas in the mining petrochemical and surface industry sectors

New to the Emis range are Proloc pro-tection and control relays which are suitable for thermal overload protection of conveyors compressors crushers fan and pump motors as well as shuttle cars and flitting panels

ldquoThe stand-alone Emis ProLoc electronic protection and control relay system which has been designed for the optimum protection of motor and feeder circuits connected to outlet sockets has a wide choice of six user-selectable protection features to meet exact requirementsrdquo says Frikkie Quirk managing director Emis Sales 2002 ldquoAn important advan-tage of this system is a door mounted infra-red link that enables a laptop with Proloc software to manage all settings

and downloads without having to open the panel door and expose personnel to dangerous live equipment This is a critical requirement in the OHSA actrdquo

This system is easy to set up via the Proloc MMI 420 display man-to-machine interface or via a laptop with Proloc software

Emis Sales 2002 Tel (016) 341-6134 Email infozabecker-miningcom wwwzabecker-miningcom

Optimum Protection

Birkenmayer a material processing systems supplier in South Africa and local supplier of German-engineered Eirich material processing technology recently released the Evactherm drier a new product that marries the advantages

Superheated Vacuum Steam

of mechanical and thermo dynamical processes to provide cost-effective and highly efficient drying and processing of filter cake and sludgersquos using superheated vacuum steam

Until now it has been important to observe

a maximum middle temperature when applying direct drying to heat sensitive materials and even more important to avoid the excessive local and boundary temperatures that frequently damage the drying product Both heat and ma-terial transport need to be considered and while convective drying processes such as spray drying largely avoid these problems they are only effective if a surface is available for the hot gas flow

Adjustable for both direct and convec-tive drying and processing Evactherm driers overcome these obstacles while providing a number of further benefits

Super-heated vacuum steam performs drying and granulation while the com-bination of mechanical and thermo dynamical processes allows for low dry-ing temperatures and gentle processing of temperature sensitive materials It also enables continuous drying for long periods of time as fresh material may be continuously added into the fluidized bed replacing material that has already been vaporised

H Birkenmayer Louis Eksteen Tel (011) 970 3880-8 Email louisbirkenmayercozawwwbirkenmayercoza

The Evactherm drier

Proloc protection and control relays

46 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

The Eastern Capersquos Coega Industrial Development Zone (IDZ) is one of a number of industrial regions in South Africa to benefit from Air Products South Africarsquos strategy of long-term capital investment

A region which has long been under-served when it comes to reliable gas supply the Eastern Cape will soon have

A Long-term Viewits own air separation unit (ASU) ndash the first of its kind in the province Seelan Gounden GM supply chain at AirProd-ucts explains the reasons behind the companyrsquos latest investment

ldquoCurrently there is no local industrial gas supply in this area and cryogenic gases have to be procured elsewhere This situation compromises the service

MARKET FORUM

ART Solar specialists in the manufacture of solar photovoltaic (PV) modules for the sustainable generation of electrical power has made the following appointment an-nouncementsMark Walsh as managing director Dr Ronald FM Lange as chief operating officer Robert Ramshaw as financial manager and Gavin Rosslee as production manager

Gavin RossleeRobert RamshawMark Walsh

Jeanne Els has been appointed as Hatchrsquos Managing Director of Operations

Jeanne Els

Ronald Lange

Anton Theunissen

SKF South Africa recently appointed Anton Theunissen as Distributor De-velpoment Manager for South Africa and neighbouring coun-tries

Index to Advertisers

Axiom 12

Bearings International 36

Bibby Turboflex 28

Bonfiglioli 10

Engen 34

Festo 35

Hansen 44

Horne SA 29

IDC Inside Back Cover

ILS 32

KDP Services 22

Loesche 31

Polysius 4

PPS 11 29

Mercedes Outside Back Cover

Merseta Inside Front Cover

MIEO Outside Front Cover

Transmission Components 14

Voith 38

Yellotec 16 17

delivery to our existing customers who have to depend on product being trucked over vast distances Thus we identified the Eastern Cape as a key priority invest-ment destination with a clear need for a new air separation facility dedicated to servicing the region We chose the Coega IDZ after careful market analysis We are pleased to be able to be a part of the growth and development of the region through providing a long-needed security of supply and value-added servicerdquo

Ayanda Vilakazi head of Marketing and Communications at the Coega IDZ adds ldquoThe viability of the new ASU is indis-putable It will mean not only security of gas supply to the region benefiting the many industries here but it also means job security for other investors jobs along the value chain and scope for training and human resource develop-ment as well as enhanced Corporate Social Investment initiativesrdquo

Seelan Gounden AirProducts wwwairproductssouthafricacoza

Left to right Chris Mashigo Executive Man-ager - Business Development Coega Develop-ment Corporation Themba Khoza Executive Manager ndash Operations Coega Development Corporation Seelan Gounden GM - Supply Chain Air Products Pierre Fourie Area Sales Manager ndash Eastern Cape Air Products signed the lease agreement between the CDC and Air Products South Africa

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 47To apply online for funding of R1 million or more go to wwwidccoza

Telephone 086 069 3888Email callcentreidccoza

Driving new market innovationsThe IDC supports high-impact job creation projects acting as a

catalyst to lead new sector development and support existing

industry and sector growth in alignment with governmentrsquos

New Growth Path (NGP) National Development Plan (NDP)

and Industrial Policy Action Plan (IPAP)

The IDC Strategic High Impact Projects (SHIP) Strategic Business

Unit in partnership with the IDC Innovation Department has

launched an Open Innovation Challenge to encourage the

development and implementation of sustainable high-impact

industrial initiatives and projects

The IDC calls upon individuals engineering communities

corporates project sponsors and other related entities to enter

into a partnership to develop qualifying projects that result in

sustainable and profi table industries exploit the value-adding

opportunities of existing and new value chains and enable the

development of innovative local economies

Whatwho qualifi es

projects which enable the development of new industries

across multiple IDC focus sectors

introduce new markets and value chains or revolutionise

existing ones through the use of disruptive technologies

or new approaches

development impact and employment creation

across mandated IDC industrial sectors

SHIP wishes to ensure that the projects undertaken play a major

role in industrial development and employment creation within

the South African and SADC regions

Interested applicants are invited to submit their project

proposals online at

httpopeninnovationidccozaidc-ship-challenge between

project proposals will be informed in May regarding SHIP

wishing to partner with them in the development of the

proposed project

Please contact Bertie Strydom BertieSidccoza and

RetiefBidccoza for more information

Chillibush9119IDC

48 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

A D

aim

ler B

rand

You built the bridges the roads and the tunnels We built the carAs a member of the Engineering Council of South Africa you could qualify for exclusive offers a guaranteed 3-day service booking as well as PremiumDrive our 6 year100 000km maintenance plan To take advantage of this outstandingopportunity inform your nearest dealer of your ECSA status

Not in conjunction with other Mercedes-Benz Fleet ProgrammesOffers Excludes AMG and Limited Edition modelsVehicle specifications may vary for the South African market

Page 16: SAME Mar2013

16 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

less costly exercise than an unexpected failurerdquo Kobus says ldquoYou can then order a replacement bearing in good time and make sure you have the right skills on hand to do the replace-mentrdquo

What to fitBeing such a clear indicator of a number of problems in machinery vibration moni-toring equipment can be fitted in a variety of ways If itrsquos a critical machine permanent vibration protec-tion instrumentation is typi-cally fitted on the machine Such a system monitors the machine in real time while constantly evaluating vibra-tion in terms of bearings alignment or imbalance in the machinery

ldquoOur systems are so refined today that you can not only pinpoint which bearing is showing faults but we can even see which part of that bearing is showing strain and whyrdquo Kobus adds ldquoWe can also programme the system against certain parameters so that it trips the machine when certain levels of vibration are ex-

ceeded This is the highest level of protection we can providerdquo

An interesting development in the deployment of an online monitoring system is the technique called ldquoOperational Deflection Shaperdquo (ODS) analysis This is possible when an online system has the capabil-ity of simultaneously measuring all the channels

Simultaneously measuring all the channels of vibration in real time

POWER TRANSMISSION

ldquoIf for example we find that the load on the bearing remains constant we can predict how close that bearing is to failure and plan when the machine can be shut down for a bearing replacement a much

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 17

of vibration in real time This preserves the phase relationship between channels resulting in a visual representation of the machine vibration It makes it easier to observe analyse and document noise and vibration problems in machinery and structures ODS analysis is used to display and analyse ex-perimental multi-channel time or frequency domain data acquired during the operation of a machine or forced vibration of a structure

This provides an interactive animated display with which users can observe spatially defined data such as operating deflection shapes (ODSs) mode shapes acoustic sound and intensity fields or other engineering data such at temperatures or pressures By animating the spatial response of a structure in slow motion users can view a structurersquos overall motion and the motion of one part relative to another Locations of excessive vibration or high levels of noise are easily identified

Next levelThe next level down is a surveillance system often used in conjunction with a protection system ldquoIn contrast to a protection system the surveillance system provides answers as to why things did go wrongrdquo explains Kobus ldquoIn a fan application for example the system will tell you that vibration has increased yet the signature reading from the machine has remained constant This can be as a result of dust build up on the blades or a blade has broken off causing an imbalance which prompts the protection system to stop the machine The system will even tell you which blade has been affected by the faultrdquo

The surveillance system can also be used on its own but still in an online mode ldquoThis feature is used to trend parameters leaving the decision to stop a machine at the discretion of the maintenance engineerrdquo explains Kobus ldquoThese online solutions can either be wired or wireless transmitting data from each sensor to the receivers on the system The data is then channelled to whomever needs it in his or her format of choicerdquo

Options for allOn smaller plants that cannot afford an online sys-tem less critical machinery data from machinery is collected by hand and transferred to a computer for analysis either by the maintenance engineer or under a maintenance contract to an engineer at Ideas Solutions

ldquoItrsquos no longer in question the fact that condition monitoring saves companies money has been proved over and over again if itrsquos done rightrdquo Kobus says in conclusion ldquoCondition monitoring regardless of the

The fact that condition monitoring saves companies money has been proved over and over again if itrsquos done right

POWER TRANSMISSION

extent to which it is integrated on a plant should be part of every companyrsquos maintenance strategyrdquo

Kobus van der Westhuizen Ideas Solutions Tel 082 552-4790 Email kobusideas-onlinecozawwwideas-onlinecoza

18 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

Empowering Municipal Engineers

Corruption and tenderpreneurship fraud financial mismanagement lack of understanding of technical issues

priorities difficulties with job creation and skills shortages are just some of the challenges that face municipal engineers in South

Africa

Name and shameCESA unreservedly supports the call for the banning of public servants from doing business with the state including dealstenders with another department or municipality

ldquoWhat is at stake is not the rights of state employees to do business but rather the integrity of the state procurement system The current public procurement environ-ment in the construction sector is highly complex and conducive to corruption and manipulationrdquo warns CESA President Naren Bhojaram

The problem is further compounded by the lack of accountability and punishment for procurement irregularities and wasteful expenditureldquoThe country has good rules but no-one is playing by themrdquo he adds

CESA believes that it is irresponsible and foolhardy to place employees in positions where they can (or are tempted to) manipu-late procurement and other procedures to unfairly benefit themselves at the expense of the statetaxpayer

CESA

Unqualified people should be discouraged from trying to do the job of the municipal engineer

CESA President Naren Bhojaram

Consulting En-gineers South Africa (CESA) President Na-

ren Bhojaram believes that if South Africa is serious about the empowerment of properly-qualified municipal

engineers it should invest in various interventions such as

training development and ca-pacitating of young engineers for

employment by the local authorities and make the municipal engineering

profession attractive

Currently municipal planning is done rather superficially and only a real municipal engi-

neer and a competent team of visionary planners can sort that out

CESA calls for the embracing of the municipal engineer as a trusted ad-visor as well as creating a working environment to attract and retain municipal engineers The munici-pal engineers must be incentivised (long term employment purpose in life emoluments respect and freedom) and unqualified people

should be discouraged from trying to do the job of the municipal engineer

Stumbling BlockInfrastructure deliveryrsquos biggest stumbling block is the lack of business integrity which involves among other things socialising with clients conflict of interest use of agents and partners collusion and bribery and the disregard of procurement regulations

CESA strongly urges structural changes to the way in which municipal engineers operate including the abandonment of long-term employment contracts for key technical and managerial staff Tender and

bid evaluation committees must include technical legal and financial executives in joint sittings and professional teams must be allowed to compile reports in an independent manner on tenders for the bid evaluation committees

The South African procurement legislation should include a Bribery and Corruption Act such as the UK Bribery Act of 2010 enabling the Courts to prosecute corruption and related issues more ef-fectively as well as the naming and shaming of firms contravening the requirements of the Act

Consulting Engineers South Africa (CESA) Graham Pirie Tel (011) 463-2022Email gspiriecesacoza wwwcesacoza

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 19

ldquoSA Mechanical Engineerrdquo speaks to Willie Muller general manager at KDP Services about the modernisation of old hydraulic machinery ldquoIn terms of upgrading wersquove just

done extensive work at a steel mill to re-design

and implement new technology on a large 1 200 tonne cutting press and a shredding machinerdquo he explains ldquoBoth the machines were imported from Germany originally but have lately started picking up problems seriously hampering production flow

ldquoAfter consulting with the supplierrsquos engineers the problems persisted and the client then called us in to investigaterdquo Willie says ldquoWe found that the hydraulics on both these old machines were outdated but could be updated with new tech-nology rather than replacing the old pumps and valves with costly new imported OEM components

New Life for Old Machines

Very often the spare parts for old machinery imported and installed twenty or more years ago is hard to come by and if it is available

it costs an arm and a leg to import If the problem happens to be hydraulic there is

a local hydraulics company that specialises in updating systems so that local easily-available spares can be used to keep the machine going for many years to come

Willie Muller general manager at KDP Services

CNC machining

Overhauled cylinders ready for delivery

Large cylinder

Hydraulic motor of all makes and sizes are serviced

HYDRAULICS amp PNEUMATICS

Analyse the operation and specifically the machinersquos function in situ before returning to the drawing board to redesign the hydraulic system for better functionality

20 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

New technologyAs the designer in the company

Willie goes out to analyse the operation and specifically the machinersquos function

in situ before returning to the drawing board to redesign the hydraulic system for better

functionality This provides the opportunity not only to introduce the latest technology into the upgrade but also to ensure that easily available local components are used He adds ldquoSince our upgrade the shear which can cut through a 150 by 300mm block of steel in one cut has been run-ning smoothly with none of the previous problems cropping up againrdquo

Similarly the shredding machine where a whole vehicle is fed in one end and comes out in pieces of scrap metal the other end has also been up-graded to run consistently ever since Willie adds ldquoThrough this success wersquove now not only landed the maintenance and service contracts for this mill but theyrsquove asked us to audit the entire plant to investigate other hydraulic systems which can be improved Wersquove already re-designed one of the production lines to introduce an integrated fully automated operationrdquo

First projectWillie might be young but he has worked with KDP since his student days gaining invaluable hands-on experience in all aspects of hydraulic work from the owner of the company Karel Podges ldquoOne of my first projects as a student was designing the hydraulic system for a container lifting and tilting machine used in steel mills to collect and handle scrap metalrdquo he recalls as we come across the remnants of the prototype when we walk in the yard behind the workshop ldquoThis is probably what got me hooked on hydraulics because nothing of the sort existed and I had to design it from scratch around a structure someone else had builtrdquo

Inside the workshop we find engineering equipment ranging from lathes to modern CNC machines all humming away as hydraulic components are turned out of a variety of metals At the hose crimping machine Willie points out the neat final product for a custom-made installation theyrsquore doing One of KDPrsquos specialities is hydraulic motor overhaul-ing which is evident when we see several large Hagglunds drives in various stages of repair in the drive section of the workshop

TestingFinally we get to the test-bench area where a large cylinder is under test for leaks before being taken apart for a complete overhaul ldquoOne of the biggest mistakes generally made when it comes to hydraulic equipment is that people think they can treat the hydraulic components roughly just because they are big and ruggedrdquo Willie remarks ldquoThey lose sight of the fact that dirt is the biggest enemy and they donrsquot take the necessary care to keep the oil or equipment clean causing irreparable damage to seals and delicate surface areas in a systemrdquo

One of the main advantages of KDP is that they are not officially tied up with a specific brand of hydraulic equipment allowing them to work on and supply any make on the market Willie concludes ldquoIn addition wersquore a small company where you learn and get the opportunity to work on all types of applications So each and every problem big or small is tackled with great personal attention to detailrdquo

Willie Muller KDP Services Tel (011) 392-5750 Email williekdp-servicescoza

That people think they can treat the hydraulic components roughly just because they are big and rugged

HYDRAULICS amp PNEUMATICS

The full MontyHydraulic system design from the circuit to pumps motors and all the necessary connecting piping are designed in-house at the 22-year old com-pany ldquoWe design the complete circuit specifying all the components necessary to achieve certain functionsrdquo explains Willie ldquoSimilarly all engineer-ing is undertaken in-house except the honing and chroming of shafts when we overhaul cylinder sets New cylinders are manufactured from tubing and shafts which have already been prepared

ldquoIn terms of piping wersquove built up a good name in many industries both in new installations during maintenance shutdowns or when a fixed installa-tion needs to be movedrdquo he adds ldquoNot only do we design the layout but we physically carry out the installation work ourselves especially when it is a stainless steel pipe installation that requires argon welding to fit the fittingsrdquo

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 21

Compressed Air at Work

Pneumatic systems are extensively used in industry where factories are commonly plumbed with

compressed air or compressed inert gases This is because a centrally-located and electrically-powered

compressor which powers cylinders and other pneumatic devices through solenoid valves is often

able to provide motive power in a cheaper safer more flexible and more reliable manner than electric motors

and actuators

Premium brandApplied Pneumatics established 22 years ago is a South African distributor of Parker Hannifin products ldquoAt a time when everyone is increasingly becoming aware of the benefits of buying premium products which last longer and have proven to be value for money Parker has come up with new innovations which extend this value even furtherrdquo says Dave

ldquoTake valves for example Most low-cost valves are throw-away items which are discarded completely if something goes wrong Our premium valves which cost a bit more initially are serviceable This means we can repair and service them at a fraction of the cost of even a cheap complete unit

ldquoIf the premium repairable valve breaks for in-stance itrsquos quick and easy to strip it right there and then fit new parts and have it up and running in no time as opposed to having to order and wait for a complete replacement unitrdquo adds Dave ldquoAll you need to have in stock are a couple of O-rings for the different valves in a systemrdquo

SA Mechanical Engineerrdquo visits a company in Randburg aptly named Applied Pneumat-ics to speak to managing director Dave McNair ldquoIn a pneumatics application we

supply everything beyond the compressor This includes everything down the line the filtration system water traps regulators and then the lubrication system before you get to the actual application which could be a cylinder control valves actuators or even solenoid valves for the control of liquid flows in a process We also do vacuum applications where suction cups pick objects up to move them aboutrdquo

From left Andrew Livesey applications engineer at Applied Pneumatics Teven McNair sales and Dave McNair managing director

Range includes pneumatic cylinders and actuators valves and logic processing air preparation equipment as well as a whole host of other pneumatic components and accessories

The Parker range of pneumatic equipment includes actuator and motors

HYDRAULICS amp PNEUMATICS

22 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

New conceptSimilarly the air prepa-ration systems from Parker are of a modular design and fully repair-able so that just worn or damaged compo-nents can be replaced ldquoThey have now taken this even furtherrdquo says Dave ldquoA new concept in regulators the Modu-flex clip technology system has just been released No special tools in fact no span-ners at all are needed

to take the unit apart to replace a filter element for instance You sim-ply clip the unit apart by hand replace the

element and clip it together again within a minute

ldquoOn a forklift for example the glass bowl of the air preparation unit is often damaged when the forklifts bump into some-thingrdquo elaborates Dave ldquoOn a low-cost throw-away unit yoursquod have to carry a spare unit to replace the whole unit With the new technology howev-er you simply clip off the damaged part to zap a new one into place In terms of cylinders and actuators the latest development is self-lubricating seals which require no additional lubri-cation whatsoeverrdquo

One of the main drawbacks of pneumatics over hydraulics is that a pneumatic cylinder has to be much larger than a hydraulic cylinder in order to deliver the same power However this does not rule out using pneumatics in heavier applications especially underground where the use of air is generally safer and cleaner than hydraulic oils in the first place

UndergroundldquoA while back we were approached by a platinum mine to design a pneumatic system to open and close underground tipsrdquo Andrew explains ldquoTo prevent people from falling into the ore tip it had to be closed with a heavy steel lid between off-loading operations We not only designed a suit-able pneumatic system but also took part in the installation on various levels all the way down to three kilometres undergroundrdquo

Like many other products there are cheap and nasty pneumatic products on the market and cost is not always an indication of inferiority ldquoThe safe route is to always buy from reputable companies who have been around for a long time and who trade in well-known brandsrdquo Dave says in conclusion ldquoSerious consideration should also be given to the repairability of the equipment Itrsquos no use installing a low cost system which has to be replaced regu-larly while another could last a lifetime if properly looked afterrdquo

Dave Mc Nair Applied pneumatics Tel (011) 792-3381 Email davenappliedpneumaticscoza

No special tools in fact no spanners at all are needed to take the unit apart to replace a filter element for instance

HYDRAULICS amp PNEUMATICS

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 23

TICK

ER T

APE

POWER GENERATION

PROMECH PUBLISHINGTel (011) 781-1401Fax (011) 781-1403Email samechengpromechcozaWebsite wwwpromechcozaManaging Editor Susan CustersEditorial Kowie HammanAdvertising Mark BennettCirculation Catherine MacdivaDTP Zinobia Docrat Donovan VadivaluDisclaimerPROMECH Publishing does not take responsibility for the opinions expressed by individuals

CopyrightAll rights reserved No editorial matter published in ldquoPower Generation Todayrdquo may be reproduced in any form or language without written per-mission of the publishers While every effort is made to ensure accurate reproduction the editor authors publishers and their employees or agents shall not be responsible or in any way liable for any errors omissions or inaccuracies in the publication whether arising from negligence or otherwise or for any consequences aris-ing therefrom The inclusion or exclusion of any product does not mean that the publisher or editorial board advocates or rejects its use either gener-ally or in any particular field or fields

POWERGENERATION

TODAY

Harnessing the Powers of the Ocean

Luciano Garcia-Baylleres COO at HAE

Tidal power has long been utilised as an energy resource used early on in tidal mills to grind grain throughout the Middle Ages More recently it has also been used to generate electricity for instance in the 240 MW tidal barrages at La Rance France Tidal currents however are still largely an untapped energy source While several marine current turbine prototypes

have been tested in the last few years there are only a few of these prototypes deployed to generate electrical power to smaller communities

mainly to demonstrate the viability of the technology

There is currently a renewed interest in using the ocean to generate electric-ity using both traditional hydropower technologies and new hydrokinetic

technologies This interest is being spurred on by official and private initiatives to promote the development of cleaner energy sources and diversification of energy supplies through use of alternative and renewable sources

Tidal energyTidal energy projects hold the promise of producing indigenous renewable predictable electricity without greenhouse gas emissions and with higher power densities in terms of power output per unit area than either solar photovoltaic or wind projects

The International Finance Corporation (IFC) the World Bankrsquos private-sector lending arm is partner-ing with Sasfin Bank to develop a portfolio of energy efficiency and renewable-energy financial products for small medium-sized and microenterprises (SMMEs) in South Africa

Alstom South Africa and the South African Nuclear Energy Corporation (Necsa) have signed an agreement under which the local branch of the French power generation power transmission and rail infrastructure

group will invest R8-million in buying equipment for the new coded welding centre being established at Necsarsquos Nuclear Skills Development (NSD)

The operation and maintenance (OampM) costs of wind farms in South Africa were expected to be in the mid-range of the international market Mott MacDonald consultant Matthias Vinard has reported adding that OampM costs ranged from euro28kW a year to euro68kW a year in international markets

24 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

ocean currents driven for instance by thermal gradients or differences in salinity Along the South African east coast the Agulhas Current is one of the most consistent sea currents in the world and this area has now been identified as the ideal spot to test technology developed by an American company Hydro Alternative Energy (HAE) from Florida USA

Current plans with the local gov-ernment of eThekwini Municipality in Durban supporting the concept of a hydrokinetic energy project off the cityrsquos coast calls for HAE to

initially develop a $20 million 1MW demonstration unit utilising the companyrsquos Oceanus technology to generate electric power from the Agulhas current flowing past the city Additional units each with an anticipated electric power generation capacity of 8 megawatts may then be built and likewise be submerged approximately 30 metres below sea level to prevent interference with shipping traffic

ldquoSA Mechanical Engineerrdquo has a QampA session with Luciano Garcia-Baylleres the Chief Operation Of-ficer (COO) of HAE about the project

Q Some background on HAEA HAE founded in March 2009 is an emerging independent power provider (ldquoIPPrdquo) focused on utilising hydrokinetic and other power develop-ment sources to generate electric power worldwide safely cost-effectively reliably and profitably with minimal or no ecological impact

Our business model provides for utilising certain of our own proprietary technology identifying and locating existing and new technologies and when appropriate partnering with others for our power development and generation needs

Q The South Africa connection with the companyA Research by our technical department identified several places throughout the world as optimal for the initial deployment and commercialisation of our technology After extensive research of each location

POWER GENERATIONTI

CKER

TA

PE

Tidal energy projects may also be useful in lsquofilling in the gapsrsquo in generating power from other intermit-tent energy sources such as wind farms

Marine current energy conversion concerns the po-tential generation of electricity from kinetic energy of freely-flowing water This contrasts with tradi-tional hydro power like a dam where the amount of energy extracted from a river is dependent on the head between the reservoir and the water level below the dam

A similar hydro power approach can in fact be used for tidal power in areas with high tides In this case a barrage can be constructed in a nar-row bay or estuary to utilise the head between low and high water

Consistent currentAnother way to generate electricity from water would be to convert the kinetic energy of flowing water similar to the way a wind turbine extracts energy from the wind In such a case a dam or reservoir is not necessary but rather sites are chosen where the currents are strong such as a narrow sound straight estuary around a headland or in a river

The term lsquomarine currentrsquo constitutes any kind of water current be it tidal unregulated rivers or other

Flow anlysis carried out for current simulations

Another way to generate electricity from water would be to convert the kinetic energy of flowing water similar to the way a wind turbine extracts energy from the wind

Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) MD Noah Gwariro says the state-owned company needs at least $300-million to refurbish thermal power stations in Bulawayo Harare and Munyati and to increase their generation capacities

The planned Karuma hydropower project will have capacity to generate 700MW

and is one of the high-priority projects in Ugandarsquos National Development Plan

The State-owned Ethiopian Electric Power Corporation (EEPCo) has signed a $120-million contract with UK-based company Canbridge Industries for the construction of a 50 MW waste-to-energy power plant

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 25

POWER GENERATION

The components of a sea current power gererating system

The Aghullas current and eThekwini Municipality with their infrastructure qualified human resource and an approach to facilitating large scale green projects was the appropriate site for this first endeavour

How the energy is harnessed

and all the surrounding benefits apart from the presence of good quality currents such as politi-cal stability port infrastructure and focus on green projects we determined that South Africa with its infrastructure qualified human resource and an approach to facilitating large scale green projects was the appropriate site for our first endeavour

Q Background on what the project is all aboutA OceanusTM our first power generation system which we are currently developing and which utilises much of our own proprietary technology is planned to harness the kinetic energy of the ocean to produce safe clean reliable cost-effective electric power

Oceanus will consist of two primary modules the amplification module (the shroud) and the engine module The shroud is a housing that will multiply the normal incoming water flow to a faster velocity as it passes through the engine module generat-ing more kinetic energy This will in turn result in potentially greater electrical power generation capability as well as potentially increased usable offshore locations worldwide

Velocity is the major factor which dictates the hydrokinetic energy that can be extracted from water Within the hydrokinetic energy sector of the renewable andor clean energy industry we have seen that research and development has generally focused on developing energy generation technolo-gies for environments that can only work in very high water velocity environments such as 3 4 5 metres per second While these areas of extreme water velocity are very high in hydrokinetic energy they only exist in a very small percentage of the worldrsquos waters

Our goal is to provide electric power to locations

Shroud

Engine module

Combine modular design

worldwide utilising the kinetic energy in lsquotypicalrsquo water conditions Our current design specifications have a base need of 1 metre per second of water

26 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

POWER GENERATION

flow which by amplifying the velocity is planned to produce 1MW of power This design specification once successfully tested may then be adapted into higher velocity waters As most locations in the world have lower velocity waters a turbine designed to work in 3 4 or 5 metres per second water flows will not work in waters that have velocities of 1-2 metres per second

Q How does it workA The theory behind the development of the system is quite basic having been previously used in other energy production systems such as wind and tidal energy generation Basically the engine is composed of an energy extraction system such as but not limited to our perpendicular access turbine a gorlov turbine a darrieus turbine and an Axial turbine

The other module is the shroud which handles two functions serving as an accelerator of the water ve-locity thus increasing the amount of kinetic energy that can be extracted Secondly it houses the engine protecting marine life from direct contact with the tip of the blades Also Oceanus is designed to be positively buoyant and either secured to the ocean floor or to float at a certain predetermined depth while moored to the ocean floor utilising the same techniques that are currently used in mooring floating oil rigs buoys or floating windmill systems

Q How will it work in KZNA There will be a demonstration unit initially and then we will start the commercial phase by entering into the normal contracts and procedures for energy generation in the country This entails a very large investment from our company where we will focus on potentially buildingassembling the units in Durban thus taking advantage of the excellent and qualified infrastructure it has

Q Who is involved locallyA We have no partners as far as investors or concerns as yet on the South African project but we are not against this possibility in the future From the facilita-tion point of view we have received a lot of support from Derek Morgan at the eThekwini Energy Office and Russell Curtis at DIPA each with their respective teams and other government offices that have been very forthcoming with information and support

Q What equipment does it use ndash where will this be madeA We have already scouted several facilities in Durbanrsquos ship building industry as well as other possible suppliers ranging from the maritime indus-try financial sector to legal consultants in order to make sure that we are in compliance with all regulations and that our perception of excellence from the South African maritime industry is in fact there

Q At what stage is the project nowA The project is currently at an initial logistics stage where we are looking at a more site specific design for the demonstration unit At the same time we are gathering all the information with our lawyers and possible suppliers for the norms procedures permits and licences necessary to comply with local and national regulations

Q Where will power go to A From our initial discussions with the regulatory bodies this energy can be locally distributed and then taken up by the grid as needed This will de-pend on the results of the demonstration unit and the first commercial unit operation which we are confident will exceed expectations

Q Are there sceptics criticsA As discussed before the basic technology has been used in other sectors of the energy generation industry what is being developed by us is the ef-ficient shroud and the maintenance systems which include buoyancy controls and depth determination in order to locate the most efficient current

Q Are there any future plans from your company for South Africa in particularA We believe that we have a good relationship with eThekwini municipality and once we fulfil our project with KZN we would then consider further expansion throughout South Africa

Q What about the other parts of AfricaA Eastern Africa in general presents very good conditions for our technology but for now we are going to concentrate our efforts on deploying this endeavour in South Africa before entertaining new opportunities

Luciano Garcia-Baylleres COO at HAE Tel 561-900-7200 EmailLgarciaHAE-USAcom wwwHAE-USAcom

We will focus on potentially building assembling the units in Durban thus taking advantage of the excellent and qualified infrastructure it has

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 27

POWER GENERATION NEWS

MTN has announced that it has entered into a com-mercial arrangement to sell its carbon credits to EDF Trading in an industry first The credits will be pro-duced by MTNrsquos tri-generation plant at 14th Avenue Of-fice Park in Fairland Johannesburg

EDF Trading is a whol-ly-owned subsidiary of Electriciteacute de France SA one of the largest compliance buyers covered by the European Union Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS)

The carbon credit project utilises a Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) meth-odology developed by MTN approved by the United Nations Framework Con-vention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) It is currently in the process of being registered with the UNFCCC Once registered MTN will sell the carbon credits from the project to EDF Trading

The project will make use of the MTN energy-efficient 2MW tri-generation plant at its Fairland office park Tri-generation is the concurrent production of electric-ity heating and cooling which provides

Carbon Credits power hot wa-ter space heat-

ing and cooling for air conditioning

from a single source

Egoli gas is used for the operation

sourced from the Sasol pipeline in Mozambique

The plant displaces grid electricity from Eskom

reducing greenhouse gas emissions and providing up to 85

efficiency on fuel The excess heat at some 400degC is captured

and used to supply heating and to operate an absorption chiller which creates cool water that is used to power an extensive air-conditioning system

Natural gas is clean burning and offers a consistent supply but simply using this to generate electricity would have been too expensive The saving achieved by capturing the waste heat combined with the additional revenue from the sale of the carbon credits however makes the project economically viablerdquo

Promethuim Robbie Louw Tel (011) 706-8185 Email Robbiepromethiumcozawwwpromethuimcoza

Countries across South East Asia Africa and the Middle East have been amending their regulatory frameworks and embarking on privatisation as many of them are in serious need of external fund-ing to ensure that their respective electricity industries are capable of dealing with the inevitable surge in demand The cumulative installed power capacity for these regions according to 2012 estimates will be 212 Gigawatts (GW) However this figure is expected to shoot up to 349 GW by 2020 climbing at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 64

Emerging Power Markets

Rising industrialisa-tion ever-increasing population figures and growing economies all point to an electrical future that most infra-structure systems are currently incapable of handling Therefore to achieve greater in-dustry efficiency and encourage competition governments across this region are opening up their electricity markets and increasing private sector participation The region will have to invest heavily in order to

increase its installed capacity and improve its existing infrastructure

Transmission networks in many of these countries are already under tremendous pressure to supply power without interruption and many new transmission projects are already underway or in the pipeline Therefore energy policy reforms are set to open the doors and create positive opportunities for growth in in the near future this according to Jonathan Cain of GBI Research

GBI ResearchJonathan Cain Tel +44 1204 543 533 Emailjcaingbiresearchcom wwwgbiresearchcom

28 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

POWER GENERATION NEWS

With Gensler Architects Aurecon has completed the design on the faccedilade of what will be Chinarsquos tallest building At 632m the Shanghai Centre is more than 100m taller than the recently-completed Shanghai Financial Centre and is designed as a sustainable eco-tower that sets a new benchmark not only for the region but also the world

Sustainable green features include tri-

Bioclimatic buildingGreywater recycling systems lo-cated at basement and at mid-level have been installed to collect greywater generated from lavatory or bathtub for reuse reducing potable water demand for the office tower by about 40

The ice storage system shifts part of the peak electricity demand of the chillers into the night modeoff peak operation Storage capacity is 26 400 Refrigerant Ton (RT) which reduces about 30 of the summit demand by about 3 through this ice cooling storage system and save up to the yearly energy cost for the user

A large volume water deluge system with rotational nozzles

installed at mid-level of the atria deliv-ers a large volume and accurate water spray onto fire with the assistance of Infra-red detection to lock the exact location and very early warning smoke detection apparatus system

A double curtain wall design provides better control on solar energy entering the tower building resulting in energy saving

Aerecon Group Jody Boshoff Tel (012) 427-2066 Email JodyBoshoffaurecongroupcomwwwaurecongroupcom

generation plant consisting of two sets of 11MW natural gas turbine generating electricity

chilled water hot water and heating water Simultaneous heat recovery of the hot flue gas produced from the tur-bines reduces carbon dioxide by 49 compared with the regular electrical cooling system

15 nos of 3kW vertical axis wind turbines (VAWTs) on the roof provide 157 500 kWh of clean and renewable electricity annually

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 29

Willem Sullivan of HansenA better artificial heart for people who are not eligible for natural heart transplants

Jean Schoeman of National Oilwell Varco My own jet aeroplane

Chris Coetzee of Resonant SolutionsThe problem in industry is practical engineering experience Young engineers donrsquot get the opportunity to learn the practical stuff Irsquod start an academy which teaches the practical side where you can learn from your mistakes Unfortunately mistakes cost money but if you have all the money in the world they can afford to learn from mistakes

In your book what is the most pivotal invention ever

Elbie Cornelius of National Oilwell Varco The computer

Chris Coetzee of Resonant SolutionsI canrsquot see how you can run a business without cellphones

Rudolph Beer of Martin EngineeringThe wheel

Willem Sullivan of HansenFor me personally Excel Without it my world will be dull and lifeless For the world at large Electricity because without it Excel will not be possible

Jean Schoeman of National Oilwell Varco The personal computer

OPINION

On his rounds Kowie Hamman our Editor is conducting an informal survey on the lighter side of engineering We follow up from last month with three pertinent questions

Soapbox

What do you think of computers and the digital world

Elbie Cornelius of National Oilwell Varco Awesome changing our world

Chris Coetzee of Resonant SolutionsNinety percent of all engineering is done using computers but if you rely solely on them yoursquove missed the plot because you always have to verify results by going back into the field to test what yoursquove done on the computer

Rudolph Beer of Martin EngineeringYou canrsquot do without them

Willem Sullivan of HansenIt is where I do all my design work So if it was not for computers we would be decades behind in terms of what we can do I absolutely love it

Greg Perry of SEWThey have definitely made things faster but the en-gineer still needs to understand the theory and pay attention to the detail or you make mistakes faster

Jean Schoeman of National Oilwell Varco Very useful until they give problems Then you just want to hit them with a hammer But the digital world has managed to speed up the communica-tion of information

If you had all the money in the world what would you design

Elbie Cornelius of National Oilwell Varco A solar and wind power station to supply the whole continent with electricity

Rudolph Beer of Martin EngineeringDevelop the safe harvesting of atomic energy

30 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

ldquoSA Mechanical Engineerrdquo speaks to Dave Goodman managing director of Spectra Car-bide Tooling Technology in Cape Town about the various management models they have

developed specifically to control tooling ldquoOur tool management systems were developed through our involvement with some of the major automotive OEMs in South Africardquo he says ldquoThe management system where we take over full control of the tool-ing facility on the premises has been running for twelve years now at some of these plants

Systems for allldquoBut these systems are not only for OEMs and

large operationsrdquo Dave remarks ldquoTo meet dif-ferent requirements we now have four levels of management systems on offer each requiring a different level of active involvement from our side This varies from purely holding stock to supply for a customerrsquos specific needs right through to taking over full control of tooling by having a permanent on-site office manned by fulltime Spectra staffrdquo

A typical level 4 operation with a Spectra team permanently stationed on the customerrsquos premises will be equipped with a fully-computerised store inventory system to control the purchasing of all tooling from spindle to point ldquoThe team will control all the new stock and used tools by negotiating and dealing with tier two suppliers as wellrdquo explains sales manager Wayne Williams ldquoThey are also responsible for presetting tools ready for produc-tion as well as collecting and delivering tools to and from the machines in addition to providing technical support 7 days a week 24 hours a day

BenefitsOne of the cost saving benefits for the customer is less administration because the Spectra team consolidates all invoices so the customer receives

Managing ToolingIn most machine shops the tooling is usually under lock and key to limit access to high-value tool inserts such as end-mills drills reamers and burrs Even so many companies suffer considerable losses as these costly tools get lost are pilfered or are misused because there isnrsquot a proper

management system in place over and above lock and key to control who takes what from the store

To meet different requirements we now have four levels of management on offer each requiring a different level of active involvement from our side

Managing machine tools saves money

Dave Goodman managing director of Spectra Carbide Tooling Technology

MATERIAL SELECTION

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 31

one invoice per month In addition the customer has a highly skilled specialist in-house on tap to provide technical assistance for all tooling drilling tapping milling boring gundrilling honing and line boring on CNC and conventional machines ldquoFrom the management system we can draw extensive reporting for the customer regarding the costs per unit manufactured We produce monthly graphs for trending as well as daily incident reports on tool breakages weekly costs on scrapped tools and we also work out action plans to reduce scrap and improve up-time of the machinesrdquo Wayne adds

In essence this value-add for the customer allows preventative action which ultimately saves the customer money Dave explains ldquoGiven the skills shortage out there no company can afford the personnel purely to manage the machine shop in so much detail With this system we not only fill the skills-gap by integrating with the company but we add value to the company so that they can focus on what they manufacturerdquo

New product developmentIntegration into the customersrsquo operation has proved particularly beneficial when it comes to new product developments Wayne elaborates ldquoWersquore always up to date with the latest technology in tooling and know what can be done in the best possible way Usually it will take a machine shop a while to select the right tooling and method to produce

a new part but with our experts right there on site they can be assured of finding the most suitable solution using the right tooling from the startrdquo

Vending systemOn a lower level of tool management where the operation does not justify a permanent Spectra team on site the company has a tooling vending machine solution ldquoAll the tooling is stored in a vending machine and access to draw the tools out of the machine is controlled by a card or finger-print readerrdquo explains Dave ldquoSuch a system does however have a reporting function which allows the customer to draw the machining cost against each specific job

ldquoThis system has proved popular in South Africa because it can be customised to control the specific functions relevant to each customerrdquo adds David ldquoPart and parcel of this cost-saving solution is training the customer on how best to utilise the system for his needs be it purely controlling the use of tooling or integrating reporting and costing into the business system of the companyrdquo

Wayne Williams Spectra Tel (011) 827-8957 Email waynewspectra-sacoza

From the management system we can draw extensive reporting for the customer regarding the costs per unit manufactured

Special carbide drills reamers end mills and special inserts are manufactured in South Africa

MATERIAL SELECTION

32 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 33

Cubitron can be used to finish profile and or polish materials with high tensile strengths and is particularly useful to extend the lifetime of belts and discs in industrial environments

where hard materials are the order of the dayrdquo

Consistent cutFinishes are little changed through the entire dura-tion of a Cubitron belt from new to completely worn out The secret is that the cutting edges wear in a controlled manner This means that the tiny indi-vidual scratches are the same when the belt is first

put on until it is worn and ready for replacement

ldquoThere are a multitude of cutting edges on each individual grain of the extremely hard ceramic based grain As the grain wears new cutting edges are exposed in a predictable and measured manner to ensure that a consistent action is applied to the surfacerdquo she adds

Using the same ceramic platform 3M developed Cubitron II providing even better results than its predecessor 3M engineers were able to electrostati-cally orient triangular precision shaped ceramic grain acting like a cutting tool This means that the grain slices through metal as opposed to grinding and continuously self-sharpens as points break off This results in discs and belts running cooler and longer The Cubitron II technology is applied in

Starting from Scratch

SURFACE FINISHING

ldquoTo scratch the surface as the saying goes of most modern materials and coatings is not as easy as it used to be Thatrsquos why we developed Cubitron Abrasive Grainrdquo says Kelly Hunt

sales and marketing manager of 3M

34 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

Scratccchingg thhe surfface of abrasivvves ttecchnnologgy is too oopen a compplex sccience

SURFACE FINISHING

belt fibre disc and Roloc form offer-ing a unique solution for wide range of grinding needs

Scratching the surfaceKelly is an abrasives fanatic She says scratching the surface of abrasives technology is to open a complex sci-ence Analysis of different materials and techniques of cutting or finishing has in recent years become a necessity as materials develop and advance Bonding of abrasive onto materials for discs and belts is also more complex than before as manufacturing becomes automated and the tolerance for down-time reduces

But for the average operator technician or engineer it is not so much a matter of what goes into the development of a product but rather finding the solution that suits the intended process The minimum requirement is for a product to perform reliably over an extended period of time and to produce the right finish

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 35

Sometimmess a less expeeensiive buuut mmooree suitaaablee abbrasssivee ccaan give bettterr reesulttss

SURFACE FINISHING

ldquoUsing the abrasives to determine a finish can be as simple or as com-plicated as the producer of finished goods chooses to make it With so many choices available in the market we recommend that industrial users iden-tify the requirements of the abrasive and then speak to trained service technicians from suppliers such as 3M

Not about priceldquoPrice is not always the determining factor Some-times a less expensive but more suitable abrasive can give better results and in other instances the use of cheaper materials in the wrong application may be costly as materials will need to be replaced more oftenrdquo

Kelly recommends that us-ers of industrial abrasives take the time to research new products and as-sess their suitability for their processes ldquoYoursquoll be surprised that some of the new abrasives can do the job better and in half the time than older technology abrasives canrdquo she concludes

3M Dylan Ian Hunter Tel (011) 806-2186 Email dhuntermmmcom www3Mcom

36 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

IT TRENDS

ldquo M o b i l e c o m p u t i n g

continues to grow and alongside other IT trends

such as cloud computing social technologies and the era of big data It is going to play a pivotal role in the IT industry this year In factrdquo Derick adds

Mobile Computing

Mobile computing is growing momentously and is set to account for as much as 57 of worldwide T market growth in 2013 says Derick Roberts CEO of TruTeq Devices a Pretoria-based

company focusing on wireless connectivity solutions

ldquoit is going to account for the lionrsquos share of growth ndash even more than the cloud computingrdquo

The IDC predicts that worldwide IT spending will exceed $21 trillion up 57 from 2012 The research company also states that mobility will be the biggest driver Sales of smart mobile devices including smart phones and tablets is expected to grow by 20 and will contribute a significant 57 of all IT growth Excluding smart mobile devices IT industry growth will clock in at only 29

Truteq Devices Derick Roberts Tel (012) 667-1530 wwwtruteqdevicescom

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 37

ELECTRIC DRIVE

The technology performance and design of the Cigarette powerboat is closely based on the electric super sports vehicle made in Affalterbach Germany

The 116 metre long Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept powerboat uses two drive units each featuring six independent electric motors At the rear of the boat each drive unit has its own trans-mission one on the left and one on the right The boat is fitted with the twelve compact liquid-cooled permanent-magnet synchronous electric motors which are the signature piece of the SLS AMG Coupeacute Electric Drive each electric motor delivers 138 kW and 250 Newton metres

The maximum output of 1 656 Kilowatts and maximum torque of 3 000 Newton metres combine to reach a staggering top speed of over 160 kmh making this locally emission-free Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept the worlds fastest electri-cally driven powerboat The low centre of gravity and optimum weight distribution ensure sublime

The Worlds Most Powerful Powerboat

handling characteristics during more dynamic changes of direction

The high-voltage battery boasts an energy content of 60 Kilowatt hours an electric load potential of 600 Kilowatts and a weight of 548 kg ndash all of which are absolute best values in the automotive sector The liquid-cooled lithium-ion high-voltage battery features a modular design with a maximum voltage of 400 V It consists of 12 modules each comprising 72 lithium-ion cells ldquoCigaretterdquo inte-grates four high-tech batteries with a total of 48 modules and 3 456 cells which generate a total capacity of 240 Kilowatt hours and an electric output of 2 400 Kilowatts respect even in the boat building industry

The Cigarette on-board chargers as standard Adapted to fit the infrastructure standard of many American marinas the boat has a charging capac-ity of 44 Kilowatts The battery is fully charged in approximately seven hours To reduce the charging time to less than three hours the powerboat can be fitted with four on-board chargers as an option

Mercedes-Benz Shirle Greig Tel (012) 677-1904 Email shirlegreigdaimlercom wwwmercedes-benzsacoza

Mercedes-AMG and Cigarette Racing launched the latest development of their cooperation at the Miami International Boat Show in February Numerous components from the SLS AMG Coupeacute Electric Drive have been integrated in the design of the Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept engineering design The high performance drive fitted in the electric super sports car makes the off shore powerboat the worlds most

powerful and fastest electrically-driven motor boat With an output of 1 656 Kilowatts and a maximum torque of 3 000 Newton metres the Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept is a fascinating new development

Combine to reach a staggering top speed of over 160 kmh

38 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

ENVIRONMENT

They have been in service for decades

under the toughest conditions ndash and

have proven themselves worldwide

Voith fluid couplings protect belt con-

veyors and drive components by provid-

ing smooth acceleration and torque

control allowing for frequent loaded

starts with the least amount of stress on

the drive and belt

In multi-motor drives they ensure pre-

cise load distribution Result fewer

downtimes ndash and the service life of the

belt and the drive components is in-

creased The latest product innovation is

the Voith TurboBelt 780 TPXL

infovtzavoithcom

wwwrsavoithturbocom

Protect Your Belt Conveyors with

Voith Fluid Couplings

ai_a

it_44

0_e

n ai

k

Water Disclosure ReportingJust as companies are addressing their carbon emissions and

provide carbon reporting to the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) water is becoming a growing priority

Reporting on it is becoming another critical sustainability issue

2011 saw a marked increase in the number of the worldrsquos largest companies reporting on their water usage on the risks that water presents and on their responses to

that risk Responses from these companies indicate that water is impacting global business now and yet water is not nearly as high on the corporate agenda as climate change

Evidence is mounting that South Africa is facing a water crisis of substantial proportions This crisis encompasses all aspects of water management on both the demand and supply side The mounting impacts of acid mine drainage and declining wa-ter quality add to the crisis South Africarsquos water security is likely to be further complicated by an increasingly uneven and unpredictable supply of rainfall as a result of climate change and by a reli-ance on significant water transfers from neighbour-

ing countries In meeting this crisis South Africa will have to resolve tough trade-offs in water use between agriculture key industrial activities such as mining and power generation and the supply to rapidly growing urban centres

Evidence is clearJSE 100 companies will need to show leadership in sustainably managing the water resources on which they rely for their day-to-day business operations The available evidence is clear It is not sustainable to continue exploiting water resources by follow-ing a lsquobusiness as usualrsquo approach If this is the case South Africarsquos freshwater resources will be depleted and unable to meet the needs of people and industry in the next 20 years if not before

In 2011 the response rate to the CDP Water Disclosure amongst South African companies was 46 (26 out of 56 companies) Many of South Africarsquos most significant corporate water users are therefore not yet able to or are not yet ready to report on their water-related risks

Promethuim Robbie Louw Tel (011) 706-8185 Email Robbiepromethiumcoza wwwpromethuimcoza

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 39

EXHIBITION

The Steel and Engineering Industries Federation (SEI-FSA) the Lifting Equipment Engineering Association

of SA (LEEASA) the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA) and the SA Institute of Welding (SAIW) have thrown their weight behind the biggest industrial and engineering trade show in Africa

The three-day 10-shows-in-one event takes place from 14 to 16 May 2013 at Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand Johannesburg

SEIFSA Conference at Indutec The Steel and Engineering Indus-tries Federation of South Africa (SEIFSA) will hold its annual conference at Indutec celebrating 70 years of active support for its members industry and business in Africa The federation has over 2 220 member companies which employ more than 224 000 people comprising 53 of the industryrsquos workforce

SAIW ldquoWe take our affiliations with leading industry players very seriously including our en-dorsement of Indutecrdquo says Jim Guild chief executive officer of the SA Institute of Welding ldquoThese industry ties form part of our strategy to create strong relationships which support our objective and Governmentrsquos mandate to enhance the manufacturing sector in South Africardquo

LEEASAThe Lifting Equipment Engineer-ing Association of South Africa (LEEASA) which is a division of the Chamber of Engineering Tech-

nology (COET) will also be using its endorsement of Indutec to promote its activities in the engineer-ing and technology sectors in general Chamber spokesperson Viv Nel says its exposure at the fair will create more awareness of the Chamberrsquos role in all engineering and technology-driven industries

ECSAIndustry regulator the Engineering Council of South Africa shares these aims ldquoAs a custodian of en-gineering intellectual capital in South Africa our endorsement of Indutec provides us with a platform to publicise our role in the engineering sector and government infrastructure initiativesrdquo says Edgar Sabela ECSArsquos Strategic Services Executive

ldquoWe need to produce 10 times more engineers to compete with developed economies Involvement with the Indutec show will allow us to promote engineering as a career through our Engenius Programme and showcase our existing engineer-ing excellence Most importantly it enables us to network with all key players in the field and even conclude some businessrdquo

Tenfold Benefits to ExhibitorsJohn Thomson managing director of Exhibition Management Services organisers of the 10-in-one Fair says the unqualified support from leading in-dustry bodies indicates the showrsquos tenfold value to the engineering industrial and technology sectors ldquoThis undoubtedly translates into multiple benefits for the showrsquos exhibitors and ultimately to show visitorsrdquo he concludes

Indutec Serean ThomsonTel (011) 783 7250 Email marketingexhibitionsafricacom wwwexhibitionsafricacom

Boosting the Manufacturing Sector32 of South Africarsquos leading industrial and engineering professional and employer associations Chambers and

Councils have collectively endorsed Indutec the recently launched South African Industry and Technology Fair 2013

Promech Publishing through SA Mechanical Engineer and Bulk Handling Today will produce and publish the Official Catalogue for this prestigious show

Make sure your presence is felt before during and after the show by advertising in this one-of-a-kind reference publication

Contact Mark Bennett Tel (011) 781-1401 Email samechengpromechcoza

Jim Guild CEO of the SA Institute of Welding

Edgar Sabela - ECSArsquos Strategic Services Executive

Adelia Pimentel - Marketing and Communications Manager SEIFSA

40 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

MARKET FORUM

ldquoBMG has identified a need in diverse sectors for on-site maintenance services to overcome production challengesrdquo says Dave Russell technical director BMG ldquoRecognising the extreme constraints of high energy prices low productivity the critical skills shortage and a highly competitive economic environment BMG brings a total solutions service to the fore

ldquoIndustry can now access all critical production efficient products and services from one supplier What this means is lower production costs and higher pro-duction efficiency giving South African industry a distinct competitive advantage

ldquoBMGrsquos on-site services include applica-

tion design evaluation and optimisation as well as installation trouble-shooting and service exchange contracts The company also offers predictive planned and breakdown maintenance and energy and reliability studiesrdquo

The company also offers extensive train-ing which covers electrical mechanical hydraulic pneumatic electronic and materials handling disciplines as well as predictive maintenance and component failure analysis

BMG ndash Bearing Man Group Veronique van Niekerk Tel (031) 576-6221Email veroniquevbmgworldnet wwwbmgworldnet

Tenova Takraf Africa (formerly Bateman Engineered Technologies) is putting the final pieces together in completing an order for the supply of a 55m x 275m hydraulically-driven SAG mill to Ontario Graphite operators of the Kearney Mine located in Kearney O n t a r i o Canada

ldquoTenovarsquos scope

Unique SAG Mill in Canada

ABB started with a bang following the order of 2 400 robots by BMW Group Over the next three years the robots will be installed at factories in Regensburg and Leipzig Germany as well as in Tiexi China The ABB robots will mainly be used for mate-rial handling tasks as well as gluing and spot welding processes

ABB robots enable customers to implement efficient manufacturing systems that sustainably produce high-quality products The com-panyrsquos range of products and solu-tions for lean manufacturing cover the range from body-in-white to the final assembly of complete car bodies They improve competitiveness and at the same time optimally comply with customer specifications ABB has installed more than 200 000 robots worldwide

ABB Robotics Natasha Mathebula Tel (010) 202-6156 Email natashamathebulazaabbcom wwwabbcom

2400

Robots

Total Solution

of work includes the engineering manufacturing shipping and technical assistance during erection of the SAG millrsquos feed end shell discharge end drive and main bearings as well as all supporting equipment (lubrication and jacking systems)rdquo says Tenova Takraf

engineer Pieter van der Walt ldquoThe main hydraulic motor and rubber

shell liners were outside our commercial scope of supply but inside our technical

scope of supplyrdquo he adds

The mill is a conventional SAG (semi-autogenous grinding) mill in all ways apart from its drive assem-bly and it is centre-driven

at the discharge end using a Haggluumlnds hydraulic motor and powerpack ldquoTo date this is the largest hydraulic motor installed on a SAG mill with 950kW of power torque of 1 200 kNm (start-up) and 650 kNm (operational) and speed of 1386 rpmrdquo adds Pieter

Since the mill had to be retrofitted to an existing foundation a number of adaptations were required to maintain the mill centreline as well as feed-end and discharge-end positions Certain additions were required to anchor the main motor torque arm

Tenova Takraf Pieter van der Walt Tel (011) 899-2372 Email pietervanderwaltbatemancom wwwtenovagroupcom

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 41

MARKET FORUM

World Record

The ADR plant at Kisladag Mine

FLSmidth designs and manufactures indirect heated carbon regeneration kilns and calciners from half a ton per day and larger These kilns and calciners can be fuel gas oil or electric and are skid mounted pre-wired and pre-piped The companyrsquos patented bellows kiln seal has proved effective in eliminating air ingress and process gas egress and can be retrofitted to kilns from other manufacturers FLSmidth holds the world record for the lowest emissions on a carbon plant

And at the companyrsquos Merrill Crowe plant capacities range from skid mounted 34 cubic metres per hour modular plants to full size 2 100 cubic metres per hour The range of supply for plants includes clarification filters de-aeration towers vacuum pumps zinc dust feeders lead nitrate feeders and zinc cones precipitate filter feed pumps filter pre-coat and body feed systems as well as precipitate filters used by refinery and smelting facilities to produce gold bullion

These plants incorporate proprietary zinc dustlead nitrate feeder and mix-ing cone system The company offers individual plant components and partial or complete plant equipment packages together with total plant design

FLSmidth Terence Osborn Tel (010) 210-4820

Magnet has extended its range of abrasive products to include 3Mrsquos new Cubitron II abrasive belts with enhanced grinding performance improved productivity and extended service life

ldquo3Mrsquos new technology has resulted in increased speed improved consistency and extended belt liferdquo says Brian How-arth MD Magnet ldquoThese new abrasive belts ensure up to 30 faster cutting on hard to grind metals like stainless steel nickel alloy and cobalt chrome They also divert heat from the workpiece and belt to the swarf which means cooler cutting This helps eliminate burnishing and minimises heat stress Cubitron II abrasive belts last up to four times longer than conventional ceramic aluminium oxide beltsrdquo

3M Abrasives Bradley Reddy Tel (031) 274 1050 Email bradleyrmagnetgroupcozawwwmagnetgroupcoza

4 x Longer

42 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

MARKET FORUM

X-Calibur is one of the latest product offerings from TAL and was specified to protect the concrete structure of the worldrsquos second longest cable-stayed bridge against corrosion throughout its design life

Stonecutters Bridge is a high level cable-stayed bridge which spans the Rambler Channel in Hong Kong connecting Nam Wam Kok Tsing Yi Island and Stonecut-ters Island Hong Kong is well known for its hot summer weather which is also humid and unstable Temperatures

Say No to Corrosionusually exceed 30oC during the day which coupled with high humidity can result in an extreme heat index

ldquoHot and humid environments have a great effect on the durability of concrete As a rule of thumb we say for every 10oC increase in temperature the possibility of corrosion induced damage to concrete is doubled Add humidity in a marine envi-ronment then protection of the structure is of paramount importancerdquo says Brian Davies CEO X-Calibur International In order to guard the bridge from corro-

sion X-Shield EpoxySeal CR was sup-plied to shield the prestressed concrete cable anchorages from the effects of the environment In addition X-Shield FlexCoat was used in various areas of the structure This provides corrosion protection to reinforced concrete from chloride and carbon dioxide

ldquoThe main challenge was compliance with the strict project specifications as the engineer wanted to ensure that protection would be provided throughout the design life of the structure X-Calibur

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 43

MARKET FORUM

had the products independently tested to prove compliance to all aspects of the specificationrdquo John adds

The materials were applied by spe-cialist painters who had been trained by X-Calibur ldquoMaterials were mixed and applied strictly in accordance with method statements supplied by X-Calibur to ensure working time and recoat windows were not exceededrdquo concludes John

TAL Andrew Dekker Tel (031) 579-2263 wwwtalcoza

Fluid conveyance and pumping solutions expert Incledon has supplied a large water supply line project in the Free State with a total of 4 km of Ultraflo pipes manufactured in-house by DPI Plastics - a leading manufacturer of water reticulation drainage and pipe-fitting systems in South Africa

DPI Plastics technical and product manager Renier Snyman points out that the companyrsquos range of Ultraflo pipes are manufactured from modified polyvinyl chloride (mPVC) which is specifically designed to provide similar tensile strength and greater resilience than standard PVC piping products ldquoThe Ultraflo range of pressure piping systems are ideally suited to bulk water supply projects due to the fact that mPVC is considerably more ductile than industry standard unplasticised polyvinyl chloride (uPVC)rdquo he explains

Renier notes that the ductility of the Ultraflo uPVC piping system ensures that

Large Water Supply Project

the pipes have exceptional resistance to crack propagation under pressure ldquoThe product being supplied to the water sup-ply line project is the 500 mm Ultraflo system which is the largest in the DPI Plastics range It boasts a pressure rat-ing of 12 bar with a design stress of up to 18MPa making it ideally suited as a large underground piping systemrdquo

According to Renier Ultraflo pipes offer environmental advantages too ldquoDue to its superior toughness the wall thick-ness of mPVC is less than that of uPVC This ensures that less materials are used during the manufacturing process which ultimately results in a lighter product that is easier to transport and install thereby minimising the carbon footprint of the piperdquo

DPI Plastics Martine Goodchild Tel (021) 957 5600 Email mgoodchilddpiplasticscozawwwdpiplasticscoza

Donrsquot Miss Out

Promech Publishing is putting the Visitorsrsquo Catalogue together for this Show

Contact Mark Bennett on Tel (011) 781-1401 or Email samechengpromechcoza

to book your space

44 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

MARKET FORUM

Displaying and discussing some of the Dodge housed bearings on offer to local industry and mining are (from left) Tony Patten of Specialised Bearings amp Transmission Peter Small-Shaw Wilecrsquos Product Manager Bearings and Frans Odendaal Wilecrsquos Technical Specialist Bearings

The Bearings division of Actom group company Wilec has formed a strategic alliance for the supply of Dodge housed bearings into southern Africa The partner-ship agreement with Johannesburg-based Specialised Bearings amp Transmission the local distributor for Dodge extends Wilecrsquos ability to satisfy the requirements of industry and mining in a diverse range of bearings applications

ldquoThe most exciting thing about our tie-up with Dodge is that housed bearings while already widely accepted in the US and other leading industrialised countries is a relatively new concept locally but one which offers advanced features to users compared with conventional plum-mer block arrangementsrdquo said Frans Odendaal Wilecrsquos Technical Specialist Bearings

ldquoDodge housed bearings are supplied pre-assembled and sealed so eliminating all risk of contamination during fitment The advanced sealing arrangement and unique adapter system guarantees longer

Strategic Alliance

life ndash up to six times that of a conven-tional plummer block Other cost-saving advantages are that they can be installed by a semi-skilled technician very quickly normally in less than 15 minutes and the need to measure pre- and post-reduction clearance is eliminatedrdquo

ldquoIt is a differentiated product and with it we are able to provide a bearing that is especially well suited to local conditions

and offers benefits that are of real value to customers A particularly important aspect to bear in mind is that the total cost of ownership of a Dodge bearing is significantly lower than that of the conventional product due to its greater reliability and durabilityrdquo

Wilec Frans Odendaal Tel (011) 629-9300 Email fransowileccoza

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 45

MARKET FORUM

Emis Sales 2002 part of Becker Min-ing South Africa supplies a wide range of electrical equipment up to 1 100 V for use in hazardous and non-hazardous areas in the mining petrochemical and surface industry sectors

New to the Emis range are Proloc pro-tection and control relays which are suitable for thermal overload protection of conveyors compressors crushers fan and pump motors as well as shuttle cars and flitting panels

ldquoThe stand-alone Emis ProLoc electronic protection and control relay system which has been designed for the optimum protection of motor and feeder circuits connected to outlet sockets has a wide choice of six user-selectable protection features to meet exact requirementsrdquo says Frikkie Quirk managing director Emis Sales 2002 ldquoAn important advan-tage of this system is a door mounted infra-red link that enables a laptop with Proloc software to manage all settings

and downloads without having to open the panel door and expose personnel to dangerous live equipment This is a critical requirement in the OHSA actrdquo

This system is easy to set up via the Proloc MMI 420 display man-to-machine interface or via a laptop with Proloc software

Emis Sales 2002 Tel (016) 341-6134 Email infozabecker-miningcom wwwzabecker-miningcom

Optimum Protection

Birkenmayer a material processing systems supplier in South Africa and local supplier of German-engineered Eirich material processing technology recently released the Evactherm drier a new product that marries the advantages

Superheated Vacuum Steam

of mechanical and thermo dynamical processes to provide cost-effective and highly efficient drying and processing of filter cake and sludgersquos using superheated vacuum steam

Until now it has been important to observe

a maximum middle temperature when applying direct drying to heat sensitive materials and even more important to avoid the excessive local and boundary temperatures that frequently damage the drying product Both heat and ma-terial transport need to be considered and while convective drying processes such as spray drying largely avoid these problems they are only effective if a surface is available for the hot gas flow

Adjustable for both direct and convec-tive drying and processing Evactherm driers overcome these obstacles while providing a number of further benefits

Super-heated vacuum steam performs drying and granulation while the com-bination of mechanical and thermo dynamical processes allows for low dry-ing temperatures and gentle processing of temperature sensitive materials It also enables continuous drying for long periods of time as fresh material may be continuously added into the fluidized bed replacing material that has already been vaporised

H Birkenmayer Louis Eksteen Tel (011) 970 3880-8 Email louisbirkenmayercozawwwbirkenmayercoza

The Evactherm drier

Proloc protection and control relays

46 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

The Eastern Capersquos Coega Industrial Development Zone (IDZ) is one of a number of industrial regions in South Africa to benefit from Air Products South Africarsquos strategy of long-term capital investment

A region which has long been under-served when it comes to reliable gas supply the Eastern Cape will soon have

A Long-term Viewits own air separation unit (ASU) ndash the first of its kind in the province Seelan Gounden GM supply chain at AirProd-ucts explains the reasons behind the companyrsquos latest investment

ldquoCurrently there is no local industrial gas supply in this area and cryogenic gases have to be procured elsewhere This situation compromises the service

MARKET FORUM

ART Solar specialists in the manufacture of solar photovoltaic (PV) modules for the sustainable generation of electrical power has made the following appointment an-nouncementsMark Walsh as managing director Dr Ronald FM Lange as chief operating officer Robert Ramshaw as financial manager and Gavin Rosslee as production manager

Gavin RossleeRobert RamshawMark Walsh

Jeanne Els has been appointed as Hatchrsquos Managing Director of Operations

Jeanne Els

Ronald Lange

Anton Theunissen

SKF South Africa recently appointed Anton Theunissen as Distributor De-velpoment Manager for South Africa and neighbouring coun-tries

Index to Advertisers

Axiom 12

Bearings International 36

Bibby Turboflex 28

Bonfiglioli 10

Engen 34

Festo 35

Hansen 44

Horne SA 29

IDC Inside Back Cover

ILS 32

KDP Services 22

Loesche 31

Polysius 4

PPS 11 29

Mercedes Outside Back Cover

Merseta Inside Front Cover

MIEO Outside Front Cover

Transmission Components 14

Voith 38

Yellotec 16 17

delivery to our existing customers who have to depend on product being trucked over vast distances Thus we identified the Eastern Cape as a key priority invest-ment destination with a clear need for a new air separation facility dedicated to servicing the region We chose the Coega IDZ after careful market analysis We are pleased to be able to be a part of the growth and development of the region through providing a long-needed security of supply and value-added servicerdquo

Ayanda Vilakazi head of Marketing and Communications at the Coega IDZ adds ldquoThe viability of the new ASU is indis-putable It will mean not only security of gas supply to the region benefiting the many industries here but it also means job security for other investors jobs along the value chain and scope for training and human resource develop-ment as well as enhanced Corporate Social Investment initiativesrdquo

Seelan Gounden AirProducts wwwairproductssouthafricacoza

Left to right Chris Mashigo Executive Man-ager - Business Development Coega Develop-ment Corporation Themba Khoza Executive Manager ndash Operations Coega Development Corporation Seelan Gounden GM - Supply Chain Air Products Pierre Fourie Area Sales Manager ndash Eastern Cape Air Products signed the lease agreement between the CDC and Air Products South Africa

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 47To apply online for funding of R1 million or more go to wwwidccoza

Telephone 086 069 3888Email callcentreidccoza

Driving new market innovationsThe IDC supports high-impact job creation projects acting as a

catalyst to lead new sector development and support existing

industry and sector growth in alignment with governmentrsquos

New Growth Path (NGP) National Development Plan (NDP)

and Industrial Policy Action Plan (IPAP)

The IDC Strategic High Impact Projects (SHIP) Strategic Business

Unit in partnership with the IDC Innovation Department has

launched an Open Innovation Challenge to encourage the

development and implementation of sustainable high-impact

industrial initiatives and projects

The IDC calls upon individuals engineering communities

corporates project sponsors and other related entities to enter

into a partnership to develop qualifying projects that result in

sustainable and profi table industries exploit the value-adding

opportunities of existing and new value chains and enable the

development of innovative local economies

Whatwho qualifi es

projects which enable the development of new industries

across multiple IDC focus sectors

introduce new markets and value chains or revolutionise

existing ones through the use of disruptive technologies

or new approaches

development impact and employment creation

across mandated IDC industrial sectors

SHIP wishes to ensure that the projects undertaken play a major

role in industrial development and employment creation within

the South African and SADC regions

Interested applicants are invited to submit their project

proposals online at

httpopeninnovationidccozaidc-ship-challenge between

project proposals will be informed in May regarding SHIP

wishing to partner with them in the development of the

proposed project

Please contact Bertie Strydom BertieSidccoza and

RetiefBidccoza for more information

Chillibush9119IDC

48 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

A D

aim

ler B

rand

You built the bridges the roads and the tunnels We built the carAs a member of the Engineering Council of South Africa you could qualify for exclusive offers a guaranteed 3-day service booking as well as PremiumDrive our 6 year100 000km maintenance plan To take advantage of this outstandingopportunity inform your nearest dealer of your ECSA status

Not in conjunction with other Mercedes-Benz Fleet ProgrammesOffers Excludes AMG and Limited Edition modelsVehicle specifications may vary for the South African market

Page 17: SAME Mar2013

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 17

of vibration in real time This preserves the phase relationship between channels resulting in a visual representation of the machine vibration It makes it easier to observe analyse and document noise and vibration problems in machinery and structures ODS analysis is used to display and analyse ex-perimental multi-channel time or frequency domain data acquired during the operation of a machine or forced vibration of a structure

This provides an interactive animated display with which users can observe spatially defined data such as operating deflection shapes (ODSs) mode shapes acoustic sound and intensity fields or other engineering data such at temperatures or pressures By animating the spatial response of a structure in slow motion users can view a structurersquos overall motion and the motion of one part relative to another Locations of excessive vibration or high levels of noise are easily identified

Next levelThe next level down is a surveillance system often used in conjunction with a protection system ldquoIn contrast to a protection system the surveillance system provides answers as to why things did go wrongrdquo explains Kobus ldquoIn a fan application for example the system will tell you that vibration has increased yet the signature reading from the machine has remained constant This can be as a result of dust build up on the blades or a blade has broken off causing an imbalance which prompts the protection system to stop the machine The system will even tell you which blade has been affected by the faultrdquo

The surveillance system can also be used on its own but still in an online mode ldquoThis feature is used to trend parameters leaving the decision to stop a machine at the discretion of the maintenance engineerrdquo explains Kobus ldquoThese online solutions can either be wired or wireless transmitting data from each sensor to the receivers on the system The data is then channelled to whomever needs it in his or her format of choicerdquo

Options for allOn smaller plants that cannot afford an online sys-tem less critical machinery data from machinery is collected by hand and transferred to a computer for analysis either by the maintenance engineer or under a maintenance contract to an engineer at Ideas Solutions

ldquoItrsquos no longer in question the fact that condition monitoring saves companies money has been proved over and over again if itrsquos done rightrdquo Kobus says in conclusion ldquoCondition monitoring regardless of the

The fact that condition monitoring saves companies money has been proved over and over again if itrsquos done right

POWER TRANSMISSION

extent to which it is integrated on a plant should be part of every companyrsquos maintenance strategyrdquo

Kobus van der Westhuizen Ideas Solutions Tel 082 552-4790 Email kobusideas-onlinecozawwwideas-onlinecoza

18 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

Empowering Municipal Engineers

Corruption and tenderpreneurship fraud financial mismanagement lack of understanding of technical issues

priorities difficulties with job creation and skills shortages are just some of the challenges that face municipal engineers in South

Africa

Name and shameCESA unreservedly supports the call for the banning of public servants from doing business with the state including dealstenders with another department or municipality

ldquoWhat is at stake is not the rights of state employees to do business but rather the integrity of the state procurement system The current public procurement environ-ment in the construction sector is highly complex and conducive to corruption and manipulationrdquo warns CESA President Naren Bhojaram

The problem is further compounded by the lack of accountability and punishment for procurement irregularities and wasteful expenditureldquoThe country has good rules but no-one is playing by themrdquo he adds

CESA believes that it is irresponsible and foolhardy to place employees in positions where they can (or are tempted to) manipu-late procurement and other procedures to unfairly benefit themselves at the expense of the statetaxpayer

CESA

Unqualified people should be discouraged from trying to do the job of the municipal engineer

CESA President Naren Bhojaram

Consulting En-gineers South Africa (CESA) President Na-

ren Bhojaram believes that if South Africa is serious about the empowerment of properly-qualified municipal

engineers it should invest in various interventions such as

training development and ca-pacitating of young engineers for

employment by the local authorities and make the municipal engineering

profession attractive

Currently municipal planning is done rather superficially and only a real municipal engi-

neer and a competent team of visionary planners can sort that out

CESA calls for the embracing of the municipal engineer as a trusted ad-visor as well as creating a working environment to attract and retain municipal engineers The munici-pal engineers must be incentivised (long term employment purpose in life emoluments respect and freedom) and unqualified people

should be discouraged from trying to do the job of the municipal engineer

Stumbling BlockInfrastructure deliveryrsquos biggest stumbling block is the lack of business integrity which involves among other things socialising with clients conflict of interest use of agents and partners collusion and bribery and the disregard of procurement regulations

CESA strongly urges structural changes to the way in which municipal engineers operate including the abandonment of long-term employment contracts for key technical and managerial staff Tender and

bid evaluation committees must include technical legal and financial executives in joint sittings and professional teams must be allowed to compile reports in an independent manner on tenders for the bid evaluation committees

The South African procurement legislation should include a Bribery and Corruption Act such as the UK Bribery Act of 2010 enabling the Courts to prosecute corruption and related issues more ef-fectively as well as the naming and shaming of firms contravening the requirements of the Act

Consulting Engineers South Africa (CESA) Graham Pirie Tel (011) 463-2022Email gspiriecesacoza wwwcesacoza

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 19

ldquoSA Mechanical Engineerrdquo speaks to Willie Muller general manager at KDP Services about the modernisation of old hydraulic machinery ldquoIn terms of upgrading wersquove just

done extensive work at a steel mill to re-design

and implement new technology on a large 1 200 tonne cutting press and a shredding machinerdquo he explains ldquoBoth the machines were imported from Germany originally but have lately started picking up problems seriously hampering production flow

ldquoAfter consulting with the supplierrsquos engineers the problems persisted and the client then called us in to investigaterdquo Willie says ldquoWe found that the hydraulics on both these old machines were outdated but could be updated with new tech-nology rather than replacing the old pumps and valves with costly new imported OEM components

New Life for Old Machines

Very often the spare parts for old machinery imported and installed twenty or more years ago is hard to come by and if it is available

it costs an arm and a leg to import If the problem happens to be hydraulic there is

a local hydraulics company that specialises in updating systems so that local easily-available spares can be used to keep the machine going for many years to come

Willie Muller general manager at KDP Services

CNC machining

Overhauled cylinders ready for delivery

Large cylinder

Hydraulic motor of all makes and sizes are serviced

HYDRAULICS amp PNEUMATICS

Analyse the operation and specifically the machinersquos function in situ before returning to the drawing board to redesign the hydraulic system for better functionality

20 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

New technologyAs the designer in the company

Willie goes out to analyse the operation and specifically the machinersquos function

in situ before returning to the drawing board to redesign the hydraulic system for better

functionality This provides the opportunity not only to introduce the latest technology into the upgrade but also to ensure that easily available local components are used He adds ldquoSince our upgrade the shear which can cut through a 150 by 300mm block of steel in one cut has been run-ning smoothly with none of the previous problems cropping up againrdquo

Similarly the shredding machine where a whole vehicle is fed in one end and comes out in pieces of scrap metal the other end has also been up-graded to run consistently ever since Willie adds ldquoThrough this success wersquove now not only landed the maintenance and service contracts for this mill but theyrsquove asked us to audit the entire plant to investigate other hydraulic systems which can be improved Wersquove already re-designed one of the production lines to introduce an integrated fully automated operationrdquo

First projectWillie might be young but he has worked with KDP since his student days gaining invaluable hands-on experience in all aspects of hydraulic work from the owner of the company Karel Podges ldquoOne of my first projects as a student was designing the hydraulic system for a container lifting and tilting machine used in steel mills to collect and handle scrap metalrdquo he recalls as we come across the remnants of the prototype when we walk in the yard behind the workshop ldquoThis is probably what got me hooked on hydraulics because nothing of the sort existed and I had to design it from scratch around a structure someone else had builtrdquo

Inside the workshop we find engineering equipment ranging from lathes to modern CNC machines all humming away as hydraulic components are turned out of a variety of metals At the hose crimping machine Willie points out the neat final product for a custom-made installation theyrsquore doing One of KDPrsquos specialities is hydraulic motor overhaul-ing which is evident when we see several large Hagglunds drives in various stages of repair in the drive section of the workshop

TestingFinally we get to the test-bench area where a large cylinder is under test for leaks before being taken apart for a complete overhaul ldquoOne of the biggest mistakes generally made when it comes to hydraulic equipment is that people think they can treat the hydraulic components roughly just because they are big and ruggedrdquo Willie remarks ldquoThey lose sight of the fact that dirt is the biggest enemy and they donrsquot take the necessary care to keep the oil or equipment clean causing irreparable damage to seals and delicate surface areas in a systemrdquo

One of the main advantages of KDP is that they are not officially tied up with a specific brand of hydraulic equipment allowing them to work on and supply any make on the market Willie concludes ldquoIn addition wersquore a small company where you learn and get the opportunity to work on all types of applications So each and every problem big or small is tackled with great personal attention to detailrdquo

Willie Muller KDP Services Tel (011) 392-5750 Email williekdp-servicescoza

That people think they can treat the hydraulic components roughly just because they are big and rugged

HYDRAULICS amp PNEUMATICS

The full MontyHydraulic system design from the circuit to pumps motors and all the necessary connecting piping are designed in-house at the 22-year old com-pany ldquoWe design the complete circuit specifying all the components necessary to achieve certain functionsrdquo explains Willie ldquoSimilarly all engineer-ing is undertaken in-house except the honing and chroming of shafts when we overhaul cylinder sets New cylinders are manufactured from tubing and shafts which have already been prepared

ldquoIn terms of piping wersquove built up a good name in many industries both in new installations during maintenance shutdowns or when a fixed installa-tion needs to be movedrdquo he adds ldquoNot only do we design the layout but we physically carry out the installation work ourselves especially when it is a stainless steel pipe installation that requires argon welding to fit the fittingsrdquo

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 21

Compressed Air at Work

Pneumatic systems are extensively used in industry where factories are commonly plumbed with

compressed air or compressed inert gases This is because a centrally-located and electrically-powered

compressor which powers cylinders and other pneumatic devices through solenoid valves is often

able to provide motive power in a cheaper safer more flexible and more reliable manner than electric motors

and actuators

Premium brandApplied Pneumatics established 22 years ago is a South African distributor of Parker Hannifin products ldquoAt a time when everyone is increasingly becoming aware of the benefits of buying premium products which last longer and have proven to be value for money Parker has come up with new innovations which extend this value even furtherrdquo says Dave

ldquoTake valves for example Most low-cost valves are throw-away items which are discarded completely if something goes wrong Our premium valves which cost a bit more initially are serviceable This means we can repair and service them at a fraction of the cost of even a cheap complete unit

ldquoIf the premium repairable valve breaks for in-stance itrsquos quick and easy to strip it right there and then fit new parts and have it up and running in no time as opposed to having to order and wait for a complete replacement unitrdquo adds Dave ldquoAll you need to have in stock are a couple of O-rings for the different valves in a systemrdquo

SA Mechanical Engineerrdquo visits a company in Randburg aptly named Applied Pneumat-ics to speak to managing director Dave McNair ldquoIn a pneumatics application we

supply everything beyond the compressor This includes everything down the line the filtration system water traps regulators and then the lubrication system before you get to the actual application which could be a cylinder control valves actuators or even solenoid valves for the control of liquid flows in a process We also do vacuum applications where suction cups pick objects up to move them aboutrdquo

From left Andrew Livesey applications engineer at Applied Pneumatics Teven McNair sales and Dave McNair managing director

Range includes pneumatic cylinders and actuators valves and logic processing air preparation equipment as well as a whole host of other pneumatic components and accessories

The Parker range of pneumatic equipment includes actuator and motors

HYDRAULICS amp PNEUMATICS

22 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

New conceptSimilarly the air prepa-ration systems from Parker are of a modular design and fully repair-able so that just worn or damaged compo-nents can be replaced ldquoThey have now taken this even furtherrdquo says Dave ldquoA new concept in regulators the Modu-flex clip technology system has just been released No special tools in fact no span-ners at all are needed

to take the unit apart to replace a filter element for instance You sim-ply clip the unit apart by hand replace the

element and clip it together again within a minute

ldquoOn a forklift for example the glass bowl of the air preparation unit is often damaged when the forklifts bump into some-thingrdquo elaborates Dave ldquoOn a low-cost throw-away unit yoursquod have to carry a spare unit to replace the whole unit With the new technology howev-er you simply clip off the damaged part to zap a new one into place In terms of cylinders and actuators the latest development is self-lubricating seals which require no additional lubri-cation whatsoeverrdquo

One of the main drawbacks of pneumatics over hydraulics is that a pneumatic cylinder has to be much larger than a hydraulic cylinder in order to deliver the same power However this does not rule out using pneumatics in heavier applications especially underground where the use of air is generally safer and cleaner than hydraulic oils in the first place

UndergroundldquoA while back we were approached by a platinum mine to design a pneumatic system to open and close underground tipsrdquo Andrew explains ldquoTo prevent people from falling into the ore tip it had to be closed with a heavy steel lid between off-loading operations We not only designed a suit-able pneumatic system but also took part in the installation on various levels all the way down to three kilometres undergroundrdquo

Like many other products there are cheap and nasty pneumatic products on the market and cost is not always an indication of inferiority ldquoThe safe route is to always buy from reputable companies who have been around for a long time and who trade in well-known brandsrdquo Dave says in conclusion ldquoSerious consideration should also be given to the repairability of the equipment Itrsquos no use installing a low cost system which has to be replaced regu-larly while another could last a lifetime if properly looked afterrdquo

Dave Mc Nair Applied pneumatics Tel (011) 792-3381 Email davenappliedpneumaticscoza

No special tools in fact no spanners at all are needed to take the unit apart to replace a filter element for instance

HYDRAULICS amp PNEUMATICS

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 23

TICK

ER T

APE

POWER GENERATION

PROMECH PUBLISHINGTel (011) 781-1401Fax (011) 781-1403Email samechengpromechcozaWebsite wwwpromechcozaManaging Editor Susan CustersEditorial Kowie HammanAdvertising Mark BennettCirculation Catherine MacdivaDTP Zinobia Docrat Donovan VadivaluDisclaimerPROMECH Publishing does not take responsibility for the opinions expressed by individuals

CopyrightAll rights reserved No editorial matter published in ldquoPower Generation Todayrdquo may be reproduced in any form or language without written per-mission of the publishers While every effort is made to ensure accurate reproduction the editor authors publishers and their employees or agents shall not be responsible or in any way liable for any errors omissions or inaccuracies in the publication whether arising from negligence or otherwise or for any consequences aris-ing therefrom The inclusion or exclusion of any product does not mean that the publisher or editorial board advocates or rejects its use either gener-ally or in any particular field or fields

POWERGENERATION

TODAY

Harnessing the Powers of the Ocean

Luciano Garcia-Baylleres COO at HAE

Tidal power has long been utilised as an energy resource used early on in tidal mills to grind grain throughout the Middle Ages More recently it has also been used to generate electricity for instance in the 240 MW tidal barrages at La Rance France Tidal currents however are still largely an untapped energy source While several marine current turbine prototypes

have been tested in the last few years there are only a few of these prototypes deployed to generate electrical power to smaller communities

mainly to demonstrate the viability of the technology

There is currently a renewed interest in using the ocean to generate electric-ity using both traditional hydropower technologies and new hydrokinetic

technologies This interest is being spurred on by official and private initiatives to promote the development of cleaner energy sources and diversification of energy supplies through use of alternative and renewable sources

Tidal energyTidal energy projects hold the promise of producing indigenous renewable predictable electricity without greenhouse gas emissions and with higher power densities in terms of power output per unit area than either solar photovoltaic or wind projects

The International Finance Corporation (IFC) the World Bankrsquos private-sector lending arm is partner-ing with Sasfin Bank to develop a portfolio of energy efficiency and renewable-energy financial products for small medium-sized and microenterprises (SMMEs) in South Africa

Alstom South Africa and the South African Nuclear Energy Corporation (Necsa) have signed an agreement under which the local branch of the French power generation power transmission and rail infrastructure

group will invest R8-million in buying equipment for the new coded welding centre being established at Necsarsquos Nuclear Skills Development (NSD)

The operation and maintenance (OampM) costs of wind farms in South Africa were expected to be in the mid-range of the international market Mott MacDonald consultant Matthias Vinard has reported adding that OampM costs ranged from euro28kW a year to euro68kW a year in international markets

24 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

ocean currents driven for instance by thermal gradients or differences in salinity Along the South African east coast the Agulhas Current is one of the most consistent sea currents in the world and this area has now been identified as the ideal spot to test technology developed by an American company Hydro Alternative Energy (HAE) from Florida USA

Current plans with the local gov-ernment of eThekwini Municipality in Durban supporting the concept of a hydrokinetic energy project off the cityrsquos coast calls for HAE to

initially develop a $20 million 1MW demonstration unit utilising the companyrsquos Oceanus technology to generate electric power from the Agulhas current flowing past the city Additional units each with an anticipated electric power generation capacity of 8 megawatts may then be built and likewise be submerged approximately 30 metres below sea level to prevent interference with shipping traffic

ldquoSA Mechanical Engineerrdquo has a QampA session with Luciano Garcia-Baylleres the Chief Operation Of-ficer (COO) of HAE about the project

Q Some background on HAEA HAE founded in March 2009 is an emerging independent power provider (ldquoIPPrdquo) focused on utilising hydrokinetic and other power develop-ment sources to generate electric power worldwide safely cost-effectively reliably and profitably with minimal or no ecological impact

Our business model provides for utilising certain of our own proprietary technology identifying and locating existing and new technologies and when appropriate partnering with others for our power development and generation needs

Q The South Africa connection with the companyA Research by our technical department identified several places throughout the world as optimal for the initial deployment and commercialisation of our technology After extensive research of each location

POWER GENERATIONTI

CKER

TA

PE

Tidal energy projects may also be useful in lsquofilling in the gapsrsquo in generating power from other intermit-tent energy sources such as wind farms

Marine current energy conversion concerns the po-tential generation of electricity from kinetic energy of freely-flowing water This contrasts with tradi-tional hydro power like a dam where the amount of energy extracted from a river is dependent on the head between the reservoir and the water level below the dam

A similar hydro power approach can in fact be used for tidal power in areas with high tides In this case a barrage can be constructed in a nar-row bay or estuary to utilise the head between low and high water

Consistent currentAnother way to generate electricity from water would be to convert the kinetic energy of flowing water similar to the way a wind turbine extracts energy from the wind In such a case a dam or reservoir is not necessary but rather sites are chosen where the currents are strong such as a narrow sound straight estuary around a headland or in a river

The term lsquomarine currentrsquo constitutes any kind of water current be it tidal unregulated rivers or other

Flow anlysis carried out for current simulations

Another way to generate electricity from water would be to convert the kinetic energy of flowing water similar to the way a wind turbine extracts energy from the wind

Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) MD Noah Gwariro says the state-owned company needs at least $300-million to refurbish thermal power stations in Bulawayo Harare and Munyati and to increase their generation capacities

The planned Karuma hydropower project will have capacity to generate 700MW

and is one of the high-priority projects in Ugandarsquos National Development Plan

The State-owned Ethiopian Electric Power Corporation (EEPCo) has signed a $120-million contract with UK-based company Canbridge Industries for the construction of a 50 MW waste-to-energy power plant

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 25

POWER GENERATION

The components of a sea current power gererating system

The Aghullas current and eThekwini Municipality with their infrastructure qualified human resource and an approach to facilitating large scale green projects was the appropriate site for this first endeavour

How the energy is harnessed

and all the surrounding benefits apart from the presence of good quality currents such as politi-cal stability port infrastructure and focus on green projects we determined that South Africa with its infrastructure qualified human resource and an approach to facilitating large scale green projects was the appropriate site for our first endeavour

Q Background on what the project is all aboutA OceanusTM our first power generation system which we are currently developing and which utilises much of our own proprietary technology is planned to harness the kinetic energy of the ocean to produce safe clean reliable cost-effective electric power

Oceanus will consist of two primary modules the amplification module (the shroud) and the engine module The shroud is a housing that will multiply the normal incoming water flow to a faster velocity as it passes through the engine module generat-ing more kinetic energy This will in turn result in potentially greater electrical power generation capability as well as potentially increased usable offshore locations worldwide

Velocity is the major factor which dictates the hydrokinetic energy that can be extracted from water Within the hydrokinetic energy sector of the renewable andor clean energy industry we have seen that research and development has generally focused on developing energy generation technolo-gies for environments that can only work in very high water velocity environments such as 3 4 5 metres per second While these areas of extreme water velocity are very high in hydrokinetic energy they only exist in a very small percentage of the worldrsquos waters

Our goal is to provide electric power to locations

Shroud

Engine module

Combine modular design

worldwide utilising the kinetic energy in lsquotypicalrsquo water conditions Our current design specifications have a base need of 1 metre per second of water

26 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

POWER GENERATION

flow which by amplifying the velocity is planned to produce 1MW of power This design specification once successfully tested may then be adapted into higher velocity waters As most locations in the world have lower velocity waters a turbine designed to work in 3 4 or 5 metres per second water flows will not work in waters that have velocities of 1-2 metres per second

Q How does it workA The theory behind the development of the system is quite basic having been previously used in other energy production systems such as wind and tidal energy generation Basically the engine is composed of an energy extraction system such as but not limited to our perpendicular access turbine a gorlov turbine a darrieus turbine and an Axial turbine

The other module is the shroud which handles two functions serving as an accelerator of the water ve-locity thus increasing the amount of kinetic energy that can be extracted Secondly it houses the engine protecting marine life from direct contact with the tip of the blades Also Oceanus is designed to be positively buoyant and either secured to the ocean floor or to float at a certain predetermined depth while moored to the ocean floor utilising the same techniques that are currently used in mooring floating oil rigs buoys or floating windmill systems

Q How will it work in KZNA There will be a demonstration unit initially and then we will start the commercial phase by entering into the normal contracts and procedures for energy generation in the country This entails a very large investment from our company where we will focus on potentially buildingassembling the units in Durban thus taking advantage of the excellent and qualified infrastructure it has

Q Who is involved locallyA We have no partners as far as investors or concerns as yet on the South African project but we are not against this possibility in the future From the facilita-tion point of view we have received a lot of support from Derek Morgan at the eThekwini Energy Office and Russell Curtis at DIPA each with their respective teams and other government offices that have been very forthcoming with information and support

Q What equipment does it use ndash where will this be madeA We have already scouted several facilities in Durbanrsquos ship building industry as well as other possible suppliers ranging from the maritime indus-try financial sector to legal consultants in order to make sure that we are in compliance with all regulations and that our perception of excellence from the South African maritime industry is in fact there

Q At what stage is the project nowA The project is currently at an initial logistics stage where we are looking at a more site specific design for the demonstration unit At the same time we are gathering all the information with our lawyers and possible suppliers for the norms procedures permits and licences necessary to comply with local and national regulations

Q Where will power go to A From our initial discussions with the regulatory bodies this energy can be locally distributed and then taken up by the grid as needed This will de-pend on the results of the demonstration unit and the first commercial unit operation which we are confident will exceed expectations

Q Are there sceptics criticsA As discussed before the basic technology has been used in other sectors of the energy generation industry what is being developed by us is the ef-ficient shroud and the maintenance systems which include buoyancy controls and depth determination in order to locate the most efficient current

Q Are there any future plans from your company for South Africa in particularA We believe that we have a good relationship with eThekwini municipality and once we fulfil our project with KZN we would then consider further expansion throughout South Africa

Q What about the other parts of AfricaA Eastern Africa in general presents very good conditions for our technology but for now we are going to concentrate our efforts on deploying this endeavour in South Africa before entertaining new opportunities

Luciano Garcia-Baylleres COO at HAE Tel 561-900-7200 EmailLgarciaHAE-USAcom wwwHAE-USAcom

We will focus on potentially building assembling the units in Durban thus taking advantage of the excellent and qualified infrastructure it has

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 27

POWER GENERATION NEWS

MTN has announced that it has entered into a com-mercial arrangement to sell its carbon credits to EDF Trading in an industry first The credits will be pro-duced by MTNrsquos tri-generation plant at 14th Avenue Of-fice Park in Fairland Johannesburg

EDF Trading is a whol-ly-owned subsidiary of Electriciteacute de France SA one of the largest compliance buyers covered by the European Union Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS)

The carbon credit project utilises a Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) meth-odology developed by MTN approved by the United Nations Framework Con-vention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) It is currently in the process of being registered with the UNFCCC Once registered MTN will sell the carbon credits from the project to EDF Trading

The project will make use of the MTN energy-efficient 2MW tri-generation plant at its Fairland office park Tri-generation is the concurrent production of electric-ity heating and cooling which provides

Carbon Credits power hot wa-ter space heat-

ing and cooling for air conditioning

from a single source

Egoli gas is used for the operation

sourced from the Sasol pipeline in Mozambique

The plant displaces grid electricity from Eskom

reducing greenhouse gas emissions and providing up to 85

efficiency on fuel The excess heat at some 400degC is captured

and used to supply heating and to operate an absorption chiller which creates cool water that is used to power an extensive air-conditioning system

Natural gas is clean burning and offers a consistent supply but simply using this to generate electricity would have been too expensive The saving achieved by capturing the waste heat combined with the additional revenue from the sale of the carbon credits however makes the project economically viablerdquo

Promethuim Robbie Louw Tel (011) 706-8185 Email Robbiepromethiumcozawwwpromethuimcoza

Countries across South East Asia Africa and the Middle East have been amending their regulatory frameworks and embarking on privatisation as many of them are in serious need of external fund-ing to ensure that their respective electricity industries are capable of dealing with the inevitable surge in demand The cumulative installed power capacity for these regions according to 2012 estimates will be 212 Gigawatts (GW) However this figure is expected to shoot up to 349 GW by 2020 climbing at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 64

Emerging Power Markets

Rising industrialisa-tion ever-increasing population figures and growing economies all point to an electrical future that most infra-structure systems are currently incapable of handling Therefore to achieve greater in-dustry efficiency and encourage competition governments across this region are opening up their electricity markets and increasing private sector participation The region will have to invest heavily in order to

increase its installed capacity and improve its existing infrastructure

Transmission networks in many of these countries are already under tremendous pressure to supply power without interruption and many new transmission projects are already underway or in the pipeline Therefore energy policy reforms are set to open the doors and create positive opportunities for growth in in the near future this according to Jonathan Cain of GBI Research

GBI ResearchJonathan Cain Tel +44 1204 543 533 Emailjcaingbiresearchcom wwwgbiresearchcom

28 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

POWER GENERATION NEWS

With Gensler Architects Aurecon has completed the design on the faccedilade of what will be Chinarsquos tallest building At 632m the Shanghai Centre is more than 100m taller than the recently-completed Shanghai Financial Centre and is designed as a sustainable eco-tower that sets a new benchmark not only for the region but also the world

Sustainable green features include tri-

Bioclimatic buildingGreywater recycling systems lo-cated at basement and at mid-level have been installed to collect greywater generated from lavatory or bathtub for reuse reducing potable water demand for the office tower by about 40

The ice storage system shifts part of the peak electricity demand of the chillers into the night modeoff peak operation Storage capacity is 26 400 Refrigerant Ton (RT) which reduces about 30 of the summit demand by about 3 through this ice cooling storage system and save up to the yearly energy cost for the user

A large volume water deluge system with rotational nozzles

installed at mid-level of the atria deliv-ers a large volume and accurate water spray onto fire with the assistance of Infra-red detection to lock the exact location and very early warning smoke detection apparatus system

A double curtain wall design provides better control on solar energy entering the tower building resulting in energy saving

Aerecon Group Jody Boshoff Tel (012) 427-2066 Email JodyBoshoffaurecongroupcomwwwaurecongroupcom

generation plant consisting of two sets of 11MW natural gas turbine generating electricity

chilled water hot water and heating water Simultaneous heat recovery of the hot flue gas produced from the tur-bines reduces carbon dioxide by 49 compared with the regular electrical cooling system

15 nos of 3kW vertical axis wind turbines (VAWTs) on the roof provide 157 500 kWh of clean and renewable electricity annually

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 29

Willem Sullivan of HansenA better artificial heart for people who are not eligible for natural heart transplants

Jean Schoeman of National Oilwell Varco My own jet aeroplane

Chris Coetzee of Resonant SolutionsThe problem in industry is practical engineering experience Young engineers donrsquot get the opportunity to learn the practical stuff Irsquod start an academy which teaches the practical side where you can learn from your mistakes Unfortunately mistakes cost money but if you have all the money in the world they can afford to learn from mistakes

In your book what is the most pivotal invention ever

Elbie Cornelius of National Oilwell Varco The computer

Chris Coetzee of Resonant SolutionsI canrsquot see how you can run a business without cellphones

Rudolph Beer of Martin EngineeringThe wheel

Willem Sullivan of HansenFor me personally Excel Without it my world will be dull and lifeless For the world at large Electricity because without it Excel will not be possible

Jean Schoeman of National Oilwell Varco The personal computer

OPINION

On his rounds Kowie Hamman our Editor is conducting an informal survey on the lighter side of engineering We follow up from last month with three pertinent questions

Soapbox

What do you think of computers and the digital world

Elbie Cornelius of National Oilwell Varco Awesome changing our world

Chris Coetzee of Resonant SolutionsNinety percent of all engineering is done using computers but if you rely solely on them yoursquove missed the plot because you always have to verify results by going back into the field to test what yoursquove done on the computer

Rudolph Beer of Martin EngineeringYou canrsquot do without them

Willem Sullivan of HansenIt is where I do all my design work So if it was not for computers we would be decades behind in terms of what we can do I absolutely love it

Greg Perry of SEWThey have definitely made things faster but the en-gineer still needs to understand the theory and pay attention to the detail or you make mistakes faster

Jean Schoeman of National Oilwell Varco Very useful until they give problems Then you just want to hit them with a hammer But the digital world has managed to speed up the communica-tion of information

If you had all the money in the world what would you design

Elbie Cornelius of National Oilwell Varco A solar and wind power station to supply the whole continent with electricity

Rudolph Beer of Martin EngineeringDevelop the safe harvesting of atomic energy

30 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

ldquoSA Mechanical Engineerrdquo speaks to Dave Goodman managing director of Spectra Car-bide Tooling Technology in Cape Town about the various management models they have

developed specifically to control tooling ldquoOur tool management systems were developed through our involvement with some of the major automotive OEMs in South Africardquo he says ldquoThe management system where we take over full control of the tool-ing facility on the premises has been running for twelve years now at some of these plants

Systems for allldquoBut these systems are not only for OEMs and

large operationsrdquo Dave remarks ldquoTo meet dif-ferent requirements we now have four levels of management systems on offer each requiring a different level of active involvement from our side This varies from purely holding stock to supply for a customerrsquos specific needs right through to taking over full control of tooling by having a permanent on-site office manned by fulltime Spectra staffrdquo

A typical level 4 operation with a Spectra team permanently stationed on the customerrsquos premises will be equipped with a fully-computerised store inventory system to control the purchasing of all tooling from spindle to point ldquoThe team will control all the new stock and used tools by negotiating and dealing with tier two suppliers as wellrdquo explains sales manager Wayne Williams ldquoThey are also responsible for presetting tools ready for produc-tion as well as collecting and delivering tools to and from the machines in addition to providing technical support 7 days a week 24 hours a day

BenefitsOne of the cost saving benefits for the customer is less administration because the Spectra team consolidates all invoices so the customer receives

Managing ToolingIn most machine shops the tooling is usually under lock and key to limit access to high-value tool inserts such as end-mills drills reamers and burrs Even so many companies suffer considerable losses as these costly tools get lost are pilfered or are misused because there isnrsquot a proper

management system in place over and above lock and key to control who takes what from the store

To meet different requirements we now have four levels of management on offer each requiring a different level of active involvement from our side

Managing machine tools saves money

Dave Goodman managing director of Spectra Carbide Tooling Technology

MATERIAL SELECTION

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 31

one invoice per month In addition the customer has a highly skilled specialist in-house on tap to provide technical assistance for all tooling drilling tapping milling boring gundrilling honing and line boring on CNC and conventional machines ldquoFrom the management system we can draw extensive reporting for the customer regarding the costs per unit manufactured We produce monthly graphs for trending as well as daily incident reports on tool breakages weekly costs on scrapped tools and we also work out action plans to reduce scrap and improve up-time of the machinesrdquo Wayne adds

In essence this value-add for the customer allows preventative action which ultimately saves the customer money Dave explains ldquoGiven the skills shortage out there no company can afford the personnel purely to manage the machine shop in so much detail With this system we not only fill the skills-gap by integrating with the company but we add value to the company so that they can focus on what they manufacturerdquo

New product developmentIntegration into the customersrsquo operation has proved particularly beneficial when it comes to new product developments Wayne elaborates ldquoWersquore always up to date with the latest technology in tooling and know what can be done in the best possible way Usually it will take a machine shop a while to select the right tooling and method to produce

a new part but with our experts right there on site they can be assured of finding the most suitable solution using the right tooling from the startrdquo

Vending systemOn a lower level of tool management where the operation does not justify a permanent Spectra team on site the company has a tooling vending machine solution ldquoAll the tooling is stored in a vending machine and access to draw the tools out of the machine is controlled by a card or finger-print readerrdquo explains Dave ldquoSuch a system does however have a reporting function which allows the customer to draw the machining cost against each specific job

ldquoThis system has proved popular in South Africa because it can be customised to control the specific functions relevant to each customerrdquo adds David ldquoPart and parcel of this cost-saving solution is training the customer on how best to utilise the system for his needs be it purely controlling the use of tooling or integrating reporting and costing into the business system of the companyrdquo

Wayne Williams Spectra Tel (011) 827-8957 Email waynewspectra-sacoza

From the management system we can draw extensive reporting for the customer regarding the costs per unit manufactured

Special carbide drills reamers end mills and special inserts are manufactured in South Africa

MATERIAL SELECTION

32 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 33

Cubitron can be used to finish profile and or polish materials with high tensile strengths and is particularly useful to extend the lifetime of belts and discs in industrial environments

where hard materials are the order of the dayrdquo

Consistent cutFinishes are little changed through the entire dura-tion of a Cubitron belt from new to completely worn out The secret is that the cutting edges wear in a controlled manner This means that the tiny indi-vidual scratches are the same when the belt is first

put on until it is worn and ready for replacement

ldquoThere are a multitude of cutting edges on each individual grain of the extremely hard ceramic based grain As the grain wears new cutting edges are exposed in a predictable and measured manner to ensure that a consistent action is applied to the surfacerdquo she adds

Using the same ceramic platform 3M developed Cubitron II providing even better results than its predecessor 3M engineers were able to electrostati-cally orient triangular precision shaped ceramic grain acting like a cutting tool This means that the grain slices through metal as opposed to grinding and continuously self-sharpens as points break off This results in discs and belts running cooler and longer The Cubitron II technology is applied in

Starting from Scratch

SURFACE FINISHING

ldquoTo scratch the surface as the saying goes of most modern materials and coatings is not as easy as it used to be Thatrsquos why we developed Cubitron Abrasive Grainrdquo says Kelly Hunt

sales and marketing manager of 3M

34 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

Scratccchingg thhe surfface of abrasivvves ttecchnnologgy is too oopen a compplex sccience

SURFACE FINISHING

belt fibre disc and Roloc form offer-ing a unique solution for wide range of grinding needs

Scratching the surfaceKelly is an abrasives fanatic She says scratching the surface of abrasives technology is to open a complex sci-ence Analysis of different materials and techniques of cutting or finishing has in recent years become a necessity as materials develop and advance Bonding of abrasive onto materials for discs and belts is also more complex than before as manufacturing becomes automated and the tolerance for down-time reduces

But for the average operator technician or engineer it is not so much a matter of what goes into the development of a product but rather finding the solution that suits the intended process The minimum requirement is for a product to perform reliably over an extended period of time and to produce the right finish

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 35

Sometimmess a less expeeensiive buuut mmooree suitaaablee abbrasssivee ccaan give bettterr reesulttss

SURFACE FINISHING

ldquoUsing the abrasives to determine a finish can be as simple or as com-plicated as the producer of finished goods chooses to make it With so many choices available in the market we recommend that industrial users iden-tify the requirements of the abrasive and then speak to trained service technicians from suppliers such as 3M

Not about priceldquoPrice is not always the determining factor Some-times a less expensive but more suitable abrasive can give better results and in other instances the use of cheaper materials in the wrong application may be costly as materials will need to be replaced more oftenrdquo

Kelly recommends that us-ers of industrial abrasives take the time to research new products and as-sess their suitability for their processes ldquoYoursquoll be surprised that some of the new abrasives can do the job better and in half the time than older technology abrasives canrdquo she concludes

3M Dylan Ian Hunter Tel (011) 806-2186 Email dhuntermmmcom www3Mcom

36 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

IT TRENDS

ldquo M o b i l e c o m p u t i n g

continues to grow and alongside other IT trends

such as cloud computing social technologies and the era of big data It is going to play a pivotal role in the IT industry this year In factrdquo Derick adds

Mobile Computing

Mobile computing is growing momentously and is set to account for as much as 57 of worldwide T market growth in 2013 says Derick Roberts CEO of TruTeq Devices a Pretoria-based

company focusing on wireless connectivity solutions

ldquoit is going to account for the lionrsquos share of growth ndash even more than the cloud computingrdquo

The IDC predicts that worldwide IT spending will exceed $21 trillion up 57 from 2012 The research company also states that mobility will be the biggest driver Sales of smart mobile devices including smart phones and tablets is expected to grow by 20 and will contribute a significant 57 of all IT growth Excluding smart mobile devices IT industry growth will clock in at only 29

Truteq Devices Derick Roberts Tel (012) 667-1530 wwwtruteqdevicescom

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 37

ELECTRIC DRIVE

The technology performance and design of the Cigarette powerboat is closely based on the electric super sports vehicle made in Affalterbach Germany

The 116 metre long Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept powerboat uses two drive units each featuring six independent electric motors At the rear of the boat each drive unit has its own trans-mission one on the left and one on the right The boat is fitted with the twelve compact liquid-cooled permanent-magnet synchronous electric motors which are the signature piece of the SLS AMG Coupeacute Electric Drive each electric motor delivers 138 kW and 250 Newton metres

The maximum output of 1 656 Kilowatts and maximum torque of 3 000 Newton metres combine to reach a staggering top speed of over 160 kmh making this locally emission-free Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept the worlds fastest electri-cally driven powerboat The low centre of gravity and optimum weight distribution ensure sublime

The Worlds Most Powerful Powerboat

handling characteristics during more dynamic changes of direction

The high-voltage battery boasts an energy content of 60 Kilowatt hours an electric load potential of 600 Kilowatts and a weight of 548 kg ndash all of which are absolute best values in the automotive sector The liquid-cooled lithium-ion high-voltage battery features a modular design with a maximum voltage of 400 V It consists of 12 modules each comprising 72 lithium-ion cells ldquoCigaretterdquo inte-grates four high-tech batteries with a total of 48 modules and 3 456 cells which generate a total capacity of 240 Kilowatt hours and an electric output of 2 400 Kilowatts respect even in the boat building industry

The Cigarette on-board chargers as standard Adapted to fit the infrastructure standard of many American marinas the boat has a charging capac-ity of 44 Kilowatts The battery is fully charged in approximately seven hours To reduce the charging time to less than three hours the powerboat can be fitted with four on-board chargers as an option

Mercedes-Benz Shirle Greig Tel (012) 677-1904 Email shirlegreigdaimlercom wwwmercedes-benzsacoza

Mercedes-AMG and Cigarette Racing launched the latest development of their cooperation at the Miami International Boat Show in February Numerous components from the SLS AMG Coupeacute Electric Drive have been integrated in the design of the Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept engineering design The high performance drive fitted in the electric super sports car makes the off shore powerboat the worlds most

powerful and fastest electrically-driven motor boat With an output of 1 656 Kilowatts and a maximum torque of 3 000 Newton metres the Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept is a fascinating new development

Combine to reach a staggering top speed of over 160 kmh

38 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

ENVIRONMENT

They have been in service for decades

under the toughest conditions ndash and

have proven themselves worldwide

Voith fluid couplings protect belt con-

veyors and drive components by provid-

ing smooth acceleration and torque

control allowing for frequent loaded

starts with the least amount of stress on

the drive and belt

In multi-motor drives they ensure pre-

cise load distribution Result fewer

downtimes ndash and the service life of the

belt and the drive components is in-

creased The latest product innovation is

the Voith TurboBelt 780 TPXL

infovtzavoithcom

wwwrsavoithturbocom

Protect Your Belt Conveyors with

Voith Fluid Couplings

ai_a

it_44

0_e

n ai

k

Water Disclosure ReportingJust as companies are addressing their carbon emissions and

provide carbon reporting to the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) water is becoming a growing priority

Reporting on it is becoming another critical sustainability issue

2011 saw a marked increase in the number of the worldrsquos largest companies reporting on their water usage on the risks that water presents and on their responses to

that risk Responses from these companies indicate that water is impacting global business now and yet water is not nearly as high on the corporate agenda as climate change

Evidence is mounting that South Africa is facing a water crisis of substantial proportions This crisis encompasses all aspects of water management on both the demand and supply side The mounting impacts of acid mine drainage and declining wa-ter quality add to the crisis South Africarsquos water security is likely to be further complicated by an increasingly uneven and unpredictable supply of rainfall as a result of climate change and by a reli-ance on significant water transfers from neighbour-

ing countries In meeting this crisis South Africa will have to resolve tough trade-offs in water use between agriculture key industrial activities such as mining and power generation and the supply to rapidly growing urban centres

Evidence is clearJSE 100 companies will need to show leadership in sustainably managing the water resources on which they rely for their day-to-day business operations The available evidence is clear It is not sustainable to continue exploiting water resources by follow-ing a lsquobusiness as usualrsquo approach If this is the case South Africarsquos freshwater resources will be depleted and unable to meet the needs of people and industry in the next 20 years if not before

In 2011 the response rate to the CDP Water Disclosure amongst South African companies was 46 (26 out of 56 companies) Many of South Africarsquos most significant corporate water users are therefore not yet able to or are not yet ready to report on their water-related risks

Promethuim Robbie Louw Tel (011) 706-8185 Email Robbiepromethiumcoza wwwpromethuimcoza

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 39

EXHIBITION

The Steel and Engineering Industries Federation (SEI-FSA) the Lifting Equipment Engineering Association

of SA (LEEASA) the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA) and the SA Institute of Welding (SAIW) have thrown their weight behind the biggest industrial and engineering trade show in Africa

The three-day 10-shows-in-one event takes place from 14 to 16 May 2013 at Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand Johannesburg

SEIFSA Conference at Indutec The Steel and Engineering Indus-tries Federation of South Africa (SEIFSA) will hold its annual conference at Indutec celebrating 70 years of active support for its members industry and business in Africa The federation has over 2 220 member companies which employ more than 224 000 people comprising 53 of the industryrsquos workforce

SAIW ldquoWe take our affiliations with leading industry players very seriously including our en-dorsement of Indutecrdquo says Jim Guild chief executive officer of the SA Institute of Welding ldquoThese industry ties form part of our strategy to create strong relationships which support our objective and Governmentrsquos mandate to enhance the manufacturing sector in South Africardquo

LEEASAThe Lifting Equipment Engineer-ing Association of South Africa (LEEASA) which is a division of the Chamber of Engineering Tech-

nology (COET) will also be using its endorsement of Indutec to promote its activities in the engineer-ing and technology sectors in general Chamber spokesperson Viv Nel says its exposure at the fair will create more awareness of the Chamberrsquos role in all engineering and technology-driven industries

ECSAIndustry regulator the Engineering Council of South Africa shares these aims ldquoAs a custodian of en-gineering intellectual capital in South Africa our endorsement of Indutec provides us with a platform to publicise our role in the engineering sector and government infrastructure initiativesrdquo says Edgar Sabela ECSArsquos Strategic Services Executive

ldquoWe need to produce 10 times more engineers to compete with developed economies Involvement with the Indutec show will allow us to promote engineering as a career through our Engenius Programme and showcase our existing engineer-ing excellence Most importantly it enables us to network with all key players in the field and even conclude some businessrdquo

Tenfold Benefits to ExhibitorsJohn Thomson managing director of Exhibition Management Services organisers of the 10-in-one Fair says the unqualified support from leading in-dustry bodies indicates the showrsquos tenfold value to the engineering industrial and technology sectors ldquoThis undoubtedly translates into multiple benefits for the showrsquos exhibitors and ultimately to show visitorsrdquo he concludes

Indutec Serean ThomsonTel (011) 783 7250 Email marketingexhibitionsafricacom wwwexhibitionsafricacom

Boosting the Manufacturing Sector32 of South Africarsquos leading industrial and engineering professional and employer associations Chambers and

Councils have collectively endorsed Indutec the recently launched South African Industry and Technology Fair 2013

Promech Publishing through SA Mechanical Engineer and Bulk Handling Today will produce and publish the Official Catalogue for this prestigious show

Make sure your presence is felt before during and after the show by advertising in this one-of-a-kind reference publication

Contact Mark Bennett Tel (011) 781-1401 Email samechengpromechcoza

Jim Guild CEO of the SA Institute of Welding

Edgar Sabela - ECSArsquos Strategic Services Executive

Adelia Pimentel - Marketing and Communications Manager SEIFSA

40 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

MARKET FORUM

ldquoBMG has identified a need in diverse sectors for on-site maintenance services to overcome production challengesrdquo says Dave Russell technical director BMG ldquoRecognising the extreme constraints of high energy prices low productivity the critical skills shortage and a highly competitive economic environment BMG brings a total solutions service to the fore

ldquoIndustry can now access all critical production efficient products and services from one supplier What this means is lower production costs and higher pro-duction efficiency giving South African industry a distinct competitive advantage

ldquoBMGrsquos on-site services include applica-

tion design evaluation and optimisation as well as installation trouble-shooting and service exchange contracts The company also offers predictive planned and breakdown maintenance and energy and reliability studiesrdquo

The company also offers extensive train-ing which covers electrical mechanical hydraulic pneumatic electronic and materials handling disciplines as well as predictive maintenance and component failure analysis

BMG ndash Bearing Man Group Veronique van Niekerk Tel (031) 576-6221Email veroniquevbmgworldnet wwwbmgworldnet

Tenova Takraf Africa (formerly Bateman Engineered Technologies) is putting the final pieces together in completing an order for the supply of a 55m x 275m hydraulically-driven SAG mill to Ontario Graphite operators of the Kearney Mine located in Kearney O n t a r i o Canada

ldquoTenovarsquos scope

Unique SAG Mill in Canada

ABB started with a bang following the order of 2 400 robots by BMW Group Over the next three years the robots will be installed at factories in Regensburg and Leipzig Germany as well as in Tiexi China The ABB robots will mainly be used for mate-rial handling tasks as well as gluing and spot welding processes

ABB robots enable customers to implement efficient manufacturing systems that sustainably produce high-quality products The com-panyrsquos range of products and solu-tions for lean manufacturing cover the range from body-in-white to the final assembly of complete car bodies They improve competitiveness and at the same time optimally comply with customer specifications ABB has installed more than 200 000 robots worldwide

ABB Robotics Natasha Mathebula Tel (010) 202-6156 Email natashamathebulazaabbcom wwwabbcom

2400

Robots

Total Solution

of work includes the engineering manufacturing shipping and technical assistance during erection of the SAG millrsquos feed end shell discharge end drive and main bearings as well as all supporting equipment (lubrication and jacking systems)rdquo says Tenova Takraf

engineer Pieter van der Walt ldquoThe main hydraulic motor and rubber

shell liners were outside our commercial scope of supply but inside our technical

scope of supplyrdquo he adds

The mill is a conventional SAG (semi-autogenous grinding) mill in all ways apart from its drive assem-bly and it is centre-driven

at the discharge end using a Haggluumlnds hydraulic motor and powerpack ldquoTo date this is the largest hydraulic motor installed on a SAG mill with 950kW of power torque of 1 200 kNm (start-up) and 650 kNm (operational) and speed of 1386 rpmrdquo adds Pieter

Since the mill had to be retrofitted to an existing foundation a number of adaptations were required to maintain the mill centreline as well as feed-end and discharge-end positions Certain additions were required to anchor the main motor torque arm

Tenova Takraf Pieter van der Walt Tel (011) 899-2372 Email pietervanderwaltbatemancom wwwtenovagroupcom

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 41

MARKET FORUM

World Record

The ADR plant at Kisladag Mine

FLSmidth designs and manufactures indirect heated carbon regeneration kilns and calciners from half a ton per day and larger These kilns and calciners can be fuel gas oil or electric and are skid mounted pre-wired and pre-piped The companyrsquos patented bellows kiln seal has proved effective in eliminating air ingress and process gas egress and can be retrofitted to kilns from other manufacturers FLSmidth holds the world record for the lowest emissions on a carbon plant

And at the companyrsquos Merrill Crowe plant capacities range from skid mounted 34 cubic metres per hour modular plants to full size 2 100 cubic metres per hour The range of supply for plants includes clarification filters de-aeration towers vacuum pumps zinc dust feeders lead nitrate feeders and zinc cones precipitate filter feed pumps filter pre-coat and body feed systems as well as precipitate filters used by refinery and smelting facilities to produce gold bullion

These plants incorporate proprietary zinc dustlead nitrate feeder and mix-ing cone system The company offers individual plant components and partial or complete plant equipment packages together with total plant design

FLSmidth Terence Osborn Tel (010) 210-4820

Magnet has extended its range of abrasive products to include 3Mrsquos new Cubitron II abrasive belts with enhanced grinding performance improved productivity and extended service life

ldquo3Mrsquos new technology has resulted in increased speed improved consistency and extended belt liferdquo says Brian How-arth MD Magnet ldquoThese new abrasive belts ensure up to 30 faster cutting on hard to grind metals like stainless steel nickel alloy and cobalt chrome They also divert heat from the workpiece and belt to the swarf which means cooler cutting This helps eliminate burnishing and minimises heat stress Cubitron II abrasive belts last up to four times longer than conventional ceramic aluminium oxide beltsrdquo

3M Abrasives Bradley Reddy Tel (031) 274 1050 Email bradleyrmagnetgroupcozawwwmagnetgroupcoza

4 x Longer

42 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

MARKET FORUM

X-Calibur is one of the latest product offerings from TAL and was specified to protect the concrete structure of the worldrsquos second longest cable-stayed bridge against corrosion throughout its design life

Stonecutters Bridge is a high level cable-stayed bridge which spans the Rambler Channel in Hong Kong connecting Nam Wam Kok Tsing Yi Island and Stonecut-ters Island Hong Kong is well known for its hot summer weather which is also humid and unstable Temperatures

Say No to Corrosionusually exceed 30oC during the day which coupled with high humidity can result in an extreme heat index

ldquoHot and humid environments have a great effect on the durability of concrete As a rule of thumb we say for every 10oC increase in temperature the possibility of corrosion induced damage to concrete is doubled Add humidity in a marine envi-ronment then protection of the structure is of paramount importancerdquo says Brian Davies CEO X-Calibur International In order to guard the bridge from corro-

sion X-Shield EpoxySeal CR was sup-plied to shield the prestressed concrete cable anchorages from the effects of the environment In addition X-Shield FlexCoat was used in various areas of the structure This provides corrosion protection to reinforced concrete from chloride and carbon dioxide

ldquoThe main challenge was compliance with the strict project specifications as the engineer wanted to ensure that protection would be provided throughout the design life of the structure X-Calibur

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 43

MARKET FORUM

had the products independently tested to prove compliance to all aspects of the specificationrdquo John adds

The materials were applied by spe-cialist painters who had been trained by X-Calibur ldquoMaterials were mixed and applied strictly in accordance with method statements supplied by X-Calibur to ensure working time and recoat windows were not exceededrdquo concludes John

TAL Andrew Dekker Tel (031) 579-2263 wwwtalcoza

Fluid conveyance and pumping solutions expert Incledon has supplied a large water supply line project in the Free State with a total of 4 km of Ultraflo pipes manufactured in-house by DPI Plastics - a leading manufacturer of water reticulation drainage and pipe-fitting systems in South Africa

DPI Plastics technical and product manager Renier Snyman points out that the companyrsquos range of Ultraflo pipes are manufactured from modified polyvinyl chloride (mPVC) which is specifically designed to provide similar tensile strength and greater resilience than standard PVC piping products ldquoThe Ultraflo range of pressure piping systems are ideally suited to bulk water supply projects due to the fact that mPVC is considerably more ductile than industry standard unplasticised polyvinyl chloride (uPVC)rdquo he explains

Renier notes that the ductility of the Ultraflo uPVC piping system ensures that

Large Water Supply Project

the pipes have exceptional resistance to crack propagation under pressure ldquoThe product being supplied to the water sup-ply line project is the 500 mm Ultraflo system which is the largest in the DPI Plastics range It boasts a pressure rat-ing of 12 bar with a design stress of up to 18MPa making it ideally suited as a large underground piping systemrdquo

According to Renier Ultraflo pipes offer environmental advantages too ldquoDue to its superior toughness the wall thick-ness of mPVC is less than that of uPVC This ensures that less materials are used during the manufacturing process which ultimately results in a lighter product that is easier to transport and install thereby minimising the carbon footprint of the piperdquo

DPI Plastics Martine Goodchild Tel (021) 957 5600 Email mgoodchilddpiplasticscozawwwdpiplasticscoza

Donrsquot Miss Out

Promech Publishing is putting the Visitorsrsquo Catalogue together for this Show

Contact Mark Bennett on Tel (011) 781-1401 or Email samechengpromechcoza

to book your space

44 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

MARKET FORUM

Displaying and discussing some of the Dodge housed bearings on offer to local industry and mining are (from left) Tony Patten of Specialised Bearings amp Transmission Peter Small-Shaw Wilecrsquos Product Manager Bearings and Frans Odendaal Wilecrsquos Technical Specialist Bearings

The Bearings division of Actom group company Wilec has formed a strategic alliance for the supply of Dodge housed bearings into southern Africa The partner-ship agreement with Johannesburg-based Specialised Bearings amp Transmission the local distributor for Dodge extends Wilecrsquos ability to satisfy the requirements of industry and mining in a diverse range of bearings applications

ldquoThe most exciting thing about our tie-up with Dodge is that housed bearings while already widely accepted in the US and other leading industrialised countries is a relatively new concept locally but one which offers advanced features to users compared with conventional plum-mer block arrangementsrdquo said Frans Odendaal Wilecrsquos Technical Specialist Bearings

ldquoDodge housed bearings are supplied pre-assembled and sealed so eliminating all risk of contamination during fitment The advanced sealing arrangement and unique adapter system guarantees longer

Strategic Alliance

life ndash up to six times that of a conven-tional plummer block Other cost-saving advantages are that they can be installed by a semi-skilled technician very quickly normally in less than 15 minutes and the need to measure pre- and post-reduction clearance is eliminatedrdquo

ldquoIt is a differentiated product and with it we are able to provide a bearing that is especially well suited to local conditions

and offers benefits that are of real value to customers A particularly important aspect to bear in mind is that the total cost of ownership of a Dodge bearing is significantly lower than that of the conventional product due to its greater reliability and durabilityrdquo

Wilec Frans Odendaal Tel (011) 629-9300 Email fransowileccoza

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 45

MARKET FORUM

Emis Sales 2002 part of Becker Min-ing South Africa supplies a wide range of electrical equipment up to 1 100 V for use in hazardous and non-hazardous areas in the mining petrochemical and surface industry sectors

New to the Emis range are Proloc pro-tection and control relays which are suitable for thermal overload protection of conveyors compressors crushers fan and pump motors as well as shuttle cars and flitting panels

ldquoThe stand-alone Emis ProLoc electronic protection and control relay system which has been designed for the optimum protection of motor and feeder circuits connected to outlet sockets has a wide choice of six user-selectable protection features to meet exact requirementsrdquo says Frikkie Quirk managing director Emis Sales 2002 ldquoAn important advan-tage of this system is a door mounted infra-red link that enables a laptop with Proloc software to manage all settings

and downloads without having to open the panel door and expose personnel to dangerous live equipment This is a critical requirement in the OHSA actrdquo

This system is easy to set up via the Proloc MMI 420 display man-to-machine interface or via a laptop with Proloc software

Emis Sales 2002 Tel (016) 341-6134 Email infozabecker-miningcom wwwzabecker-miningcom

Optimum Protection

Birkenmayer a material processing systems supplier in South Africa and local supplier of German-engineered Eirich material processing technology recently released the Evactherm drier a new product that marries the advantages

Superheated Vacuum Steam

of mechanical and thermo dynamical processes to provide cost-effective and highly efficient drying and processing of filter cake and sludgersquos using superheated vacuum steam

Until now it has been important to observe

a maximum middle temperature when applying direct drying to heat sensitive materials and even more important to avoid the excessive local and boundary temperatures that frequently damage the drying product Both heat and ma-terial transport need to be considered and while convective drying processes such as spray drying largely avoid these problems they are only effective if a surface is available for the hot gas flow

Adjustable for both direct and convec-tive drying and processing Evactherm driers overcome these obstacles while providing a number of further benefits

Super-heated vacuum steam performs drying and granulation while the com-bination of mechanical and thermo dynamical processes allows for low dry-ing temperatures and gentle processing of temperature sensitive materials It also enables continuous drying for long periods of time as fresh material may be continuously added into the fluidized bed replacing material that has already been vaporised

H Birkenmayer Louis Eksteen Tel (011) 970 3880-8 Email louisbirkenmayercozawwwbirkenmayercoza

The Evactherm drier

Proloc protection and control relays

46 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

The Eastern Capersquos Coega Industrial Development Zone (IDZ) is one of a number of industrial regions in South Africa to benefit from Air Products South Africarsquos strategy of long-term capital investment

A region which has long been under-served when it comes to reliable gas supply the Eastern Cape will soon have

A Long-term Viewits own air separation unit (ASU) ndash the first of its kind in the province Seelan Gounden GM supply chain at AirProd-ucts explains the reasons behind the companyrsquos latest investment

ldquoCurrently there is no local industrial gas supply in this area and cryogenic gases have to be procured elsewhere This situation compromises the service

MARKET FORUM

ART Solar specialists in the manufacture of solar photovoltaic (PV) modules for the sustainable generation of electrical power has made the following appointment an-nouncementsMark Walsh as managing director Dr Ronald FM Lange as chief operating officer Robert Ramshaw as financial manager and Gavin Rosslee as production manager

Gavin RossleeRobert RamshawMark Walsh

Jeanne Els has been appointed as Hatchrsquos Managing Director of Operations

Jeanne Els

Ronald Lange

Anton Theunissen

SKF South Africa recently appointed Anton Theunissen as Distributor De-velpoment Manager for South Africa and neighbouring coun-tries

Index to Advertisers

Axiom 12

Bearings International 36

Bibby Turboflex 28

Bonfiglioli 10

Engen 34

Festo 35

Hansen 44

Horne SA 29

IDC Inside Back Cover

ILS 32

KDP Services 22

Loesche 31

Polysius 4

PPS 11 29

Mercedes Outside Back Cover

Merseta Inside Front Cover

MIEO Outside Front Cover

Transmission Components 14

Voith 38

Yellotec 16 17

delivery to our existing customers who have to depend on product being trucked over vast distances Thus we identified the Eastern Cape as a key priority invest-ment destination with a clear need for a new air separation facility dedicated to servicing the region We chose the Coega IDZ after careful market analysis We are pleased to be able to be a part of the growth and development of the region through providing a long-needed security of supply and value-added servicerdquo

Ayanda Vilakazi head of Marketing and Communications at the Coega IDZ adds ldquoThe viability of the new ASU is indis-putable It will mean not only security of gas supply to the region benefiting the many industries here but it also means job security for other investors jobs along the value chain and scope for training and human resource develop-ment as well as enhanced Corporate Social Investment initiativesrdquo

Seelan Gounden AirProducts wwwairproductssouthafricacoza

Left to right Chris Mashigo Executive Man-ager - Business Development Coega Develop-ment Corporation Themba Khoza Executive Manager ndash Operations Coega Development Corporation Seelan Gounden GM - Supply Chain Air Products Pierre Fourie Area Sales Manager ndash Eastern Cape Air Products signed the lease agreement between the CDC and Air Products South Africa

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 47To apply online for funding of R1 million or more go to wwwidccoza

Telephone 086 069 3888Email callcentreidccoza

Driving new market innovationsThe IDC supports high-impact job creation projects acting as a

catalyst to lead new sector development and support existing

industry and sector growth in alignment with governmentrsquos

New Growth Path (NGP) National Development Plan (NDP)

and Industrial Policy Action Plan (IPAP)

The IDC Strategic High Impact Projects (SHIP) Strategic Business

Unit in partnership with the IDC Innovation Department has

launched an Open Innovation Challenge to encourage the

development and implementation of sustainable high-impact

industrial initiatives and projects

The IDC calls upon individuals engineering communities

corporates project sponsors and other related entities to enter

into a partnership to develop qualifying projects that result in

sustainable and profi table industries exploit the value-adding

opportunities of existing and new value chains and enable the

development of innovative local economies

Whatwho qualifi es

projects which enable the development of new industries

across multiple IDC focus sectors

introduce new markets and value chains or revolutionise

existing ones through the use of disruptive technologies

or new approaches

development impact and employment creation

across mandated IDC industrial sectors

SHIP wishes to ensure that the projects undertaken play a major

role in industrial development and employment creation within

the South African and SADC regions

Interested applicants are invited to submit their project

proposals online at

httpopeninnovationidccozaidc-ship-challenge between

project proposals will be informed in May regarding SHIP

wishing to partner with them in the development of the

proposed project

Please contact Bertie Strydom BertieSidccoza and

RetiefBidccoza for more information

Chillibush9119IDC

48 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

A D

aim

ler B

rand

You built the bridges the roads and the tunnels We built the carAs a member of the Engineering Council of South Africa you could qualify for exclusive offers a guaranteed 3-day service booking as well as PremiumDrive our 6 year100 000km maintenance plan To take advantage of this outstandingopportunity inform your nearest dealer of your ECSA status

Not in conjunction with other Mercedes-Benz Fleet ProgrammesOffers Excludes AMG and Limited Edition modelsVehicle specifications may vary for the South African market

Page 18: SAME Mar2013

18 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

Empowering Municipal Engineers

Corruption and tenderpreneurship fraud financial mismanagement lack of understanding of technical issues

priorities difficulties with job creation and skills shortages are just some of the challenges that face municipal engineers in South

Africa

Name and shameCESA unreservedly supports the call for the banning of public servants from doing business with the state including dealstenders with another department or municipality

ldquoWhat is at stake is not the rights of state employees to do business but rather the integrity of the state procurement system The current public procurement environ-ment in the construction sector is highly complex and conducive to corruption and manipulationrdquo warns CESA President Naren Bhojaram

The problem is further compounded by the lack of accountability and punishment for procurement irregularities and wasteful expenditureldquoThe country has good rules but no-one is playing by themrdquo he adds

CESA believes that it is irresponsible and foolhardy to place employees in positions where they can (or are tempted to) manipu-late procurement and other procedures to unfairly benefit themselves at the expense of the statetaxpayer

CESA

Unqualified people should be discouraged from trying to do the job of the municipal engineer

CESA President Naren Bhojaram

Consulting En-gineers South Africa (CESA) President Na-

ren Bhojaram believes that if South Africa is serious about the empowerment of properly-qualified municipal

engineers it should invest in various interventions such as

training development and ca-pacitating of young engineers for

employment by the local authorities and make the municipal engineering

profession attractive

Currently municipal planning is done rather superficially and only a real municipal engi-

neer and a competent team of visionary planners can sort that out

CESA calls for the embracing of the municipal engineer as a trusted ad-visor as well as creating a working environment to attract and retain municipal engineers The munici-pal engineers must be incentivised (long term employment purpose in life emoluments respect and freedom) and unqualified people

should be discouraged from trying to do the job of the municipal engineer

Stumbling BlockInfrastructure deliveryrsquos biggest stumbling block is the lack of business integrity which involves among other things socialising with clients conflict of interest use of agents and partners collusion and bribery and the disregard of procurement regulations

CESA strongly urges structural changes to the way in which municipal engineers operate including the abandonment of long-term employment contracts for key technical and managerial staff Tender and

bid evaluation committees must include technical legal and financial executives in joint sittings and professional teams must be allowed to compile reports in an independent manner on tenders for the bid evaluation committees

The South African procurement legislation should include a Bribery and Corruption Act such as the UK Bribery Act of 2010 enabling the Courts to prosecute corruption and related issues more ef-fectively as well as the naming and shaming of firms contravening the requirements of the Act

Consulting Engineers South Africa (CESA) Graham Pirie Tel (011) 463-2022Email gspiriecesacoza wwwcesacoza

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 19

ldquoSA Mechanical Engineerrdquo speaks to Willie Muller general manager at KDP Services about the modernisation of old hydraulic machinery ldquoIn terms of upgrading wersquove just

done extensive work at a steel mill to re-design

and implement new technology on a large 1 200 tonne cutting press and a shredding machinerdquo he explains ldquoBoth the machines were imported from Germany originally but have lately started picking up problems seriously hampering production flow

ldquoAfter consulting with the supplierrsquos engineers the problems persisted and the client then called us in to investigaterdquo Willie says ldquoWe found that the hydraulics on both these old machines were outdated but could be updated with new tech-nology rather than replacing the old pumps and valves with costly new imported OEM components

New Life for Old Machines

Very often the spare parts for old machinery imported and installed twenty or more years ago is hard to come by and if it is available

it costs an arm and a leg to import If the problem happens to be hydraulic there is

a local hydraulics company that specialises in updating systems so that local easily-available spares can be used to keep the machine going for many years to come

Willie Muller general manager at KDP Services

CNC machining

Overhauled cylinders ready for delivery

Large cylinder

Hydraulic motor of all makes and sizes are serviced

HYDRAULICS amp PNEUMATICS

Analyse the operation and specifically the machinersquos function in situ before returning to the drawing board to redesign the hydraulic system for better functionality

20 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

New technologyAs the designer in the company

Willie goes out to analyse the operation and specifically the machinersquos function

in situ before returning to the drawing board to redesign the hydraulic system for better

functionality This provides the opportunity not only to introduce the latest technology into the upgrade but also to ensure that easily available local components are used He adds ldquoSince our upgrade the shear which can cut through a 150 by 300mm block of steel in one cut has been run-ning smoothly with none of the previous problems cropping up againrdquo

Similarly the shredding machine where a whole vehicle is fed in one end and comes out in pieces of scrap metal the other end has also been up-graded to run consistently ever since Willie adds ldquoThrough this success wersquove now not only landed the maintenance and service contracts for this mill but theyrsquove asked us to audit the entire plant to investigate other hydraulic systems which can be improved Wersquove already re-designed one of the production lines to introduce an integrated fully automated operationrdquo

First projectWillie might be young but he has worked with KDP since his student days gaining invaluable hands-on experience in all aspects of hydraulic work from the owner of the company Karel Podges ldquoOne of my first projects as a student was designing the hydraulic system for a container lifting and tilting machine used in steel mills to collect and handle scrap metalrdquo he recalls as we come across the remnants of the prototype when we walk in the yard behind the workshop ldquoThis is probably what got me hooked on hydraulics because nothing of the sort existed and I had to design it from scratch around a structure someone else had builtrdquo

Inside the workshop we find engineering equipment ranging from lathes to modern CNC machines all humming away as hydraulic components are turned out of a variety of metals At the hose crimping machine Willie points out the neat final product for a custom-made installation theyrsquore doing One of KDPrsquos specialities is hydraulic motor overhaul-ing which is evident when we see several large Hagglunds drives in various stages of repair in the drive section of the workshop

TestingFinally we get to the test-bench area where a large cylinder is under test for leaks before being taken apart for a complete overhaul ldquoOne of the biggest mistakes generally made when it comes to hydraulic equipment is that people think they can treat the hydraulic components roughly just because they are big and ruggedrdquo Willie remarks ldquoThey lose sight of the fact that dirt is the biggest enemy and they donrsquot take the necessary care to keep the oil or equipment clean causing irreparable damage to seals and delicate surface areas in a systemrdquo

One of the main advantages of KDP is that they are not officially tied up with a specific brand of hydraulic equipment allowing them to work on and supply any make on the market Willie concludes ldquoIn addition wersquore a small company where you learn and get the opportunity to work on all types of applications So each and every problem big or small is tackled with great personal attention to detailrdquo

Willie Muller KDP Services Tel (011) 392-5750 Email williekdp-servicescoza

That people think they can treat the hydraulic components roughly just because they are big and rugged

HYDRAULICS amp PNEUMATICS

The full MontyHydraulic system design from the circuit to pumps motors and all the necessary connecting piping are designed in-house at the 22-year old com-pany ldquoWe design the complete circuit specifying all the components necessary to achieve certain functionsrdquo explains Willie ldquoSimilarly all engineer-ing is undertaken in-house except the honing and chroming of shafts when we overhaul cylinder sets New cylinders are manufactured from tubing and shafts which have already been prepared

ldquoIn terms of piping wersquove built up a good name in many industries both in new installations during maintenance shutdowns or when a fixed installa-tion needs to be movedrdquo he adds ldquoNot only do we design the layout but we physically carry out the installation work ourselves especially when it is a stainless steel pipe installation that requires argon welding to fit the fittingsrdquo

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 21

Compressed Air at Work

Pneumatic systems are extensively used in industry where factories are commonly plumbed with

compressed air or compressed inert gases This is because a centrally-located and electrically-powered

compressor which powers cylinders and other pneumatic devices through solenoid valves is often

able to provide motive power in a cheaper safer more flexible and more reliable manner than electric motors

and actuators

Premium brandApplied Pneumatics established 22 years ago is a South African distributor of Parker Hannifin products ldquoAt a time when everyone is increasingly becoming aware of the benefits of buying premium products which last longer and have proven to be value for money Parker has come up with new innovations which extend this value even furtherrdquo says Dave

ldquoTake valves for example Most low-cost valves are throw-away items which are discarded completely if something goes wrong Our premium valves which cost a bit more initially are serviceable This means we can repair and service them at a fraction of the cost of even a cheap complete unit

ldquoIf the premium repairable valve breaks for in-stance itrsquos quick and easy to strip it right there and then fit new parts and have it up and running in no time as opposed to having to order and wait for a complete replacement unitrdquo adds Dave ldquoAll you need to have in stock are a couple of O-rings for the different valves in a systemrdquo

SA Mechanical Engineerrdquo visits a company in Randburg aptly named Applied Pneumat-ics to speak to managing director Dave McNair ldquoIn a pneumatics application we

supply everything beyond the compressor This includes everything down the line the filtration system water traps regulators and then the lubrication system before you get to the actual application which could be a cylinder control valves actuators or even solenoid valves for the control of liquid flows in a process We also do vacuum applications where suction cups pick objects up to move them aboutrdquo

From left Andrew Livesey applications engineer at Applied Pneumatics Teven McNair sales and Dave McNair managing director

Range includes pneumatic cylinders and actuators valves and logic processing air preparation equipment as well as a whole host of other pneumatic components and accessories

The Parker range of pneumatic equipment includes actuator and motors

HYDRAULICS amp PNEUMATICS

22 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

New conceptSimilarly the air prepa-ration systems from Parker are of a modular design and fully repair-able so that just worn or damaged compo-nents can be replaced ldquoThey have now taken this even furtherrdquo says Dave ldquoA new concept in regulators the Modu-flex clip technology system has just been released No special tools in fact no span-ners at all are needed

to take the unit apart to replace a filter element for instance You sim-ply clip the unit apart by hand replace the

element and clip it together again within a minute

ldquoOn a forklift for example the glass bowl of the air preparation unit is often damaged when the forklifts bump into some-thingrdquo elaborates Dave ldquoOn a low-cost throw-away unit yoursquod have to carry a spare unit to replace the whole unit With the new technology howev-er you simply clip off the damaged part to zap a new one into place In terms of cylinders and actuators the latest development is self-lubricating seals which require no additional lubri-cation whatsoeverrdquo

One of the main drawbacks of pneumatics over hydraulics is that a pneumatic cylinder has to be much larger than a hydraulic cylinder in order to deliver the same power However this does not rule out using pneumatics in heavier applications especially underground where the use of air is generally safer and cleaner than hydraulic oils in the first place

UndergroundldquoA while back we were approached by a platinum mine to design a pneumatic system to open and close underground tipsrdquo Andrew explains ldquoTo prevent people from falling into the ore tip it had to be closed with a heavy steel lid between off-loading operations We not only designed a suit-able pneumatic system but also took part in the installation on various levels all the way down to three kilometres undergroundrdquo

Like many other products there are cheap and nasty pneumatic products on the market and cost is not always an indication of inferiority ldquoThe safe route is to always buy from reputable companies who have been around for a long time and who trade in well-known brandsrdquo Dave says in conclusion ldquoSerious consideration should also be given to the repairability of the equipment Itrsquos no use installing a low cost system which has to be replaced regu-larly while another could last a lifetime if properly looked afterrdquo

Dave Mc Nair Applied pneumatics Tel (011) 792-3381 Email davenappliedpneumaticscoza

No special tools in fact no spanners at all are needed to take the unit apart to replace a filter element for instance

HYDRAULICS amp PNEUMATICS

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 23

TICK

ER T

APE

POWER GENERATION

PROMECH PUBLISHINGTel (011) 781-1401Fax (011) 781-1403Email samechengpromechcozaWebsite wwwpromechcozaManaging Editor Susan CustersEditorial Kowie HammanAdvertising Mark BennettCirculation Catherine MacdivaDTP Zinobia Docrat Donovan VadivaluDisclaimerPROMECH Publishing does not take responsibility for the opinions expressed by individuals

CopyrightAll rights reserved No editorial matter published in ldquoPower Generation Todayrdquo may be reproduced in any form or language without written per-mission of the publishers While every effort is made to ensure accurate reproduction the editor authors publishers and their employees or agents shall not be responsible or in any way liable for any errors omissions or inaccuracies in the publication whether arising from negligence or otherwise or for any consequences aris-ing therefrom The inclusion or exclusion of any product does not mean that the publisher or editorial board advocates or rejects its use either gener-ally or in any particular field or fields

POWERGENERATION

TODAY

Harnessing the Powers of the Ocean

Luciano Garcia-Baylleres COO at HAE

Tidal power has long been utilised as an energy resource used early on in tidal mills to grind grain throughout the Middle Ages More recently it has also been used to generate electricity for instance in the 240 MW tidal barrages at La Rance France Tidal currents however are still largely an untapped energy source While several marine current turbine prototypes

have been tested in the last few years there are only a few of these prototypes deployed to generate electrical power to smaller communities

mainly to demonstrate the viability of the technology

There is currently a renewed interest in using the ocean to generate electric-ity using both traditional hydropower technologies and new hydrokinetic

technologies This interest is being spurred on by official and private initiatives to promote the development of cleaner energy sources and diversification of energy supplies through use of alternative and renewable sources

Tidal energyTidal energy projects hold the promise of producing indigenous renewable predictable electricity without greenhouse gas emissions and with higher power densities in terms of power output per unit area than either solar photovoltaic or wind projects

The International Finance Corporation (IFC) the World Bankrsquos private-sector lending arm is partner-ing with Sasfin Bank to develop a portfolio of energy efficiency and renewable-energy financial products for small medium-sized and microenterprises (SMMEs) in South Africa

Alstom South Africa and the South African Nuclear Energy Corporation (Necsa) have signed an agreement under which the local branch of the French power generation power transmission and rail infrastructure

group will invest R8-million in buying equipment for the new coded welding centre being established at Necsarsquos Nuclear Skills Development (NSD)

The operation and maintenance (OampM) costs of wind farms in South Africa were expected to be in the mid-range of the international market Mott MacDonald consultant Matthias Vinard has reported adding that OampM costs ranged from euro28kW a year to euro68kW a year in international markets

24 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

ocean currents driven for instance by thermal gradients or differences in salinity Along the South African east coast the Agulhas Current is one of the most consistent sea currents in the world and this area has now been identified as the ideal spot to test technology developed by an American company Hydro Alternative Energy (HAE) from Florida USA

Current plans with the local gov-ernment of eThekwini Municipality in Durban supporting the concept of a hydrokinetic energy project off the cityrsquos coast calls for HAE to

initially develop a $20 million 1MW demonstration unit utilising the companyrsquos Oceanus technology to generate electric power from the Agulhas current flowing past the city Additional units each with an anticipated electric power generation capacity of 8 megawatts may then be built and likewise be submerged approximately 30 metres below sea level to prevent interference with shipping traffic

ldquoSA Mechanical Engineerrdquo has a QampA session with Luciano Garcia-Baylleres the Chief Operation Of-ficer (COO) of HAE about the project

Q Some background on HAEA HAE founded in March 2009 is an emerging independent power provider (ldquoIPPrdquo) focused on utilising hydrokinetic and other power develop-ment sources to generate electric power worldwide safely cost-effectively reliably and profitably with minimal or no ecological impact

Our business model provides for utilising certain of our own proprietary technology identifying and locating existing and new technologies and when appropriate partnering with others for our power development and generation needs

Q The South Africa connection with the companyA Research by our technical department identified several places throughout the world as optimal for the initial deployment and commercialisation of our technology After extensive research of each location

POWER GENERATIONTI

CKER

TA

PE

Tidal energy projects may also be useful in lsquofilling in the gapsrsquo in generating power from other intermit-tent energy sources such as wind farms

Marine current energy conversion concerns the po-tential generation of electricity from kinetic energy of freely-flowing water This contrasts with tradi-tional hydro power like a dam where the amount of energy extracted from a river is dependent on the head between the reservoir and the water level below the dam

A similar hydro power approach can in fact be used for tidal power in areas with high tides In this case a barrage can be constructed in a nar-row bay or estuary to utilise the head between low and high water

Consistent currentAnother way to generate electricity from water would be to convert the kinetic energy of flowing water similar to the way a wind turbine extracts energy from the wind In such a case a dam or reservoir is not necessary but rather sites are chosen where the currents are strong such as a narrow sound straight estuary around a headland or in a river

The term lsquomarine currentrsquo constitutes any kind of water current be it tidal unregulated rivers or other

Flow anlysis carried out for current simulations

Another way to generate electricity from water would be to convert the kinetic energy of flowing water similar to the way a wind turbine extracts energy from the wind

Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) MD Noah Gwariro says the state-owned company needs at least $300-million to refurbish thermal power stations in Bulawayo Harare and Munyati and to increase their generation capacities

The planned Karuma hydropower project will have capacity to generate 700MW

and is one of the high-priority projects in Ugandarsquos National Development Plan

The State-owned Ethiopian Electric Power Corporation (EEPCo) has signed a $120-million contract with UK-based company Canbridge Industries for the construction of a 50 MW waste-to-energy power plant

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 25

POWER GENERATION

The components of a sea current power gererating system

The Aghullas current and eThekwini Municipality with their infrastructure qualified human resource and an approach to facilitating large scale green projects was the appropriate site for this first endeavour

How the energy is harnessed

and all the surrounding benefits apart from the presence of good quality currents such as politi-cal stability port infrastructure and focus on green projects we determined that South Africa with its infrastructure qualified human resource and an approach to facilitating large scale green projects was the appropriate site for our first endeavour

Q Background on what the project is all aboutA OceanusTM our first power generation system which we are currently developing and which utilises much of our own proprietary technology is planned to harness the kinetic energy of the ocean to produce safe clean reliable cost-effective electric power

Oceanus will consist of two primary modules the amplification module (the shroud) and the engine module The shroud is a housing that will multiply the normal incoming water flow to a faster velocity as it passes through the engine module generat-ing more kinetic energy This will in turn result in potentially greater electrical power generation capability as well as potentially increased usable offshore locations worldwide

Velocity is the major factor which dictates the hydrokinetic energy that can be extracted from water Within the hydrokinetic energy sector of the renewable andor clean energy industry we have seen that research and development has generally focused on developing energy generation technolo-gies for environments that can only work in very high water velocity environments such as 3 4 5 metres per second While these areas of extreme water velocity are very high in hydrokinetic energy they only exist in a very small percentage of the worldrsquos waters

Our goal is to provide electric power to locations

Shroud

Engine module

Combine modular design

worldwide utilising the kinetic energy in lsquotypicalrsquo water conditions Our current design specifications have a base need of 1 metre per second of water

26 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

POWER GENERATION

flow which by amplifying the velocity is planned to produce 1MW of power This design specification once successfully tested may then be adapted into higher velocity waters As most locations in the world have lower velocity waters a turbine designed to work in 3 4 or 5 metres per second water flows will not work in waters that have velocities of 1-2 metres per second

Q How does it workA The theory behind the development of the system is quite basic having been previously used in other energy production systems such as wind and tidal energy generation Basically the engine is composed of an energy extraction system such as but not limited to our perpendicular access turbine a gorlov turbine a darrieus turbine and an Axial turbine

The other module is the shroud which handles two functions serving as an accelerator of the water ve-locity thus increasing the amount of kinetic energy that can be extracted Secondly it houses the engine protecting marine life from direct contact with the tip of the blades Also Oceanus is designed to be positively buoyant and either secured to the ocean floor or to float at a certain predetermined depth while moored to the ocean floor utilising the same techniques that are currently used in mooring floating oil rigs buoys or floating windmill systems

Q How will it work in KZNA There will be a demonstration unit initially and then we will start the commercial phase by entering into the normal contracts and procedures for energy generation in the country This entails a very large investment from our company where we will focus on potentially buildingassembling the units in Durban thus taking advantage of the excellent and qualified infrastructure it has

Q Who is involved locallyA We have no partners as far as investors or concerns as yet on the South African project but we are not against this possibility in the future From the facilita-tion point of view we have received a lot of support from Derek Morgan at the eThekwini Energy Office and Russell Curtis at DIPA each with their respective teams and other government offices that have been very forthcoming with information and support

Q What equipment does it use ndash where will this be madeA We have already scouted several facilities in Durbanrsquos ship building industry as well as other possible suppliers ranging from the maritime indus-try financial sector to legal consultants in order to make sure that we are in compliance with all regulations and that our perception of excellence from the South African maritime industry is in fact there

Q At what stage is the project nowA The project is currently at an initial logistics stage where we are looking at a more site specific design for the demonstration unit At the same time we are gathering all the information with our lawyers and possible suppliers for the norms procedures permits and licences necessary to comply with local and national regulations

Q Where will power go to A From our initial discussions with the regulatory bodies this energy can be locally distributed and then taken up by the grid as needed This will de-pend on the results of the demonstration unit and the first commercial unit operation which we are confident will exceed expectations

Q Are there sceptics criticsA As discussed before the basic technology has been used in other sectors of the energy generation industry what is being developed by us is the ef-ficient shroud and the maintenance systems which include buoyancy controls and depth determination in order to locate the most efficient current

Q Are there any future plans from your company for South Africa in particularA We believe that we have a good relationship with eThekwini municipality and once we fulfil our project with KZN we would then consider further expansion throughout South Africa

Q What about the other parts of AfricaA Eastern Africa in general presents very good conditions for our technology but for now we are going to concentrate our efforts on deploying this endeavour in South Africa before entertaining new opportunities

Luciano Garcia-Baylleres COO at HAE Tel 561-900-7200 EmailLgarciaHAE-USAcom wwwHAE-USAcom

We will focus on potentially building assembling the units in Durban thus taking advantage of the excellent and qualified infrastructure it has

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 27

POWER GENERATION NEWS

MTN has announced that it has entered into a com-mercial arrangement to sell its carbon credits to EDF Trading in an industry first The credits will be pro-duced by MTNrsquos tri-generation plant at 14th Avenue Of-fice Park in Fairland Johannesburg

EDF Trading is a whol-ly-owned subsidiary of Electriciteacute de France SA one of the largest compliance buyers covered by the European Union Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS)

The carbon credit project utilises a Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) meth-odology developed by MTN approved by the United Nations Framework Con-vention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) It is currently in the process of being registered with the UNFCCC Once registered MTN will sell the carbon credits from the project to EDF Trading

The project will make use of the MTN energy-efficient 2MW tri-generation plant at its Fairland office park Tri-generation is the concurrent production of electric-ity heating and cooling which provides

Carbon Credits power hot wa-ter space heat-

ing and cooling for air conditioning

from a single source

Egoli gas is used for the operation

sourced from the Sasol pipeline in Mozambique

The plant displaces grid electricity from Eskom

reducing greenhouse gas emissions and providing up to 85

efficiency on fuel The excess heat at some 400degC is captured

and used to supply heating and to operate an absorption chiller which creates cool water that is used to power an extensive air-conditioning system

Natural gas is clean burning and offers a consistent supply but simply using this to generate electricity would have been too expensive The saving achieved by capturing the waste heat combined with the additional revenue from the sale of the carbon credits however makes the project economically viablerdquo

Promethuim Robbie Louw Tel (011) 706-8185 Email Robbiepromethiumcozawwwpromethuimcoza

Countries across South East Asia Africa and the Middle East have been amending their regulatory frameworks and embarking on privatisation as many of them are in serious need of external fund-ing to ensure that their respective electricity industries are capable of dealing with the inevitable surge in demand The cumulative installed power capacity for these regions according to 2012 estimates will be 212 Gigawatts (GW) However this figure is expected to shoot up to 349 GW by 2020 climbing at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 64

Emerging Power Markets

Rising industrialisa-tion ever-increasing population figures and growing economies all point to an electrical future that most infra-structure systems are currently incapable of handling Therefore to achieve greater in-dustry efficiency and encourage competition governments across this region are opening up their electricity markets and increasing private sector participation The region will have to invest heavily in order to

increase its installed capacity and improve its existing infrastructure

Transmission networks in many of these countries are already under tremendous pressure to supply power without interruption and many new transmission projects are already underway or in the pipeline Therefore energy policy reforms are set to open the doors and create positive opportunities for growth in in the near future this according to Jonathan Cain of GBI Research

GBI ResearchJonathan Cain Tel +44 1204 543 533 Emailjcaingbiresearchcom wwwgbiresearchcom

28 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

POWER GENERATION NEWS

With Gensler Architects Aurecon has completed the design on the faccedilade of what will be Chinarsquos tallest building At 632m the Shanghai Centre is more than 100m taller than the recently-completed Shanghai Financial Centre and is designed as a sustainable eco-tower that sets a new benchmark not only for the region but also the world

Sustainable green features include tri-

Bioclimatic buildingGreywater recycling systems lo-cated at basement and at mid-level have been installed to collect greywater generated from lavatory or bathtub for reuse reducing potable water demand for the office tower by about 40

The ice storage system shifts part of the peak electricity demand of the chillers into the night modeoff peak operation Storage capacity is 26 400 Refrigerant Ton (RT) which reduces about 30 of the summit demand by about 3 through this ice cooling storage system and save up to the yearly energy cost for the user

A large volume water deluge system with rotational nozzles

installed at mid-level of the atria deliv-ers a large volume and accurate water spray onto fire with the assistance of Infra-red detection to lock the exact location and very early warning smoke detection apparatus system

A double curtain wall design provides better control on solar energy entering the tower building resulting in energy saving

Aerecon Group Jody Boshoff Tel (012) 427-2066 Email JodyBoshoffaurecongroupcomwwwaurecongroupcom

generation plant consisting of two sets of 11MW natural gas turbine generating electricity

chilled water hot water and heating water Simultaneous heat recovery of the hot flue gas produced from the tur-bines reduces carbon dioxide by 49 compared with the regular electrical cooling system

15 nos of 3kW vertical axis wind turbines (VAWTs) on the roof provide 157 500 kWh of clean and renewable electricity annually

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 29

Willem Sullivan of HansenA better artificial heart for people who are not eligible for natural heart transplants

Jean Schoeman of National Oilwell Varco My own jet aeroplane

Chris Coetzee of Resonant SolutionsThe problem in industry is practical engineering experience Young engineers donrsquot get the opportunity to learn the practical stuff Irsquod start an academy which teaches the practical side where you can learn from your mistakes Unfortunately mistakes cost money but if you have all the money in the world they can afford to learn from mistakes

In your book what is the most pivotal invention ever

Elbie Cornelius of National Oilwell Varco The computer

Chris Coetzee of Resonant SolutionsI canrsquot see how you can run a business without cellphones

Rudolph Beer of Martin EngineeringThe wheel

Willem Sullivan of HansenFor me personally Excel Without it my world will be dull and lifeless For the world at large Electricity because without it Excel will not be possible

Jean Schoeman of National Oilwell Varco The personal computer

OPINION

On his rounds Kowie Hamman our Editor is conducting an informal survey on the lighter side of engineering We follow up from last month with three pertinent questions

Soapbox

What do you think of computers and the digital world

Elbie Cornelius of National Oilwell Varco Awesome changing our world

Chris Coetzee of Resonant SolutionsNinety percent of all engineering is done using computers but if you rely solely on them yoursquove missed the plot because you always have to verify results by going back into the field to test what yoursquove done on the computer

Rudolph Beer of Martin EngineeringYou canrsquot do without them

Willem Sullivan of HansenIt is where I do all my design work So if it was not for computers we would be decades behind in terms of what we can do I absolutely love it

Greg Perry of SEWThey have definitely made things faster but the en-gineer still needs to understand the theory and pay attention to the detail or you make mistakes faster

Jean Schoeman of National Oilwell Varco Very useful until they give problems Then you just want to hit them with a hammer But the digital world has managed to speed up the communica-tion of information

If you had all the money in the world what would you design

Elbie Cornelius of National Oilwell Varco A solar and wind power station to supply the whole continent with electricity

Rudolph Beer of Martin EngineeringDevelop the safe harvesting of atomic energy

30 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

ldquoSA Mechanical Engineerrdquo speaks to Dave Goodman managing director of Spectra Car-bide Tooling Technology in Cape Town about the various management models they have

developed specifically to control tooling ldquoOur tool management systems were developed through our involvement with some of the major automotive OEMs in South Africardquo he says ldquoThe management system where we take over full control of the tool-ing facility on the premises has been running for twelve years now at some of these plants

Systems for allldquoBut these systems are not only for OEMs and

large operationsrdquo Dave remarks ldquoTo meet dif-ferent requirements we now have four levels of management systems on offer each requiring a different level of active involvement from our side This varies from purely holding stock to supply for a customerrsquos specific needs right through to taking over full control of tooling by having a permanent on-site office manned by fulltime Spectra staffrdquo

A typical level 4 operation with a Spectra team permanently stationed on the customerrsquos premises will be equipped with a fully-computerised store inventory system to control the purchasing of all tooling from spindle to point ldquoThe team will control all the new stock and used tools by negotiating and dealing with tier two suppliers as wellrdquo explains sales manager Wayne Williams ldquoThey are also responsible for presetting tools ready for produc-tion as well as collecting and delivering tools to and from the machines in addition to providing technical support 7 days a week 24 hours a day

BenefitsOne of the cost saving benefits for the customer is less administration because the Spectra team consolidates all invoices so the customer receives

Managing ToolingIn most machine shops the tooling is usually under lock and key to limit access to high-value tool inserts such as end-mills drills reamers and burrs Even so many companies suffer considerable losses as these costly tools get lost are pilfered or are misused because there isnrsquot a proper

management system in place over and above lock and key to control who takes what from the store

To meet different requirements we now have four levels of management on offer each requiring a different level of active involvement from our side

Managing machine tools saves money

Dave Goodman managing director of Spectra Carbide Tooling Technology

MATERIAL SELECTION

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 31

one invoice per month In addition the customer has a highly skilled specialist in-house on tap to provide technical assistance for all tooling drilling tapping milling boring gundrilling honing and line boring on CNC and conventional machines ldquoFrom the management system we can draw extensive reporting for the customer regarding the costs per unit manufactured We produce monthly graphs for trending as well as daily incident reports on tool breakages weekly costs on scrapped tools and we also work out action plans to reduce scrap and improve up-time of the machinesrdquo Wayne adds

In essence this value-add for the customer allows preventative action which ultimately saves the customer money Dave explains ldquoGiven the skills shortage out there no company can afford the personnel purely to manage the machine shop in so much detail With this system we not only fill the skills-gap by integrating with the company but we add value to the company so that they can focus on what they manufacturerdquo

New product developmentIntegration into the customersrsquo operation has proved particularly beneficial when it comes to new product developments Wayne elaborates ldquoWersquore always up to date with the latest technology in tooling and know what can be done in the best possible way Usually it will take a machine shop a while to select the right tooling and method to produce

a new part but with our experts right there on site they can be assured of finding the most suitable solution using the right tooling from the startrdquo

Vending systemOn a lower level of tool management where the operation does not justify a permanent Spectra team on site the company has a tooling vending machine solution ldquoAll the tooling is stored in a vending machine and access to draw the tools out of the machine is controlled by a card or finger-print readerrdquo explains Dave ldquoSuch a system does however have a reporting function which allows the customer to draw the machining cost against each specific job

ldquoThis system has proved popular in South Africa because it can be customised to control the specific functions relevant to each customerrdquo adds David ldquoPart and parcel of this cost-saving solution is training the customer on how best to utilise the system for his needs be it purely controlling the use of tooling or integrating reporting and costing into the business system of the companyrdquo

Wayne Williams Spectra Tel (011) 827-8957 Email waynewspectra-sacoza

From the management system we can draw extensive reporting for the customer regarding the costs per unit manufactured

Special carbide drills reamers end mills and special inserts are manufactured in South Africa

MATERIAL SELECTION

32 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 33

Cubitron can be used to finish profile and or polish materials with high tensile strengths and is particularly useful to extend the lifetime of belts and discs in industrial environments

where hard materials are the order of the dayrdquo

Consistent cutFinishes are little changed through the entire dura-tion of a Cubitron belt from new to completely worn out The secret is that the cutting edges wear in a controlled manner This means that the tiny indi-vidual scratches are the same when the belt is first

put on until it is worn and ready for replacement

ldquoThere are a multitude of cutting edges on each individual grain of the extremely hard ceramic based grain As the grain wears new cutting edges are exposed in a predictable and measured manner to ensure that a consistent action is applied to the surfacerdquo she adds

Using the same ceramic platform 3M developed Cubitron II providing even better results than its predecessor 3M engineers were able to electrostati-cally orient triangular precision shaped ceramic grain acting like a cutting tool This means that the grain slices through metal as opposed to grinding and continuously self-sharpens as points break off This results in discs and belts running cooler and longer The Cubitron II technology is applied in

Starting from Scratch

SURFACE FINISHING

ldquoTo scratch the surface as the saying goes of most modern materials and coatings is not as easy as it used to be Thatrsquos why we developed Cubitron Abrasive Grainrdquo says Kelly Hunt

sales and marketing manager of 3M

34 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

Scratccchingg thhe surfface of abrasivvves ttecchnnologgy is too oopen a compplex sccience

SURFACE FINISHING

belt fibre disc and Roloc form offer-ing a unique solution for wide range of grinding needs

Scratching the surfaceKelly is an abrasives fanatic She says scratching the surface of abrasives technology is to open a complex sci-ence Analysis of different materials and techniques of cutting or finishing has in recent years become a necessity as materials develop and advance Bonding of abrasive onto materials for discs and belts is also more complex than before as manufacturing becomes automated and the tolerance for down-time reduces

But for the average operator technician or engineer it is not so much a matter of what goes into the development of a product but rather finding the solution that suits the intended process The minimum requirement is for a product to perform reliably over an extended period of time and to produce the right finish

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 35

Sometimmess a less expeeensiive buuut mmooree suitaaablee abbrasssivee ccaan give bettterr reesulttss

SURFACE FINISHING

ldquoUsing the abrasives to determine a finish can be as simple or as com-plicated as the producer of finished goods chooses to make it With so many choices available in the market we recommend that industrial users iden-tify the requirements of the abrasive and then speak to trained service technicians from suppliers such as 3M

Not about priceldquoPrice is not always the determining factor Some-times a less expensive but more suitable abrasive can give better results and in other instances the use of cheaper materials in the wrong application may be costly as materials will need to be replaced more oftenrdquo

Kelly recommends that us-ers of industrial abrasives take the time to research new products and as-sess their suitability for their processes ldquoYoursquoll be surprised that some of the new abrasives can do the job better and in half the time than older technology abrasives canrdquo she concludes

3M Dylan Ian Hunter Tel (011) 806-2186 Email dhuntermmmcom www3Mcom

36 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

IT TRENDS

ldquo M o b i l e c o m p u t i n g

continues to grow and alongside other IT trends

such as cloud computing social technologies and the era of big data It is going to play a pivotal role in the IT industry this year In factrdquo Derick adds

Mobile Computing

Mobile computing is growing momentously and is set to account for as much as 57 of worldwide T market growth in 2013 says Derick Roberts CEO of TruTeq Devices a Pretoria-based

company focusing on wireless connectivity solutions

ldquoit is going to account for the lionrsquos share of growth ndash even more than the cloud computingrdquo

The IDC predicts that worldwide IT spending will exceed $21 trillion up 57 from 2012 The research company also states that mobility will be the biggest driver Sales of smart mobile devices including smart phones and tablets is expected to grow by 20 and will contribute a significant 57 of all IT growth Excluding smart mobile devices IT industry growth will clock in at only 29

Truteq Devices Derick Roberts Tel (012) 667-1530 wwwtruteqdevicescom

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 37

ELECTRIC DRIVE

The technology performance and design of the Cigarette powerboat is closely based on the electric super sports vehicle made in Affalterbach Germany

The 116 metre long Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept powerboat uses two drive units each featuring six independent electric motors At the rear of the boat each drive unit has its own trans-mission one on the left and one on the right The boat is fitted with the twelve compact liquid-cooled permanent-magnet synchronous electric motors which are the signature piece of the SLS AMG Coupeacute Electric Drive each electric motor delivers 138 kW and 250 Newton metres

The maximum output of 1 656 Kilowatts and maximum torque of 3 000 Newton metres combine to reach a staggering top speed of over 160 kmh making this locally emission-free Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept the worlds fastest electri-cally driven powerboat The low centre of gravity and optimum weight distribution ensure sublime

The Worlds Most Powerful Powerboat

handling characteristics during more dynamic changes of direction

The high-voltage battery boasts an energy content of 60 Kilowatt hours an electric load potential of 600 Kilowatts and a weight of 548 kg ndash all of which are absolute best values in the automotive sector The liquid-cooled lithium-ion high-voltage battery features a modular design with a maximum voltage of 400 V It consists of 12 modules each comprising 72 lithium-ion cells ldquoCigaretterdquo inte-grates four high-tech batteries with a total of 48 modules and 3 456 cells which generate a total capacity of 240 Kilowatt hours and an electric output of 2 400 Kilowatts respect even in the boat building industry

The Cigarette on-board chargers as standard Adapted to fit the infrastructure standard of many American marinas the boat has a charging capac-ity of 44 Kilowatts The battery is fully charged in approximately seven hours To reduce the charging time to less than three hours the powerboat can be fitted with four on-board chargers as an option

Mercedes-Benz Shirle Greig Tel (012) 677-1904 Email shirlegreigdaimlercom wwwmercedes-benzsacoza

Mercedes-AMG and Cigarette Racing launched the latest development of their cooperation at the Miami International Boat Show in February Numerous components from the SLS AMG Coupeacute Electric Drive have been integrated in the design of the Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept engineering design The high performance drive fitted in the electric super sports car makes the off shore powerboat the worlds most

powerful and fastest electrically-driven motor boat With an output of 1 656 Kilowatts and a maximum torque of 3 000 Newton metres the Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept is a fascinating new development

Combine to reach a staggering top speed of over 160 kmh

38 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

ENVIRONMENT

They have been in service for decades

under the toughest conditions ndash and

have proven themselves worldwide

Voith fluid couplings protect belt con-

veyors and drive components by provid-

ing smooth acceleration and torque

control allowing for frequent loaded

starts with the least amount of stress on

the drive and belt

In multi-motor drives they ensure pre-

cise load distribution Result fewer

downtimes ndash and the service life of the

belt and the drive components is in-

creased The latest product innovation is

the Voith TurboBelt 780 TPXL

infovtzavoithcom

wwwrsavoithturbocom

Protect Your Belt Conveyors with

Voith Fluid Couplings

ai_a

it_44

0_e

n ai

k

Water Disclosure ReportingJust as companies are addressing their carbon emissions and

provide carbon reporting to the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) water is becoming a growing priority

Reporting on it is becoming another critical sustainability issue

2011 saw a marked increase in the number of the worldrsquos largest companies reporting on their water usage on the risks that water presents and on their responses to

that risk Responses from these companies indicate that water is impacting global business now and yet water is not nearly as high on the corporate agenda as climate change

Evidence is mounting that South Africa is facing a water crisis of substantial proportions This crisis encompasses all aspects of water management on both the demand and supply side The mounting impacts of acid mine drainage and declining wa-ter quality add to the crisis South Africarsquos water security is likely to be further complicated by an increasingly uneven and unpredictable supply of rainfall as a result of climate change and by a reli-ance on significant water transfers from neighbour-

ing countries In meeting this crisis South Africa will have to resolve tough trade-offs in water use between agriculture key industrial activities such as mining and power generation and the supply to rapidly growing urban centres

Evidence is clearJSE 100 companies will need to show leadership in sustainably managing the water resources on which they rely for their day-to-day business operations The available evidence is clear It is not sustainable to continue exploiting water resources by follow-ing a lsquobusiness as usualrsquo approach If this is the case South Africarsquos freshwater resources will be depleted and unable to meet the needs of people and industry in the next 20 years if not before

In 2011 the response rate to the CDP Water Disclosure amongst South African companies was 46 (26 out of 56 companies) Many of South Africarsquos most significant corporate water users are therefore not yet able to or are not yet ready to report on their water-related risks

Promethuim Robbie Louw Tel (011) 706-8185 Email Robbiepromethiumcoza wwwpromethuimcoza

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 39

EXHIBITION

The Steel and Engineering Industries Federation (SEI-FSA) the Lifting Equipment Engineering Association

of SA (LEEASA) the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA) and the SA Institute of Welding (SAIW) have thrown their weight behind the biggest industrial and engineering trade show in Africa

The three-day 10-shows-in-one event takes place from 14 to 16 May 2013 at Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand Johannesburg

SEIFSA Conference at Indutec The Steel and Engineering Indus-tries Federation of South Africa (SEIFSA) will hold its annual conference at Indutec celebrating 70 years of active support for its members industry and business in Africa The federation has over 2 220 member companies which employ more than 224 000 people comprising 53 of the industryrsquos workforce

SAIW ldquoWe take our affiliations with leading industry players very seriously including our en-dorsement of Indutecrdquo says Jim Guild chief executive officer of the SA Institute of Welding ldquoThese industry ties form part of our strategy to create strong relationships which support our objective and Governmentrsquos mandate to enhance the manufacturing sector in South Africardquo

LEEASAThe Lifting Equipment Engineer-ing Association of South Africa (LEEASA) which is a division of the Chamber of Engineering Tech-

nology (COET) will also be using its endorsement of Indutec to promote its activities in the engineer-ing and technology sectors in general Chamber spokesperson Viv Nel says its exposure at the fair will create more awareness of the Chamberrsquos role in all engineering and technology-driven industries

ECSAIndustry regulator the Engineering Council of South Africa shares these aims ldquoAs a custodian of en-gineering intellectual capital in South Africa our endorsement of Indutec provides us with a platform to publicise our role in the engineering sector and government infrastructure initiativesrdquo says Edgar Sabela ECSArsquos Strategic Services Executive

ldquoWe need to produce 10 times more engineers to compete with developed economies Involvement with the Indutec show will allow us to promote engineering as a career through our Engenius Programme and showcase our existing engineer-ing excellence Most importantly it enables us to network with all key players in the field and even conclude some businessrdquo

Tenfold Benefits to ExhibitorsJohn Thomson managing director of Exhibition Management Services organisers of the 10-in-one Fair says the unqualified support from leading in-dustry bodies indicates the showrsquos tenfold value to the engineering industrial and technology sectors ldquoThis undoubtedly translates into multiple benefits for the showrsquos exhibitors and ultimately to show visitorsrdquo he concludes

Indutec Serean ThomsonTel (011) 783 7250 Email marketingexhibitionsafricacom wwwexhibitionsafricacom

Boosting the Manufacturing Sector32 of South Africarsquos leading industrial and engineering professional and employer associations Chambers and

Councils have collectively endorsed Indutec the recently launched South African Industry and Technology Fair 2013

Promech Publishing through SA Mechanical Engineer and Bulk Handling Today will produce and publish the Official Catalogue for this prestigious show

Make sure your presence is felt before during and after the show by advertising in this one-of-a-kind reference publication

Contact Mark Bennett Tel (011) 781-1401 Email samechengpromechcoza

Jim Guild CEO of the SA Institute of Welding

Edgar Sabela - ECSArsquos Strategic Services Executive

Adelia Pimentel - Marketing and Communications Manager SEIFSA

40 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

MARKET FORUM

ldquoBMG has identified a need in diverse sectors for on-site maintenance services to overcome production challengesrdquo says Dave Russell technical director BMG ldquoRecognising the extreme constraints of high energy prices low productivity the critical skills shortage and a highly competitive economic environment BMG brings a total solutions service to the fore

ldquoIndustry can now access all critical production efficient products and services from one supplier What this means is lower production costs and higher pro-duction efficiency giving South African industry a distinct competitive advantage

ldquoBMGrsquos on-site services include applica-

tion design evaluation and optimisation as well as installation trouble-shooting and service exchange contracts The company also offers predictive planned and breakdown maintenance and energy and reliability studiesrdquo

The company also offers extensive train-ing which covers electrical mechanical hydraulic pneumatic electronic and materials handling disciplines as well as predictive maintenance and component failure analysis

BMG ndash Bearing Man Group Veronique van Niekerk Tel (031) 576-6221Email veroniquevbmgworldnet wwwbmgworldnet

Tenova Takraf Africa (formerly Bateman Engineered Technologies) is putting the final pieces together in completing an order for the supply of a 55m x 275m hydraulically-driven SAG mill to Ontario Graphite operators of the Kearney Mine located in Kearney O n t a r i o Canada

ldquoTenovarsquos scope

Unique SAG Mill in Canada

ABB started with a bang following the order of 2 400 robots by BMW Group Over the next three years the robots will be installed at factories in Regensburg and Leipzig Germany as well as in Tiexi China The ABB robots will mainly be used for mate-rial handling tasks as well as gluing and spot welding processes

ABB robots enable customers to implement efficient manufacturing systems that sustainably produce high-quality products The com-panyrsquos range of products and solu-tions for lean manufacturing cover the range from body-in-white to the final assembly of complete car bodies They improve competitiveness and at the same time optimally comply with customer specifications ABB has installed more than 200 000 robots worldwide

ABB Robotics Natasha Mathebula Tel (010) 202-6156 Email natashamathebulazaabbcom wwwabbcom

2400

Robots

Total Solution

of work includes the engineering manufacturing shipping and technical assistance during erection of the SAG millrsquos feed end shell discharge end drive and main bearings as well as all supporting equipment (lubrication and jacking systems)rdquo says Tenova Takraf

engineer Pieter van der Walt ldquoThe main hydraulic motor and rubber

shell liners were outside our commercial scope of supply but inside our technical

scope of supplyrdquo he adds

The mill is a conventional SAG (semi-autogenous grinding) mill in all ways apart from its drive assem-bly and it is centre-driven

at the discharge end using a Haggluumlnds hydraulic motor and powerpack ldquoTo date this is the largest hydraulic motor installed on a SAG mill with 950kW of power torque of 1 200 kNm (start-up) and 650 kNm (operational) and speed of 1386 rpmrdquo adds Pieter

Since the mill had to be retrofitted to an existing foundation a number of adaptations were required to maintain the mill centreline as well as feed-end and discharge-end positions Certain additions were required to anchor the main motor torque arm

Tenova Takraf Pieter van der Walt Tel (011) 899-2372 Email pietervanderwaltbatemancom wwwtenovagroupcom

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 41

MARKET FORUM

World Record

The ADR plant at Kisladag Mine

FLSmidth designs and manufactures indirect heated carbon regeneration kilns and calciners from half a ton per day and larger These kilns and calciners can be fuel gas oil or electric and are skid mounted pre-wired and pre-piped The companyrsquos patented bellows kiln seal has proved effective in eliminating air ingress and process gas egress and can be retrofitted to kilns from other manufacturers FLSmidth holds the world record for the lowest emissions on a carbon plant

And at the companyrsquos Merrill Crowe plant capacities range from skid mounted 34 cubic metres per hour modular plants to full size 2 100 cubic metres per hour The range of supply for plants includes clarification filters de-aeration towers vacuum pumps zinc dust feeders lead nitrate feeders and zinc cones precipitate filter feed pumps filter pre-coat and body feed systems as well as precipitate filters used by refinery and smelting facilities to produce gold bullion

These plants incorporate proprietary zinc dustlead nitrate feeder and mix-ing cone system The company offers individual plant components and partial or complete plant equipment packages together with total plant design

FLSmidth Terence Osborn Tel (010) 210-4820

Magnet has extended its range of abrasive products to include 3Mrsquos new Cubitron II abrasive belts with enhanced grinding performance improved productivity and extended service life

ldquo3Mrsquos new technology has resulted in increased speed improved consistency and extended belt liferdquo says Brian How-arth MD Magnet ldquoThese new abrasive belts ensure up to 30 faster cutting on hard to grind metals like stainless steel nickel alloy and cobalt chrome They also divert heat from the workpiece and belt to the swarf which means cooler cutting This helps eliminate burnishing and minimises heat stress Cubitron II abrasive belts last up to four times longer than conventional ceramic aluminium oxide beltsrdquo

3M Abrasives Bradley Reddy Tel (031) 274 1050 Email bradleyrmagnetgroupcozawwwmagnetgroupcoza

4 x Longer

42 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

MARKET FORUM

X-Calibur is one of the latest product offerings from TAL and was specified to protect the concrete structure of the worldrsquos second longest cable-stayed bridge against corrosion throughout its design life

Stonecutters Bridge is a high level cable-stayed bridge which spans the Rambler Channel in Hong Kong connecting Nam Wam Kok Tsing Yi Island and Stonecut-ters Island Hong Kong is well known for its hot summer weather which is also humid and unstable Temperatures

Say No to Corrosionusually exceed 30oC during the day which coupled with high humidity can result in an extreme heat index

ldquoHot and humid environments have a great effect on the durability of concrete As a rule of thumb we say for every 10oC increase in temperature the possibility of corrosion induced damage to concrete is doubled Add humidity in a marine envi-ronment then protection of the structure is of paramount importancerdquo says Brian Davies CEO X-Calibur International In order to guard the bridge from corro-

sion X-Shield EpoxySeal CR was sup-plied to shield the prestressed concrete cable anchorages from the effects of the environment In addition X-Shield FlexCoat was used in various areas of the structure This provides corrosion protection to reinforced concrete from chloride and carbon dioxide

ldquoThe main challenge was compliance with the strict project specifications as the engineer wanted to ensure that protection would be provided throughout the design life of the structure X-Calibur

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 43

MARKET FORUM

had the products independently tested to prove compliance to all aspects of the specificationrdquo John adds

The materials were applied by spe-cialist painters who had been trained by X-Calibur ldquoMaterials were mixed and applied strictly in accordance with method statements supplied by X-Calibur to ensure working time and recoat windows were not exceededrdquo concludes John

TAL Andrew Dekker Tel (031) 579-2263 wwwtalcoza

Fluid conveyance and pumping solutions expert Incledon has supplied a large water supply line project in the Free State with a total of 4 km of Ultraflo pipes manufactured in-house by DPI Plastics - a leading manufacturer of water reticulation drainage and pipe-fitting systems in South Africa

DPI Plastics technical and product manager Renier Snyman points out that the companyrsquos range of Ultraflo pipes are manufactured from modified polyvinyl chloride (mPVC) which is specifically designed to provide similar tensile strength and greater resilience than standard PVC piping products ldquoThe Ultraflo range of pressure piping systems are ideally suited to bulk water supply projects due to the fact that mPVC is considerably more ductile than industry standard unplasticised polyvinyl chloride (uPVC)rdquo he explains

Renier notes that the ductility of the Ultraflo uPVC piping system ensures that

Large Water Supply Project

the pipes have exceptional resistance to crack propagation under pressure ldquoThe product being supplied to the water sup-ply line project is the 500 mm Ultraflo system which is the largest in the DPI Plastics range It boasts a pressure rat-ing of 12 bar with a design stress of up to 18MPa making it ideally suited as a large underground piping systemrdquo

According to Renier Ultraflo pipes offer environmental advantages too ldquoDue to its superior toughness the wall thick-ness of mPVC is less than that of uPVC This ensures that less materials are used during the manufacturing process which ultimately results in a lighter product that is easier to transport and install thereby minimising the carbon footprint of the piperdquo

DPI Plastics Martine Goodchild Tel (021) 957 5600 Email mgoodchilddpiplasticscozawwwdpiplasticscoza

Donrsquot Miss Out

Promech Publishing is putting the Visitorsrsquo Catalogue together for this Show

Contact Mark Bennett on Tel (011) 781-1401 or Email samechengpromechcoza

to book your space

44 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

MARKET FORUM

Displaying and discussing some of the Dodge housed bearings on offer to local industry and mining are (from left) Tony Patten of Specialised Bearings amp Transmission Peter Small-Shaw Wilecrsquos Product Manager Bearings and Frans Odendaal Wilecrsquos Technical Specialist Bearings

The Bearings division of Actom group company Wilec has formed a strategic alliance for the supply of Dodge housed bearings into southern Africa The partner-ship agreement with Johannesburg-based Specialised Bearings amp Transmission the local distributor for Dodge extends Wilecrsquos ability to satisfy the requirements of industry and mining in a diverse range of bearings applications

ldquoThe most exciting thing about our tie-up with Dodge is that housed bearings while already widely accepted in the US and other leading industrialised countries is a relatively new concept locally but one which offers advanced features to users compared with conventional plum-mer block arrangementsrdquo said Frans Odendaal Wilecrsquos Technical Specialist Bearings

ldquoDodge housed bearings are supplied pre-assembled and sealed so eliminating all risk of contamination during fitment The advanced sealing arrangement and unique adapter system guarantees longer

Strategic Alliance

life ndash up to six times that of a conven-tional plummer block Other cost-saving advantages are that they can be installed by a semi-skilled technician very quickly normally in less than 15 minutes and the need to measure pre- and post-reduction clearance is eliminatedrdquo

ldquoIt is a differentiated product and with it we are able to provide a bearing that is especially well suited to local conditions

and offers benefits that are of real value to customers A particularly important aspect to bear in mind is that the total cost of ownership of a Dodge bearing is significantly lower than that of the conventional product due to its greater reliability and durabilityrdquo

Wilec Frans Odendaal Tel (011) 629-9300 Email fransowileccoza

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 45

MARKET FORUM

Emis Sales 2002 part of Becker Min-ing South Africa supplies a wide range of electrical equipment up to 1 100 V for use in hazardous and non-hazardous areas in the mining petrochemical and surface industry sectors

New to the Emis range are Proloc pro-tection and control relays which are suitable for thermal overload protection of conveyors compressors crushers fan and pump motors as well as shuttle cars and flitting panels

ldquoThe stand-alone Emis ProLoc electronic protection and control relay system which has been designed for the optimum protection of motor and feeder circuits connected to outlet sockets has a wide choice of six user-selectable protection features to meet exact requirementsrdquo says Frikkie Quirk managing director Emis Sales 2002 ldquoAn important advan-tage of this system is a door mounted infra-red link that enables a laptop with Proloc software to manage all settings

and downloads without having to open the panel door and expose personnel to dangerous live equipment This is a critical requirement in the OHSA actrdquo

This system is easy to set up via the Proloc MMI 420 display man-to-machine interface or via a laptop with Proloc software

Emis Sales 2002 Tel (016) 341-6134 Email infozabecker-miningcom wwwzabecker-miningcom

Optimum Protection

Birkenmayer a material processing systems supplier in South Africa and local supplier of German-engineered Eirich material processing technology recently released the Evactherm drier a new product that marries the advantages

Superheated Vacuum Steam

of mechanical and thermo dynamical processes to provide cost-effective and highly efficient drying and processing of filter cake and sludgersquos using superheated vacuum steam

Until now it has been important to observe

a maximum middle temperature when applying direct drying to heat sensitive materials and even more important to avoid the excessive local and boundary temperatures that frequently damage the drying product Both heat and ma-terial transport need to be considered and while convective drying processes such as spray drying largely avoid these problems they are only effective if a surface is available for the hot gas flow

Adjustable for both direct and convec-tive drying and processing Evactherm driers overcome these obstacles while providing a number of further benefits

Super-heated vacuum steam performs drying and granulation while the com-bination of mechanical and thermo dynamical processes allows for low dry-ing temperatures and gentle processing of temperature sensitive materials It also enables continuous drying for long periods of time as fresh material may be continuously added into the fluidized bed replacing material that has already been vaporised

H Birkenmayer Louis Eksteen Tel (011) 970 3880-8 Email louisbirkenmayercozawwwbirkenmayercoza

The Evactherm drier

Proloc protection and control relays

46 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

The Eastern Capersquos Coega Industrial Development Zone (IDZ) is one of a number of industrial regions in South Africa to benefit from Air Products South Africarsquos strategy of long-term capital investment

A region which has long been under-served when it comes to reliable gas supply the Eastern Cape will soon have

A Long-term Viewits own air separation unit (ASU) ndash the first of its kind in the province Seelan Gounden GM supply chain at AirProd-ucts explains the reasons behind the companyrsquos latest investment

ldquoCurrently there is no local industrial gas supply in this area and cryogenic gases have to be procured elsewhere This situation compromises the service

MARKET FORUM

ART Solar specialists in the manufacture of solar photovoltaic (PV) modules for the sustainable generation of electrical power has made the following appointment an-nouncementsMark Walsh as managing director Dr Ronald FM Lange as chief operating officer Robert Ramshaw as financial manager and Gavin Rosslee as production manager

Gavin RossleeRobert RamshawMark Walsh

Jeanne Els has been appointed as Hatchrsquos Managing Director of Operations

Jeanne Els

Ronald Lange

Anton Theunissen

SKF South Africa recently appointed Anton Theunissen as Distributor De-velpoment Manager for South Africa and neighbouring coun-tries

Index to Advertisers

Axiom 12

Bearings International 36

Bibby Turboflex 28

Bonfiglioli 10

Engen 34

Festo 35

Hansen 44

Horne SA 29

IDC Inside Back Cover

ILS 32

KDP Services 22

Loesche 31

Polysius 4

PPS 11 29

Mercedes Outside Back Cover

Merseta Inside Front Cover

MIEO Outside Front Cover

Transmission Components 14

Voith 38

Yellotec 16 17

delivery to our existing customers who have to depend on product being trucked over vast distances Thus we identified the Eastern Cape as a key priority invest-ment destination with a clear need for a new air separation facility dedicated to servicing the region We chose the Coega IDZ after careful market analysis We are pleased to be able to be a part of the growth and development of the region through providing a long-needed security of supply and value-added servicerdquo

Ayanda Vilakazi head of Marketing and Communications at the Coega IDZ adds ldquoThe viability of the new ASU is indis-putable It will mean not only security of gas supply to the region benefiting the many industries here but it also means job security for other investors jobs along the value chain and scope for training and human resource develop-ment as well as enhanced Corporate Social Investment initiativesrdquo

Seelan Gounden AirProducts wwwairproductssouthafricacoza

Left to right Chris Mashigo Executive Man-ager - Business Development Coega Develop-ment Corporation Themba Khoza Executive Manager ndash Operations Coega Development Corporation Seelan Gounden GM - Supply Chain Air Products Pierre Fourie Area Sales Manager ndash Eastern Cape Air Products signed the lease agreement between the CDC and Air Products South Africa

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 47To apply online for funding of R1 million or more go to wwwidccoza

Telephone 086 069 3888Email callcentreidccoza

Driving new market innovationsThe IDC supports high-impact job creation projects acting as a

catalyst to lead new sector development and support existing

industry and sector growth in alignment with governmentrsquos

New Growth Path (NGP) National Development Plan (NDP)

and Industrial Policy Action Plan (IPAP)

The IDC Strategic High Impact Projects (SHIP) Strategic Business

Unit in partnership with the IDC Innovation Department has

launched an Open Innovation Challenge to encourage the

development and implementation of sustainable high-impact

industrial initiatives and projects

The IDC calls upon individuals engineering communities

corporates project sponsors and other related entities to enter

into a partnership to develop qualifying projects that result in

sustainable and profi table industries exploit the value-adding

opportunities of existing and new value chains and enable the

development of innovative local economies

Whatwho qualifi es

projects which enable the development of new industries

across multiple IDC focus sectors

introduce new markets and value chains or revolutionise

existing ones through the use of disruptive technologies

or new approaches

development impact and employment creation

across mandated IDC industrial sectors

SHIP wishes to ensure that the projects undertaken play a major

role in industrial development and employment creation within

the South African and SADC regions

Interested applicants are invited to submit their project

proposals online at

httpopeninnovationidccozaidc-ship-challenge between

project proposals will be informed in May regarding SHIP

wishing to partner with them in the development of the

proposed project

Please contact Bertie Strydom BertieSidccoza and

RetiefBidccoza for more information

Chillibush9119IDC

48 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

A D

aim

ler B

rand

You built the bridges the roads and the tunnels We built the carAs a member of the Engineering Council of South Africa you could qualify for exclusive offers a guaranteed 3-day service booking as well as PremiumDrive our 6 year100 000km maintenance plan To take advantage of this outstandingopportunity inform your nearest dealer of your ECSA status

Not in conjunction with other Mercedes-Benz Fleet ProgrammesOffers Excludes AMG and Limited Edition modelsVehicle specifications may vary for the South African market

Page 19: SAME Mar2013

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 19

ldquoSA Mechanical Engineerrdquo speaks to Willie Muller general manager at KDP Services about the modernisation of old hydraulic machinery ldquoIn terms of upgrading wersquove just

done extensive work at a steel mill to re-design

and implement new technology on a large 1 200 tonne cutting press and a shredding machinerdquo he explains ldquoBoth the machines were imported from Germany originally but have lately started picking up problems seriously hampering production flow

ldquoAfter consulting with the supplierrsquos engineers the problems persisted and the client then called us in to investigaterdquo Willie says ldquoWe found that the hydraulics on both these old machines were outdated but could be updated with new tech-nology rather than replacing the old pumps and valves with costly new imported OEM components

New Life for Old Machines

Very often the spare parts for old machinery imported and installed twenty or more years ago is hard to come by and if it is available

it costs an arm and a leg to import If the problem happens to be hydraulic there is

a local hydraulics company that specialises in updating systems so that local easily-available spares can be used to keep the machine going for many years to come

Willie Muller general manager at KDP Services

CNC machining

Overhauled cylinders ready for delivery

Large cylinder

Hydraulic motor of all makes and sizes are serviced

HYDRAULICS amp PNEUMATICS

Analyse the operation and specifically the machinersquos function in situ before returning to the drawing board to redesign the hydraulic system for better functionality

20 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

New technologyAs the designer in the company

Willie goes out to analyse the operation and specifically the machinersquos function

in situ before returning to the drawing board to redesign the hydraulic system for better

functionality This provides the opportunity not only to introduce the latest technology into the upgrade but also to ensure that easily available local components are used He adds ldquoSince our upgrade the shear which can cut through a 150 by 300mm block of steel in one cut has been run-ning smoothly with none of the previous problems cropping up againrdquo

Similarly the shredding machine where a whole vehicle is fed in one end and comes out in pieces of scrap metal the other end has also been up-graded to run consistently ever since Willie adds ldquoThrough this success wersquove now not only landed the maintenance and service contracts for this mill but theyrsquove asked us to audit the entire plant to investigate other hydraulic systems which can be improved Wersquove already re-designed one of the production lines to introduce an integrated fully automated operationrdquo

First projectWillie might be young but he has worked with KDP since his student days gaining invaluable hands-on experience in all aspects of hydraulic work from the owner of the company Karel Podges ldquoOne of my first projects as a student was designing the hydraulic system for a container lifting and tilting machine used in steel mills to collect and handle scrap metalrdquo he recalls as we come across the remnants of the prototype when we walk in the yard behind the workshop ldquoThis is probably what got me hooked on hydraulics because nothing of the sort existed and I had to design it from scratch around a structure someone else had builtrdquo

Inside the workshop we find engineering equipment ranging from lathes to modern CNC machines all humming away as hydraulic components are turned out of a variety of metals At the hose crimping machine Willie points out the neat final product for a custom-made installation theyrsquore doing One of KDPrsquos specialities is hydraulic motor overhaul-ing which is evident when we see several large Hagglunds drives in various stages of repair in the drive section of the workshop

TestingFinally we get to the test-bench area where a large cylinder is under test for leaks before being taken apart for a complete overhaul ldquoOne of the biggest mistakes generally made when it comes to hydraulic equipment is that people think they can treat the hydraulic components roughly just because they are big and ruggedrdquo Willie remarks ldquoThey lose sight of the fact that dirt is the biggest enemy and they donrsquot take the necessary care to keep the oil or equipment clean causing irreparable damage to seals and delicate surface areas in a systemrdquo

One of the main advantages of KDP is that they are not officially tied up with a specific brand of hydraulic equipment allowing them to work on and supply any make on the market Willie concludes ldquoIn addition wersquore a small company where you learn and get the opportunity to work on all types of applications So each and every problem big or small is tackled with great personal attention to detailrdquo

Willie Muller KDP Services Tel (011) 392-5750 Email williekdp-servicescoza

That people think they can treat the hydraulic components roughly just because they are big and rugged

HYDRAULICS amp PNEUMATICS

The full MontyHydraulic system design from the circuit to pumps motors and all the necessary connecting piping are designed in-house at the 22-year old com-pany ldquoWe design the complete circuit specifying all the components necessary to achieve certain functionsrdquo explains Willie ldquoSimilarly all engineer-ing is undertaken in-house except the honing and chroming of shafts when we overhaul cylinder sets New cylinders are manufactured from tubing and shafts which have already been prepared

ldquoIn terms of piping wersquove built up a good name in many industries both in new installations during maintenance shutdowns or when a fixed installa-tion needs to be movedrdquo he adds ldquoNot only do we design the layout but we physically carry out the installation work ourselves especially when it is a stainless steel pipe installation that requires argon welding to fit the fittingsrdquo

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 21

Compressed Air at Work

Pneumatic systems are extensively used in industry where factories are commonly plumbed with

compressed air or compressed inert gases This is because a centrally-located and electrically-powered

compressor which powers cylinders and other pneumatic devices through solenoid valves is often

able to provide motive power in a cheaper safer more flexible and more reliable manner than electric motors

and actuators

Premium brandApplied Pneumatics established 22 years ago is a South African distributor of Parker Hannifin products ldquoAt a time when everyone is increasingly becoming aware of the benefits of buying premium products which last longer and have proven to be value for money Parker has come up with new innovations which extend this value even furtherrdquo says Dave

ldquoTake valves for example Most low-cost valves are throw-away items which are discarded completely if something goes wrong Our premium valves which cost a bit more initially are serviceable This means we can repair and service them at a fraction of the cost of even a cheap complete unit

ldquoIf the premium repairable valve breaks for in-stance itrsquos quick and easy to strip it right there and then fit new parts and have it up and running in no time as opposed to having to order and wait for a complete replacement unitrdquo adds Dave ldquoAll you need to have in stock are a couple of O-rings for the different valves in a systemrdquo

SA Mechanical Engineerrdquo visits a company in Randburg aptly named Applied Pneumat-ics to speak to managing director Dave McNair ldquoIn a pneumatics application we

supply everything beyond the compressor This includes everything down the line the filtration system water traps regulators and then the lubrication system before you get to the actual application which could be a cylinder control valves actuators or even solenoid valves for the control of liquid flows in a process We also do vacuum applications where suction cups pick objects up to move them aboutrdquo

From left Andrew Livesey applications engineer at Applied Pneumatics Teven McNair sales and Dave McNair managing director

Range includes pneumatic cylinders and actuators valves and logic processing air preparation equipment as well as a whole host of other pneumatic components and accessories

The Parker range of pneumatic equipment includes actuator and motors

HYDRAULICS amp PNEUMATICS

22 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

New conceptSimilarly the air prepa-ration systems from Parker are of a modular design and fully repair-able so that just worn or damaged compo-nents can be replaced ldquoThey have now taken this even furtherrdquo says Dave ldquoA new concept in regulators the Modu-flex clip technology system has just been released No special tools in fact no span-ners at all are needed

to take the unit apart to replace a filter element for instance You sim-ply clip the unit apart by hand replace the

element and clip it together again within a minute

ldquoOn a forklift for example the glass bowl of the air preparation unit is often damaged when the forklifts bump into some-thingrdquo elaborates Dave ldquoOn a low-cost throw-away unit yoursquod have to carry a spare unit to replace the whole unit With the new technology howev-er you simply clip off the damaged part to zap a new one into place In terms of cylinders and actuators the latest development is self-lubricating seals which require no additional lubri-cation whatsoeverrdquo

One of the main drawbacks of pneumatics over hydraulics is that a pneumatic cylinder has to be much larger than a hydraulic cylinder in order to deliver the same power However this does not rule out using pneumatics in heavier applications especially underground where the use of air is generally safer and cleaner than hydraulic oils in the first place

UndergroundldquoA while back we were approached by a platinum mine to design a pneumatic system to open and close underground tipsrdquo Andrew explains ldquoTo prevent people from falling into the ore tip it had to be closed with a heavy steel lid between off-loading operations We not only designed a suit-able pneumatic system but also took part in the installation on various levels all the way down to three kilometres undergroundrdquo

Like many other products there are cheap and nasty pneumatic products on the market and cost is not always an indication of inferiority ldquoThe safe route is to always buy from reputable companies who have been around for a long time and who trade in well-known brandsrdquo Dave says in conclusion ldquoSerious consideration should also be given to the repairability of the equipment Itrsquos no use installing a low cost system which has to be replaced regu-larly while another could last a lifetime if properly looked afterrdquo

Dave Mc Nair Applied pneumatics Tel (011) 792-3381 Email davenappliedpneumaticscoza

No special tools in fact no spanners at all are needed to take the unit apart to replace a filter element for instance

HYDRAULICS amp PNEUMATICS

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 23

TICK

ER T

APE

POWER GENERATION

PROMECH PUBLISHINGTel (011) 781-1401Fax (011) 781-1403Email samechengpromechcozaWebsite wwwpromechcozaManaging Editor Susan CustersEditorial Kowie HammanAdvertising Mark BennettCirculation Catherine MacdivaDTP Zinobia Docrat Donovan VadivaluDisclaimerPROMECH Publishing does not take responsibility for the opinions expressed by individuals

CopyrightAll rights reserved No editorial matter published in ldquoPower Generation Todayrdquo may be reproduced in any form or language without written per-mission of the publishers While every effort is made to ensure accurate reproduction the editor authors publishers and their employees or agents shall not be responsible or in any way liable for any errors omissions or inaccuracies in the publication whether arising from negligence or otherwise or for any consequences aris-ing therefrom The inclusion or exclusion of any product does not mean that the publisher or editorial board advocates or rejects its use either gener-ally or in any particular field or fields

POWERGENERATION

TODAY

Harnessing the Powers of the Ocean

Luciano Garcia-Baylleres COO at HAE

Tidal power has long been utilised as an energy resource used early on in tidal mills to grind grain throughout the Middle Ages More recently it has also been used to generate electricity for instance in the 240 MW tidal barrages at La Rance France Tidal currents however are still largely an untapped energy source While several marine current turbine prototypes

have been tested in the last few years there are only a few of these prototypes deployed to generate electrical power to smaller communities

mainly to demonstrate the viability of the technology

There is currently a renewed interest in using the ocean to generate electric-ity using both traditional hydropower technologies and new hydrokinetic

technologies This interest is being spurred on by official and private initiatives to promote the development of cleaner energy sources and diversification of energy supplies through use of alternative and renewable sources

Tidal energyTidal energy projects hold the promise of producing indigenous renewable predictable electricity without greenhouse gas emissions and with higher power densities in terms of power output per unit area than either solar photovoltaic or wind projects

The International Finance Corporation (IFC) the World Bankrsquos private-sector lending arm is partner-ing with Sasfin Bank to develop a portfolio of energy efficiency and renewable-energy financial products for small medium-sized and microenterprises (SMMEs) in South Africa

Alstom South Africa and the South African Nuclear Energy Corporation (Necsa) have signed an agreement under which the local branch of the French power generation power transmission and rail infrastructure

group will invest R8-million in buying equipment for the new coded welding centre being established at Necsarsquos Nuclear Skills Development (NSD)

The operation and maintenance (OampM) costs of wind farms in South Africa were expected to be in the mid-range of the international market Mott MacDonald consultant Matthias Vinard has reported adding that OampM costs ranged from euro28kW a year to euro68kW a year in international markets

24 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

ocean currents driven for instance by thermal gradients or differences in salinity Along the South African east coast the Agulhas Current is one of the most consistent sea currents in the world and this area has now been identified as the ideal spot to test technology developed by an American company Hydro Alternative Energy (HAE) from Florida USA

Current plans with the local gov-ernment of eThekwini Municipality in Durban supporting the concept of a hydrokinetic energy project off the cityrsquos coast calls for HAE to

initially develop a $20 million 1MW demonstration unit utilising the companyrsquos Oceanus technology to generate electric power from the Agulhas current flowing past the city Additional units each with an anticipated electric power generation capacity of 8 megawatts may then be built and likewise be submerged approximately 30 metres below sea level to prevent interference with shipping traffic

ldquoSA Mechanical Engineerrdquo has a QampA session with Luciano Garcia-Baylleres the Chief Operation Of-ficer (COO) of HAE about the project

Q Some background on HAEA HAE founded in March 2009 is an emerging independent power provider (ldquoIPPrdquo) focused on utilising hydrokinetic and other power develop-ment sources to generate electric power worldwide safely cost-effectively reliably and profitably with minimal or no ecological impact

Our business model provides for utilising certain of our own proprietary technology identifying and locating existing and new technologies and when appropriate partnering with others for our power development and generation needs

Q The South Africa connection with the companyA Research by our technical department identified several places throughout the world as optimal for the initial deployment and commercialisation of our technology After extensive research of each location

POWER GENERATIONTI

CKER

TA

PE

Tidal energy projects may also be useful in lsquofilling in the gapsrsquo in generating power from other intermit-tent energy sources such as wind farms

Marine current energy conversion concerns the po-tential generation of electricity from kinetic energy of freely-flowing water This contrasts with tradi-tional hydro power like a dam where the amount of energy extracted from a river is dependent on the head between the reservoir and the water level below the dam

A similar hydro power approach can in fact be used for tidal power in areas with high tides In this case a barrage can be constructed in a nar-row bay or estuary to utilise the head between low and high water

Consistent currentAnother way to generate electricity from water would be to convert the kinetic energy of flowing water similar to the way a wind turbine extracts energy from the wind In such a case a dam or reservoir is not necessary but rather sites are chosen where the currents are strong such as a narrow sound straight estuary around a headland or in a river

The term lsquomarine currentrsquo constitutes any kind of water current be it tidal unregulated rivers or other

Flow anlysis carried out for current simulations

Another way to generate electricity from water would be to convert the kinetic energy of flowing water similar to the way a wind turbine extracts energy from the wind

Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) MD Noah Gwariro says the state-owned company needs at least $300-million to refurbish thermal power stations in Bulawayo Harare and Munyati and to increase their generation capacities

The planned Karuma hydropower project will have capacity to generate 700MW

and is one of the high-priority projects in Ugandarsquos National Development Plan

The State-owned Ethiopian Electric Power Corporation (EEPCo) has signed a $120-million contract with UK-based company Canbridge Industries for the construction of a 50 MW waste-to-energy power plant

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 25

POWER GENERATION

The components of a sea current power gererating system

The Aghullas current and eThekwini Municipality with their infrastructure qualified human resource and an approach to facilitating large scale green projects was the appropriate site for this first endeavour

How the energy is harnessed

and all the surrounding benefits apart from the presence of good quality currents such as politi-cal stability port infrastructure and focus on green projects we determined that South Africa with its infrastructure qualified human resource and an approach to facilitating large scale green projects was the appropriate site for our first endeavour

Q Background on what the project is all aboutA OceanusTM our first power generation system which we are currently developing and which utilises much of our own proprietary technology is planned to harness the kinetic energy of the ocean to produce safe clean reliable cost-effective electric power

Oceanus will consist of two primary modules the amplification module (the shroud) and the engine module The shroud is a housing that will multiply the normal incoming water flow to a faster velocity as it passes through the engine module generat-ing more kinetic energy This will in turn result in potentially greater electrical power generation capability as well as potentially increased usable offshore locations worldwide

Velocity is the major factor which dictates the hydrokinetic energy that can be extracted from water Within the hydrokinetic energy sector of the renewable andor clean energy industry we have seen that research and development has generally focused on developing energy generation technolo-gies for environments that can only work in very high water velocity environments such as 3 4 5 metres per second While these areas of extreme water velocity are very high in hydrokinetic energy they only exist in a very small percentage of the worldrsquos waters

Our goal is to provide electric power to locations

Shroud

Engine module

Combine modular design

worldwide utilising the kinetic energy in lsquotypicalrsquo water conditions Our current design specifications have a base need of 1 metre per second of water

26 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

POWER GENERATION

flow which by amplifying the velocity is planned to produce 1MW of power This design specification once successfully tested may then be adapted into higher velocity waters As most locations in the world have lower velocity waters a turbine designed to work in 3 4 or 5 metres per second water flows will not work in waters that have velocities of 1-2 metres per second

Q How does it workA The theory behind the development of the system is quite basic having been previously used in other energy production systems such as wind and tidal energy generation Basically the engine is composed of an energy extraction system such as but not limited to our perpendicular access turbine a gorlov turbine a darrieus turbine and an Axial turbine

The other module is the shroud which handles two functions serving as an accelerator of the water ve-locity thus increasing the amount of kinetic energy that can be extracted Secondly it houses the engine protecting marine life from direct contact with the tip of the blades Also Oceanus is designed to be positively buoyant and either secured to the ocean floor or to float at a certain predetermined depth while moored to the ocean floor utilising the same techniques that are currently used in mooring floating oil rigs buoys or floating windmill systems

Q How will it work in KZNA There will be a demonstration unit initially and then we will start the commercial phase by entering into the normal contracts and procedures for energy generation in the country This entails a very large investment from our company where we will focus on potentially buildingassembling the units in Durban thus taking advantage of the excellent and qualified infrastructure it has

Q Who is involved locallyA We have no partners as far as investors or concerns as yet on the South African project but we are not against this possibility in the future From the facilita-tion point of view we have received a lot of support from Derek Morgan at the eThekwini Energy Office and Russell Curtis at DIPA each with their respective teams and other government offices that have been very forthcoming with information and support

Q What equipment does it use ndash where will this be madeA We have already scouted several facilities in Durbanrsquos ship building industry as well as other possible suppliers ranging from the maritime indus-try financial sector to legal consultants in order to make sure that we are in compliance with all regulations and that our perception of excellence from the South African maritime industry is in fact there

Q At what stage is the project nowA The project is currently at an initial logistics stage where we are looking at a more site specific design for the demonstration unit At the same time we are gathering all the information with our lawyers and possible suppliers for the norms procedures permits and licences necessary to comply with local and national regulations

Q Where will power go to A From our initial discussions with the regulatory bodies this energy can be locally distributed and then taken up by the grid as needed This will de-pend on the results of the demonstration unit and the first commercial unit operation which we are confident will exceed expectations

Q Are there sceptics criticsA As discussed before the basic technology has been used in other sectors of the energy generation industry what is being developed by us is the ef-ficient shroud and the maintenance systems which include buoyancy controls and depth determination in order to locate the most efficient current

Q Are there any future plans from your company for South Africa in particularA We believe that we have a good relationship with eThekwini municipality and once we fulfil our project with KZN we would then consider further expansion throughout South Africa

Q What about the other parts of AfricaA Eastern Africa in general presents very good conditions for our technology but for now we are going to concentrate our efforts on deploying this endeavour in South Africa before entertaining new opportunities

Luciano Garcia-Baylleres COO at HAE Tel 561-900-7200 EmailLgarciaHAE-USAcom wwwHAE-USAcom

We will focus on potentially building assembling the units in Durban thus taking advantage of the excellent and qualified infrastructure it has

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 27

POWER GENERATION NEWS

MTN has announced that it has entered into a com-mercial arrangement to sell its carbon credits to EDF Trading in an industry first The credits will be pro-duced by MTNrsquos tri-generation plant at 14th Avenue Of-fice Park in Fairland Johannesburg

EDF Trading is a whol-ly-owned subsidiary of Electriciteacute de France SA one of the largest compliance buyers covered by the European Union Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS)

The carbon credit project utilises a Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) meth-odology developed by MTN approved by the United Nations Framework Con-vention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) It is currently in the process of being registered with the UNFCCC Once registered MTN will sell the carbon credits from the project to EDF Trading

The project will make use of the MTN energy-efficient 2MW tri-generation plant at its Fairland office park Tri-generation is the concurrent production of electric-ity heating and cooling which provides

Carbon Credits power hot wa-ter space heat-

ing and cooling for air conditioning

from a single source

Egoli gas is used for the operation

sourced from the Sasol pipeline in Mozambique

The plant displaces grid electricity from Eskom

reducing greenhouse gas emissions and providing up to 85

efficiency on fuel The excess heat at some 400degC is captured

and used to supply heating and to operate an absorption chiller which creates cool water that is used to power an extensive air-conditioning system

Natural gas is clean burning and offers a consistent supply but simply using this to generate electricity would have been too expensive The saving achieved by capturing the waste heat combined with the additional revenue from the sale of the carbon credits however makes the project economically viablerdquo

Promethuim Robbie Louw Tel (011) 706-8185 Email Robbiepromethiumcozawwwpromethuimcoza

Countries across South East Asia Africa and the Middle East have been amending their regulatory frameworks and embarking on privatisation as many of them are in serious need of external fund-ing to ensure that their respective electricity industries are capable of dealing with the inevitable surge in demand The cumulative installed power capacity for these regions according to 2012 estimates will be 212 Gigawatts (GW) However this figure is expected to shoot up to 349 GW by 2020 climbing at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 64

Emerging Power Markets

Rising industrialisa-tion ever-increasing population figures and growing economies all point to an electrical future that most infra-structure systems are currently incapable of handling Therefore to achieve greater in-dustry efficiency and encourage competition governments across this region are opening up their electricity markets and increasing private sector participation The region will have to invest heavily in order to

increase its installed capacity and improve its existing infrastructure

Transmission networks in many of these countries are already under tremendous pressure to supply power without interruption and many new transmission projects are already underway or in the pipeline Therefore energy policy reforms are set to open the doors and create positive opportunities for growth in in the near future this according to Jonathan Cain of GBI Research

GBI ResearchJonathan Cain Tel +44 1204 543 533 Emailjcaingbiresearchcom wwwgbiresearchcom

28 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

POWER GENERATION NEWS

With Gensler Architects Aurecon has completed the design on the faccedilade of what will be Chinarsquos tallest building At 632m the Shanghai Centre is more than 100m taller than the recently-completed Shanghai Financial Centre and is designed as a sustainable eco-tower that sets a new benchmark not only for the region but also the world

Sustainable green features include tri-

Bioclimatic buildingGreywater recycling systems lo-cated at basement and at mid-level have been installed to collect greywater generated from lavatory or bathtub for reuse reducing potable water demand for the office tower by about 40

The ice storage system shifts part of the peak electricity demand of the chillers into the night modeoff peak operation Storage capacity is 26 400 Refrigerant Ton (RT) which reduces about 30 of the summit demand by about 3 through this ice cooling storage system and save up to the yearly energy cost for the user

A large volume water deluge system with rotational nozzles

installed at mid-level of the atria deliv-ers a large volume and accurate water spray onto fire with the assistance of Infra-red detection to lock the exact location and very early warning smoke detection apparatus system

A double curtain wall design provides better control on solar energy entering the tower building resulting in energy saving

Aerecon Group Jody Boshoff Tel (012) 427-2066 Email JodyBoshoffaurecongroupcomwwwaurecongroupcom

generation plant consisting of two sets of 11MW natural gas turbine generating electricity

chilled water hot water and heating water Simultaneous heat recovery of the hot flue gas produced from the tur-bines reduces carbon dioxide by 49 compared with the regular electrical cooling system

15 nos of 3kW vertical axis wind turbines (VAWTs) on the roof provide 157 500 kWh of clean and renewable electricity annually

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 29

Willem Sullivan of HansenA better artificial heart for people who are not eligible for natural heart transplants

Jean Schoeman of National Oilwell Varco My own jet aeroplane

Chris Coetzee of Resonant SolutionsThe problem in industry is practical engineering experience Young engineers donrsquot get the opportunity to learn the practical stuff Irsquod start an academy which teaches the practical side where you can learn from your mistakes Unfortunately mistakes cost money but if you have all the money in the world they can afford to learn from mistakes

In your book what is the most pivotal invention ever

Elbie Cornelius of National Oilwell Varco The computer

Chris Coetzee of Resonant SolutionsI canrsquot see how you can run a business without cellphones

Rudolph Beer of Martin EngineeringThe wheel

Willem Sullivan of HansenFor me personally Excel Without it my world will be dull and lifeless For the world at large Electricity because without it Excel will not be possible

Jean Schoeman of National Oilwell Varco The personal computer

OPINION

On his rounds Kowie Hamman our Editor is conducting an informal survey on the lighter side of engineering We follow up from last month with three pertinent questions

Soapbox

What do you think of computers and the digital world

Elbie Cornelius of National Oilwell Varco Awesome changing our world

Chris Coetzee of Resonant SolutionsNinety percent of all engineering is done using computers but if you rely solely on them yoursquove missed the plot because you always have to verify results by going back into the field to test what yoursquove done on the computer

Rudolph Beer of Martin EngineeringYou canrsquot do without them

Willem Sullivan of HansenIt is where I do all my design work So if it was not for computers we would be decades behind in terms of what we can do I absolutely love it

Greg Perry of SEWThey have definitely made things faster but the en-gineer still needs to understand the theory and pay attention to the detail or you make mistakes faster

Jean Schoeman of National Oilwell Varco Very useful until they give problems Then you just want to hit them with a hammer But the digital world has managed to speed up the communica-tion of information

If you had all the money in the world what would you design

Elbie Cornelius of National Oilwell Varco A solar and wind power station to supply the whole continent with electricity

Rudolph Beer of Martin EngineeringDevelop the safe harvesting of atomic energy

30 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

ldquoSA Mechanical Engineerrdquo speaks to Dave Goodman managing director of Spectra Car-bide Tooling Technology in Cape Town about the various management models they have

developed specifically to control tooling ldquoOur tool management systems were developed through our involvement with some of the major automotive OEMs in South Africardquo he says ldquoThe management system where we take over full control of the tool-ing facility on the premises has been running for twelve years now at some of these plants

Systems for allldquoBut these systems are not only for OEMs and

large operationsrdquo Dave remarks ldquoTo meet dif-ferent requirements we now have four levels of management systems on offer each requiring a different level of active involvement from our side This varies from purely holding stock to supply for a customerrsquos specific needs right through to taking over full control of tooling by having a permanent on-site office manned by fulltime Spectra staffrdquo

A typical level 4 operation with a Spectra team permanently stationed on the customerrsquos premises will be equipped with a fully-computerised store inventory system to control the purchasing of all tooling from spindle to point ldquoThe team will control all the new stock and used tools by negotiating and dealing with tier two suppliers as wellrdquo explains sales manager Wayne Williams ldquoThey are also responsible for presetting tools ready for produc-tion as well as collecting and delivering tools to and from the machines in addition to providing technical support 7 days a week 24 hours a day

BenefitsOne of the cost saving benefits for the customer is less administration because the Spectra team consolidates all invoices so the customer receives

Managing ToolingIn most machine shops the tooling is usually under lock and key to limit access to high-value tool inserts such as end-mills drills reamers and burrs Even so many companies suffer considerable losses as these costly tools get lost are pilfered or are misused because there isnrsquot a proper

management system in place over and above lock and key to control who takes what from the store

To meet different requirements we now have four levels of management on offer each requiring a different level of active involvement from our side

Managing machine tools saves money

Dave Goodman managing director of Spectra Carbide Tooling Technology

MATERIAL SELECTION

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 31

one invoice per month In addition the customer has a highly skilled specialist in-house on tap to provide technical assistance for all tooling drilling tapping milling boring gundrilling honing and line boring on CNC and conventional machines ldquoFrom the management system we can draw extensive reporting for the customer regarding the costs per unit manufactured We produce monthly graphs for trending as well as daily incident reports on tool breakages weekly costs on scrapped tools and we also work out action plans to reduce scrap and improve up-time of the machinesrdquo Wayne adds

In essence this value-add for the customer allows preventative action which ultimately saves the customer money Dave explains ldquoGiven the skills shortage out there no company can afford the personnel purely to manage the machine shop in so much detail With this system we not only fill the skills-gap by integrating with the company but we add value to the company so that they can focus on what they manufacturerdquo

New product developmentIntegration into the customersrsquo operation has proved particularly beneficial when it comes to new product developments Wayne elaborates ldquoWersquore always up to date with the latest technology in tooling and know what can be done in the best possible way Usually it will take a machine shop a while to select the right tooling and method to produce

a new part but with our experts right there on site they can be assured of finding the most suitable solution using the right tooling from the startrdquo

Vending systemOn a lower level of tool management where the operation does not justify a permanent Spectra team on site the company has a tooling vending machine solution ldquoAll the tooling is stored in a vending machine and access to draw the tools out of the machine is controlled by a card or finger-print readerrdquo explains Dave ldquoSuch a system does however have a reporting function which allows the customer to draw the machining cost against each specific job

ldquoThis system has proved popular in South Africa because it can be customised to control the specific functions relevant to each customerrdquo adds David ldquoPart and parcel of this cost-saving solution is training the customer on how best to utilise the system for his needs be it purely controlling the use of tooling or integrating reporting and costing into the business system of the companyrdquo

Wayne Williams Spectra Tel (011) 827-8957 Email waynewspectra-sacoza

From the management system we can draw extensive reporting for the customer regarding the costs per unit manufactured

Special carbide drills reamers end mills and special inserts are manufactured in South Africa

MATERIAL SELECTION

32 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 33

Cubitron can be used to finish profile and or polish materials with high tensile strengths and is particularly useful to extend the lifetime of belts and discs in industrial environments

where hard materials are the order of the dayrdquo

Consistent cutFinishes are little changed through the entire dura-tion of a Cubitron belt from new to completely worn out The secret is that the cutting edges wear in a controlled manner This means that the tiny indi-vidual scratches are the same when the belt is first

put on until it is worn and ready for replacement

ldquoThere are a multitude of cutting edges on each individual grain of the extremely hard ceramic based grain As the grain wears new cutting edges are exposed in a predictable and measured manner to ensure that a consistent action is applied to the surfacerdquo she adds

Using the same ceramic platform 3M developed Cubitron II providing even better results than its predecessor 3M engineers were able to electrostati-cally orient triangular precision shaped ceramic grain acting like a cutting tool This means that the grain slices through metal as opposed to grinding and continuously self-sharpens as points break off This results in discs and belts running cooler and longer The Cubitron II technology is applied in

Starting from Scratch

SURFACE FINISHING

ldquoTo scratch the surface as the saying goes of most modern materials and coatings is not as easy as it used to be Thatrsquos why we developed Cubitron Abrasive Grainrdquo says Kelly Hunt

sales and marketing manager of 3M

34 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

Scratccchingg thhe surfface of abrasivvves ttecchnnologgy is too oopen a compplex sccience

SURFACE FINISHING

belt fibre disc and Roloc form offer-ing a unique solution for wide range of grinding needs

Scratching the surfaceKelly is an abrasives fanatic She says scratching the surface of abrasives technology is to open a complex sci-ence Analysis of different materials and techniques of cutting or finishing has in recent years become a necessity as materials develop and advance Bonding of abrasive onto materials for discs and belts is also more complex than before as manufacturing becomes automated and the tolerance for down-time reduces

But for the average operator technician or engineer it is not so much a matter of what goes into the development of a product but rather finding the solution that suits the intended process The minimum requirement is for a product to perform reliably over an extended period of time and to produce the right finish

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 35

Sometimmess a less expeeensiive buuut mmooree suitaaablee abbrasssivee ccaan give bettterr reesulttss

SURFACE FINISHING

ldquoUsing the abrasives to determine a finish can be as simple or as com-plicated as the producer of finished goods chooses to make it With so many choices available in the market we recommend that industrial users iden-tify the requirements of the abrasive and then speak to trained service technicians from suppliers such as 3M

Not about priceldquoPrice is not always the determining factor Some-times a less expensive but more suitable abrasive can give better results and in other instances the use of cheaper materials in the wrong application may be costly as materials will need to be replaced more oftenrdquo

Kelly recommends that us-ers of industrial abrasives take the time to research new products and as-sess their suitability for their processes ldquoYoursquoll be surprised that some of the new abrasives can do the job better and in half the time than older technology abrasives canrdquo she concludes

3M Dylan Ian Hunter Tel (011) 806-2186 Email dhuntermmmcom www3Mcom

36 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

IT TRENDS

ldquo M o b i l e c o m p u t i n g

continues to grow and alongside other IT trends

such as cloud computing social technologies and the era of big data It is going to play a pivotal role in the IT industry this year In factrdquo Derick adds

Mobile Computing

Mobile computing is growing momentously and is set to account for as much as 57 of worldwide T market growth in 2013 says Derick Roberts CEO of TruTeq Devices a Pretoria-based

company focusing on wireless connectivity solutions

ldquoit is going to account for the lionrsquos share of growth ndash even more than the cloud computingrdquo

The IDC predicts that worldwide IT spending will exceed $21 trillion up 57 from 2012 The research company also states that mobility will be the biggest driver Sales of smart mobile devices including smart phones and tablets is expected to grow by 20 and will contribute a significant 57 of all IT growth Excluding smart mobile devices IT industry growth will clock in at only 29

Truteq Devices Derick Roberts Tel (012) 667-1530 wwwtruteqdevicescom

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 37

ELECTRIC DRIVE

The technology performance and design of the Cigarette powerboat is closely based on the electric super sports vehicle made in Affalterbach Germany

The 116 metre long Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept powerboat uses two drive units each featuring six independent electric motors At the rear of the boat each drive unit has its own trans-mission one on the left and one on the right The boat is fitted with the twelve compact liquid-cooled permanent-magnet synchronous electric motors which are the signature piece of the SLS AMG Coupeacute Electric Drive each electric motor delivers 138 kW and 250 Newton metres

The maximum output of 1 656 Kilowatts and maximum torque of 3 000 Newton metres combine to reach a staggering top speed of over 160 kmh making this locally emission-free Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept the worlds fastest electri-cally driven powerboat The low centre of gravity and optimum weight distribution ensure sublime

The Worlds Most Powerful Powerboat

handling characteristics during more dynamic changes of direction

The high-voltage battery boasts an energy content of 60 Kilowatt hours an electric load potential of 600 Kilowatts and a weight of 548 kg ndash all of which are absolute best values in the automotive sector The liquid-cooled lithium-ion high-voltage battery features a modular design with a maximum voltage of 400 V It consists of 12 modules each comprising 72 lithium-ion cells ldquoCigaretterdquo inte-grates four high-tech batteries with a total of 48 modules and 3 456 cells which generate a total capacity of 240 Kilowatt hours and an electric output of 2 400 Kilowatts respect even in the boat building industry

The Cigarette on-board chargers as standard Adapted to fit the infrastructure standard of many American marinas the boat has a charging capac-ity of 44 Kilowatts The battery is fully charged in approximately seven hours To reduce the charging time to less than three hours the powerboat can be fitted with four on-board chargers as an option

Mercedes-Benz Shirle Greig Tel (012) 677-1904 Email shirlegreigdaimlercom wwwmercedes-benzsacoza

Mercedes-AMG and Cigarette Racing launched the latest development of their cooperation at the Miami International Boat Show in February Numerous components from the SLS AMG Coupeacute Electric Drive have been integrated in the design of the Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept engineering design The high performance drive fitted in the electric super sports car makes the off shore powerboat the worlds most

powerful and fastest electrically-driven motor boat With an output of 1 656 Kilowatts and a maximum torque of 3 000 Newton metres the Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept is a fascinating new development

Combine to reach a staggering top speed of over 160 kmh

38 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

ENVIRONMENT

They have been in service for decades

under the toughest conditions ndash and

have proven themselves worldwide

Voith fluid couplings protect belt con-

veyors and drive components by provid-

ing smooth acceleration and torque

control allowing for frequent loaded

starts with the least amount of stress on

the drive and belt

In multi-motor drives they ensure pre-

cise load distribution Result fewer

downtimes ndash and the service life of the

belt and the drive components is in-

creased The latest product innovation is

the Voith TurboBelt 780 TPXL

infovtzavoithcom

wwwrsavoithturbocom

Protect Your Belt Conveyors with

Voith Fluid Couplings

ai_a

it_44

0_e

n ai

k

Water Disclosure ReportingJust as companies are addressing their carbon emissions and

provide carbon reporting to the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) water is becoming a growing priority

Reporting on it is becoming another critical sustainability issue

2011 saw a marked increase in the number of the worldrsquos largest companies reporting on their water usage on the risks that water presents and on their responses to

that risk Responses from these companies indicate that water is impacting global business now and yet water is not nearly as high on the corporate agenda as climate change

Evidence is mounting that South Africa is facing a water crisis of substantial proportions This crisis encompasses all aspects of water management on both the demand and supply side The mounting impacts of acid mine drainage and declining wa-ter quality add to the crisis South Africarsquos water security is likely to be further complicated by an increasingly uneven and unpredictable supply of rainfall as a result of climate change and by a reli-ance on significant water transfers from neighbour-

ing countries In meeting this crisis South Africa will have to resolve tough trade-offs in water use between agriculture key industrial activities such as mining and power generation and the supply to rapidly growing urban centres

Evidence is clearJSE 100 companies will need to show leadership in sustainably managing the water resources on which they rely for their day-to-day business operations The available evidence is clear It is not sustainable to continue exploiting water resources by follow-ing a lsquobusiness as usualrsquo approach If this is the case South Africarsquos freshwater resources will be depleted and unable to meet the needs of people and industry in the next 20 years if not before

In 2011 the response rate to the CDP Water Disclosure amongst South African companies was 46 (26 out of 56 companies) Many of South Africarsquos most significant corporate water users are therefore not yet able to or are not yet ready to report on their water-related risks

Promethuim Robbie Louw Tel (011) 706-8185 Email Robbiepromethiumcoza wwwpromethuimcoza

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 39

EXHIBITION

The Steel and Engineering Industries Federation (SEI-FSA) the Lifting Equipment Engineering Association

of SA (LEEASA) the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA) and the SA Institute of Welding (SAIW) have thrown their weight behind the biggest industrial and engineering trade show in Africa

The three-day 10-shows-in-one event takes place from 14 to 16 May 2013 at Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand Johannesburg

SEIFSA Conference at Indutec The Steel and Engineering Indus-tries Federation of South Africa (SEIFSA) will hold its annual conference at Indutec celebrating 70 years of active support for its members industry and business in Africa The federation has over 2 220 member companies which employ more than 224 000 people comprising 53 of the industryrsquos workforce

SAIW ldquoWe take our affiliations with leading industry players very seriously including our en-dorsement of Indutecrdquo says Jim Guild chief executive officer of the SA Institute of Welding ldquoThese industry ties form part of our strategy to create strong relationships which support our objective and Governmentrsquos mandate to enhance the manufacturing sector in South Africardquo

LEEASAThe Lifting Equipment Engineer-ing Association of South Africa (LEEASA) which is a division of the Chamber of Engineering Tech-

nology (COET) will also be using its endorsement of Indutec to promote its activities in the engineer-ing and technology sectors in general Chamber spokesperson Viv Nel says its exposure at the fair will create more awareness of the Chamberrsquos role in all engineering and technology-driven industries

ECSAIndustry regulator the Engineering Council of South Africa shares these aims ldquoAs a custodian of en-gineering intellectual capital in South Africa our endorsement of Indutec provides us with a platform to publicise our role in the engineering sector and government infrastructure initiativesrdquo says Edgar Sabela ECSArsquos Strategic Services Executive

ldquoWe need to produce 10 times more engineers to compete with developed economies Involvement with the Indutec show will allow us to promote engineering as a career through our Engenius Programme and showcase our existing engineer-ing excellence Most importantly it enables us to network with all key players in the field and even conclude some businessrdquo

Tenfold Benefits to ExhibitorsJohn Thomson managing director of Exhibition Management Services organisers of the 10-in-one Fair says the unqualified support from leading in-dustry bodies indicates the showrsquos tenfold value to the engineering industrial and technology sectors ldquoThis undoubtedly translates into multiple benefits for the showrsquos exhibitors and ultimately to show visitorsrdquo he concludes

Indutec Serean ThomsonTel (011) 783 7250 Email marketingexhibitionsafricacom wwwexhibitionsafricacom

Boosting the Manufacturing Sector32 of South Africarsquos leading industrial and engineering professional and employer associations Chambers and

Councils have collectively endorsed Indutec the recently launched South African Industry and Technology Fair 2013

Promech Publishing through SA Mechanical Engineer and Bulk Handling Today will produce and publish the Official Catalogue for this prestigious show

Make sure your presence is felt before during and after the show by advertising in this one-of-a-kind reference publication

Contact Mark Bennett Tel (011) 781-1401 Email samechengpromechcoza

Jim Guild CEO of the SA Institute of Welding

Edgar Sabela - ECSArsquos Strategic Services Executive

Adelia Pimentel - Marketing and Communications Manager SEIFSA

40 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

MARKET FORUM

ldquoBMG has identified a need in diverse sectors for on-site maintenance services to overcome production challengesrdquo says Dave Russell technical director BMG ldquoRecognising the extreme constraints of high energy prices low productivity the critical skills shortage and a highly competitive economic environment BMG brings a total solutions service to the fore

ldquoIndustry can now access all critical production efficient products and services from one supplier What this means is lower production costs and higher pro-duction efficiency giving South African industry a distinct competitive advantage

ldquoBMGrsquos on-site services include applica-

tion design evaluation and optimisation as well as installation trouble-shooting and service exchange contracts The company also offers predictive planned and breakdown maintenance and energy and reliability studiesrdquo

The company also offers extensive train-ing which covers electrical mechanical hydraulic pneumatic electronic and materials handling disciplines as well as predictive maintenance and component failure analysis

BMG ndash Bearing Man Group Veronique van Niekerk Tel (031) 576-6221Email veroniquevbmgworldnet wwwbmgworldnet

Tenova Takraf Africa (formerly Bateman Engineered Technologies) is putting the final pieces together in completing an order for the supply of a 55m x 275m hydraulically-driven SAG mill to Ontario Graphite operators of the Kearney Mine located in Kearney O n t a r i o Canada

ldquoTenovarsquos scope

Unique SAG Mill in Canada

ABB started with a bang following the order of 2 400 robots by BMW Group Over the next three years the robots will be installed at factories in Regensburg and Leipzig Germany as well as in Tiexi China The ABB robots will mainly be used for mate-rial handling tasks as well as gluing and spot welding processes

ABB robots enable customers to implement efficient manufacturing systems that sustainably produce high-quality products The com-panyrsquos range of products and solu-tions for lean manufacturing cover the range from body-in-white to the final assembly of complete car bodies They improve competitiveness and at the same time optimally comply with customer specifications ABB has installed more than 200 000 robots worldwide

ABB Robotics Natasha Mathebula Tel (010) 202-6156 Email natashamathebulazaabbcom wwwabbcom

2400

Robots

Total Solution

of work includes the engineering manufacturing shipping and technical assistance during erection of the SAG millrsquos feed end shell discharge end drive and main bearings as well as all supporting equipment (lubrication and jacking systems)rdquo says Tenova Takraf

engineer Pieter van der Walt ldquoThe main hydraulic motor and rubber

shell liners were outside our commercial scope of supply but inside our technical

scope of supplyrdquo he adds

The mill is a conventional SAG (semi-autogenous grinding) mill in all ways apart from its drive assem-bly and it is centre-driven

at the discharge end using a Haggluumlnds hydraulic motor and powerpack ldquoTo date this is the largest hydraulic motor installed on a SAG mill with 950kW of power torque of 1 200 kNm (start-up) and 650 kNm (operational) and speed of 1386 rpmrdquo adds Pieter

Since the mill had to be retrofitted to an existing foundation a number of adaptations were required to maintain the mill centreline as well as feed-end and discharge-end positions Certain additions were required to anchor the main motor torque arm

Tenova Takraf Pieter van der Walt Tel (011) 899-2372 Email pietervanderwaltbatemancom wwwtenovagroupcom

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 41

MARKET FORUM

World Record

The ADR plant at Kisladag Mine

FLSmidth designs and manufactures indirect heated carbon regeneration kilns and calciners from half a ton per day and larger These kilns and calciners can be fuel gas oil or electric and are skid mounted pre-wired and pre-piped The companyrsquos patented bellows kiln seal has proved effective in eliminating air ingress and process gas egress and can be retrofitted to kilns from other manufacturers FLSmidth holds the world record for the lowest emissions on a carbon plant

And at the companyrsquos Merrill Crowe plant capacities range from skid mounted 34 cubic metres per hour modular plants to full size 2 100 cubic metres per hour The range of supply for plants includes clarification filters de-aeration towers vacuum pumps zinc dust feeders lead nitrate feeders and zinc cones precipitate filter feed pumps filter pre-coat and body feed systems as well as precipitate filters used by refinery and smelting facilities to produce gold bullion

These plants incorporate proprietary zinc dustlead nitrate feeder and mix-ing cone system The company offers individual plant components and partial or complete plant equipment packages together with total plant design

FLSmidth Terence Osborn Tel (010) 210-4820

Magnet has extended its range of abrasive products to include 3Mrsquos new Cubitron II abrasive belts with enhanced grinding performance improved productivity and extended service life

ldquo3Mrsquos new technology has resulted in increased speed improved consistency and extended belt liferdquo says Brian How-arth MD Magnet ldquoThese new abrasive belts ensure up to 30 faster cutting on hard to grind metals like stainless steel nickel alloy and cobalt chrome They also divert heat from the workpiece and belt to the swarf which means cooler cutting This helps eliminate burnishing and minimises heat stress Cubitron II abrasive belts last up to four times longer than conventional ceramic aluminium oxide beltsrdquo

3M Abrasives Bradley Reddy Tel (031) 274 1050 Email bradleyrmagnetgroupcozawwwmagnetgroupcoza

4 x Longer

42 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

MARKET FORUM

X-Calibur is one of the latest product offerings from TAL and was specified to protect the concrete structure of the worldrsquos second longest cable-stayed bridge against corrosion throughout its design life

Stonecutters Bridge is a high level cable-stayed bridge which spans the Rambler Channel in Hong Kong connecting Nam Wam Kok Tsing Yi Island and Stonecut-ters Island Hong Kong is well known for its hot summer weather which is also humid and unstable Temperatures

Say No to Corrosionusually exceed 30oC during the day which coupled with high humidity can result in an extreme heat index

ldquoHot and humid environments have a great effect on the durability of concrete As a rule of thumb we say for every 10oC increase in temperature the possibility of corrosion induced damage to concrete is doubled Add humidity in a marine envi-ronment then protection of the structure is of paramount importancerdquo says Brian Davies CEO X-Calibur International In order to guard the bridge from corro-

sion X-Shield EpoxySeal CR was sup-plied to shield the prestressed concrete cable anchorages from the effects of the environment In addition X-Shield FlexCoat was used in various areas of the structure This provides corrosion protection to reinforced concrete from chloride and carbon dioxide

ldquoThe main challenge was compliance with the strict project specifications as the engineer wanted to ensure that protection would be provided throughout the design life of the structure X-Calibur

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 43

MARKET FORUM

had the products independently tested to prove compliance to all aspects of the specificationrdquo John adds

The materials were applied by spe-cialist painters who had been trained by X-Calibur ldquoMaterials were mixed and applied strictly in accordance with method statements supplied by X-Calibur to ensure working time and recoat windows were not exceededrdquo concludes John

TAL Andrew Dekker Tel (031) 579-2263 wwwtalcoza

Fluid conveyance and pumping solutions expert Incledon has supplied a large water supply line project in the Free State with a total of 4 km of Ultraflo pipes manufactured in-house by DPI Plastics - a leading manufacturer of water reticulation drainage and pipe-fitting systems in South Africa

DPI Plastics technical and product manager Renier Snyman points out that the companyrsquos range of Ultraflo pipes are manufactured from modified polyvinyl chloride (mPVC) which is specifically designed to provide similar tensile strength and greater resilience than standard PVC piping products ldquoThe Ultraflo range of pressure piping systems are ideally suited to bulk water supply projects due to the fact that mPVC is considerably more ductile than industry standard unplasticised polyvinyl chloride (uPVC)rdquo he explains

Renier notes that the ductility of the Ultraflo uPVC piping system ensures that

Large Water Supply Project

the pipes have exceptional resistance to crack propagation under pressure ldquoThe product being supplied to the water sup-ply line project is the 500 mm Ultraflo system which is the largest in the DPI Plastics range It boasts a pressure rat-ing of 12 bar with a design stress of up to 18MPa making it ideally suited as a large underground piping systemrdquo

According to Renier Ultraflo pipes offer environmental advantages too ldquoDue to its superior toughness the wall thick-ness of mPVC is less than that of uPVC This ensures that less materials are used during the manufacturing process which ultimately results in a lighter product that is easier to transport and install thereby minimising the carbon footprint of the piperdquo

DPI Plastics Martine Goodchild Tel (021) 957 5600 Email mgoodchilddpiplasticscozawwwdpiplasticscoza

Donrsquot Miss Out

Promech Publishing is putting the Visitorsrsquo Catalogue together for this Show

Contact Mark Bennett on Tel (011) 781-1401 or Email samechengpromechcoza

to book your space

44 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

MARKET FORUM

Displaying and discussing some of the Dodge housed bearings on offer to local industry and mining are (from left) Tony Patten of Specialised Bearings amp Transmission Peter Small-Shaw Wilecrsquos Product Manager Bearings and Frans Odendaal Wilecrsquos Technical Specialist Bearings

The Bearings division of Actom group company Wilec has formed a strategic alliance for the supply of Dodge housed bearings into southern Africa The partner-ship agreement with Johannesburg-based Specialised Bearings amp Transmission the local distributor for Dodge extends Wilecrsquos ability to satisfy the requirements of industry and mining in a diverse range of bearings applications

ldquoThe most exciting thing about our tie-up with Dodge is that housed bearings while already widely accepted in the US and other leading industrialised countries is a relatively new concept locally but one which offers advanced features to users compared with conventional plum-mer block arrangementsrdquo said Frans Odendaal Wilecrsquos Technical Specialist Bearings

ldquoDodge housed bearings are supplied pre-assembled and sealed so eliminating all risk of contamination during fitment The advanced sealing arrangement and unique adapter system guarantees longer

Strategic Alliance

life ndash up to six times that of a conven-tional plummer block Other cost-saving advantages are that they can be installed by a semi-skilled technician very quickly normally in less than 15 minutes and the need to measure pre- and post-reduction clearance is eliminatedrdquo

ldquoIt is a differentiated product and with it we are able to provide a bearing that is especially well suited to local conditions

and offers benefits that are of real value to customers A particularly important aspect to bear in mind is that the total cost of ownership of a Dodge bearing is significantly lower than that of the conventional product due to its greater reliability and durabilityrdquo

Wilec Frans Odendaal Tel (011) 629-9300 Email fransowileccoza

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 45

MARKET FORUM

Emis Sales 2002 part of Becker Min-ing South Africa supplies a wide range of electrical equipment up to 1 100 V for use in hazardous and non-hazardous areas in the mining petrochemical and surface industry sectors

New to the Emis range are Proloc pro-tection and control relays which are suitable for thermal overload protection of conveyors compressors crushers fan and pump motors as well as shuttle cars and flitting panels

ldquoThe stand-alone Emis ProLoc electronic protection and control relay system which has been designed for the optimum protection of motor and feeder circuits connected to outlet sockets has a wide choice of six user-selectable protection features to meet exact requirementsrdquo says Frikkie Quirk managing director Emis Sales 2002 ldquoAn important advan-tage of this system is a door mounted infra-red link that enables a laptop with Proloc software to manage all settings

and downloads without having to open the panel door and expose personnel to dangerous live equipment This is a critical requirement in the OHSA actrdquo

This system is easy to set up via the Proloc MMI 420 display man-to-machine interface or via a laptop with Proloc software

Emis Sales 2002 Tel (016) 341-6134 Email infozabecker-miningcom wwwzabecker-miningcom

Optimum Protection

Birkenmayer a material processing systems supplier in South Africa and local supplier of German-engineered Eirich material processing technology recently released the Evactherm drier a new product that marries the advantages

Superheated Vacuum Steam

of mechanical and thermo dynamical processes to provide cost-effective and highly efficient drying and processing of filter cake and sludgersquos using superheated vacuum steam

Until now it has been important to observe

a maximum middle temperature when applying direct drying to heat sensitive materials and even more important to avoid the excessive local and boundary temperatures that frequently damage the drying product Both heat and ma-terial transport need to be considered and while convective drying processes such as spray drying largely avoid these problems they are only effective if a surface is available for the hot gas flow

Adjustable for both direct and convec-tive drying and processing Evactherm driers overcome these obstacles while providing a number of further benefits

Super-heated vacuum steam performs drying and granulation while the com-bination of mechanical and thermo dynamical processes allows for low dry-ing temperatures and gentle processing of temperature sensitive materials It also enables continuous drying for long periods of time as fresh material may be continuously added into the fluidized bed replacing material that has already been vaporised

H Birkenmayer Louis Eksteen Tel (011) 970 3880-8 Email louisbirkenmayercozawwwbirkenmayercoza

The Evactherm drier

Proloc protection and control relays

46 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

The Eastern Capersquos Coega Industrial Development Zone (IDZ) is one of a number of industrial regions in South Africa to benefit from Air Products South Africarsquos strategy of long-term capital investment

A region which has long been under-served when it comes to reliable gas supply the Eastern Cape will soon have

A Long-term Viewits own air separation unit (ASU) ndash the first of its kind in the province Seelan Gounden GM supply chain at AirProd-ucts explains the reasons behind the companyrsquos latest investment

ldquoCurrently there is no local industrial gas supply in this area and cryogenic gases have to be procured elsewhere This situation compromises the service

MARKET FORUM

ART Solar specialists in the manufacture of solar photovoltaic (PV) modules for the sustainable generation of electrical power has made the following appointment an-nouncementsMark Walsh as managing director Dr Ronald FM Lange as chief operating officer Robert Ramshaw as financial manager and Gavin Rosslee as production manager

Gavin RossleeRobert RamshawMark Walsh

Jeanne Els has been appointed as Hatchrsquos Managing Director of Operations

Jeanne Els

Ronald Lange

Anton Theunissen

SKF South Africa recently appointed Anton Theunissen as Distributor De-velpoment Manager for South Africa and neighbouring coun-tries

Index to Advertisers

Axiom 12

Bearings International 36

Bibby Turboflex 28

Bonfiglioli 10

Engen 34

Festo 35

Hansen 44

Horne SA 29

IDC Inside Back Cover

ILS 32

KDP Services 22

Loesche 31

Polysius 4

PPS 11 29

Mercedes Outside Back Cover

Merseta Inside Front Cover

MIEO Outside Front Cover

Transmission Components 14

Voith 38

Yellotec 16 17

delivery to our existing customers who have to depend on product being trucked over vast distances Thus we identified the Eastern Cape as a key priority invest-ment destination with a clear need for a new air separation facility dedicated to servicing the region We chose the Coega IDZ after careful market analysis We are pleased to be able to be a part of the growth and development of the region through providing a long-needed security of supply and value-added servicerdquo

Ayanda Vilakazi head of Marketing and Communications at the Coega IDZ adds ldquoThe viability of the new ASU is indis-putable It will mean not only security of gas supply to the region benefiting the many industries here but it also means job security for other investors jobs along the value chain and scope for training and human resource develop-ment as well as enhanced Corporate Social Investment initiativesrdquo

Seelan Gounden AirProducts wwwairproductssouthafricacoza

Left to right Chris Mashigo Executive Man-ager - Business Development Coega Develop-ment Corporation Themba Khoza Executive Manager ndash Operations Coega Development Corporation Seelan Gounden GM - Supply Chain Air Products Pierre Fourie Area Sales Manager ndash Eastern Cape Air Products signed the lease agreement between the CDC and Air Products South Africa

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 47To apply online for funding of R1 million or more go to wwwidccoza

Telephone 086 069 3888Email callcentreidccoza

Driving new market innovationsThe IDC supports high-impact job creation projects acting as a

catalyst to lead new sector development and support existing

industry and sector growth in alignment with governmentrsquos

New Growth Path (NGP) National Development Plan (NDP)

and Industrial Policy Action Plan (IPAP)

The IDC Strategic High Impact Projects (SHIP) Strategic Business

Unit in partnership with the IDC Innovation Department has

launched an Open Innovation Challenge to encourage the

development and implementation of sustainable high-impact

industrial initiatives and projects

The IDC calls upon individuals engineering communities

corporates project sponsors and other related entities to enter

into a partnership to develop qualifying projects that result in

sustainable and profi table industries exploit the value-adding

opportunities of existing and new value chains and enable the

development of innovative local economies

Whatwho qualifi es

projects which enable the development of new industries

across multiple IDC focus sectors

introduce new markets and value chains or revolutionise

existing ones through the use of disruptive technologies

or new approaches

development impact and employment creation

across mandated IDC industrial sectors

SHIP wishes to ensure that the projects undertaken play a major

role in industrial development and employment creation within

the South African and SADC regions

Interested applicants are invited to submit their project

proposals online at

httpopeninnovationidccozaidc-ship-challenge between

project proposals will be informed in May regarding SHIP

wishing to partner with them in the development of the

proposed project

Please contact Bertie Strydom BertieSidccoza and

RetiefBidccoza for more information

Chillibush9119IDC

48 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

A D

aim

ler B

rand

You built the bridges the roads and the tunnels We built the carAs a member of the Engineering Council of South Africa you could qualify for exclusive offers a guaranteed 3-day service booking as well as PremiumDrive our 6 year100 000km maintenance plan To take advantage of this outstandingopportunity inform your nearest dealer of your ECSA status

Not in conjunction with other Mercedes-Benz Fleet ProgrammesOffers Excludes AMG and Limited Edition modelsVehicle specifications may vary for the South African market

Page 20: SAME Mar2013

20 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

New technologyAs the designer in the company

Willie goes out to analyse the operation and specifically the machinersquos function

in situ before returning to the drawing board to redesign the hydraulic system for better

functionality This provides the opportunity not only to introduce the latest technology into the upgrade but also to ensure that easily available local components are used He adds ldquoSince our upgrade the shear which can cut through a 150 by 300mm block of steel in one cut has been run-ning smoothly with none of the previous problems cropping up againrdquo

Similarly the shredding machine where a whole vehicle is fed in one end and comes out in pieces of scrap metal the other end has also been up-graded to run consistently ever since Willie adds ldquoThrough this success wersquove now not only landed the maintenance and service contracts for this mill but theyrsquove asked us to audit the entire plant to investigate other hydraulic systems which can be improved Wersquove already re-designed one of the production lines to introduce an integrated fully automated operationrdquo

First projectWillie might be young but he has worked with KDP since his student days gaining invaluable hands-on experience in all aspects of hydraulic work from the owner of the company Karel Podges ldquoOne of my first projects as a student was designing the hydraulic system for a container lifting and tilting machine used in steel mills to collect and handle scrap metalrdquo he recalls as we come across the remnants of the prototype when we walk in the yard behind the workshop ldquoThis is probably what got me hooked on hydraulics because nothing of the sort existed and I had to design it from scratch around a structure someone else had builtrdquo

Inside the workshop we find engineering equipment ranging from lathes to modern CNC machines all humming away as hydraulic components are turned out of a variety of metals At the hose crimping machine Willie points out the neat final product for a custom-made installation theyrsquore doing One of KDPrsquos specialities is hydraulic motor overhaul-ing which is evident when we see several large Hagglunds drives in various stages of repair in the drive section of the workshop

TestingFinally we get to the test-bench area where a large cylinder is under test for leaks before being taken apart for a complete overhaul ldquoOne of the biggest mistakes generally made when it comes to hydraulic equipment is that people think they can treat the hydraulic components roughly just because they are big and ruggedrdquo Willie remarks ldquoThey lose sight of the fact that dirt is the biggest enemy and they donrsquot take the necessary care to keep the oil or equipment clean causing irreparable damage to seals and delicate surface areas in a systemrdquo

One of the main advantages of KDP is that they are not officially tied up with a specific brand of hydraulic equipment allowing them to work on and supply any make on the market Willie concludes ldquoIn addition wersquore a small company where you learn and get the opportunity to work on all types of applications So each and every problem big or small is tackled with great personal attention to detailrdquo

Willie Muller KDP Services Tel (011) 392-5750 Email williekdp-servicescoza

That people think they can treat the hydraulic components roughly just because they are big and rugged

HYDRAULICS amp PNEUMATICS

The full MontyHydraulic system design from the circuit to pumps motors and all the necessary connecting piping are designed in-house at the 22-year old com-pany ldquoWe design the complete circuit specifying all the components necessary to achieve certain functionsrdquo explains Willie ldquoSimilarly all engineer-ing is undertaken in-house except the honing and chroming of shafts when we overhaul cylinder sets New cylinders are manufactured from tubing and shafts which have already been prepared

ldquoIn terms of piping wersquove built up a good name in many industries both in new installations during maintenance shutdowns or when a fixed installa-tion needs to be movedrdquo he adds ldquoNot only do we design the layout but we physically carry out the installation work ourselves especially when it is a stainless steel pipe installation that requires argon welding to fit the fittingsrdquo

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 21

Compressed Air at Work

Pneumatic systems are extensively used in industry where factories are commonly plumbed with

compressed air or compressed inert gases This is because a centrally-located and electrically-powered

compressor which powers cylinders and other pneumatic devices through solenoid valves is often

able to provide motive power in a cheaper safer more flexible and more reliable manner than electric motors

and actuators

Premium brandApplied Pneumatics established 22 years ago is a South African distributor of Parker Hannifin products ldquoAt a time when everyone is increasingly becoming aware of the benefits of buying premium products which last longer and have proven to be value for money Parker has come up with new innovations which extend this value even furtherrdquo says Dave

ldquoTake valves for example Most low-cost valves are throw-away items which are discarded completely if something goes wrong Our premium valves which cost a bit more initially are serviceable This means we can repair and service them at a fraction of the cost of even a cheap complete unit

ldquoIf the premium repairable valve breaks for in-stance itrsquos quick and easy to strip it right there and then fit new parts and have it up and running in no time as opposed to having to order and wait for a complete replacement unitrdquo adds Dave ldquoAll you need to have in stock are a couple of O-rings for the different valves in a systemrdquo

SA Mechanical Engineerrdquo visits a company in Randburg aptly named Applied Pneumat-ics to speak to managing director Dave McNair ldquoIn a pneumatics application we

supply everything beyond the compressor This includes everything down the line the filtration system water traps regulators and then the lubrication system before you get to the actual application which could be a cylinder control valves actuators or even solenoid valves for the control of liquid flows in a process We also do vacuum applications where suction cups pick objects up to move them aboutrdquo

From left Andrew Livesey applications engineer at Applied Pneumatics Teven McNair sales and Dave McNair managing director

Range includes pneumatic cylinders and actuators valves and logic processing air preparation equipment as well as a whole host of other pneumatic components and accessories

The Parker range of pneumatic equipment includes actuator and motors

HYDRAULICS amp PNEUMATICS

22 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

New conceptSimilarly the air prepa-ration systems from Parker are of a modular design and fully repair-able so that just worn or damaged compo-nents can be replaced ldquoThey have now taken this even furtherrdquo says Dave ldquoA new concept in regulators the Modu-flex clip technology system has just been released No special tools in fact no span-ners at all are needed

to take the unit apart to replace a filter element for instance You sim-ply clip the unit apart by hand replace the

element and clip it together again within a minute

ldquoOn a forklift for example the glass bowl of the air preparation unit is often damaged when the forklifts bump into some-thingrdquo elaborates Dave ldquoOn a low-cost throw-away unit yoursquod have to carry a spare unit to replace the whole unit With the new technology howev-er you simply clip off the damaged part to zap a new one into place In terms of cylinders and actuators the latest development is self-lubricating seals which require no additional lubri-cation whatsoeverrdquo

One of the main drawbacks of pneumatics over hydraulics is that a pneumatic cylinder has to be much larger than a hydraulic cylinder in order to deliver the same power However this does not rule out using pneumatics in heavier applications especially underground where the use of air is generally safer and cleaner than hydraulic oils in the first place

UndergroundldquoA while back we were approached by a platinum mine to design a pneumatic system to open and close underground tipsrdquo Andrew explains ldquoTo prevent people from falling into the ore tip it had to be closed with a heavy steel lid between off-loading operations We not only designed a suit-able pneumatic system but also took part in the installation on various levels all the way down to three kilometres undergroundrdquo

Like many other products there are cheap and nasty pneumatic products on the market and cost is not always an indication of inferiority ldquoThe safe route is to always buy from reputable companies who have been around for a long time and who trade in well-known brandsrdquo Dave says in conclusion ldquoSerious consideration should also be given to the repairability of the equipment Itrsquos no use installing a low cost system which has to be replaced regu-larly while another could last a lifetime if properly looked afterrdquo

Dave Mc Nair Applied pneumatics Tel (011) 792-3381 Email davenappliedpneumaticscoza

No special tools in fact no spanners at all are needed to take the unit apart to replace a filter element for instance

HYDRAULICS amp PNEUMATICS

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 23

TICK

ER T

APE

POWER GENERATION

PROMECH PUBLISHINGTel (011) 781-1401Fax (011) 781-1403Email samechengpromechcozaWebsite wwwpromechcozaManaging Editor Susan CustersEditorial Kowie HammanAdvertising Mark BennettCirculation Catherine MacdivaDTP Zinobia Docrat Donovan VadivaluDisclaimerPROMECH Publishing does not take responsibility for the opinions expressed by individuals

CopyrightAll rights reserved No editorial matter published in ldquoPower Generation Todayrdquo may be reproduced in any form or language without written per-mission of the publishers While every effort is made to ensure accurate reproduction the editor authors publishers and their employees or agents shall not be responsible or in any way liable for any errors omissions or inaccuracies in the publication whether arising from negligence or otherwise or for any consequences aris-ing therefrom The inclusion or exclusion of any product does not mean that the publisher or editorial board advocates or rejects its use either gener-ally or in any particular field or fields

POWERGENERATION

TODAY

Harnessing the Powers of the Ocean

Luciano Garcia-Baylleres COO at HAE

Tidal power has long been utilised as an energy resource used early on in tidal mills to grind grain throughout the Middle Ages More recently it has also been used to generate electricity for instance in the 240 MW tidal barrages at La Rance France Tidal currents however are still largely an untapped energy source While several marine current turbine prototypes

have been tested in the last few years there are only a few of these prototypes deployed to generate electrical power to smaller communities

mainly to demonstrate the viability of the technology

There is currently a renewed interest in using the ocean to generate electric-ity using both traditional hydropower technologies and new hydrokinetic

technologies This interest is being spurred on by official and private initiatives to promote the development of cleaner energy sources and diversification of energy supplies through use of alternative and renewable sources

Tidal energyTidal energy projects hold the promise of producing indigenous renewable predictable electricity without greenhouse gas emissions and with higher power densities in terms of power output per unit area than either solar photovoltaic or wind projects

The International Finance Corporation (IFC) the World Bankrsquos private-sector lending arm is partner-ing with Sasfin Bank to develop a portfolio of energy efficiency and renewable-energy financial products for small medium-sized and microenterprises (SMMEs) in South Africa

Alstom South Africa and the South African Nuclear Energy Corporation (Necsa) have signed an agreement under which the local branch of the French power generation power transmission and rail infrastructure

group will invest R8-million in buying equipment for the new coded welding centre being established at Necsarsquos Nuclear Skills Development (NSD)

The operation and maintenance (OampM) costs of wind farms in South Africa were expected to be in the mid-range of the international market Mott MacDonald consultant Matthias Vinard has reported adding that OampM costs ranged from euro28kW a year to euro68kW a year in international markets

24 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

ocean currents driven for instance by thermal gradients or differences in salinity Along the South African east coast the Agulhas Current is one of the most consistent sea currents in the world and this area has now been identified as the ideal spot to test technology developed by an American company Hydro Alternative Energy (HAE) from Florida USA

Current plans with the local gov-ernment of eThekwini Municipality in Durban supporting the concept of a hydrokinetic energy project off the cityrsquos coast calls for HAE to

initially develop a $20 million 1MW demonstration unit utilising the companyrsquos Oceanus technology to generate electric power from the Agulhas current flowing past the city Additional units each with an anticipated electric power generation capacity of 8 megawatts may then be built and likewise be submerged approximately 30 metres below sea level to prevent interference with shipping traffic

ldquoSA Mechanical Engineerrdquo has a QampA session with Luciano Garcia-Baylleres the Chief Operation Of-ficer (COO) of HAE about the project

Q Some background on HAEA HAE founded in March 2009 is an emerging independent power provider (ldquoIPPrdquo) focused on utilising hydrokinetic and other power develop-ment sources to generate electric power worldwide safely cost-effectively reliably and profitably with minimal or no ecological impact

Our business model provides for utilising certain of our own proprietary technology identifying and locating existing and new technologies and when appropriate partnering with others for our power development and generation needs

Q The South Africa connection with the companyA Research by our technical department identified several places throughout the world as optimal for the initial deployment and commercialisation of our technology After extensive research of each location

POWER GENERATIONTI

CKER

TA

PE

Tidal energy projects may also be useful in lsquofilling in the gapsrsquo in generating power from other intermit-tent energy sources such as wind farms

Marine current energy conversion concerns the po-tential generation of electricity from kinetic energy of freely-flowing water This contrasts with tradi-tional hydro power like a dam where the amount of energy extracted from a river is dependent on the head between the reservoir and the water level below the dam

A similar hydro power approach can in fact be used for tidal power in areas with high tides In this case a barrage can be constructed in a nar-row bay or estuary to utilise the head between low and high water

Consistent currentAnother way to generate electricity from water would be to convert the kinetic energy of flowing water similar to the way a wind turbine extracts energy from the wind In such a case a dam or reservoir is not necessary but rather sites are chosen where the currents are strong such as a narrow sound straight estuary around a headland or in a river

The term lsquomarine currentrsquo constitutes any kind of water current be it tidal unregulated rivers or other

Flow anlysis carried out for current simulations

Another way to generate electricity from water would be to convert the kinetic energy of flowing water similar to the way a wind turbine extracts energy from the wind

Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) MD Noah Gwariro says the state-owned company needs at least $300-million to refurbish thermal power stations in Bulawayo Harare and Munyati and to increase their generation capacities

The planned Karuma hydropower project will have capacity to generate 700MW

and is one of the high-priority projects in Ugandarsquos National Development Plan

The State-owned Ethiopian Electric Power Corporation (EEPCo) has signed a $120-million contract with UK-based company Canbridge Industries for the construction of a 50 MW waste-to-energy power plant

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 25

POWER GENERATION

The components of a sea current power gererating system

The Aghullas current and eThekwini Municipality with their infrastructure qualified human resource and an approach to facilitating large scale green projects was the appropriate site for this first endeavour

How the energy is harnessed

and all the surrounding benefits apart from the presence of good quality currents such as politi-cal stability port infrastructure and focus on green projects we determined that South Africa with its infrastructure qualified human resource and an approach to facilitating large scale green projects was the appropriate site for our first endeavour

Q Background on what the project is all aboutA OceanusTM our first power generation system which we are currently developing and which utilises much of our own proprietary technology is planned to harness the kinetic energy of the ocean to produce safe clean reliable cost-effective electric power

Oceanus will consist of two primary modules the amplification module (the shroud) and the engine module The shroud is a housing that will multiply the normal incoming water flow to a faster velocity as it passes through the engine module generat-ing more kinetic energy This will in turn result in potentially greater electrical power generation capability as well as potentially increased usable offshore locations worldwide

Velocity is the major factor which dictates the hydrokinetic energy that can be extracted from water Within the hydrokinetic energy sector of the renewable andor clean energy industry we have seen that research and development has generally focused on developing energy generation technolo-gies for environments that can only work in very high water velocity environments such as 3 4 5 metres per second While these areas of extreme water velocity are very high in hydrokinetic energy they only exist in a very small percentage of the worldrsquos waters

Our goal is to provide electric power to locations

Shroud

Engine module

Combine modular design

worldwide utilising the kinetic energy in lsquotypicalrsquo water conditions Our current design specifications have a base need of 1 metre per second of water

26 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

POWER GENERATION

flow which by amplifying the velocity is planned to produce 1MW of power This design specification once successfully tested may then be adapted into higher velocity waters As most locations in the world have lower velocity waters a turbine designed to work in 3 4 or 5 metres per second water flows will not work in waters that have velocities of 1-2 metres per second

Q How does it workA The theory behind the development of the system is quite basic having been previously used in other energy production systems such as wind and tidal energy generation Basically the engine is composed of an energy extraction system such as but not limited to our perpendicular access turbine a gorlov turbine a darrieus turbine and an Axial turbine

The other module is the shroud which handles two functions serving as an accelerator of the water ve-locity thus increasing the amount of kinetic energy that can be extracted Secondly it houses the engine protecting marine life from direct contact with the tip of the blades Also Oceanus is designed to be positively buoyant and either secured to the ocean floor or to float at a certain predetermined depth while moored to the ocean floor utilising the same techniques that are currently used in mooring floating oil rigs buoys or floating windmill systems

Q How will it work in KZNA There will be a demonstration unit initially and then we will start the commercial phase by entering into the normal contracts and procedures for energy generation in the country This entails a very large investment from our company where we will focus on potentially buildingassembling the units in Durban thus taking advantage of the excellent and qualified infrastructure it has

Q Who is involved locallyA We have no partners as far as investors or concerns as yet on the South African project but we are not against this possibility in the future From the facilita-tion point of view we have received a lot of support from Derek Morgan at the eThekwini Energy Office and Russell Curtis at DIPA each with their respective teams and other government offices that have been very forthcoming with information and support

Q What equipment does it use ndash where will this be madeA We have already scouted several facilities in Durbanrsquos ship building industry as well as other possible suppliers ranging from the maritime indus-try financial sector to legal consultants in order to make sure that we are in compliance with all regulations and that our perception of excellence from the South African maritime industry is in fact there

Q At what stage is the project nowA The project is currently at an initial logistics stage where we are looking at a more site specific design for the demonstration unit At the same time we are gathering all the information with our lawyers and possible suppliers for the norms procedures permits and licences necessary to comply with local and national regulations

Q Where will power go to A From our initial discussions with the regulatory bodies this energy can be locally distributed and then taken up by the grid as needed This will de-pend on the results of the demonstration unit and the first commercial unit operation which we are confident will exceed expectations

Q Are there sceptics criticsA As discussed before the basic technology has been used in other sectors of the energy generation industry what is being developed by us is the ef-ficient shroud and the maintenance systems which include buoyancy controls and depth determination in order to locate the most efficient current

Q Are there any future plans from your company for South Africa in particularA We believe that we have a good relationship with eThekwini municipality and once we fulfil our project with KZN we would then consider further expansion throughout South Africa

Q What about the other parts of AfricaA Eastern Africa in general presents very good conditions for our technology but for now we are going to concentrate our efforts on deploying this endeavour in South Africa before entertaining new opportunities

Luciano Garcia-Baylleres COO at HAE Tel 561-900-7200 EmailLgarciaHAE-USAcom wwwHAE-USAcom

We will focus on potentially building assembling the units in Durban thus taking advantage of the excellent and qualified infrastructure it has

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 27

POWER GENERATION NEWS

MTN has announced that it has entered into a com-mercial arrangement to sell its carbon credits to EDF Trading in an industry first The credits will be pro-duced by MTNrsquos tri-generation plant at 14th Avenue Of-fice Park in Fairland Johannesburg

EDF Trading is a whol-ly-owned subsidiary of Electriciteacute de France SA one of the largest compliance buyers covered by the European Union Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS)

The carbon credit project utilises a Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) meth-odology developed by MTN approved by the United Nations Framework Con-vention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) It is currently in the process of being registered with the UNFCCC Once registered MTN will sell the carbon credits from the project to EDF Trading

The project will make use of the MTN energy-efficient 2MW tri-generation plant at its Fairland office park Tri-generation is the concurrent production of electric-ity heating and cooling which provides

Carbon Credits power hot wa-ter space heat-

ing and cooling for air conditioning

from a single source

Egoli gas is used for the operation

sourced from the Sasol pipeline in Mozambique

The plant displaces grid electricity from Eskom

reducing greenhouse gas emissions and providing up to 85

efficiency on fuel The excess heat at some 400degC is captured

and used to supply heating and to operate an absorption chiller which creates cool water that is used to power an extensive air-conditioning system

Natural gas is clean burning and offers a consistent supply but simply using this to generate electricity would have been too expensive The saving achieved by capturing the waste heat combined with the additional revenue from the sale of the carbon credits however makes the project economically viablerdquo

Promethuim Robbie Louw Tel (011) 706-8185 Email Robbiepromethiumcozawwwpromethuimcoza

Countries across South East Asia Africa and the Middle East have been amending their regulatory frameworks and embarking on privatisation as many of them are in serious need of external fund-ing to ensure that their respective electricity industries are capable of dealing with the inevitable surge in demand The cumulative installed power capacity for these regions according to 2012 estimates will be 212 Gigawatts (GW) However this figure is expected to shoot up to 349 GW by 2020 climbing at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 64

Emerging Power Markets

Rising industrialisa-tion ever-increasing population figures and growing economies all point to an electrical future that most infra-structure systems are currently incapable of handling Therefore to achieve greater in-dustry efficiency and encourage competition governments across this region are opening up their electricity markets and increasing private sector participation The region will have to invest heavily in order to

increase its installed capacity and improve its existing infrastructure

Transmission networks in many of these countries are already under tremendous pressure to supply power without interruption and many new transmission projects are already underway or in the pipeline Therefore energy policy reforms are set to open the doors and create positive opportunities for growth in in the near future this according to Jonathan Cain of GBI Research

GBI ResearchJonathan Cain Tel +44 1204 543 533 Emailjcaingbiresearchcom wwwgbiresearchcom

28 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

POWER GENERATION NEWS

With Gensler Architects Aurecon has completed the design on the faccedilade of what will be Chinarsquos tallest building At 632m the Shanghai Centre is more than 100m taller than the recently-completed Shanghai Financial Centre and is designed as a sustainable eco-tower that sets a new benchmark not only for the region but also the world

Sustainable green features include tri-

Bioclimatic buildingGreywater recycling systems lo-cated at basement and at mid-level have been installed to collect greywater generated from lavatory or bathtub for reuse reducing potable water demand for the office tower by about 40

The ice storage system shifts part of the peak electricity demand of the chillers into the night modeoff peak operation Storage capacity is 26 400 Refrigerant Ton (RT) which reduces about 30 of the summit demand by about 3 through this ice cooling storage system and save up to the yearly energy cost for the user

A large volume water deluge system with rotational nozzles

installed at mid-level of the atria deliv-ers a large volume and accurate water spray onto fire with the assistance of Infra-red detection to lock the exact location and very early warning smoke detection apparatus system

A double curtain wall design provides better control on solar energy entering the tower building resulting in energy saving

Aerecon Group Jody Boshoff Tel (012) 427-2066 Email JodyBoshoffaurecongroupcomwwwaurecongroupcom

generation plant consisting of two sets of 11MW natural gas turbine generating electricity

chilled water hot water and heating water Simultaneous heat recovery of the hot flue gas produced from the tur-bines reduces carbon dioxide by 49 compared with the regular electrical cooling system

15 nos of 3kW vertical axis wind turbines (VAWTs) on the roof provide 157 500 kWh of clean and renewable electricity annually

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 29

Willem Sullivan of HansenA better artificial heart for people who are not eligible for natural heart transplants

Jean Schoeman of National Oilwell Varco My own jet aeroplane

Chris Coetzee of Resonant SolutionsThe problem in industry is practical engineering experience Young engineers donrsquot get the opportunity to learn the practical stuff Irsquod start an academy which teaches the practical side where you can learn from your mistakes Unfortunately mistakes cost money but if you have all the money in the world they can afford to learn from mistakes

In your book what is the most pivotal invention ever

Elbie Cornelius of National Oilwell Varco The computer

Chris Coetzee of Resonant SolutionsI canrsquot see how you can run a business without cellphones

Rudolph Beer of Martin EngineeringThe wheel

Willem Sullivan of HansenFor me personally Excel Without it my world will be dull and lifeless For the world at large Electricity because without it Excel will not be possible

Jean Schoeman of National Oilwell Varco The personal computer

OPINION

On his rounds Kowie Hamman our Editor is conducting an informal survey on the lighter side of engineering We follow up from last month with three pertinent questions

Soapbox

What do you think of computers and the digital world

Elbie Cornelius of National Oilwell Varco Awesome changing our world

Chris Coetzee of Resonant SolutionsNinety percent of all engineering is done using computers but if you rely solely on them yoursquove missed the plot because you always have to verify results by going back into the field to test what yoursquove done on the computer

Rudolph Beer of Martin EngineeringYou canrsquot do without them

Willem Sullivan of HansenIt is where I do all my design work So if it was not for computers we would be decades behind in terms of what we can do I absolutely love it

Greg Perry of SEWThey have definitely made things faster but the en-gineer still needs to understand the theory and pay attention to the detail or you make mistakes faster

Jean Schoeman of National Oilwell Varco Very useful until they give problems Then you just want to hit them with a hammer But the digital world has managed to speed up the communica-tion of information

If you had all the money in the world what would you design

Elbie Cornelius of National Oilwell Varco A solar and wind power station to supply the whole continent with electricity

Rudolph Beer of Martin EngineeringDevelop the safe harvesting of atomic energy

30 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

ldquoSA Mechanical Engineerrdquo speaks to Dave Goodman managing director of Spectra Car-bide Tooling Technology in Cape Town about the various management models they have

developed specifically to control tooling ldquoOur tool management systems were developed through our involvement with some of the major automotive OEMs in South Africardquo he says ldquoThe management system where we take over full control of the tool-ing facility on the premises has been running for twelve years now at some of these plants

Systems for allldquoBut these systems are not only for OEMs and

large operationsrdquo Dave remarks ldquoTo meet dif-ferent requirements we now have four levels of management systems on offer each requiring a different level of active involvement from our side This varies from purely holding stock to supply for a customerrsquos specific needs right through to taking over full control of tooling by having a permanent on-site office manned by fulltime Spectra staffrdquo

A typical level 4 operation with a Spectra team permanently stationed on the customerrsquos premises will be equipped with a fully-computerised store inventory system to control the purchasing of all tooling from spindle to point ldquoThe team will control all the new stock and used tools by negotiating and dealing with tier two suppliers as wellrdquo explains sales manager Wayne Williams ldquoThey are also responsible for presetting tools ready for produc-tion as well as collecting and delivering tools to and from the machines in addition to providing technical support 7 days a week 24 hours a day

BenefitsOne of the cost saving benefits for the customer is less administration because the Spectra team consolidates all invoices so the customer receives

Managing ToolingIn most machine shops the tooling is usually under lock and key to limit access to high-value tool inserts such as end-mills drills reamers and burrs Even so many companies suffer considerable losses as these costly tools get lost are pilfered or are misused because there isnrsquot a proper

management system in place over and above lock and key to control who takes what from the store

To meet different requirements we now have four levels of management on offer each requiring a different level of active involvement from our side

Managing machine tools saves money

Dave Goodman managing director of Spectra Carbide Tooling Technology

MATERIAL SELECTION

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 31

one invoice per month In addition the customer has a highly skilled specialist in-house on tap to provide technical assistance for all tooling drilling tapping milling boring gundrilling honing and line boring on CNC and conventional machines ldquoFrom the management system we can draw extensive reporting for the customer regarding the costs per unit manufactured We produce monthly graphs for trending as well as daily incident reports on tool breakages weekly costs on scrapped tools and we also work out action plans to reduce scrap and improve up-time of the machinesrdquo Wayne adds

In essence this value-add for the customer allows preventative action which ultimately saves the customer money Dave explains ldquoGiven the skills shortage out there no company can afford the personnel purely to manage the machine shop in so much detail With this system we not only fill the skills-gap by integrating with the company but we add value to the company so that they can focus on what they manufacturerdquo

New product developmentIntegration into the customersrsquo operation has proved particularly beneficial when it comes to new product developments Wayne elaborates ldquoWersquore always up to date with the latest technology in tooling and know what can be done in the best possible way Usually it will take a machine shop a while to select the right tooling and method to produce

a new part but with our experts right there on site they can be assured of finding the most suitable solution using the right tooling from the startrdquo

Vending systemOn a lower level of tool management where the operation does not justify a permanent Spectra team on site the company has a tooling vending machine solution ldquoAll the tooling is stored in a vending machine and access to draw the tools out of the machine is controlled by a card or finger-print readerrdquo explains Dave ldquoSuch a system does however have a reporting function which allows the customer to draw the machining cost against each specific job

ldquoThis system has proved popular in South Africa because it can be customised to control the specific functions relevant to each customerrdquo adds David ldquoPart and parcel of this cost-saving solution is training the customer on how best to utilise the system for his needs be it purely controlling the use of tooling or integrating reporting and costing into the business system of the companyrdquo

Wayne Williams Spectra Tel (011) 827-8957 Email waynewspectra-sacoza

From the management system we can draw extensive reporting for the customer regarding the costs per unit manufactured

Special carbide drills reamers end mills and special inserts are manufactured in South Africa

MATERIAL SELECTION

32 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 33

Cubitron can be used to finish profile and or polish materials with high tensile strengths and is particularly useful to extend the lifetime of belts and discs in industrial environments

where hard materials are the order of the dayrdquo

Consistent cutFinishes are little changed through the entire dura-tion of a Cubitron belt from new to completely worn out The secret is that the cutting edges wear in a controlled manner This means that the tiny indi-vidual scratches are the same when the belt is first

put on until it is worn and ready for replacement

ldquoThere are a multitude of cutting edges on each individual grain of the extremely hard ceramic based grain As the grain wears new cutting edges are exposed in a predictable and measured manner to ensure that a consistent action is applied to the surfacerdquo she adds

Using the same ceramic platform 3M developed Cubitron II providing even better results than its predecessor 3M engineers were able to electrostati-cally orient triangular precision shaped ceramic grain acting like a cutting tool This means that the grain slices through metal as opposed to grinding and continuously self-sharpens as points break off This results in discs and belts running cooler and longer The Cubitron II technology is applied in

Starting from Scratch

SURFACE FINISHING

ldquoTo scratch the surface as the saying goes of most modern materials and coatings is not as easy as it used to be Thatrsquos why we developed Cubitron Abrasive Grainrdquo says Kelly Hunt

sales and marketing manager of 3M

34 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

Scratccchingg thhe surfface of abrasivvves ttecchnnologgy is too oopen a compplex sccience

SURFACE FINISHING

belt fibre disc and Roloc form offer-ing a unique solution for wide range of grinding needs

Scratching the surfaceKelly is an abrasives fanatic She says scratching the surface of abrasives technology is to open a complex sci-ence Analysis of different materials and techniques of cutting or finishing has in recent years become a necessity as materials develop and advance Bonding of abrasive onto materials for discs and belts is also more complex than before as manufacturing becomes automated and the tolerance for down-time reduces

But for the average operator technician or engineer it is not so much a matter of what goes into the development of a product but rather finding the solution that suits the intended process The minimum requirement is for a product to perform reliably over an extended period of time and to produce the right finish

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 35

Sometimmess a less expeeensiive buuut mmooree suitaaablee abbrasssivee ccaan give bettterr reesulttss

SURFACE FINISHING

ldquoUsing the abrasives to determine a finish can be as simple or as com-plicated as the producer of finished goods chooses to make it With so many choices available in the market we recommend that industrial users iden-tify the requirements of the abrasive and then speak to trained service technicians from suppliers such as 3M

Not about priceldquoPrice is not always the determining factor Some-times a less expensive but more suitable abrasive can give better results and in other instances the use of cheaper materials in the wrong application may be costly as materials will need to be replaced more oftenrdquo

Kelly recommends that us-ers of industrial abrasives take the time to research new products and as-sess their suitability for their processes ldquoYoursquoll be surprised that some of the new abrasives can do the job better and in half the time than older technology abrasives canrdquo she concludes

3M Dylan Ian Hunter Tel (011) 806-2186 Email dhuntermmmcom www3Mcom

36 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

IT TRENDS

ldquo M o b i l e c o m p u t i n g

continues to grow and alongside other IT trends

such as cloud computing social technologies and the era of big data It is going to play a pivotal role in the IT industry this year In factrdquo Derick adds

Mobile Computing

Mobile computing is growing momentously and is set to account for as much as 57 of worldwide T market growth in 2013 says Derick Roberts CEO of TruTeq Devices a Pretoria-based

company focusing on wireless connectivity solutions

ldquoit is going to account for the lionrsquos share of growth ndash even more than the cloud computingrdquo

The IDC predicts that worldwide IT spending will exceed $21 trillion up 57 from 2012 The research company also states that mobility will be the biggest driver Sales of smart mobile devices including smart phones and tablets is expected to grow by 20 and will contribute a significant 57 of all IT growth Excluding smart mobile devices IT industry growth will clock in at only 29

Truteq Devices Derick Roberts Tel (012) 667-1530 wwwtruteqdevicescom

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 37

ELECTRIC DRIVE

The technology performance and design of the Cigarette powerboat is closely based on the electric super sports vehicle made in Affalterbach Germany

The 116 metre long Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept powerboat uses two drive units each featuring six independent electric motors At the rear of the boat each drive unit has its own trans-mission one on the left and one on the right The boat is fitted with the twelve compact liquid-cooled permanent-magnet synchronous electric motors which are the signature piece of the SLS AMG Coupeacute Electric Drive each electric motor delivers 138 kW and 250 Newton metres

The maximum output of 1 656 Kilowatts and maximum torque of 3 000 Newton metres combine to reach a staggering top speed of over 160 kmh making this locally emission-free Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept the worlds fastest electri-cally driven powerboat The low centre of gravity and optimum weight distribution ensure sublime

The Worlds Most Powerful Powerboat

handling characteristics during more dynamic changes of direction

The high-voltage battery boasts an energy content of 60 Kilowatt hours an electric load potential of 600 Kilowatts and a weight of 548 kg ndash all of which are absolute best values in the automotive sector The liquid-cooled lithium-ion high-voltage battery features a modular design with a maximum voltage of 400 V It consists of 12 modules each comprising 72 lithium-ion cells ldquoCigaretterdquo inte-grates four high-tech batteries with a total of 48 modules and 3 456 cells which generate a total capacity of 240 Kilowatt hours and an electric output of 2 400 Kilowatts respect even in the boat building industry

The Cigarette on-board chargers as standard Adapted to fit the infrastructure standard of many American marinas the boat has a charging capac-ity of 44 Kilowatts The battery is fully charged in approximately seven hours To reduce the charging time to less than three hours the powerboat can be fitted with four on-board chargers as an option

Mercedes-Benz Shirle Greig Tel (012) 677-1904 Email shirlegreigdaimlercom wwwmercedes-benzsacoza

Mercedes-AMG and Cigarette Racing launched the latest development of their cooperation at the Miami International Boat Show in February Numerous components from the SLS AMG Coupeacute Electric Drive have been integrated in the design of the Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept engineering design The high performance drive fitted in the electric super sports car makes the off shore powerboat the worlds most

powerful and fastest electrically-driven motor boat With an output of 1 656 Kilowatts and a maximum torque of 3 000 Newton metres the Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept is a fascinating new development

Combine to reach a staggering top speed of over 160 kmh

38 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

ENVIRONMENT

They have been in service for decades

under the toughest conditions ndash and

have proven themselves worldwide

Voith fluid couplings protect belt con-

veyors and drive components by provid-

ing smooth acceleration and torque

control allowing for frequent loaded

starts with the least amount of stress on

the drive and belt

In multi-motor drives they ensure pre-

cise load distribution Result fewer

downtimes ndash and the service life of the

belt and the drive components is in-

creased The latest product innovation is

the Voith TurboBelt 780 TPXL

infovtzavoithcom

wwwrsavoithturbocom

Protect Your Belt Conveyors with

Voith Fluid Couplings

ai_a

it_44

0_e

n ai

k

Water Disclosure ReportingJust as companies are addressing their carbon emissions and

provide carbon reporting to the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) water is becoming a growing priority

Reporting on it is becoming another critical sustainability issue

2011 saw a marked increase in the number of the worldrsquos largest companies reporting on their water usage on the risks that water presents and on their responses to

that risk Responses from these companies indicate that water is impacting global business now and yet water is not nearly as high on the corporate agenda as climate change

Evidence is mounting that South Africa is facing a water crisis of substantial proportions This crisis encompasses all aspects of water management on both the demand and supply side The mounting impacts of acid mine drainage and declining wa-ter quality add to the crisis South Africarsquos water security is likely to be further complicated by an increasingly uneven and unpredictable supply of rainfall as a result of climate change and by a reli-ance on significant water transfers from neighbour-

ing countries In meeting this crisis South Africa will have to resolve tough trade-offs in water use between agriculture key industrial activities such as mining and power generation and the supply to rapidly growing urban centres

Evidence is clearJSE 100 companies will need to show leadership in sustainably managing the water resources on which they rely for their day-to-day business operations The available evidence is clear It is not sustainable to continue exploiting water resources by follow-ing a lsquobusiness as usualrsquo approach If this is the case South Africarsquos freshwater resources will be depleted and unable to meet the needs of people and industry in the next 20 years if not before

In 2011 the response rate to the CDP Water Disclosure amongst South African companies was 46 (26 out of 56 companies) Many of South Africarsquos most significant corporate water users are therefore not yet able to or are not yet ready to report on their water-related risks

Promethuim Robbie Louw Tel (011) 706-8185 Email Robbiepromethiumcoza wwwpromethuimcoza

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 39

EXHIBITION

The Steel and Engineering Industries Federation (SEI-FSA) the Lifting Equipment Engineering Association

of SA (LEEASA) the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA) and the SA Institute of Welding (SAIW) have thrown their weight behind the biggest industrial and engineering trade show in Africa

The three-day 10-shows-in-one event takes place from 14 to 16 May 2013 at Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand Johannesburg

SEIFSA Conference at Indutec The Steel and Engineering Indus-tries Federation of South Africa (SEIFSA) will hold its annual conference at Indutec celebrating 70 years of active support for its members industry and business in Africa The federation has over 2 220 member companies which employ more than 224 000 people comprising 53 of the industryrsquos workforce

SAIW ldquoWe take our affiliations with leading industry players very seriously including our en-dorsement of Indutecrdquo says Jim Guild chief executive officer of the SA Institute of Welding ldquoThese industry ties form part of our strategy to create strong relationships which support our objective and Governmentrsquos mandate to enhance the manufacturing sector in South Africardquo

LEEASAThe Lifting Equipment Engineer-ing Association of South Africa (LEEASA) which is a division of the Chamber of Engineering Tech-

nology (COET) will also be using its endorsement of Indutec to promote its activities in the engineer-ing and technology sectors in general Chamber spokesperson Viv Nel says its exposure at the fair will create more awareness of the Chamberrsquos role in all engineering and technology-driven industries

ECSAIndustry regulator the Engineering Council of South Africa shares these aims ldquoAs a custodian of en-gineering intellectual capital in South Africa our endorsement of Indutec provides us with a platform to publicise our role in the engineering sector and government infrastructure initiativesrdquo says Edgar Sabela ECSArsquos Strategic Services Executive

ldquoWe need to produce 10 times more engineers to compete with developed economies Involvement with the Indutec show will allow us to promote engineering as a career through our Engenius Programme and showcase our existing engineer-ing excellence Most importantly it enables us to network with all key players in the field and even conclude some businessrdquo

Tenfold Benefits to ExhibitorsJohn Thomson managing director of Exhibition Management Services organisers of the 10-in-one Fair says the unqualified support from leading in-dustry bodies indicates the showrsquos tenfold value to the engineering industrial and technology sectors ldquoThis undoubtedly translates into multiple benefits for the showrsquos exhibitors and ultimately to show visitorsrdquo he concludes

Indutec Serean ThomsonTel (011) 783 7250 Email marketingexhibitionsafricacom wwwexhibitionsafricacom

Boosting the Manufacturing Sector32 of South Africarsquos leading industrial and engineering professional and employer associations Chambers and

Councils have collectively endorsed Indutec the recently launched South African Industry and Technology Fair 2013

Promech Publishing through SA Mechanical Engineer and Bulk Handling Today will produce and publish the Official Catalogue for this prestigious show

Make sure your presence is felt before during and after the show by advertising in this one-of-a-kind reference publication

Contact Mark Bennett Tel (011) 781-1401 Email samechengpromechcoza

Jim Guild CEO of the SA Institute of Welding

Edgar Sabela - ECSArsquos Strategic Services Executive

Adelia Pimentel - Marketing and Communications Manager SEIFSA

40 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

MARKET FORUM

ldquoBMG has identified a need in diverse sectors for on-site maintenance services to overcome production challengesrdquo says Dave Russell technical director BMG ldquoRecognising the extreme constraints of high energy prices low productivity the critical skills shortage and a highly competitive economic environment BMG brings a total solutions service to the fore

ldquoIndustry can now access all critical production efficient products and services from one supplier What this means is lower production costs and higher pro-duction efficiency giving South African industry a distinct competitive advantage

ldquoBMGrsquos on-site services include applica-

tion design evaluation and optimisation as well as installation trouble-shooting and service exchange contracts The company also offers predictive planned and breakdown maintenance and energy and reliability studiesrdquo

The company also offers extensive train-ing which covers electrical mechanical hydraulic pneumatic electronic and materials handling disciplines as well as predictive maintenance and component failure analysis

BMG ndash Bearing Man Group Veronique van Niekerk Tel (031) 576-6221Email veroniquevbmgworldnet wwwbmgworldnet

Tenova Takraf Africa (formerly Bateman Engineered Technologies) is putting the final pieces together in completing an order for the supply of a 55m x 275m hydraulically-driven SAG mill to Ontario Graphite operators of the Kearney Mine located in Kearney O n t a r i o Canada

ldquoTenovarsquos scope

Unique SAG Mill in Canada

ABB started with a bang following the order of 2 400 robots by BMW Group Over the next three years the robots will be installed at factories in Regensburg and Leipzig Germany as well as in Tiexi China The ABB robots will mainly be used for mate-rial handling tasks as well as gluing and spot welding processes

ABB robots enable customers to implement efficient manufacturing systems that sustainably produce high-quality products The com-panyrsquos range of products and solu-tions for lean manufacturing cover the range from body-in-white to the final assembly of complete car bodies They improve competitiveness and at the same time optimally comply with customer specifications ABB has installed more than 200 000 robots worldwide

ABB Robotics Natasha Mathebula Tel (010) 202-6156 Email natashamathebulazaabbcom wwwabbcom

2400

Robots

Total Solution

of work includes the engineering manufacturing shipping and technical assistance during erection of the SAG millrsquos feed end shell discharge end drive and main bearings as well as all supporting equipment (lubrication and jacking systems)rdquo says Tenova Takraf

engineer Pieter van der Walt ldquoThe main hydraulic motor and rubber

shell liners were outside our commercial scope of supply but inside our technical

scope of supplyrdquo he adds

The mill is a conventional SAG (semi-autogenous grinding) mill in all ways apart from its drive assem-bly and it is centre-driven

at the discharge end using a Haggluumlnds hydraulic motor and powerpack ldquoTo date this is the largest hydraulic motor installed on a SAG mill with 950kW of power torque of 1 200 kNm (start-up) and 650 kNm (operational) and speed of 1386 rpmrdquo adds Pieter

Since the mill had to be retrofitted to an existing foundation a number of adaptations were required to maintain the mill centreline as well as feed-end and discharge-end positions Certain additions were required to anchor the main motor torque arm

Tenova Takraf Pieter van der Walt Tel (011) 899-2372 Email pietervanderwaltbatemancom wwwtenovagroupcom

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 41

MARKET FORUM

World Record

The ADR plant at Kisladag Mine

FLSmidth designs and manufactures indirect heated carbon regeneration kilns and calciners from half a ton per day and larger These kilns and calciners can be fuel gas oil or electric and are skid mounted pre-wired and pre-piped The companyrsquos patented bellows kiln seal has proved effective in eliminating air ingress and process gas egress and can be retrofitted to kilns from other manufacturers FLSmidth holds the world record for the lowest emissions on a carbon plant

And at the companyrsquos Merrill Crowe plant capacities range from skid mounted 34 cubic metres per hour modular plants to full size 2 100 cubic metres per hour The range of supply for plants includes clarification filters de-aeration towers vacuum pumps zinc dust feeders lead nitrate feeders and zinc cones precipitate filter feed pumps filter pre-coat and body feed systems as well as precipitate filters used by refinery and smelting facilities to produce gold bullion

These plants incorporate proprietary zinc dustlead nitrate feeder and mix-ing cone system The company offers individual plant components and partial or complete plant equipment packages together with total plant design

FLSmidth Terence Osborn Tel (010) 210-4820

Magnet has extended its range of abrasive products to include 3Mrsquos new Cubitron II abrasive belts with enhanced grinding performance improved productivity and extended service life

ldquo3Mrsquos new technology has resulted in increased speed improved consistency and extended belt liferdquo says Brian How-arth MD Magnet ldquoThese new abrasive belts ensure up to 30 faster cutting on hard to grind metals like stainless steel nickel alloy and cobalt chrome They also divert heat from the workpiece and belt to the swarf which means cooler cutting This helps eliminate burnishing and minimises heat stress Cubitron II abrasive belts last up to four times longer than conventional ceramic aluminium oxide beltsrdquo

3M Abrasives Bradley Reddy Tel (031) 274 1050 Email bradleyrmagnetgroupcozawwwmagnetgroupcoza

4 x Longer

42 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

MARKET FORUM

X-Calibur is one of the latest product offerings from TAL and was specified to protect the concrete structure of the worldrsquos second longest cable-stayed bridge against corrosion throughout its design life

Stonecutters Bridge is a high level cable-stayed bridge which spans the Rambler Channel in Hong Kong connecting Nam Wam Kok Tsing Yi Island and Stonecut-ters Island Hong Kong is well known for its hot summer weather which is also humid and unstable Temperatures

Say No to Corrosionusually exceed 30oC during the day which coupled with high humidity can result in an extreme heat index

ldquoHot and humid environments have a great effect on the durability of concrete As a rule of thumb we say for every 10oC increase in temperature the possibility of corrosion induced damage to concrete is doubled Add humidity in a marine envi-ronment then protection of the structure is of paramount importancerdquo says Brian Davies CEO X-Calibur International In order to guard the bridge from corro-

sion X-Shield EpoxySeal CR was sup-plied to shield the prestressed concrete cable anchorages from the effects of the environment In addition X-Shield FlexCoat was used in various areas of the structure This provides corrosion protection to reinforced concrete from chloride and carbon dioxide

ldquoThe main challenge was compliance with the strict project specifications as the engineer wanted to ensure that protection would be provided throughout the design life of the structure X-Calibur

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 43

MARKET FORUM

had the products independently tested to prove compliance to all aspects of the specificationrdquo John adds

The materials were applied by spe-cialist painters who had been trained by X-Calibur ldquoMaterials were mixed and applied strictly in accordance with method statements supplied by X-Calibur to ensure working time and recoat windows were not exceededrdquo concludes John

TAL Andrew Dekker Tel (031) 579-2263 wwwtalcoza

Fluid conveyance and pumping solutions expert Incledon has supplied a large water supply line project in the Free State with a total of 4 km of Ultraflo pipes manufactured in-house by DPI Plastics - a leading manufacturer of water reticulation drainage and pipe-fitting systems in South Africa

DPI Plastics technical and product manager Renier Snyman points out that the companyrsquos range of Ultraflo pipes are manufactured from modified polyvinyl chloride (mPVC) which is specifically designed to provide similar tensile strength and greater resilience than standard PVC piping products ldquoThe Ultraflo range of pressure piping systems are ideally suited to bulk water supply projects due to the fact that mPVC is considerably more ductile than industry standard unplasticised polyvinyl chloride (uPVC)rdquo he explains

Renier notes that the ductility of the Ultraflo uPVC piping system ensures that

Large Water Supply Project

the pipes have exceptional resistance to crack propagation under pressure ldquoThe product being supplied to the water sup-ply line project is the 500 mm Ultraflo system which is the largest in the DPI Plastics range It boasts a pressure rat-ing of 12 bar with a design stress of up to 18MPa making it ideally suited as a large underground piping systemrdquo

According to Renier Ultraflo pipes offer environmental advantages too ldquoDue to its superior toughness the wall thick-ness of mPVC is less than that of uPVC This ensures that less materials are used during the manufacturing process which ultimately results in a lighter product that is easier to transport and install thereby minimising the carbon footprint of the piperdquo

DPI Plastics Martine Goodchild Tel (021) 957 5600 Email mgoodchilddpiplasticscozawwwdpiplasticscoza

Donrsquot Miss Out

Promech Publishing is putting the Visitorsrsquo Catalogue together for this Show

Contact Mark Bennett on Tel (011) 781-1401 or Email samechengpromechcoza

to book your space

44 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

MARKET FORUM

Displaying and discussing some of the Dodge housed bearings on offer to local industry and mining are (from left) Tony Patten of Specialised Bearings amp Transmission Peter Small-Shaw Wilecrsquos Product Manager Bearings and Frans Odendaal Wilecrsquos Technical Specialist Bearings

The Bearings division of Actom group company Wilec has formed a strategic alliance for the supply of Dodge housed bearings into southern Africa The partner-ship agreement with Johannesburg-based Specialised Bearings amp Transmission the local distributor for Dodge extends Wilecrsquos ability to satisfy the requirements of industry and mining in a diverse range of bearings applications

ldquoThe most exciting thing about our tie-up with Dodge is that housed bearings while already widely accepted in the US and other leading industrialised countries is a relatively new concept locally but one which offers advanced features to users compared with conventional plum-mer block arrangementsrdquo said Frans Odendaal Wilecrsquos Technical Specialist Bearings

ldquoDodge housed bearings are supplied pre-assembled and sealed so eliminating all risk of contamination during fitment The advanced sealing arrangement and unique adapter system guarantees longer

Strategic Alliance

life ndash up to six times that of a conven-tional plummer block Other cost-saving advantages are that they can be installed by a semi-skilled technician very quickly normally in less than 15 minutes and the need to measure pre- and post-reduction clearance is eliminatedrdquo

ldquoIt is a differentiated product and with it we are able to provide a bearing that is especially well suited to local conditions

and offers benefits that are of real value to customers A particularly important aspect to bear in mind is that the total cost of ownership of a Dodge bearing is significantly lower than that of the conventional product due to its greater reliability and durabilityrdquo

Wilec Frans Odendaal Tel (011) 629-9300 Email fransowileccoza

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 45

MARKET FORUM

Emis Sales 2002 part of Becker Min-ing South Africa supplies a wide range of electrical equipment up to 1 100 V for use in hazardous and non-hazardous areas in the mining petrochemical and surface industry sectors

New to the Emis range are Proloc pro-tection and control relays which are suitable for thermal overload protection of conveyors compressors crushers fan and pump motors as well as shuttle cars and flitting panels

ldquoThe stand-alone Emis ProLoc electronic protection and control relay system which has been designed for the optimum protection of motor and feeder circuits connected to outlet sockets has a wide choice of six user-selectable protection features to meet exact requirementsrdquo says Frikkie Quirk managing director Emis Sales 2002 ldquoAn important advan-tage of this system is a door mounted infra-red link that enables a laptop with Proloc software to manage all settings

and downloads without having to open the panel door and expose personnel to dangerous live equipment This is a critical requirement in the OHSA actrdquo

This system is easy to set up via the Proloc MMI 420 display man-to-machine interface or via a laptop with Proloc software

Emis Sales 2002 Tel (016) 341-6134 Email infozabecker-miningcom wwwzabecker-miningcom

Optimum Protection

Birkenmayer a material processing systems supplier in South Africa and local supplier of German-engineered Eirich material processing technology recently released the Evactherm drier a new product that marries the advantages

Superheated Vacuum Steam

of mechanical and thermo dynamical processes to provide cost-effective and highly efficient drying and processing of filter cake and sludgersquos using superheated vacuum steam

Until now it has been important to observe

a maximum middle temperature when applying direct drying to heat sensitive materials and even more important to avoid the excessive local and boundary temperatures that frequently damage the drying product Both heat and ma-terial transport need to be considered and while convective drying processes such as spray drying largely avoid these problems they are only effective if a surface is available for the hot gas flow

Adjustable for both direct and convec-tive drying and processing Evactherm driers overcome these obstacles while providing a number of further benefits

Super-heated vacuum steam performs drying and granulation while the com-bination of mechanical and thermo dynamical processes allows for low dry-ing temperatures and gentle processing of temperature sensitive materials It also enables continuous drying for long periods of time as fresh material may be continuously added into the fluidized bed replacing material that has already been vaporised

H Birkenmayer Louis Eksteen Tel (011) 970 3880-8 Email louisbirkenmayercozawwwbirkenmayercoza

The Evactherm drier

Proloc protection and control relays

46 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

The Eastern Capersquos Coega Industrial Development Zone (IDZ) is one of a number of industrial regions in South Africa to benefit from Air Products South Africarsquos strategy of long-term capital investment

A region which has long been under-served when it comes to reliable gas supply the Eastern Cape will soon have

A Long-term Viewits own air separation unit (ASU) ndash the first of its kind in the province Seelan Gounden GM supply chain at AirProd-ucts explains the reasons behind the companyrsquos latest investment

ldquoCurrently there is no local industrial gas supply in this area and cryogenic gases have to be procured elsewhere This situation compromises the service

MARKET FORUM

ART Solar specialists in the manufacture of solar photovoltaic (PV) modules for the sustainable generation of electrical power has made the following appointment an-nouncementsMark Walsh as managing director Dr Ronald FM Lange as chief operating officer Robert Ramshaw as financial manager and Gavin Rosslee as production manager

Gavin RossleeRobert RamshawMark Walsh

Jeanne Els has been appointed as Hatchrsquos Managing Director of Operations

Jeanne Els

Ronald Lange

Anton Theunissen

SKF South Africa recently appointed Anton Theunissen as Distributor De-velpoment Manager for South Africa and neighbouring coun-tries

Index to Advertisers

Axiom 12

Bearings International 36

Bibby Turboflex 28

Bonfiglioli 10

Engen 34

Festo 35

Hansen 44

Horne SA 29

IDC Inside Back Cover

ILS 32

KDP Services 22

Loesche 31

Polysius 4

PPS 11 29

Mercedes Outside Back Cover

Merseta Inside Front Cover

MIEO Outside Front Cover

Transmission Components 14

Voith 38

Yellotec 16 17

delivery to our existing customers who have to depend on product being trucked over vast distances Thus we identified the Eastern Cape as a key priority invest-ment destination with a clear need for a new air separation facility dedicated to servicing the region We chose the Coega IDZ after careful market analysis We are pleased to be able to be a part of the growth and development of the region through providing a long-needed security of supply and value-added servicerdquo

Ayanda Vilakazi head of Marketing and Communications at the Coega IDZ adds ldquoThe viability of the new ASU is indis-putable It will mean not only security of gas supply to the region benefiting the many industries here but it also means job security for other investors jobs along the value chain and scope for training and human resource develop-ment as well as enhanced Corporate Social Investment initiativesrdquo

Seelan Gounden AirProducts wwwairproductssouthafricacoza

Left to right Chris Mashigo Executive Man-ager - Business Development Coega Develop-ment Corporation Themba Khoza Executive Manager ndash Operations Coega Development Corporation Seelan Gounden GM - Supply Chain Air Products Pierre Fourie Area Sales Manager ndash Eastern Cape Air Products signed the lease agreement between the CDC and Air Products South Africa

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 47To apply online for funding of R1 million or more go to wwwidccoza

Telephone 086 069 3888Email callcentreidccoza

Driving new market innovationsThe IDC supports high-impact job creation projects acting as a

catalyst to lead new sector development and support existing

industry and sector growth in alignment with governmentrsquos

New Growth Path (NGP) National Development Plan (NDP)

and Industrial Policy Action Plan (IPAP)

The IDC Strategic High Impact Projects (SHIP) Strategic Business

Unit in partnership with the IDC Innovation Department has

launched an Open Innovation Challenge to encourage the

development and implementation of sustainable high-impact

industrial initiatives and projects

The IDC calls upon individuals engineering communities

corporates project sponsors and other related entities to enter

into a partnership to develop qualifying projects that result in

sustainable and profi table industries exploit the value-adding

opportunities of existing and new value chains and enable the

development of innovative local economies

Whatwho qualifi es

projects which enable the development of new industries

across multiple IDC focus sectors

introduce new markets and value chains or revolutionise

existing ones through the use of disruptive technologies

or new approaches

development impact and employment creation

across mandated IDC industrial sectors

SHIP wishes to ensure that the projects undertaken play a major

role in industrial development and employment creation within

the South African and SADC regions

Interested applicants are invited to submit their project

proposals online at

httpopeninnovationidccozaidc-ship-challenge between

project proposals will be informed in May regarding SHIP

wishing to partner with them in the development of the

proposed project

Please contact Bertie Strydom BertieSidccoza and

RetiefBidccoza for more information

Chillibush9119IDC

48 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

A D

aim

ler B

rand

You built the bridges the roads and the tunnels We built the carAs a member of the Engineering Council of South Africa you could qualify for exclusive offers a guaranteed 3-day service booking as well as PremiumDrive our 6 year100 000km maintenance plan To take advantage of this outstandingopportunity inform your nearest dealer of your ECSA status

Not in conjunction with other Mercedes-Benz Fleet ProgrammesOffers Excludes AMG and Limited Edition modelsVehicle specifications may vary for the South African market

Page 21: SAME Mar2013

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 21

Compressed Air at Work

Pneumatic systems are extensively used in industry where factories are commonly plumbed with

compressed air or compressed inert gases This is because a centrally-located and electrically-powered

compressor which powers cylinders and other pneumatic devices through solenoid valves is often

able to provide motive power in a cheaper safer more flexible and more reliable manner than electric motors

and actuators

Premium brandApplied Pneumatics established 22 years ago is a South African distributor of Parker Hannifin products ldquoAt a time when everyone is increasingly becoming aware of the benefits of buying premium products which last longer and have proven to be value for money Parker has come up with new innovations which extend this value even furtherrdquo says Dave

ldquoTake valves for example Most low-cost valves are throw-away items which are discarded completely if something goes wrong Our premium valves which cost a bit more initially are serviceable This means we can repair and service them at a fraction of the cost of even a cheap complete unit

ldquoIf the premium repairable valve breaks for in-stance itrsquos quick and easy to strip it right there and then fit new parts and have it up and running in no time as opposed to having to order and wait for a complete replacement unitrdquo adds Dave ldquoAll you need to have in stock are a couple of O-rings for the different valves in a systemrdquo

SA Mechanical Engineerrdquo visits a company in Randburg aptly named Applied Pneumat-ics to speak to managing director Dave McNair ldquoIn a pneumatics application we

supply everything beyond the compressor This includes everything down the line the filtration system water traps regulators and then the lubrication system before you get to the actual application which could be a cylinder control valves actuators or even solenoid valves for the control of liquid flows in a process We also do vacuum applications where suction cups pick objects up to move them aboutrdquo

From left Andrew Livesey applications engineer at Applied Pneumatics Teven McNair sales and Dave McNair managing director

Range includes pneumatic cylinders and actuators valves and logic processing air preparation equipment as well as a whole host of other pneumatic components and accessories

The Parker range of pneumatic equipment includes actuator and motors

HYDRAULICS amp PNEUMATICS

22 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

New conceptSimilarly the air prepa-ration systems from Parker are of a modular design and fully repair-able so that just worn or damaged compo-nents can be replaced ldquoThey have now taken this even furtherrdquo says Dave ldquoA new concept in regulators the Modu-flex clip technology system has just been released No special tools in fact no span-ners at all are needed

to take the unit apart to replace a filter element for instance You sim-ply clip the unit apart by hand replace the

element and clip it together again within a minute

ldquoOn a forklift for example the glass bowl of the air preparation unit is often damaged when the forklifts bump into some-thingrdquo elaborates Dave ldquoOn a low-cost throw-away unit yoursquod have to carry a spare unit to replace the whole unit With the new technology howev-er you simply clip off the damaged part to zap a new one into place In terms of cylinders and actuators the latest development is self-lubricating seals which require no additional lubri-cation whatsoeverrdquo

One of the main drawbacks of pneumatics over hydraulics is that a pneumatic cylinder has to be much larger than a hydraulic cylinder in order to deliver the same power However this does not rule out using pneumatics in heavier applications especially underground where the use of air is generally safer and cleaner than hydraulic oils in the first place

UndergroundldquoA while back we were approached by a platinum mine to design a pneumatic system to open and close underground tipsrdquo Andrew explains ldquoTo prevent people from falling into the ore tip it had to be closed with a heavy steel lid between off-loading operations We not only designed a suit-able pneumatic system but also took part in the installation on various levels all the way down to three kilometres undergroundrdquo

Like many other products there are cheap and nasty pneumatic products on the market and cost is not always an indication of inferiority ldquoThe safe route is to always buy from reputable companies who have been around for a long time and who trade in well-known brandsrdquo Dave says in conclusion ldquoSerious consideration should also be given to the repairability of the equipment Itrsquos no use installing a low cost system which has to be replaced regu-larly while another could last a lifetime if properly looked afterrdquo

Dave Mc Nair Applied pneumatics Tel (011) 792-3381 Email davenappliedpneumaticscoza

No special tools in fact no spanners at all are needed to take the unit apart to replace a filter element for instance

HYDRAULICS amp PNEUMATICS

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 23

TICK

ER T

APE

POWER GENERATION

PROMECH PUBLISHINGTel (011) 781-1401Fax (011) 781-1403Email samechengpromechcozaWebsite wwwpromechcozaManaging Editor Susan CustersEditorial Kowie HammanAdvertising Mark BennettCirculation Catherine MacdivaDTP Zinobia Docrat Donovan VadivaluDisclaimerPROMECH Publishing does not take responsibility for the opinions expressed by individuals

CopyrightAll rights reserved No editorial matter published in ldquoPower Generation Todayrdquo may be reproduced in any form or language without written per-mission of the publishers While every effort is made to ensure accurate reproduction the editor authors publishers and their employees or agents shall not be responsible or in any way liable for any errors omissions or inaccuracies in the publication whether arising from negligence or otherwise or for any consequences aris-ing therefrom The inclusion or exclusion of any product does not mean that the publisher or editorial board advocates or rejects its use either gener-ally or in any particular field or fields

POWERGENERATION

TODAY

Harnessing the Powers of the Ocean

Luciano Garcia-Baylleres COO at HAE

Tidal power has long been utilised as an energy resource used early on in tidal mills to grind grain throughout the Middle Ages More recently it has also been used to generate electricity for instance in the 240 MW tidal barrages at La Rance France Tidal currents however are still largely an untapped energy source While several marine current turbine prototypes

have been tested in the last few years there are only a few of these prototypes deployed to generate electrical power to smaller communities

mainly to demonstrate the viability of the technology

There is currently a renewed interest in using the ocean to generate electric-ity using both traditional hydropower technologies and new hydrokinetic

technologies This interest is being spurred on by official and private initiatives to promote the development of cleaner energy sources and diversification of energy supplies through use of alternative and renewable sources

Tidal energyTidal energy projects hold the promise of producing indigenous renewable predictable electricity without greenhouse gas emissions and with higher power densities in terms of power output per unit area than either solar photovoltaic or wind projects

The International Finance Corporation (IFC) the World Bankrsquos private-sector lending arm is partner-ing with Sasfin Bank to develop a portfolio of energy efficiency and renewable-energy financial products for small medium-sized and microenterprises (SMMEs) in South Africa

Alstom South Africa and the South African Nuclear Energy Corporation (Necsa) have signed an agreement under which the local branch of the French power generation power transmission and rail infrastructure

group will invest R8-million in buying equipment for the new coded welding centre being established at Necsarsquos Nuclear Skills Development (NSD)

The operation and maintenance (OampM) costs of wind farms in South Africa were expected to be in the mid-range of the international market Mott MacDonald consultant Matthias Vinard has reported adding that OampM costs ranged from euro28kW a year to euro68kW a year in international markets

24 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

ocean currents driven for instance by thermal gradients or differences in salinity Along the South African east coast the Agulhas Current is one of the most consistent sea currents in the world and this area has now been identified as the ideal spot to test technology developed by an American company Hydro Alternative Energy (HAE) from Florida USA

Current plans with the local gov-ernment of eThekwini Municipality in Durban supporting the concept of a hydrokinetic energy project off the cityrsquos coast calls for HAE to

initially develop a $20 million 1MW demonstration unit utilising the companyrsquos Oceanus technology to generate electric power from the Agulhas current flowing past the city Additional units each with an anticipated electric power generation capacity of 8 megawatts may then be built and likewise be submerged approximately 30 metres below sea level to prevent interference with shipping traffic

ldquoSA Mechanical Engineerrdquo has a QampA session with Luciano Garcia-Baylleres the Chief Operation Of-ficer (COO) of HAE about the project

Q Some background on HAEA HAE founded in March 2009 is an emerging independent power provider (ldquoIPPrdquo) focused on utilising hydrokinetic and other power develop-ment sources to generate electric power worldwide safely cost-effectively reliably and profitably with minimal or no ecological impact

Our business model provides for utilising certain of our own proprietary technology identifying and locating existing and new technologies and when appropriate partnering with others for our power development and generation needs

Q The South Africa connection with the companyA Research by our technical department identified several places throughout the world as optimal for the initial deployment and commercialisation of our technology After extensive research of each location

POWER GENERATIONTI

CKER

TA

PE

Tidal energy projects may also be useful in lsquofilling in the gapsrsquo in generating power from other intermit-tent energy sources such as wind farms

Marine current energy conversion concerns the po-tential generation of electricity from kinetic energy of freely-flowing water This contrasts with tradi-tional hydro power like a dam where the amount of energy extracted from a river is dependent on the head between the reservoir and the water level below the dam

A similar hydro power approach can in fact be used for tidal power in areas with high tides In this case a barrage can be constructed in a nar-row bay or estuary to utilise the head between low and high water

Consistent currentAnother way to generate electricity from water would be to convert the kinetic energy of flowing water similar to the way a wind turbine extracts energy from the wind In such a case a dam or reservoir is not necessary but rather sites are chosen where the currents are strong such as a narrow sound straight estuary around a headland or in a river

The term lsquomarine currentrsquo constitutes any kind of water current be it tidal unregulated rivers or other

Flow anlysis carried out for current simulations

Another way to generate electricity from water would be to convert the kinetic energy of flowing water similar to the way a wind turbine extracts energy from the wind

Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) MD Noah Gwariro says the state-owned company needs at least $300-million to refurbish thermal power stations in Bulawayo Harare and Munyati and to increase their generation capacities

The planned Karuma hydropower project will have capacity to generate 700MW

and is one of the high-priority projects in Ugandarsquos National Development Plan

The State-owned Ethiopian Electric Power Corporation (EEPCo) has signed a $120-million contract with UK-based company Canbridge Industries for the construction of a 50 MW waste-to-energy power plant

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 25

POWER GENERATION

The components of a sea current power gererating system

The Aghullas current and eThekwini Municipality with their infrastructure qualified human resource and an approach to facilitating large scale green projects was the appropriate site for this first endeavour

How the energy is harnessed

and all the surrounding benefits apart from the presence of good quality currents such as politi-cal stability port infrastructure and focus on green projects we determined that South Africa with its infrastructure qualified human resource and an approach to facilitating large scale green projects was the appropriate site for our first endeavour

Q Background on what the project is all aboutA OceanusTM our first power generation system which we are currently developing and which utilises much of our own proprietary technology is planned to harness the kinetic energy of the ocean to produce safe clean reliable cost-effective electric power

Oceanus will consist of two primary modules the amplification module (the shroud) and the engine module The shroud is a housing that will multiply the normal incoming water flow to a faster velocity as it passes through the engine module generat-ing more kinetic energy This will in turn result in potentially greater electrical power generation capability as well as potentially increased usable offshore locations worldwide

Velocity is the major factor which dictates the hydrokinetic energy that can be extracted from water Within the hydrokinetic energy sector of the renewable andor clean energy industry we have seen that research and development has generally focused on developing energy generation technolo-gies for environments that can only work in very high water velocity environments such as 3 4 5 metres per second While these areas of extreme water velocity are very high in hydrokinetic energy they only exist in a very small percentage of the worldrsquos waters

Our goal is to provide electric power to locations

Shroud

Engine module

Combine modular design

worldwide utilising the kinetic energy in lsquotypicalrsquo water conditions Our current design specifications have a base need of 1 metre per second of water

26 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

POWER GENERATION

flow which by amplifying the velocity is planned to produce 1MW of power This design specification once successfully tested may then be adapted into higher velocity waters As most locations in the world have lower velocity waters a turbine designed to work in 3 4 or 5 metres per second water flows will not work in waters that have velocities of 1-2 metres per second

Q How does it workA The theory behind the development of the system is quite basic having been previously used in other energy production systems such as wind and tidal energy generation Basically the engine is composed of an energy extraction system such as but not limited to our perpendicular access turbine a gorlov turbine a darrieus turbine and an Axial turbine

The other module is the shroud which handles two functions serving as an accelerator of the water ve-locity thus increasing the amount of kinetic energy that can be extracted Secondly it houses the engine protecting marine life from direct contact with the tip of the blades Also Oceanus is designed to be positively buoyant and either secured to the ocean floor or to float at a certain predetermined depth while moored to the ocean floor utilising the same techniques that are currently used in mooring floating oil rigs buoys or floating windmill systems

Q How will it work in KZNA There will be a demonstration unit initially and then we will start the commercial phase by entering into the normal contracts and procedures for energy generation in the country This entails a very large investment from our company where we will focus on potentially buildingassembling the units in Durban thus taking advantage of the excellent and qualified infrastructure it has

Q Who is involved locallyA We have no partners as far as investors or concerns as yet on the South African project but we are not against this possibility in the future From the facilita-tion point of view we have received a lot of support from Derek Morgan at the eThekwini Energy Office and Russell Curtis at DIPA each with their respective teams and other government offices that have been very forthcoming with information and support

Q What equipment does it use ndash where will this be madeA We have already scouted several facilities in Durbanrsquos ship building industry as well as other possible suppliers ranging from the maritime indus-try financial sector to legal consultants in order to make sure that we are in compliance with all regulations and that our perception of excellence from the South African maritime industry is in fact there

Q At what stage is the project nowA The project is currently at an initial logistics stage where we are looking at a more site specific design for the demonstration unit At the same time we are gathering all the information with our lawyers and possible suppliers for the norms procedures permits and licences necessary to comply with local and national regulations

Q Where will power go to A From our initial discussions with the regulatory bodies this energy can be locally distributed and then taken up by the grid as needed This will de-pend on the results of the demonstration unit and the first commercial unit operation which we are confident will exceed expectations

Q Are there sceptics criticsA As discussed before the basic technology has been used in other sectors of the energy generation industry what is being developed by us is the ef-ficient shroud and the maintenance systems which include buoyancy controls and depth determination in order to locate the most efficient current

Q Are there any future plans from your company for South Africa in particularA We believe that we have a good relationship with eThekwini municipality and once we fulfil our project with KZN we would then consider further expansion throughout South Africa

Q What about the other parts of AfricaA Eastern Africa in general presents very good conditions for our technology but for now we are going to concentrate our efforts on deploying this endeavour in South Africa before entertaining new opportunities

Luciano Garcia-Baylleres COO at HAE Tel 561-900-7200 EmailLgarciaHAE-USAcom wwwHAE-USAcom

We will focus on potentially building assembling the units in Durban thus taking advantage of the excellent and qualified infrastructure it has

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 27

POWER GENERATION NEWS

MTN has announced that it has entered into a com-mercial arrangement to sell its carbon credits to EDF Trading in an industry first The credits will be pro-duced by MTNrsquos tri-generation plant at 14th Avenue Of-fice Park in Fairland Johannesburg

EDF Trading is a whol-ly-owned subsidiary of Electriciteacute de France SA one of the largest compliance buyers covered by the European Union Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS)

The carbon credit project utilises a Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) meth-odology developed by MTN approved by the United Nations Framework Con-vention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) It is currently in the process of being registered with the UNFCCC Once registered MTN will sell the carbon credits from the project to EDF Trading

The project will make use of the MTN energy-efficient 2MW tri-generation plant at its Fairland office park Tri-generation is the concurrent production of electric-ity heating and cooling which provides

Carbon Credits power hot wa-ter space heat-

ing and cooling for air conditioning

from a single source

Egoli gas is used for the operation

sourced from the Sasol pipeline in Mozambique

The plant displaces grid electricity from Eskom

reducing greenhouse gas emissions and providing up to 85

efficiency on fuel The excess heat at some 400degC is captured

and used to supply heating and to operate an absorption chiller which creates cool water that is used to power an extensive air-conditioning system

Natural gas is clean burning and offers a consistent supply but simply using this to generate electricity would have been too expensive The saving achieved by capturing the waste heat combined with the additional revenue from the sale of the carbon credits however makes the project economically viablerdquo

Promethuim Robbie Louw Tel (011) 706-8185 Email Robbiepromethiumcozawwwpromethuimcoza

Countries across South East Asia Africa and the Middle East have been amending their regulatory frameworks and embarking on privatisation as many of them are in serious need of external fund-ing to ensure that their respective electricity industries are capable of dealing with the inevitable surge in demand The cumulative installed power capacity for these regions according to 2012 estimates will be 212 Gigawatts (GW) However this figure is expected to shoot up to 349 GW by 2020 climbing at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 64

Emerging Power Markets

Rising industrialisa-tion ever-increasing population figures and growing economies all point to an electrical future that most infra-structure systems are currently incapable of handling Therefore to achieve greater in-dustry efficiency and encourage competition governments across this region are opening up their electricity markets and increasing private sector participation The region will have to invest heavily in order to

increase its installed capacity and improve its existing infrastructure

Transmission networks in many of these countries are already under tremendous pressure to supply power without interruption and many new transmission projects are already underway or in the pipeline Therefore energy policy reforms are set to open the doors and create positive opportunities for growth in in the near future this according to Jonathan Cain of GBI Research

GBI ResearchJonathan Cain Tel +44 1204 543 533 Emailjcaingbiresearchcom wwwgbiresearchcom

28 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

POWER GENERATION NEWS

With Gensler Architects Aurecon has completed the design on the faccedilade of what will be Chinarsquos tallest building At 632m the Shanghai Centre is more than 100m taller than the recently-completed Shanghai Financial Centre and is designed as a sustainable eco-tower that sets a new benchmark not only for the region but also the world

Sustainable green features include tri-

Bioclimatic buildingGreywater recycling systems lo-cated at basement and at mid-level have been installed to collect greywater generated from lavatory or bathtub for reuse reducing potable water demand for the office tower by about 40

The ice storage system shifts part of the peak electricity demand of the chillers into the night modeoff peak operation Storage capacity is 26 400 Refrigerant Ton (RT) which reduces about 30 of the summit demand by about 3 through this ice cooling storage system and save up to the yearly energy cost for the user

A large volume water deluge system with rotational nozzles

installed at mid-level of the atria deliv-ers a large volume and accurate water spray onto fire with the assistance of Infra-red detection to lock the exact location and very early warning smoke detection apparatus system

A double curtain wall design provides better control on solar energy entering the tower building resulting in energy saving

Aerecon Group Jody Boshoff Tel (012) 427-2066 Email JodyBoshoffaurecongroupcomwwwaurecongroupcom

generation plant consisting of two sets of 11MW natural gas turbine generating electricity

chilled water hot water and heating water Simultaneous heat recovery of the hot flue gas produced from the tur-bines reduces carbon dioxide by 49 compared with the regular electrical cooling system

15 nos of 3kW vertical axis wind turbines (VAWTs) on the roof provide 157 500 kWh of clean and renewable electricity annually

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 29

Willem Sullivan of HansenA better artificial heart for people who are not eligible for natural heart transplants

Jean Schoeman of National Oilwell Varco My own jet aeroplane

Chris Coetzee of Resonant SolutionsThe problem in industry is practical engineering experience Young engineers donrsquot get the opportunity to learn the practical stuff Irsquod start an academy which teaches the practical side where you can learn from your mistakes Unfortunately mistakes cost money but if you have all the money in the world they can afford to learn from mistakes

In your book what is the most pivotal invention ever

Elbie Cornelius of National Oilwell Varco The computer

Chris Coetzee of Resonant SolutionsI canrsquot see how you can run a business without cellphones

Rudolph Beer of Martin EngineeringThe wheel

Willem Sullivan of HansenFor me personally Excel Without it my world will be dull and lifeless For the world at large Electricity because without it Excel will not be possible

Jean Schoeman of National Oilwell Varco The personal computer

OPINION

On his rounds Kowie Hamman our Editor is conducting an informal survey on the lighter side of engineering We follow up from last month with three pertinent questions

Soapbox

What do you think of computers and the digital world

Elbie Cornelius of National Oilwell Varco Awesome changing our world

Chris Coetzee of Resonant SolutionsNinety percent of all engineering is done using computers but if you rely solely on them yoursquove missed the plot because you always have to verify results by going back into the field to test what yoursquove done on the computer

Rudolph Beer of Martin EngineeringYou canrsquot do without them

Willem Sullivan of HansenIt is where I do all my design work So if it was not for computers we would be decades behind in terms of what we can do I absolutely love it

Greg Perry of SEWThey have definitely made things faster but the en-gineer still needs to understand the theory and pay attention to the detail or you make mistakes faster

Jean Schoeman of National Oilwell Varco Very useful until they give problems Then you just want to hit them with a hammer But the digital world has managed to speed up the communica-tion of information

If you had all the money in the world what would you design

Elbie Cornelius of National Oilwell Varco A solar and wind power station to supply the whole continent with electricity

Rudolph Beer of Martin EngineeringDevelop the safe harvesting of atomic energy

30 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

ldquoSA Mechanical Engineerrdquo speaks to Dave Goodman managing director of Spectra Car-bide Tooling Technology in Cape Town about the various management models they have

developed specifically to control tooling ldquoOur tool management systems were developed through our involvement with some of the major automotive OEMs in South Africardquo he says ldquoThe management system where we take over full control of the tool-ing facility on the premises has been running for twelve years now at some of these plants

Systems for allldquoBut these systems are not only for OEMs and

large operationsrdquo Dave remarks ldquoTo meet dif-ferent requirements we now have four levels of management systems on offer each requiring a different level of active involvement from our side This varies from purely holding stock to supply for a customerrsquos specific needs right through to taking over full control of tooling by having a permanent on-site office manned by fulltime Spectra staffrdquo

A typical level 4 operation with a Spectra team permanently stationed on the customerrsquos premises will be equipped with a fully-computerised store inventory system to control the purchasing of all tooling from spindle to point ldquoThe team will control all the new stock and used tools by negotiating and dealing with tier two suppliers as wellrdquo explains sales manager Wayne Williams ldquoThey are also responsible for presetting tools ready for produc-tion as well as collecting and delivering tools to and from the machines in addition to providing technical support 7 days a week 24 hours a day

BenefitsOne of the cost saving benefits for the customer is less administration because the Spectra team consolidates all invoices so the customer receives

Managing ToolingIn most machine shops the tooling is usually under lock and key to limit access to high-value tool inserts such as end-mills drills reamers and burrs Even so many companies suffer considerable losses as these costly tools get lost are pilfered or are misused because there isnrsquot a proper

management system in place over and above lock and key to control who takes what from the store

To meet different requirements we now have four levels of management on offer each requiring a different level of active involvement from our side

Managing machine tools saves money

Dave Goodman managing director of Spectra Carbide Tooling Technology

MATERIAL SELECTION

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 31

one invoice per month In addition the customer has a highly skilled specialist in-house on tap to provide technical assistance for all tooling drilling tapping milling boring gundrilling honing and line boring on CNC and conventional machines ldquoFrom the management system we can draw extensive reporting for the customer regarding the costs per unit manufactured We produce monthly graphs for trending as well as daily incident reports on tool breakages weekly costs on scrapped tools and we also work out action plans to reduce scrap and improve up-time of the machinesrdquo Wayne adds

In essence this value-add for the customer allows preventative action which ultimately saves the customer money Dave explains ldquoGiven the skills shortage out there no company can afford the personnel purely to manage the machine shop in so much detail With this system we not only fill the skills-gap by integrating with the company but we add value to the company so that they can focus on what they manufacturerdquo

New product developmentIntegration into the customersrsquo operation has proved particularly beneficial when it comes to new product developments Wayne elaborates ldquoWersquore always up to date with the latest technology in tooling and know what can be done in the best possible way Usually it will take a machine shop a while to select the right tooling and method to produce

a new part but with our experts right there on site they can be assured of finding the most suitable solution using the right tooling from the startrdquo

Vending systemOn a lower level of tool management where the operation does not justify a permanent Spectra team on site the company has a tooling vending machine solution ldquoAll the tooling is stored in a vending machine and access to draw the tools out of the machine is controlled by a card or finger-print readerrdquo explains Dave ldquoSuch a system does however have a reporting function which allows the customer to draw the machining cost against each specific job

ldquoThis system has proved popular in South Africa because it can be customised to control the specific functions relevant to each customerrdquo adds David ldquoPart and parcel of this cost-saving solution is training the customer on how best to utilise the system for his needs be it purely controlling the use of tooling or integrating reporting and costing into the business system of the companyrdquo

Wayne Williams Spectra Tel (011) 827-8957 Email waynewspectra-sacoza

From the management system we can draw extensive reporting for the customer regarding the costs per unit manufactured

Special carbide drills reamers end mills and special inserts are manufactured in South Africa

MATERIAL SELECTION

32 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 33

Cubitron can be used to finish profile and or polish materials with high tensile strengths and is particularly useful to extend the lifetime of belts and discs in industrial environments

where hard materials are the order of the dayrdquo

Consistent cutFinishes are little changed through the entire dura-tion of a Cubitron belt from new to completely worn out The secret is that the cutting edges wear in a controlled manner This means that the tiny indi-vidual scratches are the same when the belt is first

put on until it is worn and ready for replacement

ldquoThere are a multitude of cutting edges on each individual grain of the extremely hard ceramic based grain As the grain wears new cutting edges are exposed in a predictable and measured manner to ensure that a consistent action is applied to the surfacerdquo she adds

Using the same ceramic platform 3M developed Cubitron II providing even better results than its predecessor 3M engineers were able to electrostati-cally orient triangular precision shaped ceramic grain acting like a cutting tool This means that the grain slices through metal as opposed to grinding and continuously self-sharpens as points break off This results in discs and belts running cooler and longer The Cubitron II technology is applied in

Starting from Scratch

SURFACE FINISHING

ldquoTo scratch the surface as the saying goes of most modern materials and coatings is not as easy as it used to be Thatrsquos why we developed Cubitron Abrasive Grainrdquo says Kelly Hunt

sales and marketing manager of 3M

34 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

Scratccchingg thhe surfface of abrasivvves ttecchnnologgy is too oopen a compplex sccience

SURFACE FINISHING

belt fibre disc and Roloc form offer-ing a unique solution for wide range of grinding needs

Scratching the surfaceKelly is an abrasives fanatic She says scratching the surface of abrasives technology is to open a complex sci-ence Analysis of different materials and techniques of cutting or finishing has in recent years become a necessity as materials develop and advance Bonding of abrasive onto materials for discs and belts is also more complex than before as manufacturing becomes automated and the tolerance for down-time reduces

But for the average operator technician or engineer it is not so much a matter of what goes into the development of a product but rather finding the solution that suits the intended process The minimum requirement is for a product to perform reliably over an extended period of time and to produce the right finish

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 35

Sometimmess a less expeeensiive buuut mmooree suitaaablee abbrasssivee ccaan give bettterr reesulttss

SURFACE FINISHING

ldquoUsing the abrasives to determine a finish can be as simple or as com-plicated as the producer of finished goods chooses to make it With so many choices available in the market we recommend that industrial users iden-tify the requirements of the abrasive and then speak to trained service technicians from suppliers such as 3M

Not about priceldquoPrice is not always the determining factor Some-times a less expensive but more suitable abrasive can give better results and in other instances the use of cheaper materials in the wrong application may be costly as materials will need to be replaced more oftenrdquo

Kelly recommends that us-ers of industrial abrasives take the time to research new products and as-sess their suitability for their processes ldquoYoursquoll be surprised that some of the new abrasives can do the job better and in half the time than older technology abrasives canrdquo she concludes

3M Dylan Ian Hunter Tel (011) 806-2186 Email dhuntermmmcom www3Mcom

36 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

IT TRENDS

ldquo M o b i l e c o m p u t i n g

continues to grow and alongside other IT trends

such as cloud computing social technologies and the era of big data It is going to play a pivotal role in the IT industry this year In factrdquo Derick adds

Mobile Computing

Mobile computing is growing momentously and is set to account for as much as 57 of worldwide T market growth in 2013 says Derick Roberts CEO of TruTeq Devices a Pretoria-based

company focusing on wireless connectivity solutions

ldquoit is going to account for the lionrsquos share of growth ndash even more than the cloud computingrdquo

The IDC predicts that worldwide IT spending will exceed $21 trillion up 57 from 2012 The research company also states that mobility will be the biggest driver Sales of smart mobile devices including smart phones and tablets is expected to grow by 20 and will contribute a significant 57 of all IT growth Excluding smart mobile devices IT industry growth will clock in at only 29

Truteq Devices Derick Roberts Tel (012) 667-1530 wwwtruteqdevicescom

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 37

ELECTRIC DRIVE

The technology performance and design of the Cigarette powerboat is closely based on the electric super sports vehicle made in Affalterbach Germany

The 116 metre long Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept powerboat uses two drive units each featuring six independent electric motors At the rear of the boat each drive unit has its own trans-mission one on the left and one on the right The boat is fitted with the twelve compact liquid-cooled permanent-magnet synchronous electric motors which are the signature piece of the SLS AMG Coupeacute Electric Drive each electric motor delivers 138 kW and 250 Newton metres

The maximum output of 1 656 Kilowatts and maximum torque of 3 000 Newton metres combine to reach a staggering top speed of over 160 kmh making this locally emission-free Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept the worlds fastest electri-cally driven powerboat The low centre of gravity and optimum weight distribution ensure sublime

The Worlds Most Powerful Powerboat

handling characteristics during more dynamic changes of direction

The high-voltage battery boasts an energy content of 60 Kilowatt hours an electric load potential of 600 Kilowatts and a weight of 548 kg ndash all of which are absolute best values in the automotive sector The liquid-cooled lithium-ion high-voltage battery features a modular design with a maximum voltage of 400 V It consists of 12 modules each comprising 72 lithium-ion cells ldquoCigaretterdquo inte-grates four high-tech batteries with a total of 48 modules and 3 456 cells which generate a total capacity of 240 Kilowatt hours and an electric output of 2 400 Kilowatts respect even in the boat building industry

The Cigarette on-board chargers as standard Adapted to fit the infrastructure standard of many American marinas the boat has a charging capac-ity of 44 Kilowatts The battery is fully charged in approximately seven hours To reduce the charging time to less than three hours the powerboat can be fitted with four on-board chargers as an option

Mercedes-Benz Shirle Greig Tel (012) 677-1904 Email shirlegreigdaimlercom wwwmercedes-benzsacoza

Mercedes-AMG and Cigarette Racing launched the latest development of their cooperation at the Miami International Boat Show in February Numerous components from the SLS AMG Coupeacute Electric Drive have been integrated in the design of the Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept engineering design The high performance drive fitted in the electric super sports car makes the off shore powerboat the worlds most

powerful and fastest electrically-driven motor boat With an output of 1 656 Kilowatts and a maximum torque of 3 000 Newton metres the Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept is a fascinating new development

Combine to reach a staggering top speed of over 160 kmh

38 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

ENVIRONMENT

They have been in service for decades

under the toughest conditions ndash and

have proven themselves worldwide

Voith fluid couplings protect belt con-

veyors and drive components by provid-

ing smooth acceleration and torque

control allowing for frequent loaded

starts with the least amount of stress on

the drive and belt

In multi-motor drives they ensure pre-

cise load distribution Result fewer

downtimes ndash and the service life of the

belt and the drive components is in-

creased The latest product innovation is

the Voith TurboBelt 780 TPXL

infovtzavoithcom

wwwrsavoithturbocom

Protect Your Belt Conveyors with

Voith Fluid Couplings

ai_a

it_44

0_e

n ai

k

Water Disclosure ReportingJust as companies are addressing their carbon emissions and

provide carbon reporting to the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) water is becoming a growing priority

Reporting on it is becoming another critical sustainability issue

2011 saw a marked increase in the number of the worldrsquos largest companies reporting on their water usage on the risks that water presents and on their responses to

that risk Responses from these companies indicate that water is impacting global business now and yet water is not nearly as high on the corporate agenda as climate change

Evidence is mounting that South Africa is facing a water crisis of substantial proportions This crisis encompasses all aspects of water management on both the demand and supply side The mounting impacts of acid mine drainage and declining wa-ter quality add to the crisis South Africarsquos water security is likely to be further complicated by an increasingly uneven and unpredictable supply of rainfall as a result of climate change and by a reli-ance on significant water transfers from neighbour-

ing countries In meeting this crisis South Africa will have to resolve tough trade-offs in water use between agriculture key industrial activities such as mining and power generation and the supply to rapidly growing urban centres

Evidence is clearJSE 100 companies will need to show leadership in sustainably managing the water resources on which they rely for their day-to-day business operations The available evidence is clear It is not sustainable to continue exploiting water resources by follow-ing a lsquobusiness as usualrsquo approach If this is the case South Africarsquos freshwater resources will be depleted and unable to meet the needs of people and industry in the next 20 years if not before

In 2011 the response rate to the CDP Water Disclosure amongst South African companies was 46 (26 out of 56 companies) Many of South Africarsquos most significant corporate water users are therefore not yet able to or are not yet ready to report on their water-related risks

Promethuim Robbie Louw Tel (011) 706-8185 Email Robbiepromethiumcoza wwwpromethuimcoza

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 39

EXHIBITION

The Steel and Engineering Industries Federation (SEI-FSA) the Lifting Equipment Engineering Association

of SA (LEEASA) the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA) and the SA Institute of Welding (SAIW) have thrown their weight behind the biggest industrial and engineering trade show in Africa

The three-day 10-shows-in-one event takes place from 14 to 16 May 2013 at Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand Johannesburg

SEIFSA Conference at Indutec The Steel and Engineering Indus-tries Federation of South Africa (SEIFSA) will hold its annual conference at Indutec celebrating 70 years of active support for its members industry and business in Africa The federation has over 2 220 member companies which employ more than 224 000 people comprising 53 of the industryrsquos workforce

SAIW ldquoWe take our affiliations with leading industry players very seriously including our en-dorsement of Indutecrdquo says Jim Guild chief executive officer of the SA Institute of Welding ldquoThese industry ties form part of our strategy to create strong relationships which support our objective and Governmentrsquos mandate to enhance the manufacturing sector in South Africardquo

LEEASAThe Lifting Equipment Engineer-ing Association of South Africa (LEEASA) which is a division of the Chamber of Engineering Tech-

nology (COET) will also be using its endorsement of Indutec to promote its activities in the engineer-ing and technology sectors in general Chamber spokesperson Viv Nel says its exposure at the fair will create more awareness of the Chamberrsquos role in all engineering and technology-driven industries

ECSAIndustry regulator the Engineering Council of South Africa shares these aims ldquoAs a custodian of en-gineering intellectual capital in South Africa our endorsement of Indutec provides us with a platform to publicise our role in the engineering sector and government infrastructure initiativesrdquo says Edgar Sabela ECSArsquos Strategic Services Executive

ldquoWe need to produce 10 times more engineers to compete with developed economies Involvement with the Indutec show will allow us to promote engineering as a career through our Engenius Programme and showcase our existing engineer-ing excellence Most importantly it enables us to network with all key players in the field and even conclude some businessrdquo

Tenfold Benefits to ExhibitorsJohn Thomson managing director of Exhibition Management Services organisers of the 10-in-one Fair says the unqualified support from leading in-dustry bodies indicates the showrsquos tenfold value to the engineering industrial and technology sectors ldquoThis undoubtedly translates into multiple benefits for the showrsquos exhibitors and ultimately to show visitorsrdquo he concludes

Indutec Serean ThomsonTel (011) 783 7250 Email marketingexhibitionsafricacom wwwexhibitionsafricacom

Boosting the Manufacturing Sector32 of South Africarsquos leading industrial and engineering professional and employer associations Chambers and

Councils have collectively endorsed Indutec the recently launched South African Industry and Technology Fair 2013

Promech Publishing through SA Mechanical Engineer and Bulk Handling Today will produce and publish the Official Catalogue for this prestigious show

Make sure your presence is felt before during and after the show by advertising in this one-of-a-kind reference publication

Contact Mark Bennett Tel (011) 781-1401 Email samechengpromechcoza

Jim Guild CEO of the SA Institute of Welding

Edgar Sabela - ECSArsquos Strategic Services Executive

Adelia Pimentel - Marketing and Communications Manager SEIFSA

40 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

MARKET FORUM

ldquoBMG has identified a need in diverse sectors for on-site maintenance services to overcome production challengesrdquo says Dave Russell technical director BMG ldquoRecognising the extreme constraints of high energy prices low productivity the critical skills shortage and a highly competitive economic environment BMG brings a total solutions service to the fore

ldquoIndustry can now access all critical production efficient products and services from one supplier What this means is lower production costs and higher pro-duction efficiency giving South African industry a distinct competitive advantage

ldquoBMGrsquos on-site services include applica-

tion design evaluation and optimisation as well as installation trouble-shooting and service exchange contracts The company also offers predictive planned and breakdown maintenance and energy and reliability studiesrdquo

The company also offers extensive train-ing which covers electrical mechanical hydraulic pneumatic electronic and materials handling disciplines as well as predictive maintenance and component failure analysis

BMG ndash Bearing Man Group Veronique van Niekerk Tel (031) 576-6221Email veroniquevbmgworldnet wwwbmgworldnet

Tenova Takraf Africa (formerly Bateman Engineered Technologies) is putting the final pieces together in completing an order for the supply of a 55m x 275m hydraulically-driven SAG mill to Ontario Graphite operators of the Kearney Mine located in Kearney O n t a r i o Canada

ldquoTenovarsquos scope

Unique SAG Mill in Canada

ABB started with a bang following the order of 2 400 robots by BMW Group Over the next three years the robots will be installed at factories in Regensburg and Leipzig Germany as well as in Tiexi China The ABB robots will mainly be used for mate-rial handling tasks as well as gluing and spot welding processes

ABB robots enable customers to implement efficient manufacturing systems that sustainably produce high-quality products The com-panyrsquos range of products and solu-tions for lean manufacturing cover the range from body-in-white to the final assembly of complete car bodies They improve competitiveness and at the same time optimally comply with customer specifications ABB has installed more than 200 000 robots worldwide

ABB Robotics Natasha Mathebula Tel (010) 202-6156 Email natashamathebulazaabbcom wwwabbcom

2400

Robots

Total Solution

of work includes the engineering manufacturing shipping and technical assistance during erection of the SAG millrsquos feed end shell discharge end drive and main bearings as well as all supporting equipment (lubrication and jacking systems)rdquo says Tenova Takraf

engineer Pieter van der Walt ldquoThe main hydraulic motor and rubber

shell liners were outside our commercial scope of supply but inside our technical

scope of supplyrdquo he adds

The mill is a conventional SAG (semi-autogenous grinding) mill in all ways apart from its drive assem-bly and it is centre-driven

at the discharge end using a Haggluumlnds hydraulic motor and powerpack ldquoTo date this is the largest hydraulic motor installed on a SAG mill with 950kW of power torque of 1 200 kNm (start-up) and 650 kNm (operational) and speed of 1386 rpmrdquo adds Pieter

Since the mill had to be retrofitted to an existing foundation a number of adaptations were required to maintain the mill centreline as well as feed-end and discharge-end positions Certain additions were required to anchor the main motor torque arm

Tenova Takraf Pieter van der Walt Tel (011) 899-2372 Email pietervanderwaltbatemancom wwwtenovagroupcom

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 41

MARKET FORUM

World Record

The ADR plant at Kisladag Mine

FLSmidth designs and manufactures indirect heated carbon regeneration kilns and calciners from half a ton per day and larger These kilns and calciners can be fuel gas oil or electric and are skid mounted pre-wired and pre-piped The companyrsquos patented bellows kiln seal has proved effective in eliminating air ingress and process gas egress and can be retrofitted to kilns from other manufacturers FLSmidth holds the world record for the lowest emissions on a carbon plant

And at the companyrsquos Merrill Crowe plant capacities range from skid mounted 34 cubic metres per hour modular plants to full size 2 100 cubic metres per hour The range of supply for plants includes clarification filters de-aeration towers vacuum pumps zinc dust feeders lead nitrate feeders and zinc cones precipitate filter feed pumps filter pre-coat and body feed systems as well as precipitate filters used by refinery and smelting facilities to produce gold bullion

These plants incorporate proprietary zinc dustlead nitrate feeder and mix-ing cone system The company offers individual plant components and partial or complete plant equipment packages together with total plant design

FLSmidth Terence Osborn Tel (010) 210-4820

Magnet has extended its range of abrasive products to include 3Mrsquos new Cubitron II abrasive belts with enhanced grinding performance improved productivity and extended service life

ldquo3Mrsquos new technology has resulted in increased speed improved consistency and extended belt liferdquo says Brian How-arth MD Magnet ldquoThese new abrasive belts ensure up to 30 faster cutting on hard to grind metals like stainless steel nickel alloy and cobalt chrome They also divert heat from the workpiece and belt to the swarf which means cooler cutting This helps eliminate burnishing and minimises heat stress Cubitron II abrasive belts last up to four times longer than conventional ceramic aluminium oxide beltsrdquo

3M Abrasives Bradley Reddy Tel (031) 274 1050 Email bradleyrmagnetgroupcozawwwmagnetgroupcoza

4 x Longer

42 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

MARKET FORUM

X-Calibur is one of the latest product offerings from TAL and was specified to protect the concrete structure of the worldrsquos second longest cable-stayed bridge against corrosion throughout its design life

Stonecutters Bridge is a high level cable-stayed bridge which spans the Rambler Channel in Hong Kong connecting Nam Wam Kok Tsing Yi Island and Stonecut-ters Island Hong Kong is well known for its hot summer weather which is also humid and unstable Temperatures

Say No to Corrosionusually exceed 30oC during the day which coupled with high humidity can result in an extreme heat index

ldquoHot and humid environments have a great effect on the durability of concrete As a rule of thumb we say for every 10oC increase in temperature the possibility of corrosion induced damage to concrete is doubled Add humidity in a marine envi-ronment then protection of the structure is of paramount importancerdquo says Brian Davies CEO X-Calibur International In order to guard the bridge from corro-

sion X-Shield EpoxySeal CR was sup-plied to shield the prestressed concrete cable anchorages from the effects of the environment In addition X-Shield FlexCoat was used in various areas of the structure This provides corrosion protection to reinforced concrete from chloride and carbon dioxide

ldquoThe main challenge was compliance with the strict project specifications as the engineer wanted to ensure that protection would be provided throughout the design life of the structure X-Calibur

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 43

MARKET FORUM

had the products independently tested to prove compliance to all aspects of the specificationrdquo John adds

The materials were applied by spe-cialist painters who had been trained by X-Calibur ldquoMaterials were mixed and applied strictly in accordance with method statements supplied by X-Calibur to ensure working time and recoat windows were not exceededrdquo concludes John

TAL Andrew Dekker Tel (031) 579-2263 wwwtalcoza

Fluid conveyance and pumping solutions expert Incledon has supplied a large water supply line project in the Free State with a total of 4 km of Ultraflo pipes manufactured in-house by DPI Plastics - a leading manufacturer of water reticulation drainage and pipe-fitting systems in South Africa

DPI Plastics technical and product manager Renier Snyman points out that the companyrsquos range of Ultraflo pipes are manufactured from modified polyvinyl chloride (mPVC) which is specifically designed to provide similar tensile strength and greater resilience than standard PVC piping products ldquoThe Ultraflo range of pressure piping systems are ideally suited to bulk water supply projects due to the fact that mPVC is considerably more ductile than industry standard unplasticised polyvinyl chloride (uPVC)rdquo he explains

Renier notes that the ductility of the Ultraflo uPVC piping system ensures that

Large Water Supply Project

the pipes have exceptional resistance to crack propagation under pressure ldquoThe product being supplied to the water sup-ply line project is the 500 mm Ultraflo system which is the largest in the DPI Plastics range It boasts a pressure rat-ing of 12 bar with a design stress of up to 18MPa making it ideally suited as a large underground piping systemrdquo

According to Renier Ultraflo pipes offer environmental advantages too ldquoDue to its superior toughness the wall thick-ness of mPVC is less than that of uPVC This ensures that less materials are used during the manufacturing process which ultimately results in a lighter product that is easier to transport and install thereby minimising the carbon footprint of the piperdquo

DPI Plastics Martine Goodchild Tel (021) 957 5600 Email mgoodchilddpiplasticscozawwwdpiplasticscoza

Donrsquot Miss Out

Promech Publishing is putting the Visitorsrsquo Catalogue together for this Show

Contact Mark Bennett on Tel (011) 781-1401 or Email samechengpromechcoza

to book your space

44 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

MARKET FORUM

Displaying and discussing some of the Dodge housed bearings on offer to local industry and mining are (from left) Tony Patten of Specialised Bearings amp Transmission Peter Small-Shaw Wilecrsquos Product Manager Bearings and Frans Odendaal Wilecrsquos Technical Specialist Bearings

The Bearings division of Actom group company Wilec has formed a strategic alliance for the supply of Dodge housed bearings into southern Africa The partner-ship agreement with Johannesburg-based Specialised Bearings amp Transmission the local distributor for Dodge extends Wilecrsquos ability to satisfy the requirements of industry and mining in a diverse range of bearings applications

ldquoThe most exciting thing about our tie-up with Dodge is that housed bearings while already widely accepted in the US and other leading industrialised countries is a relatively new concept locally but one which offers advanced features to users compared with conventional plum-mer block arrangementsrdquo said Frans Odendaal Wilecrsquos Technical Specialist Bearings

ldquoDodge housed bearings are supplied pre-assembled and sealed so eliminating all risk of contamination during fitment The advanced sealing arrangement and unique adapter system guarantees longer

Strategic Alliance

life ndash up to six times that of a conven-tional plummer block Other cost-saving advantages are that they can be installed by a semi-skilled technician very quickly normally in less than 15 minutes and the need to measure pre- and post-reduction clearance is eliminatedrdquo

ldquoIt is a differentiated product and with it we are able to provide a bearing that is especially well suited to local conditions

and offers benefits that are of real value to customers A particularly important aspect to bear in mind is that the total cost of ownership of a Dodge bearing is significantly lower than that of the conventional product due to its greater reliability and durabilityrdquo

Wilec Frans Odendaal Tel (011) 629-9300 Email fransowileccoza

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 45

MARKET FORUM

Emis Sales 2002 part of Becker Min-ing South Africa supplies a wide range of electrical equipment up to 1 100 V for use in hazardous and non-hazardous areas in the mining petrochemical and surface industry sectors

New to the Emis range are Proloc pro-tection and control relays which are suitable for thermal overload protection of conveyors compressors crushers fan and pump motors as well as shuttle cars and flitting panels

ldquoThe stand-alone Emis ProLoc electronic protection and control relay system which has been designed for the optimum protection of motor and feeder circuits connected to outlet sockets has a wide choice of six user-selectable protection features to meet exact requirementsrdquo says Frikkie Quirk managing director Emis Sales 2002 ldquoAn important advan-tage of this system is a door mounted infra-red link that enables a laptop with Proloc software to manage all settings

and downloads without having to open the panel door and expose personnel to dangerous live equipment This is a critical requirement in the OHSA actrdquo

This system is easy to set up via the Proloc MMI 420 display man-to-machine interface or via a laptop with Proloc software

Emis Sales 2002 Tel (016) 341-6134 Email infozabecker-miningcom wwwzabecker-miningcom

Optimum Protection

Birkenmayer a material processing systems supplier in South Africa and local supplier of German-engineered Eirich material processing technology recently released the Evactherm drier a new product that marries the advantages

Superheated Vacuum Steam

of mechanical and thermo dynamical processes to provide cost-effective and highly efficient drying and processing of filter cake and sludgersquos using superheated vacuum steam

Until now it has been important to observe

a maximum middle temperature when applying direct drying to heat sensitive materials and even more important to avoid the excessive local and boundary temperatures that frequently damage the drying product Both heat and ma-terial transport need to be considered and while convective drying processes such as spray drying largely avoid these problems they are only effective if a surface is available for the hot gas flow

Adjustable for both direct and convec-tive drying and processing Evactherm driers overcome these obstacles while providing a number of further benefits

Super-heated vacuum steam performs drying and granulation while the com-bination of mechanical and thermo dynamical processes allows for low dry-ing temperatures and gentle processing of temperature sensitive materials It also enables continuous drying for long periods of time as fresh material may be continuously added into the fluidized bed replacing material that has already been vaporised

H Birkenmayer Louis Eksteen Tel (011) 970 3880-8 Email louisbirkenmayercozawwwbirkenmayercoza

The Evactherm drier

Proloc protection and control relays

46 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

The Eastern Capersquos Coega Industrial Development Zone (IDZ) is one of a number of industrial regions in South Africa to benefit from Air Products South Africarsquos strategy of long-term capital investment

A region which has long been under-served when it comes to reliable gas supply the Eastern Cape will soon have

A Long-term Viewits own air separation unit (ASU) ndash the first of its kind in the province Seelan Gounden GM supply chain at AirProd-ucts explains the reasons behind the companyrsquos latest investment

ldquoCurrently there is no local industrial gas supply in this area and cryogenic gases have to be procured elsewhere This situation compromises the service

MARKET FORUM

ART Solar specialists in the manufacture of solar photovoltaic (PV) modules for the sustainable generation of electrical power has made the following appointment an-nouncementsMark Walsh as managing director Dr Ronald FM Lange as chief operating officer Robert Ramshaw as financial manager and Gavin Rosslee as production manager

Gavin RossleeRobert RamshawMark Walsh

Jeanne Els has been appointed as Hatchrsquos Managing Director of Operations

Jeanne Els

Ronald Lange

Anton Theunissen

SKF South Africa recently appointed Anton Theunissen as Distributor De-velpoment Manager for South Africa and neighbouring coun-tries

Index to Advertisers

Axiom 12

Bearings International 36

Bibby Turboflex 28

Bonfiglioli 10

Engen 34

Festo 35

Hansen 44

Horne SA 29

IDC Inside Back Cover

ILS 32

KDP Services 22

Loesche 31

Polysius 4

PPS 11 29

Mercedes Outside Back Cover

Merseta Inside Front Cover

MIEO Outside Front Cover

Transmission Components 14

Voith 38

Yellotec 16 17

delivery to our existing customers who have to depend on product being trucked over vast distances Thus we identified the Eastern Cape as a key priority invest-ment destination with a clear need for a new air separation facility dedicated to servicing the region We chose the Coega IDZ after careful market analysis We are pleased to be able to be a part of the growth and development of the region through providing a long-needed security of supply and value-added servicerdquo

Ayanda Vilakazi head of Marketing and Communications at the Coega IDZ adds ldquoThe viability of the new ASU is indis-putable It will mean not only security of gas supply to the region benefiting the many industries here but it also means job security for other investors jobs along the value chain and scope for training and human resource develop-ment as well as enhanced Corporate Social Investment initiativesrdquo

Seelan Gounden AirProducts wwwairproductssouthafricacoza

Left to right Chris Mashigo Executive Man-ager - Business Development Coega Develop-ment Corporation Themba Khoza Executive Manager ndash Operations Coega Development Corporation Seelan Gounden GM - Supply Chain Air Products Pierre Fourie Area Sales Manager ndash Eastern Cape Air Products signed the lease agreement between the CDC and Air Products South Africa

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 47To apply online for funding of R1 million or more go to wwwidccoza

Telephone 086 069 3888Email callcentreidccoza

Driving new market innovationsThe IDC supports high-impact job creation projects acting as a

catalyst to lead new sector development and support existing

industry and sector growth in alignment with governmentrsquos

New Growth Path (NGP) National Development Plan (NDP)

and Industrial Policy Action Plan (IPAP)

The IDC Strategic High Impact Projects (SHIP) Strategic Business

Unit in partnership with the IDC Innovation Department has

launched an Open Innovation Challenge to encourage the

development and implementation of sustainable high-impact

industrial initiatives and projects

The IDC calls upon individuals engineering communities

corporates project sponsors and other related entities to enter

into a partnership to develop qualifying projects that result in

sustainable and profi table industries exploit the value-adding

opportunities of existing and new value chains and enable the

development of innovative local economies

Whatwho qualifi es

projects which enable the development of new industries

across multiple IDC focus sectors

introduce new markets and value chains or revolutionise

existing ones through the use of disruptive technologies

or new approaches

development impact and employment creation

across mandated IDC industrial sectors

SHIP wishes to ensure that the projects undertaken play a major

role in industrial development and employment creation within

the South African and SADC regions

Interested applicants are invited to submit their project

proposals online at

httpopeninnovationidccozaidc-ship-challenge between

project proposals will be informed in May regarding SHIP

wishing to partner with them in the development of the

proposed project

Please contact Bertie Strydom BertieSidccoza and

RetiefBidccoza for more information

Chillibush9119IDC

48 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

A D

aim

ler B

rand

You built the bridges the roads and the tunnels We built the carAs a member of the Engineering Council of South Africa you could qualify for exclusive offers a guaranteed 3-day service booking as well as PremiumDrive our 6 year100 000km maintenance plan To take advantage of this outstandingopportunity inform your nearest dealer of your ECSA status

Not in conjunction with other Mercedes-Benz Fleet ProgrammesOffers Excludes AMG and Limited Edition modelsVehicle specifications may vary for the South African market

Page 22: SAME Mar2013

22 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

New conceptSimilarly the air prepa-ration systems from Parker are of a modular design and fully repair-able so that just worn or damaged compo-nents can be replaced ldquoThey have now taken this even furtherrdquo says Dave ldquoA new concept in regulators the Modu-flex clip technology system has just been released No special tools in fact no span-ners at all are needed

to take the unit apart to replace a filter element for instance You sim-ply clip the unit apart by hand replace the

element and clip it together again within a minute

ldquoOn a forklift for example the glass bowl of the air preparation unit is often damaged when the forklifts bump into some-thingrdquo elaborates Dave ldquoOn a low-cost throw-away unit yoursquod have to carry a spare unit to replace the whole unit With the new technology howev-er you simply clip off the damaged part to zap a new one into place In terms of cylinders and actuators the latest development is self-lubricating seals which require no additional lubri-cation whatsoeverrdquo

One of the main drawbacks of pneumatics over hydraulics is that a pneumatic cylinder has to be much larger than a hydraulic cylinder in order to deliver the same power However this does not rule out using pneumatics in heavier applications especially underground where the use of air is generally safer and cleaner than hydraulic oils in the first place

UndergroundldquoA while back we were approached by a platinum mine to design a pneumatic system to open and close underground tipsrdquo Andrew explains ldquoTo prevent people from falling into the ore tip it had to be closed with a heavy steel lid between off-loading operations We not only designed a suit-able pneumatic system but also took part in the installation on various levels all the way down to three kilometres undergroundrdquo

Like many other products there are cheap and nasty pneumatic products on the market and cost is not always an indication of inferiority ldquoThe safe route is to always buy from reputable companies who have been around for a long time and who trade in well-known brandsrdquo Dave says in conclusion ldquoSerious consideration should also be given to the repairability of the equipment Itrsquos no use installing a low cost system which has to be replaced regu-larly while another could last a lifetime if properly looked afterrdquo

Dave Mc Nair Applied pneumatics Tel (011) 792-3381 Email davenappliedpneumaticscoza

No special tools in fact no spanners at all are needed to take the unit apart to replace a filter element for instance

HYDRAULICS amp PNEUMATICS

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 23

TICK

ER T

APE

POWER GENERATION

PROMECH PUBLISHINGTel (011) 781-1401Fax (011) 781-1403Email samechengpromechcozaWebsite wwwpromechcozaManaging Editor Susan CustersEditorial Kowie HammanAdvertising Mark BennettCirculation Catherine MacdivaDTP Zinobia Docrat Donovan VadivaluDisclaimerPROMECH Publishing does not take responsibility for the opinions expressed by individuals

CopyrightAll rights reserved No editorial matter published in ldquoPower Generation Todayrdquo may be reproduced in any form or language without written per-mission of the publishers While every effort is made to ensure accurate reproduction the editor authors publishers and their employees or agents shall not be responsible or in any way liable for any errors omissions or inaccuracies in the publication whether arising from negligence or otherwise or for any consequences aris-ing therefrom The inclusion or exclusion of any product does not mean that the publisher or editorial board advocates or rejects its use either gener-ally or in any particular field or fields

POWERGENERATION

TODAY

Harnessing the Powers of the Ocean

Luciano Garcia-Baylleres COO at HAE

Tidal power has long been utilised as an energy resource used early on in tidal mills to grind grain throughout the Middle Ages More recently it has also been used to generate electricity for instance in the 240 MW tidal barrages at La Rance France Tidal currents however are still largely an untapped energy source While several marine current turbine prototypes

have been tested in the last few years there are only a few of these prototypes deployed to generate electrical power to smaller communities

mainly to demonstrate the viability of the technology

There is currently a renewed interest in using the ocean to generate electric-ity using both traditional hydropower technologies and new hydrokinetic

technologies This interest is being spurred on by official and private initiatives to promote the development of cleaner energy sources and diversification of energy supplies through use of alternative and renewable sources

Tidal energyTidal energy projects hold the promise of producing indigenous renewable predictable electricity without greenhouse gas emissions and with higher power densities in terms of power output per unit area than either solar photovoltaic or wind projects

The International Finance Corporation (IFC) the World Bankrsquos private-sector lending arm is partner-ing with Sasfin Bank to develop a portfolio of energy efficiency and renewable-energy financial products for small medium-sized and microenterprises (SMMEs) in South Africa

Alstom South Africa and the South African Nuclear Energy Corporation (Necsa) have signed an agreement under which the local branch of the French power generation power transmission and rail infrastructure

group will invest R8-million in buying equipment for the new coded welding centre being established at Necsarsquos Nuclear Skills Development (NSD)

The operation and maintenance (OampM) costs of wind farms in South Africa were expected to be in the mid-range of the international market Mott MacDonald consultant Matthias Vinard has reported adding that OampM costs ranged from euro28kW a year to euro68kW a year in international markets

24 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

ocean currents driven for instance by thermal gradients or differences in salinity Along the South African east coast the Agulhas Current is one of the most consistent sea currents in the world and this area has now been identified as the ideal spot to test technology developed by an American company Hydro Alternative Energy (HAE) from Florida USA

Current plans with the local gov-ernment of eThekwini Municipality in Durban supporting the concept of a hydrokinetic energy project off the cityrsquos coast calls for HAE to

initially develop a $20 million 1MW demonstration unit utilising the companyrsquos Oceanus technology to generate electric power from the Agulhas current flowing past the city Additional units each with an anticipated electric power generation capacity of 8 megawatts may then be built and likewise be submerged approximately 30 metres below sea level to prevent interference with shipping traffic

ldquoSA Mechanical Engineerrdquo has a QampA session with Luciano Garcia-Baylleres the Chief Operation Of-ficer (COO) of HAE about the project

Q Some background on HAEA HAE founded in March 2009 is an emerging independent power provider (ldquoIPPrdquo) focused on utilising hydrokinetic and other power develop-ment sources to generate electric power worldwide safely cost-effectively reliably and profitably with minimal or no ecological impact

Our business model provides for utilising certain of our own proprietary technology identifying and locating existing and new technologies and when appropriate partnering with others for our power development and generation needs

Q The South Africa connection with the companyA Research by our technical department identified several places throughout the world as optimal for the initial deployment and commercialisation of our technology After extensive research of each location

POWER GENERATIONTI

CKER

TA

PE

Tidal energy projects may also be useful in lsquofilling in the gapsrsquo in generating power from other intermit-tent energy sources such as wind farms

Marine current energy conversion concerns the po-tential generation of electricity from kinetic energy of freely-flowing water This contrasts with tradi-tional hydro power like a dam where the amount of energy extracted from a river is dependent on the head between the reservoir and the water level below the dam

A similar hydro power approach can in fact be used for tidal power in areas with high tides In this case a barrage can be constructed in a nar-row bay or estuary to utilise the head between low and high water

Consistent currentAnother way to generate electricity from water would be to convert the kinetic energy of flowing water similar to the way a wind turbine extracts energy from the wind In such a case a dam or reservoir is not necessary but rather sites are chosen where the currents are strong such as a narrow sound straight estuary around a headland or in a river

The term lsquomarine currentrsquo constitutes any kind of water current be it tidal unregulated rivers or other

Flow anlysis carried out for current simulations

Another way to generate electricity from water would be to convert the kinetic energy of flowing water similar to the way a wind turbine extracts energy from the wind

Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) MD Noah Gwariro says the state-owned company needs at least $300-million to refurbish thermal power stations in Bulawayo Harare and Munyati and to increase their generation capacities

The planned Karuma hydropower project will have capacity to generate 700MW

and is one of the high-priority projects in Ugandarsquos National Development Plan

The State-owned Ethiopian Electric Power Corporation (EEPCo) has signed a $120-million contract with UK-based company Canbridge Industries for the construction of a 50 MW waste-to-energy power plant

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 25

POWER GENERATION

The components of a sea current power gererating system

The Aghullas current and eThekwini Municipality with their infrastructure qualified human resource and an approach to facilitating large scale green projects was the appropriate site for this first endeavour

How the energy is harnessed

and all the surrounding benefits apart from the presence of good quality currents such as politi-cal stability port infrastructure and focus on green projects we determined that South Africa with its infrastructure qualified human resource and an approach to facilitating large scale green projects was the appropriate site for our first endeavour

Q Background on what the project is all aboutA OceanusTM our first power generation system which we are currently developing and which utilises much of our own proprietary technology is planned to harness the kinetic energy of the ocean to produce safe clean reliable cost-effective electric power

Oceanus will consist of two primary modules the amplification module (the shroud) and the engine module The shroud is a housing that will multiply the normal incoming water flow to a faster velocity as it passes through the engine module generat-ing more kinetic energy This will in turn result in potentially greater electrical power generation capability as well as potentially increased usable offshore locations worldwide

Velocity is the major factor which dictates the hydrokinetic energy that can be extracted from water Within the hydrokinetic energy sector of the renewable andor clean energy industry we have seen that research and development has generally focused on developing energy generation technolo-gies for environments that can only work in very high water velocity environments such as 3 4 5 metres per second While these areas of extreme water velocity are very high in hydrokinetic energy they only exist in a very small percentage of the worldrsquos waters

Our goal is to provide electric power to locations

Shroud

Engine module

Combine modular design

worldwide utilising the kinetic energy in lsquotypicalrsquo water conditions Our current design specifications have a base need of 1 metre per second of water

26 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

POWER GENERATION

flow which by amplifying the velocity is planned to produce 1MW of power This design specification once successfully tested may then be adapted into higher velocity waters As most locations in the world have lower velocity waters a turbine designed to work in 3 4 or 5 metres per second water flows will not work in waters that have velocities of 1-2 metres per second

Q How does it workA The theory behind the development of the system is quite basic having been previously used in other energy production systems such as wind and tidal energy generation Basically the engine is composed of an energy extraction system such as but not limited to our perpendicular access turbine a gorlov turbine a darrieus turbine and an Axial turbine

The other module is the shroud which handles two functions serving as an accelerator of the water ve-locity thus increasing the amount of kinetic energy that can be extracted Secondly it houses the engine protecting marine life from direct contact with the tip of the blades Also Oceanus is designed to be positively buoyant and either secured to the ocean floor or to float at a certain predetermined depth while moored to the ocean floor utilising the same techniques that are currently used in mooring floating oil rigs buoys or floating windmill systems

Q How will it work in KZNA There will be a demonstration unit initially and then we will start the commercial phase by entering into the normal contracts and procedures for energy generation in the country This entails a very large investment from our company where we will focus on potentially buildingassembling the units in Durban thus taking advantage of the excellent and qualified infrastructure it has

Q Who is involved locallyA We have no partners as far as investors or concerns as yet on the South African project but we are not against this possibility in the future From the facilita-tion point of view we have received a lot of support from Derek Morgan at the eThekwini Energy Office and Russell Curtis at DIPA each with their respective teams and other government offices that have been very forthcoming with information and support

Q What equipment does it use ndash where will this be madeA We have already scouted several facilities in Durbanrsquos ship building industry as well as other possible suppliers ranging from the maritime indus-try financial sector to legal consultants in order to make sure that we are in compliance with all regulations and that our perception of excellence from the South African maritime industry is in fact there

Q At what stage is the project nowA The project is currently at an initial logistics stage where we are looking at a more site specific design for the demonstration unit At the same time we are gathering all the information with our lawyers and possible suppliers for the norms procedures permits and licences necessary to comply with local and national regulations

Q Where will power go to A From our initial discussions with the regulatory bodies this energy can be locally distributed and then taken up by the grid as needed This will de-pend on the results of the demonstration unit and the first commercial unit operation which we are confident will exceed expectations

Q Are there sceptics criticsA As discussed before the basic technology has been used in other sectors of the energy generation industry what is being developed by us is the ef-ficient shroud and the maintenance systems which include buoyancy controls and depth determination in order to locate the most efficient current

Q Are there any future plans from your company for South Africa in particularA We believe that we have a good relationship with eThekwini municipality and once we fulfil our project with KZN we would then consider further expansion throughout South Africa

Q What about the other parts of AfricaA Eastern Africa in general presents very good conditions for our technology but for now we are going to concentrate our efforts on deploying this endeavour in South Africa before entertaining new opportunities

Luciano Garcia-Baylleres COO at HAE Tel 561-900-7200 EmailLgarciaHAE-USAcom wwwHAE-USAcom

We will focus on potentially building assembling the units in Durban thus taking advantage of the excellent and qualified infrastructure it has

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 27

POWER GENERATION NEWS

MTN has announced that it has entered into a com-mercial arrangement to sell its carbon credits to EDF Trading in an industry first The credits will be pro-duced by MTNrsquos tri-generation plant at 14th Avenue Of-fice Park in Fairland Johannesburg

EDF Trading is a whol-ly-owned subsidiary of Electriciteacute de France SA one of the largest compliance buyers covered by the European Union Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS)

The carbon credit project utilises a Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) meth-odology developed by MTN approved by the United Nations Framework Con-vention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) It is currently in the process of being registered with the UNFCCC Once registered MTN will sell the carbon credits from the project to EDF Trading

The project will make use of the MTN energy-efficient 2MW tri-generation plant at its Fairland office park Tri-generation is the concurrent production of electric-ity heating and cooling which provides

Carbon Credits power hot wa-ter space heat-

ing and cooling for air conditioning

from a single source

Egoli gas is used for the operation

sourced from the Sasol pipeline in Mozambique

The plant displaces grid electricity from Eskom

reducing greenhouse gas emissions and providing up to 85

efficiency on fuel The excess heat at some 400degC is captured

and used to supply heating and to operate an absorption chiller which creates cool water that is used to power an extensive air-conditioning system

Natural gas is clean burning and offers a consistent supply but simply using this to generate electricity would have been too expensive The saving achieved by capturing the waste heat combined with the additional revenue from the sale of the carbon credits however makes the project economically viablerdquo

Promethuim Robbie Louw Tel (011) 706-8185 Email Robbiepromethiumcozawwwpromethuimcoza

Countries across South East Asia Africa and the Middle East have been amending their regulatory frameworks and embarking on privatisation as many of them are in serious need of external fund-ing to ensure that their respective electricity industries are capable of dealing with the inevitable surge in demand The cumulative installed power capacity for these regions according to 2012 estimates will be 212 Gigawatts (GW) However this figure is expected to shoot up to 349 GW by 2020 climbing at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 64

Emerging Power Markets

Rising industrialisa-tion ever-increasing population figures and growing economies all point to an electrical future that most infra-structure systems are currently incapable of handling Therefore to achieve greater in-dustry efficiency and encourage competition governments across this region are opening up their electricity markets and increasing private sector participation The region will have to invest heavily in order to

increase its installed capacity and improve its existing infrastructure

Transmission networks in many of these countries are already under tremendous pressure to supply power without interruption and many new transmission projects are already underway or in the pipeline Therefore energy policy reforms are set to open the doors and create positive opportunities for growth in in the near future this according to Jonathan Cain of GBI Research

GBI ResearchJonathan Cain Tel +44 1204 543 533 Emailjcaingbiresearchcom wwwgbiresearchcom

28 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

POWER GENERATION NEWS

With Gensler Architects Aurecon has completed the design on the faccedilade of what will be Chinarsquos tallest building At 632m the Shanghai Centre is more than 100m taller than the recently-completed Shanghai Financial Centre and is designed as a sustainable eco-tower that sets a new benchmark not only for the region but also the world

Sustainable green features include tri-

Bioclimatic buildingGreywater recycling systems lo-cated at basement and at mid-level have been installed to collect greywater generated from lavatory or bathtub for reuse reducing potable water demand for the office tower by about 40

The ice storage system shifts part of the peak electricity demand of the chillers into the night modeoff peak operation Storage capacity is 26 400 Refrigerant Ton (RT) which reduces about 30 of the summit demand by about 3 through this ice cooling storage system and save up to the yearly energy cost for the user

A large volume water deluge system with rotational nozzles

installed at mid-level of the atria deliv-ers a large volume and accurate water spray onto fire with the assistance of Infra-red detection to lock the exact location and very early warning smoke detection apparatus system

A double curtain wall design provides better control on solar energy entering the tower building resulting in energy saving

Aerecon Group Jody Boshoff Tel (012) 427-2066 Email JodyBoshoffaurecongroupcomwwwaurecongroupcom

generation plant consisting of two sets of 11MW natural gas turbine generating electricity

chilled water hot water and heating water Simultaneous heat recovery of the hot flue gas produced from the tur-bines reduces carbon dioxide by 49 compared with the regular electrical cooling system

15 nos of 3kW vertical axis wind turbines (VAWTs) on the roof provide 157 500 kWh of clean and renewable electricity annually

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 29

Willem Sullivan of HansenA better artificial heart for people who are not eligible for natural heart transplants

Jean Schoeman of National Oilwell Varco My own jet aeroplane

Chris Coetzee of Resonant SolutionsThe problem in industry is practical engineering experience Young engineers donrsquot get the opportunity to learn the practical stuff Irsquod start an academy which teaches the practical side where you can learn from your mistakes Unfortunately mistakes cost money but if you have all the money in the world they can afford to learn from mistakes

In your book what is the most pivotal invention ever

Elbie Cornelius of National Oilwell Varco The computer

Chris Coetzee of Resonant SolutionsI canrsquot see how you can run a business without cellphones

Rudolph Beer of Martin EngineeringThe wheel

Willem Sullivan of HansenFor me personally Excel Without it my world will be dull and lifeless For the world at large Electricity because without it Excel will not be possible

Jean Schoeman of National Oilwell Varco The personal computer

OPINION

On his rounds Kowie Hamman our Editor is conducting an informal survey on the lighter side of engineering We follow up from last month with three pertinent questions

Soapbox

What do you think of computers and the digital world

Elbie Cornelius of National Oilwell Varco Awesome changing our world

Chris Coetzee of Resonant SolutionsNinety percent of all engineering is done using computers but if you rely solely on them yoursquove missed the plot because you always have to verify results by going back into the field to test what yoursquove done on the computer

Rudolph Beer of Martin EngineeringYou canrsquot do without them

Willem Sullivan of HansenIt is where I do all my design work So if it was not for computers we would be decades behind in terms of what we can do I absolutely love it

Greg Perry of SEWThey have definitely made things faster but the en-gineer still needs to understand the theory and pay attention to the detail or you make mistakes faster

Jean Schoeman of National Oilwell Varco Very useful until they give problems Then you just want to hit them with a hammer But the digital world has managed to speed up the communica-tion of information

If you had all the money in the world what would you design

Elbie Cornelius of National Oilwell Varco A solar and wind power station to supply the whole continent with electricity

Rudolph Beer of Martin EngineeringDevelop the safe harvesting of atomic energy

30 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

ldquoSA Mechanical Engineerrdquo speaks to Dave Goodman managing director of Spectra Car-bide Tooling Technology in Cape Town about the various management models they have

developed specifically to control tooling ldquoOur tool management systems were developed through our involvement with some of the major automotive OEMs in South Africardquo he says ldquoThe management system where we take over full control of the tool-ing facility on the premises has been running for twelve years now at some of these plants

Systems for allldquoBut these systems are not only for OEMs and

large operationsrdquo Dave remarks ldquoTo meet dif-ferent requirements we now have four levels of management systems on offer each requiring a different level of active involvement from our side This varies from purely holding stock to supply for a customerrsquos specific needs right through to taking over full control of tooling by having a permanent on-site office manned by fulltime Spectra staffrdquo

A typical level 4 operation with a Spectra team permanently stationed on the customerrsquos premises will be equipped with a fully-computerised store inventory system to control the purchasing of all tooling from spindle to point ldquoThe team will control all the new stock and used tools by negotiating and dealing with tier two suppliers as wellrdquo explains sales manager Wayne Williams ldquoThey are also responsible for presetting tools ready for produc-tion as well as collecting and delivering tools to and from the machines in addition to providing technical support 7 days a week 24 hours a day

BenefitsOne of the cost saving benefits for the customer is less administration because the Spectra team consolidates all invoices so the customer receives

Managing ToolingIn most machine shops the tooling is usually under lock and key to limit access to high-value tool inserts such as end-mills drills reamers and burrs Even so many companies suffer considerable losses as these costly tools get lost are pilfered or are misused because there isnrsquot a proper

management system in place over and above lock and key to control who takes what from the store

To meet different requirements we now have four levels of management on offer each requiring a different level of active involvement from our side

Managing machine tools saves money

Dave Goodman managing director of Spectra Carbide Tooling Technology

MATERIAL SELECTION

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 31

one invoice per month In addition the customer has a highly skilled specialist in-house on tap to provide technical assistance for all tooling drilling tapping milling boring gundrilling honing and line boring on CNC and conventional machines ldquoFrom the management system we can draw extensive reporting for the customer regarding the costs per unit manufactured We produce monthly graphs for trending as well as daily incident reports on tool breakages weekly costs on scrapped tools and we also work out action plans to reduce scrap and improve up-time of the machinesrdquo Wayne adds

In essence this value-add for the customer allows preventative action which ultimately saves the customer money Dave explains ldquoGiven the skills shortage out there no company can afford the personnel purely to manage the machine shop in so much detail With this system we not only fill the skills-gap by integrating with the company but we add value to the company so that they can focus on what they manufacturerdquo

New product developmentIntegration into the customersrsquo operation has proved particularly beneficial when it comes to new product developments Wayne elaborates ldquoWersquore always up to date with the latest technology in tooling and know what can be done in the best possible way Usually it will take a machine shop a while to select the right tooling and method to produce

a new part but with our experts right there on site they can be assured of finding the most suitable solution using the right tooling from the startrdquo

Vending systemOn a lower level of tool management where the operation does not justify a permanent Spectra team on site the company has a tooling vending machine solution ldquoAll the tooling is stored in a vending machine and access to draw the tools out of the machine is controlled by a card or finger-print readerrdquo explains Dave ldquoSuch a system does however have a reporting function which allows the customer to draw the machining cost against each specific job

ldquoThis system has proved popular in South Africa because it can be customised to control the specific functions relevant to each customerrdquo adds David ldquoPart and parcel of this cost-saving solution is training the customer on how best to utilise the system for his needs be it purely controlling the use of tooling or integrating reporting and costing into the business system of the companyrdquo

Wayne Williams Spectra Tel (011) 827-8957 Email waynewspectra-sacoza

From the management system we can draw extensive reporting for the customer regarding the costs per unit manufactured

Special carbide drills reamers end mills and special inserts are manufactured in South Africa

MATERIAL SELECTION

32 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 33

Cubitron can be used to finish profile and or polish materials with high tensile strengths and is particularly useful to extend the lifetime of belts and discs in industrial environments

where hard materials are the order of the dayrdquo

Consistent cutFinishes are little changed through the entire dura-tion of a Cubitron belt from new to completely worn out The secret is that the cutting edges wear in a controlled manner This means that the tiny indi-vidual scratches are the same when the belt is first

put on until it is worn and ready for replacement

ldquoThere are a multitude of cutting edges on each individual grain of the extremely hard ceramic based grain As the grain wears new cutting edges are exposed in a predictable and measured manner to ensure that a consistent action is applied to the surfacerdquo she adds

Using the same ceramic platform 3M developed Cubitron II providing even better results than its predecessor 3M engineers were able to electrostati-cally orient triangular precision shaped ceramic grain acting like a cutting tool This means that the grain slices through metal as opposed to grinding and continuously self-sharpens as points break off This results in discs and belts running cooler and longer The Cubitron II technology is applied in

Starting from Scratch

SURFACE FINISHING

ldquoTo scratch the surface as the saying goes of most modern materials and coatings is not as easy as it used to be Thatrsquos why we developed Cubitron Abrasive Grainrdquo says Kelly Hunt

sales and marketing manager of 3M

34 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

Scratccchingg thhe surfface of abrasivvves ttecchnnologgy is too oopen a compplex sccience

SURFACE FINISHING

belt fibre disc and Roloc form offer-ing a unique solution for wide range of grinding needs

Scratching the surfaceKelly is an abrasives fanatic She says scratching the surface of abrasives technology is to open a complex sci-ence Analysis of different materials and techniques of cutting or finishing has in recent years become a necessity as materials develop and advance Bonding of abrasive onto materials for discs and belts is also more complex than before as manufacturing becomes automated and the tolerance for down-time reduces

But for the average operator technician or engineer it is not so much a matter of what goes into the development of a product but rather finding the solution that suits the intended process The minimum requirement is for a product to perform reliably over an extended period of time and to produce the right finish

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 35

Sometimmess a less expeeensiive buuut mmooree suitaaablee abbrasssivee ccaan give bettterr reesulttss

SURFACE FINISHING

ldquoUsing the abrasives to determine a finish can be as simple or as com-plicated as the producer of finished goods chooses to make it With so many choices available in the market we recommend that industrial users iden-tify the requirements of the abrasive and then speak to trained service technicians from suppliers such as 3M

Not about priceldquoPrice is not always the determining factor Some-times a less expensive but more suitable abrasive can give better results and in other instances the use of cheaper materials in the wrong application may be costly as materials will need to be replaced more oftenrdquo

Kelly recommends that us-ers of industrial abrasives take the time to research new products and as-sess their suitability for their processes ldquoYoursquoll be surprised that some of the new abrasives can do the job better and in half the time than older technology abrasives canrdquo she concludes

3M Dylan Ian Hunter Tel (011) 806-2186 Email dhuntermmmcom www3Mcom

36 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

IT TRENDS

ldquo M o b i l e c o m p u t i n g

continues to grow and alongside other IT trends

such as cloud computing social technologies and the era of big data It is going to play a pivotal role in the IT industry this year In factrdquo Derick adds

Mobile Computing

Mobile computing is growing momentously and is set to account for as much as 57 of worldwide T market growth in 2013 says Derick Roberts CEO of TruTeq Devices a Pretoria-based

company focusing on wireless connectivity solutions

ldquoit is going to account for the lionrsquos share of growth ndash even more than the cloud computingrdquo

The IDC predicts that worldwide IT spending will exceed $21 trillion up 57 from 2012 The research company also states that mobility will be the biggest driver Sales of smart mobile devices including smart phones and tablets is expected to grow by 20 and will contribute a significant 57 of all IT growth Excluding smart mobile devices IT industry growth will clock in at only 29

Truteq Devices Derick Roberts Tel (012) 667-1530 wwwtruteqdevicescom

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 37

ELECTRIC DRIVE

The technology performance and design of the Cigarette powerboat is closely based on the electric super sports vehicle made in Affalterbach Germany

The 116 metre long Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept powerboat uses two drive units each featuring six independent electric motors At the rear of the boat each drive unit has its own trans-mission one on the left and one on the right The boat is fitted with the twelve compact liquid-cooled permanent-magnet synchronous electric motors which are the signature piece of the SLS AMG Coupeacute Electric Drive each electric motor delivers 138 kW and 250 Newton metres

The maximum output of 1 656 Kilowatts and maximum torque of 3 000 Newton metres combine to reach a staggering top speed of over 160 kmh making this locally emission-free Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept the worlds fastest electri-cally driven powerboat The low centre of gravity and optimum weight distribution ensure sublime

The Worlds Most Powerful Powerboat

handling characteristics during more dynamic changes of direction

The high-voltage battery boasts an energy content of 60 Kilowatt hours an electric load potential of 600 Kilowatts and a weight of 548 kg ndash all of which are absolute best values in the automotive sector The liquid-cooled lithium-ion high-voltage battery features a modular design with a maximum voltage of 400 V It consists of 12 modules each comprising 72 lithium-ion cells ldquoCigaretterdquo inte-grates four high-tech batteries with a total of 48 modules and 3 456 cells which generate a total capacity of 240 Kilowatt hours and an electric output of 2 400 Kilowatts respect even in the boat building industry

The Cigarette on-board chargers as standard Adapted to fit the infrastructure standard of many American marinas the boat has a charging capac-ity of 44 Kilowatts The battery is fully charged in approximately seven hours To reduce the charging time to less than three hours the powerboat can be fitted with four on-board chargers as an option

Mercedes-Benz Shirle Greig Tel (012) 677-1904 Email shirlegreigdaimlercom wwwmercedes-benzsacoza

Mercedes-AMG and Cigarette Racing launched the latest development of their cooperation at the Miami International Boat Show in February Numerous components from the SLS AMG Coupeacute Electric Drive have been integrated in the design of the Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept engineering design The high performance drive fitted in the electric super sports car makes the off shore powerboat the worlds most

powerful and fastest electrically-driven motor boat With an output of 1 656 Kilowatts and a maximum torque of 3 000 Newton metres the Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept is a fascinating new development

Combine to reach a staggering top speed of over 160 kmh

38 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

ENVIRONMENT

They have been in service for decades

under the toughest conditions ndash and

have proven themselves worldwide

Voith fluid couplings protect belt con-

veyors and drive components by provid-

ing smooth acceleration and torque

control allowing for frequent loaded

starts with the least amount of stress on

the drive and belt

In multi-motor drives they ensure pre-

cise load distribution Result fewer

downtimes ndash and the service life of the

belt and the drive components is in-

creased The latest product innovation is

the Voith TurboBelt 780 TPXL

infovtzavoithcom

wwwrsavoithturbocom

Protect Your Belt Conveyors with

Voith Fluid Couplings

ai_a

it_44

0_e

n ai

k

Water Disclosure ReportingJust as companies are addressing their carbon emissions and

provide carbon reporting to the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) water is becoming a growing priority

Reporting on it is becoming another critical sustainability issue

2011 saw a marked increase in the number of the worldrsquos largest companies reporting on their water usage on the risks that water presents and on their responses to

that risk Responses from these companies indicate that water is impacting global business now and yet water is not nearly as high on the corporate agenda as climate change

Evidence is mounting that South Africa is facing a water crisis of substantial proportions This crisis encompasses all aspects of water management on both the demand and supply side The mounting impacts of acid mine drainage and declining wa-ter quality add to the crisis South Africarsquos water security is likely to be further complicated by an increasingly uneven and unpredictable supply of rainfall as a result of climate change and by a reli-ance on significant water transfers from neighbour-

ing countries In meeting this crisis South Africa will have to resolve tough trade-offs in water use between agriculture key industrial activities such as mining and power generation and the supply to rapidly growing urban centres

Evidence is clearJSE 100 companies will need to show leadership in sustainably managing the water resources on which they rely for their day-to-day business operations The available evidence is clear It is not sustainable to continue exploiting water resources by follow-ing a lsquobusiness as usualrsquo approach If this is the case South Africarsquos freshwater resources will be depleted and unable to meet the needs of people and industry in the next 20 years if not before

In 2011 the response rate to the CDP Water Disclosure amongst South African companies was 46 (26 out of 56 companies) Many of South Africarsquos most significant corporate water users are therefore not yet able to or are not yet ready to report on their water-related risks

Promethuim Robbie Louw Tel (011) 706-8185 Email Robbiepromethiumcoza wwwpromethuimcoza

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 39

EXHIBITION

The Steel and Engineering Industries Federation (SEI-FSA) the Lifting Equipment Engineering Association

of SA (LEEASA) the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA) and the SA Institute of Welding (SAIW) have thrown their weight behind the biggest industrial and engineering trade show in Africa

The three-day 10-shows-in-one event takes place from 14 to 16 May 2013 at Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand Johannesburg

SEIFSA Conference at Indutec The Steel and Engineering Indus-tries Federation of South Africa (SEIFSA) will hold its annual conference at Indutec celebrating 70 years of active support for its members industry and business in Africa The federation has over 2 220 member companies which employ more than 224 000 people comprising 53 of the industryrsquos workforce

SAIW ldquoWe take our affiliations with leading industry players very seriously including our en-dorsement of Indutecrdquo says Jim Guild chief executive officer of the SA Institute of Welding ldquoThese industry ties form part of our strategy to create strong relationships which support our objective and Governmentrsquos mandate to enhance the manufacturing sector in South Africardquo

LEEASAThe Lifting Equipment Engineer-ing Association of South Africa (LEEASA) which is a division of the Chamber of Engineering Tech-

nology (COET) will also be using its endorsement of Indutec to promote its activities in the engineer-ing and technology sectors in general Chamber spokesperson Viv Nel says its exposure at the fair will create more awareness of the Chamberrsquos role in all engineering and technology-driven industries

ECSAIndustry regulator the Engineering Council of South Africa shares these aims ldquoAs a custodian of en-gineering intellectual capital in South Africa our endorsement of Indutec provides us with a platform to publicise our role in the engineering sector and government infrastructure initiativesrdquo says Edgar Sabela ECSArsquos Strategic Services Executive

ldquoWe need to produce 10 times more engineers to compete with developed economies Involvement with the Indutec show will allow us to promote engineering as a career through our Engenius Programme and showcase our existing engineer-ing excellence Most importantly it enables us to network with all key players in the field and even conclude some businessrdquo

Tenfold Benefits to ExhibitorsJohn Thomson managing director of Exhibition Management Services organisers of the 10-in-one Fair says the unqualified support from leading in-dustry bodies indicates the showrsquos tenfold value to the engineering industrial and technology sectors ldquoThis undoubtedly translates into multiple benefits for the showrsquos exhibitors and ultimately to show visitorsrdquo he concludes

Indutec Serean ThomsonTel (011) 783 7250 Email marketingexhibitionsafricacom wwwexhibitionsafricacom

Boosting the Manufacturing Sector32 of South Africarsquos leading industrial and engineering professional and employer associations Chambers and

Councils have collectively endorsed Indutec the recently launched South African Industry and Technology Fair 2013

Promech Publishing through SA Mechanical Engineer and Bulk Handling Today will produce and publish the Official Catalogue for this prestigious show

Make sure your presence is felt before during and after the show by advertising in this one-of-a-kind reference publication

Contact Mark Bennett Tel (011) 781-1401 Email samechengpromechcoza

Jim Guild CEO of the SA Institute of Welding

Edgar Sabela - ECSArsquos Strategic Services Executive

Adelia Pimentel - Marketing and Communications Manager SEIFSA

40 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

MARKET FORUM

ldquoBMG has identified a need in diverse sectors for on-site maintenance services to overcome production challengesrdquo says Dave Russell technical director BMG ldquoRecognising the extreme constraints of high energy prices low productivity the critical skills shortage and a highly competitive economic environment BMG brings a total solutions service to the fore

ldquoIndustry can now access all critical production efficient products and services from one supplier What this means is lower production costs and higher pro-duction efficiency giving South African industry a distinct competitive advantage

ldquoBMGrsquos on-site services include applica-

tion design evaluation and optimisation as well as installation trouble-shooting and service exchange contracts The company also offers predictive planned and breakdown maintenance and energy and reliability studiesrdquo

The company also offers extensive train-ing which covers electrical mechanical hydraulic pneumatic electronic and materials handling disciplines as well as predictive maintenance and component failure analysis

BMG ndash Bearing Man Group Veronique van Niekerk Tel (031) 576-6221Email veroniquevbmgworldnet wwwbmgworldnet

Tenova Takraf Africa (formerly Bateman Engineered Technologies) is putting the final pieces together in completing an order for the supply of a 55m x 275m hydraulically-driven SAG mill to Ontario Graphite operators of the Kearney Mine located in Kearney O n t a r i o Canada

ldquoTenovarsquos scope

Unique SAG Mill in Canada

ABB started with a bang following the order of 2 400 robots by BMW Group Over the next three years the robots will be installed at factories in Regensburg and Leipzig Germany as well as in Tiexi China The ABB robots will mainly be used for mate-rial handling tasks as well as gluing and spot welding processes

ABB robots enable customers to implement efficient manufacturing systems that sustainably produce high-quality products The com-panyrsquos range of products and solu-tions for lean manufacturing cover the range from body-in-white to the final assembly of complete car bodies They improve competitiveness and at the same time optimally comply with customer specifications ABB has installed more than 200 000 robots worldwide

ABB Robotics Natasha Mathebula Tel (010) 202-6156 Email natashamathebulazaabbcom wwwabbcom

2400

Robots

Total Solution

of work includes the engineering manufacturing shipping and technical assistance during erection of the SAG millrsquos feed end shell discharge end drive and main bearings as well as all supporting equipment (lubrication and jacking systems)rdquo says Tenova Takraf

engineer Pieter van der Walt ldquoThe main hydraulic motor and rubber

shell liners were outside our commercial scope of supply but inside our technical

scope of supplyrdquo he adds

The mill is a conventional SAG (semi-autogenous grinding) mill in all ways apart from its drive assem-bly and it is centre-driven

at the discharge end using a Haggluumlnds hydraulic motor and powerpack ldquoTo date this is the largest hydraulic motor installed on a SAG mill with 950kW of power torque of 1 200 kNm (start-up) and 650 kNm (operational) and speed of 1386 rpmrdquo adds Pieter

Since the mill had to be retrofitted to an existing foundation a number of adaptations were required to maintain the mill centreline as well as feed-end and discharge-end positions Certain additions were required to anchor the main motor torque arm

Tenova Takraf Pieter van der Walt Tel (011) 899-2372 Email pietervanderwaltbatemancom wwwtenovagroupcom

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 41

MARKET FORUM

World Record

The ADR plant at Kisladag Mine

FLSmidth designs and manufactures indirect heated carbon regeneration kilns and calciners from half a ton per day and larger These kilns and calciners can be fuel gas oil or electric and are skid mounted pre-wired and pre-piped The companyrsquos patented bellows kiln seal has proved effective in eliminating air ingress and process gas egress and can be retrofitted to kilns from other manufacturers FLSmidth holds the world record for the lowest emissions on a carbon plant

And at the companyrsquos Merrill Crowe plant capacities range from skid mounted 34 cubic metres per hour modular plants to full size 2 100 cubic metres per hour The range of supply for plants includes clarification filters de-aeration towers vacuum pumps zinc dust feeders lead nitrate feeders and zinc cones precipitate filter feed pumps filter pre-coat and body feed systems as well as precipitate filters used by refinery and smelting facilities to produce gold bullion

These plants incorporate proprietary zinc dustlead nitrate feeder and mix-ing cone system The company offers individual plant components and partial or complete plant equipment packages together with total plant design

FLSmidth Terence Osborn Tel (010) 210-4820

Magnet has extended its range of abrasive products to include 3Mrsquos new Cubitron II abrasive belts with enhanced grinding performance improved productivity and extended service life

ldquo3Mrsquos new technology has resulted in increased speed improved consistency and extended belt liferdquo says Brian How-arth MD Magnet ldquoThese new abrasive belts ensure up to 30 faster cutting on hard to grind metals like stainless steel nickel alloy and cobalt chrome They also divert heat from the workpiece and belt to the swarf which means cooler cutting This helps eliminate burnishing and minimises heat stress Cubitron II abrasive belts last up to four times longer than conventional ceramic aluminium oxide beltsrdquo

3M Abrasives Bradley Reddy Tel (031) 274 1050 Email bradleyrmagnetgroupcozawwwmagnetgroupcoza

4 x Longer

42 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

MARKET FORUM

X-Calibur is one of the latest product offerings from TAL and was specified to protect the concrete structure of the worldrsquos second longest cable-stayed bridge against corrosion throughout its design life

Stonecutters Bridge is a high level cable-stayed bridge which spans the Rambler Channel in Hong Kong connecting Nam Wam Kok Tsing Yi Island and Stonecut-ters Island Hong Kong is well known for its hot summer weather which is also humid and unstable Temperatures

Say No to Corrosionusually exceed 30oC during the day which coupled with high humidity can result in an extreme heat index

ldquoHot and humid environments have a great effect on the durability of concrete As a rule of thumb we say for every 10oC increase in temperature the possibility of corrosion induced damage to concrete is doubled Add humidity in a marine envi-ronment then protection of the structure is of paramount importancerdquo says Brian Davies CEO X-Calibur International In order to guard the bridge from corro-

sion X-Shield EpoxySeal CR was sup-plied to shield the prestressed concrete cable anchorages from the effects of the environment In addition X-Shield FlexCoat was used in various areas of the structure This provides corrosion protection to reinforced concrete from chloride and carbon dioxide

ldquoThe main challenge was compliance with the strict project specifications as the engineer wanted to ensure that protection would be provided throughout the design life of the structure X-Calibur

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 43

MARKET FORUM

had the products independently tested to prove compliance to all aspects of the specificationrdquo John adds

The materials were applied by spe-cialist painters who had been trained by X-Calibur ldquoMaterials were mixed and applied strictly in accordance with method statements supplied by X-Calibur to ensure working time and recoat windows were not exceededrdquo concludes John

TAL Andrew Dekker Tel (031) 579-2263 wwwtalcoza

Fluid conveyance and pumping solutions expert Incledon has supplied a large water supply line project in the Free State with a total of 4 km of Ultraflo pipes manufactured in-house by DPI Plastics - a leading manufacturer of water reticulation drainage and pipe-fitting systems in South Africa

DPI Plastics technical and product manager Renier Snyman points out that the companyrsquos range of Ultraflo pipes are manufactured from modified polyvinyl chloride (mPVC) which is specifically designed to provide similar tensile strength and greater resilience than standard PVC piping products ldquoThe Ultraflo range of pressure piping systems are ideally suited to bulk water supply projects due to the fact that mPVC is considerably more ductile than industry standard unplasticised polyvinyl chloride (uPVC)rdquo he explains

Renier notes that the ductility of the Ultraflo uPVC piping system ensures that

Large Water Supply Project

the pipes have exceptional resistance to crack propagation under pressure ldquoThe product being supplied to the water sup-ply line project is the 500 mm Ultraflo system which is the largest in the DPI Plastics range It boasts a pressure rat-ing of 12 bar with a design stress of up to 18MPa making it ideally suited as a large underground piping systemrdquo

According to Renier Ultraflo pipes offer environmental advantages too ldquoDue to its superior toughness the wall thick-ness of mPVC is less than that of uPVC This ensures that less materials are used during the manufacturing process which ultimately results in a lighter product that is easier to transport and install thereby minimising the carbon footprint of the piperdquo

DPI Plastics Martine Goodchild Tel (021) 957 5600 Email mgoodchilddpiplasticscozawwwdpiplasticscoza

Donrsquot Miss Out

Promech Publishing is putting the Visitorsrsquo Catalogue together for this Show

Contact Mark Bennett on Tel (011) 781-1401 or Email samechengpromechcoza

to book your space

44 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

MARKET FORUM

Displaying and discussing some of the Dodge housed bearings on offer to local industry and mining are (from left) Tony Patten of Specialised Bearings amp Transmission Peter Small-Shaw Wilecrsquos Product Manager Bearings and Frans Odendaal Wilecrsquos Technical Specialist Bearings

The Bearings division of Actom group company Wilec has formed a strategic alliance for the supply of Dodge housed bearings into southern Africa The partner-ship agreement with Johannesburg-based Specialised Bearings amp Transmission the local distributor for Dodge extends Wilecrsquos ability to satisfy the requirements of industry and mining in a diverse range of bearings applications

ldquoThe most exciting thing about our tie-up with Dodge is that housed bearings while already widely accepted in the US and other leading industrialised countries is a relatively new concept locally but one which offers advanced features to users compared with conventional plum-mer block arrangementsrdquo said Frans Odendaal Wilecrsquos Technical Specialist Bearings

ldquoDodge housed bearings are supplied pre-assembled and sealed so eliminating all risk of contamination during fitment The advanced sealing arrangement and unique adapter system guarantees longer

Strategic Alliance

life ndash up to six times that of a conven-tional plummer block Other cost-saving advantages are that they can be installed by a semi-skilled technician very quickly normally in less than 15 minutes and the need to measure pre- and post-reduction clearance is eliminatedrdquo

ldquoIt is a differentiated product and with it we are able to provide a bearing that is especially well suited to local conditions

and offers benefits that are of real value to customers A particularly important aspect to bear in mind is that the total cost of ownership of a Dodge bearing is significantly lower than that of the conventional product due to its greater reliability and durabilityrdquo

Wilec Frans Odendaal Tel (011) 629-9300 Email fransowileccoza

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 45

MARKET FORUM

Emis Sales 2002 part of Becker Min-ing South Africa supplies a wide range of electrical equipment up to 1 100 V for use in hazardous and non-hazardous areas in the mining petrochemical and surface industry sectors

New to the Emis range are Proloc pro-tection and control relays which are suitable for thermal overload protection of conveyors compressors crushers fan and pump motors as well as shuttle cars and flitting panels

ldquoThe stand-alone Emis ProLoc electronic protection and control relay system which has been designed for the optimum protection of motor and feeder circuits connected to outlet sockets has a wide choice of six user-selectable protection features to meet exact requirementsrdquo says Frikkie Quirk managing director Emis Sales 2002 ldquoAn important advan-tage of this system is a door mounted infra-red link that enables a laptop with Proloc software to manage all settings

and downloads without having to open the panel door and expose personnel to dangerous live equipment This is a critical requirement in the OHSA actrdquo

This system is easy to set up via the Proloc MMI 420 display man-to-machine interface or via a laptop with Proloc software

Emis Sales 2002 Tel (016) 341-6134 Email infozabecker-miningcom wwwzabecker-miningcom

Optimum Protection

Birkenmayer a material processing systems supplier in South Africa and local supplier of German-engineered Eirich material processing technology recently released the Evactherm drier a new product that marries the advantages

Superheated Vacuum Steam

of mechanical and thermo dynamical processes to provide cost-effective and highly efficient drying and processing of filter cake and sludgersquos using superheated vacuum steam

Until now it has been important to observe

a maximum middle temperature when applying direct drying to heat sensitive materials and even more important to avoid the excessive local and boundary temperatures that frequently damage the drying product Both heat and ma-terial transport need to be considered and while convective drying processes such as spray drying largely avoid these problems they are only effective if a surface is available for the hot gas flow

Adjustable for both direct and convec-tive drying and processing Evactherm driers overcome these obstacles while providing a number of further benefits

Super-heated vacuum steam performs drying and granulation while the com-bination of mechanical and thermo dynamical processes allows for low dry-ing temperatures and gentle processing of temperature sensitive materials It also enables continuous drying for long periods of time as fresh material may be continuously added into the fluidized bed replacing material that has already been vaporised

H Birkenmayer Louis Eksteen Tel (011) 970 3880-8 Email louisbirkenmayercozawwwbirkenmayercoza

The Evactherm drier

Proloc protection and control relays

46 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

The Eastern Capersquos Coega Industrial Development Zone (IDZ) is one of a number of industrial regions in South Africa to benefit from Air Products South Africarsquos strategy of long-term capital investment

A region which has long been under-served when it comes to reliable gas supply the Eastern Cape will soon have

A Long-term Viewits own air separation unit (ASU) ndash the first of its kind in the province Seelan Gounden GM supply chain at AirProd-ucts explains the reasons behind the companyrsquos latest investment

ldquoCurrently there is no local industrial gas supply in this area and cryogenic gases have to be procured elsewhere This situation compromises the service

MARKET FORUM

ART Solar specialists in the manufacture of solar photovoltaic (PV) modules for the sustainable generation of electrical power has made the following appointment an-nouncementsMark Walsh as managing director Dr Ronald FM Lange as chief operating officer Robert Ramshaw as financial manager and Gavin Rosslee as production manager

Gavin RossleeRobert RamshawMark Walsh

Jeanne Els has been appointed as Hatchrsquos Managing Director of Operations

Jeanne Els

Ronald Lange

Anton Theunissen

SKF South Africa recently appointed Anton Theunissen as Distributor De-velpoment Manager for South Africa and neighbouring coun-tries

Index to Advertisers

Axiom 12

Bearings International 36

Bibby Turboflex 28

Bonfiglioli 10

Engen 34

Festo 35

Hansen 44

Horne SA 29

IDC Inside Back Cover

ILS 32

KDP Services 22

Loesche 31

Polysius 4

PPS 11 29

Mercedes Outside Back Cover

Merseta Inside Front Cover

MIEO Outside Front Cover

Transmission Components 14

Voith 38

Yellotec 16 17

delivery to our existing customers who have to depend on product being trucked over vast distances Thus we identified the Eastern Cape as a key priority invest-ment destination with a clear need for a new air separation facility dedicated to servicing the region We chose the Coega IDZ after careful market analysis We are pleased to be able to be a part of the growth and development of the region through providing a long-needed security of supply and value-added servicerdquo

Ayanda Vilakazi head of Marketing and Communications at the Coega IDZ adds ldquoThe viability of the new ASU is indis-putable It will mean not only security of gas supply to the region benefiting the many industries here but it also means job security for other investors jobs along the value chain and scope for training and human resource develop-ment as well as enhanced Corporate Social Investment initiativesrdquo

Seelan Gounden AirProducts wwwairproductssouthafricacoza

Left to right Chris Mashigo Executive Man-ager - Business Development Coega Develop-ment Corporation Themba Khoza Executive Manager ndash Operations Coega Development Corporation Seelan Gounden GM - Supply Chain Air Products Pierre Fourie Area Sales Manager ndash Eastern Cape Air Products signed the lease agreement between the CDC and Air Products South Africa

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 47To apply online for funding of R1 million or more go to wwwidccoza

Telephone 086 069 3888Email callcentreidccoza

Driving new market innovationsThe IDC supports high-impact job creation projects acting as a

catalyst to lead new sector development and support existing

industry and sector growth in alignment with governmentrsquos

New Growth Path (NGP) National Development Plan (NDP)

and Industrial Policy Action Plan (IPAP)

The IDC Strategic High Impact Projects (SHIP) Strategic Business

Unit in partnership with the IDC Innovation Department has

launched an Open Innovation Challenge to encourage the

development and implementation of sustainable high-impact

industrial initiatives and projects

The IDC calls upon individuals engineering communities

corporates project sponsors and other related entities to enter

into a partnership to develop qualifying projects that result in

sustainable and profi table industries exploit the value-adding

opportunities of existing and new value chains and enable the

development of innovative local economies

Whatwho qualifi es

projects which enable the development of new industries

across multiple IDC focus sectors

introduce new markets and value chains or revolutionise

existing ones through the use of disruptive technologies

or new approaches

development impact and employment creation

across mandated IDC industrial sectors

SHIP wishes to ensure that the projects undertaken play a major

role in industrial development and employment creation within

the South African and SADC regions

Interested applicants are invited to submit their project

proposals online at

httpopeninnovationidccozaidc-ship-challenge between

project proposals will be informed in May regarding SHIP

wishing to partner with them in the development of the

proposed project

Please contact Bertie Strydom BertieSidccoza and

RetiefBidccoza for more information

Chillibush9119IDC

48 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

A D

aim

ler B

rand

You built the bridges the roads and the tunnels We built the carAs a member of the Engineering Council of South Africa you could qualify for exclusive offers a guaranteed 3-day service booking as well as PremiumDrive our 6 year100 000km maintenance plan To take advantage of this outstandingopportunity inform your nearest dealer of your ECSA status

Not in conjunction with other Mercedes-Benz Fleet ProgrammesOffers Excludes AMG and Limited Edition modelsVehicle specifications may vary for the South African market

Page 23: SAME Mar2013

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 23

TICK

ER T

APE

POWER GENERATION

PROMECH PUBLISHINGTel (011) 781-1401Fax (011) 781-1403Email samechengpromechcozaWebsite wwwpromechcozaManaging Editor Susan CustersEditorial Kowie HammanAdvertising Mark BennettCirculation Catherine MacdivaDTP Zinobia Docrat Donovan VadivaluDisclaimerPROMECH Publishing does not take responsibility for the opinions expressed by individuals

CopyrightAll rights reserved No editorial matter published in ldquoPower Generation Todayrdquo may be reproduced in any form or language without written per-mission of the publishers While every effort is made to ensure accurate reproduction the editor authors publishers and their employees or agents shall not be responsible or in any way liable for any errors omissions or inaccuracies in the publication whether arising from negligence or otherwise or for any consequences aris-ing therefrom The inclusion or exclusion of any product does not mean that the publisher or editorial board advocates or rejects its use either gener-ally or in any particular field or fields

POWERGENERATION

TODAY

Harnessing the Powers of the Ocean

Luciano Garcia-Baylleres COO at HAE

Tidal power has long been utilised as an energy resource used early on in tidal mills to grind grain throughout the Middle Ages More recently it has also been used to generate electricity for instance in the 240 MW tidal barrages at La Rance France Tidal currents however are still largely an untapped energy source While several marine current turbine prototypes

have been tested in the last few years there are only a few of these prototypes deployed to generate electrical power to smaller communities

mainly to demonstrate the viability of the technology

There is currently a renewed interest in using the ocean to generate electric-ity using both traditional hydropower technologies and new hydrokinetic

technologies This interest is being spurred on by official and private initiatives to promote the development of cleaner energy sources and diversification of energy supplies through use of alternative and renewable sources

Tidal energyTidal energy projects hold the promise of producing indigenous renewable predictable electricity without greenhouse gas emissions and with higher power densities in terms of power output per unit area than either solar photovoltaic or wind projects

The International Finance Corporation (IFC) the World Bankrsquos private-sector lending arm is partner-ing with Sasfin Bank to develop a portfolio of energy efficiency and renewable-energy financial products for small medium-sized and microenterprises (SMMEs) in South Africa

Alstom South Africa and the South African Nuclear Energy Corporation (Necsa) have signed an agreement under which the local branch of the French power generation power transmission and rail infrastructure

group will invest R8-million in buying equipment for the new coded welding centre being established at Necsarsquos Nuclear Skills Development (NSD)

The operation and maintenance (OampM) costs of wind farms in South Africa were expected to be in the mid-range of the international market Mott MacDonald consultant Matthias Vinard has reported adding that OampM costs ranged from euro28kW a year to euro68kW a year in international markets

24 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

ocean currents driven for instance by thermal gradients or differences in salinity Along the South African east coast the Agulhas Current is one of the most consistent sea currents in the world and this area has now been identified as the ideal spot to test technology developed by an American company Hydro Alternative Energy (HAE) from Florida USA

Current plans with the local gov-ernment of eThekwini Municipality in Durban supporting the concept of a hydrokinetic energy project off the cityrsquos coast calls for HAE to

initially develop a $20 million 1MW demonstration unit utilising the companyrsquos Oceanus technology to generate electric power from the Agulhas current flowing past the city Additional units each with an anticipated electric power generation capacity of 8 megawatts may then be built and likewise be submerged approximately 30 metres below sea level to prevent interference with shipping traffic

ldquoSA Mechanical Engineerrdquo has a QampA session with Luciano Garcia-Baylleres the Chief Operation Of-ficer (COO) of HAE about the project

Q Some background on HAEA HAE founded in March 2009 is an emerging independent power provider (ldquoIPPrdquo) focused on utilising hydrokinetic and other power develop-ment sources to generate electric power worldwide safely cost-effectively reliably and profitably with minimal or no ecological impact

Our business model provides for utilising certain of our own proprietary technology identifying and locating existing and new technologies and when appropriate partnering with others for our power development and generation needs

Q The South Africa connection with the companyA Research by our technical department identified several places throughout the world as optimal for the initial deployment and commercialisation of our technology After extensive research of each location

POWER GENERATIONTI

CKER

TA

PE

Tidal energy projects may also be useful in lsquofilling in the gapsrsquo in generating power from other intermit-tent energy sources such as wind farms

Marine current energy conversion concerns the po-tential generation of electricity from kinetic energy of freely-flowing water This contrasts with tradi-tional hydro power like a dam where the amount of energy extracted from a river is dependent on the head between the reservoir and the water level below the dam

A similar hydro power approach can in fact be used for tidal power in areas with high tides In this case a barrage can be constructed in a nar-row bay or estuary to utilise the head between low and high water

Consistent currentAnother way to generate electricity from water would be to convert the kinetic energy of flowing water similar to the way a wind turbine extracts energy from the wind In such a case a dam or reservoir is not necessary but rather sites are chosen where the currents are strong such as a narrow sound straight estuary around a headland or in a river

The term lsquomarine currentrsquo constitutes any kind of water current be it tidal unregulated rivers or other

Flow anlysis carried out for current simulations

Another way to generate electricity from water would be to convert the kinetic energy of flowing water similar to the way a wind turbine extracts energy from the wind

Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) MD Noah Gwariro says the state-owned company needs at least $300-million to refurbish thermal power stations in Bulawayo Harare and Munyati and to increase their generation capacities

The planned Karuma hydropower project will have capacity to generate 700MW

and is one of the high-priority projects in Ugandarsquos National Development Plan

The State-owned Ethiopian Electric Power Corporation (EEPCo) has signed a $120-million contract with UK-based company Canbridge Industries for the construction of a 50 MW waste-to-energy power plant

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 25

POWER GENERATION

The components of a sea current power gererating system

The Aghullas current and eThekwini Municipality with their infrastructure qualified human resource and an approach to facilitating large scale green projects was the appropriate site for this first endeavour

How the energy is harnessed

and all the surrounding benefits apart from the presence of good quality currents such as politi-cal stability port infrastructure and focus on green projects we determined that South Africa with its infrastructure qualified human resource and an approach to facilitating large scale green projects was the appropriate site for our first endeavour

Q Background on what the project is all aboutA OceanusTM our first power generation system which we are currently developing and which utilises much of our own proprietary technology is planned to harness the kinetic energy of the ocean to produce safe clean reliable cost-effective electric power

Oceanus will consist of two primary modules the amplification module (the shroud) and the engine module The shroud is a housing that will multiply the normal incoming water flow to a faster velocity as it passes through the engine module generat-ing more kinetic energy This will in turn result in potentially greater electrical power generation capability as well as potentially increased usable offshore locations worldwide

Velocity is the major factor which dictates the hydrokinetic energy that can be extracted from water Within the hydrokinetic energy sector of the renewable andor clean energy industry we have seen that research and development has generally focused on developing energy generation technolo-gies for environments that can only work in very high water velocity environments such as 3 4 5 metres per second While these areas of extreme water velocity are very high in hydrokinetic energy they only exist in a very small percentage of the worldrsquos waters

Our goal is to provide electric power to locations

Shroud

Engine module

Combine modular design

worldwide utilising the kinetic energy in lsquotypicalrsquo water conditions Our current design specifications have a base need of 1 metre per second of water

26 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

POWER GENERATION

flow which by amplifying the velocity is planned to produce 1MW of power This design specification once successfully tested may then be adapted into higher velocity waters As most locations in the world have lower velocity waters a turbine designed to work in 3 4 or 5 metres per second water flows will not work in waters that have velocities of 1-2 metres per second

Q How does it workA The theory behind the development of the system is quite basic having been previously used in other energy production systems such as wind and tidal energy generation Basically the engine is composed of an energy extraction system such as but not limited to our perpendicular access turbine a gorlov turbine a darrieus turbine and an Axial turbine

The other module is the shroud which handles two functions serving as an accelerator of the water ve-locity thus increasing the amount of kinetic energy that can be extracted Secondly it houses the engine protecting marine life from direct contact with the tip of the blades Also Oceanus is designed to be positively buoyant and either secured to the ocean floor or to float at a certain predetermined depth while moored to the ocean floor utilising the same techniques that are currently used in mooring floating oil rigs buoys or floating windmill systems

Q How will it work in KZNA There will be a demonstration unit initially and then we will start the commercial phase by entering into the normal contracts and procedures for energy generation in the country This entails a very large investment from our company where we will focus on potentially buildingassembling the units in Durban thus taking advantage of the excellent and qualified infrastructure it has

Q Who is involved locallyA We have no partners as far as investors or concerns as yet on the South African project but we are not against this possibility in the future From the facilita-tion point of view we have received a lot of support from Derek Morgan at the eThekwini Energy Office and Russell Curtis at DIPA each with their respective teams and other government offices that have been very forthcoming with information and support

Q What equipment does it use ndash where will this be madeA We have already scouted several facilities in Durbanrsquos ship building industry as well as other possible suppliers ranging from the maritime indus-try financial sector to legal consultants in order to make sure that we are in compliance with all regulations and that our perception of excellence from the South African maritime industry is in fact there

Q At what stage is the project nowA The project is currently at an initial logistics stage where we are looking at a more site specific design for the demonstration unit At the same time we are gathering all the information with our lawyers and possible suppliers for the norms procedures permits and licences necessary to comply with local and national regulations

Q Where will power go to A From our initial discussions with the regulatory bodies this energy can be locally distributed and then taken up by the grid as needed This will de-pend on the results of the demonstration unit and the first commercial unit operation which we are confident will exceed expectations

Q Are there sceptics criticsA As discussed before the basic technology has been used in other sectors of the energy generation industry what is being developed by us is the ef-ficient shroud and the maintenance systems which include buoyancy controls and depth determination in order to locate the most efficient current

Q Are there any future plans from your company for South Africa in particularA We believe that we have a good relationship with eThekwini municipality and once we fulfil our project with KZN we would then consider further expansion throughout South Africa

Q What about the other parts of AfricaA Eastern Africa in general presents very good conditions for our technology but for now we are going to concentrate our efforts on deploying this endeavour in South Africa before entertaining new opportunities

Luciano Garcia-Baylleres COO at HAE Tel 561-900-7200 EmailLgarciaHAE-USAcom wwwHAE-USAcom

We will focus on potentially building assembling the units in Durban thus taking advantage of the excellent and qualified infrastructure it has

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 27

POWER GENERATION NEWS

MTN has announced that it has entered into a com-mercial arrangement to sell its carbon credits to EDF Trading in an industry first The credits will be pro-duced by MTNrsquos tri-generation plant at 14th Avenue Of-fice Park in Fairland Johannesburg

EDF Trading is a whol-ly-owned subsidiary of Electriciteacute de France SA one of the largest compliance buyers covered by the European Union Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS)

The carbon credit project utilises a Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) meth-odology developed by MTN approved by the United Nations Framework Con-vention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) It is currently in the process of being registered with the UNFCCC Once registered MTN will sell the carbon credits from the project to EDF Trading

The project will make use of the MTN energy-efficient 2MW tri-generation plant at its Fairland office park Tri-generation is the concurrent production of electric-ity heating and cooling which provides

Carbon Credits power hot wa-ter space heat-

ing and cooling for air conditioning

from a single source

Egoli gas is used for the operation

sourced from the Sasol pipeline in Mozambique

The plant displaces grid electricity from Eskom

reducing greenhouse gas emissions and providing up to 85

efficiency on fuel The excess heat at some 400degC is captured

and used to supply heating and to operate an absorption chiller which creates cool water that is used to power an extensive air-conditioning system

Natural gas is clean burning and offers a consistent supply but simply using this to generate electricity would have been too expensive The saving achieved by capturing the waste heat combined with the additional revenue from the sale of the carbon credits however makes the project economically viablerdquo

Promethuim Robbie Louw Tel (011) 706-8185 Email Robbiepromethiumcozawwwpromethuimcoza

Countries across South East Asia Africa and the Middle East have been amending their regulatory frameworks and embarking on privatisation as many of them are in serious need of external fund-ing to ensure that their respective electricity industries are capable of dealing with the inevitable surge in demand The cumulative installed power capacity for these regions according to 2012 estimates will be 212 Gigawatts (GW) However this figure is expected to shoot up to 349 GW by 2020 climbing at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 64

Emerging Power Markets

Rising industrialisa-tion ever-increasing population figures and growing economies all point to an electrical future that most infra-structure systems are currently incapable of handling Therefore to achieve greater in-dustry efficiency and encourage competition governments across this region are opening up their electricity markets and increasing private sector participation The region will have to invest heavily in order to

increase its installed capacity and improve its existing infrastructure

Transmission networks in many of these countries are already under tremendous pressure to supply power without interruption and many new transmission projects are already underway or in the pipeline Therefore energy policy reforms are set to open the doors and create positive opportunities for growth in in the near future this according to Jonathan Cain of GBI Research

GBI ResearchJonathan Cain Tel +44 1204 543 533 Emailjcaingbiresearchcom wwwgbiresearchcom

28 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

POWER GENERATION NEWS

With Gensler Architects Aurecon has completed the design on the faccedilade of what will be Chinarsquos tallest building At 632m the Shanghai Centre is more than 100m taller than the recently-completed Shanghai Financial Centre and is designed as a sustainable eco-tower that sets a new benchmark not only for the region but also the world

Sustainable green features include tri-

Bioclimatic buildingGreywater recycling systems lo-cated at basement and at mid-level have been installed to collect greywater generated from lavatory or bathtub for reuse reducing potable water demand for the office tower by about 40

The ice storage system shifts part of the peak electricity demand of the chillers into the night modeoff peak operation Storage capacity is 26 400 Refrigerant Ton (RT) which reduces about 30 of the summit demand by about 3 through this ice cooling storage system and save up to the yearly energy cost for the user

A large volume water deluge system with rotational nozzles

installed at mid-level of the atria deliv-ers a large volume and accurate water spray onto fire with the assistance of Infra-red detection to lock the exact location and very early warning smoke detection apparatus system

A double curtain wall design provides better control on solar energy entering the tower building resulting in energy saving

Aerecon Group Jody Boshoff Tel (012) 427-2066 Email JodyBoshoffaurecongroupcomwwwaurecongroupcom

generation plant consisting of two sets of 11MW natural gas turbine generating electricity

chilled water hot water and heating water Simultaneous heat recovery of the hot flue gas produced from the tur-bines reduces carbon dioxide by 49 compared with the regular electrical cooling system

15 nos of 3kW vertical axis wind turbines (VAWTs) on the roof provide 157 500 kWh of clean and renewable electricity annually

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 29

Willem Sullivan of HansenA better artificial heart for people who are not eligible for natural heart transplants

Jean Schoeman of National Oilwell Varco My own jet aeroplane

Chris Coetzee of Resonant SolutionsThe problem in industry is practical engineering experience Young engineers donrsquot get the opportunity to learn the practical stuff Irsquod start an academy which teaches the practical side where you can learn from your mistakes Unfortunately mistakes cost money but if you have all the money in the world they can afford to learn from mistakes

In your book what is the most pivotal invention ever

Elbie Cornelius of National Oilwell Varco The computer

Chris Coetzee of Resonant SolutionsI canrsquot see how you can run a business without cellphones

Rudolph Beer of Martin EngineeringThe wheel

Willem Sullivan of HansenFor me personally Excel Without it my world will be dull and lifeless For the world at large Electricity because without it Excel will not be possible

Jean Schoeman of National Oilwell Varco The personal computer

OPINION

On his rounds Kowie Hamman our Editor is conducting an informal survey on the lighter side of engineering We follow up from last month with three pertinent questions

Soapbox

What do you think of computers and the digital world

Elbie Cornelius of National Oilwell Varco Awesome changing our world

Chris Coetzee of Resonant SolutionsNinety percent of all engineering is done using computers but if you rely solely on them yoursquove missed the plot because you always have to verify results by going back into the field to test what yoursquove done on the computer

Rudolph Beer of Martin EngineeringYou canrsquot do without them

Willem Sullivan of HansenIt is where I do all my design work So if it was not for computers we would be decades behind in terms of what we can do I absolutely love it

Greg Perry of SEWThey have definitely made things faster but the en-gineer still needs to understand the theory and pay attention to the detail or you make mistakes faster

Jean Schoeman of National Oilwell Varco Very useful until they give problems Then you just want to hit them with a hammer But the digital world has managed to speed up the communica-tion of information

If you had all the money in the world what would you design

Elbie Cornelius of National Oilwell Varco A solar and wind power station to supply the whole continent with electricity

Rudolph Beer of Martin EngineeringDevelop the safe harvesting of atomic energy

30 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

ldquoSA Mechanical Engineerrdquo speaks to Dave Goodman managing director of Spectra Car-bide Tooling Technology in Cape Town about the various management models they have

developed specifically to control tooling ldquoOur tool management systems were developed through our involvement with some of the major automotive OEMs in South Africardquo he says ldquoThe management system where we take over full control of the tool-ing facility on the premises has been running for twelve years now at some of these plants

Systems for allldquoBut these systems are not only for OEMs and

large operationsrdquo Dave remarks ldquoTo meet dif-ferent requirements we now have four levels of management systems on offer each requiring a different level of active involvement from our side This varies from purely holding stock to supply for a customerrsquos specific needs right through to taking over full control of tooling by having a permanent on-site office manned by fulltime Spectra staffrdquo

A typical level 4 operation with a Spectra team permanently stationed on the customerrsquos premises will be equipped with a fully-computerised store inventory system to control the purchasing of all tooling from spindle to point ldquoThe team will control all the new stock and used tools by negotiating and dealing with tier two suppliers as wellrdquo explains sales manager Wayne Williams ldquoThey are also responsible for presetting tools ready for produc-tion as well as collecting and delivering tools to and from the machines in addition to providing technical support 7 days a week 24 hours a day

BenefitsOne of the cost saving benefits for the customer is less administration because the Spectra team consolidates all invoices so the customer receives

Managing ToolingIn most machine shops the tooling is usually under lock and key to limit access to high-value tool inserts such as end-mills drills reamers and burrs Even so many companies suffer considerable losses as these costly tools get lost are pilfered or are misused because there isnrsquot a proper

management system in place over and above lock and key to control who takes what from the store

To meet different requirements we now have four levels of management on offer each requiring a different level of active involvement from our side

Managing machine tools saves money

Dave Goodman managing director of Spectra Carbide Tooling Technology

MATERIAL SELECTION

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 31

one invoice per month In addition the customer has a highly skilled specialist in-house on tap to provide technical assistance for all tooling drilling tapping milling boring gundrilling honing and line boring on CNC and conventional machines ldquoFrom the management system we can draw extensive reporting for the customer regarding the costs per unit manufactured We produce monthly graphs for trending as well as daily incident reports on tool breakages weekly costs on scrapped tools and we also work out action plans to reduce scrap and improve up-time of the machinesrdquo Wayne adds

In essence this value-add for the customer allows preventative action which ultimately saves the customer money Dave explains ldquoGiven the skills shortage out there no company can afford the personnel purely to manage the machine shop in so much detail With this system we not only fill the skills-gap by integrating with the company but we add value to the company so that they can focus on what they manufacturerdquo

New product developmentIntegration into the customersrsquo operation has proved particularly beneficial when it comes to new product developments Wayne elaborates ldquoWersquore always up to date with the latest technology in tooling and know what can be done in the best possible way Usually it will take a machine shop a while to select the right tooling and method to produce

a new part but with our experts right there on site they can be assured of finding the most suitable solution using the right tooling from the startrdquo

Vending systemOn a lower level of tool management where the operation does not justify a permanent Spectra team on site the company has a tooling vending machine solution ldquoAll the tooling is stored in a vending machine and access to draw the tools out of the machine is controlled by a card or finger-print readerrdquo explains Dave ldquoSuch a system does however have a reporting function which allows the customer to draw the machining cost against each specific job

ldquoThis system has proved popular in South Africa because it can be customised to control the specific functions relevant to each customerrdquo adds David ldquoPart and parcel of this cost-saving solution is training the customer on how best to utilise the system for his needs be it purely controlling the use of tooling or integrating reporting and costing into the business system of the companyrdquo

Wayne Williams Spectra Tel (011) 827-8957 Email waynewspectra-sacoza

From the management system we can draw extensive reporting for the customer regarding the costs per unit manufactured

Special carbide drills reamers end mills and special inserts are manufactured in South Africa

MATERIAL SELECTION

32 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 33

Cubitron can be used to finish profile and or polish materials with high tensile strengths and is particularly useful to extend the lifetime of belts and discs in industrial environments

where hard materials are the order of the dayrdquo

Consistent cutFinishes are little changed through the entire dura-tion of a Cubitron belt from new to completely worn out The secret is that the cutting edges wear in a controlled manner This means that the tiny indi-vidual scratches are the same when the belt is first

put on until it is worn and ready for replacement

ldquoThere are a multitude of cutting edges on each individual grain of the extremely hard ceramic based grain As the grain wears new cutting edges are exposed in a predictable and measured manner to ensure that a consistent action is applied to the surfacerdquo she adds

Using the same ceramic platform 3M developed Cubitron II providing even better results than its predecessor 3M engineers were able to electrostati-cally orient triangular precision shaped ceramic grain acting like a cutting tool This means that the grain slices through metal as opposed to grinding and continuously self-sharpens as points break off This results in discs and belts running cooler and longer The Cubitron II technology is applied in

Starting from Scratch

SURFACE FINISHING

ldquoTo scratch the surface as the saying goes of most modern materials and coatings is not as easy as it used to be Thatrsquos why we developed Cubitron Abrasive Grainrdquo says Kelly Hunt

sales and marketing manager of 3M

34 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

Scratccchingg thhe surfface of abrasivvves ttecchnnologgy is too oopen a compplex sccience

SURFACE FINISHING

belt fibre disc and Roloc form offer-ing a unique solution for wide range of grinding needs

Scratching the surfaceKelly is an abrasives fanatic She says scratching the surface of abrasives technology is to open a complex sci-ence Analysis of different materials and techniques of cutting or finishing has in recent years become a necessity as materials develop and advance Bonding of abrasive onto materials for discs and belts is also more complex than before as manufacturing becomes automated and the tolerance for down-time reduces

But for the average operator technician or engineer it is not so much a matter of what goes into the development of a product but rather finding the solution that suits the intended process The minimum requirement is for a product to perform reliably over an extended period of time and to produce the right finish

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 35

Sometimmess a less expeeensiive buuut mmooree suitaaablee abbrasssivee ccaan give bettterr reesulttss

SURFACE FINISHING

ldquoUsing the abrasives to determine a finish can be as simple or as com-plicated as the producer of finished goods chooses to make it With so many choices available in the market we recommend that industrial users iden-tify the requirements of the abrasive and then speak to trained service technicians from suppliers such as 3M

Not about priceldquoPrice is not always the determining factor Some-times a less expensive but more suitable abrasive can give better results and in other instances the use of cheaper materials in the wrong application may be costly as materials will need to be replaced more oftenrdquo

Kelly recommends that us-ers of industrial abrasives take the time to research new products and as-sess their suitability for their processes ldquoYoursquoll be surprised that some of the new abrasives can do the job better and in half the time than older technology abrasives canrdquo she concludes

3M Dylan Ian Hunter Tel (011) 806-2186 Email dhuntermmmcom www3Mcom

36 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

IT TRENDS

ldquo M o b i l e c o m p u t i n g

continues to grow and alongside other IT trends

such as cloud computing social technologies and the era of big data It is going to play a pivotal role in the IT industry this year In factrdquo Derick adds

Mobile Computing

Mobile computing is growing momentously and is set to account for as much as 57 of worldwide T market growth in 2013 says Derick Roberts CEO of TruTeq Devices a Pretoria-based

company focusing on wireless connectivity solutions

ldquoit is going to account for the lionrsquos share of growth ndash even more than the cloud computingrdquo

The IDC predicts that worldwide IT spending will exceed $21 trillion up 57 from 2012 The research company also states that mobility will be the biggest driver Sales of smart mobile devices including smart phones and tablets is expected to grow by 20 and will contribute a significant 57 of all IT growth Excluding smart mobile devices IT industry growth will clock in at only 29

Truteq Devices Derick Roberts Tel (012) 667-1530 wwwtruteqdevicescom

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 37

ELECTRIC DRIVE

The technology performance and design of the Cigarette powerboat is closely based on the electric super sports vehicle made in Affalterbach Germany

The 116 metre long Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept powerboat uses two drive units each featuring six independent electric motors At the rear of the boat each drive unit has its own trans-mission one on the left and one on the right The boat is fitted with the twelve compact liquid-cooled permanent-magnet synchronous electric motors which are the signature piece of the SLS AMG Coupeacute Electric Drive each electric motor delivers 138 kW and 250 Newton metres

The maximum output of 1 656 Kilowatts and maximum torque of 3 000 Newton metres combine to reach a staggering top speed of over 160 kmh making this locally emission-free Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept the worlds fastest electri-cally driven powerboat The low centre of gravity and optimum weight distribution ensure sublime

The Worlds Most Powerful Powerboat

handling characteristics during more dynamic changes of direction

The high-voltage battery boasts an energy content of 60 Kilowatt hours an electric load potential of 600 Kilowatts and a weight of 548 kg ndash all of which are absolute best values in the automotive sector The liquid-cooled lithium-ion high-voltage battery features a modular design with a maximum voltage of 400 V It consists of 12 modules each comprising 72 lithium-ion cells ldquoCigaretterdquo inte-grates four high-tech batteries with a total of 48 modules and 3 456 cells which generate a total capacity of 240 Kilowatt hours and an electric output of 2 400 Kilowatts respect even in the boat building industry

The Cigarette on-board chargers as standard Adapted to fit the infrastructure standard of many American marinas the boat has a charging capac-ity of 44 Kilowatts The battery is fully charged in approximately seven hours To reduce the charging time to less than three hours the powerboat can be fitted with four on-board chargers as an option

Mercedes-Benz Shirle Greig Tel (012) 677-1904 Email shirlegreigdaimlercom wwwmercedes-benzsacoza

Mercedes-AMG and Cigarette Racing launched the latest development of their cooperation at the Miami International Boat Show in February Numerous components from the SLS AMG Coupeacute Electric Drive have been integrated in the design of the Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept engineering design The high performance drive fitted in the electric super sports car makes the off shore powerboat the worlds most

powerful and fastest electrically-driven motor boat With an output of 1 656 Kilowatts and a maximum torque of 3 000 Newton metres the Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept is a fascinating new development

Combine to reach a staggering top speed of over 160 kmh

38 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

ENVIRONMENT

They have been in service for decades

under the toughest conditions ndash and

have proven themselves worldwide

Voith fluid couplings protect belt con-

veyors and drive components by provid-

ing smooth acceleration and torque

control allowing for frequent loaded

starts with the least amount of stress on

the drive and belt

In multi-motor drives they ensure pre-

cise load distribution Result fewer

downtimes ndash and the service life of the

belt and the drive components is in-

creased The latest product innovation is

the Voith TurboBelt 780 TPXL

infovtzavoithcom

wwwrsavoithturbocom

Protect Your Belt Conveyors with

Voith Fluid Couplings

ai_a

it_44

0_e

n ai

k

Water Disclosure ReportingJust as companies are addressing their carbon emissions and

provide carbon reporting to the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) water is becoming a growing priority

Reporting on it is becoming another critical sustainability issue

2011 saw a marked increase in the number of the worldrsquos largest companies reporting on their water usage on the risks that water presents and on their responses to

that risk Responses from these companies indicate that water is impacting global business now and yet water is not nearly as high on the corporate agenda as climate change

Evidence is mounting that South Africa is facing a water crisis of substantial proportions This crisis encompasses all aspects of water management on both the demand and supply side The mounting impacts of acid mine drainage and declining wa-ter quality add to the crisis South Africarsquos water security is likely to be further complicated by an increasingly uneven and unpredictable supply of rainfall as a result of climate change and by a reli-ance on significant water transfers from neighbour-

ing countries In meeting this crisis South Africa will have to resolve tough trade-offs in water use between agriculture key industrial activities such as mining and power generation and the supply to rapidly growing urban centres

Evidence is clearJSE 100 companies will need to show leadership in sustainably managing the water resources on which they rely for their day-to-day business operations The available evidence is clear It is not sustainable to continue exploiting water resources by follow-ing a lsquobusiness as usualrsquo approach If this is the case South Africarsquos freshwater resources will be depleted and unable to meet the needs of people and industry in the next 20 years if not before

In 2011 the response rate to the CDP Water Disclosure amongst South African companies was 46 (26 out of 56 companies) Many of South Africarsquos most significant corporate water users are therefore not yet able to or are not yet ready to report on their water-related risks

Promethuim Robbie Louw Tel (011) 706-8185 Email Robbiepromethiumcoza wwwpromethuimcoza

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 39

EXHIBITION

The Steel and Engineering Industries Federation (SEI-FSA) the Lifting Equipment Engineering Association

of SA (LEEASA) the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA) and the SA Institute of Welding (SAIW) have thrown their weight behind the biggest industrial and engineering trade show in Africa

The three-day 10-shows-in-one event takes place from 14 to 16 May 2013 at Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand Johannesburg

SEIFSA Conference at Indutec The Steel and Engineering Indus-tries Federation of South Africa (SEIFSA) will hold its annual conference at Indutec celebrating 70 years of active support for its members industry and business in Africa The federation has over 2 220 member companies which employ more than 224 000 people comprising 53 of the industryrsquos workforce

SAIW ldquoWe take our affiliations with leading industry players very seriously including our en-dorsement of Indutecrdquo says Jim Guild chief executive officer of the SA Institute of Welding ldquoThese industry ties form part of our strategy to create strong relationships which support our objective and Governmentrsquos mandate to enhance the manufacturing sector in South Africardquo

LEEASAThe Lifting Equipment Engineer-ing Association of South Africa (LEEASA) which is a division of the Chamber of Engineering Tech-

nology (COET) will also be using its endorsement of Indutec to promote its activities in the engineer-ing and technology sectors in general Chamber spokesperson Viv Nel says its exposure at the fair will create more awareness of the Chamberrsquos role in all engineering and technology-driven industries

ECSAIndustry regulator the Engineering Council of South Africa shares these aims ldquoAs a custodian of en-gineering intellectual capital in South Africa our endorsement of Indutec provides us with a platform to publicise our role in the engineering sector and government infrastructure initiativesrdquo says Edgar Sabela ECSArsquos Strategic Services Executive

ldquoWe need to produce 10 times more engineers to compete with developed economies Involvement with the Indutec show will allow us to promote engineering as a career through our Engenius Programme and showcase our existing engineer-ing excellence Most importantly it enables us to network with all key players in the field and even conclude some businessrdquo

Tenfold Benefits to ExhibitorsJohn Thomson managing director of Exhibition Management Services organisers of the 10-in-one Fair says the unqualified support from leading in-dustry bodies indicates the showrsquos tenfold value to the engineering industrial and technology sectors ldquoThis undoubtedly translates into multiple benefits for the showrsquos exhibitors and ultimately to show visitorsrdquo he concludes

Indutec Serean ThomsonTel (011) 783 7250 Email marketingexhibitionsafricacom wwwexhibitionsafricacom

Boosting the Manufacturing Sector32 of South Africarsquos leading industrial and engineering professional and employer associations Chambers and

Councils have collectively endorsed Indutec the recently launched South African Industry and Technology Fair 2013

Promech Publishing through SA Mechanical Engineer and Bulk Handling Today will produce and publish the Official Catalogue for this prestigious show

Make sure your presence is felt before during and after the show by advertising in this one-of-a-kind reference publication

Contact Mark Bennett Tel (011) 781-1401 Email samechengpromechcoza

Jim Guild CEO of the SA Institute of Welding

Edgar Sabela - ECSArsquos Strategic Services Executive

Adelia Pimentel - Marketing and Communications Manager SEIFSA

40 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

MARKET FORUM

ldquoBMG has identified a need in diverse sectors for on-site maintenance services to overcome production challengesrdquo says Dave Russell technical director BMG ldquoRecognising the extreme constraints of high energy prices low productivity the critical skills shortage and a highly competitive economic environment BMG brings a total solutions service to the fore

ldquoIndustry can now access all critical production efficient products and services from one supplier What this means is lower production costs and higher pro-duction efficiency giving South African industry a distinct competitive advantage

ldquoBMGrsquos on-site services include applica-

tion design evaluation and optimisation as well as installation trouble-shooting and service exchange contracts The company also offers predictive planned and breakdown maintenance and energy and reliability studiesrdquo

The company also offers extensive train-ing which covers electrical mechanical hydraulic pneumatic electronic and materials handling disciplines as well as predictive maintenance and component failure analysis

BMG ndash Bearing Man Group Veronique van Niekerk Tel (031) 576-6221Email veroniquevbmgworldnet wwwbmgworldnet

Tenova Takraf Africa (formerly Bateman Engineered Technologies) is putting the final pieces together in completing an order for the supply of a 55m x 275m hydraulically-driven SAG mill to Ontario Graphite operators of the Kearney Mine located in Kearney O n t a r i o Canada

ldquoTenovarsquos scope

Unique SAG Mill in Canada

ABB started with a bang following the order of 2 400 robots by BMW Group Over the next three years the robots will be installed at factories in Regensburg and Leipzig Germany as well as in Tiexi China The ABB robots will mainly be used for mate-rial handling tasks as well as gluing and spot welding processes

ABB robots enable customers to implement efficient manufacturing systems that sustainably produce high-quality products The com-panyrsquos range of products and solu-tions for lean manufacturing cover the range from body-in-white to the final assembly of complete car bodies They improve competitiveness and at the same time optimally comply with customer specifications ABB has installed more than 200 000 robots worldwide

ABB Robotics Natasha Mathebula Tel (010) 202-6156 Email natashamathebulazaabbcom wwwabbcom

2400

Robots

Total Solution

of work includes the engineering manufacturing shipping and technical assistance during erection of the SAG millrsquos feed end shell discharge end drive and main bearings as well as all supporting equipment (lubrication and jacking systems)rdquo says Tenova Takraf

engineer Pieter van der Walt ldquoThe main hydraulic motor and rubber

shell liners were outside our commercial scope of supply but inside our technical

scope of supplyrdquo he adds

The mill is a conventional SAG (semi-autogenous grinding) mill in all ways apart from its drive assem-bly and it is centre-driven

at the discharge end using a Haggluumlnds hydraulic motor and powerpack ldquoTo date this is the largest hydraulic motor installed on a SAG mill with 950kW of power torque of 1 200 kNm (start-up) and 650 kNm (operational) and speed of 1386 rpmrdquo adds Pieter

Since the mill had to be retrofitted to an existing foundation a number of adaptations were required to maintain the mill centreline as well as feed-end and discharge-end positions Certain additions were required to anchor the main motor torque arm

Tenova Takraf Pieter van der Walt Tel (011) 899-2372 Email pietervanderwaltbatemancom wwwtenovagroupcom

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 41

MARKET FORUM

World Record

The ADR plant at Kisladag Mine

FLSmidth designs and manufactures indirect heated carbon regeneration kilns and calciners from half a ton per day and larger These kilns and calciners can be fuel gas oil or electric and are skid mounted pre-wired and pre-piped The companyrsquos patented bellows kiln seal has proved effective in eliminating air ingress and process gas egress and can be retrofitted to kilns from other manufacturers FLSmidth holds the world record for the lowest emissions on a carbon plant

And at the companyrsquos Merrill Crowe plant capacities range from skid mounted 34 cubic metres per hour modular plants to full size 2 100 cubic metres per hour The range of supply for plants includes clarification filters de-aeration towers vacuum pumps zinc dust feeders lead nitrate feeders and zinc cones precipitate filter feed pumps filter pre-coat and body feed systems as well as precipitate filters used by refinery and smelting facilities to produce gold bullion

These plants incorporate proprietary zinc dustlead nitrate feeder and mix-ing cone system The company offers individual plant components and partial or complete plant equipment packages together with total plant design

FLSmidth Terence Osborn Tel (010) 210-4820

Magnet has extended its range of abrasive products to include 3Mrsquos new Cubitron II abrasive belts with enhanced grinding performance improved productivity and extended service life

ldquo3Mrsquos new technology has resulted in increased speed improved consistency and extended belt liferdquo says Brian How-arth MD Magnet ldquoThese new abrasive belts ensure up to 30 faster cutting on hard to grind metals like stainless steel nickel alloy and cobalt chrome They also divert heat from the workpiece and belt to the swarf which means cooler cutting This helps eliminate burnishing and minimises heat stress Cubitron II abrasive belts last up to four times longer than conventional ceramic aluminium oxide beltsrdquo

3M Abrasives Bradley Reddy Tel (031) 274 1050 Email bradleyrmagnetgroupcozawwwmagnetgroupcoza

4 x Longer

42 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

MARKET FORUM

X-Calibur is one of the latest product offerings from TAL and was specified to protect the concrete structure of the worldrsquos second longest cable-stayed bridge against corrosion throughout its design life

Stonecutters Bridge is a high level cable-stayed bridge which spans the Rambler Channel in Hong Kong connecting Nam Wam Kok Tsing Yi Island and Stonecut-ters Island Hong Kong is well known for its hot summer weather which is also humid and unstable Temperatures

Say No to Corrosionusually exceed 30oC during the day which coupled with high humidity can result in an extreme heat index

ldquoHot and humid environments have a great effect on the durability of concrete As a rule of thumb we say for every 10oC increase in temperature the possibility of corrosion induced damage to concrete is doubled Add humidity in a marine envi-ronment then protection of the structure is of paramount importancerdquo says Brian Davies CEO X-Calibur International In order to guard the bridge from corro-

sion X-Shield EpoxySeal CR was sup-plied to shield the prestressed concrete cable anchorages from the effects of the environment In addition X-Shield FlexCoat was used in various areas of the structure This provides corrosion protection to reinforced concrete from chloride and carbon dioxide

ldquoThe main challenge was compliance with the strict project specifications as the engineer wanted to ensure that protection would be provided throughout the design life of the structure X-Calibur

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 43

MARKET FORUM

had the products independently tested to prove compliance to all aspects of the specificationrdquo John adds

The materials were applied by spe-cialist painters who had been trained by X-Calibur ldquoMaterials were mixed and applied strictly in accordance with method statements supplied by X-Calibur to ensure working time and recoat windows were not exceededrdquo concludes John

TAL Andrew Dekker Tel (031) 579-2263 wwwtalcoza

Fluid conveyance and pumping solutions expert Incledon has supplied a large water supply line project in the Free State with a total of 4 km of Ultraflo pipes manufactured in-house by DPI Plastics - a leading manufacturer of water reticulation drainage and pipe-fitting systems in South Africa

DPI Plastics technical and product manager Renier Snyman points out that the companyrsquos range of Ultraflo pipes are manufactured from modified polyvinyl chloride (mPVC) which is specifically designed to provide similar tensile strength and greater resilience than standard PVC piping products ldquoThe Ultraflo range of pressure piping systems are ideally suited to bulk water supply projects due to the fact that mPVC is considerably more ductile than industry standard unplasticised polyvinyl chloride (uPVC)rdquo he explains

Renier notes that the ductility of the Ultraflo uPVC piping system ensures that

Large Water Supply Project

the pipes have exceptional resistance to crack propagation under pressure ldquoThe product being supplied to the water sup-ply line project is the 500 mm Ultraflo system which is the largest in the DPI Plastics range It boasts a pressure rat-ing of 12 bar with a design stress of up to 18MPa making it ideally suited as a large underground piping systemrdquo

According to Renier Ultraflo pipes offer environmental advantages too ldquoDue to its superior toughness the wall thick-ness of mPVC is less than that of uPVC This ensures that less materials are used during the manufacturing process which ultimately results in a lighter product that is easier to transport and install thereby minimising the carbon footprint of the piperdquo

DPI Plastics Martine Goodchild Tel (021) 957 5600 Email mgoodchilddpiplasticscozawwwdpiplasticscoza

Donrsquot Miss Out

Promech Publishing is putting the Visitorsrsquo Catalogue together for this Show

Contact Mark Bennett on Tel (011) 781-1401 or Email samechengpromechcoza

to book your space

44 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

MARKET FORUM

Displaying and discussing some of the Dodge housed bearings on offer to local industry and mining are (from left) Tony Patten of Specialised Bearings amp Transmission Peter Small-Shaw Wilecrsquos Product Manager Bearings and Frans Odendaal Wilecrsquos Technical Specialist Bearings

The Bearings division of Actom group company Wilec has formed a strategic alliance for the supply of Dodge housed bearings into southern Africa The partner-ship agreement with Johannesburg-based Specialised Bearings amp Transmission the local distributor for Dodge extends Wilecrsquos ability to satisfy the requirements of industry and mining in a diverse range of bearings applications

ldquoThe most exciting thing about our tie-up with Dodge is that housed bearings while already widely accepted in the US and other leading industrialised countries is a relatively new concept locally but one which offers advanced features to users compared with conventional plum-mer block arrangementsrdquo said Frans Odendaal Wilecrsquos Technical Specialist Bearings

ldquoDodge housed bearings are supplied pre-assembled and sealed so eliminating all risk of contamination during fitment The advanced sealing arrangement and unique adapter system guarantees longer

Strategic Alliance

life ndash up to six times that of a conven-tional plummer block Other cost-saving advantages are that they can be installed by a semi-skilled technician very quickly normally in less than 15 minutes and the need to measure pre- and post-reduction clearance is eliminatedrdquo

ldquoIt is a differentiated product and with it we are able to provide a bearing that is especially well suited to local conditions

and offers benefits that are of real value to customers A particularly important aspect to bear in mind is that the total cost of ownership of a Dodge bearing is significantly lower than that of the conventional product due to its greater reliability and durabilityrdquo

Wilec Frans Odendaal Tel (011) 629-9300 Email fransowileccoza

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 45

MARKET FORUM

Emis Sales 2002 part of Becker Min-ing South Africa supplies a wide range of electrical equipment up to 1 100 V for use in hazardous and non-hazardous areas in the mining petrochemical and surface industry sectors

New to the Emis range are Proloc pro-tection and control relays which are suitable for thermal overload protection of conveyors compressors crushers fan and pump motors as well as shuttle cars and flitting panels

ldquoThe stand-alone Emis ProLoc electronic protection and control relay system which has been designed for the optimum protection of motor and feeder circuits connected to outlet sockets has a wide choice of six user-selectable protection features to meet exact requirementsrdquo says Frikkie Quirk managing director Emis Sales 2002 ldquoAn important advan-tage of this system is a door mounted infra-red link that enables a laptop with Proloc software to manage all settings

and downloads without having to open the panel door and expose personnel to dangerous live equipment This is a critical requirement in the OHSA actrdquo

This system is easy to set up via the Proloc MMI 420 display man-to-machine interface or via a laptop with Proloc software

Emis Sales 2002 Tel (016) 341-6134 Email infozabecker-miningcom wwwzabecker-miningcom

Optimum Protection

Birkenmayer a material processing systems supplier in South Africa and local supplier of German-engineered Eirich material processing technology recently released the Evactherm drier a new product that marries the advantages

Superheated Vacuum Steam

of mechanical and thermo dynamical processes to provide cost-effective and highly efficient drying and processing of filter cake and sludgersquos using superheated vacuum steam

Until now it has been important to observe

a maximum middle temperature when applying direct drying to heat sensitive materials and even more important to avoid the excessive local and boundary temperatures that frequently damage the drying product Both heat and ma-terial transport need to be considered and while convective drying processes such as spray drying largely avoid these problems they are only effective if a surface is available for the hot gas flow

Adjustable for both direct and convec-tive drying and processing Evactherm driers overcome these obstacles while providing a number of further benefits

Super-heated vacuum steam performs drying and granulation while the com-bination of mechanical and thermo dynamical processes allows for low dry-ing temperatures and gentle processing of temperature sensitive materials It also enables continuous drying for long periods of time as fresh material may be continuously added into the fluidized bed replacing material that has already been vaporised

H Birkenmayer Louis Eksteen Tel (011) 970 3880-8 Email louisbirkenmayercozawwwbirkenmayercoza

The Evactherm drier

Proloc protection and control relays

46 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

The Eastern Capersquos Coega Industrial Development Zone (IDZ) is one of a number of industrial regions in South Africa to benefit from Air Products South Africarsquos strategy of long-term capital investment

A region which has long been under-served when it comes to reliable gas supply the Eastern Cape will soon have

A Long-term Viewits own air separation unit (ASU) ndash the first of its kind in the province Seelan Gounden GM supply chain at AirProd-ucts explains the reasons behind the companyrsquos latest investment

ldquoCurrently there is no local industrial gas supply in this area and cryogenic gases have to be procured elsewhere This situation compromises the service

MARKET FORUM

ART Solar specialists in the manufacture of solar photovoltaic (PV) modules for the sustainable generation of electrical power has made the following appointment an-nouncementsMark Walsh as managing director Dr Ronald FM Lange as chief operating officer Robert Ramshaw as financial manager and Gavin Rosslee as production manager

Gavin RossleeRobert RamshawMark Walsh

Jeanne Els has been appointed as Hatchrsquos Managing Director of Operations

Jeanne Els

Ronald Lange

Anton Theunissen

SKF South Africa recently appointed Anton Theunissen as Distributor De-velpoment Manager for South Africa and neighbouring coun-tries

Index to Advertisers

Axiom 12

Bearings International 36

Bibby Turboflex 28

Bonfiglioli 10

Engen 34

Festo 35

Hansen 44

Horne SA 29

IDC Inside Back Cover

ILS 32

KDP Services 22

Loesche 31

Polysius 4

PPS 11 29

Mercedes Outside Back Cover

Merseta Inside Front Cover

MIEO Outside Front Cover

Transmission Components 14

Voith 38

Yellotec 16 17

delivery to our existing customers who have to depend on product being trucked over vast distances Thus we identified the Eastern Cape as a key priority invest-ment destination with a clear need for a new air separation facility dedicated to servicing the region We chose the Coega IDZ after careful market analysis We are pleased to be able to be a part of the growth and development of the region through providing a long-needed security of supply and value-added servicerdquo

Ayanda Vilakazi head of Marketing and Communications at the Coega IDZ adds ldquoThe viability of the new ASU is indis-putable It will mean not only security of gas supply to the region benefiting the many industries here but it also means job security for other investors jobs along the value chain and scope for training and human resource develop-ment as well as enhanced Corporate Social Investment initiativesrdquo

Seelan Gounden AirProducts wwwairproductssouthafricacoza

Left to right Chris Mashigo Executive Man-ager - Business Development Coega Develop-ment Corporation Themba Khoza Executive Manager ndash Operations Coega Development Corporation Seelan Gounden GM - Supply Chain Air Products Pierre Fourie Area Sales Manager ndash Eastern Cape Air Products signed the lease agreement between the CDC and Air Products South Africa

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 47To apply online for funding of R1 million or more go to wwwidccoza

Telephone 086 069 3888Email callcentreidccoza

Driving new market innovationsThe IDC supports high-impact job creation projects acting as a

catalyst to lead new sector development and support existing

industry and sector growth in alignment with governmentrsquos

New Growth Path (NGP) National Development Plan (NDP)

and Industrial Policy Action Plan (IPAP)

The IDC Strategic High Impact Projects (SHIP) Strategic Business

Unit in partnership with the IDC Innovation Department has

launched an Open Innovation Challenge to encourage the

development and implementation of sustainable high-impact

industrial initiatives and projects

The IDC calls upon individuals engineering communities

corporates project sponsors and other related entities to enter

into a partnership to develop qualifying projects that result in

sustainable and profi table industries exploit the value-adding

opportunities of existing and new value chains and enable the

development of innovative local economies

Whatwho qualifi es

projects which enable the development of new industries

across multiple IDC focus sectors

introduce new markets and value chains or revolutionise

existing ones through the use of disruptive technologies

or new approaches

development impact and employment creation

across mandated IDC industrial sectors

SHIP wishes to ensure that the projects undertaken play a major

role in industrial development and employment creation within

the South African and SADC regions

Interested applicants are invited to submit their project

proposals online at

httpopeninnovationidccozaidc-ship-challenge between

project proposals will be informed in May regarding SHIP

wishing to partner with them in the development of the

proposed project

Please contact Bertie Strydom BertieSidccoza and

RetiefBidccoza for more information

Chillibush9119IDC

48 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

A D

aim

ler B

rand

You built the bridges the roads and the tunnels We built the carAs a member of the Engineering Council of South Africa you could qualify for exclusive offers a guaranteed 3-day service booking as well as PremiumDrive our 6 year100 000km maintenance plan To take advantage of this outstandingopportunity inform your nearest dealer of your ECSA status

Not in conjunction with other Mercedes-Benz Fleet ProgrammesOffers Excludes AMG and Limited Edition modelsVehicle specifications may vary for the South African market

Page 24: SAME Mar2013

24 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

ocean currents driven for instance by thermal gradients or differences in salinity Along the South African east coast the Agulhas Current is one of the most consistent sea currents in the world and this area has now been identified as the ideal spot to test technology developed by an American company Hydro Alternative Energy (HAE) from Florida USA

Current plans with the local gov-ernment of eThekwini Municipality in Durban supporting the concept of a hydrokinetic energy project off the cityrsquos coast calls for HAE to

initially develop a $20 million 1MW demonstration unit utilising the companyrsquos Oceanus technology to generate electric power from the Agulhas current flowing past the city Additional units each with an anticipated electric power generation capacity of 8 megawatts may then be built and likewise be submerged approximately 30 metres below sea level to prevent interference with shipping traffic

ldquoSA Mechanical Engineerrdquo has a QampA session with Luciano Garcia-Baylleres the Chief Operation Of-ficer (COO) of HAE about the project

Q Some background on HAEA HAE founded in March 2009 is an emerging independent power provider (ldquoIPPrdquo) focused on utilising hydrokinetic and other power develop-ment sources to generate electric power worldwide safely cost-effectively reliably and profitably with minimal or no ecological impact

Our business model provides for utilising certain of our own proprietary technology identifying and locating existing and new technologies and when appropriate partnering with others for our power development and generation needs

Q The South Africa connection with the companyA Research by our technical department identified several places throughout the world as optimal for the initial deployment and commercialisation of our technology After extensive research of each location

POWER GENERATIONTI

CKER

TA

PE

Tidal energy projects may also be useful in lsquofilling in the gapsrsquo in generating power from other intermit-tent energy sources such as wind farms

Marine current energy conversion concerns the po-tential generation of electricity from kinetic energy of freely-flowing water This contrasts with tradi-tional hydro power like a dam where the amount of energy extracted from a river is dependent on the head between the reservoir and the water level below the dam

A similar hydro power approach can in fact be used for tidal power in areas with high tides In this case a barrage can be constructed in a nar-row bay or estuary to utilise the head between low and high water

Consistent currentAnother way to generate electricity from water would be to convert the kinetic energy of flowing water similar to the way a wind turbine extracts energy from the wind In such a case a dam or reservoir is not necessary but rather sites are chosen where the currents are strong such as a narrow sound straight estuary around a headland or in a river

The term lsquomarine currentrsquo constitutes any kind of water current be it tidal unregulated rivers or other

Flow anlysis carried out for current simulations

Another way to generate electricity from water would be to convert the kinetic energy of flowing water similar to the way a wind turbine extracts energy from the wind

Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) MD Noah Gwariro says the state-owned company needs at least $300-million to refurbish thermal power stations in Bulawayo Harare and Munyati and to increase their generation capacities

The planned Karuma hydropower project will have capacity to generate 700MW

and is one of the high-priority projects in Ugandarsquos National Development Plan

The State-owned Ethiopian Electric Power Corporation (EEPCo) has signed a $120-million contract with UK-based company Canbridge Industries for the construction of a 50 MW waste-to-energy power plant

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 25

POWER GENERATION

The components of a sea current power gererating system

The Aghullas current and eThekwini Municipality with their infrastructure qualified human resource and an approach to facilitating large scale green projects was the appropriate site for this first endeavour

How the energy is harnessed

and all the surrounding benefits apart from the presence of good quality currents such as politi-cal stability port infrastructure and focus on green projects we determined that South Africa with its infrastructure qualified human resource and an approach to facilitating large scale green projects was the appropriate site for our first endeavour

Q Background on what the project is all aboutA OceanusTM our first power generation system which we are currently developing and which utilises much of our own proprietary technology is planned to harness the kinetic energy of the ocean to produce safe clean reliable cost-effective electric power

Oceanus will consist of two primary modules the amplification module (the shroud) and the engine module The shroud is a housing that will multiply the normal incoming water flow to a faster velocity as it passes through the engine module generat-ing more kinetic energy This will in turn result in potentially greater electrical power generation capability as well as potentially increased usable offshore locations worldwide

Velocity is the major factor which dictates the hydrokinetic energy that can be extracted from water Within the hydrokinetic energy sector of the renewable andor clean energy industry we have seen that research and development has generally focused on developing energy generation technolo-gies for environments that can only work in very high water velocity environments such as 3 4 5 metres per second While these areas of extreme water velocity are very high in hydrokinetic energy they only exist in a very small percentage of the worldrsquos waters

Our goal is to provide electric power to locations

Shroud

Engine module

Combine modular design

worldwide utilising the kinetic energy in lsquotypicalrsquo water conditions Our current design specifications have a base need of 1 metre per second of water

26 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

POWER GENERATION

flow which by amplifying the velocity is planned to produce 1MW of power This design specification once successfully tested may then be adapted into higher velocity waters As most locations in the world have lower velocity waters a turbine designed to work in 3 4 or 5 metres per second water flows will not work in waters that have velocities of 1-2 metres per second

Q How does it workA The theory behind the development of the system is quite basic having been previously used in other energy production systems such as wind and tidal energy generation Basically the engine is composed of an energy extraction system such as but not limited to our perpendicular access turbine a gorlov turbine a darrieus turbine and an Axial turbine

The other module is the shroud which handles two functions serving as an accelerator of the water ve-locity thus increasing the amount of kinetic energy that can be extracted Secondly it houses the engine protecting marine life from direct contact with the tip of the blades Also Oceanus is designed to be positively buoyant and either secured to the ocean floor or to float at a certain predetermined depth while moored to the ocean floor utilising the same techniques that are currently used in mooring floating oil rigs buoys or floating windmill systems

Q How will it work in KZNA There will be a demonstration unit initially and then we will start the commercial phase by entering into the normal contracts and procedures for energy generation in the country This entails a very large investment from our company where we will focus on potentially buildingassembling the units in Durban thus taking advantage of the excellent and qualified infrastructure it has

Q Who is involved locallyA We have no partners as far as investors or concerns as yet on the South African project but we are not against this possibility in the future From the facilita-tion point of view we have received a lot of support from Derek Morgan at the eThekwini Energy Office and Russell Curtis at DIPA each with their respective teams and other government offices that have been very forthcoming with information and support

Q What equipment does it use ndash where will this be madeA We have already scouted several facilities in Durbanrsquos ship building industry as well as other possible suppliers ranging from the maritime indus-try financial sector to legal consultants in order to make sure that we are in compliance with all regulations and that our perception of excellence from the South African maritime industry is in fact there

Q At what stage is the project nowA The project is currently at an initial logistics stage where we are looking at a more site specific design for the demonstration unit At the same time we are gathering all the information with our lawyers and possible suppliers for the norms procedures permits and licences necessary to comply with local and national regulations

Q Where will power go to A From our initial discussions with the regulatory bodies this energy can be locally distributed and then taken up by the grid as needed This will de-pend on the results of the demonstration unit and the first commercial unit operation which we are confident will exceed expectations

Q Are there sceptics criticsA As discussed before the basic technology has been used in other sectors of the energy generation industry what is being developed by us is the ef-ficient shroud and the maintenance systems which include buoyancy controls and depth determination in order to locate the most efficient current

Q Are there any future plans from your company for South Africa in particularA We believe that we have a good relationship with eThekwini municipality and once we fulfil our project with KZN we would then consider further expansion throughout South Africa

Q What about the other parts of AfricaA Eastern Africa in general presents very good conditions for our technology but for now we are going to concentrate our efforts on deploying this endeavour in South Africa before entertaining new opportunities

Luciano Garcia-Baylleres COO at HAE Tel 561-900-7200 EmailLgarciaHAE-USAcom wwwHAE-USAcom

We will focus on potentially building assembling the units in Durban thus taking advantage of the excellent and qualified infrastructure it has

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 27

POWER GENERATION NEWS

MTN has announced that it has entered into a com-mercial arrangement to sell its carbon credits to EDF Trading in an industry first The credits will be pro-duced by MTNrsquos tri-generation plant at 14th Avenue Of-fice Park in Fairland Johannesburg

EDF Trading is a whol-ly-owned subsidiary of Electriciteacute de France SA one of the largest compliance buyers covered by the European Union Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS)

The carbon credit project utilises a Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) meth-odology developed by MTN approved by the United Nations Framework Con-vention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) It is currently in the process of being registered with the UNFCCC Once registered MTN will sell the carbon credits from the project to EDF Trading

The project will make use of the MTN energy-efficient 2MW tri-generation plant at its Fairland office park Tri-generation is the concurrent production of electric-ity heating and cooling which provides

Carbon Credits power hot wa-ter space heat-

ing and cooling for air conditioning

from a single source

Egoli gas is used for the operation

sourced from the Sasol pipeline in Mozambique

The plant displaces grid electricity from Eskom

reducing greenhouse gas emissions and providing up to 85

efficiency on fuel The excess heat at some 400degC is captured

and used to supply heating and to operate an absorption chiller which creates cool water that is used to power an extensive air-conditioning system

Natural gas is clean burning and offers a consistent supply but simply using this to generate electricity would have been too expensive The saving achieved by capturing the waste heat combined with the additional revenue from the sale of the carbon credits however makes the project economically viablerdquo

Promethuim Robbie Louw Tel (011) 706-8185 Email Robbiepromethiumcozawwwpromethuimcoza

Countries across South East Asia Africa and the Middle East have been amending their regulatory frameworks and embarking on privatisation as many of them are in serious need of external fund-ing to ensure that their respective electricity industries are capable of dealing with the inevitable surge in demand The cumulative installed power capacity for these regions according to 2012 estimates will be 212 Gigawatts (GW) However this figure is expected to shoot up to 349 GW by 2020 climbing at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 64

Emerging Power Markets

Rising industrialisa-tion ever-increasing population figures and growing economies all point to an electrical future that most infra-structure systems are currently incapable of handling Therefore to achieve greater in-dustry efficiency and encourage competition governments across this region are opening up their electricity markets and increasing private sector participation The region will have to invest heavily in order to

increase its installed capacity and improve its existing infrastructure

Transmission networks in many of these countries are already under tremendous pressure to supply power without interruption and many new transmission projects are already underway or in the pipeline Therefore energy policy reforms are set to open the doors and create positive opportunities for growth in in the near future this according to Jonathan Cain of GBI Research

GBI ResearchJonathan Cain Tel +44 1204 543 533 Emailjcaingbiresearchcom wwwgbiresearchcom

28 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

POWER GENERATION NEWS

With Gensler Architects Aurecon has completed the design on the faccedilade of what will be Chinarsquos tallest building At 632m the Shanghai Centre is more than 100m taller than the recently-completed Shanghai Financial Centre and is designed as a sustainable eco-tower that sets a new benchmark not only for the region but also the world

Sustainable green features include tri-

Bioclimatic buildingGreywater recycling systems lo-cated at basement and at mid-level have been installed to collect greywater generated from lavatory or bathtub for reuse reducing potable water demand for the office tower by about 40

The ice storage system shifts part of the peak electricity demand of the chillers into the night modeoff peak operation Storage capacity is 26 400 Refrigerant Ton (RT) which reduces about 30 of the summit demand by about 3 through this ice cooling storage system and save up to the yearly energy cost for the user

A large volume water deluge system with rotational nozzles

installed at mid-level of the atria deliv-ers a large volume and accurate water spray onto fire with the assistance of Infra-red detection to lock the exact location and very early warning smoke detection apparatus system

A double curtain wall design provides better control on solar energy entering the tower building resulting in energy saving

Aerecon Group Jody Boshoff Tel (012) 427-2066 Email JodyBoshoffaurecongroupcomwwwaurecongroupcom

generation plant consisting of two sets of 11MW natural gas turbine generating electricity

chilled water hot water and heating water Simultaneous heat recovery of the hot flue gas produced from the tur-bines reduces carbon dioxide by 49 compared with the regular electrical cooling system

15 nos of 3kW vertical axis wind turbines (VAWTs) on the roof provide 157 500 kWh of clean and renewable electricity annually

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 29

Willem Sullivan of HansenA better artificial heart for people who are not eligible for natural heart transplants

Jean Schoeman of National Oilwell Varco My own jet aeroplane

Chris Coetzee of Resonant SolutionsThe problem in industry is practical engineering experience Young engineers donrsquot get the opportunity to learn the practical stuff Irsquod start an academy which teaches the practical side where you can learn from your mistakes Unfortunately mistakes cost money but if you have all the money in the world they can afford to learn from mistakes

In your book what is the most pivotal invention ever

Elbie Cornelius of National Oilwell Varco The computer

Chris Coetzee of Resonant SolutionsI canrsquot see how you can run a business without cellphones

Rudolph Beer of Martin EngineeringThe wheel

Willem Sullivan of HansenFor me personally Excel Without it my world will be dull and lifeless For the world at large Electricity because without it Excel will not be possible

Jean Schoeman of National Oilwell Varco The personal computer

OPINION

On his rounds Kowie Hamman our Editor is conducting an informal survey on the lighter side of engineering We follow up from last month with three pertinent questions

Soapbox

What do you think of computers and the digital world

Elbie Cornelius of National Oilwell Varco Awesome changing our world

Chris Coetzee of Resonant SolutionsNinety percent of all engineering is done using computers but if you rely solely on them yoursquove missed the plot because you always have to verify results by going back into the field to test what yoursquove done on the computer

Rudolph Beer of Martin EngineeringYou canrsquot do without them

Willem Sullivan of HansenIt is where I do all my design work So if it was not for computers we would be decades behind in terms of what we can do I absolutely love it

Greg Perry of SEWThey have definitely made things faster but the en-gineer still needs to understand the theory and pay attention to the detail or you make mistakes faster

Jean Schoeman of National Oilwell Varco Very useful until they give problems Then you just want to hit them with a hammer But the digital world has managed to speed up the communica-tion of information

If you had all the money in the world what would you design

Elbie Cornelius of National Oilwell Varco A solar and wind power station to supply the whole continent with electricity

Rudolph Beer of Martin EngineeringDevelop the safe harvesting of atomic energy

30 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

ldquoSA Mechanical Engineerrdquo speaks to Dave Goodman managing director of Spectra Car-bide Tooling Technology in Cape Town about the various management models they have

developed specifically to control tooling ldquoOur tool management systems were developed through our involvement with some of the major automotive OEMs in South Africardquo he says ldquoThe management system where we take over full control of the tool-ing facility on the premises has been running for twelve years now at some of these plants

Systems for allldquoBut these systems are not only for OEMs and

large operationsrdquo Dave remarks ldquoTo meet dif-ferent requirements we now have four levels of management systems on offer each requiring a different level of active involvement from our side This varies from purely holding stock to supply for a customerrsquos specific needs right through to taking over full control of tooling by having a permanent on-site office manned by fulltime Spectra staffrdquo

A typical level 4 operation with a Spectra team permanently stationed on the customerrsquos premises will be equipped with a fully-computerised store inventory system to control the purchasing of all tooling from spindle to point ldquoThe team will control all the new stock and used tools by negotiating and dealing with tier two suppliers as wellrdquo explains sales manager Wayne Williams ldquoThey are also responsible for presetting tools ready for produc-tion as well as collecting and delivering tools to and from the machines in addition to providing technical support 7 days a week 24 hours a day

BenefitsOne of the cost saving benefits for the customer is less administration because the Spectra team consolidates all invoices so the customer receives

Managing ToolingIn most machine shops the tooling is usually under lock and key to limit access to high-value tool inserts such as end-mills drills reamers and burrs Even so many companies suffer considerable losses as these costly tools get lost are pilfered or are misused because there isnrsquot a proper

management system in place over and above lock and key to control who takes what from the store

To meet different requirements we now have four levels of management on offer each requiring a different level of active involvement from our side

Managing machine tools saves money

Dave Goodman managing director of Spectra Carbide Tooling Technology

MATERIAL SELECTION

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 31

one invoice per month In addition the customer has a highly skilled specialist in-house on tap to provide technical assistance for all tooling drilling tapping milling boring gundrilling honing and line boring on CNC and conventional machines ldquoFrom the management system we can draw extensive reporting for the customer regarding the costs per unit manufactured We produce monthly graphs for trending as well as daily incident reports on tool breakages weekly costs on scrapped tools and we also work out action plans to reduce scrap and improve up-time of the machinesrdquo Wayne adds

In essence this value-add for the customer allows preventative action which ultimately saves the customer money Dave explains ldquoGiven the skills shortage out there no company can afford the personnel purely to manage the machine shop in so much detail With this system we not only fill the skills-gap by integrating with the company but we add value to the company so that they can focus on what they manufacturerdquo

New product developmentIntegration into the customersrsquo operation has proved particularly beneficial when it comes to new product developments Wayne elaborates ldquoWersquore always up to date with the latest technology in tooling and know what can be done in the best possible way Usually it will take a machine shop a while to select the right tooling and method to produce

a new part but with our experts right there on site they can be assured of finding the most suitable solution using the right tooling from the startrdquo

Vending systemOn a lower level of tool management where the operation does not justify a permanent Spectra team on site the company has a tooling vending machine solution ldquoAll the tooling is stored in a vending machine and access to draw the tools out of the machine is controlled by a card or finger-print readerrdquo explains Dave ldquoSuch a system does however have a reporting function which allows the customer to draw the machining cost against each specific job

ldquoThis system has proved popular in South Africa because it can be customised to control the specific functions relevant to each customerrdquo adds David ldquoPart and parcel of this cost-saving solution is training the customer on how best to utilise the system for his needs be it purely controlling the use of tooling or integrating reporting and costing into the business system of the companyrdquo

Wayne Williams Spectra Tel (011) 827-8957 Email waynewspectra-sacoza

From the management system we can draw extensive reporting for the customer regarding the costs per unit manufactured

Special carbide drills reamers end mills and special inserts are manufactured in South Africa

MATERIAL SELECTION

32 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 33

Cubitron can be used to finish profile and or polish materials with high tensile strengths and is particularly useful to extend the lifetime of belts and discs in industrial environments

where hard materials are the order of the dayrdquo

Consistent cutFinishes are little changed through the entire dura-tion of a Cubitron belt from new to completely worn out The secret is that the cutting edges wear in a controlled manner This means that the tiny indi-vidual scratches are the same when the belt is first

put on until it is worn and ready for replacement

ldquoThere are a multitude of cutting edges on each individual grain of the extremely hard ceramic based grain As the grain wears new cutting edges are exposed in a predictable and measured manner to ensure that a consistent action is applied to the surfacerdquo she adds

Using the same ceramic platform 3M developed Cubitron II providing even better results than its predecessor 3M engineers were able to electrostati-cally orient triangular precision shaped ceramic grain acting like a cutting tool This means that the grain slices through metal as opposed to grinding and continuously self-sharpens as points break off This results in discs and belts running cooler and longer The Cubitron II technology is applied in

Starting from Scratch

SURFACE FINISHING

ldquoTo scratch the surface as the saying goes of most modern materials and coatings is not as easy as it used to be Thatrsquos why we developed Cubitron Abrasive Grainrdquo says Kelly Hunt

sales and marketing manager of 3M

34 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

Scratccchingg thhe surfface of abrasivvves ttecchnnologgy is too oopen a compplex sccience

SURFACE FINISHING

belt fibre disc and Roloc form offer-ing a unique solution for wide range of grinding needs

Scratching the surfaceKelly is an abrasives fanatic She says scratching the surface of abrasives technology is to open a complex sci-ence Analysis of different materials and techniques of cutting or finishing has in recent years become a necessity as materials develop and advance Bonding of abrasive onto materials for discs and belts is also more complex than before as manufacturing becomes automated and the tolerance for down-time reduces

But for the average operator technician or engineer it is not so much a matter of what goes into the development of a product but rather finding the solution that suits the intended process The minimum requirement is for a product to perform reliably over an extended period of time and to produce the right finish

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 35

Sometimmess a less expeeensiive buuut mmooree suitaaablee abbrasssivee ccaan give bettterr reesulttss

SURFACE FINISHING

ldquoUsing the abrasives to determine a finish can be as simple or as com-plicated as the producer of finished goods chooses to make it With so many choices available in the market we recommend that industrial users iden-tify the requirements of the abrasive and then speak to trained service technicians from suppliers such as 3M

Not about priceldquoPrice is not always the determining factor Some-times a less expensive but more suitable abrasive can give better results and in other instances the use of cheaper materials in the wrong application may be costly as materials will need to be replaced more oftenrdquo

Kelly recommends that us-ers of industrial abrasives take the time to research new products and as-sess their suitability for their processes ldquoYoursquoll be surprised that some of the new abrasives can do the job better and in half the time than older technology abrasives canrdquo she concludes

3M Dylan Ian Hunter Tel (011) 806-2186 Email dhuntermmmcom www3Mcom

36 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

IT TRENDS

ldquo M o b i l e c o m p u t i n g

continues to grow and alongside other IT trends

such as cloud computing social technologies and the era of big data It is going to play a pivotal role in the IT industry this year In factrdquo Derick adds

Mobile Computing

Mobile computing is growing momentously and is set to account for as much as 57 of worldwide T market growth in 2013 says Derick Roberts CEO of TruTeq Devices a Pretoria-based

company focusing on wireless connectivity solutions

ldquoit is going to account for the lionrsquos share of growth ndash even more than the cloud computingrdquo

The IDC predicts that worldwide IT spending will exceed $21 trillion up 57 from 2012 The research company also states that mobility will be the biggest driver Sales of smart mobile devices including smart phones and tablets is expected to grow by 20 and will contribute a significant 57 of all IT growth Excluding smart mobile devices IT industry growth will clock in at only 29

Truteq Devices Derick Roberts Tel (012) 667-1530 wwwtruteqdevicescom

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 37

ELECTRIC DRIVE

The technology performance and design of the Cigarette powerboat is closely based on the electric super sports vehicle made in Affalterbach Germany

The 116 metre long Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept powerboat uses two drive units each featuring six independent electric motors At the rear of the boat each drive unit has its own trans-mission one on the left and one on the right The boat is fitted with the twelve compact liquid-cooled permanent-magnet synchronous electric motors which are the signature piece of the SLS AMG Coupeacute Electric Drive each electric motor delivers 138 kW and 250 Newton metres

The maximum output of 1 656 Kilowatts and maximum torque of 3 000 Newton metres combine to reach a staggering top speed of over 160 kmh making this locally emission-free Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept the worlds fastest electri-cally driven powerboat The low centre of gravity and optimum weight distribution ensure sublime

The Worlds Most Powerful Powerboat

handling characteristics during more dynamic changes of direction

The high-voltage battery boasts an energy content of 60 Kilowatt hours an electric load potential of 600 Kilowatts and a weight of 548 kg ndash all of which are absolute best values in the automotive sector The liquid-cooled lithium-ion high-voltage battery features a modular design with a maximum voltage of 400 V It consists of 12 modules each comprising 72 lithium-ion cells ldquoCigaretterdquo inte-grates four high-tech batteries with a total of 48 modules and 3 456 cells which generate a total capacity of 240 Kilowatt hours and an electric output of 2 400 Kilowatts respect even in the boat building industry

The Cigarette on-board chargers as standard Adapted to fit the infrastructure standard of many American marinas the boat has a charging capac-ity of 44 Kilowatts The battery is fully charged in approximately seven hours To reduce the charging time to less than three hours the powerboat can be fitted with four on-board chargers as an option

Mercedes-Benz Shirle Greig Tel (012) 677-1904 Email shirlegreigdaimlercom wwwmercedes-benzsacoza

Mercedes-AMG and Cigarette Racing launched the latest development of their cooperation at the Miami International Boat Show in February Numerous components from the SLS AMG Coupeacute Electric Drive have been integrated in the design of the Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept engineering design The high performance drive fitted in the electric super sports car makes the off shore powerboat the worlds most

powerful and fastest electrically-driven motor boat With an output of 1 656 Kilowatts and a maximum torque of 3 000 Newton metres the Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept is a fascinating new development

Combine to reach a staggering top speed of over 160 kmh

38 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

ENVIRONMENT

They have been in service for decades

under the toughest conditions ndash and

have proven themselves worldwide

Voith fluid couplings protect belt con-

veyors and drive components by provid-

ing smooth acceleration and torque

control allowing for frequent loaded

starts with the least amount of stress on

the drive and belt

In multi-motor drives they ensure pre-

cise load distribution Result fewer

downtimes ndash and the service life of the

belt and the drive components is in-

creased The latest product innovation is

the Voith TurboBelt 780 TPXL

infovtzavoithcom

wwwrsavoithturbocom

Protect Your Belt Conveyors with

Voith Fluid Couplings

ai_a

it_44

0_e

n ai

k

Water Disclosure ReportingJust as companies are addressing their carbon emissions and

provide carbon reporting to the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) water is becoming a growing priority

Reporting on it is becoming another critical sustainability issue

2011 saw a marked increase in the number of the worldrsquos largest companies reporting on their water usage on the risks that water presents and on their responses to

that risk Responses from these companies indicate that water is impacting global business now and yet water is not nearly as high on the corporate agenda as climate change

Evidence is mounting that South Africa is facing a water crisis of substantial proportions This crisis encompasses all aspects of water management on both the demand and supply side The mounting impacts of acid mine drainage and declining wa-ter quality add to the crisis South Africarsquos water security is likely to be further complicated by an increasingly uneven and unpredictable supply of rainfall as a result of climate change and by a reli-ance on significant water transfers from neighbour-

ing countries In meeting this crisis South Africa will have to resolve tough trade-offs in water use between agriculture key industrial activities such as mining and power generation and the supply to rapidly growing urban centres

Evidence is clearJSE 100 companies will need to show leadership in sustainably managing the water resources on which they rely for their day-to-day business operations The available evidence is clear It is not sustainable to continue exploiting water resources by follow-ing a lsquobusiness as usualrsquo approach If this is the case South Africarsquos freshwater resources will be depleted and unable to meet the needs of people and industry in the next 20 years if not before

In 2011 the response rate to the CDP Water Disclosure amongst South African companies was 46 (26 out of 56 companies) Many of South Africarsquos most significant corporate water users are therefore not yet able to or are not yet ready to report on their water-related risks

Promethuim Robbie Louw Tel (011) 706-8185 Email Robbiepromethiumcoza wwwpromethuimcoza

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 39

EXHIBITION

The Steel and Engineering Industries Federation (SEI-FSA) the Lifting Equipment Engineering Association

of SA (LEEASA) the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA) and the SA Institute of Welding (SAIW) have thrown their weight behind the biggest industrial and engineering trade show in Africa

The three-day 10-shows-in-one event takes place from 14 to 16 May 2013 at Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand Johannesburg

SEIFSA Conference at Indutec The Steel and Engineering Indus-tries Federation of South Africa (SEIFSA) will hold its annual conference at Indutec celebrating 70 years of active support for its members industry and business in Africa The federation has over 2 220 member companies which employ more than 224 000 people comprising 53 of the industryrsquos workforce

SAIW ldquoWe take our affiliations with leading industry players very seriously including our en-dorsement of Indutecrdquo says Jim Guild chief executive officer of the SA Institute of Welding ldquoThese industry ties form part of our strategy to create strong relationships which support our objective and Governmentrsquos mandate to enhance the manufacturing sector in South Africardquo

LEEASAThe Lifting Equipment Engineer-ing Association of South Africa (LEEASA) which is a division of the Chamber of Engineering Tech-

nology (COET) will also be using its endorsement of Indutec to promote its activities in the engineer-ing and technology sectors in general Chamber spokesperson Viv Nel says its exposure at the fair will create more awareness of the Chamberrsquos role in all engineering and technology-driven industries

ECSAIndustry regulator the Engineering Council of South Africa shares these aims ldquoAs a custodian of en-gineering intellectual capital in South Africa our endorsement of Indutec provides us with a platform to publicise our role in the engineering sector and government infrastructure initiativesrdquo says Edgar Sabela ECSArsquos Strategic Services Executive

ldquoWe need to produce 10 times more engineers to compete with developed economies Involvement with the Indutec show will allow us to promote engineering as a career through our Engenius Programme and showcase our existing engineer-ing excellence Most importantly it enables us to network with all key players in the field and even conclude some businessrdquo

Tenfold Benefits to ExhibitorsJohn Thomson managing director of Exhibition Management Services organisers of the 10-in-one Fair says the unqualified support from leading in-dustry bodies indicates the showrsquos tenfold value to the engineering industrial and technology sectors ldquoThis undoubtedly translates into multiple benefits for the showrsquos exhibitors and ultimately to show visitorsrdquo he concludes

Indutec Serean ThomsonTel (011) 783 7250 Email marketingexhibitionsafricacom wwwexhibitionsafricacom

Boosting the Manufacturing Sector32 of South Africarsquos leading industrial and engineering professional and employer associations Chambers and

Councils have collectively endorsed Indutec the recently launched South African Industry and Technology Fair 2013

Promech Publishing through SA Mechanical Engineer and Bulk Handling Today will produce and publish the Official Catalogue for this prestigious show

Make sure your presence is felt before during and after the show by advertising in this one-of-a-kind reference publication

Contact Mark Bennett Tel (011) 781-1401 Email samechengpromechcoza

Jim Guild CEO of the SA Institute of Welding

Edgar Sabela - ECSArsquos Strategic Services Executive

Adelia Pimentel - Marketing and Communications Manager SEIFSA

40 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

MARKET FORUM

ldquoBMG has identified a need in diverse sectors for on-site maintenance services to overcome production challengesrdquo says Dave Russell technical director BMG ldquoRecognising the extreme constraints of high energy prices low productivity the critical skills shortage and a highly competitive economic environment BMG brings a total solutions service to the fore

ldquoIndustry can now access all critical production efficient products and services from one supplier What this means is lower production costs and higher pro-duction efficiency giving South African industry a distinct competitive advantage

ldquoBMGrsquos on-site services include applica-

tion design evaluation and optimisation as well as installation trouble-shooting and service exchange contracts The company also offers predictive planned and breakdown maintenance and energy and reliability studiesrdquo

The company also offers extensive train-ing which covers electrical mechanical hydraulic pneumatic electronic and materials handling disciplines as well as predictive maintenance and component failure analysis

BMG ndash Bearing Man Group Veronique van Niekerk Tel (031) 576-6221Email veroniquevbmgworldnet wwwbmgworldnet

Tenova Takraf Africa (formerly Bateman Engineered Technologies) is putting the final pieces together in completing an order for the supply of a 55m x 275m hydraulically-driven SAG mill to Ontario Graphite operators of the Kearney Mine located in Kearney O n t a r i o Canada

ldquoTenovarsquos scope

Unique SAG Mill in Canada

ABB started with a bang following the order of 2 400 robots by BMW Group Over the next three years the robots will be installed at factories in Regensburg and Leipzig Germany as well as in Tiexi China The ABB robots will mainly be used for mate-rial handling tasks as well as gluing and spot welding processes

ABB robots enable customers to implement efficient manufacturing systems that sustainably produce high-quality products The com-panyrsquos range of products and solu-tions for lean manufacturing cover the range from body-in-white to the final assembly of complete car bodies They improve competitiveness and at the same time optimally comply with customer specifications ABB has installed more than 200 000 robots worldwide

ABB Robotics Natasha Mathebula Tel (010) 202-6156 Email natashamathebulazaabbcom wwwabbcom

2400

Robots

Total Solution

of work includes the engineering manufacturing shipping and technical assistance during erection of the SAG millrsquos feed end shell discharge end drive and main bearings as well as all supporting equipment (lubrication and jacking systems)rdquo says Tenova Takraf

engineer Pieter van der Walt ldquoThe main hydraulic motor and rubber

shell liners were outside our commercial scope of supply but inside our technical

scope of supplyrdquo he adds

The mill is a conventional SAG (semi-autogenous grinding) mill in all ways apart from its drive assem-bly and it is centre-driven

at the discharge end using a Haggluumlnds hydraulic motor and powerpack ldquoTo date this is the largest hydraulic motor installed on a SAG mill with 950kW of power torque of 1 200 kNm (start-up) and 650 kNm (operational) and speed of 1386 rpmrdquo adds Pieter

Since the mill had to be retrofitted to an existing foundation a number of adaptations were required to maintain the mill centreline as well as feed-end and discharge-end positions Certain additions were required to anchor the main motor torque arm

Tenova Takraf Pieter van der Walt Tel (011) 899-2372 Email pietervanderwaltbatemancom wwwtenovagroupcom

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 41

MARKET FORUM

World Record

The ADR plant at Kisladag Mine

FLSmidth designs and manufactures indirect heated carbon regeneration kilns and calciners from half a ton per day and larger These kilns and calciners can be fuel gas oil or electric and are skid mounted pre-wired and pre-piped The companyrsquos patented bellows kiln seal has proved effective in eliminating air ingress and process gas egress and can be retrofitted to kilns from other manufacturers FLSmidth holds the world record for the lowest emissions on a carbon plant

And at the companyrsquos Merrill Crowe plant capacities range from skid mounted 34 cubic metres per hour modular plants to full size 2 100 cubic metres per hour The range of supply for plants includes clarification filters de-aeration towers vacuum pumps zinc dust feeders lead nitrate feeders and zinc cones precipitate filter feed pumps filter pre-coat and body feed systems as well as precipitate filters used by refinery and smelting facilities to produce gold bullion

These plants incorporate proprietary zinc dustlead nitrate feeder and mix-ing cone system The company offers individual plant components and partial or complete plant equipment packages together with total plant design

FLSmidth Terence Osborn Tel (010) 210-4820

Magnet has extended its range of abrasive products to include 3Mrsquos new Cubitron II abrasive belts with enhanced grinding performance improved productivity and extended service life

ldquo3Mrsquos new technology has resulted in increased speed improved consistency and extended belt liferdquo says Brian How-arth MD Magnet ldquoThese new abrasive belts ensure up to 30 faster cutting on hard to grind metals like stainless steel nickel alloy and cobalt chrome They also divert heat from the workpiece and belt to the swarf which means cooler cutting This helps eliminate burnishing and minimises heat stress Cubitron II abrasive belts last up to four times longer than conventional ceramic aluminium oxide beltsrdquo

3M Abrasives Bradley Reddy Tel (031) 274 1050 Email bradleyrmagnetgroupcozawwwmagnetgroupcoza

4 x Longer

42 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

MARKET FORUM

X-Calibur is one of the latest product offerings from TAL and was specified to protect the concrete structure of the worldrsquos second longest cable-stayed bridge against corrosion throughout its design life

Stonecutters Bridge is a high level cable-stayed bridge which spans the Rambler Channel in Hong Kong connecting Nam Wam Kok Tsing Yi Island and Stonecut-ters Island Hong Kong is well known for its hot summer weather which is also humid and unstable Temperatures

Say No to Corrosionusually exceed 30oC during the day which coupled with high humidity can result in an extreme heat index

ldquoHot and humid environments have a great effect on the durability of concrete As a rule of thumb we say for every 10oC increase in temperature the possibility of corrosion induced damage to concrete is doubled Add humidity in a marine envi-ronment then protection of the structure is of paramount importancerdquo says Brian Davies CEO X-Calibur International In order to guard the bridge from corro-

sion X-Shield EpoxySeal CR was sup-plied to shield the prestressed concrete cable anchorages from the effects of the environment In addition X-Shield FlexCoat was used in various areas of the structure This provides corrosion protection to reinforced concrete from chloride and carbon dioxide

ldquoThe main challenge was compliance with the strict project specifications as the engineer wanted to ensure that protection would be provided throughout the design life of the structure X-Calibur

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 43

MARKET FORUM

had the products independently tested to prove compliance to all aspects of the specificationrdquo John adds

The materials were applied by spe-cialist painters who had been trained by X-Calibur ldquoMaterials were mixed and applied strictly in accordance with method statements supplied by X-Calibur to ensure working time and recoat windows were not exceededrdquo concludes John

TAL Andrew Dekker Tel (031) 579-2263 wwwtalcoza

Fluid conveyance and pumping solutions expert Incledon has supplied a large water supply line project in the Free State with a total of 4 km of Ultraflo pipes manufactured in-house by DPI Plastics - a leading manufacturer of water reticulation drainage and pipe-fitting systems in South Africa

DPI Plastics technical and product manager Renier Snyman points out that the companyrsquos range of Ultraflo pipes are manufactured from modified polyvinyl chloride (mPVC) which is specifically designed to provide similar tensile strength and greater resilience than standard PVC piping products ldquoThe Ultraflo range of pressure piping systems are ideally suited to bulk water supply projects due to the fact that mPVC is considerably more ductile than industry standard unplasticised polyvinyl chloride (uPVC)rdquo he explains

Renier notes that the ductility of the Ultraflo uPVC piping system ensures that

Large Water Supply Project

the pipes have exceptional resistance to crack propagation under pressure ldquoThe product being supplied to the water sup-ply line project is the 500 mm Ultraflo system which is the largest in the DPI Plastics range It boasts a pressure rat-ing of 12 bar with a design stress of up to 18MPa making it ideally suited as a large underground piping systemrdquo

According to Renier Ultraflo pipes offer environmental advantages too ldquoDue to its superior toughness the wall thick-ness of mPVC is less than that of uPVC This ensures that less materials are used during the manufacturing process which ultimately results in a lighter product that is easier to transport and install thereby minimising the carbon footprint of the piperdquo

DPI Plastics Martine Goodchild Tel (021) 957 5600 Email mgoodchilddpiplasticscozawwwdpiplasticscoza

Donrsquot Miss Out

Promech Publishing is putting the Visitorsrsquo Catalogue together for this Show

Contact Mark Bennett on Tel (011) 781-1401 or Email samechengpromechcoza

to book your space

44 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

MARKET FORUM

Displaying and discussing some of the Dodge housed bearings on offer to local industry and mining are (from left) Tony Patten of Specialised Bearings amp Transmission Peter Small-Shaw Wilecrsquos Product Manager Bearings and Frans Odendaal Wilecrsquos Technical Specialist Bearings

The Bearings division of Actom group company Wilec has formed a strategic alliance for the supply of Dodge housed bearings into southern Africa The partner-ship agreement with Johannesburg-based Specialised Bearings amp Transmission the local distributor for Dodge extends Wilecrsquos ability to satisfy the requirements of industry and mining in a diverse range of bearings applications

ldquoThe most exciting thing about our tie-up with Dodge is that housed bearings while already widely accepted in the US and other leading industrialised countries is a relatively new concept locally but one which offers advanced features to users compared with conventional plum-mer block arrangementsrdquo said Frans Odendaal Wilecrsquos Technical Specialist Bearings

ldquoDodge housed bearings are supplied pre-assembled and sealed so eliminating all risk of contamination during fitment The advanced sealing arrangement and unique adapter system guarantees longer

Strategic Alliance

life ndash up to six times that of a conven-tional plummer block Other cost-saving advantages are that they can be installed by a semi-skilled technician very quickly normally in less than 15 minutes and the need to measure pre- and post-reduction clearance is eliminatedrdquo

ldquoIt is a differentiated product and with it we are able to provide a bearing that is especially well suited to local conditions

and offers benefits that are of real value to customers A particularly important aspect to bear in mind is that the total cost of ownership of a Dodge bearing is significantly lower than that of the conventional product due to its greater reliability and durabilityrdquo

Wilec Frans Odendaal Tel (011) 629-9300 Email fransowileccoza

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 45

MARKET FORUM

Emis Sales 2002 part of Becker Min-ing South Africa supplies a wide range of electrical equipment up to 1 100 V for use in hazardous and non-hazardous areas in the mining petrochemical and surface industry sectors

New to the Emis range are Proloc pro-tection and control relays which are suitable for thermal overload protection of conveyors compressors crushers fan and pump motors as well as shuttle cars and flitting panels

ldquoThe stand-alone Emis ProLoc electronic protection and control relay system which has been designed for the optimum protection of motor and feeder circuits connected to outlet sockets has a wide choice of six user-selectable protection features to meet exact requirementsrdquo says Frikkie Quirk managing director Emis Sales 2002 ldquoAn important advan-tage of this system is a door mounted infra-red link that enables a laptop with Proloc software to manage all settings

and downloads without having to open the panel door and expose personnel to dangerous live equipment This is a critical requirement in the OHSA actrdquo

This system is easy to set up via the Proloc MMI 420 display man-to-machine interface or via a laptop with Proloc software

Emis Sales 2002 Tel (016) 341-6134 Email infozabecker-miningcom wwwzabecker-miningcom

Optimum Protection

Birkenmayer a material processing systems supplier in South Africa and local supplier of German-engineered Eirich material processing technology recently released the Evactherm drier a new product that marries the advantages

Superheated Vacuum Steam

of mechanical and thermo dynamical processes to provide cost-effective and highly efficient drying and processing of filter cake and sludgersquos using superheated vacuum steam

Until now it has been important to observe

a maximum middle temperature when applying direct drying to heat sensitive materials and even more important to avoid the excessive local and boundary temperatures that frequently damage the drying product Both heat and ma-terial transport need to be considered and while convective drying processes such as spray drying largely avoid these problems they are only effective if a surface is available for the hot gas flow

Adjustable for both direct and convec-tive drying and processing Evactherm driers overcome these obstacles while providing a number of further benefits

Super-heated vacuum steam performs drying and granulation while the com-bination of mechanical and thermo dynamical processes allows for low dry-ing temperatures and gentle processing of temperature sensitive materials It also enables continuous drying for long periods of time as fresh material may be continuously added into the fluidized bed replacing material that has already been vaporised

H Birkenmayer Louis Eksteen Tel (011) 970 3880-8 Email louisbirkenmayercozawwwbirkenmayercoza

The Evactherm drier

Proloc protection and control relays

46 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

The Eastern Capersquos Coega Industrial Development Zone (IDZ) is one of a number of industrial regions in South Africa to benefit from Air Products South Africarsquos strategy of long-term capital investment

A region which has long been under-served when it comes to reliable gas supply the Eastern Cape will soon have

A Long-term Viewits own air separation unit (ASU) ndash the first of its kind in the province Seelan Gounden GM supply chain at AirProd-ucts explains the reasons behind the companyrsquos latest investment

ldquoCurrently there is no local industrial gas supply in this area and cryogenic gases have to be procured elsewhere This situation compromises the service

MARKET FORUM

ART Solar specialists in the manufacture of solar photovoltaic (PV) modules for the sustainable generation of electrical power has made the following appointment an-nouncementsMark Walsh as managing director Dr Ronald FM Lange as chief operating officer Robert Ramshaw as financial manager and Gavin Rosslee as production manager

Gavin RossleeRobert RamshawMark Walsh

Jeanne Els has been appointed as Hatchrsquos Managing Director of Operations

Jeanne Els

Ronald Lange

Anton Theunissen

SKF South Africa recently appointed Anton Theunissen as Distributor De-velpoment Manager for South Africa and neighbouring coun-tries

Index to Advertisers

Axiom 12

Bearings International 36

Bibby Turboflex 28

Bonfiglioli 10

Engen 34

Festo 35

Hansen 44

Horne SA 29

IDC Inside Back Cover

ILS 32

KDP Services 22

Loesche 31

Polysius 4

PPS 11 29

Mercedes Outside Back Cover

Merseta Inside Front Cover

MIEO Outside Front Cover

Transmission Components 14

Voith 38

Yellotec 16 17

delivery to our existing customers who have to depend on product being trucked over vast distances Thus we identified the Eastern Cape as a key priority invest-ment destination with a clear need for a new air separation facility dedicated to servicing the region We chose the Coega IDZ after careful market analysis We are pleased to be able to be a part of the growth and development of the region through providing a long-needed security of supply and value-added servicerdquo

Ayanda Vilakazi head of Marketing and Communications at the Coega IDZ adds ldquoThe viability of the new ASU is indis-putable It will mean not only security of gas supply to the region benefiting the many industries here but it also means job security for other investors jobs along the value chain and scope for training and human resource develop-ment as well as enhanced Corporate Social Investment initiativesrdquo

Seelan Gounden AirProducts wwwairproductssouthafricacoza

Left to right Chris Mashigo Executive Man-ager - Business Development Coega Develop-ment Corporation Themba Khoza Executive Manager ndash Operations Coega Development Corporation Seelan Gounden GM - Supply Chain Air Products Pierre Fourie Area Sales Manager ndash Eastern Cape Air Products signed the lease agreement between the CDC and Air Products South Africa

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 47To apply online for funding of R1 million or more go to wwwidccoza

Telephone 086 069 3888Email callcentreidccoza

Driving new market innovationsThe IDC supports high-impact job creation projects acting as a

catalyst to lead new sector development and support existing

industry and sector growth in alignment with governmentrsquos

New Growth Path (NGP) National Development Plan (NDP)

and Industrial Policy Action Plan (IPAP)

The IDC Strategic High Impact Projects (SHIP) Strategic Business

Unit in partnership with the IDC Innovation Department has

launched an Open Innovation Challenge to encourage the

development and implementation of sustainable high-impact

industrial initiatives and projects

The IDC calls upon individuals engineering communities

corporates project sponsors and other related entities to enter

into a partnership to develop qualifying projects that result in

sustainable and profi table industries exploit the value-adding

opportunities of existing and new value chains and enable the

development of innovative local economies

Whatwho qualifi es

projects which enable the development of new industries

across multiple IDC focus sectors

introduce new markets and value chains or revolutionise

existing ones through the use of disruptive technologies

or new approaches

development impact and employment creation

across mandated IDC industrial sectors

SHIP wishes to ensure that the projects undertaken play a major

role in industrial development and employment creation within

the South African and SADC regions

Interested applicants are invited to submit their project

proposals online at

httpopeninnovationidccozaidc-ship-challenge between

project proposals will be informed in May regarding SHIP

wishing to partner with them in the development of the

proposed project

Please contact Bertie Strydom BertieSidccoza and

RetiefBidccoza for more information

Chillibush9119IDC

48 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

A D

aim

ler B

rand

You built the bridges the roads and the tunnels We built the carAs a member of the Engineering Council of South Africa you could qualify for exclusive offers a guaranteed 3-day service booking as well as PremiumDrive our 6 year100 000km maintenance plan To take advantage of this outstandingopportunity inform your nearest dealer of your ECSA status

Not in conjunction with other Mercedes-Benz Fleet ProgrammesOffers Excludes AMG and Limited Edition modelsVehicle specifications may vary for the South African market

Page 25: SAME Mar2013

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 25

POWER GENERATION

The components of a sea current power gererating system

The Aghullas current and eThekwini Municipality with their infrastructure qualified human resource and an approach to facilitating large scale green projects was the appropriate site for this first endeavour

How the energy is harnessed

and all the surrounding benefits apart from the presence of good quality currents such as politi-cal stability port infrastructure and focus on green projects we determined that South Africa with its infrastructure qualified human resource and an approach to facilitating large scale green projects was the appropriate site for our first endeavour

Q Background on what the project is all aboutA OceanusTM our first power generation system which we are currently developing and which utilises much of our own proprietary technology is planned to harness the kinetic energy of the ocean to produce safe clean reliable cost-effective electric power

Oceanus will consist of two primary modules the amplification module (the shroud) and the engine module The shroud is a housing that will multiply the normal incoming water flow to a faster velocity as it passes through the engine module generat-ing more kinetic energy This will in turn result in potentially greater electrical power generation capability as well as potentially increased usable offshore locations worldwide

Velocity is the major factor which dictates the hydrokinetic energy that can be extracted from water Within the hydrokinetic energy sector of the renewable andor clean energy industry we have seen that research and development has generally focused on developing energy generation technolo-gies for environments that can only work in very high water velocity environments such as 3 4 5 metres per second While these areas of extreme water velocity are very high in hydrokinetic energy they only exist in a very small percentage of the worldrsquos waters

Our goal is to provide electric power to locations

Shroud

Engine module

Combine modular design

worldwide utilising the kinetic energy in lsquotypicalrsquo water conditions Our current design specifications have a base need of 1 metre per second of water

26 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

POWER GENERATION

flow which by amplifying the velocity is planned to produce 1MW of power This design specification once successfully tested may then be adapted into higher velocity waters As most locations in the world have lower velocity waters a turbine designed to work in 3 4 or 5 metres per second water flows will not work in waters that have velocities of 1-2 metres per second

Q How does it workA The theory behind the development of the system is quite basic having been previously used in other energy production systems such as wind and tidal energy generation Basically the engine is composed of an energy extraction system such as but not limited to our perpendicular access turbine a gorlov turbine a darrieus turbine and an Axial turbine

The other module is the shroud which handles two functions serving as an accelerator of the water ve-locity thus increasing the amount of kinetic energy that can be extracted Secondly it houses the engine protecting marine life from direct contact with the tip of the blades Also Oceanus is designed to be positively buoyant and either secured to the ocean floor or to float at a certain predetermined depth while moored to the ocean floor utilising the same techniques that are currently used in mooring floating oil rigs buoys or floating windmill systems

Q How will it work in KZNA There will be a demonstration unit initially and then we will start the commercial phase by entering into the normal contracts and procedures for energy generation in the country This entails a very large investment from our company where we will focus on potentially buildingassembling the units in Durban thus taking advantage of the excellent and qualified infrastructure it has

Q Who is involved locallyA We have no partners as far as investors or concerns as yet on the South African project but we are not against this possibility in the future From the facilita-tion point of view we have received a lot of support from Derek Morgan at the eThekwini Energy Office and Russell Curtis at DIPA each with their respective teams and other government offices that have been very forthcoming with information and support

Q What equipment does it use ndash where will this be madeA We have already scouted several facilities in Durbanrsquos ship building industry as well as other possible suppliers ranging from the maritime indus-try financial sector to legal consultants in order to make sure that we are in compliance with all regulations and that our perception of excellence from the South African maritime industry is in fact there

Q At what stage is the project nowA The project is currently at an initial logistics stage where we are looking at a more site specific design for the demonstration unit At the same time we are gathering all the information with our lawyers and possible suppliers for the norms procedures permits and licences necessary to comply with local and national regulations

Q Where will power go to A From our initial discussions with the regulatory bodies this energy can be locally distributed and then taken up by the grid as needed This will de-pend on the results of the demonstration unit and the first commercial unit operation which we are confident will exceed expectations

Q Are there sceptics criticsA As discussed before the basic technology has been used in other sectors of the energy generation industry what is being developed by us is the ef-ficient shroud and the maintenance systems which include buoyancy controls and depth determination in order to locate the most efficient current

Q Are there any future plans from your company for South Africa in particularA We believe that we have a good relationship with eThekwini municipality and once we fulfil our project with KZN we would then consider further expansion throughout South Africa

Q What about the other parts of AfricaA Eastern Africa in general presents very good conditions for our technology but for now we are going to concentrate our efforts on deploying this endeavour in South Africa before entertaining new opportunities

Luciano Garcia-Baylleres COO at HAE Tel 561-900-7200 EmailLgarciaHAE-USAcom wwwHAE-USAcom

We will focus on potentially building assembling the units in Durban thus taking advantage of the excellent and qualified infrastructure it has

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 27

POWER GENERATION NEWS

MTN has announced that it has entered into a com-mercial arrangement to sell its carbon credits to EDF Trading in an industry first The credits will be pro-duced by MTNrsquos tri-generation plant at 14th Avenue Of-fice Park in Fairland Johannesburg

EDF Trading is a whol-ly-owned subsidiary of Electriciteacute de France SA one of the largest compliance buyers covered by the European Union Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS)

The carbon credit project utilises a Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) meth-odology developed by MTN approved by the United Nations Framework Con-vention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) It is currently in the process of being registered with the UNFCCC Once registered MTN will sell the carbon credits from the project to EDF Trading

The project will make use of the MTN energy-efficient 2MW tri-generation plant at its Fairland office park Tri-generation is the concurrent production of electric-ity heating and cooling which provides

Carbon Credits power hot wa-ter space heat-

ing and cooling for air conditioning

from a single source

Egoli gas is used for the operation

sourced from the Sasol pipeline in Mozambique

The plant displaces grid electricity from Eskom

reducing greenhouse gas emissions and providing up to 85

efficiency on fuel The excess heat at some 400degC is captured

and used to supply heating and to operate an absorption chiller which creates cool water that is used to power an extensive air-conditioning system

Natural gas is clean burning and offers a consistent supply but simply using this to generate electricity would have been too expensive The saving achieved by capturing the waste heat combined with the additional revenue from the sale of the carbon credits however makes the project economically viablerdquo

Promethuim Robbie Louw Tel (011) 706-8185 Email Robbiepromethiumcozawwwpromethuimcoza

Countries across South East Asia Africa and the Middle East have been amending their regulatory frameworks and embarking on privatisation as many of them are in serious need of external fund-ing to ensure that their respective electricity industries are capable of dealing with the inevitable surge in demand The cumulative installed power capacity for these regions according to 2012 estimates will be 212 Gigawatts (GW) However this figure is expected to shoot up to 349 GW by 2020 climbing at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 64

Emerging Power Markets

Rising industrialisa-tion ever-increasing population figures and growing economies all point to an electrical future that most infra-structure systems are currently incapable of handling Therefore to achieve greater in-dustry efficiency and encourage competition governments across this region are opening up their electricity markets and increasing private sector participation The region will have to invest heavily in order to

increase its installed capacity and improve its existing infrastructure

Transmission networks in many of these countries are already under tremendous pressure to supply power without interruption and many new transmission projects are already underway or in the pipeline Therefore energy policy reforms are set to open the doors and create positive opportunities for growth in in the near future this according to Jonathan Cain of GBI Research

GBI ResearchJonathan Cain Tel +44 1204 543 533 Emailjcaingbiresearchcom wwwgbiresearchcom

28 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

POWER GENERATION NEWS

With Gensler Architects Aurecon has completed the design on the faccedilade of what will be Chinarsquos tallest building At 632m the Shanghai Centre is more than 100m taller than the recently-completed Shanghai Financial Centre and is designed as a sustainable eco-tower that sets a new benchmark not only for the region but also the world

Sustainable green features include tri-

Bioclimatic buildingGreywater recycling systems lo-cated at basement and at mid-level have been installed to collect greywater generated from lavatory or bathtub for reuse reducing potable water demand for the office tower by about 40

The ice storage system shifts part of the peak electricity demand of the chillers into the night modeoff peak operation Storage capacity is 26 400 Refrigerant Ton (RT) which reduces about 30 of the summit demand by about 3 through this ice cooling storage system and save up to the yearly energy cost for the user

A large volume water deluge system with rotational nozzles

installed at mid-level of the atria deliv-ers a large volume and accurate water spray onto fire with the assistance of Infra-red detection to lock the exact location and very early warning smoke detection apparatus system

A double curtain wall design provides better control on solar energy entering the tower building resulting in energy saving

Aerecon Group Jody Boshoff Tel (012) 427-2066 Email JodyBoshoffaurecongroupcomwwwaurecongroupcom

generation plant consisting of two sets of 11MW natural gas turbine generating electricity

chilled water hot water and heating water Simultaneous heat recovery of the hot flue gas produced from the tur-bines reduces carbon dioxide by 49 compared with the regular electrical cooling system

15 nos of 3kW vertical axis wind turbines (VAWTs) on the roof provide 157 500 kWh of clean and renewable electricity annually

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 29

Willem Sullivan of HansenA better artificial heart for people who are not eligible for natural heart transplants

Jean Schoeman of National Oilwell Varco My own jet aeroplane

Chris Coetzee of Resonant SolutionsThe problem in industry is practical engineering experience Young engineers donrsquot get the opportunity to learn the practical stuff Irsquod start an academy which teaches the practical side where you can learn from your mistakes Unfortunately mistakes cost money but if you have all the money in the world they can afford to learn from mistakes

In your book what is the most pivotal invention ever

Elbie Cornelius of National Oilwell Varco The computer

Chris Coetzee of Resonant SolutionsI canrsquot see how you can run a business without cellphones

Rudolph Beer of Martin EngineeringThe wheel

Willem Sullivan of HansenFor me personally Excel Without it my world will be dull and lifeless For the world at large Electricity because without it Excel will not be possible

Jean Schoeman of National Oilwell Varco The personal computer

OPINION

On his rounds Kowie Hamman our Editor is conducting an informal survey on the lighter side of engineering We follow up from last month with three pertinent questions

Soapbox

What do you think of computers and the digital world

Elbie Cornelius of National Oilwell Varco Awesome changing our world

Chris Coetzee of Resonant SolutionsNinety percent of all engineering is done using computers but if you rely solely on them yoursquove missed the plot because you always have to verify results by going back into the field to test what yoursquove done on the computer

Rudolph Beer of Martin EngineeringYou canrsquot do without them

Willem Sullivan of HansenIt is where I do all my design work So if it was not for computers we would be decades behind in terms of what we can do I absolutely love it

Greg Perry of SEWThey have definitely made things faster but the en-gineer still needs to understand the theory and pay attention to the detail or you make mistakes faster

Jean Schoeman of National Oilwell Varco Very useful until they give problems Then you just want to hit them with a hammer But the digital world has managed to speed up the communica-tion of information

If you had all the money in the world what would you design

Elbie Cornelius of National Oilwell Varco A solar and wind power station to supply the whole continent with electricity

Rudolph Beer of Martin EngineeringDevelop the safe harvesting of atomic energy

30 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

ldquoSA Mechanical Engineerrdquo speaks to Dave Goodman managing director of Spectra Car-bide Tooling Technology in Cape Town about the various management models they have

developed specifically to control tooling ldquoOur tool management systems were developed through our involvement with some of the major automotive OEMs in South Africardquo he says ldquoThe management system where we take over full control of the tool-ing facility on the premises has been running for twelve years now at some of these plants

Systems for allldquoBut these systems are not only for OEMs and

large operationsrdquo Dave remarks ldquoTo meet dif-ferent requirements we now have four levels of management systems on offer each requiring a different level of active involvement from our side This varies from purely holding stock to supply for a customerrsquos specific needs right through to taking over full control of tooling by having a permanent on-site office manned by fulltime Spectra staffrdquo

A typical level 4 operation with a Spectra team permanently stationed on the customerrsquos premises will be equipped with a fully-computerised store inventory system to control the purchasing of all tooling from spindle to point ldquoThe team will control all the new stock and used tools by negotiating and dealing with tier two suppliers as wellrdquo explains sales manager Wayne Williams ldquoThey are also responsible for presetting tools ready for produc-tion as well as collecting and delivering tools to and from the machines in addition to providing technical support 7 days a week 24 hours a day

BenefitsOne of the cost saving benefits for the customer is less administration because the Spectra team consolidates all invoices so the customer receives

Managing ToolingIn most machine shops the tooling is usually under lock and key to limit access to high-value tool inserts such as end-mills drills reamers and burrs Even so many companies suffer considerable losses as these costly tools get lost are pilfered or are misused because there isnrsquot a proper

management system in place over and above lock and key to control who takes what from the store

To meet different requirements we now have four levels of management on offer each requiring a different level of active involvement from our side

Managing machine tools saves money

Dave Goodman managing director of Spectra Carbide Tooling Technology

MATERIAL SELECTION

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 31

one invoice per month In addition the customer has a highly skilled specialist in-house on tap to provide technical assistance for all tooling drilling tapping milling boring gundrilling honing and line boring on CNC and conventional machines ldquoFrom the management system we can draw extensive reporting for the customer regarding the costs per unit manufactured We produce monthly graphs for trending as well as daily incident reports on tool breakages weekly costs on scrapped tools and we also work out action plans to reduce scrap and improve up-time of the machinesrdquo Wayne adds

In essence this value-add for the customer allows preventative action which ultimately saves the customer money Dave explains ldquoGiven the skills shortage out there no company can afford the personnel purely to manage the machine shop in so much detail With this system we not only fill the skills-gap by integrating with the company but we add value to the company so that they can focus on what they manufacturerdquo

New product developmentIntegration into the customersrsquo operation has proved particularly beneficial when it comes to new product developments Wayne elaborates ldquoWersquore always up to date with the latest technology in tooling and know what can be done in the best possible way Usually it will take a machine shop a while to select the right tooling and method to produce

a new part but with our experts right there on site they can be assured of finding the most suitable solution using the right tooling from the startrdquo

Vending systemOn a lower level of tool management where the operation does not justify a permanent Spectra team on site the company has a tooling vending machine solution ldquoAll the tooling is stored in a vending machine and access to draw the tools out of the machine is controlled by a card or finger-print readerrdquo explains Dave ldquoSuch a system does however have a reporting function which allows the customer to draw the machining cost against each specific job

ldquoThis system has proved popular in South Africa because it can be customised to control the specific functions relevant to each customerrdquo adds David ldquoPart and parcel of this cost-saving solution is training the customer on how best to utilise the system for his needs be it purely controlling the use of tooling or integrating reporting and costing into the business system of the companyrdquo

Wayne Williams Spectra Tel (011) 827-8957 Email waynewspectra-sacoza

From the management system we can draw extensive reporting for the customer regarding the costs per unit manufactured

Special carbide drills reamers end mills and special inserts are manufactured in South Africa

MATERIAL SELECTION

32 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 33

Cubitron can be used to finish profile and or polish materials with high tensile strengths and is particularly useful to extend the lifetime of belts and discs in industrial environments

where hard materials are the order of the dayrdquo

Consistent cutFinishes are little changed through the entire dura-tion of a Cubitron belt from new to completely worn out The secret is that the cutting edges wear in a controlled manner This means that the tiny indi-vidual scratches are the same when the belt is first

put on until it is worn and ready for replacement

ldquoThere are a multitude of cutting edges on each individual grain of the extremely hard ceramic based grain As the grain wears new cutting edges are exposed in a predictable and measured manner to ensure that a consistent action is applied to the surfacerdquo she adds

Using the same ceramic platform 3M developed Cubitron II providing even better results than its predecessor 3M engineers were able to electrostati-cally orient triangular precision shaped ceramic grain acting like a cutting tool This means that the grain slices through metal as opposed to grinding and continuously self-sharpens as points break off This results in discs and belts running cooler and longer The Cubitron II technology is applied in

Starting from Scratch

SURFACE FINISHING

ldquoTo scratch the surface as the saying goes of most modern materials and coatings is not as easy as it used to be Thatrsquos why we developed Cubitron Abrasive Grainrdquo says Kelly Hunt

sales and marketing manager of 3M

34 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

Scratccchingg thhe surfface of abrasivvves ttecchnnologgy is too oopen a compplex sccience

SURFACE FINISHING

belt fibre disc and Roloc form offer-ing a unique solution for wide range of grinding needs

Scratching the surfaceKelly is an abrasives fanatic She says scratching the surface of abrasives technology is to open a complex sci-ence Analysis of different materials and techniques of cutting or finishing has in recent years become a necessity as materials develop and advance Bonding of abrasive onto materials for discs and belts is also more complex than before as manufacturing becomes automated and the tolerance for down-time reduces

But for the average operator technician or engineer it is not so much a matter of what goes into the development of a product but rather finding the solution that suits the intended process The minimum requirement is for a product to perform reliably over an extended period of time and to produce the right finish

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 35

Sometimmess a less expeeensiive buuut mmooree suitaaablee abbrasssivee ccaan give bettterr reesulttss

SURFACE FINISHING

ldquoUsing the abrasives to determine a finish can be as simple or as com-plicated as the producer of finished goods chooses to make it With so many choices available in the market we recommend that industrial users iden-tify the requirements of the abrasive and then speak to trained service technicians from suppliers such as 3M

Not about priceldquoPrice is not always the determining factor Some-times a less expensive but more suitable abrasive can give better results and in other instances the use of cheaper materials in the wrong application may be costly as materials will need to be replaced more oftenrdquo

Kelly recommends that us-ers of industrial abrasives take the time to research new products and as-sess their suitability for their processes ldquoYoursquoll be surprised that some of the new abrasives can do the job better and in half the time than older technology abrasives canrdquo she concludes

3M Dylan Ian Hunter Tel (011) 806-2186 Email dhuntermmmcom www3Mcom

36 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

IT TRENDS

ldquo M o b i l e c o m p u t i n g

continues to grow and alongside other IT trends

such as cloud computing social technologies and the era of big data It is going to play a pivotal role in the IT industry this year In factrdquo Derick adds

Mobile Computing

Mobile computing is growing momentously and is set to account for as much as 57 of worldwide T market growth in 2013 says Derick Roberts CEO of TruTeq Devices a Pretoria-based

company focusing on wireless connectivity solutions

ldquoit is going to account for the lionrsquos share of growth ndash even more than the cloud computingrdquo

The IDC predicts that worldwide IT spending will exceed $21 trillion up 57 from 2012 The research company also states that mobility will be the biggest driver Sales of smart mobile devices including smart phones and tablets is expected to grow by 20 and will contribute a significant 57 of all IT growth Excluding smart mobile devices IT industry growth will clock in at only 29

Truteq Devices Derick Roberts Tel (012) 667-1530 wwwtruteqdevicescom

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 37

ELECTRIC DRIVE

The technology performance and design of the Cigarette powerboat is closely based on the electric super sports vehicle made in Affalterbach Germany

The 116 metre long Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept powerboat uses two drive units each featuring six independent electric motors At the rear of the boat each drive unit has its own trans-mission one on the left and one on the right The boat is fitted with the twelve compact liquid-cooled permanent-magnet synchronous electric motors which are the signature piece of the SLS AMG Coupeacute Electric Drive each electric motor delivers 138 kW and 250 Newton metres

The maximum output of 1 656 Kilowatts and maximum torque of 3 000 Newton metres combine to reach a staggering top speed of over 160 kmh making this locally emission-free Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept the worlds fastest electri-cally driven powerboat The low centre of gravity and optimum weight distribution ensure sublime

The Worlds Most Powerful Powerboat

handling characteristics during more dynamic changes of direction

The high-voltage battery boasts an energy content of 60 Kilowatt hours an electric load potential of 600 Kilowatts and a weight of 548 kg ndash all of which are absolute best values in the automotive sector The liquid-cooled lithium-ion high-voltage battery features a modular design with a maximum voltage of 400 V It consists of 12 modules each comprising 72 lithium-ion cells ldquoCigaretterdquo inte-grates four high-tech batteries with a total of 48 modules and 3 456 cells which generate a total capacity of 240 Kilowatt hours and an electric output of 2 400 Kilowatts respect even in the boat building industry

The Cigarette on-board chargers as standard Adapted to fit the infrastructure standard of many American marinas the boat has a charging capac-ity of 44 Kilowatts The battery is fully charged in approximately seven hours To reduce the charging time to less than three hours the powerboat can be fitted with four on-board chargers as an option

Mercedes-Benz Shirle Greig Tel (012) 677-1904 Email shirlegreigdaimlercom wwwmercedes-benzsacoza

Mercedes-AMG and Cigarette Racing launched the latest development of their cooperation at the Miami International Boat Show in February Numerous components from the SLS AMG Coupeacute Electric Drive have been integrated in the design of the Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept engineering design The high performance drive fitted in the electric super sports car makes the off shore powerboat the worlds most

powerful and fastest electrically-driven motor boat With an output of 1 656 Kilowatts and a maximum torque of 3 000 Newton metres the Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept is a fascinating new development

Combine to reach a staggering top speed of over 160 kmh

38 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

ENVIRONMENT

They have been in service for decades

under the toughest conditions ndash and

have proven themselves worldwide

Voith fluid couplings protect belt con-

veyors and drive components by provid-

ing smooth acceleration and torque

control allowing for frequent loaded

starts with the least amount of stress on

the drive and belt

In multi-motor drives they ensure pre-

cise load distribution Result fewer

downtimes ndash and the service life of the

belt and the drive components is in-

creased The latest product innovation is

the Voith TurboBelt 780 TPXL

infovtzavoithcom

wwwrsavoithturbocom

Protect Your Belt Conveyors with

Voith Fluid Couplings

ai_a

it_44

0_e

n ai

k

Water Disclosure ReportingJust as companies are addressing their carbon emissions and

provide carbon reporting to the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) water is becoming a growing priority

Reporting on it is becoming another critical sustainability issue

2011 saw a marked increase in the number of the worldrsquos largest companies reporting on their water usage on the risks that water presents and on their responses to

that risk Responses from these companies indicate that water is impacting global business now and yet water is not nearly as high on the corporate agenda as climate change

Evidence is mounting that South Africa is facing a water crisis of substantial proportions This crisis encompasses all aspects of water management on both the demand and supply side The mounting impacts of acid mine drainage and declining wa-ter quality add to the crisis South Africarsquos water security is likely to be further complicated by an increasingly uneven and unpredictable supply of rainfall as a result of climate change and by a reli-ance on significant water transfers from neighbour-

ing countries In meeting this crisis South Africa will have to resolve tough trade-offs in water use between agriculture key industrial activities such as mining and power generation and the supply to rapidly growing urban centres

Evidence is clearJSE 100 companies will need to show leadership in sustainably managing the water resources on which they rely for their day-to-day business operations The available evidence is clear It is not sustainable to continue exploiting water resources by follow-ing a lsquobusiness as usualrsquo approach If this is the case South Africarsquos freshwater resources will be depleted and unable to meet the needs of people and industry in the next 20 years if not before

In 2011 the response rate to the CDP Water Disclosure amongst South African companies was 46 (26 out of 56 companies) Many of South Africarsquos most significant corporate water users are therefore not yet able to or are not yet ready to report on their water-related risks

Promethuim Robbie Louw Tel (011) 706-8185 Email Robbiepromethiumcoza wwwpromethuimcoza

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 39

EXHIBITION

The Steel and Engineering Industries Federation (SEI-FSA) the Lifting Equipment Engineering Association

of SA (LEEASA) the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA) and the SA Institute of Welding (SAIW) have thrown their weight behind the biggest industrial and engineering trade show in Africa

The three-day 10-shows-in-one event takes place from 14 to 16 May 2013 at Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand Johannesburg

SEIFSA Conference at Indutec The Steel and Engineering Indus-tries Federation of South Africa (SEIFSA) will hold its annual conference at Indutec celebrating 70 years of active support for its members industry and business in Africa The federation has over 2 220 member companies which employ more than 224 000 people comprising 53 of the industryrsquos workforce

SAIW ldquoWe take our affiliations with leading industry players very seriously including our en-dorsement of Indutecrdquo says Jim Guild chief executive officer of the SA Institute of Welding ldquoThese industry ties form part of our strategy to create strong relationships which support our objective and Governmentrsquos mandate to enhance the manufacturing sector in South Africardquo

LEEASAThe Lifting Equipment Engineer-ing Association of South Africa (LEEASA) which is a division of the Chamber of Engineering Tech-

nology (COET) will also be using its endorsement of Indutec to promote its activities in the engineer-ing and technology sectors in general Chamber spokesperson Viv Nel says its exposure at the fair will create more awareness of the Chamberrsquos role in all engineering and technology-driven industries

ECSAIndustry regulator the Engineering Council of South Africa shares these aims ldquoAs a custodian of en-gineering intellectual capital in South Africa our endorsement of Indutec provides us with a platform to publicise our role in the engineering sector and government infrastructure initiativesrdquo says Edgar Sabela ECSArsquos Strategic Services Executive

ldquoWe need to produce 10 times more engineers to compete with developed economies Involvement with the Indutec show will allow us to promote engineering as a career through our Engenius Programme and showcase our existing engineer-ing excellence Most importantly it enables us to network with all key players in the field and even conclude some businessrdquo

Tenfold Benefits to ExhibitorsJohn Thomson managing director of Exhibition Management Services organisers of the 10-in-one Fair says the unqualified support from leading in-dustry bodies indicates the showrsquos tenfold value to the engineering industrial and technology sectors ldquoThis undoubtedly translates into multiple benefits for the showrsquos exhibitors and ultimately to show visitorsrdquo he concludes

Indutec Serean ThomsonTel (011) 783 7250 Email marketingexhibitionsafricacom wwwexhibitionsafricacom

Boosting the Manufacturing Sector32 of South Africarsquos leading industrial and engineering professional and employer associations Chambers and

Councils have collectively endorsed Indutec the recently launched South African Industry and Technology Fair 2013

Promech Publishing through SA Mechanical Engineer and Bulk Handling Today will produce and publish the Official Catalogue for this prestigious show

Make sure your presence is felt before during and after the show by advertising in this one-of-a-kind reference publication

Contact Mark Bennett Tel (011) 781-1401 Email samechengpromechcoza

Jim Guild CEO of the SA Institute of Welding

Edgar Sabela - ECSArsquos Strategic Services Executive

Adelia Pimentel - Marketing and Communications Manager SEIFSA

40 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

MARKET FORUM

ldquoBMG has identified a need in diverse sectors for on-site maintenance services to overcome production challengesrdquo says Dave Russell technical director BMG ldquoRecognising the extreme constraints of high energy prices low productivity the critical skills shortage and a highly competitive economic environment BMG brings a total solutions service to the fore

ldquoIndustry can now access all critical production efficient products and services from one supplier What this means is lower production costs and higher pro-duction efficiency giving South African industry a distinct competitive advantage

ldquoBMGrsquos on-site services include applica-

tion design evaluation and optimisation as well as installation trouble-shooting and service exchange contracts The company also offers predictive planned and breakdown maintenance and energy and reliability studiesrdquo

The company also offers extensive train-ing which covers electrical mechanical hydraulic pneumatic electronic and materials handling disciplines as well as predictive maintenance and component failure analysis

BMG ndash Bearing Man Group Veronique van Niekerk Tel (031) 576-6221Email veroniquevbmgworldnet wwwbmgworldnet

Tenova Takraf Africa (formerly Bateman Engineered Technologies) is putting the final pieces together in completing an order for the supply of a 55m x 275m hydraulically-driven SAG mill to Ontario Graphite operators of the Kearney Mine located in Kearney O n t a r i o Canada

ldquoTenovarsquos scope

Unique SAG Mill in Canada

ABB started with a bang following the order of 2 400 robots by BMW Group Over the next three years the robots will be installed at factories in Regensburg and Leipzig Germany as well as in Tiexi China The ABB robots will mainly be used for mate-rial handling tasks as well as gluing and spot welding processes

ABB robots enable customers to implement efficient manufacturing systems that sustainably produce high-quality products The com-panyrsquos range of products and solu-tions for lean manufacturing cover the range from body-in-white to the final assembly of complete car bodies They improve competitiveness and at the same time optimally comply with customer specifications ABB has installed more than 200 000 robots worldwide

ABB Robotics Natasha Mathebula Tel (010) 202-6156 Email natashamathebulazaabbcom wwwabbcom

2400

Robots

Total Solution

of work includes the engineering manufacturing shipping and technical assistance during erection of the SAG millrsquos feed end shell discharge end drive and main bearings as well as all supporting equipment (lubrication and jacking systems)rdquo says Tenova Takraf

engineer Pieter van der Walt ldquoThe main hydraulic motor and rubber

shell liners were outside our commercial scope of supply but inside our technical

scope of supplyrdquo he adds

The mill is a conventional SAG (semi-autogenous grinding) mill in all ways apart from its drive assem-bly and it is centre-driven

at the discharge end using a Haggluumlnds hydraulic motor and powerpack ldquoTo date this is the largest hydraulic motor installed on a SAG mill with 950kW of power torque of 1 200 kNm (start-up) and 650 kNm (operational) and speed of 1386 rpmrdquo adds Pieter

Since the mill had to be retrofitted to an existing foundation a number of adaptations were required to maintain the mill centreline as well as feed-end and discharge-end positions Certain additions were required to anchor the main motor torque arm

Tenova Takraf Pieter van der Walt Tel (011) 899-2372 Email pietervanderwaltbatemancom wwwtenovagroupcom

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 41

MARKET FORUM

World Record

The ADR plant at Kisladag Mine

FLSmidth designs and manufactures indirect heated carbon regeneration kilns and calciners from half a ton per day and larger These kilns and calciners can be fuel gas oil or electric and are skid mounted pre-wired and pre-piped The companyrsquos patented bellows kiln seal has proved effective in eliminating air ingress and process gas egress and can be retrofitted to kilns from other manufacturers FLSmidth holds the world record for the lowest emissions on a carbon plant

And at the companyrsquos Merrill Crowe plant capacities range from skid mounted 34 cubic metres per hour modular plants to full size 2 100 cubic metres per hour The range of supply for plants includes clarification filters de-aeration towers vacuum pumps zinc dust feeders lead nitrate feeders and zinc cones precipitate filter feed pumps filter pre-coat and body feed systems as well as precipitate filters used by refinery and smelting facilities to produce gold bullion

These plants incorporate proprietary zinc dustlead nitrate feeder and mix-ing cone system The company offers individual plant components and partial or complete plant equipment packages together with total plant design

FLSmidth Terence Osborn Tel (010) 210-4820

Magnet has extended its range of abrasive products to include 3Mrsquos new Cubitron II abrasive belts with enhanced grinding performance improved productivity and extended service life

ldquo3Mrsquos new technology has resulted in increased speed improved consistency and extended belt liferdquo says Brian How-arth MD Magnet ldquoThese new abrasive belts ensure up to 30 faster cutting on hard to grind metals like stainless steel nickel alloy and cobalt chrome They also divert heat from the workpiece and belt to the swarf which means cooler cutting This helps eliminate burnishing and minimises heat stress Cubitron II abrasive belts last up to four times longer than conventional ceramic aluminium oxide beltsrdquo

3M Abrasives Bradley Reddy Tel (031) 274 1050 Email bradleyrmagnetgroupcozawwwmagnetgroupcoza

4 x Longer

42 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

MARKET FORUM

X-Calibur is one of the latest product offerings from TAL and was specified to protect the concrete structure of the worldrsquos second longest cable-stayed bridge against corrosion throughout its design life

Stonecutters Bridge is a high level cable-stayed bridge which spans the Rambler Channel in Hong Kong connecting Nam Wam Kok Tsing Yi Island and Stonecut-ters Island Hong Kong is well known for its hot summer weather which is also humid and unstable Temperatures

Say No to Corrosionusually exceed 30oC during the day which coupled with high humidity can result in an extreme heat index

ldquoHot and humid environments have a great effect on the durability of concrete As a rule of thumb we say for every 10oC increase in temperature the possibility of corrosion induced damage to concrete is doubled Add humidity in a marine envi-ronment then protection of the structure is of paramount importancerdquo says Brian Davies CEO X-Calibur International In order to guard the bridge from corro-

sion X-Shield EpoxySeal CR was sup-plied to shield the prestressed concrete cable anchorages from the effects of the environment In addition X-Shield FlexCoat was used in various areas of the structure This provides corrosion protection to reinforced concrete from chloride and carbon dioxide

ldquoThe main challenge was compliance with the strict project specifications as the engineer wanted to ensure that protection would be provided throughout the design life of the structure X-Calibur

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 43

MARKET FORUM

had the products independently tested to prove compliance to all aspects of the specificationrdquo John adds

The materials were applied by spe-cialist painters who had been trained by X-Calibur ldquoMaterials were mixed and applied strictly in accordance with method statements supplied by X-Calibur to ensure working time and recoat windows were not exceededrdquo concludes John

TAL Andrew Dekker Tel (031) 579-2263 wwwtalcoza

Fluid conveyance and pumping solutions expert Incledon has supplied a large water supply line project in the Free State with a total of 4 km of Ultraflo pipes manufactured in-house by DPI Plastics - a leading manufacturer of water reticulation drainage and pipe-fitting systems in South Africa

DPI Plastics technical and product manager Renier Snyman points out that the companyrsquos range of Ultraflo pipes are manufactured from modified polyvinyl chloride (mPVC) which is specifically designed to provide similar tensile strength and greater resilience than standard PVC piping products ldquoThe Ultraflo range of pressure piping systems are ideally suited to bulk water supply projects due to the fact that mPVC is considerably more ductile than industry standard unplasticised polyvinyl chloride (uPVC)rdquo he explains

Renier notes that the ductility of the Ultraflo uPVC piping system ensures that

Large Water Supply Project

the pipes have exceptional resistance to crack propagation under pressure ldquoThe product being supplied to the water sup-ply line project is the 500 mm Ultraflo system which is the largest in the DPI Plastics range It boasts a pressure rat-ing of 12 bar with a design stress of up to 18MPa making it ideally suited as a large underground piping systemrdquo

According to Renier Ultraflo pipes offer environmental advantages too ldquoDue to its superior toughness the wall thick-ness of mPVC is less than that of uPVC This ensures that less materials are used during the manufacturing process which ultimately results in a lighter product that is easier to transport and install thereby minimising the carbon footprint of the piperdquo

DPI Plastics Martine Goodchild Tel (021) 957 5600 Email mgoodchilddpiplasticscozawwwdpiplasticscoza

Donrsquot Miss Out

Promech Publishing is putting the Visitorsrsquo Catalogue together for this Show

Contact Mark Bennett on Tel (011) 781-1401 or Email samechengpromechcoza

to book your space

44 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

MARKET FORUM

Displaying and discussing some of the Dodge housed bearings on offer to local industry and mining are (from left) Tony Patten of Specialised Bearings amp Transmission Peter Small-Shaw Wilecrsquos Product Manager Bearings and Frans Odendaal Wilecrsquos Technical Specialist Bearings

The Bearings division of Actom group company Wilec has formed a strategic alliance for the supply of Dodge housed bearings into southern Africa The partner-ship agreement with Johannesburg-based Specialised Bearings amp Transmission the local distributor for Dodge extends Wilecrsquos ability to satisfy the requirements of industry and mining in a diverse range of bearings applications

ldquoThe most exciting thing about our tie-up with Dodge is that housed bearings while already widely accepted in the US and other leading industrialised countries is a relatively new concept locally but one which offers advanced features to users compared with conventional plum-mer block arrangementsrdquo said Frans Odendaal Wilecrsquos Technical Specialist Bearings

ldquoDodge housed bearings are supplied pre-assembled and sealed so eliminating all risk of contamination during fitment The advanced sealing arrangement and unique adapter system guarantees longer

Strategic Alliance

life ndash up to six times that of a conven-tional plummer block Other cost-saving advantages are that they can be installed by a semi-skilled technician very quickly normally in less than 15 minutes and the need to measure pre- and post-reduction clearance is eliminatedrdquo

ldquoIt is a differentiated product and with it we are able to provide a bearing that is especially well suited to local conditions

and offers benefits that are of real value to customers A particularly important aspect to bear in mind is that the total cost of ownership of a Dodge bearing is significantly lower than that of the conventional product due to its greater reliability and durabilityrdquo

Wilec Frans Odendaal Tel (011) 629-9300 Email fransowileccoza

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 45

MARKET FORUM

Emis Sales 2002 part of Becker Min-ing South Africa supplies a wide range of electrical equipment up to 1 100 V for use in hazardous and non-hazardous areas in the mining petrochemical and surface industry sectors

New to the Emis range are Proloc pro-tection and control relays which are suitable for thermal overload protection of conveyors compressors crushers fan and pump motors as well as shuttle cars and flitting panels

ldquoThe stand-alone Emis ProLoc electronic protection and control relay system which has been designed for the optimum protection of motor and feeder circuits connected to outlet sockets has a wide choice of six user-selectable protection features to meet exact requirementsrdquo says Frikkie Quirk managing director Emis Sales 2002 ldquoAn important advan-tage of this system is a door mounted infra-red link that enables a laptop with Proloc software to manage all settings

and downloads without having to open the panel door and expose personnel to dangerous live equipment This is a critical requirement in the OHSA actrdquo

This system is easy to set up via the Proloc MMI 420 display man-to-machine interface or via a laptop with Proloc software

Emis Sales 2002 Tel (016) 341-6134 Email infozabecker-miningcom wwwzabecker-miningcom

Optimum Protection

Birkenmayer a material processing systems supplier in South Africa and local supplier of German-engineered Eirich material processing technology recently released the Evactherm drier a new product that marries the advantages

Superheated Vacuum Steam

of mechanical and thermo dynamical processes to provide cost-effective and highly efficient drying and processing of filter cake and sludgersquos using superheated vacuum steam

Until now it has been important to observe

a maximum middle temperature when applying direct drying to heat sensitive materials and even more important to avoid the excessive local and boundary temperatures that frequently damage the drying product Both heat and ma-terial transport need to be considered and while convective drying processes such as spray drying largely avoid these problems they are only effective if a surface is available for the hot gas flow

Adjustable for both direct and convec-tive drying and processing Evactherm driers overcome these obstacles while providing a number of further benefits

Super-heated vacuum steam performs drying and granulation while the com-bination of mechanical and thermo dynamical processes allows for low dry-ing temperatures and gentle processing of temperature sensitive materials It also enables continuous drying for long periods of time as fresh material may be continuously added into the fluidized bed replacing material that has already been vaporised

H Birkenmayer Louis Eksteen Tel (011) 970 3880-8 Email louisbirkenmayercozawwwbirkenmayercoza

The Evactherm drier

Proloc protection and control relays

46 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

The Eastern Capersquos Coega Industrial Development Zone (IDZ) is one of a number of industrial regions in South Africa to benefit from Air Products South Africarsquos strategy of long-term capital investment

A region which has long been under-served when it comes to reliable gas supply the Eastern Cape will soon have

A Long-term Viewits own air separation unit (ASU) ndash the first of its kind in the province Seelan Gounden GM supply chain at AirProd-ucts explains the reasons behind the companyrsquos latest investment

ldquoCurrently there is no local industrial gas supply in this area and cryogenic gases have to be procured elsewhere This situation compromises the service

MARKET FORUM

ART Solar specialists in the manufacture of solar photovoltaic (PV) modules for the sustainable generation of electrical power has made the following appointment an-nouncementsMark Walsh as managing director Dr Ronald FM Lange as chief operating officer Robert Ramshaw as financial manager and Gavin Rosslee as production manager

Gavin RossleeRobert RamshawMark Walsh

Jeanne Els has been appointed as Hatchrsquos Managing Director of Operations

Jeanne Els

Ronald Lange

Anton Theunissen

SKF South Africa recently appointed Anton Theunissen as Distributor De-velpoment Manager for South Africa and neighbouring coun-tries

Index to Advertisers

Axiom 12

Bearings International 36

Bibby Turboflex 28

Bonfiglioli 10

Engen 34

Festo 35

Hansen 44

Horne SA 29

IDC Inside Back Cover

ILS 32

KDP Services 22

Loesche 31

Polysius 4

PPS 11 29

Mercedes Outside Back Cover

Merseta Inside Front Cover

MIEO Outside Front Cover

Transmission Components 14

Voith 38

Yellotec 16 17

delivery to our existing customers who have to depend on product being trucked over vast distances Thus we identified the Eastern Cape as a key priority invest-ment destination with a clear need for a new air separation facility dedicated to servicing the region We chose the Coega IDZ after careful market analysis We are pleased to be able to be a part of the growth and development of the region through providing a long-needed security of supply and value-added servicerdquo

Ayanda Vilakazi head of Marketing and Communications at the Coega IDZ adds ldquoThe viability of the new ASU is indis-putable It will mean not only security of gas supply to the region benefiting the many industries here but it also means job security for other investors jobs along the value chain and scope for training and human resource develop-ment as well as enhanced Corporate Social Investment initiativesrdquo

Seelan Gounden AirProducts wwwairproductssouthafricacoza

Left to right Chris Mashigo Executive Man-ager - Business Development Coega Develop-ment Corporation Themba Khoza Executive Manager ndash Operations Coega Development Corporation Seelan Gounden GM - Supply Chain Air Products Pierre Fourie Area Sales Manager ndash Eastern Cape Air Products signed the lease agreement between the CDC and Air Products South Africa

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 47To apply online for funding of R1 million or more go to wwwidccoza

Telephone 086 069 3888Email callcentreidccoza

Driving new market innovationsThe IDC supports high-impact job creation projects acting as a

catalyst to lead new sector development and support existing

industry and sector growth in alignment with governmentrsquos

New Growth Path (NGP) National Development Plan (NDP)

and Industrial Policy Action Plan (IPAP)

The IDC Strategic High Impact Projects (SHIP) Strategic Business

Unit in partnership with the IDC Innovation Department has

launched an Open Innovation Challenge to encourage the

development and implementation of sustainable high-impact

industrial initiatives and projects

The IDC calls upon individuals engineering communities

corporates project sponsors and other related entities to enter

into a partnership to develop qualifying projects that result in

sustainable and profi table industries exploit the value-adding

opportunities of existing and new value chains and enable the

development of innovative local economies

Whatwho qualifi es

projects which enable the development of new industries

across multiple IDC focus sectors

introduce new markets and value chains or revolutionise

existing ones through the use of disruptive technologies

or new approaches

development impact and employment creation

across mandated IDC industrial sectors

SHIP wishes to ensure that the projects undertaken play a major

role in industrial development and employment creation within

the South African and SADC regions

Interested applicants are invited to submit their project

proposals online at

httpopeninnovationidccozaidc-ship-challenge between

project proposals will be informed in May regarding SHIP

wishing to partner with them in the development of the

proposed project

Please contact Bertie Strydom BertieSidccoza and

RetiefBidccoza for more information

Chillibush9119IDC

48 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

A D

aim

ler B

rand

You built the bridges the roads and the tunnels We built the carAs a member of the Engineering Council of South Africa you could qualify for exclusive offers a guaranteed 3-day service booking as well as PremiumDrive our 6 year100 000km maintenance plan To take advantage of this outstandingopportunity inform your nearest dealer of your ECSA status

Not in conjunction with other Mercedes-Benz Fleet ProgrammesOffers Excludes AMG and Limited Edition modelsVehicle specifications may vary for the South African market

Page 26: SAME Mar2013

26 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

POWER GENERATION

flow which by amplifying the velocity is planned to produce 1MW of power This design specification once successfully tested may then be adapted into higher velocity waters As most locations in the world have lower velocity waters a turbine designed to work in 3 4 or 5 metres per second water flows will not work in waters that have velocities of 1-2 metres per second

Q How does it workA The theory behind the development of the system is quite basic having been previously used in other energy production systems such as wind and tidal energy generation Basically the engine is composed of an energy extraction system such as but not limited to our perpendicular access turbine a gorlov turbine a darrieus turbine and an Axial turbine

The other module is the shroud which handles two functions serving as an accelerator of the water ve-locity thus increasing the amount of kinetic energy that can be extracted Secondly it houses the engine protecting marine life from direct contact with the tip of the blades Also Oceanus is designed to be positively buoyant and either secured to the ocean floor or to float at a certain predetermined depth while moored to the ocean floor utilising the same techniques that are currently used in mooring floating oil rigs buoys or floating windmill systems

Q How will it work in KZNA There will be a demonstration unit initially and then we will start the commercial phase by entering into the normal contracts and procedures for energy generation in the country This entails a very large investment from our company where we will focus on potentially buildingassembling the units in Durban thus taking advantage of the excellent and qualified infrastructure it has

Q Who is involved locallyA We have no partners as far as investors or concerns as yet on the South African project but we are not against this possibility in the future From the facilita-tion point of view we have received a lot of support from Derek Morgan at the eThekwini Energy Office and Russell Curtis at DIPA each with their respective teams and other government offices that have been very forthcoming with information and support

Q What equipment does it use ndash where will this be madeA We have already scouted several facilities in Durbanrsquos ship building industry as well as other possible suppliers ranging from the maritime indus-try financial sector to legal consultants in order to make sure that we are in compliance with all regulations and that our perception of excellence from the South African maritime industry is in fact there

Q At what stage is the project nowA The project is currently at an initial logistics stage where we are looking at a more site specific design for the demonstration unit At the same time we are gathering all the information with our lawyers and possible suppliers for the norms procedures permits and licences necessary to comply with local and national regulations

Q Where will power go to A From our initial discussions with the regulatory bodies this energy can be locally distributed and then taken up by the grid as needed This will de-pend on the results of the demonstration unit and the first commercial unit operation which we are confident will exceed expectations

Q Are there sceptics criticsA As discussed before the basic technology has been used in other sectors of the energy generation industry what is being developed by us is the ef-ficient shroud and the maintenance systems which include buoyancy controls and depth determination in order to locate the most efficient current

Q Are there any future plans from your company for South Africa in particularA We believe that we have a good relationship with eThekwini municipality and once we fulfil our project with KZN we would then consider further expansion throughout South Africa

Q What about the other parts of AfricaA Eastern Africa in general presents very good conditions for our technology but for now we are going to concentrate our efforts on deploying this endeavour in South Africa before entertaining new opportunities

Luciano Garcia-Baylleres COO at HAE Tel 561-900-7200 EmailLgarciaHAE-USAcom wwwHAE-USAcom

We will focus on potentially building assembling the units in Durban thus taking advantage of the excellent and qualified infrastructure it has

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 27

POWER GENERATION NEWS

MTN has announced that it has entered into a com-mercial arrangement to sell its carbon credits to EDF Trading in an industry first The credits will be pro-duced by MTNrsquos tri-generation plant at 14th Avenue Of-fice Park in Fairland Johannesburg

EDF Trading is a whol-ly-owned subsidiary of Electriciteacute de France SA one of the largest compliance buyers covered by the European Union Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS)

The carbon credit project utilises a Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) meth-odology developed by MTN approved by the United Nations Framework Con-vention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) It is currently in the process of being registered with the UNFCCC Once registered MTN will sell the carbon credits from the project to EDF Trading

The project will make use of the MTN energy-efficient 2MW tri-generation plant at its Fairland office park Tri-generation is the concurrent production of electric-ity heating and cooling which provides

Carbon Credits power hot wa-ter space heat-

ing and cooling for air conditioning

from a single source

Egoli gas is used for the operation

sourced from the Sasol pipeline in Mozambique

The plant displaces grid electricity from Eskom

reducing greenhouse gas emissions and providing up to 85

efficiency on fuel The excess heat at some 400degC is captured

and used to supply heating and to operate an absorption chiller which creates cool water that is used to power an extensive air-conditioning system

Natural gas is clean burning and offers a consistent supply but simply using this to generate electricity would have been too expensive The saving achieved by capturing the waste heat combined with the additional revenue from the sale of the carbon credits however makes the project economically viablerdquo

Promethuim Robbie Louw Tel (011) 706-8185 Email Robbiepromethiumcozawwwpromethuimcoza

Countries across South East Asia Africa and the Middle East have been amending their regulatory frameworks and embarking on privatisation as many of them are in serious need of external fund-ing to ensure that their respective electricity industries are capable of dealing with the inevitable surge in demand The cumulative installed power capacity for these regions according to 2012 estimates will be 212 Gigawatts (GW) However this figure is expected to shoot up to 349 GW by 2020 climbing at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 64

Emerging Power Markets

Rising industrialisa-tion ever-increasing population figures and growing economies all point to an electrical future that most infra-structure systems are currently incapable of handling Therefore to achieve greater in-dustry efficiency and encourage competition governments across this region are opening up their electricity markets and increasing private sector participation The region will have to invest heavily in order to

increase its installed capacity and improve its existing infrastructure

Transmission networks in many of these countries are already under tremendous pressure to supply power without interruption and many new transmission projects are already underway or in the pipeline Therefore energy policy reforms are set to open the doors and create positive opportunities for growth in in the near future this according to Jonathan Cain of GBI Research

GBI ResearchJonathan Cain Tel +44 1204 543 533 Emailjcaingbiresearchcom wwwgbiresearchcom

28 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

POWER GENERATION NEWS

With Gensler Architects Aurecon has completed the design on the faccedilade of what will be Chinarsquos tallest building At 632m the Shanghai Centre is more than 100m taller than the recently-completed Shanghai Financial Centre and is designed as a sustainable eco-tower that sets a new benchmark not only for the region but also the world

Sustainable green features include tri-

Bioclimatic buildingGreywater recycling systems lo-cated at basement and at mid-level have been installed to collect greywater generated from lavatory or bathtub for reuse reducing potable water demand for the office tower by about 40

The ice storage system shifts part of the peak electricity demand of the chillers into the night modeoff peak operation Storage capacity is 26 400 Refrigerant Ton (RT) which reduces about 30 of the summit demand by about 3 through this ice cooling storage system and save up to the yearly energy cost for the user

A large volume water deluge system with rotational nozzles

installed at mid-level of the atria deliv-ers a large volume and accurate water spray onto fire with the assistance of Infra-red detection to lock the exact location and very early warning smoke detection apparatus system

A double curtain wall design provides better control on solar energy entering the tower building resulting in energy saving

Aerecon Group Jody Boshoff Tel (012) 427-2066 Email JodyBoshoffaurecongroupcomwwwaurecongroupcom

generation plant consisting of two sets of 11MW natural gas turbine generating electricity

chilled water hot water and heating water Simultaneous heat recovery of the hot flue gas produced from the tur-bines reduces carbon dioxide by 49 compared with the regular electrical cooling system

15 nos of 3kW vertical axis wind turbines (VAWTs) on the roof provide 157 500 kWh of clean and renewable electricity annually

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 29

Willem Sullivan of HansenA better artificial heart for people who are not eligible for natural heart transplants

Jean Schoeman of National Oilwell Varco My own jet aeroplane

Chris Coetzee of Resonant SolutionsThe problem in industry is practical engineering experience Young engineers donrsquot get the opportunity to learn the practical stuff Irsquod start an academy which teaches the practical side where you can learn from your mistakes Unfortunately mistakes cost money but if you have all the money in the world they can afford to learn from mistakes

In your book what is the most pivotal invention ever

Elbie Cornelius of National Oilwell Varco The computer

Chris Coetzee of Resonant SolutionsI canrsquot see how you can run a business without cellphones

Rudolph Beer of Martin EngineeringThe wheel

Willem Sullivan of HansenFor me personally Excel Without it my world will be dull and lifeless For the world at large Electricity because without it Excel will not be possible

Jean Schoeman of National Oilwell Varco The personal computer

OPINION

On his rounds Kowie Hamman our Editor is conducting an informal survey on the lighter side of engineering We follow up from last month with three pertinent questions

Soapbox

What do you think of computers and the digital world

Elbie Cornelius of National Oilwell Varco Awesome changing our world

Chris Coetzee of Resonant SolutionsNinety percent of all engineering is done using computers but if you rely solely on them yoursquove missed the plot because you always have to verify results by going back into the field to test what yoursquove done on the computer

Rudolph Beer of Martin EngineeringYou canrsquot do without them

Willem Sullivan of HansenIt is where I do all my design work So if it was not for computers we would be decades behind in terms of what we can do I absolutely love it

Greg Perry of SEWThey have definitely made things faster but the en-gineer still needs to understand the theory and pay attention to the detail or you make mistakes faster

Jean Schoeman of National Oilwell Varco Very useful until they give problems Then you just want to hit them with a hammer But the digital world has managed to speed up the communica-tion of information

If you had all the money in the world what would you design

Elbie Cornelius of National Oilwell Varco A solar and wind power station to supply the whole continent with electricity

Rudolph Beer of Martin EngineeringDevelop the safe harvesting of atomic energy

30 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

ldquoSA Mechanical Engineerrdquo speaks to Dave Goodman managing director of Spectra Car-bide Tooling Technology in Cape Town about the various management models they have

developed specifically to control tooling ldquoOur tool management systems were developed through our involvement with some of the major automotive OEMs in South Africardquo he says ldquoThe management system where we take over full control of the tool-ing facility on the premises has been running for twelve years now at some of these plants

Systems for allldquoBut these systems are not only for OEMs and

large operationsrdquo Dave remarks ldquoTo meet dif-ferent requirements we now have four levels of management systems on offer each requiring a different level of active involvement from our side This varies from purely holding stock to supply for a customerrsquos specific needs right through to taking over full control of tooling by having a permanent on-site office manned by fulltime Spectra staffrdquo

A typical level 4 operation with a Spectra team permanently stationed on the customerrsquos premises will be equipped with a fully-computerised store inventory system to control the purchasing of all tooling from spindle to point ldquoThe team will control all the new stock and used tools by negotiating and dealing with tier two suppliers as wellrdquo explains sales manager Wayne Williams ldquoThey are also responsible for presetting tools ready for produc-tion as well as collecting and delivering tools to and from the machines in addition to providing technical support 7 days a week 24 hours a day

BenefitsOne of the cost saving benefits for the customer is less administration because the Spectra team consolidates all invoices so the customer receives

Managing ToolingIn most machine shops the tooling is usually under lock and key to limit access to high-value tool inserts such as end-mills drills reamers and burrs Even so many companies suffer considerable losses as these costly tools get lost are pilfered or are misused because there isnrsquot a proper

management system in place over and above lock and key to control who takes what from the store

To meet different requirements we now have four levels of management on offer each requiring a different level of active involvement from our side

Managing machine tools saves money

Dave Goodman managing director of Spectra Carbide Tooling Technology

MATERIAL SELECTION

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 31

one invoice per month In addition the customer has a highly skilled specialist in-house on tap to provide technical assistance for all tooling drilling tapping milling boring gundrilling honing and line boring on CNC and conventional machines ldquoFrom the management system we can draw extensive reporting for the customer regarding the costs per unit manufactured We produce monthly graphs for trending as well as daily incident reports on tool breakages weekly costs on scrapped tools and we also work out action plans to reduce scrap and improve up-time of the machinesrdquo Wayne adds

In essence this value-add for the customer allows preventative action which ultimately saves the customer money Dave explains ldquoGiven the skills shortage out there no company can afford the personnel purely to manage the machine shop in so much detail With this system we not only fill the skills-gap by integrating with the company but we add value to the company so that they can focus on what they manufacturerdquo

New product developmentIntegration into the customersrsquo operation has proved particularly beneficial when it comes to new product developments Wayne elaborates ldquoWersquore always up to date with the latest technology in tooling and know what can be done in the best possible way Usually it will take a machine shop a while to select the right tooling and method to produce

a new part but with our experts right there on site they can be assured of finding the most suitable solution using the right tooling from the startrdquo

Vending systemOn a lower level of tool management where the operation does not justify a permanent Spectra team on site the company has a tooling vending machine solution ldquoAll the tooling is stored in a vending machine and access to draw the tools out of the machine is controlled by a card or finger-print readerrdquo explains Dave ldquoSuch a system does however have a reporting function which allows the customer to draw the machining cost against each specific job

ldquoThis system has proved popular in South Africa because it can be customised to control the specific functions relevant to each customerrdquo adds David ldquoPart and parcel of this cost-saving solution is training the customer on how best to utilise the system for his needs be it purely controlling the use of tooling or integrating reporting and costing into the business system of the companyrdquo

Wayne Williams Spectra Tel (011) 827-8957 Email waynewspectra-sacoza

From the management system we can draw extensive reporting for the customer regarding the costs per unit manufactured

Special carbide drills reamers end mills and special inserts are manufactured in South Africa

MATERIAL SELECTION

32 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 33

Cubitron can be used to finish profile and or polish materials with high tensile strengths and is particularly useful to extend the lifetime of belts and discs in industrial environments

where hard materials are the order of the dayrdquo

Consistent cutFinishes are little changed through the entire dura-tion of a Cubitron belt from new to completely worn out The secret is that the cutting edges wear in a controlled manner This means that the tiny indi-vidual scratches are the same when the belt is first

put on until it is worn and ready for replacement

ldquoThere are a multitude of cutting edges on each individual grain of the extremely hard ceramic based grain As the grain wears new cutting edges are exposed in a predictable and measured manner to ensure that a consistent action is applied to the surfacerdquo she adds

Using the same ceramic platform 3M developed Cubitron II providing even better results than its predecessor 3M engineers were able to electrostati-cally orient triangular precision shaped ceramic grain acting like a cutting tool This means that the grain slices through metal as opposed to grinding and continuously self-sharpens as points break off This results in discs and belts running cooler and longer The Cubitron II technology is applied in

Starting from Scratch

SURFACE FINISHING

ldquoTo scratch the surface as the saying goes of most modern materials and coatings is not as easy as it used to be Thatrsquos why we developed Cubitron Abrasive Grainrdquo says Kelly Hunt

sales and marketing manager of 3M

34 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

Scratccchingg thhe surfface of abrasivvves ttecchnnologgy is too oopen a compplex sccience

SURFACE FINISHING

belt fibre disc and Roloc form offer-ing a unique solution for wide range of grinding needs

Scratching the surfaceKelly is an abrasives fanatic She says scratching the surface of abrasives technology is to open a complex sci-ence Analysis of different materials and techniques of cutting or finishing has in recent years become a necessity as materials develop and advance Bonding of abrasive onto materials for discs and belts is also more complex than before as manufacturing becomes automated and the tolerance for down-time reduces

But for the average operator technician or engineer it is not so much a matter of what goes into the development of a product but rather finding the solution that suits the intended process The minimum requirement is for a product to perform reliably over an extended period of time and to produce the right finish

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 35

Sometimmess a less expeeensiive buuut mmooree suitaaablee abbrasssivee ccaan give bettterr reesulttss

SURFACE FINISHING

ldquoUsing the abrasives to determine a finish can be as simple or as com-plicated as the producer of finished goods chooses to make it With so many choices available in the market we recommend that industrial users iden-tify the requirements of the abrasive and then speak to trained service technicians from suppliers such as 3M

Not about priceldquoPrice is not always the determining factor Some-times a less expensive but more suitable abrasive can give better results and in other instances the use of cheaper materials in the wrong application may be costly as materials will need to be replaced more oftenrdquo

Kelly recommends that us-ers of industrial abrasives take the time to research new products and as-sess their suitability for their processes ldquoYoursquoll be surprised that some of the new abrasives can do the job better and in half the time than older technology abrasives canrdquo she concludes

3M Dylan Ian Hunter Tel (011) 806-2186 Email dhuntermmmcom www3Mcom

36 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

IT TRENDS

ldquo M o b i l e c o m p u t i n g

continues to grow and alongside other IT trends

such as cloud computing social technologies and the era of big data It is going to play a pivotal role in the IT industry this year In factrdquo Derick adds

Mobile Computing

Mobile computing is growing momentously and is set to account for as much as 57 of worldwide T market growth in 2013 says Derick Roberts CEO of TruTeq Devices a Pretoria-based

company focusing on wireless connectivity solutions

ldquoit is going to account for the lionrsquos share of growth ndash even more than the cloud computingrdquo

The IDC predicts that worldwide IT spending will exceed $21 trillion up 57 from 2012 The research company also states that mobility will be the biggest driver Sales of smart mobile devices including smart phones and tablets is expected to grow by 20 and will contribute a significant 57 of all IT growth Excluding smart mobile devices IT industry growth will clock in at only 29

Truteq Devices Derick Roberts Tel (012) 667-1530 wwwtruteqdevicescom

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 37

ELECTRIC DRIVE

The technology performance and design of the Cigarette powerboat is closely based on the electric super sports vehicle made in Affalterbach Germany

The 116 metre long Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept powerboat uses two drive units each featuring six independent electric motors At the rear of the boat each drive unit has its own trans-mission one on the left and one on the right The boat is fitted with the twelve compact liquid-cooled permanent-magnet synchronous electric motors which are the signature piece of the SLS AMG Coupeacute Electric Drive each electric motor delivers 138 kW and 250 Newton metres

The maximum output of 1 656 Kilowatts and maximum torque of 3 000 Newton metres combine to reach a staggering top speed of over 160 kmh making this locally emission-free Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept the worlds fastest electri-cally driven powerboat The low centre of gravity and optimum weight distribution ensure sublime

The Worlds Most Powerful Powerboat

handling characteristics during more dynamic changes of direction

The high-voltage battery boasts an energy content of 60 Kilowatt hours an electric load potential of 600 Kilowatts and a weight of 548 kg ndash all of which are absolute best values in the automotive sector The liquid-cooled lithium-ion high-voltage battery features a modular design with a maximum voltage of 400 V It consists of 12 modules each comprising 72 lithium-ion cells ldquoCigaretterdquo inte-grates four high-tech batteries with a total of 48 modules and 3 456 cells which generate a total capacity of 240 Kilowatt hours and an electric output of 2 400 Kilowatts respect even in the boat building industry

The Cigarette on-board chargers as standard Adapted to fit the infrastructure standard of many American marinas the boat has a charging capac-ity of 44 Kilowatts The battery is fully charged in approximately seven hours To reduce the charging time to less than three hours the powerboat can be fitted with four on-board chargers as an option

Mercedes-Benz Shirle Greig Tel (012) 677-1904 Email shirlegreigdaimlercom wwwmercedes-benzsacoza

Mercedes-AMG and Cigarette Racing launched the latest development of their cooperation at the Miami International Boat Show in February Numerous components from the SLS AMG Coupeacute Electric Drive have been integrated in the design of the Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept engineering design The high performance drive fitted in the electric super sports car makes the off shore powerboat the worlds most

powerful and fastest electrically-driven motor boat With an output of 1 656 Kilowatts and a maximum torque of 3 000 Newton metres the Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept is a fascinating new development

Combine to reach a staggering top speed of over 160 kmh

38 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

ENVIRONMENT

They have been in service for decades

under the toughest conditions ndash and

have proven themselves worldwide

Voith fluid couplings protect belt con-

veyors and drive components by provid-

ing smooth acceleration and torque

control allowing for frequent loaded

starts with the least amount of stress on

the drive and belt

In multi-motor drives they ensure pre-

cise load distribution Result fewer

downtimes ndash and the service life of the

belt and the drive components is in-

creased The latest product innovation is

the Voith TurboBelt 780 TPXL

infovtzavoithcom

wwwrsavoithturbocom

Protect Your Belt Conveyors with

Voith Fluid Couplings

ai_a

it_44

0_e

n ai

k

Water Disclosure ReportingJust as companies are addressing their carbon emissions and

provide carbon reporting to the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) water is becoming a growing priority

Reporting on it is becoming another critical sustainability issue

2011 saw a marked increase in the number of the worldrsquos largest companies reporting on their water usage on the risks that water presents and on their responses to

that risk Responses from these companies indicate that water is impacting global business now and yet water is not nearly as high on the corporate agenda as climate change

Evidence is mounting that South Africa is facing a water crisis of substantial proportions This crisis encompasses all aspects of water management on both the demand and supply side The mounting impacts of acid mine drainage and declining wa-ter quality add to the crisis South Africarsquos water security is likely to be further complicated by an increasingly uneven and unpredictable supply of rainfall as a result of climate change and by a reli-ance on significant water transfers from neighbour-

ing countries In meeting this crisis South Africa will have to resolve tough trade-offs in water use between agriculture key industrial activities such as mining and power generation and the supply to rapidly growing urban centres

Evidence is clearJSE 100 companies will need to show leadership in sustainably managing the water resources on which they rely for their day-to-day business operations The available evidence is clear It is not sustainable to continue exploiting water resources by follow-ing a lsquobusiness as usualrsquo approach If this is the case South Africarsquos freshwater resources will be depleted and unable to meet the needs of people and industry in the next 20 years if not before

In 2011 the response rate to the CDP Water Disclosure amongst South African companies was 46 (26 out of 56 companies) Many of South Africarsquos most significant corporate water users are therefore not yet able to or are not yet ready to report on their water-related risks

Promethuim Robbie Louw Tel (011) 706-8185 Email Robbiepromethiumcoza wwwpromethuimcoza

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 39

EXHIBITION

The Steel and Engineering Industries Federation (SEI-FSA) the Lifting Equipment Engineering Association

of SA (LEEASA) the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA) and the SA Institute of Welding (SAIW) have thrown their weight behind the biggest industrial and engineering trade show in Africa

The three-day 10-shows-in-one event takes place from 14 to 16 May 2013 at Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand Johannesburg

SEIFSA Conference at Indutec The Steel and Engineering Indus-tries Federation of South Africa (SEIFSA) will hold its annual conference at Indutec celebrating 70 years of active support for its members industry and business in Africa The federation has over 2 220 member companies which employ more than 224 000 people comprising 53 of the industryrsquos workforce

SAIW ldquoWe take our affiliations with leading industry players very seriously including our en-dorsement of Indutecrdquo says Jim Guild chief executive officer of the SA Institute of Welding ldquoThese industry ties form part of our strategy to create strong relationships which support our objective and Governmentrsquos mandate to enhance the manufacturing sector in South Africardquo

LEEASAThe Lifting Equipment Engineer-ing Association of South Africa (LEEASA) which is a division of the Chamber of Engineering Tech-

nology (COET) will also be using its endorsement of Indutec to promote its activities in the engineer-ing and technology sectors in general Chamber spokesperson Viv Nel says its exposure at the fair will create more awareness of the Chamberrsquos role in all engineering and technology-driven industries

ECSAIndustry regulator the Engineering Council of South Africa shares these aims ldquoAs a custodian of en-gineering intellectual capital in South Africa our endorsement of Indutec provides us with a platform to publicise our role in the engineering sector and government infrastructure initiativesrdquo says Edgar Sabela ECSArsquos Strategic Services Executive

ldquoWe need to produce 10 times more engineers to compete with developed economies Involvement with the Indutec show will allow us to promote engineering as a career through our Engenius Programme and showcase our existing engineer-ing excellence Most importantly it enables us to network with all key players in the field and even conclude some businessrdquo

Tenfold Benefits to ExhibitorsJohn Thomson managing director of Exhibition Management Services organisers of the 10-in-one Fair says the unqualified support from leading in-dustry bodies indicates the showrsquos tenfold value to the engineering industrial and technology sectors ldquoThis undoubtedly translates into multiple benefits for the showrsquos exhibitors and ultimately to show visitorsrdquo he concludes

Indutec Serean ThomsonTel (011) 783 7250 Email marketingexhibitionsafricacom wwwexhibitionsafricacom

Boosting the Manufacturing Sector32 of South Africarsquos leading industrial and engineering professional and employer associations Chambers and

Councils have collectively endorsed Indutec the recently launched South African Industry and Technology Fair 2013

Promech Publishing through SA Mechanical Engineer and Bulk Handling Today will produce and publish the Official Catalogue for this prestigious show

Make sure your presence is felt before during and after the show by advertising in this one-of-a-kind reference publication

Contact Mark Bennett Tel (011) 781-1401 Email samechengpromechcoza

Jim Guild CEO of the SA Institute of Welding

Edgar Sabela - ECSArsquos Strategic Services Executive

Adelia Pimentel - Marketing and Communications Manager SEIFSA

40 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

MARKET FORUM

ldquoBMG has identified a need in diverse sectors for on-site maintenance services to overcome production challengesrdquo says Dave Russell technical director BMG ldquoRecognising the extreme constraints of high energy prices low productivity the critical skills shortage and a highly competitive economic environment BMG brings a total solutions service to the fore

ldquoIndustry can now access all critical production efficient products and services from one supplier What this means is lower production costs and higher pro-duction efficiency giving South African industry a distinct competitive advantage

ldquoBMGrsquos on-site services include applica-

tion design evaluation and optimisation as well as installation trouble-shooting and service exchange contracts The company also offers predictive planned and breakdown maintenance and energy and reliability studiesrdquo

The company also offers extensive train-ing which covers electrical mechanical hydraulic pneumatic electronic and materials handling disciplines as well as predictive maintenance and component failure analysis

BMG ndash Bearing Man Group Veronique van Niekerk Tel (031) 576-6221Email veroniquevbmgworldnet wwwbmgworldnet

Tenova Takraf Africa (formerly Bateman Engineered Technologies) is putting the final pieces together in completing an order for the supply of a 55m x 275m hydraulically-driven SAG mill to Ontario Graphite operators of the Kearney Mine located in Kearney O n t a r i o Canada

ldquoTenovarsquos scope

Unique SAG Mill in Canada

ABB started with a bang following the order of 2 400 robots by BMW Group Over the next three years the robots will be installed at factories in Regensburg and Leipzig Germany as well as in Tiexi China The ABB robots will mainly be used for mate-rial handling tasks as well as gluing and spot welding processes

ABB robots enable customers to implement efficient manufacturing systems that sustainably produce high-quality products The com-panyrsquos range of products and solu-tions for lean manufacturing cover the range from body-in-white to the final assembly of complete car bodies They improve competitiveness and at the same time optimally comply with customer specifications ABB has installed more than 200 000 robots worldwide

ABB Robotics Natasha Mathebula Tel (010) 202-6156 Email natashamathebulazaabbcom wwwabbcom

2400

Robots

Total Solution

of work includes the engineering manufacturing shipping and technical assistance during erection of the SAG millrsquos feed end shell discharge end drive and main bearings as well as all supporting equipment (lubrication and jacking systems)rdquo says Tenova Takraf

engineer Pieter van der Walt ldquoThe main hydraulic motor and rubber

shell liners were outside our commercial scope of supply but inside our technical

scope of supplyrdquo he adds

The mill is a conventional SAG (semi-autogenous grinding) mill in all ways apart from its drive assem-bly and it is centre-driven

at the discharge end using a Haggluumlnds hydraulic motor and powerpack ldquoTo date this is the largest hydraulic motor installed on a SAG mill with 950kW of power torque of 1 200 kNm (start-up) and 650 kNm (operational) and speed of 1386 rpmrdquo adds Pieter

Since the mill had to be retrofitted to an existing foundation a number of adaptations were required to maintain the mill centreline as well as feed-end and discharge-end positions Certain additions were required to anchor the main motor torque arm

Tenova Takraf Pieter van der Walt Tel (011) 899-2372 Email pietervanderwaltbatemancom wwwtenovagroupcom

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 41

MARKET FORUM

World Record

The ADR plant at Kisladag Mine

FLSmidth designs and manufactures indirect heated carbon regeneration kilns and calciners from half a ton per day and larger These kilns and calciners can be fuel gas oil or electric and are skid mounted pre-wired and pre-piped The companyrsquos patented bellows kiln seal has proved effective in eliminating air ingress and process gas egress and can be retrofitted to kilns from other manufacturers FLSmidth holds the world record for the lowest emissions on a carbon plant

And at the companyrsquos Merrill Crowe plant capacities range from skid mounted 34 cubic metres per hour modular plants to full size 2 100 cubic metres per hour The range of supply for plants includes clarification filters de-aeration towers vacuum pumps zinc dust feeders lead nitrate feeders and zinc cones precipitate filter feed pumps filter pre-coat and body feed systems as well as precipitate filters used by refinery and smelting facilities to produce gold bullion

These plants incorporate proprietary zinc dustlead nitrate feeder and mix-ing cone system The company offers individual plant components and partial or complete plant equipment packages together with total plant design

FLSmidth Terence Osborn Tel (010) 210-4820

Magnet has extended its range of abrasive products to include 3Mrsquos new Cubitron II abrasive belts with enhanced grinding performance improved productivity and extended service life

ldquo3Mrsquos new technology has resulted in increased speed improved consistency and extended belt liferdquo says Brian How-arth MD Magnet ldquoThese new abrasive belts ensure up to 30 faster cutting on hard to grind metals like stainless steel nickel alloy and cobalt chrome They also divert heat from the workpiece and belt to the swarf which means cooler cutting This helps eliminate burnishing and minimises heat stress Cubitron II abrasive belts last up to four times longer than conventional ceramic aluminium oxide beltsrdquo

3M Abrasives Bradley Reddy Tel (031) 274 1050 Email bradleyrmagnetgroupcozawwwmagnetgroupcoza

4 x Longer

42 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

MARKET FORUM

X-Calibur is one of the latest product offerings from TAL and was specified to protect the concrete structure of the worldrsquos second longest cable-stayed bridge against corrosion throughout its design life

Stonecutters Bridge is a high level cable-stayed bridge which spans the Rambler Channel in Hong Kong connecting Nam Wam Kok Tsing Yi Island and Stonecut-ters Island Hong Kong is well known for its hot summer weather which is also humid and unstable Temperatures

Say No to Corrosionusually exceed 30oC during the day which coupled with high humidity can result in an extreme heat index

ldquoHot and humid environments have a great effect on the durability of concrete As a rule of thumb we say for every 10oC increase in temperature the possibility of corrosion induced damage to concrete is doubled Add humidity in a marine envi-ronment then protection of the structure is of paramount importancerdquo says Brian Davies CEO X-Calibur International In order to guard the bridge from corro-

sion X-Shield EpoxySeal CR was sup-plied to shield the prestressed concrete cable anchorages from the effects of the environment In addition X-Shield FlexCoat was used in various areas of the structure This provides corrosion protection to reinforced concrete from chloride and carbon dioxide

ldquoThe main challenge was compliance with the strict project specifications as the engineer wanted to ensure that protection would be provided throughout the design life of the structure X-Calibur

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 43

MARKET FORUM

had the products independently tested to prove compliance to all aspects of the specificationrdquo John adds

The materials were applied by spe-cialist painters who had been trained by X-Calibur ldquoMaterials were mixed and applied strictly in accordance with method statements supplied by X-Calibur to ensure working time and recoat windows were not exceededrdquo concludes John

TAL Andrew Dekker Tel (031) 579-2263 wwwtalcoza

Fluid conveyance and pumping solutions expert Incledon has supplied a large water supply line project in the Free State with a total of 4 km of Ultraflo pipes manufactured in-house by DPI Plastics - a leading manufacturer of water reticulation drainage and pipe-fitting systems in South Africa

DPI Plastics technical and product manager Renier Snyman points out that the companyrsquos range of Ultraflo pipes are manufactured from modified polyvinyl chloride (mPVC) which is specifically designed to provide similar tensile strength and greater resilience than standard PVC piping products ldquoThe Ultraflo range of pressure piping systems are ideally suited to bulk water supply projects due to the fact that mPVC is considerably more ductile than industry standard unplasticised polyvinyl chloride (uPVC)rdquo he explains

Renier notes that the ductility of the Ultraflo uPVC piping system ensures that

Large Water Supply Project

the pipes have exceptional resistance to crack propagation under pressure ldquoThe product being supplied to the water sup-ply line project is the 500 mm Ultraflo system which is the largest in the DPI Plastics range It boasts a pressure rat-ing of 12 bar with a design stress of up to 18MPa making it ideally suited as a large underground piping systemrdquo

According to Renier Ultraflo pipes offer environmental advantages too ldquoDue to its superior toughness the wall thick-ness of mPVC is less than that of uPVC This ensures that less materials are used during the manufacturing process which ultimately results in a lighter product that is easier to transport and install thereby minimising the carbon footprint of the piperdquo

DPI Plastics Martine Goodchild Tel (021) 957 5600 Email mgoodchilddpiplasticscozawwwdpiplasticscoza

Donrsquot Miss Out

Promech Publishing is putting the Visitorsrsquo Catalogue together for this Show

Contact Mark Bennett on Tel (011) 781-1401 or Email samechengpromechcoza

to book your space

44 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

MARKET FORUM

Displaying and discussing some of the Dodge housed bearings on offer to local industry and mining are (from left) Tony Patten of Specialised Bearings amp Transmission Peter Small-Shaw Wilecrsquos Product Manager Bearings and Frans Odendaal Wilecrsquos Technical Specialist Bearings

The Bearings division of Actom group company Wilec has formed a strategic alliance for the supply of Dodge housed bearings into southern Africa The partner-ship agreement with Johannesburg-based Specialised Bearings amp Transmission the local distributor for Dodge extends Wilecrsquos ability to satisfy the requirements of industry and mining in a diverse range of bearings applications

ldquoThe most exciting thing about our tie-up with Dodge is that housed bearings while already widely accepted in the US and other leading industrialised countries is a relatively new concept locally but one which offers advanced features to users compared with conventional plum-mer block arrangementsrdquo said Frans Odendaal Wilecrsquos Technical Specialist Bearings

ldquoDodge housed bearings are supplied pre-assembled and sealed so eliminating all risk of contamination during fitment The advanced sealing arrangement and unique adapter system guarantees longer

Strategic Alliance

life ndash up to six times that of a conven-tional plummer block Other cost-saving advantages are that they can be installed by a semi-skilled technician very quickly normally in less than 15 minutes and the need to measure pre- and post-reduction clearance is eliminatedrdquo

ldquoIt is a differentiated product and with it we are able to provide a bearing that is especially well suited to local conditions

and offers benefits that are of real value to customers A particularly important aspect to bear in mind is that the total cost of ownership of a Dodge bearing is significantly lower than that of the conventional product due to its greater reliability and durabilityrdquo

Wilec Frans Odendaal Tel (011) 629-9300 Email fransowileccoza

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 45

MARKET FORUM

Emis Sales 2002 part of Becker Min-ing South Africa supplies a wide range of electrical equipment up to 1 100 V for use in hazardous and non-hazardous areas in the mining petrochemical and surface industry sectors

New to the Emis range are Proloc pro-tection and control relays which are suitable for thermal overload protection of conveyors compressors crushers fan and pump motors as well as shuttle cars and flitting panels

ldquoThe stand-alone Emis ProLoc electronic protection and control relay system which has been designed for the optimum protection of motor and feeder circuits connected to outlet sockets has a wide choice of six user-selectable protection features to meet exact requirementsrdquo says Frikkie Quirk managing director Emis Sales 2002 ldquoAn important advan-tage of this system is a door mounted infra-red link that enables a laptop with Proloc software to manage all settings

and downloads without having to open the panel door and expose personnel to dangerous live equipment This is a critical requirement in the OHSA actrdquo

This system is easy to set up via the Proloc MMI 420 display man-to-machine interface or via a laptop with Proloc software

Emis Sales 2002 Tel (016) 341-6134 Email infozabecker-miningcom wwwzabecker-miningcom

Optimum Protection

Birkenmayer a material processing systems supplier in South Africa and local supplier of German-engineered Eirich material processing technology recently released the Evactherm drier a new product that marries the advantages

Superheated Vacuum Steam

of mechanical and thermo dynamical processes to provide cost-effective and highly efficient drying and processing of filter cake and sludgersquos using superheated vacuum steam

Until now it has been important to observe

a maximum middle temperature when applying direct drying to heat sensitive materials and even more important to avoid the excessive local and boundary temperatures that frequently damage the drying product Both heat and ma-terial transport need to be considered and while convective drying processes such as spray drying largely avoid these problems they are only effective if a surface is available for the hot gas flow

Adjustable for both direct and convec-tive drying and processing Evactherm driers overcome these obstacles while providing a number of further benefits

Super-heated vacuum steam performs drying and granulation while the com-bination of mechanical and thermo dynamical processes allows for low dry-ing temperatures and gentle processing of temperature sensitive materials It also enables continuous drying for long periods of time as fresh material may be continuously added into the fluidized bed replacing material that has already been vaporised

H Birkenmayer Louis Eksteen Tel (011) 970 3880-8 Email louisbirkenmayercozawwwbirkenmayercoza

The Evactherm drier

Proloc protection and control relays

46 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

The Eastern Capersquos Coega Industrial Development Zone (IDZ) is one of a number of industrial regions in South Africa to benefit from Air Products South Africarsquos strategy of long-term capital investment

A region which has long been under-served when it comes to reliable gas supply the Eastern Cape will soon have

A Long-term Viewits own air separation unit (ASU) ndash the first of its kind in the province Seelan Gounden GM supply chain at AirProd-ucts explains the reasons behind the companyrsquos latest investment

ldquoCurrently there is no local industrial gas supply in this area and cryogenic gases have to be procured elsewhere This situation compromises the service

MARKET FORUM

ART Solar specialists in the manufacture of solar photovoltaic (PV) modules for the sustainable generation of electrical power has made the following appointment an-nouncementsMark Walsh as managing director Dr Ronald FM Lange as chief operating officer Robert Ramshaw as financial manager and Gavin Rosslee as production manager

Gavin RossleeRobert RamshawMark Walsh

Jeanne Els has been appointed as Hatchrsquos Managing Director of Operations

Jeanne Els

Ronald Lange

Anton Theunissen

SKF South Africa recently appointed Anton Theunissen as Distributor De-velpoment Manager for South Africa and neighbouring coun-tries

Index to Advertisers

Axiom 12

Bearings International 36

Bibby Turboflex 28

Bonfiglioli 10

Engen 34

Festo 35

Hansen 44

Horne SA 29

IDC Inside Back Cover

ILS 32

KDP Services 22

Loesche 31

Polysius 4

PPS 11 29

Mercedes Outside Back Cover

Merseta Inside Front Cover

MIEO Outside Front Cover

Transmission Components 14

Voith 38

Yellotec 16 17

delivery to our existing customers who have to depend on product being trucked over vast distances Thus we identified the Eastern Cape as a key priority invest-ment destination with a clear need for a new air separation facility dedicated to servicing the region We chose the Coega IDZ after careful market analysis We are pleased to be able to be a part of the growth and development of the region through providing a long-needed security of supply and value-added servicerdquo

Ayanda Vilakazi head of Marketing and Communications at the Coega IDZ adds ldquoThe viability of the new ASU is indis-putable It will mean not only security of gas supply to the region benefiting the many industries here but it also means job security for other investors jobs along the value chain and scope for training and human resource develop-ment as well as enhanced Corporate Social Investment initiativesrdquo

Seelan Gounden AirProducts wwwairproductssouthafricacoza

Left to right Chris Mashigo Executive Man-ager - Business Development Coega Develop-ment Corporation Themba Khoza Executive Manager ndash Operations Coega Development Corporation Seelan Gounden GM - Supply Chain Air Products Pierre Fourie Area Sales Manager ndash Eastern Cape Air Products signed the lease agreement between the CDC and Air Products South Africa

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 47To apply online for funding of R1 million or more go to wwwidccoza

Telephone 086 069 3888Email callcentreidccoza

Driving new market innovationsThe IDC supports high-impact job creation projects acting as a

catalyst to lead new sector development and support existing

industry and sector growth in alignment with governmentrsquos

New Growth Path (NGP) National Development Plan (NDP)

and Industrial Policy Action Plan (IPAP)

The IDC Strategic High Impact Projects (SHIP) Strategic Business

Unit in partnership with the IDC Innovation Department has

launched an Open Innovation Challenge to encourage the

development and implementation of sustainable high-impact

industrial initiatives and projects

The IDC calls upon individuals engineering communities

corporates project sponsors and other related entities to enter

into a partnership to develop qualifying projects that result in

sustainable and profi table industries exploit the value-adding

opportunities of existing and new value chains and enable the

development of innovative local economies

Whatwho qualifi es

projects which enable the development of new industries

across multiple IDC focus sectors

introduce new markets and value chains or revolutionise

existing ones through the use of disruptive technologies

or new approaches

development impact and employment creation

across mandated IDC industrial sectors

SHIP wishes to ensure that the projects undertaken play a major

role in industrial development and employment creation within

the South African and SADC regions

Interested applicants are invited to submit their project

proposals online at

httpopeninnovationidccozaidc-ship-challenge between

project proposals will be informed in May regarding SHIP

wishing to partner with them in the development of the

proposed project

Please contact Bertie Strydom BertieSidccoza and

RetiefBidccoza for more information

Chillibush9119IDC

48 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

A D

aim

ler B

rand

You built the bridges the roads and the tunnels We built the carAs a member of the Engineering Council of South Africa you could qualify for exclusive offers a guaranteed 3-day service booking as well as PremiumDrive our 6 year100 000km maintenance plan To take advantage of this outstandingopportunity inform your nearest dealer of your ECSA status

Not in conjunction with other Mercedes-Benz Fleet ProgrammesOffers Excludes AMG and Limited Edition modelsVehicle specifications may vary for the South African market

Page 27: SAME Mar2013

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 27

POWER GENERATION NEWS

MTN has announced that it has entered into a com-mercial arrangement to sell its carbon credits to EDF Trading in an industry first The credits will be pro-duced by MTNrsquos tri-generation plant at 14th Avenue Of-fice Park in Fairland Johannesburg

EDF Trading is a whol-ly-owned subsidiary of Electriciteacute de France SA one of the largest compliance buyers covered by the European Union Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS)

The carbon credit project utilises a Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) meth-odology developed by MTN approved by the United Nations Framework Con-vention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) It is currently in the process of being registered with the UNFCCC Once registered MTN will sell the carbon credits from the project to EDF Trading

The project will make use of the MTN energy-efficient 2MW tri-generation plant at its Fairland office park Tri-generation is the concurrent production of electric-ity heating and cooling which provides

Carbon Credits power hot wa-ter space heat-

ing and cooling for air conditioning

from a single source

Egoli gas is used for the operation

sourced from the Sasol pipeline in Mozambique

The plant displaces grid electricity from Eskom

reducing greenhouse gas emissions and providing up to 85

efficiency on fuel The excess heat at some 400degC is captured

and used to supply heating and to operate an absorption chiller which creates cool water that is used to power an extensive air-conditioning system

Natural gas is clean burning and offers a consistent supply but simply using this to generate electricity would have been too expensive The saving achieved by capturing the waste heat combined with the additional revenue from the sale of the carbon credits however makes the project economically viablerdquo

Promethuim Robbie Louw Tel (011) 706-8185 Email Robbiepromethiumcozawwwpromethuimcoza

Countries across South East Asia Africa and the Middle East have been amending their regulatory frameworks and embarking on privatisation as many of them are in serious need of external fund-ing to ensure that their respective electricity industries are capable of dealing with the inevitable surge in demand The cumulative installed power capacity for these regions according to 2012 estimates will be 212 Gigawatts (GW) However this figure is expected to shoot up to 349 GW by 2020 climbing at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 64

Emerging Power Markets

Rising industrialisa-tion ever-increasing population figures and growing economies all point to an electrical future that most infra-structure systems are currently incapable of handling Therefore to achieve greater in-dustry efficiency and encourage competition governments across this region are opening up their electricity markets and increasing private sector participation The region will have to invest heavily in order to

increase its installed capacity and improve its existing infrastructure

Transmission networks in many of these countries are already under tremendous pressure to supply power without interruption and many new transmission projects are already underway or in the pipeline Therefore energy policy reforms are set to open the doors and create positive opportunities for growth in in the near future this according to Jonathan Cain of GBI Research

GBI ResearchJonathan Cain Tel +44 1204 543 533 Emailjcaingbiresearchcom wwwgbiresearchcom

28 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

POWER GENERATION NEWS

With Gensler Architects Aurecon has completed the design on the faccedilade of what will be Chinarsquos tallest building At 632m the Shanghai Centre is more than 100m taller than the recently-completed Shanghai Financial Centre and is designed as a sustainable eco-tower that sets a new benchmark not only for the region but also the world

Sustainable green features include tri-

Bioclimatic buildingGreywater recycling systems lo-cated at basement and at mid-level have been installed to collect greywater generated from lavatory or bathtub for reuse reducing potable water demand for the office tower by about 40

The ice storage system shifts part of the peak electricity demand of the chillers into the night modeoff peak operation Storage capacity is 26 400 Refrigerant Ton (RT) which reduces about 30 of the summit demand by about 3 through this ice cooling storage system and save up to the yearly energy cost for the user

A large volume water deluge system with rotational nozzles

installed at mid-level of the atria deliv-ers a large volume and accurate water spray onto fire with the assistance of Infra-red detection to lock the exact location and very early warning smoke detection apparatus system

A double curtain wall design provides better control on solar energy entering the tower building resulting in energy saving

Aerecon Group Jody Boshoff Tel (012) 427-2066 Email JodyBoshoffaurecongroupcomwwwaurecongroupcom

generation plant consisting of two sets of 11MW natural gas turbine generating electricity

chilled water hot water and heating water Simultaneous heat recovery of the hot flue gas produced from the tur-bines reduces carbon dioxide by 49 compared with the regular electrical cooling system

15 nos of 3kW vertical axis wind turbines (VAWTs) on the roof provide 157 500 kWh of clean and renewable electricity annually

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 29

Willem Sullivan of HansenA better artificial heart for people who are not eligible for natural heart transplants

Jean Schoeman of National Oilwell Varco My own jet aeroplane

Chris Coetzee of Resonant SolutionsThe problem in industry is practical engineering experience Young engineers donrsquot get the opportunity to learn the practical stuff Irsquod start an academy which teaches the practical side where you can learn from your mistakes Unfortunately mistakes cost money but if you have all the money in the world they can afford to learn from mistakes

In your book what is the most pivotal invention ever

Elbie Cornelius of National Oilwell Varco The computer

Chris Coetzee of Resonant SolutionsI canrsquot see how you can run a business without cellphones

Rudolph Beer of Martin EngineeringThe wheel

Willem Sullivan of HansenFor me personally Excel Without it my world will be dull and lifeless For the world at large Electricity because without it Excel will not be possible

Jean Schoeman of National Oilwell Varco The personal computer

OPINION

On his rounds Kowie Hamman our Editor is conducting an informal survey on the lighter side of engineering We follow up from last month with three pertinent questions

Soapbox

What do you think of computers and the digital world

Elbie Cornelius of National Oilwell Varco Awesome changing our world

Chris Coetzee of Resonant SolutionsNinety percent of all engineering is done using computers but if you rely solely on them yoursquove missed the plot because you always have to verify results by going back into the field to test what yoursquove done on the computer

Rudolph Beer of Martin EngineeringYou canrsquot do without them

Willem Sullivan of HansenIt is where I do all my design work So if it was not for computers we would be decades behind in terms of what we can do I absolutely love it

Greg Perry of SEWThey have definitely made things faster but the en-gineer still needs to understand the theory and pay attention to the detail or you make mistakes faster

Jean Schoeman of National Oilwell Varco Very useful until they give problems Then you just want to hit them with a hammer But the digital world has managed to speed up the communica-tion of information

If you had all the money in the world what would you design

Elbie Cornelius of National Oilwell Varco A solar and wind power station to supply the whole continent with electricity

Rudolph Beer of Martin EngineeringDevelop the safe harvesting of atomic energy

30 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

ldquoSA Mechanical Engineerrdquo speaks to Dave Goodman managing director of Spectra Car-bide Tooling Technology in Cape Town about the various management models they have

developed specifically to control tooling ldquoOur tool management systems were developed through our involvement with some of the major automotive OEMs in South Africardquo he says ldquoThe management system where we take over full control of the tool-ing facility on the premises has been running for twelve years now at some of these plants

Systems for allldquoBut these systems are not only for OEMs and

large operationsrdquo Dave remarks ldquoTo meet dif-ferent requirements we now have four levels of management systems on offer each requiring a different level of active involvement from our side This varies from purely holding stock to supply for a customerrsquos specific needs right through to taking over full control of tooling by having a permanent on-site office manned by fulltime Spectra staffrdquo

A typical level 4 operation with a Spectra team permanently stationed on the customerrsquos premises will be equipped with a fully-computerised store inventory system to control the purchasing of all tooling from spindle to point ldquoThe team will control all the new stock and used tools by negotiating and dealing with tier two suppliers as wellrdquo explains sales manager Wayne Williams ldquoThey are also responsible for presetting tools ready for produc-tion as well as collecting and delivering tools to and from the machines in addition to providing technical support 7 days a week 24 hours a day

BenefitsOne of the cost saving benefits for the customer is less administration because the Spectra team consolidates all invoices so the customer receives

Managing ToolingIn most machine shops the tooling is usually under lock and key to limit access to high-value tool inserts such as end-mills drills reamers and burrs Even so many companies suffer considerable losses as these costly tools get lost are pilfered or are misused because there isnrsquot a proper

management system in place over and above lock and key to control who takes what from the store

To meet different requirements we now have four levels of management on offer each requiring a different level of active involvement from our side

Managing machine tools saves money

Dave Goodman managing director of Spectra Carbide Tooling Technology

MATERIAL SELECTION

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 31

one invoice per month In addition the customer has a highly skilled specialist in-house on tap to provide technical assistance for all tooling drilling tapping milling boring gundrilling honing and line boring on CNC and conventional machines ldquoFrom the management system we can draw extensive reporting for the customer regarding the costs per unit manufactured We produce monthly graphs for trending as well as daily incident reports on tool breakages weekly costs on scrapped tools and we also work out action plans to reduce scrap and improve up-time of the machinesrdquo Wayne adds

In essence this value-add for the customer allows preventative action which ultimately saves the customer money Dave explains ldquoGiven the skills shortage out there no company can afford the personnel purely to manage the machine shop in so much detail With this system we not only fill the skills-gap by integrating with the company but we add value to the company so that they can focus on what they manufacturerdquo

New product developmentIntegration into the customersrsquo operation has proved particularly beneficial when it comes to new product developments Wayne elaborates ldquoWersquore always up to date with the latest technology in tooling and know what can be done in the best possible way Usually it will take a machine shop a while to select the right tooling and method to produce

a new part but with our experts right there on site they can be assured of finding the most suitable solution using the right tooling from the startrdquo

Vending systemOn a lower level of tool management where the operation does not justify a permanent Spectra team on site the company has a tooling vending machine solution ldquoAll the tooling is stored in a vending machine and access to draw the tools out of the machine is controlled by a card or finger-print readerrdquo explains Dave ldquoSuch a system does however have a reporting function which allows the customer to draw the machining cost against each specific job

ldquoThis system has proved popular in South Africa because it can be customised to control the specific functions relevant to each customerrdquo adds David ldquoPart and parcel of this cost-saving solution is training the customer on how best to utilise the system for his needs be it purely controlling the use of tooling or integrating reporting and costing into the business system of the companyrdquo

Wayne Williams Spectra Tel (011) 827-8957 Email waynewspectra-sacoza

From the management system we can draw extensive reporting for the customer regarding the costs per unit manufactured

Special carbide drills reamers end mills and special inserts are manufactured in South Africa

MATERIAL SELECTION

32 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 33

Cubitron can be used to finish profile and or polish materials with high tensile strengths and is particularly useful to extend the lifetime of belts and discs in industrial environments

where hard materials are the order of the dayrdquo

Consistent cutFinishes are little changed through the entire dura-tion of a Cubitron belt from new to completely worn out The secret is that the cutting edges wear in a controlled manner This means that the tiny indi-vidual scratches are the same when the belt is first

put on until it is worn and ready for replacement

ldquoThere are a multitude of cutting edges on each individual grain of the extremely hard ceramic based grain As the grain wears new cutting edges are exposed in a predictable and measured manner to ensure that a consistent action is applied to the surfacerdquo she adds

Using the same ceramic platform 3M developed Cubitron II providing even better results than its predecessor 3M engineers were able to electrostati-cally orient triangular precision shaped ceramic grain acting like a cutting tool This means that the grain slices through metal as opposed to grinding and continuously self-sharpens as points break off This results in discs and belts running cooler and longer The Cubitron II technology is applied in

Starting from Scratch

SURFACE FINISHING

ldquoTo scratch the surface as the saying goes of most modern materials and coatings is not as easy as it used to be Thatrsquos why we developed Cubitron Abrasive Grainrdquo says Kelly Hunt

sales and marketing manager of 3M

34 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

Scratccchingg thhe surfface of abrasivvves ttecchnnologgy is too oopen a compplex sccience

SURFACE FINISHING

belt fibre disc and Roloc form offer-ing a unique solution for wide range of grinding needs

Scratching the surfaceKelly is an abrasives fanatic She says scratching the surface of abrasives technology is to open a complex sci-ence Analysis of different materials and techniques of cutting or finishing has in recent years become a necessity as materials develop and advance Bonding of abrasive onto materials for discs and belts is also more complex than before as manufacturing becomes automated and the tolerance for down-time reduces

But for the average operator technician or engineer it is not so much a matter of what goes into the development of a product but rather finding the solution that suits the intended process The minimum requirement is for a product to perform reliably over an extended period of time and to produce the right finish

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 35

Sometimmess a less expeeensiive buuut mmooree suitaaablee abbrasssivee ccaan give bettterr reesulttss

SURFACE FINISHING

ldquoUsing the abrasives to determine a finish can be as simple or as com-plicated as the producer of finished goods chooses to make it With so many choices available in the market we recommend that industrial users iden-tify the requirements of the abrasive and then speak to trained service technicians from suppliers such as 3M

Not about priceldquoPrice is not always the determining factor Some-times a less expensive but more suitable abrasive can give better results and in other instances the use of cheaper materials in the wrong application may be costly as materials will need to be replaced more oftenrdquo

Kelly recommends that us-ers of industrial abrasives take the time to research new products and as-sess their suitability for their processes ldquoYoursquoll be surprised that some of the new abrasives can do the job better and in half the time than older technology abrasives canrdquo she concludes

3M Dylan Ian Hunter Tel (011) 806-2186 Email dhuntermmmcom www3Mcom

36 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

IT TRENDS

ldquo M o b i l e c o m p u t i n g

continues to grow and alongside other IT trends

such as cloud computing social technologies and the era of big data It is going to play a pivotal role in the IT industry this year In factrdquo Derick adds

Mobile Computing

Mobile computing is growing momentously and is set to account for as much as 57 of worldwide T market growth in 2013 says Derick Roberts CEO of TruTeq Devices a Pretoria-based

company focusing on wireless connectivity solutions

ldquoit is going to account for the lionrsquos share of growth ndash even more than the cloud computingrdquo

The IDC predicts that worldwide IT spending will exceed $21 trillion up 57 from 2012 The research company also states that mobility will be the biggest driver Sales of smart mobile devices including smart phones and tablets is expected to grow by 20 and will contribute a significant 57 of all IT growth Excluding smart mobile devices IT industry growth will clock in at only 29

Truteq Devices Derick Roberts Tel (012) 667-1530 wwwtruteqdevicescom

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 37

ELECTRIC DRIVE

The technology performance and design of the Cigarette powerboat is closely based on the electric super sports vehicle made in Affalterbach Germany

The 116 metre long Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept powerboat uses two drive units each featuring six independent electric motors At the rear of the boat each drive unit has its own trans-mission one on the left and one on the right The boat is fitted with the twelve compact liquid-cooled permanent-magnet synchronous electric motors which are the signature piece of the SLS AMG Coupeacute Electric Drive each electric motor delivers 138 kW and 250 Newton metres

The maximum output of 1 656 Kilowatts and maximum torque of 3 000 Newton metres combine to reach a staggering top speed of over 160 kmh making this locally emission-free Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept the worlds fastest electri-cally driven powerboat The low centre of gravity and optimum weight distribution ensure sublime

The Worlds Most Powerful Powerboat

handling characteristics during more dynamic changes of direction

The high-voltage battery boasts an energy content of 60 Kilowatt hours an electric load potential of 600 Kilowatts and a weight of 548 kg ndash all of which are absolute best values in the automotive sector The liquid-cooled lithium-ion high-voltage battery features a modular design with a maximum voltage of 400 V It consists of 12 modules each comprising 72 lithium-ion cells ldquoCigaretterdquo inte-grates four high-tech batteries with a total of 48 modules and 3 456 cells which generate a total capacity of 240 Kilowatt hours and an electric output of 2 400 Kilowatts respect even in the boat building industry

The Cigarette on-board chargers as standard Adapted to fit the infrastructure standard of many American marinas the boat has a charging capac-ity of 44 Kilowatts The battery is fully charged in approximately seven hours To reduce the charging time to less than three hours the powerboat can be fitted with four on-board chargers as an option

Mercedes-Benz Shirle Greig Tel (012) 677-1904 Email shirlegreigdaimlercom wwwmercedes-benzsacoza

Mercedes-AMG and Cigarette Racing launched the latest development of their cooperation at the Miami International Boat Show in February Numerous components from the SLS AMG Coupeacute Electric Drive have been integrated in the design of the Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept engineering design The high performance drive fitted in the electric super sports car makes the off shore powerboat the worlds most

powerful and fastest electrically-driven motor boat With an output of 1 656 Kilowatts and a maximum torque of 3 000 Newton metres the Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept is a fascinating new development

Combine to reach a staggering top speed of over 160 kmh

38 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

ENVIRONMENT

They have been in service for decades

under the toughest conditions ndash and

have proven themselves worldwide

Voith fluid couplings protect belt con-

veyors and drive components by provid-

ing smooth acceleration and torque

control allowing for frequent loaded

starts with the least amount of stress on

the drive and belt

In multi-motor drives they ensure pre-

cise load distribution Result fewer

downtimes ndash and the service life of the

belt and the drive components is in-

creased The latest product innovation is

the Voith TurboBelt 780 TPXL

infovtzavoithcom

wwwrsavoithturbocom

Protect Your Belt Conveyors with

Voith Fluid Couplings

ai_a

it_44

0_e

n ai

k

Water Disclosure ReportingJust as companies are addressing their carbon emissions and

provide carbon reporting to the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) water is becoming a growing priority

Reporting on it is becoming another critical sustainability issue

2011 saw a marked increase in the number of the worldrsquos largest companies reporting on their water usage on the risks that water presents and on their responses to

that risk Responses from these companies indicate that water is impacting global business now and yet water is not nearly as high on the corporate agenda as climate change

Evidence is mounting that South Africa is facing a water crisis of substantial proportions This crisis encompasses all aspects of water management on both the demand and supply side The mounting impacts of acid mine drainage and declining wa-ter quality add to the crisis South Africarsquos water security is likely to be further complicated by an increasingly uneven and unpredictable supply of rainfall as a result of climate change and by a reli-ance on significant water transfers from neighbour-

ing countries In meeting this crisis South Africa will have to resolve tough trade-offs in water use between agriculture key industrial activities such as mining and power generation and the supply to rapidly growing urban centres

Evidence is clearJSE 100 companies will need to show leadership in sustainably managing the water resources on which they rely for their day-to-day business operations The available evidence is clear It is not sustainable to continue exploiting water resources by follow-ing a lsquobusiness as usualrsquo approach If this is the case South Africarsquos freshwater resources will be depleted and unable to meet the needs of people and industry in the next 20 years if not before

In 2011 the response rate to the CDP Water Disclosure amongst South African companies was 46 (26 out of 56 companies) Many of South Africarsquos most significant corporate water users are therefore not yet able to or are not yet ready to report on their water-related risks

Promethuim Robbie Louw Tel (011) 706-8185 Email Robbiepromethiumcoza wwwpromethuimcoza

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 39

EXHIBITION

The Steel and Engineering Industries Federation (SEI-FSA) the Lifting Equipment Engineering Association

of SA (LEEASA) the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA) and the SA Institute of Welding (SAIW) have thrown their weight behind the biggest industrial and engineering trade show in Africa

The three-day 10-shows-in-one event takes place from 14 to 16 May 2013 at Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand Johannesburg

SEIFSA Conference at Indutec The Steel and Engineering Indus-tries Federation of South Africa (SEIFSA) will hold its annual conference at Indutec celebrating 70 years of active support for its members industry and business in Africa The federation has over 2 220 member companies which employ more than 224 000 people comprising 53 of the industryrsquos workforce

SAIW ldquoWe take our affiliations with leading industry players very seriously including our en-dorsement of Indutecrdquo says Jim Guild chief executive officer of the SA Institute of Welding ldquoThese industry ties form part of our strategy to create strong relationships which support our objective and Governmentrsquos mandate to enhance the manufacturing sector in South Africardquo

LEEASAThe Lifting Equipment Engineer-ing Association of South Africa (LEEASA) which is a division of the Chamber of Engineering Tech-

nology (COET) will also be using its endorsement of Indutec to promote its activities in the engineer-ing and technology sectors in general Chamber spokesperson Viv Nel says its exposure at the fair will create more awareness of the Chamberrsquos role in all engineering and technology-driven industries

ECSAIndustry regulator the Engineering Council of South Africa shares these aims ldquoAs a custodian of en-gineering intellectual capital in South Africa our endorsement of Indutec provides us with a platform to publicise our role in the engineering sector and government infrastructure initiativesrdquo says Edgar Sabela ECSArsquos Strategic Services Executive

ldquoWe need to produce 10 times more engineers to compete with developed economies Involvement with the Indutec show will allow us to promote engineering as a career through our Engenius Programme and showcase our existing engineer-ing excellence Most importantly it enables us to network with all key players in the field and even conclude some businessrdquo

Tenfold Benefits to ExhibitorsJohn Thomson managing director of Exhibition Management Services organisers of the 10-in-one Fair says the unqualified support from leading in-dustry bodies indicates the showrsquos tenfold value to the engineering industrial and technology sectors ldquoThis undoubtedly translates into multiple benefits for the showrsquos exhibitors and ultimately to show visitorsrdquo he concludes

Indutec Serean ThomsonTel (011) 783 7250 Email marketingexhibitionsafricacom wwwexhibitionsafricacom

Boosting the Manufacturing Sector32 of South Africarsquos leading industrial and engineering professional and employer associations Chambers and

Councils have collectively endorsed Indutec the recently launched South African Industry and Technology Fair 2013

Promech Publishing through SA Mechanical Engineer and Bulk Handling Today will produce and publish the Official Catalogue for this prestigious show

Make sure your presence is felt before during and after the show by advertising in this one-of-a-kind reference publication

Contact Mark Bennett Tel (011) 781-1401 Email samechengpromechcoza

Jim Guild CEO of the SA Institute of Welding

Edgar Sabela - ECSArsquos Strategic Services Executive

Adelia Pimentel - Marketing and Communications Manager SEIFSA

40 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

MARKET FORUM

ldquoBMG has identified a need in diverse sectors for on-site maintenance services to overcome production challengesrdquo says Dave Russell technical director BMG ldquoRecognising the extreme constraints of high energy prices low productivity the critical skills shortage and a highly competitive economic environment BMG brings a total solutions service to the fore

ldquoIndustry can now access all critical production efficient products and services from one supplier What this means is lower production costs and higher pro-duction efficiency giving South African industry a distinct competitive advantage

ldquoBMGrsquos on-site services include applica-

tion design evaluation and optimisation as well as installation trouble-shooting and service exchange contracts The company also offers predictive planned and breakdown maintenance and energy and reliability studiesrdquo

The company also offers extensive train-ing which covers electrical mechanical hydraulic pneumatic electronic and materials handling disciplines as well as predictive maintenance and component failure analysis

BMG ndash Bearing Man Group Veronique van Niekerk Tel (031) 576-6221Email veroniquevbmgworldnet wwwbmgworldnet

Tenova Takraf Africa (formerly Bateman Engineered Technologies) is putting the final pieces together in completing an order for the supply of a 55m x 275m hydraulically-driven SAG mill to Ontario Graphite operators of the Kearney Mine located in Kearney O n t a r i o Canada

ldquoTenovarsquos scope

Unique SAG Mill in Canada

ABB started with a bang following the order of 2 400 robots by BMW Group Over the next three years the robots will be installed at factories in Regensburg and Leipzig Germany as well as in Tiexi China The ABB robots will mainly be used for mate-rial handling tasks as well as gluing and spot welding processes

ABB robots enable customers to implement efficient manufacturing systems that sustainably produce high-quality products The com-panyrsquos range of products and solu-tions for lean manufacturing cover the range from body-in-white to the final assembly of complete car bodies They improve competitiveness and at the same time optimally comply with customer specifications ABB has installed more than 200 000 robots worldwide

ABB Robotics Natasha Mathebula Tel (010) 202-6156 Email natashamathebulazaabbcom wwwabbcom

2400

Robots

Total Solution

of work includes the engineering manufacturing shipping and technical assistance during erection of the SAG millrsquos feed end shell discharge end drive and main bearings as well as all supporting equipment (lubrication and jacking systems)rdquo says Tenova Takraf

engineer Pieter van der Walt ldquoThe main hydraulic motor and rubber

shell liners were outside our commercial scope of supply but inside our technical

scope of supplyrdquo he adds

The mill is a conventional SAG (semi-autogenous grinding) mill in all ways apart from its drive assem-bly and it is centre-driven

at the discharge end using a Haggluumlnds hydraulic motor and powerpack ldquoTo date this is the largest hydraulic motor installed on a SAG mill with 950kW of power torque of 1 200 kNm (start-up) and 650 kNm (operational) and speed of 1386 rpmrdquo adds Pieter

Since the mill had to be retrofitted to an existing foundation a number of adaptations were required to maintain the mill centreline as well as feed-end and discharge-end positions Certain additions were required to anchor the main motor torque arm

Tenova Takraf Pieter van der Walt Tel (011) 899-2372 Email pietervanderwaltbatemancom wwwtenovagroupcom

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 41

MARKET FORUM

World Record

The ADR plant at Kisladag Mine

FLSmidth designs and manufactures indirect heated carbon regeneration kilns and calciners from half a ton per day and larger These kilns and calciners can be fuel gas oil or electric and are skid mounted pre-wired and pre-piped The companyrsquos patented bellows kiln seal has proved effective in eliminating air ingress and process gas egress and can be retrofitted to kilns from other manufacturers FLSmidth holds the world record for the lowest emissions on a carbon plant

And at the companyrsquos Merrill Crowe plant capacities range from skid mounted 34 cubic metres per hour modular plants to full size 2 100 cubic metres per hour The range of supply for plants includes clarification filters de-aeration towers vacuum pumps zinc dust feeders lead nitrate feeders and zinc cones precipitate filter feed pumps filter pre-coat and body feed systems as well as precipitate filters used by refinery and smelting facilities to produce gold bullion

These plants incorporate proprietary zinc dustlead nitrate feeder and mix-ing cone system The company offers individual plant components and partial or complete plant equipment packages together with total plant design

FLSmidth Terence Osborn Tel (010) 210-4820

Magnet has extended its range of abrasive products to include 3Mrsquos new Cubitron II abrasive belts with enhanced grinding performance improved productivity and extended service life

ldquo3Mrsquos new technology has resulted in increased speed improved consistency and extended belt liferdquo says Brian How-arth MD Magnet ldquoThese new abrasive belts ensure up to 30 faster cutting on hard to grind metals like stainless steel nickel alloy and cobalt chrome They also divert heat from the workpiece and belt to the swarf which means cooler cutting This helps eliminate burnishing and minimises heat stress Cubitron II abrasive belts last up to four times longer than conventional ceramic aluminium oxide beltsrdquo

3M Abrasives Bradley Reddy Tel (031) 274 1050 Email bradleyrmagnetgroupcozawwwmagnetgroupcoza

4 x Longer

42 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

MARKET FORUM

X-Calibur is one of the latest product offerings from TAL and was specified to protect the concrete structure of the worldrsquos second longest cable-stayed bridge against corrosion throughout its design life

Stonecutters Bridge is a high level cable-stayed bridge which spans the Rambler Channel in Hong Kong connecting Nam Wam Kok Tsing Yi Island and Stonecut-ters Island Hong Kong is well known for its hot summer weather which is also humid and unstable Temperatures

Say No to Corrosionusually exceed 30oC during the day which coupled with high humidity can result in an extreme heat index

ldquoHot and humid environments have a great effect on the durability of concrete As a rule of thumb we say for every 10oC increase in temperature the possibility of corrosion induced damage to concrete is doubled Add humidity in a marine envi-ronment then protection of the structure is of paramount importancerdquo says Brian Davies CEO X-Calibur International In order to guard the bridge from corro-

sion X-Shield EpoxySeal CR was sup-plied to shield the prestressed concrete cable anchorages from the effects of the environment In addition X-Shield FlexCoat was used in various areas of the structure This provides corrosion protection to reinforced concrete from chloride and carbon dioxide

ldquoThe main challenge was compliance with the strict project specifications as the engineer wanted to ensure that protection would be provided throughout the design life of the structure X-Calibur

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 43

MARKET FORUM

had the products independently tested to prove compliance to all aspects of the specificationrdquo John adds

The materials were applied by spe-cialist painters who had been trained by X-Calibur ldquoMaterials were mixed and applied strictly in accordance with method statements supplied by X-Calibur to ensure working time and recoat windows were not exceededrdquo concludes John

TAL Andrew Dekker Tel (031) 579-2263 wwwtalcoza

Fluid conveyance and pumping solutions expert Incledon has supplied a large water supply line project in the Free State with a total of 4 km of Ultraflo pipes manufactured in-house by DPI Plastics - a leading manufacturer of water reticulation drainage and pipe-fitting systems in South Africa

DPI Plastics technical and product manager Renier Snyman points out that the companyrsquos range of Ultraflo pipes are manufactured from modified polyvinyl chloride (mPVC) which is specifically designed to provide similar tensile strength and greater resilience than standard PVC piping products ldquoThe Ultraflo range of pressure piping systems are ideally suited to bulk water supply projects due to the fact that mPVC is considerably more ductile than industry standard unplasticised polyvinyl chloride (uPVC)rdquo he explains

Renier notes that the ductility of the Ultraflo uPVC piping system ensures that

Large Water Supply Project

the pipes have exceptional resistance to crack propagation under pressure ldquoThe product being supplied to the water sup-ply line project is the 500 mm Ultraflo system which is the largest in the DPI Plastics range It boasts a pressure rat-ing of 12 bar with a design stress of up to 18MPa making it ideally suited as a large underground piping systemrdquo

According to Renier Ultraflo pipes offer environmental advantages too ldquoDue to its superior toughness the wall thick-ness of mPVC is less than that of uPVC This ensures that less materials are used during the manufacturing process which ultimately results in a lighter product that is easier to transport and install thereby minimising the carbon footprint of the piperdquo

DPI Plastics Martine Goodchild Tel (021) 957 5600 Email mgoodchilddpiplasticscozawwwdpiplasticscoza

Donrsquot Miss Out

Promech Publishing is putting the Visitorsrsquo Catalogue together for this Show

Contact Mark Bennett on Tel (011) 781-1401 or Email samechengpromechcoza

to book your space

44 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

MARKET FORUM

Displaying and discussing some of the Dodge housed bearings on offer to local industry and mining are (from left) Tony Patten of Specialised Bearings amp Transmission Peter Small-Shaw Wilecrsquos Product Manager Bearings and Frans Odendaal Wilecrsquos Technical Specialist Bearings

The Bearings division of Actom group company Wilec has formed a strategic alliance for the supply of Dodge housed bearings into southern Africa The partner-ship agreement with Johannesburg-based Specialised Bearings amp Transmission the local distributor for Dodge extends Wilecrsquos ability to satisfy the requirements of industry and mining in a diverse range of bearings applications

ldquoThe most exciting thing about our tie-up with Dodge is that housed bearings while already widely accepted in the US and other leading industrialised countries is a relatively new concept locally but one which offers advanced features to users compared with conventional plum-mer block arrangementsrdquo said Frans Odendaal Wilecrsquos Technical Specialist Bearings

ldquoDodge housed bearings are supplied pre-assembled and sealed so eliminating all risk of contamination during fitment The advanced sealing arrangement and unique adapter system guarantees longer

Strategic Alliance

life ndash up to six times that of a conven-tional plummer block Other cost-saving advantages are that they can be installed by a semi-skilled technician very quickly normally in less than 15 minutes and the need to measure pre- and post-reduction clearance is eliminatedrdquo

ldquoIt is a differentiated product and with it we are able to provide a bearing that is especially well suited to local conditions

and offers benefits that are of real value to customers A particularly important aspect to bear in mind is that the total cost of ownership of a Dodge bearing is significantly lower than that of the conventional product due to its greater reliability and durabilityrdquo

Wilec Frans Odendaal Tel (011) 629-9300 Email fransowileccoza

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 45

MARKET FORUM

Emis Sales 2002 part of Becker Min-ing South Africa supplies a wide range of electrical equipment up to 1 100 V for use in hazardous and non-hazardous areas in the mining petrochemical and surface industry sectors

New to the Emis range are Proloc pro-tection and control relays which are suitable for thermal overload protection of conveyors compressors crushers fan and pump motors as well as shuttle cars and flitting panels

ldquoThe stand-alone Emis ProLoc electronic protection and control relay system which has been designed for the optimum protection of motor and feeder circuits connected to outlet sockets has a wide choice of six user-selectable protection features to meet exact requirementsrdquo says Frikkie Quirk managing director Emis Sales 2002 ldquoAn important advan-tage of this system is a door mounted infra-red link that enables a laptop with Proloc software to manage all settings

and downloads without having to open the panel door and expose personnel to dangerous live equipment This is a critical requirement in the OHSA actrdquo

This system is easy to set up via the Proloc MMI 420 display man-to-machine interface or via a laptop with Proloc software

Emis Sales 2002 Tel (016) 341-6134 Email infozabecker-miningcom wwwzabecker-miningcom

Optimum Protection

Birkenmayer a material processing systems supplier in South Africa and local supplier of German-engineered Eirich material processing technology recently released the Evactherm drier a new product that marries the advantages

Superheated Vacuum Steam

of mechanical and thermo dynamical processes to provide cost-effective and highly efficient drying and processing of filter cake and sludgersquos using superheated vacuum steam

Until now it has been important to observe

a maximum middle temperature when applying direct drying to heat sensitive materials and even more important to avoid the excessive local and boundary temperatures that frequently damage the drying product Both heat and ma-terial transport need to be considered and while convective drying processes such as spray drying largely avoid these problems they are only effective if a surface is available for the hot gas flow

Adjustable for both direct and convec-tive drying and processing Evactherm driers overcome these obstacles while providing a number of further benefits

Super-heated vacuum steam performs drying and granulation while the com-bination of mechanical and thermo dynamical processes allows for low dry-ing temperatures and gentle processing of temperature sensitive materials It also enables continuous drying for long periods of time as fresh material may be continuously added into the fluidized bed replacing material that has already been vaporised

H Birkenmayer Louis Eksteen Tel (011) 970 3880-8 Email louisbirkenmayercozawwwbirkenmayercoza

The Evactherm drier

Proloc protection and control relays

46 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

The Eastern Capersquos Coega Industrial Development Zone (IDZ) is one of a number of industrial regions in South Africa to benefit from Air Products South Africarsquos strategy of long-term capital investment

A region which has long been under-served when it comes to reliable gas supply the Eastern Cape will soon have

A Long-term Viewits own air separation unit (ASU) ndash the first of its kind in the province Seelan Gounden GM supply chain at AirProd-ucts explains the reasons behind the companyrsquos latest investment

ldquoCurrently there is no local industrial gas supply in this area and cryogenic gases have to be procured elsewhere This situation compromises the service

MARKET FORUM

ART Solar specialists in the manufacture of solar photovoltaic (PV) modules for the sustainable generation of electrical power has made the following appointment an-nouncementsMark Walsh as managing director Dr Ronald FM Lange as chief operating officer Robert Ramshaw as financial manager and Gavin Rosslee as production manager

Gavin RossleeRobert RamshawMark Walsh

Jeanne Els has been appointed as Hatchrsquos Managing Director of Operations

Jeanne Els

Ronald Lange

Anton Theunissen

SKF South Africa recently appointed Anton Theunissen as Distributor De-velpoment Manager for South Africa and neighbouring coun-tries

Index to Advertisers

Axiom 12

Bearings International 36

Bibby Turboflex 28

Bonfiglioli 10

Engen 34

Festo 35

Hansen 44

Horne SA 29

IDC Inside Back Cover

ILS 32

KDP Services 22

Loesche 31

Polysius 4

PPS 11 29

Mercedes Outside Back Cover

Merseta Inside Front Cover

MIEO Outside Front Cover

Transmission Components 14

Voith 38

Yellotec 16 17

delivery to our existing customers who have to depend on product being trucked over vast distances Thus we identified the Eastern Cape as a key priority invest-ment destination with a clear need for a new air separation facility dedicated to servicing the region We chose the Coega IDZ after careful market analysis We are pleased to be able to be a part of the growth and development of the region through providing a long-needed security of supply and value-added servicerdquo

Ayanda Vilakazi head of Marketing and Communications at the Coega IDZ adds ldquoThe viability of the new ASU is indis-putable It will mean not only security of gas supply to the region benefiting the many industries here but it also means job security for other investors jobs along the value chain and scope for training and human resource develop-ment as well as enhanced Corporate Social Investment initiativesrdquo

Seelan Gounden AirProducts wwwairproductssouthafricacoza

Left to right Chris Mashigo Executive Man-ager - Business Development Coega Develop-ment Corporation Themba Khoza Executive Manager ndash Operations Coega Development Corporation Seelan Gounden GM - Supply Chain Air Products Pierre Fourie Area Sales Manager ndash Eastern Cape Air Products signed the lease agreement between the CDC and Air Products South Africa

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 47To apply online for funding of R1 million or more go to wwwidccoza

Telephone 086 069 3888Email callcentreidccoza

Driving new market innovationsThe IDC supports high-impact job creation projects acting as a

catalyst to lead new sector development and support existing

industry and sector growth in alignment with governmentrsquos

New Growth Path (NGP) National Development Plan (NDP)

and Industrial Policy Action Plan (IPAP)

The IDC Strategic High Impact Projects (SHIP) Strategic Business

Unit in partnership with the IDC Innovation Department has

launched an Open Innovation Challenge to encourage the

development and implementation of sustainable high-impact

industrial initiatives and projects

The IDC calls upon individuals engineering communities

corporates project sponsors and other related entities to enter

into a partnership to develop qualifying projects that result in

sustainable and profi table industries exploit the value-adding

opportunities of existing and new value chains and enable the

development of innovative local economies

Whatwho qualifi es

projects which enable the development of new industries

across multiple IDC focus sectors

introduce new markets and value chains or revolutionise

existing ones through the use of disruptive technologies

or new approaches

development impact and employment creation

across mandated IDC industrial sectors

SHIP wishes to ensure that the projects undertaken play a major

role in industrial development and employment creation within

the South African and SADC regions

Interested applicants are invited to submit their project

proposals online at

httpopeninnovationidccozaidc-ship-challenge between

project proposals will be informed in May regarding SHIP

wishing to partner with them in the development of the

proposed project

Please contact Bertie Strydom BertieSidccoza and

RetiefBidccoza for more information

Chillibush9119IDC

48 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

A D

aim

ler B

rand

You built the bridges the roads and the tunnels We built the carAs a member of the Engineering Council of South Africa you could qualify for exclusive offers a guaranteed 3-day service booking as well as PremiumDrive our 6 year100 000km maintenance plan To take advantage of this outstandingopportunity inform your nearest dealer of your ECSA status

Not in conjunction with other Mercedes-Benz Fleet ProgrammesOffers Excludes AMG and Limited Edition modelsVehicle specifications may vary for the South African market

Page 28: SAME Mar2013

28 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

POWER GENERATION NEWS

With Gensler Architects Aurecon has completed the design on the faccedilade of what will be Chinarsquos tallest building At 632m the Shanghai Centre is more than 100m taller than the recently-completed Shanghai Financial Centre and is designed as a sustainable eco-tower that sets a new benchmark not only for the region but also the world

Sustainable green features include tri-

Bioclimatic buildingGreywater recycling systems lo-cated at basement and at mid-level have been installed to collect greywater generated from lavatory or bathtub for reuse reducing potable water demand for the office tower by about 40

The ice storage system shifts part of the peak electricity demand of the chillers into the night modeoff peak operation Storage capacity is 26 400 Refrigerant Ton (RT) which reduces about 30 of the summit demand by about 3 through this ice cooling storage system and save up to the yearly energy cost for the user

A large volume water deluge system with rotational nozzles

installed at mid-level of the atria deliv-ers a large volume and accurate water spray onto fire with the assistance of Infra-red detection to lock the exact location and very early warning smoke detection apparatus system

A double curtain wall design provides better control on solar energy entering the tower building resulting in energy saving

Aerecon Group Jody Boshoff Tel (012) 427-2066 Email JodyBoshoffaurecongroupcomwwwaurecongroupcom

generation plant consisting of two sets of 11MW natural gas turbine generating electricity

chilled water hot water and heating water Simultaneous heat recovery of the hot flue gas produced from the tur-bines reduces carbon dioxide by 49 compared with the regular electrical cooling system

15 nos of 3kW vertical axis wind turbines (VAWTs) on the roof provide 157 500 kWh of clean and renewable electricity annually

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 29

Willem Sullivan of HansenA better artificial heart for people who are not eligible for natural heart transplants

Jean Schoeman of National Oilwell Varco My own jet aeroplane

Chris Coetzee of Resonant SolutionsThe problem in industry is practical engineering experience Young engineers donrsquot get the opportunity to learn the practical stuff Irsquod start an academy which teaches the practical side where you can learn from your mistakes Unfortunately mistakes cost money but if you have all the money in the world they can afford to learn from mistakes

In your book what is the most pivotal invention ever

Elbie Cornelius of National Oilwell Varco The computer

Chris Coetzee of Resonant SolutionsI canrsquot see how you can run a business without cellphones

Rudolph Beer of Martin EngineeringThe wheel

Willem Sullivan of HansenFor me personally Excel Without it my world will be dull and lifeless For the world at large Electricity because without it Excel will not be possible

Jean Schoeman of National Oilwell Varco The personal computer

OPINION

On his rounds Kowie Hamman our Editor is conducting an informal survey on the lighter side of engineering We follow up from last month with three pertinent questions

Soapbox

What do you think of computers and the digital world

Elbie Cornelius of National Oilwell Varco Awesome changing our world

Chris Coetzee of Resonant SolutionsNinety percent of all engineering is done using computers but if you rely solely on them yoursquove missed the plot because you always have to verify results by going back into the field to test what yoursquove done on the computer

Rudolph Beer of Martin EngineeringYou canrsquot do without them

Willem Sullivan of HansenIt is where I do all my design work So if it was not for computers we would be decades behind in terms of what we can do I absolutely love it

Greg Perry of SEWThey have definitely made things faster but the en-gineer still needs to understand the theory and pay attention to the detail or you make mistakes faster

Jean Schoeman of National Oilwell Varco Very useful until they give problems Then you just want to hit them with a hammer But the digital world has managed to speed up the communica-tion of information

If you had all the money in the world what would you design

Elbie Cornelius of National Oilwell Varco A solar and wind power station to supply the whole continent with electricity

Rudolph Beer of Martin EngineeringDevelop the safe harvesting of atomic energy

30 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

ldquoSA Mechanical Engineerrdquo speaks to Dave Goodman managing director of Spectra Car-bide Tooling Technology in Cape Town about the various management models they have

developed specifically to control tooling ldquoOur tool management systems were developed through our involvement with some of the major automotive OEMs in South Africardquo he says ldquoThe management system where we take over full control of the tool-ing facility on the premises has been running for twelve years now at some of these plants

Systems for allldquoBut these systems are not only for OEMs and

large operationsrdquo Dave remarks ldquoTo meet dif-ferent requirements we now have four levels of management systems on offer each requiring a different level of active involvement from our side This varies from purely holding stock to supply for a customerrsquos specific needs right through to taking over full control of tooling by having a permanent on-site office manned by fulltime Spectra staffrdquo

A typical level 4 operation with a Spectra team permanently stationed on the customerrsquos premises will be equipped with a fully-computerised store inventory system to control the purchasing of all tooling from spindle to point ldquoThe team will control all the new stock and used tools by negotiating and dealing with tier two suppliers as wellrdquo explains sales manager Wayne Williams ldquoThey are also responsible for presetting tools ready for produc-tion as well as collecting and delivering tools to and from the machines in addition to providing technical support 7 days a week 24 hours a day

BenefitsOne of the cost saving benefits for the customer is less administration because the Spectra team consolidates all invoices so the customer receives

Managing ToolingIn most machine shops the tooling is usually under lock and key to limit access to high-value tool inserts such as end-mills drills reamers and burrs Even so many companies suffer considerable losses as these costly tools get lost are pilfered or are misused because there isnrsquot a proper

management system in place over and above lock and key to control who takes what from the store

To meet different requirements we now have four levels of management on offer each requiring a different level of active involvement from our side

Managing machine tools saves money

Dave Goodman managing director of Spectra Carbide Tooling Technology

MATERIAL SELECTION

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 31

one invoice per month In addition the customer has a highly skilled specialist in-house on tap to provide technical assistance for all tooling drilling tapping milling boring gundrilling honing and line boring on CNC and conventional machines ldquoFrom the management system we can draw extensive reporting for the customer regarding the costs per unit manufactured We produce monthly graphs for trending as well as daily incident reports on tool breakages weekly costs on scrapped tools and we also work out action plans to reduce scrap and improve up-time of the machinesrdquo Wayne adds

In essence this value-add for the customer allows preventative action which ultimately saves the customer money Dave explains ldquoGiven the skills shortage out there no company can afford the personnel purely to manage the machine shop in so much detail With this system we not only fill the skills-gap by integrating with the company but we add value to the company so that they can focus on what they manufacturerdquo

New product developmentIntegration into the customersrsquo operation has proved particularly beneficial when it comes to new product developments Wayne elaborates ldquoWersquore always up to date with the latest technology in tooling and know what can be done in the best possible way Usually it will take a machine shop a while to select the right tooling and method to produce

a new part but with our experts right there on site they can be assured of finding the most suitable solution using the right tooling from the startrdquo

Vending systemOn a lower level of tool management where the operation does not justify a permanent Spectra team on site the company has a tooling vending machine solution ldquoAll the tooling is stored in a vending machine and access to draw the tools out of the machine is controlled by a card or finger-print readerrdquo explains Dave ldquoSuch a system does however have a reporting function which allows the customer to draw the machining cost against each specific job

ldquoThis system has proved popular in South Africa because it can be customised to control the specific functions relevant to each customerrdquo adds David ldquoPart and parcel of this cost-saving solution is training the customer on how best to utilise the system for his needs be it purely controlling the use of tooling or integrating reporting and costing into the business system of the companyrdquo

Wayne Williams Spectra Tel (011) 827-8957 Email waynewspectra-sacoza

From the management system we can draw extensive reporting for the customer regarding the costs per unit manufactured

Special carbide drills reamers end mills and special inserts are manufactured in South Africa

MATERIAL SELECTION

32 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 33

Cubitron can be used to finish profile and or polish materials with high tensile strengths and is particularly useful to extend the lifetime of belts and discs in industrial environments

where hard materials are the order of the dayrdquo

Consistent cutFinishes are little changed through the entire dura-tion of a Cubitron belt from new to completely worn out The secret is that the cutting edges wear in a controlled manner This means that the tiny indi-vidual scratches are the same when the belt is first

put on until it is worn and ready for replacement

ldquoThere are a multitude of cutting edges on each individual grain of the extremely hard ceramic based grain As the grain wears new cutting edges are exposed in a predictable and measured manner to ensure that a consistent action is applied to the surfacerdquo she adds

Using the same ceramic platform 3M developed Cubitron II providing even better results than its predecessor 3M engineers were able to electrostati-cally orient triangular precision shaped ceramic grain acting like a cutting tool This means that the grain slices through metal as opposed to grinding and continuously self-sharpens as points break off This results in discs and belts running cooler and longer The Cubitron II technology is applied in

Starting from Scratch

SURFACE FINISHING

ldquoTo scratch the surface as the saying goes of most modern materials and coatings is not as easy as it used to be Thatrsquos why we developed Cubitron Abrasive Grainrdquo says Kelly Hunt

sales and marketing manager of 3M

34 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

Scratccchingg thhe surfface of abrasivvves ttecchnnologgy is too oopen a compplex sccience

SURFACE FINISHING

belt fibre disc and Roloc form offer-ing a unique solution for wide range of grinding needs

Scratching the surfaceKelly is an abrasives fanatic She says scratching the surface of abrasives technology is to open a complex sci-ence Analysis of different materials and techniques of cutting or finishing has in recent years become a necessity as materials develop and advance Bonding of abrasive onto materials for discs and belts is also more complex than before as manufacturing becomes automated and the tolerance for down-time reduces

But for the average operator technician or engineer it is not so much a matter of what goes into the development of a product but rather finding the solution that suits the intended process The minimum requirement is for a product to perform reliably over an extended period of time and to produce the right finish

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 35

Sometimmess a less expeeensiive buuut mmooree suitaaablee abbrasssivee ccaan give bettterr reesulttss

SURFACE FINISHING

ldquoUsing the abrasives to determine a finish can be as simple or as com-plicated as the producer of finished goods chooses to make it With so many choices available in the market we recommend that industrial users iden-tify the requirements of the abrasive and then speak to trained service technicians from suppliers such as 3M

Not about priceldquoPrice is not always the determining factor Some-times a less expensive but more suitable abrasive can give better results and in other instances the use of cheaper materials in the wrong application may be costly as materials will need to be replaced more oftenrdquo

Kelly recommends that us-ers of industrial abrasives take the time to research new products and as-sess their suitability for their processes ldquoYoursquoll be surprised that some of the new abrasives can do the job better and in half the time than older technology abrasives canrdquo she concludes

3M Dylan Ian Hunter Tel (011) 806-2186 Email dhuntermmmcom www3Mcom

36 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

IT TRENDS

ldquo M o b i l e c o m p u t i n g

continues to grow and alongside other IT trends

such as cloud computing social technologies and the era of big data It is going to play a pivotal role in the IT industry this year In factrdquo Derick adds

Mobile Computing

Mobile computing is growing momentously and is set to account for as much as 57 of worldwide T market growth in 2013 says Derick Roberts CEO of TruTeq Devices a Pretoria-based

company focusing on wireless connectivity solutions

ldquoit is going to account for the lionrsquos share of growth ndash even more than the cloud computingrdquo

The IDC predicts that worldwide IT spending will exceed $21 trillion up 57 from 2012 The research company also states that mobility will be the biggest driver Sales of smart mobile devices including smart phones and tablets is expected to grow by 20 and will contribute a significant 57 of all IT growth Excluding smart mobile devices IT industry growth will clock in at only 29

Truteq Devices Derick Roberts Tel (012) 667-1530 wwwtruteqdevicescom

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 37

ELECTRIC DRIVE

The technology performance and design of the Cigarette powerboat is closely based on the electric super sports vehicle made in Affalterbach Germany

The 116 metre long Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept powerboat uses two drive units each featuring six independent electric motors At the rear of the boat each drive unit has its own trans-mission one on the left and one on the right The boat is fitted with the twelve compact liquid-cooled permanent-magnet synchronous electric motors which are the signature piece of the SLS AMG Coupeacute Electric Drive each electric motor delivers 138 kW and 250 Newton metres

The maximum output of 1 656 Kilowatts and maximum torque of 3 000 Newton metres combine to reach a staggering top speed of over 160 kmh making this locally emission-free Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept the worlds fastest electri-cally driven powerboat The low centre of gravity and optimum weight distribution ensure sublime

The Worlds Most Powerful Powerboat

handling characteristics during more dynamic changes of direction

The high-voltage battery boasts an energy content of 60 Kilowatt hours an electric load potential of 600 Kilowatts and a weight of 548 kg ndash all of which are absolute best values in the automotive sector The liquid-cooled lithium-ion high-voltage battery features a modular design with a maximum voltage of 400 V It consists of 12 modules each comprising 72 lithium-ion cells ldquoCigaretterdquo inte-grates four high-tech batteries with a total of 48 modules and 3 456 cells which generate a total capacity of 240 Kilowatt hours and an electric output of 2 400 Kilowatts respect even in the boat building industry

The Cigarette on-board chargers as standard Adapted to fit the infrastructure standard of many American marinas the boat has a charging capac-ity of 44 Kilowatts The battery is fully charged in approximately seven hours To reduce the charging time to less than three hours the powerboat can be fitted with four on-board chargers as an option

Mercedes-Benz Shirle Greig Tel (012) 677-1904 Email shirlegreigdaimlercom wwwmercedes-benzsacoza

Mercedes-AMG and Cigarette Racing launched the latest development of their cooperation at the Miami International Boat Show in February Numerous components from the SLS AMG Coupeacute Electric Drive have been integrated in the design of the Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept engineering design The high performance drive fitted in the electric super sports car makes the off shore powerboat the worlds most

powerful and fastest electrically-driven motor boat With an output of 1 656 Kilowatts and a maximum torque of 3 000 Newton metres the Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept is a fascinating new development

Combine to reach a staggering top speed of over 160 kmh

38 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

ENVIRONMENT

They have been in service for decades

under the toughest conditions ndash and

have proven themselves worldwide

Voith fluid couplings protect belt con-

veyors and drive components by provid-

ing smooth acceleration and torque

control allowing for frequent loaded

starts with the least amount of stress on

the drive and belt

In multi-motor drives they ensure pre-

cise load distribution Result fewer

downtimes ndash and the service life of the

belt and the drive components is in-

creased The latest product innovation is

the Voith TurboBelt 780 TPXL

infovtzavoithcom

wwwrsavoithturbocom

Protect Your Belt Conveyors with

Voith Fluid Couplings

ai_a

it_44

0_e

n ai

k

Water Disclosure ReportingJust as companies are addressing their carbon emissions and

provide carbon reporting to the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) water is becoming a growing priority

Reporting on it is becoming another critical sustainability issue

2011 saw a marked increase in the number of the worldrsquos largest companies reporting on their water usage on the risks that water presents and on their responses to

that risk Responses from these companies indicate that water is impacting global business now and yet water is not nearly as high on the corporate agenda as climate change

Evidence is mounting that South Africa is facing a water crisis of substantial proportions This crisis encompasses all aspects of water management on both the demand and supply side The mounting impacts of acid mine drainage and declining wa-ter quality add to the crisis South Africarsquos water security is likely to be further complicated by an increasingly uneven and unpredictable supply of rainfall as a result of climate change and by a reli-ance on significant water transfers from neighbour-

ing countries In meeting this crisis South Africa will have to resolve tough trade-offs in water use between agriculture key industrial activities such as mining and power generation and the supply to rapidly growing urban centres

Evidence is clearJSE 100 companies will need to show leadership in sustainably managing the water resources on which they rely for their day-to-day business operations The available evidence is clear It is not sustainable to continue exploiting water resources by follow-ing a lsquobusiness as usualrsquo approach If this is the case South Africarsquos freshwater resources will be depleted and unable to meet the needs of people and industry in the next 20 years if not before

In 2011 the response rate to the CDP Water Disclosure amongst South African companies was 46 (26 out of 56 companies) Many of South Africarsquos most significant corporate water users are therefore not yet able to or are not yet ready to report on their water-related risks

Promethuim Robbie Louw Tel (011) 706-8185 Email Robbiepromethiumcoza wwwpromethuimcoza

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 39

EXHIBITION

The Steel and Engineering Industries Federation (SEI-FSA) the Lifting Equipment Engineering Association

of SA (LEEASA) the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA) and the SA Institute of Welding (SAIW) have thrown their weight behind the biggest industrial and engineering trade show in Africa

The three-day 10-shows-in-one event takes place from 14 to 16 May 2013 at Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand Johannesburg

SEIFSA Conference at Indutec The Steel and Engineering Indus-tries Federation of South Africa (SEIFSA) will hold its annual conference at Indutec celebrating 70 years of active support for its members industry and business in Africa The federation has over 2 220 member companies which employ more than 224 000 people comprising 53 of the industryrsquos workforce

SAIW ldquoWe take our affiliations with leading industry players very seriously including our en-dorsement of Indutecrdquo says Jim Guild chief executive officer of the SA Institute of Welding ldquoThese industry ties form part of our strategy to create strong relationships which support our objective and Governmentrsquos mandate to enhance the manufacturing sector in South Africardquo

LEEASAThe Lifting Equipment Engineer-ing Association of South Africa (LEEASA) which is a division of the Chamber of Engineering Tech-

nology (COET) will also be using its endorsement of Indutec to promote its activities in the engineer-ing and technology sectors in general Chamber spokesperson Viv Nel says its exposure at the fair will create more awareness of the Chamberrsquos role in all engineering and technology-driven industries

ECSAIndustry regulator the Engineering Council of South Africa shares these aims ldquoAs a custodian of en-gineering intellectual capital in South Africa our endorsement of Indutec provides us with a platform to publicise our role in the engineering sector and government infrastructure initiativesrdquo says Edgar Sabela ECSArsquos Strategic Services Executive

ldquoWe need to produce 10 times more engineers to compete with developed economies Involvement with the Indutec show will allow us to promote engineering as a career through our Engenius Programme and showcase our existing engineer-ing excellence Most importantly it enables us to network with all key players in the field and even conclude some businessrdquo

Tenfold Benefits to ExhibitorsJohn Thomson managing director of Exhibition Management Services organisers of the 10-in-one Fair says the unqualified support from leading in-dustry bodies indicates the showrsquos tenfold value to the engineering industrial and technology sectors ldquoThis undoubtedly translates into multiple benefits for the showrsquos exhibitors and ultimately to show visitorsrdquo he concludes

Indutec Serean ThomsonTel (011) 783 7250 Email marketingexhibitionsafricacom wwwexhibitionsafricacom

Boosting the Manufacturing Sector32 of South Africarsquos leading industrial and engineering professional and employer associations Chambers and

Councils have collectively endorsed Indutec the recently launched South African Industry and Technology Fair 2013

Promech Publishing through SA Mechanical Engineer and Bulk Handling Today will produce and publish the Official Catalogue for this prestigious show

Make sure your presence is felt before during and after the show by advertising in this one-of-a-kind reference publication

Contact Mark Bennett Tel (011) 781-1401 Email samechengpromechcoza

Jim Guild CEO of the SA Institute of Welding

Edgar Sabela - ECSArsquos Strategic Services Executive

Adelia Pimentel - Marketing and Communications Manager SEIFSA

40 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

MARKET FORUM

ldquoBMG has identified a need in diverse sectors for on-site maintenance services to overcome production challengesrdquo says Dave Russell technical director BMG ldquoRecognising the extreme constraints of high energy prices low productivity the critical skills shortage and a highly competitive economic environment BMG brings a total solutions service to the fore

ldquoIndustry can now access all critical production efficient products and services from one supplier What this means is lower production costs and higher pro-duction efficiency giving South African industry a distinct competitive advantage

ldquoBMGrsquos on-site services include applica-

tion design evaluation and optimisation as well as installation trouble-shooting and service exchange contracts The company also offers predictive planned and breakdown maintenance and energy and reliability studiesrdquo

The company also offers extensive train-ing which covers electrical mechanical hydraulic pneumatic electronic and materials handling disciplines as well as predictive maintenance and component failure analysis

BMG ndash Bearing Man Group Veronique van Niekerk Tel (031) 576-6221Email veroniquevbmgworldnet wwwbmgworldnet

Tenova Takraf Africa (formerly Bateman Engineered Technologies) is putting the final pieces together in completing an order for the supply of a 55m x 275m hydraulically-driven SAG mill to Ontario Graphite operators of the Kearney Mine located in Kearney O n t a r i o Canada

ldquoTenovarsquos scope

Unique SAG Mill in Canada

ABB started with a bang following the order of 2 400 robots by BMW Group Over the next three years the robots will be installed at factories in Regensburg and Leipzig Germany as well as in Tiexi China The ABB robots will mainly be used for mate-rial handling tasks as well as gluing and spot welding processes

ABB robots enable customers to implement efficient manufacturing systems that sustainably produce high-quality products The com-panyrsquos range of products and solu-tions for lean manufacturing cover the range from body-in-white to the final assembly of complete car bodies They improve competitiveness and at the same time optimally comply with customer specifications ABB has installed more than 200 000 robots worldwide

ABB Robotics Natasha Mathebula Tel (010) 202-6156 Email natashamathebulazaabbcom wwwabbcom

2400

Robots

Total Solution

of work includes the engineering manufacturing shipping and technical assistance during erection of the SAG millrsquos feed end shell discharge end drive and main bearings as well as all supporting equipment (lubrication and jacking systems)rdquo says Tenova Takraf

engineer Pieter van der Walt ldquoThe main hydraulic motor and rubber

shell liners were outside our commercial scope of supply but inside our technical

scope of supplyrdquo he adds

The mill is a conventional SAG (semi-autogenous grinding) mill in all ways apart from its drive assem-bly and it is centre-driven

at the discharge end using a Haggluumlnds hydraulic motor and powerpack ldquoTo date this is the largest hydraulic motor installed on a SAG mill with 950kW of power torque of 1 200 kNm (start-up) and 650 kNm (operational) and speed of 1386 rpmrdquo adds Pieter

Since the mill had to be retrofitted to an existing foundation a number of adaptations were required to maintain the mill centreline as well as feed-end and discharge-end positions Certain additions were required to anchor the main motor torque arm

Tenova Takraf Pieter van der Walt Tel (011) 899-2372 Email pietervanderwaltbatemancom wwwtenovagroupcom

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 41

MARKET FORUM

World Record

The ADR plant at Kisladag Mine

FLSmidth designs and manufactures indirect heated carbon regeneration kilns and calciners from half a ton per day and larger These kilns and calciners can be fuel gas oil or electric and are skid mounted pre-wired and pre-piped The companyrsquos patented bellows kiln seal has proved effective in eliminating air ingress and process gas egress and can be retrofitted to kilns from other manufacturers FLSmidth holds the world record for the lowest emissions on a carbon plant

And at the companyrsquos Merrill Crowe plant capacities range from skid mounted 34 cubic metres per hour modular plants to full size 2 100 cubic metres per hour The range of supply for plants includes clarification filters de-aeration towers vacuum pumps zinc dust feeders lead nitrate feeders and zinc cones precipitate filter feed pumps filter pre-coat and body feed systems as well as precipitate filters used by refinery and smelting facilities to produce gold bullion

These plants incorporate proprietary zinc dustlead nitrate feeder and mix-ing cone system The company offers individual plant components and partial or complete plant equipment packages together with total plant design

FLSmidth Terence Osborn Tel (010) 210-4820

Magnet has extended its range of abrasive products to include 3Mrsquos new Cubitron II abrasive belts with enhanced grinding performance improved productivity and extended service life

ldquo3Mrsquos new technology has resulted in increased speed improved consistency and extended belt liferdquo says Brian How-arth MD Magnet ldquoThese new abrasive belts ensure up to 30 faster cutting on hard to grind metals like stainless steel nickel alloy and cobalt chrome They also divert heat from the workpiece and belt to the swarf which means cooler cutting This helps eliminate burnishing and minimises heat stress Cubitron II abrasive belts last up to four times longer than conventional ceramic aluminium oxide beltsrdquo

3M Abrasives Bradley Reddy Tel (031) 274 1050 Email bradleyrmagnetgroupcozawwwmagnetgroupcoza

4 x Longer

42 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

MARKET FORUM

X-Calibur is one of the latest product offerings from TAL and was specified to protect the concrete structure of the worldrsquos second longest cable-stayed bridge against corrosion throughout its design life

Stonecutters Bridge is a high level cable-stayed bridge which spans the Rambler Channel in Hong Kong connecting Nam Wam Kok Tsing Yi Island and Stonecut-ters Island Hong Kong is well known for its hot summer weather which is also humid and unstable Temperatures

Say No to Corrosionusually exceed 30oC during the day which coupled with high humidity can result in an extreme heat index

ldquoHot and humid environments have a great effect on the durability of concrete As a rule of thumb we say for every 10oC increase in temperature the possibility of corrosion induced damage to concrete is doubled Add humidity in a marine envi-ronment then protection of the structure is of paramount importancerdquo says Brian Davies CEO X-Calibur International In order to guard the bridge from corro-

sion X-Shield EpoxySeal CR was sup-plied to shield the prestressed concrete cable anchorages from the effects of the environment In addition X-Shield FlexCoat was used in various areas of the structure This provides corrosion protection to reinforced concrete from chloride and carbon dioxide

ldquoThe main challenge was compliance with the strict project specifications as the engineer wanted to ensure that protection would be provided throughout the design life of the structure X-Calibur

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 43

MARKET FORUM

had the products independently tested to prove compliance to all aspects of the specificationrdquo John adds

The materials were applied by spe-cialist painters who had been trained by X-Calibur ldquoMaterials were mixed and applied strictly in accordance with method statements supplied by X-Calibur to ensure working time and recoat windows were not exceededrdquo concludes John

TAL Andrew Dekker Tel (031) 579-2263 wwwtalcoza

Fluid conveyance and pumping solutions expert Incledon has supplied a large water supply line project in the Free State with a total of 4 km of Ultraflo pipes manufactured in-house by DPI Plastics - a leading manufacturer of water reticulation drainage and pipe-fitting systems in South Africa

DPI Plastics technical and product manager Renier Snyman points out that the companyrsquos range of Ultraflo pipes are manufactured from modified polyvinyl chloride (mPVC) which is specifically designed to provide similar tensile strength and greater resilience than standard PVC piping products ldquoThe Ultraflo range of pressure piping systems are ideally suited to bulk water supply projects due to the fact that mPVC is considerably more ductile than industry standard unplasticised polyvinyl chloride (uPVC)rdquo he explains

Renier notes that the ductility of the Ultraflo uPVC piping system ensures that

Large Water Supply Project

the pipes have exceptional resistance to crack propagation under pressure ldquoThe product being supplied to the water sup-ply line project is the 500 mm Ultraflo system which is the largest in the DPI Plastics range It boasts a pressure rat-ing of 12 bar with a design stress of up to 18MPa making it ideally suited as a large underground piping systemrdquo

According to Renier Ultraflo pipes offer environmental advantages too ldquoDue to its superior toughness the wall thick-ness of mPVC is less than that of uPVC This ensures that less materials are used during the manufacturing process which ultimately results in a lighter product that is easier to transport and install thereby minimising the carbon footprint of the piperdquo

DPI Plastics Martine Goodchild Tel (021) 957 5600 Email mgoodchilddpiplasticscozawwwdpiplasticscoza

Donrsquot Miss Out

Promech Publishing is putting the Visitorsrsquo Catalogue together for this Show

Contact Mark Bennett on Tel (011) 781-1401 or Email samechengpromechcoza

to book your space

44 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

MARKET FORUM

Displaying and discussing some of the Dodge housed bearings on offer to local industry and mining are (from left) Tony Patten of Specialised Bearings amp Transmission Peter Small-Shaw Wilecrsquos Product Manager Bearings and Frans Odendaal Wilecrsquos Technical Specialist Bearings

The Bearings division of Actom group company Wilec has formed a strategic alliance for the supply of Dodge housed bearings into southern Africa The partner-ship agreement with Johannesburg-based Specialised Bearings amp Transmission the local distributor for Dodge extends Wilecrsquos ability to satisfy the requirements of industry and mining in a diverse range of bearings applications

ldquoThe most exciting thing about our tie-up with Dodge is that housed bearings while already widely accepted in the US and other leading industrialised countries is a relatively new concept locally but one which offers advanced features to users compared with conventional plum-mer block arrangementsrdquo said Frans Odendaal Wilecrsquos Technical Specialist Bearings

ldquoDodge housed bearings are supplied pre-assembled and sealed so eliminating all risk of contamination during fitment The advanced sealing arrangement and unique adapter system guarantees longer

Strategic Alliance

life ndash up to six times that of a conven-tional plummer block Other cost-saving advantages are that they can be installed by a semi-skilled technician very quickly normally in less than 15 minutes and the need to measure pre- and post-reduction clearance is eliminatedrdquo

ldquoIt is a differentiated product and with it we are able to provide a bearing that is especially well suited to local conditions

and offers benefits that are of real value to customers A particularly important aspect to bear in mind is that the total cost of ownership of a Dodge bearing is significantly lower than that of the conventional product due to its greater reliability and durabilityrdquo

Wilec Frans Odendaal Tel (011) 629-9300 Email fransowileccoza

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 45

MARKET FORUM

Emis Sales 2002 part of Becker Min-ing South Africa supplies a wide range of electrical equipment up to 1 100 V for use in hazardous and non-hazardous areas in the mining petrochemical and surface industry sectors

New to the Emis range are Proloc pro-tection and control relays which are suitable for thermal overload protection of conveyors compressors crushers fan and pump motors as well as shuttle cars and flitting panels

ldquoThe stand-alone Emis ProLoc electronic protection and control relay system which has been designed for the optimum protection of motor and feeder circuits connected to outlet sockets has a wide choice of six user-selectable protection features to meet exact requirementsrdquo says Frikkie Quirk managing director Emis Sales 2002 ldquoAn important advan-tage of this system is a door mounted infra-red link that enables a laptop with Proloc software to manage all settings

and downloads without having to open the panel door and expose personnel to dangerous live equipment This is a critical requirement in the OHSA actrdquo

This system is easy to set up via the Proloc MMI 420 display man-to-machine interface or via a laptop with Proloc software

Emis Sales 2002 Tel (016) 341-6134 Email infozabecker-miningcom wwwzabecker-miningcom

Optimum Protection

Birkenmayer a material processing systems supplier in South Africa and local supplier of German-engineered Eirich material processing technology recently released the Evactherm drier a new product that marries the advantages

Superheated Vacuum Steam

of mechanical and thermo dynamical processes to provide cost-effective and highly efficient drying and processing of filter cake and sludgersquos using superheated vacuum steam

Until now it has been important to observe

a maximum middle temperature when applying direct drying to heat sensitive materials and even more important to avoid the excessive local and boundary temperatures that frequently damage the drying product Both heat and ma-terial transport need to be considered and while convective drying processes such as spray drying largely avoid these problems they are only effective if a surface is available for the hot gas flow

Adjustable for both direct and convec-tive drying and processing Evactherm driers overcome these obstacles while providing a number of further benefits

Super-heated vacuum steam performs drying and granulation while the com-bination of mechanical and thermo dynamical processes allows for low dry-ing temperatures and gentle processing of temperature sensitive materials It also enables continuous drying for long periods of time as fresh material may be continuously added into the fluidized bed replacing material that has already been vaporised

H Birkenmayer Louis Eksteen Tel (011) 970 3880-8 Email louisbirkenmayercozawwwbirkenmayercoza

The Evactherm drier

Proloc protection and control relays

46 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

The Eastern Capersquos Coega Industrial Development Zone (IDZ) is one of a number of industrial regions in South Africa to benefit from Air Products South Africarsquos strategy of long-term capital investment

A region which has long been under-served when it comes to reliable gas supply the Eastern Cape will soon have

A Long-term Viewits own air separation unit (ASU) ndash the first of its kind in the province Seelan Gounden GM supply chain at AirProd-ucts explains the reasons behind the companyrsquos latest investment

ldquoCurrently there is no local industrial gas supply in this area and cryogenic gases have to be procured elsewhere This situation compromises the service

MARKET FORUM

ART Solar specialists in the manufacture of solar photovoltaic (PV) modules for the sustainable generation of electrical power has made the following appointment an-nouncementsMark Walsh as managing director Dr Ronald FM Lange as chief operating officer Robert Ramshaw as financial manager and Gavin Rosslee as production manager

Gavin RossleeRobert RamshawMark Walsh

Jeanne Els has been appointed as Hatchrsquos Managing Director of Operations

Jeanne Els

Ronald Lange

Anton Theunissen

SKF South Africa recently appointed Anton Theunissen as Distributor De-velpoment Manager for South Africa and neighbouring coun-tries

Index to Advertisers

Axiom 12

Bearings International 36

Bibby Turboflex 28

Bonfiglioli 10

Engen 34

Festo 35

Hansen 44

Horne SA 29

IDC Inside Back Cover

ILS 32

KDP Services 22

Loesche 31

Polysius 4

PPS 11 29

Mercedes Outside Back Cover

Merseta Inside Front Cover

MIEO Outside Front Cover

Transmission Components 14

Voith 38

Yellotec 16 17

delivery to our existing customers who have to depend on product being trucked over vast distances Thus we identified the Eastern Cape as a key priority invest-ment destination with a clear need for a new air separation facility dedicated to servicing the region We chose the Coega IDZ after careful market analysis We are pleased to be able to be a part of the growth and development of the region through providing a long-needed security of supply and value-added servicerdquo

Ayanda Vilakazi head of Marketing and Communications at the Coega IDZ adds ldquoThe viability of the new ASU is indis-putable It will mean not only security of gas supply to the region benefiting the many industries here but it also means job security for other investors jobs along the value chain and scope for training and human resource develop-ment as well as enhanced Corporate Social Investment initiativesrdquo

Seelan Gounden AirProducts wwwairproductssouthafricacoza

Left to right Chris Mashigo Executive Man-ager - Business Development Coega Develop-ment Corporation Themba Khoza Executive Manager ndash Operations Coega Development Corporation Seelan Gounden GM - Supply Chain Air Products Pierre Fourie Area Sales Manager ndash Eastern Cape Air Products signed the lease agreement between the CDC and Air Products South Africa

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 47To apply online for funding of R1 million or more go to wwwidccoza

Telephone 086 069 3888Email callcentreidccoza

Driving new market innovationsThe IDC supports high-impact job creation projects acting as a

catalyst to lead new sector development and support existing

industry and sector growth in alignment with governmentrsquos

New Growth Path (NGP) National Development Plan (NDP)

and Industrial Policy Action Plan (IPAP)

The IDC Strategic High Impact Projects (SHIP) Strategic Business

Unit in partnership with the IDC Innovation Department has

launched an Open Innovation Challenge to encourage the

development and implementation of sustainable high-impact

industrial initiatives and projects

The IDC calls upon individuals engineering communities

corporates project sponsors and other related entities to enter

into a partnership to develop qualifying projects that result in

sustainable and profi table industries exploit the value-adding

opportunities of existing and new value chains and enable the

development of innovative local economies

Whatwho qualifi es

projects which enable the development of new industries

across multiple IDC focus sectors

introduce new markets and value chains or revolutionise

existing ones through the use of disruptive technologies

or new approaches

development impact and employment creation

across mandated IDC industrial sectors

SHIP wishes to ensure that the projects undertaken play a major

role in industrial development and employment creation within

the South African and SADC regions

Interested applicants are invited to submit their project

proposals online at

httpopeninnovationidccozaidc-ship-challenge between

project proposals will be informed in May regarding SHIP

wishing to partner with them in the development of the

proposed project

Please contact Bertie Strydom BertieSidccoza and

RetiefBidccoza for more information

Chillibush9119IDC

48 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

A D

aim

ler B

rand

You built the bridges the roads and the tunnels We built the carAs a member of the Engineering Council of South Africa you could qualify for exclusive offers a guaranteed 3-day service booking as well as PremiumDrive our 6 year100 000km maintenance plan To take advantage of this outstandingopportunity inform your nearest dealer of your ECSA status

Not in conjunction with other Mercedes-Benz Fleet ProgrammesOffers Excludes AMG and Limited Edition modelsVehicle specifications may vary for the South African market

Page 29: SAME Mar2013

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 29

Willem Sullivan of HansenA better artificial heart for people who are not eligible for natural heart transplants

Jean Schoeman of National Oilwell Varco My own jet aeroplane

Chris Coetzee of Resonant SolutionsThe problem in industry is practical engineering experience Young engineers donrsquot get the opportunity to learn the practical stuff Irsquod start an academy which teaches the practical side where you can learn from your mistakes Unfortunately mistakes cost money but if you have all the money in the world they can afford to learn from mistakes

In your book what is the most pivotal invention ever

Elbie Cornelius of National Oilwell Varco The computer

Chris Coetzee of Resonant SolutionsI canrsquot see how you can run a business without cellphones

Rudolph Beer of Martin EngineeringThe wheel

Willem Sullivan of HansenFor me personally Excel Without it my world will be dull and lifeless For the world at large Electricity because without it Excel will not be possible

Jean Schoeman of National Oilwell Varco The personal computer

OPINION

On his rounds Kowie Hamman our Editor is conducting an informal survey on the lighter side of engineering We follow up from last month with three pertinent questions

Soapbox

What do you think of computers and the digital world

Elbie Cornelius of National Oilwell Varco Awesome changing our world

Chris Coetzee of Resonant SolutionsNinety percent of all engineering is done using computers but if you rely solely on them yoursquove missed the plot because you always have to verify results by going back into the field to test what yoursquove done on the computer

Rudolph Beer of Martin EngineeringYou canrsquot do without them

Willem Sullivan of HansenIt is where I do all my design work So if it was not for computers we would be decades behind in terms of what we can do I absolutely love it

Greg Perry of SEWThey have definitely made things faster but the en-gineer still needs to understand the theory and pay attention to the detail or you make mistakes faster

Jean Schoeman of National Oilwell Varco Very useful until they give problems Then you just want to hit them with a hammer But the digital world has managed to speed up the communica-tion of information

If you had all the money in the world what would you design

Elbie Cornelius of National Oilwell Varco A solar and wind power station to supply the whole continent with electricity

Rudolph Beer of Martin EngineeringDevelop the safe harvesting of atomic energy

30 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

ldquoSA Mechanical Engineerrdquo speaks to Dave Goodman managing director of Spectra Car-bide Tooling Technology in Cape Town about the various management models they have

developed specifically to control tooling ldquoOur tool management systems were developed through our involvement with some of the major automotive OEMs in South Africardquo he says ldquoThe management system where we take over full control of the tool-ing facility on the premises has been running for twelve years now at some of these plants

Systems for allldquoBut these systems are not only for OEMs and

large operationsrdquo Dave remarks ldquoTo meet dif-ferent requirements we now have four levels of management systems on offer each requiring a different level of active involvement from our side This varies from purely holding stock to supply for a customerrsquos specific needs right through to taking over full control of tooling by having a permanent on-site office manned by fulltime Spectra staffrdquo

A typical level 4 operation with a Spectra team permanently stationed on the customerrsquos premises will be equipped with a fully-computerised store inventory system to control the purchasing of all tooling from spindle to point ldquoThe team will control all the new stock and used tools by negotiating and dealing with tier two suppliers as wellrdquo explains sales manager Wayne Williams ldquoThey are also responsible for presetting tools ready for produc-tion as well as collecting and delivering tools to and from the machines in addition to providing technical support 7 days a week 24 hours a day

BenefitsOne of the cost saving benefits for the customer is less administration because the Spectra team consolidates all invoices so the customer receives

Managing ToolingIn most machine shops the tooling is usually under lock and key to limit access to high-value tool inserts such as end-mills drills reamers and burrs Even so many companies suffer considerable losses as these costly tools get lost are pilfered or are misused because there isnrsquot a proper

management system in place over and above lock and key to control who takes what from the store

To meet different requirements we now have four levels of management on offer each requiring a different level of active involvement from our side

Managing machine tools saves money

Dave Goodman managing director of Spectra Carbide Tooling Technology

MATERIAL SELECTION

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 31

one invoice per month In addition the customer has a highly skilled specialist in-house on tap to provide technical assistance for all tooling drilling tapping milling boring gundrilling honing and line boring on CNC and conventional machines ldquoFrom the management system we can draw extensive reporting for the customer regarding the costs per unit manufactured We produce monthly graphs for trending as well as daily incident reports on tool breakages weekly costs on scrapped tools and we also work out action plans to reduce scrap and improve up-time of the machinesrdquo Wayne adds

In essence this value-add for the customer allows preventative action which ultimately saves the customer money Dave explains ldquoGiven the skills shortage out there no company can afford the personnel purely to manage the machine shop in so much detail With this system we not only fill the skills-gap by integrating with the company but we add value to the company so that they can focus on what they manufacturerdquo

New product developmentIntegration into the customersrsquo operation has proved particularly beneficial when it comes to new product developments Wayne elaborates ldquoWersquore always up to date with the latest technology in tooling and know what can be done in the best possible way Usually it will take a machine shop a while to select the right tooling and method to produce

a new part but with our experts right there on site they can be assured of finding the most suitable solution using the right tooling from the startrdquo

Vending systemOn a lower level of tool management where the operation does not justify a permanent Spectra team on site the company has a tooling vending machine solution ldquoAll the tooling is stored in a vending machine and access to draw the tools out of the machine is controlled by a card or finger-print readerrdquo explains Dave ldquoSuch a system does however have a reporting function which allows the customer to draw the machining cost against each specific job

ldquoThis system has proved popular in South Africa because it can be customised to control the specific functions relevant to each customerrdquo adds David ldquoPart and parcel of this cost-saving solution is training the customer on how best to utilise the system for his needs be it purely controlling the use of tooling or integrating reporting and costing into the business system of the companyrdquo

Wayne Williams Spectra Tel (011) 827-8957 Email waynewspectra-sacoza

From the management system we can draw extensive reporting for the customer regarding the costs per unit manufactured

Special carbide drills reamers end mills and special inserts are manufactured in South Africa

MATERIAL SELECTION

32 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 33

Cubitron can be used to finish profile and or polish materials with high tensile strengths and is particularly useful to extend the lifetime of belts and discs in industrial environments

where hard materials are the order of the dayrdquo

Consistent cutFinishes are little changed through the entire dura-tion of a Cubitron belt from new to completely worn out The secret is that the cutting edges wear in a controlled manner This means that the tiny indi-vidual scratches are the same when the belt is first

put on until it is worn and ready for replacement

ldquoThere are a multitude of cutting edges on each individual grain of the extremely hard ceramic based grain As the grain wears new cutting edges are exposed in a predictable and measured manner to ensure that a consistent action is applied to the surfacerdquo she adds

Using the same ceramic platform 3M developed Cubitron II providing even better results than its predecessor 3M engineers were able to electrostati-cally orient triangular precision shaped ceramic grain acting like a cutting tool This means that the grain slices through metal as opposed to grinding and continuously self-sharpens as points break off This results in discs and belts running cooler and longer The Cubitron II technology is applied in

Starting from Scratch

SURFACE FINISHING

ldquoTo scratch the surface as the saying goes of most modern materials and coatings is not as easy as it used to be Thatrsquos why we developed Cubitron Abrasive Grainrdquo says Kelly Hunt

sales and marketing manager of 3M

34 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

Scratccchingg thhe surfface of abrasivvves ttecchnnologgy is too oopen a compplex sccience

SURFACE FINISHING

belt fibre disc and Roloc form offer-ing a unique solution for wide range of grinding needs

Scratching the surfaceKelly is an abrasives fanatic She says scratching the surface of abrasives technology is to open a complex sci-ence Analysis of different materials and techniques of cutting or finishing has in recent years become a necessity as materials develop and advance Bonding of abrasive onto materials for discs and belts is also more complex than before as manufacturing becomes automated and the tolerance for down-time reduces

But for the average operator technician or engineer it is not so much a matter of what goes into the development of a product but rather finding the solution that suits the intended process The minimum requirement is for a product to perform reliably over an extended period of time and to produce the right finish

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 35

Sometimmess a less expeeensiive buuut mmooree suitaaablee abbrasssivee ccaan give bettterr reesulttss

SURFACE FINISHING

ldquoUsing the abrasives to determine a finish can be as simple or as com-plicated as the producer of finished goods chooses to make it With so many choices available in the market we recommend that industrial users iden-tify the requirements of the abrasive and then speak to trained service technicians from suppliers such as 3M

Not about priceldquoPrice is not always the determining factor Some-times a less expensive but more suitable abrasive can give better results and in other instances the use of cheaper materials in the wrong application may be costly as materials will need to be replaced more oftenrdquo

Kelly recommends that us-ers of industrial abrasives take the time to research new products and as-sess their suitability for their processes ldquoYoursquoll be surprised that some of the new abrasives can do the job better and in half the time than older technology abrasives canrdquo she concludes

3M Dylan Ian Hunter Tel (011) 806-2186 Email dhuntermmmcom www3Mcom

36 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

IT TRENDS

ldquo M o b i l e c o m p u t i n g

continues to grow and alongside other IT trends

such as cloud computing social technologies and the era of big data It is going to play a pivotal role in the IT industry this year In factrdquo Derick adds

Mobile Computing

Mobile computing is growing momentously and is set to account for as much as 57 of worldwide T market growth in 2013 says Derick Roberts CEO of TruTeq Devices a Pretoria-based

company focusing on wireless connectivity solutions

ldquoit is going to account for the lionrsquos share of growth ndash even more than the cloud computingrdquo

The IDC predicts that worldwide IT spending will exceed $21 trillion up 57 from 2012 The research company also states that mobility will be the biggest driver Sales of smart mobile devices including smart phones and tablets is expected to grow by 20 and will contribute a significant 57 of all IT growth Excluding smart mobile devices IT industry growth will clock in at only 29

Truteq Devices Derick Roberts Tel (012) 667-1530 wwwtruteqdevicescom

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 37

ELECTRIC DRIVE

The technology performance and design of the Cigarette powerboat is closely based on the electric super sports vehicle made in Affalterbach Germany

The 116 metre long Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept powerboat uses two drive units each featuring six independent electric motors At the rear of the boat each drive unit has its own trans-mission one on the left and one on the right The boat is fitted with the twelve compact liquid-cooled permanent-magnet synchronous electric motors which are the signature piece of the SLS AMG Coupeacute Electric Drive each electric motor delivers 138 kW and 250 Newton metres

The maximum output of 1 656 Kilowatts and maximum torque of 3 000 Newton metres combine to reach a staggering top speed of over 160 kmh making this locally emission-free Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept the worlds fastest electri-cally driven powerboat The low centre of gravity and optimum weight distribution ensure sublime

The Worlds Most Powerful Powerboat

handling characteristics during more dynamic changes of direction

The high-voltage battery boasts an energy content of 60 Kilowatt hours an electric load potential of 600 Kilowatts and a weight of 548 kg ndash all of which are absolute best values in the automotive sector The liquid-cooled lithium-ion high-voltage battery features a modular design with a maximum voltage of 400 V It consists of 12 modules each comprising 72 lithium-ion cells ldquoCigaretterdquo inte-grates four high-tech batteries with a total of 48 modules and 3 456 cells which generate a total capacity of 240 Kilowatt hours and an electric output of 2 400 Kilowatts respect even in the boat building industry

The Cigarette on-board chargers as standard Adapted to fit the infrastructure standard of many American marinas the boat has a charging capac-ity of 44 Kilowatts The battery is fully charged in approximately seven hours To reduce the charging time to less than three hours the powerboat can be fitted with four on-board chargers as an option

Mercedes-Benz Shirle Greig Tel (012) 677-1904 Email shirlegreigdaimlercom wwwmercedes-benzsacoza

Mercedes-AMG and Cigarette Racing launched the latest development of their cooperation at the Miami International Boat Show in February Numerous components from the SLS AMG Coupeacute Electric Drive have been integrated in the design of the Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept engineering design The high performance drive fitted in the electric super sports car makes the off shore powerboat the worlds most

powerful and fastest electrically-driven motor boat With an output of 1 656 Kilowatts and a maximum torque of 3 000 Newton metres the Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept is a fascinating new development

Combine to reach a staggering top speed of over 160 kmh

38 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

ENVIRONMENT

They have been in service for decades

under the toughest conditions ndash and

have proven themselves worldwide

Voith fluid couplings protect belt con-

veyors and drive components by provid-

ing smooth acceleration and torque

control allowing for frequent loaded

starts with the least amount of stress on

the drive and belt

In multi-motor drives they ensure pre-

cise load distribution Result fewer

downtimes ndash and the service life of the

belt and the drive components is in-

creased The latest product innovation is

the Voith TurboBelt 780 TPXL

infovtzavoithcom

wwwrsavoithturbocom

Protect Your Belt Conveyors with

Voith Fluid Couplings

ai_a

it_44

0_e

n ai

k

Water Disclosure ReportingJust as companies are addressing their carbon emissions and

provide carbon reporting to the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) water is becoming a growing priority

Reporting on it is becoming another critical sustainability issue

2011 saw a marked increase in the number of the worldrsquos largest companies reporting on their water usage on the risks that water presents and on their responses to

that risk Responses from these companies indicate that water is impacting global business now and yet water is not nearly as high on the corporate agenda as climate change

Evidence is mounting that South Africa is facing a water crisis of substantial proportions This crisis encompasses all aspects of water management on both the demand and supply side The mounting impacts of acid mine drainage and declining wa-ter quality add to the crisis South Africarsquos water security is likely to be further complicated by an increasingly uneven and unpredictable supply of rainfall as a result of climate change and by a reli-ance on significant water transfers from neighbour-

ing countries In meeting this crisis South Africa will have to resolve tough trade-offs in water use between agriculture key industrial activities such as mining and power generation and the supply to rapidly growing urban centres

Evidence is clearJSE 100 companies will need to show leadership in sustainably managing the water resources on which they rely for their day-to-day business operations The available evidence is clear It is not sustainable to continue exploiting water resources by follow-ing a lsquobusiness as usualrsquo approach If this is the case South Africarsquos freshwater resources will be depleted and unable to meet the needs of people and industry in the next 20 years if not before

In 2011 the response rate to the CDP Water Disclosure amongst South African companies was 46 (26 out of 56 companies) Many of South Africarsquos most significant corporate water users are therefore not yet able to or are not yet ready to report on their water-related risks

Promethuim Robbie Louw Tel (011) 706-8185 Email Robbiepromethiumcoza wwwpromethuimcoza

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 39

EXHIBITION

The Steel and Engineering Industries Federation (SEI-FSA) the Lifting Equipment Engineering Association

of SA (LEEASA) the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA) and the SA Institute of Welding (SAIW) have thrown their weight behind the biggest industrial and engineering trade show in Africa

The three-day 10-shows-in-one event takes place from 14 to 16 May 2013 at Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand Johannesburg

SEIFSA Conference at Indutec The Steel and Engineering Indus-tries Federation of South Africa (SEIFSA) will hold its annual conference at Indutec celebrating 70 years of active support for its members industry and business in Africa The federation has over 2 220 member companies which employ more than 224 000 people comprising 53 of the industryrsquos workforce

SAIW ldquoWe take our affiliations with leading industry players very seriously including our en-dorsement of Indutecrdquo says Jim Guild chief executive officer of the SA Institute of Welding ldquoThese industry ties form part of our strategy to create strong relationships which support our objective and Governmentrsquos mandate to enhance the manufacturing sector in South Africardquo

LEEASAThe Lifting Equipment Engineer-ing Association of South Africa (LEEASA) which is a division of the Chamber of Engineering Tech-

nology (COET) will also be using its endorsement of Indutec to promote its activities in the engineer-ing and technology sectors in general Chamber spokesperson Viv Nel says its exposure at the fair will create more awareness of the Chamberrsquos role in all engineering and technology-driven industries

ECSAIndustry regulator the Engineering Council of South Africa shares these aims ldquoAs a custodian of en-gineering intellectual capital in South Africa our endorsement of Indutec provides us with a platform to publicise our role in the engineering sector and government infrastructure initiativesrdquo says Edgar Sabela ECSArsquos Strategic Services Executive

ldquoWe need to produce 10 times more engineers to compete with developed economies Involvement with the Indutec show will allow us to promote engineering as a career through our Engenius Programme and showcase our existing engineer-ing excellence Most importantly it enables us to network with all key players in the field and even conclude some businessrdquo

Tenfold Benefits to ExhibitorsJohn Thomson managing director of Exhibition Management Services organisers of the 10-in-one Fair says the unqualified support from leading in-dustry bodies indicates the showrsquos tenfold value to the engineering industrial and technology sectors ldquoThis undoubtedly translates into multiple benefits for the showrsquos exhibitors and ultimately to show visitorsrdquo he concludes

Indutec Serean ThomsonTel (011) 783 7250 Email marketingexhibitionsafricacom wwwexhibitionsafricacom

Boosting the Manufacturing Sector32 of South Africarsquos leading industrial and engineering professional and employer associations Chambers and

Councils have collectively endorsed Indutec the recently launched South African Industry and Technology Fair 2013

Promech Publishing through SA Mechanical Engineer and Bulk Handling Today will produce and publish the Official Catalogue for this prestigious show

Make sure your presence is felt before during and after the show by advertising in this one-of-a-kind reference publication

Contact Mark Bennett Tel (011) 781-1401 Email samechengpromechcoza

Jim Guild CEO of the SA Institute of Welding

Edgar Sabela - ECSArsquos Strategic Services Executive

Adelia Pimentel - Marketing and Communications Manager SEIFSA

40 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

MARKET FORUM

ldquoBMG has identified a need in diverse sectors for on-site maintenance services to overcome production challengesrdquo says Dave Russell technical director BMG ldquoRecognising the extreme constraints of high energy prices low productivity the critical skills shortage and a highly competitive economic environment BMG brings a total solutions service to the fore

ldquoIndustry can now access all critical production efficient products and services from one supplier What this means is lower production costs and higher pro-duction efficiency giving South African industry a distinct competitive advantage

ldquoBMGrsquos on-site services include applica-

tion design evaluation and optimisation as well as installation trouble-shooting and service exchange contracts The company also offers predictive planned and breakdown maintenance and energy and reliability studiesrdquo

The company also offers extensive train-ing which covers electrical mechanical hydraulic pneumatic electronic and materials handling disciplines as well as predictive maintenance and component failure analysis

BMG ndash Bearing Man Group Veronique van Niekerk Tel (031) 576-6221Email veroniquevbmgworldnet wwwbmgworldnet

Tenova Takraf Africa (formerly Bateman Engineered Technologies) is putting the final pieces together in completing an order for the supply of a 55m x 275m hydraulically-driven SAG mill to Ontario Graphite operators of the Kearney Mine located in Kearney O n t a r i o Canada

ldquoTenovarsquos scope

Unique SAG Mill in Canada

ABB started with a bang following the order of 2 400 robots by BMW Group Over the next three years the robots will be installed at factories in Regensburg and Leipzig Germany as well as in Tiexi China The ABB robots will mainly be used for mate-rial handling tasks as well as gluing and spot welding processes

ABB robots enable customers to implement efficient manufacturing systems that sustainably produce high-quality products The com-panyrsquos range of products and solu-tions for lean manufacturing cover the range from body-in-white to the final assembly of complete car bodies They improve competitiveness and at the same time optimally comply with customer specifications ABB has installed more than 200 000 robots worldwide

ABB Robotics Natasha Mathebula Tel (010) 202-6156 Email natashamathebulazaabbcom wwwabbcom

2400

Robots

Total Solution

of work includes the engineering manufacturing shipping and technical assistance during erection of the SAG millrsquos feed end shell discharge end drive and main bearings as well as all supporting equipment (lubrication and jacking systems)rdquo says Tenova Takraf

engineer Pieter van der Walt ldquoThe main hydraulic motor and rubber

shell liners were outside our commercial scope of supply but inside our technical

scope of supplyrdquo he adds

The mill is a conventional SAG (semi-autogenous grinding) mill in all ways apart from its drive assem-bly and it is centre-driven

at the discharge end using a Haggluumlnds hydraulic motor and powerpack ldquoTo date this is the largest hydraulic motor installed on a SAG mill with 950kW of power torque of 1 200 kNm (start-up) and 650 kNm (operational) and speed of 1386 rpmrdquo adds Pieter

Since the mill had to be retrofitted to an existing foundation a number of adaptations were required to maintain the mill centreline as well as feed-end and discharge-end positions Certain additions were required to anchor the main motor torque arm

Tenova Takraf Pieter van der Walt Tel (011) 899-2372 Email pietervanderwaltbatemancom wwwtenovagroupcom

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 41

MARKET FORUM

World Record

The ADR plant at Kisladag Mine

FLSmidth designs and manufactures indirect heated carbon regeneration kilns and calciners from half a ton per day and larger These kilns and calciners can be fuel gas oil or electric and are skid mounted pre-wired and pre-piped The companyrsquos patented bellows kiln seal has proved effective in eliminating air ingress and process gas egress and can be retrofitted to kilns from other manufacturers FLSmidth holds the world record for the lowest emissions on a carbon plant

And at the companyrsquos Merrill Crowe plant capacities range from skid mounted 34 cubic metres per hour modular plants to full size 2 100 cubic metres per hour The range of supply for plants includes clarification filters de-aeration towers vacuum pumps zinc dust feeders lead nitrate feeders and zinc cones precipitate filter feed pumps filter pre-coat and body feed systems as well as precipitate filters used by refinery and smelting facilities to produce gold bullion

These plants incorporate proprietary zinc dustlead nitrate feeder and mix-ing cone system The company offers individual plant components and partial or complete plant equipment packages together with total plant design

FLSmidth Terence Osborn Tel (010) 210-4820

Magnet has extended its range of abrasive products to include 3Mrsquos new Cubitron II abrasive belts with enhanced grinding performance improved productivity and extended service life

ldquo3Mrsquos new technology has resulted in increased speed improved consistency and extended belt liferdquo says Brian How-arth MD Magnet ldquoThese new abrasive belts ensure up to 30 faster cutting on hard to grind metals like stainless steel nickel alloy and cobalt chrome They also divert heat from the workpiece and belt to the swarf which means cooler cutting This helps eliminate burnishing and minimises heat stress Cubitron II abrasive belts last up to four times longer than conventional ceramic aluminium oxide beltsrdquo

3M Abrasives Bradley Reddy Tel (031) 274 1050 Email bradleyrmagnetgroupcozawwwmagnetgroupcoza

4 x Longer

42 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

MARKET FORUM

X-Calibur is one of the latest product offerings from TAL and was specified to protect the concrete structure of the worldrsquos second longest cable-stayed bridge against corrosion throughout its design life

Stonecutters Bridge is a high level cable-stayed bridge which spans the Rambler Channel in Hong Kong connecting Nam Wam Kok Tsing Yi Island and Stonecut-ters Island Hong Kong is well known for its hot summer weather which is also humid and unstable Temperatures

Say No to Corrosionusually exceed 30oC during the day which coupled with high humidity can result in an extreme heat index

ldquoHot and humid environments have a great effect on the durability of concrete As a rule of thumb we say for every 10oC increase in temperature the possibility of corrosion induced damage to concrete is doubled Add humidity in a marine envi-ronment then protection of the structure is of paramount importancerdquo says Brian Davies CEO X-Calibur International In order to guard the bridge from corro-

sion X-Shield EpoxySeal CR was sup-plied to shield the prestressed concrete cable anchorages from the effects of the environment In addition X-Shield FlexCoat was used in various areas of the structure This provides corrosion protection to reinforced concrete from chloride and carbon dioxide

ldquoThe main challenge was compliance with the strict project specifications as the engineer wanted to ensure that protection would be provided throughout the design life of the structure X-Calibur

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 43

MARKET FORUM

had the products independently tested to prove compliance to all aspects of the specificationrdquo John adds

The materials were applied by spe-cialist painters who had been trained by X-Calibur ldquoMaterials were mixed and applied strictly in accordance with method statements supplied by X-Calibur to ensure working time and recoat windows were not exceededrdquo concludes John

TAL Andrew Dekker Tel (031) 579-2263 wwwtalcoza

Fluid conveyance and pumping solutions expert Incledon has supplied a large water supply line project in the Free State with a total of 4 km of Ultraflo pipes manufactured in-house by DPI Plastics - a leading manufacturer of water reticulation drainage and pipe-fitting systems in South Africa

DPI Plastics technical and product manager Renier Snyman points out that the companyrsquos range of Ultraflo pipes are manufactured from modified polyvinyl chloride (mPVC) which is specifically designed to provide similar tensile strength and greater resilience than standard PVC piping products ldquoThe Ultraflo range of pressure piping systems are ideally suited to bulk water supply projects due to the fact that mPVC is considerably more ductile than industry standard unplasticised polyvinyl chloride (uPVC)rdquo he explains

Renier notes that the ductility of the Ultraflo uPVC piping system ensures that

Large Water Supply Project

the pipes have exceptional resistance to crack propagation under pressure ldquoThe product being supplied to the water sup-ply line project is the 500 mm Ultraflo system which is the largest in the DPI Plastics range It boasts a pressure rat-ing of 12 bar with a design stress of up to 18MPa making it ideally suited as a large underground piping systemrdquo

According to Renier Ultraflo pipes offer environmental advantages too ldquoDue to its superior toughness the wall thick-ness of mPVC is less than that of uPVC This ensures that less materials are used during the manufacturing process which ultimately results in a lighter product that is easier to transport and install thereby minimising the carbon footprint of the piperdquo

DPI Plastics Martine Goodchild Tel (021) 957 5600 Email mgoodchilddpiplasticscozawwwdpiplasticscoza

Donrsquot Miss Out

Promech Publishing is putting the Visitorsrsquo Catalogue together for this Show

Contact Mark Bennett on Tel (011) 781-1401 or Email samechengpromechcoza

to book your space

44 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

MARKET FORUM

Displaying and discussing some of the Dodge housed bearings on offer to local industry and mining are (from left) Tony Patten of Specialised Bearings amp Transmission Peter Small-Shaw Wilecrsquos Product Manager Bearings and Frans Odendaal Wilecrsquos Technical Specialist Bearings

The Bearings division of Actom group company Wilec has formed a strategic alliance for the supply of Dodge housed bearings into southern Africa The partner-ship agreement with Johannesburg-based Specialised Bearings amp Transmission the local distributor for Dodge extends Wilecrsquos ability to satisfy the requirements of industry and mining in a diverse range of bearings applications

ldquoThe most exciting thing about our tie-up with Dodge is that housed bearings while already widely accepted in the US and other leading industrialised countries is a relatively new concept locally but one which offers advanced features to users compared with conventional plum-mer block arrangementsrdquo said Frans Odendaal Wilecrsquos Technical Specialist Bearings

ldquoDodge housed bearings are supplied pre-assembled and sealed so eliminating all risk of contamination during fitment The advanced sealing arrangement and unique adapter system guarantees longer

Strategic Alliance

life ndash up to six times that of a conven-tional plummer block Other cost-saving advantages are that they can be installed by a semi-skilled technician very quickly normally in less than 15 minutes and the need to measure pre- and post-reduction clearance is eliminatedrdquo

ldquoIt is a differentiated product and with it we are able to provide a bearing that is especially well suited to local conditions

and offers benefits that are of real value to customers A particularly important aspect to bear in mind is that the total cost of ownership of a Dodge bearing is significantly lower than that of the conventional product due to its greater reliability and durabilityrdquo

Wilec Frans Odendaal Tel (011) 629-9300 Email fransowileccoza

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 45

MARKET FORUM

Emis Sales 2002 part of Becker Min-ing South Africa supplies a wide range of electrical equipment up to 1 100 V for use in hazardous and non-hazardous areas in the mining petrochemical and surface industry sectors

New to the Emis range are Proloc pro-tection and control relays which are suitable for thermal overload protection of conveyors compressors crushers fan and pump motors as well as shuttle cars and flitting panels

ldquoThe stand-alone Emis ProLoc electronic protection and control relay system which has been designed for the optimum protection of motor and feeder circuits connected to outlet sockets has a wide choice of six user-selectable protection features to meet exact requirementsrdquo says Frikkie Quirk managing director Emis Sales 2002 ldquoAn important advan-tage of this system is a door mounted infra-red link that enables a laptop with Proloc software to manage all settings

and downloads without having to open the panel door and expose personnel to dangerous live equipment This is a critical requirement in the OHSA actrdquo

This system is easy to set up via the Proloc MMI 420 display man-to-machine interface or via a laptop with Proloc software

Emis Sales 2002 Tel (016) 341-6134 Email infozabecker-miningcom wwwzabecker-miningcom

Optimum Protection

Birkenmayer a material processing systems supplier in South Africa and local supplier of German-engineered Eirich material processing technology recently released the Evactherm drier a new product that marries the advantages

Superheated Vacuum Steam

of mechanical and thermo dynamical processes to provide cost-effective and highly efficient drying and processing of filter cake and sludgersquos using superheated vacuum steam

Until now it has been important to observe

a maximum middle temperature when applying direct drying to heat sensitive materials and even more important to avoid the excessive local and boundary temperatures that frequently damage the drying product Both heat and ma-terial transport need to be considered and while convective drying processes such as spray drying largely avoid these problems they are only effective if a surface is available for the hot gas flow

Adjustable for both direct and convec-tive drying and processing Evactherm driers overcome these obstacles while providing a number of further benefits

Super-heated vacuum steam performs drying and granulation while the com-bination of mechanical and thermo dynamical processes allows for low dry-ing temperatures and gentle processing of temperature sensitive materials It also enables continuous drying for long periods of time as fresh material may be continuously added into the fluidized bed replacing material that has already been vaporised

H Birkenmayer Louis Eksteen Tel (011) 970 3880-8 Email louisbirkenmayercozawwwbirkenmayercoza

The Evactherm drier

Proloc protection and control relays

46 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

The Eastern Capersquos Coega Industrial Development Zone (IDZ) is one of a number of industrial regions in South Africa to benefit from Air Products South Africarsquos strategy of long-term capital investment

A region which has long been under-served when it comes to reliable gas supply the Eastern Cape will soon have

A Long-term Viewits own air separation unit (ASU) ndash the first of its kind in the province Seelan Gounden GM supply chain at AirProd-ucts explains the reasons behind the companyrsquos latest investment

ldquoCurrently there is no local industrial gas supply in this area and cryogenic gases have to be procured elsewhere This situation compromises the service

MARKET FORUM

ART Solar specialists in the manufacture of solar photovoltaic (PV) modules for the sustainable generation of electrical power has made the following appointment an-nouncementsMark Walsh as managing director Dr Ronald FM Lange as chief operating officer Robert Ramshaw as financial manager and Gavin Rosslee as production manager

Gavin RossleeRobert RamshawMark Walsh

Jeanne Els has been appointed as Hatchrsquos Managing Director of Operations

Jeanne Els

Ronald Lange

Anton Theunissen

SKF South Africa recently appointed Anton Theunissen as Distributor De-velpoment Manager for South Africa and neighbouring coun-tries

Index to Advertisers

Axiom 12

Bearings International 36

Bibby Turboflex 28

Bonfiglioli 10

Engen 34

Festo 35

Hansen 44

Horne SA 29

IDC Inside Back Cover

ILS 32

KDP Services 22

Loesche 31

Polysius 4

PPS 11 29

Mercedes Outside Back Cover

Merseta Inside Front Cover

MIEO Outside Front Cover

Transmission Components 14

Voith 38

Yellotec 16 17

delivery to our existing customers who have to depend on product being trucked over vast distances Thus we identified the Eastern Cape as a key priority invest-ment destination with a clear need for a new air separation facility dedicated to servicing the region We chose the Coega IDZ after careful market analysis We are pleased to be able to be a part of the growth and development of the region through providing a long-needed security of supply and value-added servicerdquo

Ayanda Vilakazi head of Marketing and Communications at the Coega IDZ adds ldquoThe viability of the new ASU is indis-putable It will mean not only security of gas supply to the region benefiting the many industries here but it also means job security for other investors jobs along the value chain and scope for training and human resource develop-ment as well as enhanced Corporate Social Investment initiativesrdquo

Seelan Gounden AirProducts wwwairproductssouthafricacoza

Left to right Chris Mashigo Executive Man-ager - Business Development Coega Develop-ment Corporation Themba Khoza Executive Manager ndash Operations Coega Development Corporation Seelan Gounden GM - Supply Chain Air Products Pierre Fourie Area Sales Manager ndash Eastern Cape Air Products signed the lease agreement between the CDC and Air Products South Africa

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 47To apply online for funding of R1 million or more go to wwwidccoza

Telephone 086 069 3888Email callcentreidccoza

Driving new market innovationsThe IDC supports high-impact job creation projects acting as a

catalyst to lead new sector development and support existing

industry and sector growth in alignment with governmentrsquos

New Growth Path (NGP) National Development Plan (NDP)

and Industrial Policy Action Plan (IPAP)

The IDC Strategic High Impact Projects (SHIP) Strategic Business

Unit in partnership with the IDC Innovation Department has

launched an Open Innovation Challenge to encourage the

development and implementation of sustainable high-impact

industrial initiatives and projects

The IDC calls upon individuals engineering communities

corporates project sponsors and other related entities to enter

into a partnership to develop qualifying projects that result in

sustainable and profi table industries exploit the value-adding

opportunities of existing and new value chains and enable the

development of innovative local economies

Whatwho qualifi es

projects which enable the development of new industries

across multiple IDC focus sectors

introduce new markets and value chains or revolutionise

existing ones through the use of disruptive technologies

or new approaches

development impact and employment creation

across mandated IDC industrial sectors

SHIP wishes to ensure that the projects undertaken play a major

role in industrial development and employment creation within

the South African and SADC regions

Interested applicants are invited to submit their project

proposals online at

httpopeninnovationidccozaidc-ship-challenge between

project proposals will be informed in May regarding SHIP

wishing to partner with them in the development of the

proposed project

Please contact Bertie Strydom BertieSidccoza and

RetiefBidccoza for more information

Chillibush9119IDC

48 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

A D

aim

ler B

rand

You built the bridges the roads and the tunnels We built the carAs a member of the Engineering Council of South Africa you could qualify for exclusive offers a guaranteed 3-day service booking as well as PremiumDrive our 6 year100 000km maintenance plan To take advantage of this outstandingopportunity inform your nearest dealer of your ECSA status

Not in conjunction with other Mercedes-Benz Fleet ProgrammesOffers Excludes AMG and Limited Edition modelsVehicle specifications may vary for the South African market

Page 30: SAME Mar2013

30 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

ldquoSA Mechanical Engineerrdquo speaks to Dave Goodman managing director of Spectra Car-bide Tooling Technology in Cape Town about the various management models they have

developed specifically to control tooling ldquoOur tool management systems were developed through our involvement with some of the major automotive OEMs in South Africardquo he says ldquoThe management system where we take over full control of the tool-ing facility on the premises has been running for twelve years now at some of these plants

Systems for allldquoBut these systems are not only for OEMs and

large operationsrdquo Dave remarks ldquoTo meet dif-ferent requirements we now have four levels of management systems on offer each requiring a different level of active involvement from our side This varies from purely holding stock to supply for a customerrsquos specific needs right through to taking over full control of tooling by having a permanent on-site office manned by fulltime Spectra staffrdquo

A typical level 4 operation with a Spectra team permanently stationed on the customerrsquos premises will be equipped with a fully-computerised store inventory system to control the purchasing of all tooling from spindle to point ldquoThe team will control all the new stock and used tools by negotiating and dealing with tier two suppliers as wellrdquo explains sales manager Wayne Williams ldquoThey are also responsible for presetting tools ready for produc-tion as well as collecting and delivering tools to and from the machines in addition to providing technical support 7 days a week 24 hours a day

BenefitsOne of the cost saving benefits for the customer is less administration because the Spectra team consolidates all invoices so the customer receives

Managing ToolingIn most machine shops the tooling is usually under lock and key to limit access to high-value tool inserts such as end-mills drills reamers and burrs Even so many companies suffer considerable losses as these costly tools get lost are pilfered or are misused because there isnrsquot a proper

management system in place over and above lock and key to control who takes what from the store

To meet different requirements we now have four levels of management on offer each requiring a different level of active involvement from our side

Managing machine tools saves money

Dave Goodman managing director of Spectra Carbide Tooling Technology

MATERIAL SELECTION

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 31

one invoice per month In addition the customer has a highly skilled specialist in-house on tap to provide technical assistance for all tooling drilling tapping milling boring gundrilling honing and line boring on CNC and conventional machines ldquoFrom the management system we can draw extensive reporting for the customer regarding the costs per unit manufactured We produce monthly graphs for trending as well as daily incident reports on tool breakages weekly costs on scrapped tools and we also work out action plans to reduce scrap and improve up-time of the machinesrdquo Wayne adds

In essence this value-add for the customer allows preventative action which ultimately saves the customer money Dave explains ldquoGiven the skills shortage out there no company can afford the personnel purely to manage the machine shop in so much detail With this system we not only fill the skills-gap by integrating with the company but we add value to the company so that they can focus on what they manufacturerdquo

New product developmentIntegration into the customersrsquo operation has proved particularly beneficial when it comes to new product developments Wayne elaborates ldquoWersquore always up to date with the latest technology in tooling and know what can be done in the best possible way Usually it will take a machine shop a while to select the right tooling and method to produce

a new part but with our experts right there on site they can be assured of finding the most suitable solution using the right tooling from the startrdquo

Vending systemOn a lower level of tool management where the operation does not justify a permanent Spectra team on site the company has a tooling vending machine solution ldquoAll the tooling is stored in a vending machine and access to draw the tools out of the machine is controlled by a card or finger-print readerrdquo explains Dave ldquoSuch a system does however have a reporting function which allows the customer to draw the machining cost against each specific job

ldquoThis system has proved popular in South Africa because it can be customised to control the specific functions relevant to each customerrdquo adds David ldquoPart and parcel of this cost-saving solution is training the customer on how best to utilise the system for his needs be it purely controlling the use of tooling or integrating reporting and costing into the business system of the companyrdquo

Wayne Williams Spectra Tel (011) 827-8957 Email waynewspectra-sacoza

From the management system we can draw extensive reporting for the customer regarding the costs per unit manufactured

Special carbide drills reamers end mills and special inserts are manufactured in South Africa

MATERIAL SELECTION

32 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 33

Cubitron can be used to finish profile and or polish materials with high tensile strengths and is particularly useful to extend the lifetime of belts and discs in industrial environments

where hard materials are the order of the dayrdquo

Consistent cutFinishes are little changed through the entire dura-tion of a Cubitron belt from new to completely worn out The secret is that the cutting edges wear in a controlled manner This means that the tiny indi-vidual scratches are the same when the belt is first

put on until it is worn and ready for replacement

ldquoThere are a multitude of cutting edges on each individual grain of the extremely hard ceramic based grain As the grain wears new cutting edges are exposed in a predictable and measured manner to ensure that a consistent action is applied to the surfacerdquo she adds

Using the same ceramic platform 3M developed Cubitron II providing even better results than its predecessor 3M engineers were able to electrostati-cally orient triangular precision shaped ceramic grain acting like a cutting tool This means that the grain slices through metal as opposed to grinding and continuously self-sharpens as points break off This results in discs and belts running cooler and longer The Cubitron II technology is applied in

Starting from Scratch

SURFACE FINISHING

ldquoTo scratch the surface as the saying goes of most modern materials and coatings is not as easy as it used to be Thatrsquos why we developed Cubitron Abrasive Grainrdquo says Kelly Hunt

sales and marketing manager of 3M

34 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

Scratccchingg thhe surfface of abrasivvves ttecchnnologgy is too oopen a compplex sccience

SURFACE FINISHING

belt fibre disc and Roloc form offer-ing a unique solution for wide range of grinding needs

Scratching the surfaceKelly is an abrasives fanatic She says scratching the surface of abrasives technology is to open a complex sci-ence Analysis of different materials and techniques of cutting or finishing has in recent years become a necessity as materials develop and advance Bonding of abrasive onto materials for discs and belts is also more complex than before as manufacturing becomes automated and the tolerance for down-time reduces

But for the average operator technician or engineer it is not so much a matter of what goes into the development of a product but rather finding the solution that suits the intended process The minimum requirement is for a product to perform reliably over an extended period of time and to produce the right finish

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 35

Sometimmess a less expeeensiive buuut mmooree suitaaablee abbrasssivee ccaan give bettterr reesulttss

SURFACE FINISHING

ldquoUsing the abrasives to determine a finish can be as simple or as com-plicated as the producer of finished goods chooses to make it With so many choices available in the market we recommend that industrial users iden-tify the requirements of the abrasive and then speak to trained service technicians from suppliers such as 3M

Not about priceldquoPrice is not always the determining factor Some-times a less expensive but more suitable abrasive can give better results and in other instances the use of cheaper materials in the wrong application may be costly as materials will need to be replaced more oftenrdquo

Kelly recommends that us-ers of industrial abrasives take the time to research new products and as-sess their suitability for their processes ldquoYoursquoll be surprised that some of the new abrasives can do the job better and in half the time than older technology abrasives canrdquo she concludes

3M Dylan Ian Hunter Tel (011) 806-2186 Email dhuntermmmcom www3Mcom

36 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

IT TRENDS

ldquo M o b i l e c o m p u t i n g

continues to grow and alongside other IT trends

such as cloud computing social technologies and the era of big data It is going to play a pivotal role in the IT industry this year In factrdquo Derick adds

Mobile Computing

Mobile computing is growing momentously and is set to account for as much as 57 of worldwide T market growth in 2013 says Derick Roberts CEO of TruTeq Devices a Pretoria-based

company focusing on wireless connectivity solutions

ldquoit is going to account for the lionrsquos share of growth ndash even more than the cloud computingrdquo

The IDC predicts that worldwide IT spending will exceed $21 trillion up 57 from 2012 The research company also states that mobility will be the biggest driver Sales of smart mobile devices including smart phones and tablets is expected to grow by 20 and will contribute a significant 57 of all IT growth Excluding smart mobile devices IT industry growth will clock in at only 29

Truteq Devices Derick Roberts Tel (012) 667-1530 wwwtruteqdevicescom

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 37

ELECTRIC DRIVE

The technology performance and design of the Cigarette powerboat is closely based on the electric super sports vehicle made in Affalterbach Germany

The 116 metre long Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept powerboat uses two drive units each featuring six independent electric motors At the rear of the boat each drive unit has its own trans-mission one on the left and one on the right The boat is fitted with the twelve compact liquid-cooled permanent-magnet synchronous electric motors which are the signature piece of the SLS AMG Coupeacute Electric Drive each electric motor delivers 138 kW and 250 Newton metres

The maximum output of 1 656 Kilowatts and maximum torque of 3 000 Newton metres combine to reach a staggering top speed of over 160 kmh making this locally emission-free Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept the worlds fastest electri-cally driven powerboat The low centre of gravity and optimum weight distribution ensure sublime

The Worlds Most Powerful Powerboat

handling characteristics during more dynamic changes of direction

The high-voltage battery boasts an energy content of 60 Kilowatt hours an electric load potential of 600 Kilowatts and a weight of 548 kg ndash all of which are absolute best values in the automotive sector The liquid-cooled lithium-ion high-voltage battery features a modular design with a maximum voltage of 400 V It consists of 12 modules each comprising 72 lithium-ion cells ldquoCigaretterdquo inte-grates four high-tech batteries with a total of 48 modules and 3 456 cells which generate a total capacity of 240 Kilowatt hours and an electric output of 2 400 Kilowatts respect even in the boat building industry

The Cigarette on-board chargers as standard Adapted to fit the infrastructure standard of many American marinas the boat has a charging capac-ity of 44 Kilowatts The battery is fully charged in approximately seven hours To reduce the charging time to less than three hours the powerboat can be fitted with four on-board chargers as an option

Mercedes-Benz Shirle Greig Tel (012) 677-1904 Email shirlegreigdaimlercom wwwmercedes-benzsacoza

Mercedes-AMG and Cigarette Racing launched the latest development of their cooperation at the Miami International Boat Show in February Numerous components from the SLS AMG Coupeacute Electric Drive have been integrated in the design of the Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept engineering design The high performance drive fitted in the electric super sports car makes the off shore powerboat the worlds most

powerful and fastest electrically-driven motor boat With an output of 1 656 Kilowatts and a maximum torque of 3 000 Newton metres the Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept is a fascinating new development

Combine to reach a staggering top speed of over 160 kmh

38 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

ENVIRONMENT

They have been in service for decades

under the toughest conditions ndash and

have proven themselves worldwide

Voith fluid couplings protect belt con-

veyors and drive components by provid-

ing smooth acceleration and torque

control allowing for frequent loaded

starts with the least amount of stress on

the drive and belt

In multi-motor drives they ensure pre-

cise load distribution Result fewer

downtimes ndash and the service life of the

belt and the drive components is in-

creased The latest product innovation is

the Voith TurboBelt 780 TPXL

infovtzavoithcom

wwwrsavoithturbocom

Protect Your Belt Conveyors with

Voith Fluid Couplings

ai_a

it_44

0_e

n ai

k

Water Disclosure ReportingJust as companies are addressing their carbon emissions and

provide carbon reporting to the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) water is becoming a growing priority

Reporting on it is becoming another critical sustainability issue

2011 saw a marked increase in the number of the worldrsquos largest companies reporting on their water usage on the risks that water presents and on their responses to

that risk Responses from these companies indicate that water is impacting global business now and yet water is not nearly as high on the corporate agenda as climate change

Evidence is mounting that South Africa is facing a water crisis of substantial proportions This crisis encompasses all aspects of water management on both the demand and supply side The mounting impacts of acid mine drainage and declining wa-ter quality add to the crisis South Africarsquos water security is likely to be further complicated by an increasingly uneven and unpredictable supply of rainfall as a result of climate change and by a reli-ance on significant water transfers from neighbour-

ing countries In meeting this crisis South Africa will have to resolve tough trade-offs in water use between agriculture key industrial activities such as mining and power generation and the supply to rapidly growing urban centres

Evidence is clearJSE 100 companies will need to show leadership in sustainably managing the water resources on which they rely for their day-to-day business operations The available evidence is clear It is not sustainable to continue exploiting water resources by follow-ing a lsquobusiness as usualrsquo approach If this is the case South Africarsquos freshwater resources will be depleted and unable to meet the needs of people and industry in the next 20 years if not before

In 2011 the response rate to the CDP Water Disclosure amongst South African companies was 46 (26 out of 56 companies) Many of South Africarsquos most significant corporate water users are therefore not yet able to or are not yet ready to report on their water-related risks

Promethuim Robbie Louw Tel (011) 706-8185 Email Robbiepromethiumcoza wwwpromethuimcoza

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 39

EXHIBITION

The Steel and Engineering Industries Federation (SEI-FSA) the Lifting Equipment Engineering Association

of SA (LEEASA) the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA) and the SA Institute of Welding (SAIW) have thrown their weight behind the biggest industrial and engineering trade show in Africa

The three-day 10-shows-in-one event takes place from 14 to 16 May 2013 at Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand Johannesburg

SEIFSA Conference at Indutec The Steel and Engineering Indus-tries Federation of South Africa (SEIFSA) will hold its annual conference at Indutec celebrating 70 years of active support for its members industry and business in Africa The federation has over 2 220 member companies which employ more than 224 000 people comprising 53 of the industryrsquos workforce

SAIW ldquoWe take our affiliations with leading industry players very seriously including our en-dorsement of Indutecrdquo says Jim Guild chief executive officer of the SA Institute of Welding ldquoThese industry ties form part of our strategy to create strong relationships which support our objective and Governmentrsquos mandate to enhance the manufacturing sector in South Africardquo

LEEASAThe Lifting Equipment Engineer-ing Association of South Africa (LEEASA) which is a division of the Chamber of Engineering Tech-

nology (COET) will also be using its endorsement of Indutec to promote its activities in the engineer-ing and technology sectors in general Chamber spokesperson Viv Nel says its exposure at the fair will create more awareness of the Chamberrsquos role in all engineering and technology-driven industries

ECSAIndustry regulator the Engineering Council of South Africa shares these aims ldquoAs a custodian of en-gineering intellectual capital in South Africa our endorsement of Indutec provides us with a platform to publicise our role in the engineering sector and government infrastructure initiativesrdquo says Edgar Sabela ECSArsquos Strategic Services Executive

ldquoWe need to produce 10 times more engineers to compete with developed economies Involvement with the Indutec show will allow us to promote engineering as a career through our Engenius Programme and showcase our existing engineer-ing excellence Most importantly it enables us to network with all key players in the field and even conclude some businessrdquo

Tenfold Benefits to ExhibitorsJohn Thomson managing director of Exhibition Management Services organisers of the 10-in-one Fair says the unqualified support from leading in-dustry bodies indicates the showrsquos tenfold value to the engineering industrial and technology sectors ldquoThis undoubtedly translates into multiple benefits for the showrsquos exhibitors and ultimately to show visitorsrdquo he concludes

Indutec Serean ThomsonTel (011) 783 7250 Email marketingexhibitionsafricacom wwwexhibitionsafricacom

Boosting the Manufacturing Sector32 of South Africarsquos leading industrial and engineering professional and employer associations Chambers and

Councils have collectively endorsed Indutec the recently launched South African Industry and Technology Fair 2013

Promech Publishing through SA Mechanical Engineer and Bulk Handling Today will produce and publish the Official Catalogue for this prestigious show

Make sure your presence is felt before during and after the show by advertising in this one-of-a-kind reference publication

Contact Mark Bennett Tel (011) 781-1401 Email samechengpromechcoza

Jim Guild CEO of the SA Institute of Welding

Edgar Sabela - ECSArsquos Strategic Services Executive

Adelia Pimentel - Marketing and Communications Manager SEIFSA

40 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

MARKET FORUM

ldquoBMG has identified a need in diverse sectors for on-site maintenance services to overcome production challengesrdquo says Dave Russell technical director BMG ldquoRecognising the extreme constraints of high energy prices low productivity the critical skills shortage and a highly competitive economic environment BMG brings a total solutions service to the fore

ldquoIndustry can now access all critical production efficient products and services from one supplier What this means is lower production costs and higher pro-duction efficiency giving South African industry a distinct competitive advantage

ldquoBMGrsquos on-site services include applica-

tion design evaluation and optimisation as well as installation trouble-shooting and service exchange contracts The company also offers predictive planned and breakdown maintenance and energy and reliability studiesrdquo

The company also offers extensive train-ing which covers electrical mechanical hydraulic pneumatic electronic and materials handling disciplines as well as predictive maintenance and component failure analysis

BMG ndash Bearing Man Group Veronique van Niekerk Tel (031) 576-6221Email veroniquevbmgworldnet wwwbmgworldnet

Tenova Takraf Africa (formerly Bateman Engineered Technologies) is putting the final pieces together in completing an order for the supply of a 55m x 275m hydraulically-driven SAG mill to Ontario Graphite operators of the Kearney Mine located in Kearney O n t a r i o Canada

ldquoTenovarsquos scope

Unique SAG Mill in Canada

ABB started with a bang following the order of 2 400 robots by BMW Group Over the next three years the robots will be installed at factories in Regensburg and Leipzig Germany as well as in Tiexi China The ABB robots will mainly be used for mate-rial handling tasks as well as gluing and spot welding processes

ABB robots enable customers to implement efficient manufacturing systems that sustainably produce high-quality products The com-panyrsquos range of products and solu-tions for lean manufacturing cover the range from body-in-white to the final assembly of complete car bodies They improve competitiveness and at the same time optimally comply with customer specifications ABB has installed more than 200 000 robots worldwide

ABB Robotics Natasha Mathebula Tel (010) 202-6156 Email natashamathebulazaabbcom wwwabbcom

2400

Robots

Total Solution

of work includes the engineering manufacturing shipping and technical assistance during erection of the SAG millrsquos feed end shell discharge end drive and main bearings as well as all supporting equipment (lubrication and jacking systems)rdquo says Tenova Takraf

engineer Pieter van der Walt ldquoThe main hydraulic motor and rubber

shell liners were outside our commercial scope of supply but inside our technical

scope of supplyrdquo he adds

The mill is a conventional SAG (semi-autogenous grinding) mill in all ways apart from its drive assem-bly and it is centre-driven

at the discharge end using a Haggluumlnds hydraulic motor and powerpack ldquoTo date this is the largest hydraulic motor installed on a SAG mill with 950kW of power torque of 1 200 kNm (start-up) and 650 kNm (operational) and speed of 1386 rpmrdquo adds Pieter

Since the mill had to be retrofitted to an existing foundation a number of adaptations were required to maintain the mill centreline as well as feed-end and discharge-end positions Certain additions were required to anchor the main motor torque arm

Tenova Takraf Pieter van der Walt Tel (011) 899-2372 Email pietervanderwaltbatemancom wwwtenovagroupcom

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 41

MARKET FORUM

World Record

The ADR plant at Kisladag Mine

FLSmidth designs and manufactures indirect heated carbon regeneration kilns and calciners from half a ton per day and larger These kilns and calciners can be fuel gas oil or electric and are skid mounted pre-wired and pre-piped The companyrsquos patented bellows kiln seal has proved effective in eliminating air ingress and process gas egress and can be retrofitted to kilns from other manufacturers FLSmidth holds the world record for the lowest emissions on a carbon plant

And at the companyrsquos Merrill Crowe plant capacities range from skid mounted 34 cubic metres per hour modular plants to full size 2 100 cubic metres per hour The range of supply for plants includes clarification filters de-aeration towers vacuum pumps zinc dust feeders lead nitrate feeders and zinc cones precipitate filter feed pumps filter pre-coat and body feed systems as well as precipitate filters used by refinery and smelting facilities to produce gold bullion

These plants incorporate proprietary zinc dustlead nitrate feeder and mix-ing cone system The company offers individual plant components and partial or complete plant equipment packages together with total plant design

FLSmidth Terence Osborn Tel (010) 210-4820

Magnet has extended its range of abrasive products to include 3Mrsquos new Cubitron II abrasive belts with enhanced grinding performance improved productivity and extended service life

ldquo3Mrsquos new technology has resulted in increased speed improved consistency and extended belt liferdquo says Brian How-arth MD Magnet ldquoThese new abrasive belts ensure up to 30 faster cutting on hard to grind metals like stainless steel nickel alloy and cobalt chrome They also divert heat from the workpiece and belt to the swarf which means cooler cutting This helps eliminate burnishing and minimises heat stress Cubitron II abrasive belts last up to four times longer than conventional ceramic aluminium oxide beltsrdquo

3M Abrasives Bradley Reddy Tel (031) 274 1050 Email bradleyrmagnetgroupcozawwwmagnetgroupcoza

4 x Longer

42 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

MARKET FORUM

X-Calibur is one of the latest product offerings from TAL and was specified to protect the concrete structure of the worldrsquos second longest cable-stayed bridge against corrosion throughout its design life

Stonecutters Bridge is a high level cable-stayed bridge which spans the Rambler Channel in Hong Kong connecting Nam Wam Kok Tsing Yi Island and Stonecut-ters Island Hong Kong is well known for its hot summer weather which is also humid and unstable Temperatures

Say No to Corrosionusually exceed 30oC during the day which coupled with high humidity can result in an extreme heat index

ldquoHot and humid environments have a great effect on the durability of concrete As a rule of thumb we say for every 10oC increase in temperature the possibility of corrosion induced damage to concrete is doubled Add humidity in a marine envi-ronment then protection of the structure is of paramount importancerdquo says Brian Davies CEO X-Calibur International In order to guard the bridge from corro-

sion X-Shield EpoxySeal CR was sup-plied to shield the prestressed concrete cable anchorages from the effects of the environment In addition X-Shield FlexCoat was used in various areas of the structure This provides corrosion protection to reinforced concrete from chloride and carbon dioxide

ldquoThe main challenge was compliance with the strict project specifications as the engineer wanted to ensure that protection would be provided throughout the design life of the structure X-Calibur

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 43

MARKET FORUM

had the products independently tested to prove compliance to all aspects of the specificationrdquo John adds

The materials were applied by spe-cialist painters who had been trained by X-Calibur ldquoMaterials were mixed and applied strictly in accordance with method statements supplied by X-Calibur to ensure working time and recoat windows were not exceededrdquo concludes John

TAL Andrew Dekker Tel (031) 579-2263 wwwtalcoza

Fluid conveyance and pumping solutions expert Incledon has supplied a large water supply line project in the Free State with a total of 4 km of Ultraflo pipes manufactured in-house by DPI Plastics - a leading manufacturer of water reticulation drainage and pipe-fitting systems in South Africa

DPI Plastics technical and product manager Renier Snyman points out that the companyrsquos range of Ultraflo pipes are manufactured from modified polyvinyl chloride (mPVC) which is specifically designed to provide similar tensile strength and greater resilience than standard PVC piping products ldquoThe Ultraflo range of pressure piping systems are ideally suited to bulk water supply projects due to the fact that mPVC is considerably more ductile than industry standard unplasticised polyvinyl chloride (uPVC)rdquo he explains

Renier notes that the ductility of the Ultraflo uPVC piping system ensures that

Large Water Supply Project

the pipes have exceptional resistance to crack propagation under pressure ldquoThe product being supplied to the water sup-ply line project is the 500 mm Ultraflo system which is the largest in the DPI Plastics range It boasts a pressure rat-ing of 12 bar with a design stress of up to 18MPa making it ideally suited as a large underground piping systemrdquo

According to Renier Ultraflo pipes offer environmental advantages too ldquoDue to its superior toughness the wall thick-ness of mPVC is less than that of uPVC This ensures that less materials are used during the manufacturing process which ultimately results in a lighter product that is easier to transport and install thereby minimising the carbon footprint of the piperdquo

DPI Plastics Martine Goodchild Tel (021) 957 5600 Email mgoodchilddpiplasticscozawwwdpiplasticscoza

Donrsquot Miss Out

Promech Publishing is putting the Visitorsrsquo Catalogue together for this Show

Contact Mark Bennett on Tel (011) 781-1401 or Email samechengpromechcoza

to book your space

44 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

MARKET FORUM

Displaying and discussing some of the Dodge housed bearings on offer to local industry and mining are (from left) Tony Patten of Specialised Bearings amp Transmission Peter Small-Shaw Wilecrsquos Product Manager Bearings and Frans Odendaal Wilecrsquos Technical Specialist Bearings

The Bearings division of Actom group company Wilec has formed a strategic alliance for the supply of Dodge housed bearings into southern Africa The partner-ship agreement with Johannesburg-based Specialised Bearings amp Transmission the local distributor for Dodge extends Wilecrsquos ability to satisfy the requirements of industry and mining in a diverse range of bearings applications

ldquoThe most exciting thing about our tie-up with Dodge is that housed bearings while already widely accepted in the US and other leading industrialised countries is a relatively new concept locally but one which offers advanced features to users compared with conventional plum-mer block arrangementsrdquo said Frans Odendaal Wilecrsquos Technical Specialist Bearings

ldquoDodge housed bearings are supplied pre-assembled and sealed so eliminating all risk of contamination during fitment The advanced sealing arrangement and unique adapter system guarantees longer

Strategic Alliance

life ndash up to six times that of a conven-tional plummer block Other cost-saving advantages are that they can be installed by a semi-skilled technician very quickly normally in less than 15 minutes and the need to measure pre- and post-reduction clearance is eliminatedrdquo

ldquoIt is a differentiated product and with it we are able to provide a bearing that is especially well suited to local conditions

and offers benefits that are of real value to customers A particularly important aspect to bear in mind is that the total cost of ownership of a Dodge bearing is significantly lower than that of the conventional product due to its greater reliability and durabilityrdquo

Wilec Frans Odendaal Tel (011) 629-9300 Email fransowileccoza

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 45

MARKET FORUM

Emis Sales 2002 part of Becker Min-ing South Africa supplies a wide range of electrical equipment up to 1 100 V for use in hazardous and non-hazardous areas in the mining petrochemical and surface industry sectors

New to the Emis range are Proloc pro-tection and control relays which are suitable for thermal overload protection of conveyors compressors crushers fan and pump motors as well as shuttle cars and flitting panels

ldquoThe stand-alone Emis ProLoc electronic protection and control relay system which has been designed for the optimum protection of motor and feeder circuits connected to outlet sockets has a wide choice of six user-selectable protection features to meet exact requirementsrdquo says Frikkie Quirk managing director Emis Sales 2002 ldquoAn important advan-tage of this system is a door mounted infra-red link that enables a laptop with Proloc software to manage all settings

and downloads without having to open the panel door and expose personnel to dangerous live equipment This is a critical requirement in the OHSA actrdquo

This system is easy to set up via the Proloc MMI 420 display man-to-machine interface or via a laptop with Proloc software

Emis Sales 2002 Tel (016) 341-6134 Email infozabecker-miningcom wwwzabecker-miningcom

Optimum Protection

Birkenmayer a material processing systems supplier in South Africa and local supplier of German-engineered Eirich material processing technology recently released the Evactherm drier a new product that marries the advantages

Superheated Vacuum Steam

of mechanical and thermo dynamical processes to provide cost-effective and highly efficient drying and processing of filter cake and sludgersquos using superheated vacuum steam

Until now it has been important to observe

a maximum middle temperature when applying direct drying to heat sensitive materials and even more important to avoid the excessive local and boundary temperatures that frequently damage the drying product Both heat and ma-terial transport need to be considered and while convective drying processes such as spray drying largely avoid these problems they are only effective if a surface is available for the hot gas flow

Adjustable for both direct and convec-tive drying and processing Evactherm driers overcome these obstacles while providing a number of further benefits

Super-heated vacuum steam performs drying and granulation while the com-bination of mechanical and thermo dynamical processes allows for low dry-ing temperatures and gentle processing of temperature sensitive materials It also enables continuous drying for long periods of time as fresh material may be continuously added into the fluidized bed replacing material that has already been vaporised

H Birkenmayer Louis Eksteen Tel (011) 970 3880-8 Email louisbirkenmayercozawwwbirkenmayercoza

The Evactherm drier

Proloc protection and control relays

46 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

The Eastern Capersquos Coega Industrial Development Zone (IDZ) is one of a number of industrial regions in South Africa to benefit from Air Products South Africarsquos strategy of long-term capital investment

A region which has long been under-served when it comes to reliable gas supply the Eastern Cape will soon have

A Long-term Viewits own air separation unit (ASU) ndash the first of its kind in the province Seelan Gounden GM supply chain at AirProd-ucts explains the reasons behind the companyrsquos latest investment

ldquoCurrently there is no local industrial gas supply in this area and cryogenic gases have to be procured elsewhere This situation compromises the service

MARKET FORUM

ART Solar specialists in the manufacture of solar photovoltaic (PV) modules for the sustainable generation of electrical power has made the following appointment an-nouncementsMark Walsh as managing director Dr Ronald FM Lange as chief operating officer Robert Ramshaw as financial manager and Gavin Rosslee as production manager

Gavin RossleeRobert RamshawMark Walsh

Jeanne Els has been appointed as Hatchrsquos Managing Director of Operations

Jeanne Els

Ronald Lange

Anton Theunissen

SKF South Africa recently appointed Anton Theunissen as Distributor De-velpoment Manager for South Africa and neighbouring coun-tries

Index to Advertisers

Axiom 12

Bearings International 36

Bibby Turboflex 28

Bonfiglioli 10

Engen 34

Festo 35

Hansen 44

Horne SA 29

IDC Inside Back Cover

ILS 32

KDP Services 22

Loesche 31

Polysius 4

PPS 11 29

Mercedes Outside Back Cover

Merseta Inside Front Cover

MIEO Outside Front Cover

Transmission Components 14

Voith 38

Yellotec 16 17

delivery to our existing customers who have to depend on product being trucked over vast distances Thus we identified the Eastern Cape as a key priority invest-ment destination with a clear need for a new air separation facility dedicated to servicing the region We chose the Coega IDZ after careful market analysis We are pleased to be able to be a part of the growth and development of the region through providing a long-needed security of supply and value-added servicerdquo

Ayanda Vilakazi head of Marketing and Communications at the Coega IDZ adds ldquoThe viability of the new ASU is indis-putable It will mean not only security of gas supply to the region benefiting the many industries here but it also means job security for other investors jobs along the value chain and scope for training and human resource develop-ment as well as enhanced Corporate Social Investment initiativesrdquo

Seelan Gounden AirProducts wwwairproductssouthafricacoza

Left to right Chris Mashigo Executive Man-ager - Business Development Coega Develop-ment Corporation Themba Khoza Executive Manager ndash Operations Coega Development Corporation Seelan Gounden GM - Supply Chain Air Products Pierre Fourie Area Sales Manager ndash Eastern Cape Air Products signed the lease agreement between the CDC and Air Products South Africa

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 47To apply online for funding of R1 million or more go to wwwidccoza

Telephone 086 069 3888Email callcentreidccoza

Driving new market innovationsThe IDC supports high-impact job creation projects acting as a

catalyst to lead new sector development and support existing

industry and sector growth in alignment with governmentrsquos

New Growth Path (NGP) National Development Plan (NDP)

and Industrial Policy Action Plan (IPAP)

The IDC Strategic High Impact Projects (SHIP) Strategic Business

Unit in partnership with the IDC Innovation Department has

launched an Open Innovation Challenge to encourage the

development and implementation of sustainable high-impact

industrial initiatives and projects

The IDC calls upon individuals engineering communities

corporates project sponsors and other related entities to enter

into a partnership to develop qualifying projects that result in

sustainable and profi table industries exploit the value-adding

opportunities of existing and new value chains and enable the

development of innovative local economies

Whatwho qualifi es

projects which enable the development of new industries

across multiple IDC focus sectors

introduce new markets and value chains or revolutionise

existing ones through the use of disruptive technologies

or new approaches

development impact and employment creation

across mandated IDC industrial sectors

SHIP wishes to ensure that the projects undertaken play a major

role in industrial development and employment creation within

the South African and SADC regions

Interested applicants are invited to submit their project

proposals online at

httpopeninnovationidccozaidc-ship-challenge between

project proposals will be informed in May regarding SHIP

wishing to partner with them in the development of the

proposed project

Please contact Bertie Strydom BertieSidccoza and

RetiefBidccoza for more information

Chillibush9119IDC

48 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

A D

aim

ler B

rand

You built the bridges the roads and the tunnels We built the carAs a member of the Engineering Council of South Africa you could qualify for exclusive offers a guaranteed 3-day service booking as well as PremiumDrive our 6 year100 000km maintenance plan To take advantage of this outstandingopportunity inform your nearest dealer of your ECSA status

Not in conjunction with other Mercedes-Benz Fleet ProgrammesOffers Excludes AMG and Limited Edition modelsVehicle specifications may vary for the South African market

Page 31: SAME Mar2013

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 31

one invoice per month In addition the customer has a highly skilled specialist in-house on tap to provide technical assistance for all tooling drilling tapping milling boring gundrilling honing and line boring on CNC and conventional machines ldquoFrom the management system we can draw extensive reporting for the customer regarding the costs per unit manufactured We produce monthly graphs for trending as well as daily incident reports on tool breakages weekly costs on scrapped tools and we also work out action plans to reduce scrap and improve up-time of the machinesrdquo Wayne adds

In essence this value-add for the customer allows preventative action which ultimately saves the customer money Dave explains ldquoGiven the skills shortage out there no company can afford the personnel purely to manage the machine shop in so much detail With this system we not only fill the skills-gap by integrating with the company but we add value to the company so that they can focus on what they manufacturerdquo

New product developmentIntegration into the customersrsquo operation has proved particularly beneficial when it comes to new product developments Wayne elaborates ldquoWersquore always up to date with the latest technology in tooling and know what can be done in the best possible way Usually it will take a machine shop a while to select the right tooling and method to produce

a new part but with our experts right there on site they can be assured of finding the most suitable solution using the right tooling from the startrdquo

Vending systemOn a lower level of tool management where the operation does not justify a permanent Spectra team on site the company has a tooling vending machine solution ldquoAll the tooling is stored in a vending machine and access to draw the tools out of the machine is controlled by a card or finger-print readerrdquo explains Dave ldquoSuch a system does however have a reporting function which allows the customer to draw the machining cost against each specific job

ldquoThis system has proved popular in South Africa because it can be customised to control the specific functions relevant to each customerrdquo adds David ldquoPart and parcel of this cost-saving solution is training the customer on how best to utilise the system for his needs be it purely controlling the use of tooling or integrating reporting and costing into the business system of the companyrdquo

Wayne Williams Spectra Tel (011) 827-8957 Email waynewspectra-sacoza

From the management system we can draw extensive reporting for the customer regarding the costs per unit manufactured

Special carbide drills reamers end mills and special inserts are manufactured in South Africa

MATERIAL SELECTION

32 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 33

Cubitron can be used to finish profile and or polish materials with high tensile strengths and is particularly useful to extend the lifetime of belts and discs in industrial environments

where hard materials are the order of the dayrdquo

Consistent cutFinishes are little changed through the entire dura-tion of a Cubitron belt from new to completely worn out The secret is that the cutting edges wear in a controlled manner This means that the tiny indi-vidual scratches are the same when the belt is first

put on until it is worn and ready for replacement

ldquoThere are a multitude of cutting edges on each individual grain of the extremely hard ceramic based grain As the grain wears new cutting edges are exposed in a predictable and measured manner to ensure that a consistent action is applied to the surfacerdquo she adds

Using the same ceramic platform 3M developed Cubitron II providing even better results than its predecessor 3M engineers were able to electrostati-cally orient triangular precision shaped ceramic grain acting like a cutting tool This means that the grain slices through metal as opposed to grinding and continuously self-sharpens as points break off This results in discs and belts running cooler and longer The Cubitron II technology is applied in

Starting from Scratch

SURFACE FINISHING

ldquoTo scratch the surface as the saying goes of most modern materials and coatings is not as easy as it used to be Thatrsquos why we developed Cubitron Abrasive Grainrdquo says Kelly Hunt

sales and marketing manager of 3M

34 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

Scratccchingg thhe surfface of abrasivvves ttecchnnologgy is too oopen a compplex sccience

SURFACE FINISHING

belt fibre disc and Roloc form offer-ing a unique solution for wide range of grinding needs

Scratching the surfaceKelly is an abrasives fanatic She says scratching the surface of abrasives technology is to open a complex sci-ence Analysis of different materials and techniques of cutting or finishing has in recent years become a necessity as materials develop and advance Bonding of abrasive onto materials for discs and belts is also more complex than before as manufacturing becomes automated and the tolerance for down-time reduces

But for the average operator technician or engineer it is not so much a matter of what goes into the development of a product but rather finding the solution that suits the intended process The minimum requirement is for a product to perform reliably over an extended period of time and to produce the right finish

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 35

Sometimmess a less expeeensiive buuut mmooree suitaaablee abbrasssivee ccaan give bettterr reesulttss

SURFACE FINISHING

ldquoUsing the abrasives to determine a finish can be as simple or as com-plicated as the producer of finished goods chooses to make it With so many choices available in the market we recommend that industrial users iden-tify the requirements of the abrasive and then speak to trained service technicians from suppliers such as 3M

Not about priceldquoPrice is not always the determining factor Some-times a less expensive but more suitable abrasive can give better results and in other instances the use of cheaper materials in the wrong application may be costly as materials will need to be replaced more oftenrdquo

Kelly recommends that us-ers of industrial abrasives take the time to research new products and as-sess their suitability for their processes ldquoYoursquoll be surprised that some of the new abrasives can do the job better and in half the time than older technology abrasives canrdquo she concludes

3M Dylan Ian Hunter Tel (011) 806-2186 Email dhuntermmmcom www3Mcom

36 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

IT TRENDS

ldquo M o b i l e c o m p u t i n g

continues to grow and alongside other IT trends

such as cloud computing social technologies and the era of big data It is going to play a pivotal role in the IT industry this year In factrdquo Derick adds

Mobile Computing

Mobile computing is growing momentously and is set to account for as much as 57 of worldwide T market growth in 2013 says Derick Roberts CEO of TruTeq Devices a Pretoria-based

company focusing on wireless connectivity solutions

ldquoit is going to account for the lionrsquos share of growth ndash even more than the cloud computingrdquo

The IDC predicts that worldwide IT spending will exceed $21 trillion up 57 from 2012 The research company also states that mobility will be the biggest driver Sales of smart mobile devices including smart phones and tablets is expected to grow by 20 and will contribute a significant 57 of all IT growth Excluding smart mobile devices IT industry growth will clock in at only 29

Truteq Devices Derick Roberts Tel (012) 667-1530 wwwtruteqdevicescom

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 37

ELECTRIC DRIVE

The technology performance and design of the Cigarette powerboat is closely based on the electric super sports vehicle made in Affalterbach Germany

The 116 metre long Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept powerboat uses two drive units each featuring six independent electric motors At the rear of the boat each drive unit has its own trans-mission one on the left and one on the right The boat is fitted with the twelve compact liquid-cooled permanent-magnet synchronous electric motors which are the signature piece of the SLS AMG Coupeacute Electric Drive each electric motor delivers 138 kW and 250 Newton metres

The maximum output of 1 656 Kilowatts and maximum torque of 3 000 Newton metres combine to reach a staggering top speed of over 160 kmh making this locally emission-free Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept the worlds fastest electri-cally driven powerboat The low centre of gravity and optimum weight distribution ensure sublime

The Worlds Most Powerful Powerboat

handling characteristics during more dynamic changes of direction

The high-voltage battery boasts an energy content of 60 Kilowatt hours an electric load potential of 600 Kilowatts and a weight of 548 kg ndash all of which are absolute best values in the automotive sector The liquid-cooled lithium-ion high-voltage battery features a modular design with a maximum voltage of 400 V It consists of 12 modules each comprising 72 lithium-ion cells ldquoCigaretterdquo inte-grates four high-tech batteries with a total of 48 modules and 3 456 cells which generate a total capacity of 240 Kilowatt hours and an electric output of 2 400 Kilowatts respect even in the boat building industry

The Cigarette on-board chargers as standard Adapted to fit the infrastructure standard of many American marinas the boat has a charging capac-ity of 44 Kilowatts The battery is fully charged in approximately seven hours To reduce the charging time to less than three hours the powerboat can be fitted with four on-board chargers as an option

Mercedes-Benz Shirle Greig Tel (012) 677-1904 Email shirlegreigdaimlercom wwwmercedes-benzsacoza

Mercedes-AMG and Cigarette Racing launched the latest development of their cooperation at the Miami International Boat Show in February Numerous components from the SLS AMG Coupeacute Electric Drive have been integrated in the design of the Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept engineering design The high performance drive fitted in the electric super sports car makes the off shore powerboat the worlds most

powerful and fastest electrically-driven motor boat With an output of 1 656 Kilowatts and a maximum torque of 3 000 Newton metres the Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept is a fascinating new development

Combine to reach a staggering top speed of over 160 kmh

38 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

ENVIRONMENT

They have been in service for decades

under the toughest conditions ndash and

have proven themselves worldwide

Voith fluid couplings protect belt con-

veyors and drive components by provid-

ing smooth acceleration and torque

control allowing for frequent loaded

starts with the least amount of stress on

the drive and belt

In multi-motor drives they ensure pre-

cise load distribution Result fewer

downtimes ndash and the service life of the

belt and the drive components is in-

creased The latest product innovation is

the Voith TurboBelt 780 TPXL

infovtzavoithcom

wwwrsavoithturbocom

Protect Your Belt Conveyors with

Voith Fluid Couplings

ai_a

it_44

0_e

n ai

k

Water Disclosure ReportingJust as companies are addressing their carbon emissions and

provide carbon reporting to the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) water is becoming a growing priority

Reporting on it is becoming another critical sustainability issue

2011 saw a marked increase in the number of the worldrsquos largest companies reporting on their water usage on the risks that water presents and on their responses to

that risk Responses from these companies indicate that water is impacting global business now and yet water is not nearly as high on the corporate agenda as climate change

Evidence is mounting that South Africa is facing a water crisis of substantial proportions This crisis encompasses all aspects of water management on both the demand and supply side The mounting impacts of acid mine drainage and declining wa-ter quality add to the crisis South Africarsquos water security is likely to be further complicated by an increasingly uneven and unpredictable supply of rainfall as a result of climate change and by a reli-ance on significant water transfers from neighbour-

ing countries In meeting this crisis South Africa will have to resolve tough trade-offs in water use between agriculture key industrial activities such as mining and power generation and the supply to rapidly growing urban centres

Evidence is clearJSE 100 companies will need to show leadership in sustainably managing the water resources on which they rely for their day-to-day business operations The available evidence is clear It is not sustainable to continue exploiting water resources by follow-ing a lsquobusiness as usualrsquo approach If this is the case South Africarsquos freshwater resources will be depleted and unable to meet the needs of people and industry in the next 20 years if not before

In 2011 the response rate to the CDP Water Disclosure amongst South African companies was 46 (26 out of 56 companies) Many of South Africarsquos most significant corporate water users are therefore not yet able to or are not yet ready to report on their water-related risks

Promethuim Robbie Louw Tel (011) 706-8185 Email Robbiepromethiumcoza wwwpromethuimcoza

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 39

EXHIBITION

The Steel and Engineering Industries Federation (SEI-FSA) the Lifting Equipment Engineering Association

of SA (LEEASA) the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA) and the SA Institute of Welding (SAIW) have thrown their weight behind the biggest industrial and engineering trade show in Africa

The three-day 10-shows-in-one event takes place from 14 to 16 May 2013 at Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand Johannesburg

SEIFSA Conference at Indutec The Steel and Engineering Indus-tries Federation of South Africa (SEIFSA) will hold its annual conference at Indutec celebrating 70 years of active support for its members industry and business in Africa The federation has over 2 220 member companies which employ more than 224 000 people comprising 53 of the industryrsquos workforce

SAIW ldquoWe take our affiliations with leading industry players very seriously including our en-dorsement of Indutecrdquo says Jim Guild chief executive officer of the SA Institute of Welding ldquoThese industry ties form part of our strategy to create strong relationships which support our objective and Governmentrsquos mandate to enhance the manufacturing sector in South Africardquo

LEEASAThe Lifting Equipment Engineer-ing Association of South Africa (LEEASA) which is a division of the Chamber of Engineering Tech-

nology (COET) will also be using its endorsement of Indutec to promote its activities in the engineer-ing and technology sectors in general Chamber spokesperson Viv Nel says its exposure at the fair will create more awareness of the Chamberrsquos role in all engineering and technology-driven industries

ECSAIndustry regulator the Engineering Council of South Africa shares these aims ldquoAs a custodian of en-gineering intellectual capital in South Africa our endorsement of Indutec provides us with a platform to publicise our role in the engineering sector and government infrastructure initiativesrdquo says Edgar Sabela ECSArsquos Strategic Services Executive

ldquoWe need to produce 10 times more engineers to compete with developed economies Involvement with the Indutec show will allow us to promote engineering as a career through our Engenius Programme and showcase our existing engineer-ing excellence Most importantly it enables us to network with all key players in the field and even conclude some businessrdquo

Tenfold Benefits to ExhibitorsJohn Thomson managing director of Exhibition Management Services organisers of the 10-in-one Fair says the unqualified support from leading in-dustry bodies indicates the showrsquos tenfold value to the engineering industrial and technology sectors ldquoThis undoubtedly translates into multiple benefits for the showrsquos exhibitors and ultimately to show visitorsrdquo he concludes

Indutec Serean ThomsonTel (011) 783 7250 Email marketingexhibitionsafricacom wwwexhibitionsafricacom

Boosting the Manufacturing Sector32 of South Africarsquos leading industrial and engineering professional and employer associations Chambers and

Councils have collectively endorsed Indutec the recently launched South African Industry and Technology Fair 2013

Promech Publishing through SA Mechanical Engineer and Bulk Handling Today will produce and publish the Official Catalogue for this prestigious show

Make sure your presence is felt before during and after the show by advertising in this one-of-a-kind reference publication

Contact Mark Bennett Tel (011) 781-1401 Email samechengpromechcoza

Jim Guild CEO of the SA Institute of Welding

Edgar Sabela - ECSArsquos Strategic Services Executive

Adelia Pimentel - Marketing and Communications Manager SEIFSA

40 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

MARKET FORUM

ldquoBMG has identified a need in diverse sectors for on-site maintenance services to overcome production challengesrdquo says Dave Russell technical director BMG ldquoRecognising the extreme constraints of high energy prices low productivity the critical skills shortage and a highly competitive economic environment BMG brings a total solutions service to the fore

ldquoIndustry can now access all critical production efficient products and services from one supplier What this means is lower production costs and higher pro-duction efficiency giving South African industry a distinct competitive advantage

ldquoBMGrsquos on-site services include applica-

tion design evaluation and optimisation as well as installation trouble-shooting and service exchange contracts The company also offers predictive planned and breakdown maintenance and energy and reliability studiesrdquo

The company also offers extensive train-ing which covers electrical mechanical hydraulic pneumatic electronic and materials handling disciplines as well as predictive maintenance and component failure analysis

BMG ndash Bearing Man Group Veronique van Niekerk Tel (031) 576-6221Email veroniquevbmgworldnet wwwbmgworldnet

Tenova Takraf Africa (formerly Bateman Engineered Technologies) is putting the final pieces together in completing an order for the supply of a 55m x 275m hydraulically-driven SAG mill to Ontario Graphite operators of the Kearney Mine located in Kearney O n t a r i o Canada

ldquoTenovarsquos scope

Unique SAG Mill in Canada

ABB started with a bang following the order of 2 400 robots by BMW Group Over the next three years the robots will be installed at factories in Regensburg and Leipzig Germany as well as in Tiexi China The ABB robots will mainly be used for mate-rial handling tasks as well as gluing and spot welding processes

ABB robots enable customers to implement efficient manufacturing systems that sustainably produce high-quality products The com-panyrsquos range of products and solu-tions for lean manufacturing cover the range from body-in-white to the final assembly of complete car bodies They improve competitiveness and at the same time optimally comply with customer specifications ABB has installed more than 200 000 robots worldwide

ABB Robotics Natasha Mathebula Tel (010) 202-6156 Email natashamathebulazaabbcom wwwabbcom

2400

Robots

Total Solution

of work includes the engineering manufacturing shipping and technical assistance during erection of the SAG millrsquos feed end shell discharge end drive and main bearings as well as all supporting equipment (lubrication and jacking systems)rdquo says Tenova Takraf

engineer Pieter van der Walt ldquoThe main hydraulic motor and rubber

shell liners were outside our commercial scope of supply but inside our technical

scope of supplyrdquo he adds

The mill is a conventional SAG (semi-autogenous grinding) mill in all ways apart from its drive assem-bly and it is centre-driven

at the discharge end using a Haggluumlnds hydraulic motor and powerpack ldquoTo date this is the largest hydraulic motor installed on a SAG mill with 950kW of power torque of 1 200 kNm (start-up) and 650 kNm (operational) and speed of 1386 rpmrdquo adds Pieter

Since the mill had to be retrofitted to an existing foundation a number of adaptations were required to maintain the mill centreline as well as feed-end and discharge-end positions Certain additions were required to anchor the main motor torque arm

Tenova Takraf Pieter van der Walt Tel (011) 899-2372 Email pietervanderwaltbatemancom wwwtenovagroupcom

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 41

MARKET FORUM

World Record

The ADR plant at Kisladag Mine

FLSmidth designs and manufactures indirect heated carbon regeneration kilns and calciners from half a ton per day and larger These kilns and calciners can be fuel gas oil or electric and are skid mounted pre-wired and pre-piped The companyrsquos patented bellows kiln seal has proved effective in eliminating air ingress and process gas egress and can be retrofitted to kilns from other manufacturers FLSmidth holds the world record for the lowest emissions on a carbon plant

And at the companyrsquos Merrill Crowe plant capacities range from skid mounted 34 cubic metres per hour modular plants to full size 2 100 cubic metres per hour The range of supply for plants includes clarification filters de-aeration towers vacuum pumps zinc dust feeders lead nitrate feeders and zinc cones precipitate filter feed pumps filter pre-coat and body feed systems as well as precipitate filters used by refinery and smelting facilities to produce gold bullion

These plants incorporate proprietary zinc dustlead nitrate feeder and mix-ing cone system The company offers individual plant components and partial or complete plant equipment packages together with total plant design

FLSmidth Terence Osborn Tel (010) 210-4820

Magnet has extended its range of abrasive products to include 3Mrsquos new Cubitron II abrasive belts with enhanced grinding performance improved productivity and extended service life

ldquo3Mrsquos new technology has resulted in increased speed improved consistency and extended belt liferdquo says Brian How-arth MD Magnet ldquoThese new abrasive belts ensure up to 30 faster cutting on hard to grind metals like stainless steel nickel alloy and cobalt chrome They also divert heat from the workpiece and belt to the swarf which means cooler cutting This helps eliminate burnishing and minimises heat stress Cubitron II abrasive belts last up to four times longer than conventional ceramic aluminium oxide beltsrdquo

3M Abrasives Bradley Reddy Tel (031) 274 1050 Email bradleyrmagnetgroupcozawwwmagnetgroupcoza

4 x Longer

42 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

MARKET FORUM

X-Calibur is one of the latest product offerings from TAL and was specified to protect the concrete structure of the worldrsquos second longest cable-stayed bridge against corrosion throughout its design life

Stonecutters Bridge is a high level cable-stayed bridge which spans the Rambler Channel in Hong Kong connecting Nam Wam Kok Tsing Yi Island and Stonecut-ters Island Hong Kong is well known for its hot summer weather which is also humid and unstable Temperatures

Say No to Corrosionusually exceed 30oC during the day which coupled with high humidity can result in an extreme heat index

ldquoHot and humid environments have a great effect on the durability of concrete As a rule of thumb we say for every 10oC increase in temperature the possibility of corrosion induced damage to concrete is doubled Add humidity in a marine envi-ronment then protection of the structure is of paramount importancerdquo says Brian Davies CEO X-Calibur International In order to guard the bridge from corro-

sion X-Shield EpoxySeal CR was sup-plied to shield the prestressed concrete cable anchorages from the effects of the environment In addition X-Shield FlexCoat was used in various areas of the structure This provides corrosion protection to reinforced concrete from chloride and carbon dioxide

ldquoThe main challenge was compliance with the strict project specifications as the engineer wanted to ensure that protection would be provided throughout the design life of the structure X-Calibur

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 43

MARKET FORUM

had the products independently tested to prove compliance to all aspects of the specificationrdquo John adds

The materials were applied by spe-cialist painters who had been trained by X-Calibur ldquoMaterials were mixed and applied strictly in accordance with method statements supplied by X-Calibur to ensure working time and recoat windows were not exceededrdquo concludes John

TAL Andrew Dekker Tel (031) 579-2263 wwwtalcoza

Fluid conveyance and pumping solutions expert Incledon has supplied a large water supply line project in the Free State with a total of 4 km of Ultraflo pipes manufactured in-house by DPI Plastics - a leading manufacturer of water reticulation drainage and pipe-fitting systems in South Africa

DPI Plastics technical and product manager Renier Snyman points out that the companyrsquos range of Ultraflo pipes are manufactured from modified polyvinyl chloride (mPVC) which is specifically designed to provide similar tensile strength and greater resilience than standard PVC piping products ldquoThe Ultraflo range of pressure piping systems are ideally suited to bulk water supply projects due to the fact that mPVC is considerably more ductile than industry standard unplasticised polyvinyl chloride (uPVC)rdquo he explains

Renier notes that the ductility of the Ultraflo uPVC piping system ensures that

Large Water Supply Project

the pipes have exceptional resistance to crack propagation under pressure ldquoThe product being supplied to the water sup-ply line project is the 500 mm Ultraflo system which is the largest in the DPI Plastics range It boasts a pressure rat-ing of 12 bar with a design stress of up to 18MPa making it ideally suited as a large underground piping systemrdquo

According to Renier Ultraflo pipes offer environmental advantages too ldquoDue to its superior toughness the wall thick-ness of mPVC is less than that of uPVC This ensures that less materials are used during the manufacturing process which ultimately results in a lighter product that is easier to transport and install thereby minimising the carbon footprint of the piperdquo

DPI Plastics Martine Goodchild Tel (021) 957 5600 Email mgoodchilddpiplasticscozawwwdpiplasticscoza

Donrsquot Miss Out

Promech Publishing is putting the Visitorsrsquo Catalogue together for this Show

Contact Mark Bennett on Tel (011) 781-1401 or Email samechengpromechcoza

to book your space

44 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

MARKET FORUM

Displaying and discussing some of the Dodge housed bearings on offer to local industry and mining are (from left) Tony Patten of Specialised Bearings amp Transmission Peter Small-Shaw Wilecrsquos Product Manager Bearings and Frans Odendaal Wilecrsquos Technical Specialist Bearings

The Bearings division of Actom group company Wilec has formed a strategic alliance for the supply of Dodge housed bearings into southern Africa The partner-ship agreement with Johannesburg-based Specialised Bearings amp Transmission the local distributor for Dodge extends Wilecrsquos ability to satisfy the requirements of industry and mining in a diverse range of bearings applications

ldquoThe most exciting thing about our tie-up with Dodge is that housed bearings while already widely accepted in the US and other leading industrialised countries is a relatively new concept locally but one which offers advanced features to users compared with conventional plum-mer block arrangementsrdquo said Frans Odendaal Wilecrsquos Technical Specialist Bearings

ldquoDodge housed bearings are supplied pre-assembled and sealed so eliminating all risk of contamination during fitment The advanced sealing arrangement and unique adapter system guarantees longer

Strategic Alliance

life ndash up to six times that of a conven-tional plummer block Other cost-saving advantages are that they can be installed by a semi-skilled technician very quickly normally in less than 15 minutes and the need to measure pre- and post-reduction clearance is eliminatedrdquo

ldquoIt is a differentiated product and with it we are able to provide a bearing that is especially well suited to local conditions

and offers benefits that are of real value to customers A particularly important aspect to bear in mind is that the total cost of ownership of a Dodge bearing is significantly lower than that of the conventional product due to its greater reliability and durabilityrdquo

Wilec Frans Odendaal Tel (011) 629-9300 Email fransowileccoza

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 45

MARKET FORUM

Emis Sales 2002 part of Becker Min-ing South Africa supplies a wide range of electrical equipment up to 1 100 V for use in hazardous and non-hazardous areas in the mining petrochemical and surface industry sectors

New to the Emis range are Proloc pro-tection and control relays which are suitable for thermal overload protection of conveyors compressors crushers fan and pump motors as well as shuttle cars and flitting panels

ldquoThe stand-alone Emis ProLoc electronic protection and control relay system which has been designed for the optimum protection of motor and feeder circuits connected to outlet sockets has a wide choice of six user-selectable protection features to meet exact requirementsrdquo says Frikkie Quirk managing director Emis Sales 2002 ldquoAn important advan-tage of this system is a door mounted infra-red link that enables a laptop with Proloc software to manage all settings

and downloads without having to open the panel door and expose personnel to dangerous live equipment This is a critical requirement in the OHSA actrdquo

This system is easy to set up via the Proloc MMI 420 display man-to-machine interface or via a laptop with Proloc software

Emis Sales 2002 Tel (016) 341-6134 Email infozabecker-miningcom wwwzabecker-miningcom

Optimum Protection

Birkenmayer a material processing systems supplier in South Africa and local supplier of German-engineered Eirich material processing technology recently released the Evactherm drier a new product that marries the advantages

Superheated Vacuum Steam

of mechanical and thermo dynamical processes to provide cost-effective and highly efficient drying and processing of filter cake and sludgersquos using superheated vacuum steam

Until now it has been important to observe

a maximum middle temperature when applying direct drying to heat sensitive materials and even more important to avoid the excessive local and boundary temperatures that frequently damage the drying product Both heat and ma-terial transport need to be considered and while convective drying processes such as spray drying largely avoid these problems they are only effective if a surface is available for the hot gas flow

Adjustable for both direct and convec-tive drying and processing Evactherm driers overcome these obstacles while providing a number of further benefits

Super-heated vacuum steam performs drying and granulation while the com-bination of mechanical and thermo dynamical processes allows for low dry-ing temperatures and gentle processing of temperature sensitive materials It also enables continuous drying for long periods of time as fresh material may be continuously added into the fluidized bed replacing material that has already been vaporised

H Birkenmayer Louis Eksteen Tel (011) 970 3880-8 Email louisbirkenmayercozawwwbirkenmayercoza

The Evactherm drier

Proloc protection and control relays

46 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

The Eastern Capersquos Coega Industrial Development Zone (IDZ) is one of a number of industrial regions in South Africa to benefit from Air Products South Africarsquos strategy of long-term capital investment

A region which has long been under-served when it comes to reliable gas supply the Eastern Cape will soon have

A Long-term Viewits own air separation unit (ASU) ndash the first of its kind in the province Seelan Gounden GM supply chain at AirProd-ucts explains the reasons behind the companyrsquos latest investment

ldquoCurrently there is no local industrial gas supply in this area and cryogenic gases have to be procured elsewhere This situation compromises the service

MARKET FORUM

ART Solar specialists in the manufacture of solar photovoltaic (PV) modules for the sustainable generation of electrical power has made the following appointment an-nouncementsMark Walsh as managing director Dr Ronald FM Lange as chief operating officer Robert Ramshaw as financial manager and Gavin Rosslee as production manager

Gavin RossleeRobert RamshawMark Walsh

Jeanne Els has been appointed as Hatchrsquos Managing Director of Operations

Jeanne Els

Ronald Lange

Anton Theunissen

SKF South Africa recently appointed Anton Theunissen as Distributor De-velpoment Manager for South Africa and neighbouring coun-tries

Index to Advertisers

Axiom 12

Bearings International 36

Bibby Turboflex 28

Bonfiglioli 10

Engen 34

Festo 35

Hansen 44

Horne SA 29

IDC Inside Back Cover

ILS 32

KDP Services 22

Loesche 31

Polysius 4

PPS 11 29

Mercedes Outside Back Cover

Merseta Inside Front Cover

MIEO Outside Front Cover

Transmission Components 14

Voith 38

Yellotec 16 17

delivery to our existing customers who have to depend on product being trucked over vast distances Thus we identified the Eastern Cape as a key priority invest-ment destination with a clear need for a new air separation facility dedicated to servicing the region We chose the Coega IDZ after careful market analysis We are pleased to be able to be a part of the growth and development of the region through providing a long-needed security of supply and value-added servicerdquo

Ayanda Vilakazi head of Marketing and Communications at the Coega IDZ adds ldquoThe viability of the new ASU is indis-putable It will mean not only security of gas supply to the region benefiting the many industries here but it also means job security for other investors jobs along the value chain and scope for training and human resource develop-ment as well as enhanced Corporate Social Investment initiativesrdquo

Seelan Gounden AirProducts wwwairproductssouthafricacoza

Left to right Chris Mashigo Executive Man-ager - Business Development Coega Develop-ment Corporation Themba Khoza Executive Manager ndash Operations Coega Development Corporation Seelan Gounden GM - Supply Chain Air Products Pierre Fourie Area Sales Manager ndash Eastern Cape Air Products signed the lease agreement between the CDC and Air Products South Africa

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 47To apply online for funding of R1 million or more go to wwwidccoza

Telephone 086 069 3888Email callcentreidccoza

Driving new market innovationsThe IDC supports high-impact job creation projects acting as a

catalyst to lead new sector development and support existing

industry and sector growth in alignment with governmentrsquos

New Growth Path (NGP) National Development Plan (NDP)

and Industrial Policy Action Plan (IPAP)

The IDC Strategic High Impact Projects (SHIP) Strategic Business

Unit in partnership with the IDC Innovation Department has

launched an Open Innovation Challenge to encourage the

development and implementation of sustainable high-impact

industrial initiatives and projects

The IDC calls upon individuals engineering communities

corporates project sponsors and other related entities to enter

into a partnership to develop qualifying projects that result in

sustainable and profi table industries exploit the value-adding

opportunities of existing and new value chains and enable the

development of innovative local economies

Whatwho qualifi es

projects which enable the development of new industries

across multiple IDC focus sectors

introduce new markets and value chains or revolutionise

existing ones through the use of disruptive technologies

or new approaches

development impact and employment creation

across mandated IDC industrial sectors

SHIP wishes to ensure that the projects undertaken play a major

role in industrial development and employment creation within

the South African and SADC regions

Interested applicants are invited to submit their project

proposals online at

httpopeninnovationidccozaidc-ship-challenge between

project proposals will be informed in May regarding SHIP

wishing to partner with them in the development of the

proposed project

Please contact Bertie Strydom BertieSidccoza and

RetiefBidccoza for more information

Chillibush9119IDC

48 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

A D

aim

ler B

rand

You built the bridges the roads and the tunnels We built the carAs a member of the Engineering Council of South Africa you could qualify for exclusive offers a guaranteed 3-day service booking as well as PremiumDrive our 6 year100 000km maintenance plan To take advantage of this outstandingopportunity inform your nearest dealer of your ECSA status

Not in conjunction with other Mercedes-Benz Fleet ProgrammesOffers Excludes AMG and Limited Edition modelsVehicle specifications may vary for the South African market

Page 32: SAME Mar2013

32 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 33

Cubitron can be used to finish profile and or polish materials with high tensile strengths and is particularly useful to extend the lifetime of belts and discs in industrial environments

where hard materials are the order of the dayrdquo

Consistent cutFinishes are little changed through the entire dura-tion of a Cubitron belt from new to completely worn out The secret is that the cutting edges wear in a controlled manner This means that the tiny indi-vidual scratches are the same when the belt is first

put on until it is worn and ready for replacement

ldquoThere are a multitude of cutting edges on each individual grain of the extremely hard ceramic based grain As the grain wears new cutting edges are exposed in a predictable and measured manner to ensure that a consistent action is applied to the surfacerdquo she adds

Using the same ceramic platform 3M developed Cubitron II providing even better results than its predecessor 3M engineers were able to electrostati-cally orient triangular precision shaped ceramic grain acting like a cutting tool This means that the grain slices through metal as opposed to grinding and continuously self-sharpens as points break off This results in discs and belts running cooler and longer The Cubitron II technology is applied in

Starting from Scratch

SURFACE FINISHING

ldquoTo scratch the surface as the saying goes of most modern materials and coatings is not as easy as it used to be Thatrsquos why we developed Cubitron Abrasive Grainrdquo says Kelly Hunt

sales and marketing manager of 3M

34 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

Scratccchingg thhe surfface of abrasivvves ttecchnnologgy is too oopen a compplex sccience

SURFACE FINISHING

belt fibre disc and Roloc form offer-ing a unique solution for wide range of grinding needs

Scratching the surfaceKelly is an abrasives fanatic She says scratching the surface of abrasives technology is to open a complex sci-ence Analysis of different materials and techniques of cutting or finishing has in recent years become a necessity as materials develop and advance Bonding of abrasive onto materials for discs and belts is also more complex than before as manufacturing becomes automated and the tolerance for down-time reduces

But for the average operator technician or engineer it is not so much a matter of what goes into the development of a product but rather finding the solution that suits the intended process The minimum requirement is for a product to perform reliably over an extended period of time and to produce the right finish

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 35

Sometimmess a less expeeensiive buuut mmooree suitaaablee abbrasssivee ccaan give bettterr reesulttss

SURFACE FINISHING

ldquoUsing the abrasives to determine a finish can be as simple or as com-plicated as the producer of finished goods chooses to make it With so many choices available in the market we recommend that industrial users iden-tify the requirements of the abrasive and then speak to trained service technicians from suppliers such as 3M

Not about priceldquoPrice is not always the determining factor Some-times a less expensive but more suitable abrasive can give better results and in other instances the use of cheaper materials in the wrong application may be costly as materials will need to be replaced more oftenrdquo

Kelly recommends that us-ers of industrial abrasives take the time to research new products and as-sess their suitability for their processes ldquoYoursquoll be surprised that some of the new abrasives can do the job better and in half the time than older technology abrasives canrdquo she concludes

3M Dylan Ian Hunter Tel (011) 806-2186 Email dhuntermmmcom www3Mcom

36 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

IT TRENDS

ldquo M o b i l e c o m p u t i n g

continues to grow and alongside other IT trends

such as cloud computing social technologies and the era of big data It is going to play a pivotal role in the IT industry this year In factrdquo Derick adds

Mobile Computing

Mobile computing is growing momentously and is set to account for as much as 57 of worldwide T market growth in 2013 says Derick Roberts CEO of TruTeq Devices a Pretoria-based

company focusing on wireless connectivity solutions

ldquoit is going to account for the lionrsquos share of growth ndash even more than the cloud computingrdquo

The IDC predicts that worldwide IT spending will exceed $21 trillion up 57 from 2012 The research company also states that mobility will be the biggest driver Sales of smart mobile devices including smart phones and tablets is expected to grow by 20 and will contribute a significant 57 of all IT growth Excluding smart mobile devices IT industry growth will clock in at only 29

Truteq Devices Derick Roberts Tel (012) 667-1530 wwwtruteqdevicescom

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 37

ELECTRIC DRIVE

The technology performance and design of the Cigarette powerboat is closely based on the electric super sports vehicle made in Affalterbach Germany

The 116 metre long Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept powerboat uses two drive units each featuring six independent electric motors At the rear of the boat each drive unit has its own trans-mission one on the left and one on the right The boat is fitted with the twelve compact liquid-cooled permanent-magnet synchronous electric motors which are the signature piece of the SLS AMG Coupeacute Electric Drive each electric motor delivers 138 kW and 250 Newton metres

The maximum output of 1 656 Kilowatts and maximum torque of 3 000 Newton metres combine to reach a staggering top speed of over 160 kmh making this locally emission-free Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept the worlds fastest electri-cally driven powerboat The low centre of gravity and optimum weight distribution ensure sublime

The Worlds Most Powerful Powerboat

handling characteristics during more dynamic changes of direction

The high-voltage battery boasts an energy content of 60 Kilowatt hours an electric load potential of 600 Kilowatts and a weight of 548 kg ndash all of which are absolute best values in the automotive sector The liquid-cooled lithium-ion high-voltage battery features a modular design with a maximum voltage of 400 V It consists of 12 modules each comprising 72 lithium-ion cells ldquoCigaretterdquo inte-grates four high-tech batteries with a total of 48 modules and 3 456 cells which generate a total capacity of 240 Kilowatt hours and an electric output of 2 400 Kilowatts respect even in the boat building industry

The Cigarette on-board chargers as standard Adapted to fit the infrastructure standard of many American marinas the boat has a charging capac-ity of 44 Kilowatts The battery is fully charged in approximately seven hours To reduce the charging time to less than three hours the powerboat can be fitted with four on-board chargers as an option

Mercedes-Benz Shirle Greig Tel (012) 677-1904 Email shirlegreigdaimlercom wwwmercedes-benzsacoza

Mercedes-AMG and Cigarette Racing launched the latest development of their cooperation at the Miami International Boat Show in February Numerous components from the SLS AMG Coupeacute Electric Drive have been integrated in the design of the Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept engineering design The high performance drive fitted in the electric super sports car makes the off shore powerboat the worlds most

powerful and fastest electrically-driven motor boat With an output of 1 656 Kilowatts and a maximum torque of 3 000 Newton metres the Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept is a fascinating new development

Combine to reach a staggering top speed of over 160 kmh

38 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

ENVIRONMENT

They have been in service for decades

under the toughest conditions ndash and

have proven themselves worldwide

Voith fluid couplings protect belt con-

veyors and drive components by provid-

ing smooth acceleration and torque

control allowing for frequent loaded

starts with the least amount of stress on

the drive and belt

In multi-motor drives they ensure pre-

cise load distribution Result fewer

downtimes ndash and the service life of the

belt and the drive components is in-

creased The latest product innovation is

the Voith TurboBelt 780 TPXL

infovtzavoithcom

wwwrsavoithturbocom

Protect Your Belt Conveyors with

Voith Fluid Couplings

ai_a

it_44

0_e

n ai

k

Water Disclosure ReportingJust as companies are addressing their carbon emissions and

provide carbon reporting to the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) water is becoming a growing priority

Reporting on it is becoming another critical sustainability issue

2011 saw a marked increase in the number of the worldrsquos largest companies reporting on their water usage on the risks that water presents and on their responses to

that risk Responses from these companies indicate that water is impacting global business now and yet water is not nearly as high on the corporate agenda as climate change

Evidence is mounting that South Africa is facing a water crisis of substantial proportions This crisis encompasses all aspects of water management on both the demand and supply side The mounting impacts of acid mine drainage and declining wa-ter quality add to the crisis South Africarsquos water security is likely to be further complicated by an increasingly uneven and unpredictable supply of rainfall as a result of climate change and by a reli-ance on significant water transfers from neighbour-

ing countries In meeting this crisis South Africa will have to resolve tough trade-offs in water use between agriculture key industrial activities such as mining and power generation and the supply to rapidly growing urban centres

Evidence is clearJSE 100 companies will need to show leadership in sustainably managing the water resources on which they rely for their day-to-day business operations The available evidence is clear It is not sustainable to continue exploiting water resources by follow-ing a lsquobusiness as usualrsquo approach If this is the case South Africarsquos freshwater resources will be depleted and unable to meet the needs of people and industry in the next 20 years if not before

In 2011 the response rate to the CDP Water Disclosure amongst South African companies was 46 (26 out of 56 companies) Many of South Africarsquos most significant corporate water users are therefore not yet able to or are not yet ready to report on their water-related risks

Promethuim Robbie Louw Tel (011) 706-8185 Email Robbiepromethiumcoza wwwpromethuimcoza

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 39

EXHIBITION

The Steel and Engineering Industries Federation (SEI-FSA) the Lifting Equipment Engineering Association

of SA (LEEASA) the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA) and the SA Institute of Welding (SAIW) have thrown their weight behind the biggest industrial and engineering trade show in Africa

The three-day 10-shows-in-one event takes place from 14 to 16 May 2013 at Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand Johannesburg

SEIFSA Conference at Indutec The Steel and Engineering Indus-tries Federation of South Africa (SEIFSA) will hold its annual conference at Indutec celebrating 70 years of active support for its members industry and business in Africa The federation has over 2 220 member companies which employ more than 224 000 people comprising 53 of the industryrsquos workforce

SAIW ldquoWe take our affiliations with leading industry players very seriously including our en-dorsement of Indutecrdquo says Jim Guild chief executive officer of the SA Institute of Welding ldquoThese industry ties form part of our strategy to create strong relationships which support our objective and Governmentrsquos mandate to enhance the manufacturing sector in South Africardquo

LEEASAThe Lifting Equipment Engineer-ing Association of South Africa (LEEASA) which is a division of the Chamber of Engineering Tech-

nology (COET) will also be using its endorsement of Indutec to promote its activities in the engineer-ing and technology sectors in general Chamber spokesperson Viv Nel says its exposure at the fair will create more awareness of the Chamberrsquos role in all engineering and technology-driven industries

ECSAIndustry regulator the Engineering Council of South Africa shares these aims ldquoAs a custodian of en-gineering intellectual capital in South Africa our endorsement of Indutec provides us with a platform to publicise our role in the engineering sector and government infrastructure initiativesrdquo says Edgar Sabela ECSArsquos Strategic Services Executive

ldquoWe need to produce 10 times more engineers to compete with developed economies Involvement with the Indutec show will allow us to promote engineering as a career through our Engenius Programme and showcase our existing engineer-ing excellence Most importantly it enables us to network with all key players in the field and even conclude some businessrdquo

Tenfold Benefits to ExhibitorsJohn Thomson managing director of Exhibition Management Services organisers of the 10-in-one Fair says the unqualified support from leading in-dustry bodies indicates the showrsquos tenfold value to the engineering industrial and technology sectors ldquoThis undoubtedly translates into multiple benefits for the showrsquos exhibitors and ultimately to show visitorsrdquo he concludes

Indutec Serean ThomsonTel (011) 783 7250 Email marketingexhibitionsafricacom wwwexhibitionsafricacom

Boosting the Manufacturing Sector32 of South Africarsquos leading industrial and engineering professional and employer associations Chambers and

Councils have collectively endorsed Indutec the recently launched South African Industry and Technology Fair 2013

Promech Publishing through SA Mechanical Engineer and Bulk Handling Today will produce and publish the Official Catalogue for this prestigious show

Make sure your presence is felt before during and after the show by advertising in this one-of-a-kind reference publication

Contact Mark Bennett Tel (011) 781-1401 Email samechengpromechcoza

Jim Guild CEO of the SA Institute of Welding

Edgar Sabela - ECSArsquos Strategic Services Executive

Adelia Pimentel - Marketing and Communications Manager SEIFSA

40 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

MARKET FORUM

ldquoBMG has identified a need in diverse sectors for on-site maintenance services to overcome production challengesrdquo says Dave Russell technical director BMG ldquoRecognising the extreme constraints of high energy prices low productivity the critical skills shortage and a highly competitive economic environment BMG brings a total solutions service to the fore

ldquoIndustry can now access all critical production efficient products and services from one supplier What this means is lower production costs and higher pro-duction efficiency giving South African industry a distinct competitive advantage

ldquoBMGrsquos on-site services include applica-

tion design evaluation and optimisation as well as installation trouble-shooting and service exchange contracts The company also offers predictive planned and breakdown maintenance and energy and reliability studiesrdquo

The company also offers extensive train-ing which covers electrical mechanical hydraulic pneumatic electronic and materials handling disciplines as well as predictive maintenance and component failure analysis

BMG ndash Bearing Man Group Veronique van Niekerk Tel (031) 576-6221Email veroniquevbmgworldnet wwwbmgworldnet

Tenova Takraf Africa (formerly Bateman Engineered Technologies) is putting the final pieces together in completing an order for the supply of a 55m x 275m hydraulically-driven SAG mill to Ontario Graphite operators of the Kearney Mine located in Kearney O n t a r i o Canada

ldquoTenovarsquos scope

Unique SAG Mill in Canada

ABB started with a bang following the order of 2 400 robots by BMW Group Over the next three years the robots will be installed at factories in Regensburg and Leipzig Germany as well as in Tiexi China The ABB robots will mainly be used for mate-rial handling tasks as well as gluing and spot welding processes

ABB robots enable customers to implement efficient manufacturing systems that sustainably produce high-quality products The com-panyrsquos range of products and solu-tions for lean manufacturing cover the range from body-in-white to the final assembly of complete car bodies They improve competitiveness and at the same time optimally comply with customer specifications ABB has installed more than 200 000 robots worldwide

ABB Robotics Natasha Mathebula Tel (010) 202-6156 Email natashamathebulazaabbcom wwwabbcom

2400

Robots

Total Solution

of work includes the engineering manufacturing shipping and technical assistance during erection of the SAG millrsquos feed end shell discharge end drive and main bearings as well as all supporting equipment (lubrication and jacking systems)rdquo says Tenova Takraf

engineer Pieter van der Walt ldquoThe main hydraulic motor and rubber

shell liners were outside our commercial scope of supply but inside our technical

scope of supplyrdquo he adds

The mill is a conventional SAG (semi-autogenous grinding) mill in all ways apart from its drive assem-bly and it is centre-driven

at the discharge end using a Haggluumlnds hydraulic motor and powerpack ldquoTo date this is the largest hydraulic motor installed on a SAG mill with 950kW of power torque of 1 200 kNm (start-up) and 650 kNm (operational) and speed of 1386 rpmrdquo adds Pieter

Since the mill had to be retrofitted to an existing foundation a number of adaptations were required to maintain the mill centreline as well as feed-end and discharge-end positions Certain additions were required to anchor the main motor torque arm

Tenova Takraf Pieter van der Walt Tel (011) 899-2372 Email pietervanderwaltbatemancom wwwtenovagroupcom

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 41

MARKET FORUM

World Record

The ADR plant at Kisladag Mine

FLSmidth designs and manufactures indirect heated carbon regeneration kilns and calciners from half a ton per day and larger These kilns and calciners can be fuel gas oil or electric and are skid mounted pre-wired and pre-piped The companyrsquos patented bellows kiln seal has proved effective in eliminating air ingress and process gas egress and can be retrofitted to kilns from other manufacturers FLSmidth holds the world record for the lowest emissions on a carbon plant

And at the companyrsquos Merrill Crowe plant capacities range from skid mounted 34 cubic metres per hour modular plants to full size 2 100 cubic metres per hour The range of supply for plants includes clarification filters de-aeration towers vacuum pumps zinc dust feeders lead nitrate feeders and zinc cones precipitate filter feed pumps filter pre-coat and body feed systems as well as precipitate filters used by refinery and smelting facilities to produce gold bullion

These plants incorporate proprietary zinc dustlead nitrate feeder and mix-ing cone system The company offers individual plant components and partial or complete plant equipment packages together with total plant design

FLSmidth Terence Osborn Tel (010) 210-4820

Magnet has extended its range of abrasive products to include 3Mrsquos new Cubitron II abrasive belts with enhanced grinding performance improved productivity and extended service life

ldquo3Mrsquos new technology has resulted in increased speed improved consistency and extended belt liferdquo says Brian How-arth MD Magnet ldquoThese new abrasive belts ensure up to 30 faster cutting on hard to grind metals like stainless steel nickel alloy and cobalt chrome They also divert heat from the workpiece and belt to the swarf which means cooler cutting This helps eliminate burnishing and minimises heat stress Cubitron II abrasive belts last up to four times longer than conventional ceramic aluminium oxide beltsrdquo

3M Abrasives Bradley Reddy Tel (031) 274 1050 Email bradleyrmagnetgroupcozawwwmagnetgroupcoza

4 x Longer

42 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

MARKET FORUM

X-Calibur is one of the latest product offerings from TAL and was specified to protect the concrete structure of the worldrsquos second longest cable-stayed bridge against corrosion throughout its design life

Stonecutters Bridge is a high level cable-stayed bridge which spans the Rambler Channel in Hong Kong connecting Nam Wam Kok Tsing Yi Island and Stonecut-ters Island Hong Kong is well known for its hot summer weather which is also humid and unstable Temperatures

Say No to Corrosionusually exceed 30oC during the day which coupled with high humidity can result in an extreme heat index

ldquoHot and humid environments have a great effect on the durability of concrete As a rule of thumb we say for every 10oC increase in temperature the possibility of corrosion induced damage to concrete is doubled Add humidity in a marine envi-ronment then protection of the structure is of paramount importancerdquo says Brian Davies CEO X-Calibur International In order to guard the bridge from corro-

sion X-Shield EpoxySeal CR was sup-plied to shield the prestressed concrete cable anchorages from the effects of the environment In addition X-Shield FlexCoat was used in various areas of the structure This provides corrosion protection to reinforced concrete from chloride and carbon dioxide

ldquoThe main challenge was compliance with the strict project specifications as the engineer wanted to ensure that protection would be provided throughout the design life of the structure X-Calibur

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 43

MARKET FORUM

had the products independently tested to prove compliance to all aspects of the specificationrdquo John adds

The materials were applied by spe-cialist painters who had been trained by X-Calibur ldquoMaterials were mixed and applied strictly in accordance with method statements supplied by X-Calibur to ensure working time and recoat windows were not exceededrdquo concludes John

TAL Andrew Dekker Tel (031) 579-2263 wwwtalcoza

Fluid conveyance and pumping solutions expert Incledon has supplied a large water supply line project in the Free State with a total of 4 km of Ultraflo pipes manufactured in-house by DPI Plastics - a leading manufacturer of water reticulation drainage and pipe-fitting systems in South Africa

DPI Plastics technical and product manager Renier Snyman points out that the companyrsquos range of Ultraflo pipes are manufactured from modified polyvinyl chloride (mPVC) which is specifically designed to provide similar tensile strength and greater resilience than standard PVC piping products ldquoThe Ultraflo range of pressure piping systems are ideally suited to bulk water supply projects due to the fact that mPVC is considerably more ductile than industry standard unplasticised polyvinyl chloride (uPVC)rdquo he explains

Renier notes that the ductility of the Ultraflo uPVC piping system ensures that

Large Water Supply Project

the pipes have exceptional resistance to crack propagation under pressure ldquoThe product being supplied to the water sup-ply line project is the 500 mm Ultraflo system which is the largest in the DPI Plastics range It boasts a pressure rat-ing of 12 bar with a design stress of up to 18MPa making it ideally suited as a large underground piping systemrdquo

According to Renier Ultraflo pipes offer environmental advantages too ldquoDue to its superior toughness the wall thick-ness of mPVC is less than that of uPVC This ensures that less materials are used during the manufacturing process which ultimately results in a lighter product that is easier to transport and install thereby minimising the carbon footprint of the piperdquo

DPI Plastics Martine Goodchild Tel (021) 957 5600 Email mgoodchilddpiplasticscozawwwdpiplasticscoza

Donrsquot Miss Out

Promech Publishing is putting the Visitorsrsquo Catalogue together for this Show

Contact Mark Bennett on Tel (011) 781-1401 or Email samechengpromechcoza

to book your space

44 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

MARKET FORUM

Displaying and discussing some of the Dodge housed bearings on offer to local industry and mining are (from left) Tony Patten of Specialised Bearings amp Transmission Peter Small-Shaw Wilecrsquos Product Manager Bearings and Frans Odendaal Wilecrsquos Technical Specialist Bearings

The Bearings division of Actom group company Wilec has formed a strategic alliance for the supply of Dodge housed bearings into southern Africa The partner-ship agreement with Johannesburg-based Specialised Bearings amp Transmission the local distributor for Dodge extends Wilecrsquos ability to satisfy the requirements of industry and mining in a diverse range of bearings applications

ldquoThe most exciting thing about our tie-up with Dodge is that housed bearings while already widely accepted in the US and other leading industrialised countries is a relatively new concept locally but one which offers advanced features to users compared with conventional plum-mer block arrangementsrdquo said Frans Odendaal Wilecrsquos Technical Specialist Bearings

ldquoDodge housed bearings are supplied pre-assembled and sealed so eliminating all risk of contamination during fitment The advanced sealing arrangement and unique adapter system guarantees longer

Strategic Alliance

life ndash up to six times that of a conven-tional plummer block Other cost-saving advantages are that they can be installed by a semi-skilled technician very quickly normally in less than 15 minutes and the need to measure pre- and post-reduction clearance is eliminatedrdquo

ldquoIt is a differentiated product and with it we are able to provide a bearing that is especially well suited to local conditions

and offers benefits that are of real value to customers A particularly important aspect to bear in mind is that the total cost of ownership of a Dodge bearing is significantly lower than that of the conventional product due to its greater reliability and durabilityrdquo

Wilec Frans Odendaal Tel (011) 629-9300 Email fransowileccoza

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 45

MARKET FORUM

Emis Sales 2002 part of Becker Min-ing South Africa supplies a wide range of electrical equipment up to 1 100 V for use in hazardous and non-hazardous areas in the mining petrochemical and surface industry sectors

New to the Emis range are Proloc pro-tection and control relays which are suitable for thermal overload protection of conveyors compressors crushers fan and pump motors as well as shuttle cars and flitting panels

ldquoThe stand-alone Emis ProLoc electronic protection and control relay system which has been designed for the optimum protection of motor and feeder circuits connected to outlet sockets has a wide choice of six user-selectable protection features to meet exact requirementsrdquo says Frikkie Quirk managing director Emis Sales 2002 ldquoAn important advan-tage of this system is a door mounted infra-red link that enables a laptop with Proloc software to manage all settings

and downloads without having to open the panel door and expose personnel to dangerous live equipment This is a critical requirement in the OHSA actrdquo

This system is easy to set up via the Proloc MMI 420 display man-to-machine interface or via a laptop with Proloc software

Emis Sales 2002 Tel (016) 341-6134 Email infozabecker-miningcom wwwzabecker-miningcom

Optimum Protection

Birkenmayer a material processing systems supplier in South Africa and local supplier of German-engineered Eirich material processing technology recently released the Evactherm drier a new product that marries the advantages

Superheated Vacuum Steam

of mechanical and thermo dynamical processes to provide cost-effective and highly efficient drying and processing of filter cake and sludgersquos using superheated vacuum steam

Until now it has been important to observe

a maximum middle temperature when applying direct drying to heat sensitive materials and even more important to avoid the excessive local and boundary temperatures that frequently damage the drying product Both heat and ma-terial transport need to be considered and while convective drying processes such as spray drying largely avoid these problems they are only effective if a surface is available for the hot gas flow

Adjustable for both direct and convec-tive drying and processing Evactherm driers overcome these obstacles while providing a number of further benefits

Super-heated vacuum steam performs drying and granulation while the com-bination of mechanical and thermo dynamical processes allows for low dry-ing temperatures and gentle processing of temperature sensitive materials It also enables continuous drying for long periods of time as fresh material may be continuously added into the fluidized bed replacing material that has already been vaporised

H Birkenmayer Louis Eksteen Tel (011) 970 3880-8 Email louisbirkenmayercozawwwbirkenmayercoza

The Evactherm drier

Proloc protection and control relays

46 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

The Eastern Capersquos Coega Industrial Development Zone (IDZ) is one of a number of industrial regions in South Africa to benefit from Air Products South Africarsquos strategy of long-term capital investment

A region which has long been under-served when it comes to reliable gas supply the Eastern Cape will soon have

A Long-term Viewits own air separation unit (ASU) ndash the first of its kind in the province Seelan Gounden GM supply chain at AirProd-ucts explains the reasons behind the companyrsquos latest investment

ldquoCurrently there is no local industrial gas supply in this area and cryogenic gases have to be procured elsewhere This situation compromises the service

MARKET FORUM

ART Solar specialists in the manufacture of solar photovoltaic (PV) modules for the sustainable generation of electrical power has made the following appointment an-nouncementsMark Walsh as managing director Dr Ronald FM Lange as chief operating officer Robert Ramshaw as financial manager and Gavin Rosslee as production manager

Gavin RossleeRobert RamshawMark Walsh

Jeanne Els has been appointed as Hatchrsquos Managing Director of Operations

Jeanne Els

Ronald Lange

Anton Theunissen

SKF South Africa recently appointed Anton Theunissen as Distributor De-velpoment Manager for South Africa and neighbouring coun-tries

Index to Advertisers

Axiom 12

Bearings International 36

Bibby Turboflex 28

Bonfiglioli 10

Engen 34

Festo 35

Hansen 44

Horne SA 29

IDC Inside Back Cover

ILS 32

KDP Services 22

Loesche 31

Polysius 4

PPS 11 29

Mercedes Outside Back Cover

Merseta Inside Front Cover

MIEO Outside Front Cover

Transmission Components 14

Voith 38

Yellotec 16 17

delivery to our existing customers who have to depend on product being trucked over vast distances Thus we identified the Eastern Cape as a key priority invest-ment destination with a clear need for a new air separation facility dedicated to servicing the region We chose the Coega IDZ after careful market analysis We are pleased to be able to be a part of the growth and development of the region through providing a long-needed security of supply and value-added servicerdquo

Ayanda Vilakazi head of Marketing and Communications at the Coega IDZ adds ldquoThe viability of the new ASU is indis-putable It will mean not only security of gas supply to the region benefiting the many industries here but it also means job security for other investors jobs along the value chain and scope for training and human resource develop-ment as well as enhanced Corporate Social Investment initiativesrdquo

Seelan Gounden AirProducts wwwairproductssouthafricacoza

Left to right Chris Mashigo Executive Man-ager - Business Development Coega Develop-ment Corporation Themba Khoza Executive Manager ndash Operations Coega Development Corporation Seelan Gounden GM - Supply Chain Air Products Pierre Fourie Area Sales Manager ndash Eastern Cape Air Products signed the lease agreement between the CDC and Air Products South Africa

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 47To apply online for funding of R1 million or more go to wwwidccoza

Telephone 086 069 3888Email callcentreidccoza

Driving new market innovationsThe IDC supports high-impact job creation projects acting as a

catalyst to lead new sector development and support existing

industry and sector growth in alignment with governmentrsquos

New Growth Path (NGP) National Development Plan (NDP)

and Industrial Policy Action Plan (IPAP)

The IDC Strategic High Impact Projects (SHIP) Strategic Business

Unit in partnership with the IDC Innovation Department has

launched an Open Innovation Challenge to encourage the

development and implementation of sustainable high-impact

industrial initiatives and projects

The IDC calls upon individuals engineering communities

corporates project sponsors and other related entities to enter

into a partnership to develop qualifying projects that result in

sustainable and profi table industries exploit the value-adding

opportunities of existing and new value chains and enable the

development of innovative local economies

Whatwho qualifi es

projects which enable the development of new industries

across multiple IDC focus sectors

introduce new markets and value chains or revolutionise

existing ones through the use of disruptive technologies

or new approaches

development impact and employment creation

across mandated IDC industrial sectors

SHIP wishes to ensure that the projects undertaken play a major

role in industrial development and employment creation within

the South African and SADC regions

Interested applicants are invited to submit their project

proposals online at

httpopeninnovationidccozaidc-ship-challenge between

project proposals will be informed in May regarding SHIP

wishing to partner with them in the development of the

proposed project

Please contact Bertie Strydom BertieSidccoza and

RetiefBidccoza for more information

Chillibush9119IDC

48 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

A D

aim

ler B

rand

You built the bridges the roads and the tunnels We built the carAs a member of the Engineering Council of South Africa you could qualify for exclusive offers a guaranteed 3-day service booking as well as PremiumDrive our 6 year100 000km maintenance plan To take advantage of this outstandingopportunity inform your nearest dealer of your ECSA status

Not in conjunction with other Mercedes-Benz Fleet ProgrammesOffers Excludes AMG and Limited Edition modelsVehicle specifications may vary for the South African market

Page 33: SAME Mar2013

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 33

Cubitron can be used to finish profile and or polish materials with high tensile strengths and is particularly useful to extend the lifetime of belts and discs in industrial environments

where hard materials are the order of the dayrdquo

Consistent cutFinishes are little changed through the entire dura-tion of a Cubitron belt from new to completely worn out The secret is that the cutting edges wear in a controlled manner This means that the tiny indi-vidual scratches are the same when the belt is first

put on until it is worn and ready for replacement

ldquoThere are a multitude of cutting edges on each individual grain of the extremely hard ceramic based grain As the grain wears new cutting edges are exposed in a predictable and measured manner to ensure that a consistent action is applied to the surfacerdquo she adds

Using the same ceramic platform 3M developed Cubitron II providing even better results than its predecessor 3M engineers were able to electrostati-cally orient triangular precision shaped ceramic grain acting like a cutting tool This means that the grain slices through metal as opposed to grinding and continuously self-sharpens as points break off This results in discs and belts running cooler and longer The Cubitron II technology is applied in

Starting from Scratch

SURFACE FINISHING

ldquoTo scratch the surface as the saying goes of most modern materials and coatings is not as easy as it used to be Thatrsquos why we developed Cubitron Abrasive Grainrdquo says Kelly Hunt

sales and marketing manager of 3M

34 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

Scratccchingg thhe surfface of abrasivvves ttecchnnologgy is too oopen a compplex sccience

SURFACE FINISHING

belt fibre disc and Roloc form offer-ing a unique solution for wide range of grinding needs

Scratching the surfaceKelly is an abrasives fanatic She says scratching the surface of abrasives technology is to open a complex sci-ence Analysis of different materials and techniques of cutting or finishing has in recent years become a necessity as materials develop and advance Bonding of abrasive onto materials for discs and belts is also more complex than before as manufacturing becomes automated and the tolerance for down-time reduces

But for the average operator technician or engineer it is not so much a matter of what goes into the development of a product but rather finding the solution that suits the intended process The minimum requirement is for a product to perform reliably over an extended period of time and to produce the right finish

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 35

Sometimmess a less expeeensiive buuut mmooree suitaaablee abbrasssivee ccaan give bettterr reesulttss

SURFACE FINISHING

ldquoUsing the abrasives to determine a finish can be as simple or as com-plicated as the producer of finished goods chooses to make it With so many choices available in the market we recommend that industrial users iden-tify the requirements of the abrasive and then speak to trained service technicians from suppliers such as 3M

Not about priceldquoPrice is not always the determining factor Some-times a less expensive but more suitable abrasive can give better results and in other instances the use of cheaper materials in the wrong application may be costly as materials will need to be replaced more oftenrdquo

Kelly recommends that us-ers of industrial abrasives take the time to research new products and as-sess their suitability for their processes ldquoYoursquoll be surprised that some of the new abrasives can do the job better and in half the time than older technology abrasives canrdquo she concludes

3M Dylan Ian Hunter Tel (011) 806-2186 Email dhuntermmmcom www3Mcom

36 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

IT TRENDS

ldquo M o b i l e c o m p u t i n g

continues to grow and alongside other IT trends

such as cloud computing social technologies and the era of big data It is going to play a pivotal role in the IT industry this year In factrdquo Derick adds

Mobile Computing

Mobile computing is growing momentously and is set to account for as much as 57 of worldwide T market growth in 2013 says Derick Roberts CEO of TruTeq Devices a Pretoria-based

company focusing on wireless connectivity solutions

ldquoit is going to account for the lionrsquos share of growth ndash even more than the cloud computingrdquo

The IDC predicts that worldwide IT spending will exceed $21 trillion up 57 from 2012 The research company also states that mobility will be the biggest driver Sales of smart mobile devices including smart phones and tablets is expected to grow by 20 and will contribute a significant 57 of all IT growth Excluding smart mobile devices IT industry growth will clock in at only 29

Truteq Devices Derick Roberts Tel (012) 667-1530 wwwtruteqdevicescom

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 37

ELECTRIC DRIVE

The technology performance and design of the Cigarette powerboat is closely based on the electric super sports vehicle made in Affalterbach Germany

The 116 metre long Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept powerboat uses two drive units each featuring six independent electric motors At the rear of the boat each drive unit has its own trans-mission one on the left and one on the right The boat is fitted with the twelve compact liquid-cooled permanent-magnet synchronous electric motors which are the signature piece of the SLS AMG Coupeacute Electric Drive each electric motor delivers 138 kW and 250 Newton metres

The maximum output of 1 656 Kilowatts and maximum torque of 3 000 Newton metres combine to reach a staggering top speed of over 160 kmh making this locally emission-free Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept the worlds fastest electri-cally driven powerboat The low centre of gravity and optimum weight distribution ensure sublime

The Worlds Most Powerful Powerboat

handling characteristics during more dynamic changes of direction

The high-voltage battery boasts an energy content of 60 Kilowatt hours an electric load potential of 600 Kilowatts and a weight of 548 kg ndash all of which are absolute best values in the automotive sector The liquid-cooled lithium-ion high-voltage battery features a modular design with a maximum voltage of 400 V It consists of 12 modules each comprising 72 lithium-ion cells ldquoCigaretterdquo inte-grates four high-tech batteries with a total of 48 modules and 3 456 cells which generate a total capacity of 240 Kilowatt hours and an electric output of 2 400 Kilowatts respect even in the boat building industry

The Cigarette on-board chargers as standard Adapted to fit the infrastructure standard of many American marinas the boat has a charging capac-ity of 44 Kilowatts The battery is fully charged in approximately seven hours To reduce the charging time to less than three hours the powerboat can be fitted with four on-board chargers as an option

Mercedes-Benz Shirle Greig Tel (012) 677-1904 Email shirlegreigdaimlercom wwwmercedes-benzsacoza

Mercedes-AMG and Cigarette Racing launched the latest development of their cooperation at the Miami International Boat Show in February Numerous components from the SLS AMG Coupeacute Electric Drive have been integrated in the design of the Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept engineering design The high performance drive fitted in the electric super sports car makes the off shore powerboat the worlds most

powerful and fastest electrically-driven motor boat With an output of 1 656 Kilowatts and a maximum torque of 3 000 Newton metres the Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept is a fascinating new development

Combine to reach a staggering top speed of over 160 kmh

38 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

ENVIRONMENT

They have been in service for decades

under the toughest conditions ndash and

have proven themselves worldwide

Voith fluid couplings protect belt con-

veyors and drive components by provid-

ing smooth acceleration and torque

control allowing for frequent loaded

starts with the least amount of stress on

the drive and belt

In multi-motor drives they ensure pre-

cise load distribution Result fewer

downtimes ndash and the service life of the

belt and the drive components is in-

creased The latest product innovation is

the Voith TurboBelt 780 TPXL

infovtzavoithcom

wwwrsavoithturbocom

Protect Your Belt Conveyors with

Voith Fluid Couplings

ai_a

it_44

0_e

n ai

k

Water Disclosure ReportingJust as companies are addressing their carbon emissions and

provide carbon reporting to the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) water is becoming a growing priority

Reporting on it is becoming another critical sustainability issue

2011 saw a marked increase in the number of the worldrsquos largest companies reporting on their water usage on the risks that water presents and on their responses to

that risk Responses from these companies indicate that water is impacting global business now and yet water is not nearly as high on the corporate agenda as climate change

Evidence is mounting that South Africa is facing a water crisis of substantial proportions This crisis encompasses all aspects of water management on both the demand and supply side The mounting impacts of acid mine drainage and declining wa-ter quality add to the crisis South Africarsquos water security is likely to be further complicated by an increasingly uneven and unpredictable supply of rainfall as a result of climate change and by a reli-ance on significant water transfers from neighbour-

ing countries In meeting this crisis South Africa will have to resolve tough trade-offs in water use between agriculture key industrial activities such as mining and power generation and the supply to rapidly growing urban centres

Evidence is clearJSE 100 companies will need to show leadership in sustainably managing the water resources on which they rely for their day-to-day business operations The available evidence is clear It is not sustainable to continue exploiting water resources by follow-ing a lsquobusiness as usualrsquo approach If this is the case South Africarsquos freshwater resources will be depleted and unable to meet the needs of people and industry in the next 20 years if not before

In 2011 the response rate to the CDP Water Disclosure amongst South African companies was 46 (26 out of 56 companies) Many of South Africarsquos most significant corporate water users are therefore not yet able to or are not yet ready to report on their water-related risks

Promethuim Robbie Louw Tel (011) 706-8185 Email Robbiepromethiumcoza wwwpromethuimcoza

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 39

EXHIBITION

The Steel and Engineering Industries Federation (SEI-FSA) the Lifting Equipment Engineering Association

of SA (LEEASA) the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA) and the SA Institute of Welding (SAIW) have thrown their weight behind the biggest industrial and engineering trade show in Africa

The three-day 10-shows-in-one event takes place from 14 to 16 May 2013 at Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand Johannesburg

SEIFSA Conference at Indutec The Steel and Engineering Indus-tries Federation of South Africa (SEIFSA) will hold its annual conference at Indutec celebrating 70 years of active support for its members industry and business in Africa The federation has over 2 220 member companies which employ more than 224 000 people comprising 53 of the industryrsquos workforce

SAIW ldquoWe take our affiliations with leading industry players very seriously including our en-dorsement of Indutecrdquo says Jim Guild chief executive officer of the SA Institute of Welding ldquoThese industry ties form part of our strategy to create strong relationships which support our objective and Governmentrsquos mandate to enhance the manufacturing sector in South Africardquo

LEEASAThe Lifting Equipment Engineer-ing Association of South Africa (LEEASA) which is a division of the Chamber of Engineering Tech-

nology (COET) will also be using its endorsement of Indutec to promote its activities in the engineer-ing and technology sectors in general Chamber spokesperson Viv Nel says its exposure at the fair will create more awareness of the Chamberrsquos role in all engineering and technology-driven industries

ECSAIndustry regulator the Engineering Council of South Africa shares these aims ldquoAs a custodian of en-gineering intellectual capital in South Africa our endorsement of Indutec provides us with a platform to publicise our role in the engineering sector and government infrastructure initiativesrdquo says Edgar Sabela ECSArsquos Strategic Services Executive

ldquoWe need to produce 10 times more engineers to compete with developed economies Involvement with the Indutec show will allow us to promote engineering as a career through our Engenius Programme and showcase our existing engineer-ing excellence Most importantly it enables us to network with all key players in the field and even conclude some businessrdquo

Tenfold Benefits to ExhibitorsJohn Thomson managing director of Exhibition Management Services organisers of the 10-in-one Fair says the unqualified support from leading in-dustry bodies indicates the showrsquos tenfold value to the engineering industrial and technology sectors ldquoThis undoubtedly translates into multiple benefits for the showrsquos exhibitors and ultimately to show visitorsrdquo he concludes

Indutec Serean ThomsonTel (011) 783 7250 Email marketingexhibitionsafricacom wwwexhibitionsafricacom

Boosting the Manufacturing Sector32 of South Africarsquos leading industrial and engineering professional and employer associations Chambers and

Councils have collectively endorsed Indutec the recently launched South African Industry and Technology Fair 2013

Promech Publishing through SA Mechanical Engineer and Bulk Handling Today will produce and publish the Official Catalogue for this prestigious show

Make sure your presence is felt before during and after the show by advertising in this one-of-a-kind reference publication

Contact Mark Bennett Tel (011) 781-1401 Email samechengpromechcoza

Jim Guild CEO of the SA Institute of Welding

Edgar Sabela - ECSArsquos Strategic Services Executive

Adelia Pimentel - Marketing and Communications Manager SEIFSA

40 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

MARKET FORUM

ldquoBMG has identified a need in diverse sectors for on-site maintenance services to overcome production challengesrdquo says Dave Russell technical director BMG ldquoRecognising the extreme constraints of high energy prices low productivity the critical skills shortage and a highly competitive economic environment BMG brings a total solutions service to the fore

ldquoIndustry can now access all critical production efficient products and services from one supplier What this means is lower production costs and higher pro-duction efficiency giving South African industry a distinct competitive advantage

ldquoBMGrsquos on-site services include applica-

tion design evaluation and optimisation as well as installation trouble-shooting and service exchange contracts The company also offers predictive planned and breakdown maintenance and energy and reliability studiesrdquo

The company also offers extensive train-ing which covers electrical mechanical hydraulic pneumatic electronic and materials handling disciplines as well as predictive maintenance and component failure analysis

BMG ndash Bearing Man Group Veronique van Niekerk Tel (031) 576-6221Email veroniquevbmgworldnet wwwbmgworldnet

Tenova Takraf Africa (formerly Bateman Engineered Technologies) is putting the final pieces together in completing an order for the supply of a 55m x 275m hydraulically-driven SAG mill to Ontario Graphite operators of the Kearney Mine located in Kearney O n t a r i o Canada

ldquoTenovarsquos scope

Unique SAG Mill in Canada

ABB started with a bang following the order of 2 400 robots by BMW Group Over the next three years the robots will be installed at factories in Regensburg and Leipzig Germany as well as in Tiexi China The ABB robots will mainly be used for mate-rial handling tasks as well as gluing and spot welding processes

ABB robots enable customers to implement efficient manufacturing systems that sustainably produce high-quality products The com-panyrsquos range of products and solu-tions for lean manufacturing cover the range from body-in-white to the final assembly of complete car bodies They improve competitiveness and at the same time optimally comply with customer specifications ABB has installed more than 200 000 robots worldwide

ABB Robotics Natasha Mathebula Tel (010) 202-6156 Email natashamathebulazaabbcom wwwabbcom

2400

Robots

Total Solution

of work includes the engineering manufacturing shipping and technical assistance during erection of the SAG millrsquos feed end shell discharge end drive and main bearings as well as all supporting equipment (lubrication and jacking systems)rdquo says Tenova Takraf

engineer Pieter van der Walt ldquoThe main hydraulic motor and rubber

shell liners were outside our commercial scope of supply but inside our technical

scope of supplyrdquo he adds

The mill is a conventional SAG (semi-autogenous grinding) mill in all ways apart from its drive assem-bly and it is centre-driven

at the discharge end using a Haggluumlnds hydraulic motor and powerpack ldquoTo date this is the largest hydraulic motor installed on a SAG mill with 950kW of power torque of 1 200 kNm (start-up) and 650 kNm (operational) and speed of 1386 rpmrdquo adds Pieter

Since the mill had to be retrofitted to an existing foundation a number of adaptations were required to maintain the mill centreline as well as feed-end and discharge-end positions Certain additions were required to anchor the main motor torque arm

Tenova Takraf Pieter van der Walt Tel (011) 899-2372 Email pietervanderwaltbatemancom wwwtenovagroupcom

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 41

MARKET FORUM

World Record

The ADR plant at Kisladag Mine

FLSmidth designs and manufactures indirect heated carbon regeneration kilns and calciners from half a ton per day and larger These kilns and calciners can be fuel gas oil or electric and are skid mounted pre-wired and pre-piped The companyrsquos patented bellows kiln seal has proved effective in eliminating air ingress and process gas egress and can be retrofitted to kilns from other manufacturers FLSmidth holds the world record for the lowest emissions on a carbon plant

And at the companyrsquos Merrill Crowe plant capacities range from skid mounted 34 cubic metres per hour modular plants to full size 2 100 cubic metres per hour The range of supply for plants includes clarification filters de-aeration towers vacuum pumps zinc dust feeders lead nitrate feeders and zinc cones precipitate filter feed pumps filter pre-coat and body feed systems as well as precipitate filters used by refinery and smelting facilities to produce gold bullion

These plants incorporate proprietary zinc dustlead nitrate feeder and mix-ing cone system The company offers individual plant components and partial or complete plant equipment packages together with total plant design

FLSmidth Terence Osborn Tel (010) 210-4820

Magnet has extended its range of abrasive products to include 3Mrsquos new Cubitron II abrasive belts with enhanced grinding performance improved productivity and extended service life

ldquo3Mrsquos new technology has resulted in increased speed improved consistency and extended belt liferdquo says Brian How-arth MD Magnet ldquoThese new abrasive belts ensure up to 30 faster cutting on hard to grind metals like stainless steel nickel alloy and cobalt chrome They also divert heat from the workpiece and belt to the swarf which means cooler cutting This helps eliminate burnishing and minimises heat stress Cubitron II abrasive belts last up to four times longer than conventional ceramic aluminium oxide beltsrdquo

3M Abrasives Bradley Reddy Tel (031) 274 1050 Email bradleyrmagnetgroupcozawwwmagnetgroupcoza

4 x Longer

42 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

MARKET FORUM

X-Calibur is one of the latest product offerings from TAL and was specified to protect the concrete structure of the worldrsquos second longest cable-stayed bridge against corrosion throughout its design life

Stonecutters Bridge is a high level cable-stayed bridge which spans the Rambler Channel in Hong Kong connecting Nam Wam Kok Tsing Yi Island and Stonecut-ters Island Hong Kong is well known for its hot summer weather which is also humid and unstable Temperatures

Say No to Corrosionusually exceed 30oC during the day which coupled with high humidity can result in an extreme heat index

ldquoHot and humid environments have a great effect on the durability of concrete As a rule of thumb we say for every 10oC increase in temperature the possibility of corrosion induced damage to concrete is doubled Add humidity in a marine envi-ronment then protection of the structure is of paramount importancerdquo says Brian Davies CEO X-Calibur International In order to guard the bridge from corro-

sion X-Shield EpoxySeal CR was sup-plied to shield the prestressed concrete cable anchorages from the effects of the environment In addition X-Shield FlexCoat was used in various areas of the structure This provides corrosion protection to reinforced concrete from chloride and carbon dioxide

ldquoThe main challenge was compliance with the strict project specifications as the engineer wanted to ensure that protection would be provided throughout the design life of the structure X-Calibur

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 43

MARKET FORUM

had the products independently tested to prove compliance to all aspects of the specificationrdquo John adds

The materials were applied by spe-cialist painters who had been trained by X-Calibur ldquoMaterials were mixed and applied strictly in accordance with method statements supplied by X-Calibur to ensure working time and recoat windows were not exceededrdquo concludes John

TAL Andrew Dekker Tel (031) 579-2263 wwwtalcoza

Fluid conveyance and pumping solutions expert Incledon has supplied a large water supply line project in the Free State with a total of 4 km of Ultraflo pipes manufactured in-house by DPI Plastics - a leading manufacturer of water reticulation drainage and pipe-fitting systems in South Africa

DPI Plastics technical and product manager Renier Snyman points out that the companyrsquos range of Ultraflo pipes are manufactured from modified polyvinyl chloride (mPVC) which is specifically designed to provide similar tensile strength and greater resilience than standard PVC piping products ldquoThe Ultraflo range of pressure piping systems are ideally suited to bulk water supply projects due to the fact that mPVC is considerably more ductile than industry standard unplasticised polyvinyl chloride (uPVC)rdquo he explains

Renier notes that the ductility of the Ultraflo uPVC piping system ensures that

Large Water Supply Project

the pipes have exceptional resistance to crack propagation under pressure ldquoThe product being supplied to the water sup-ply line project is the 500 mm Ultraflo system which is the largest in the DPI Plastics range It boasts a pressure rat-ing of 12 bar with a design stress of up to 18MPa making it ideally suited as a large underground piping systemrdquo

According to Renier Ultraflo pipes offer environmental advantages too ldquoDue to its superior toughness the wall thick-ness of mPVC is less than that of uPVC This ensures that less materials are used during the manufacturing process which ultimately results in a lighter product that is easier to transport and install thereby minimising the carbon footprint of the piperdquo

DPI Plastics Martine Goodchild Tel (021) 957 5600 Email mgoodchilddpiplasticscozawwwdpiplasticscoza

Donrsquot Miss Out

Promech Publishing is putting the Visitorsrsquo Catalogue together for this Show

Contact Mark Bennett on Tel (011) 781-1401 or Email samechengpromechcoza

to book your space

44 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

MARKET FORUM

Displaying and discussing some of the Dodge housed bearings on offer to local industry and mining are (from left) Tony Patten of Specialised Bearings amp Transmission Peter Small-Shaw Wilecrsquos Product Manager Bearings and Frans Odendaal Wilecrsquos Technical Specialist Bearings

The Bearings division of Actom group company Wilec has formed a strategic alliance for the supply of Dodge housed bearings into southern Africa The partner-ship agreement with Johannesburg-based Specialised Bearings amp Transmission the local distributor for Dodge extends Wilecrsquos ability to satisfy the requirements of industry and mining in a diverse range of bearings applications

ldquoThe most exciting thing about our tie-up with Dodge is that housed bearings while already widely accepted in the US and other leading industrialised countries is a relatively new concept locally but one which offers advanced features to users compared with conventional plum-mer block arrangementsrdquo said Frans Odendaal Wilecrsquos Technical Specialist Bearings

ldquoDodge housed bearings are supplied pre-assembled and sealed so eliminating all risk of contamination during fitment The advanced sealing arrangement and unique adapter system guarantees longer

Strategic Alliance

life ndash up to six times that of a conven-tional plummer block Other cost-saving advantages are that they can be installed by a semi-skilled technician very quickly normally in less than 15 minutes and the need to measure pre- and post-reduction clearance is eliminatedrdquo

ldquoIt is a differentiated product and with it we are able to provide a bearing that is especially well suited to local conditions

and offers benefits that are of real value to customers A particularly important aspect to bear in mind is that the total cost of ownership of a Dodge bearing is significantly lower than that of the conventional product due to its greater reliability and durabilityrdquo

Wilec Frans Odendaal Tel (011) 629-9300 Email fransowileccoza

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 45

MARKET FORUM

Emis Sales 2002 part of Becker Min-ing South Africa supplies a wide range of electrical equipment up to 1 100 V for use in hazardous and non-hazardous areas in the mining petrochemical and surface industry sectors

New to the Emis range are Proloc pro-tection and control relays which are suitable for thermal overload protection of conveyors compressors crushers fan and pump motors as well as shuttle cars and flitting panels

ldquoThe stand-alone Emis ProLoc electronic protection and control relay system which has been designed for the optimum protection of motor and feeder circuits connected to outlet sockets has a wide choice of six user-selectable protection features to meet exact requirementsrdquo says Frikkie Quirk managing director Emis Sales 2002 ldquoAn important advan-tage of this system is a door mounted infra-red link that enables a laptop with Proloc software to manage all settings

and downloads without having to open the panel door and expose personnel to dangerous live equipment This is a critical requirement in the OHSA actrdquo

This system is easy to set up via the Proloc MMI 420 display man-to-machine interface or via a laptop with Proloc software

Emis Sales 2002 Tel (016) 341-6134 Email infozabecker-miningcom wwwzabecker-miningcom

Optimum Protection

Birkenmayer a material processing systems supplier in South Africa and local supplier of German-engineered Eirich material processing technology recently released the Evactherm drier a new product that marries the advantages

Superheated Vacuum Steam

of mechanical and thermo dynamical processes to provide cost-effective and highly efficient drying and processing of filter cake and sludgersquos using superheated vacuum steam

Until now it has been important to observe

a maximum middle temperature when applying direct drying to heat sensitive materials and even more important to avoid the excessive local and boundary temperatures that frequently damage the drying product Both heat and ma-terial transport need to be considered and while convective drying processes such as spray drying largely avoid these problems they are only effective if a surface is available for the hot gas flow

Adjustable for both direct and convec-tive drying and processing Evactherm driers overcome these obstacles while providing a number of further benefits

Super-heated vacuum steam performs drying and granulation while the com-bination of mechanical and thermo dynamical processes allows for low dry-ing temperatures and gentle processing of temperature sensitive materials It also enables continuous drying for long periods of time as fresh material may be continuously added into the fluidized bed replacing material that has already been vaporised

H Birkenmayer Louis Eksteen Tel (011) 970 3880-8 Email louisbirkenmayercozawwwbirkenmayercoza

The Evactherm drier

Proloc protection and control relays

46 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

The Eastern Capersquos Coega Industrial Development Zone (IDZ) is one of a number of industrial regions in South Africa to benefit from Air Products South Africarsquos strategy of long-term capital investment

A region which has long been under-served when it comes to reliable gas supply the Eastern Cape will soon have

A Long-term Viewits own air separation unit (ASU) ndash the first of its kind in the province Seelan Gounden GM supply chain at AirProd-ucts explains the reasons behind the companyrsquos latest investment

ldquoCurrently there is no local industrial gas supply in this area and cryogenic gases have to be procured elsewhere This situation compromises the service

MARKET FORUM

ART Solar specialists in the manufacture of solar photovoltaic (PV) modules for the sustainable generation of electrical power has made the following appointment an-nouncementsMark Walsh as managing director Dr Ronald FM Lange as chief operating officer Robert Ramshaw as financial manager and Gavin Rosslee as production manager

Gavin RossleeRobert RamshawMark Walsh

Jeanne Els has been appointed as Hatchrsquos Managing Director of Operations

Jeanne Els

Ronald Lange

Anton Theunissen

SKF South Africa recently appointed Anton Theunissen as Distributor De-velpoment Manager for South Africa and neighbouring coun-tries

Index to Advertisers

Axiom 12

Bearings International 36

Bibby Turboflex 28

Bonfiglioli 10

Engen 34

Festo 35

Hansen 44

Horne SA 29

IDC Inside Back Cover

ILS 32

KDP Services 22

Loesche 31

Polysius 4

PPS 11 29

Mercedes Outside Back Cover

Merseta Inside Front Cover

MIEO Outside Front Cover

Transmission Components 14

Voith 38

Yellotec 16 17

delivery to our existing customers who have to depend on product being trucked over vast distances Thus we identified the Eastern Cape as a key priority invest-ment destination with a clear need for a new air separation facility dedicated to servicing the region We chose the Coega IDZ after careful market analysis We are pleased to be able to be a part of the growth and development of the region through providing a long-needed security of supply and value-added servicerdquo

Ayanda Vilakazi head of Marketing and Communications at the Coega IDZ adds ldquoThe viability of the new ASU is indis-putable It will mean not only security of gas supply to the region benefiting the many industries here but it also means job security for other investors jobs along the value chain and scope for training and human resource develop-ment as well as enhanced Corporate Social Investment initiativesrdquo

Seelan Gounden AirProducts wwwairproductssouthafricacoza

Left to right Chris Mashigo Executive Man-ager - Business Development Coega Develop-ment Corporation Themba Khoza Executive Manager ndash Operations Coega Development Corporation Seelan Gounden GM - Supply Chain Air Products Pierre Fourie Area Sales Manager ndash Eastern Cape Air Products signed the lease agreement between the CDC and Air Products South Africa

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 47To apply online for funding of R1 million or more go to wwwidccoza

Telephone 086 069 3888Email callcentreidccoza

Driving new market innovationsThe IDC supports high-impact job creation projects acting as a

catalyst to lead new sector development and support existing

industry and sector growth in alignment with governmentrsquos

New Growth Path (NGP) National Development Plan (NDP)

and Industrial Policy Action Plan (IPAP)

The IDC Strategic High Impact Projects (SHIP) Strategic Business

Unit in partnership with the IDC Innovation Department has

launched an Open Innovation Challenge to encourage the

development and implementation of sustainable high-impact

industrial initiatives and projects

The IDC calls upon individuals engineering communities

corporates project sponsors and other related entities to enter

into a partnership to develop qualifying projects that result in

sustainable and profi table industries exploit the value-adding

opportunities of existing and new value chains and enable the

development of innovative local economies

Whatwho qualifi es

projects which enable the development of new industries

across multiple IDC focus sectors

introduce new markets and value chains or revolutionise

existing ones through the use of disruptive technologies

or new approaches

development impact and employment creation

across mandated IDC industrial sectors

SHIP wishes to ensure that the projects undertaken play a major

role in industrial development and employment creation within

the South African and SADC regions

Interested applicants are invited to submit their project

proposals online at

httpopeninnovationidccozaidc-ship-challenge between

project proposals will be informed in May regarding SHIP

wishing to partner with them in the development of the

proposed project

Please contact Bertie Strydom BertieSidccoza and

RetiefBidccoza for more information

Chillibush9119IDC

48 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

A D

aim

ler B

rand

You built the bridges the roads and the tunnels We built the carAs a member of the Engineering Council of South Africa you could qualify for exclusive offers a guaranteed 3-day service booking as well as PremiumDrive our 6 year100 000km maintenance plan To take advantage of this outstandingopportunity inform your nearest dealer of your ECSA status

Not in conjunction with other Mercedes-Benz Fleet ProgrammesOffers Excludes AMG and Limited Edition modelsVehicle specifications may vary for the South African market

Page 34: SAME Mar2013

34 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

Scratccchingg thhe surfface of abrasivvves ttecchnnologgy is too oopen a compplex sccience

SURFACE FINISHING

belt fibre disc and Roloc form offer-ing a unique solution for wide range of grinding needs

Scratching the surfaceKelly is an abrasives fanatic She says scratching the surface of abrasives technology is to open a complex sci-ence Analysis of different materials and techniques of cutting or finishing has in recent years become a necessity as materials develop and advance Bonding of abrasive onto materials for discs and belts is also more complex than before as manufacturing becomes automated and the tolerance for down-time reduces

But for the average operator technician or engineer it is not so much a matter of what goes into the development of a product but rather finding the solution that suits the intended process The minimum requirement is for a product to perform reliably over an extended period of time and to produce the right finish

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 35

Sometimmess a less expeeensiive buuut mmooree suitaaablee abbrasssivee ccaan give bettterr reesulttss

SURFACE FINISHING

ldquoUsing the abrasives to determine a finish can be as simple or as com-plicated as the producer of finished goods chooses to make it With so many choices available in the market we recommend that industrial users iden-tify the requirements of the abrasive and then speak to trained service technicians from suppliers such as 3M

Not about priceldquoPrice is not always the determining factor Some-times a less expensive but more suitable abrasive can give better results and in other instances the use of cheaper materials in the wrong application may be costly as materials will need to be replaced more oftenrdquo

Kelly recommends that us-ers of industrial abrasives take the time to research new products and as-sess their suitability for their processes ldquoYoursquoll be surprised that some of the new abrasives can do the job better and in half the time than older technology abrasives canrdquo she concludes

3M Dylan Ian Hunter Tel (011) 806-2186 Email dhuntermmmcom www3Mcom

36 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

IT TRENDS

ldquo M o b i l e c o m p u t i n g

continues to grow and alongside other IT trends

such as cloud computing social technologies and the era of big data It is going to play a pivotal role in the IT industry this year In factrdquo Derick adds

Mobile Computing

Mobile computing is growing momentously and is set to account for as much as 57 of worldwide T market growth in 2013 says Derick Roberts CEO of TruTeq Devices a Pretoria-based

company focusing on wireless connectivity solutions

ldquoit is going to account for the lionrsquos share of growth ndash even more than the cloud computingrdquo

The IDC predicts that worldwide IT spending will exceed $21 trillion up 57 from 2012 The research company also states that mobility will be the biggest driver Sales of smart mobile devices including smart phones and tablets is expected to grow by 20 and will contribute a significant 57 of all IT growth Excluding smart mobile devices IT industry growth will clock in at only 29

Truteq Devices Derick Roberts Tel (012) 667-1530 wwwtruteqdevicescom

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 37

ELECTRIC DRIVE

The technology performance and design of the Cigarette powerboat is closely based on the electric super sports vehicle made in Affalterbach Germany

The 116 metre long Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept powerboat uses two drive units each featuring six independent electric motors At the rear of the boat each drive unit has its own trans-mission one on the left and one on the right The boat is fitted with the twelve compact liquid-cooled permanent-magnet synchronous electric motors which are the signature piece of the SLS AMG Coupeacute Electric Drive each electric motor delivers 138 kW and 250 Newton metres

The maximum output of 1 656 Kilowatts and maximum torque of 3 000 Newton metres combine to reach a staggering top speed of over 160 kmh making this locally emission-free Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept the worlds fastest electri-cally driven powerboat The low centre of gravity and optimum weight distribution ensure sublime

The Worlds Most Powerful Powerboat

handling characteristics during more dynamic changes of direction

The high-voltage battery boasts an energy content of 60 Kilowatt hours an electric load potential of 600 Kilowatts and a weight of 548 kg ndash all of which are absolute best values in the automotive sector The liquid-cooled lithium-ion high-voltage battery features a modular design with a maximum voltage of 400 V It consists of 12 modules each comprising 72 lithium-ion cells ldquoCigaretterdquo inte-grates four high-tech batteries with a total of 48 modules and 3 456 cells which generate a total capacity of 240 Kilowatt hours and an electric output of 2 400 Kilowatts respect even in the boat building industry

The Cigarette on-board chargers as standard Adapted to fit the infrastructure standard of many American marinas the boat has a charging capac-ity of 44 Kilowatts The battery is fully charged in approximately seven hours To reduce the charging time to less than three hours the powerboat can be fitted with four on-board chargers as an option

Mercedes-Benz Shirle Greig Tel (012) 677-1904 Email shirlegreigdaimlercom wwwmercedes-benzsacoza

Mercedes-AMG and Cigarette Racing launched the latest development of their cooperation at the Miami International Boat Show in February Numerous components from the SLS AMG Coupeacute Electric Drive have been integrated in the design of the Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept engineering design The high performance drive fitted in the electric super sports car makes the off shore powerboat the worlds most

powerful and fastest electrically-driven motor boat With an output of 1 656 Kilowatts and a maximum torque of 3 000 Newton metres the Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept is a fascinating new development

Combine to reach a staggering top speed of over 160 kmh

38 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

ENVIRONMENT

They have been in service for decades

under the toughest conditions ndash and

have proven themselves worldwide

Voith fluid couplings protect belt con-

veyors and drive components by provid-

ing smooth acceleration and torque

control allowing for frequent loaded

starts with the least amount of stress on

the drive and belt

In multi-motor drives they ensure pre-

cise load distribution Result fewer

downtimes ndash and the service life of the

belt and the drive components is in-

creased The latest product innovation is

the Voith TurboBelt 780 TPXL

infovtzavoithcom

wwwrsavoithturbocom

Protect Your Belt Conveyors with

Voith Fluid Couplings

ai_a

it_44

0_e

n ai

k

Water Disclosure ReportingJust as companies are addressing their carbon emissions and

provide carbon reporting to the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) water is becoming a growing priority

Reporting on it is becoming another critical sustainability issue

2011 saw a marked increase in the number of the worldrsquos largest companies reporting on their water usage on the risks that water presents and on their responses to

that risk Responses from these companies indicate that water is impacting global business now and yet water is not nearly as high on the corporate agenda as climate change

Evidence is mounting that South Africa is facing a water crisis of substantial proportions This crisis encompasses all aspects of water management on both the demand and supply side The mounting impacts of acid mine drainage and declining wa-ter quality add to the crisis South Africarsquos water security is likely to be further complicated by an increasingly uneven and unpredictable supply of rainfall as a result of climate change and by a reli-ance on significant water transfers from neighbour-

ing countries In meeting this crisis South Africa will have to resolve tough trade-offs in water use between agriculture key industrial activities such as mining and power generation and the supply to rapidly growing urban centres

Evidence is clearJSE 100 companies will need to show leadership in sustainably managing the water resources on which they rely for their day-to-day business operations The available evidence is clear It is not sustainable to continue exploiting water resources by follow-ing a lsquobusiness as usualrsquo approach If this is the case South Africarsquos freshwater resources will be depleted and unable to meet the needs of people and industry in the next 20 years if not before

In 2011 the response rate to the CDP Water Disclosure amongst South African companies was 46 (26 out of 56 companies) Many of South Africarsquos most significant corporate water users are therefore not yet able to or are not yet ready to report on their water-related risks

Promethuim Robbie Louw Tel (011) 706-8185 Email Robbiepromethiumcoza wwwpromethuimcoza

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 39

EXHIBITION

The Steel and Engineering Industries Federation (SEI-FSA) the Lifting Equipment Engineering Association

of SA (LEEASA) the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA) and the SA Institute of Welding (SAIW) have thrown their weight behind the biggest industrial and engineering trade show in Africa

The three-day 10-shows-in-one event takes place from 14 to 16 May 2013 at Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand Johannesburg

SEIFSA Conference at Indutec The Steel and Engineering Indus-tries Federation of South Africa (SEIFSA) will hold its annual conference at Indutec celebrating 70 years of active support for its members industry and business in Africa The federation has over 2 220 member companies which employ more than 224 000 people comprising 53 of the industryrsquos workforce

SAIW ldquoWe take our affiliations with leading industry players very seriously including our en-dorsement of Indutecrdquo says Jim Guild chief executive officer of the SA Institute of Welding ldquoThese industry ties form part of our strategy to create strong relationships which support our objective and Governmentrsquos mandate to enhance the manufacturing sector in South Africardquo

LEEASAThe Lifting Equipment Engineer-ing Association of South Africa (LEEASA) which is a division of the Chamber of Engineering Tech-

nology (COET) will also be using its endorsement of Indutec to promote its activities in the engineer-ing and technology sectors in general Chamber spokesperson Viv Nel says its exposure at the fair will create more awareness of the Chamberrsquos role in all engineering and technology-driven industries

ECSAIndustry regulator the Engineering Council of South Africa shares these aims ldquoAs a custodian of en-gineering intellectual capital in South Africa our endorsement of Indutec provides us with a platform to publicise our role in the engineering sector and government infrastructure initiativesrdquo says Edgar Sabela ECSArsquos Strategic Services Executive

ldquoWe need to produce 10 times more engineers to compete with developed economies Involvement with the Indutec show will allow us to promote engineering as a career through our Engenius Programme and showcase our existing engineer-ing excellence Most importantly it enables us to network with all key players in the field and even conclude some businessrdquo

Tenfold Benefits to ExhibitorsJohn Thomson managing director of Exhibition Management Services organisers of the 10-in-one Fair says the unqualified support from leading in-dustry bodies indicates the showrsquos tenfold value to the engineering industrial and technology sectors ldquoThis undoubtedly translates into multiple benefits for the showrsquos exhibitors and ultimately to show visitorsrdquo he concludes

Indutec Serean ThomsonTel (011) 783 7250 Email marketingexhibitionsafricacom wwwexhibitionsafricacom

Boosting the Manufacturing Sector32 of South Africarsquos leading industrial and engineering professional and employer associations Chambers and

Councils have collectively endorsed Indutec the recently launched South African Industry and Technology Fair 2013

Promech Publishing through SA Mechanical Engineer and Bulk Handling Today will produce and publish the Official Catalogue for this prestigious show

Make sure your presence is felt before during and after the show by advertising in this one-of-a-kind reference publication

Contact Mark Bennett Tel (011) 781-1401 Email samechengpromechcoza

Jim Guild CEO of the SA Institute of Welding

Edgar Sabela - ECSArsquos Strategic Services Executive

Adelia Pimentel - Marketing and Communications Manager SEIFSA

40 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

MARKET FORUM

ldquoBMG has identified a need in diverse sectors for on-site maintenance services to overcome production challengesrdquo says Dave Russell technical director BMG ldquoRecognising the extreme constraints of high energy prices low productivity the critical skills shortage and a highly competitive economic environment BMG brings a total solutions service to the fore

ldquoIndustry can now access all critical production efficient products and services from one supplier What this means is lower production costs and higher pro-duction efficiency giving South African industry a distinct competitive advantage

ldquoBMGrsquos on-site services include applica-

tion design evaluation and optimisation as well as installation trouble-shooting and service exchange contracts The company also offers predictive planned and breakdown maintenance and energy and reliability studiesrdquo

The company also offers extensive train-ing which covers electrical mechanical hydraulic pneumatic electronic and materials handling disciplines as well as predictive maintenance and component failure analysis

BMG ndash Bearing Man Group Veronique van Niekerk Tel (031) 576-6221Email veroniquevbmgworldnet wwwbmgworldnet

Tenova Takraf Africa (formerly Bateman Engineered Technologies) is putting the final pieces together in completing an order for the supply of a 55m x 275m hydraulically-driven SAG mill to Ontario Graphite operators of the Kearney Mine located in Kearney O n t a r i o Canada

ldquoTenovarsquos scope

Unique SAG Mill in Canada

ABB started with a bang following the order of 2 400 robots by BMW Group Over the next three years the robots will be installed at factories in Regensburg and Leipzig Germany as well as in Tiexi China The ABB robots will mainly be used for mate-rial handling tasks as well as gluing and spot welding processes

ABB robots enable customers to implement efficient manufacturing systems that sustainably produce high-quality products The com-panyrsquos range of products and solu-tions for lean manufacturing cover the range from body-in-white to the final assembly of complete car bodies They improve competitiveness and at the same time optimally comply with customer specifications ABB has installed more than 200 000 robots worldwide

ABB Robotics Natasha Mathebula Tel (010) 202-6156 Email natashamathebulazaabbcom wwwabbcom

2400

Robots

Total Solution

of work includes the engineering manufacturing shipping and technical assistance during erection of the SAG millrsquos feed end shell discharge end drive and main bearings as well as all supporting equipment (lubrication and jacking systems)rdquo says Tenova Takraf

engineer Pieter van der Walt ldquoThe main hydraulic motor and rubber

shell liners were outside our commercial scope of supply but inside our technical

scope of supplyrdquo he adds

The mill is a conventional SAG (semi-autogenous grinding) mill in all ways apart from its drive assem-bly and it is centre-driven

at the discharge end using a Haggluumlnds hydraulic motor and powerpack ldquoTo date this is the largest hydraulic motor installed on a SAG mill with 950kW of power torque of 1 200 kNm (start-up) and 650 kNm (operational) and speed of 1386 rpmrdquo adds Pieter

Since the mill had to be retrofitted to an existing foundation a number of adaptations were required to maintain the mill centreline as well as feed-end and discharge-end positions Certain additions were required to anchor the main motor torque arm

Tenova Takraf Pieter van der Walt Tel (011) 899-2372 Email pietervanderwaltbatemancom wwwtenovagroupcom

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 41

MARKET FORUM

World Record

The ADR plant at Kisladag Mine

FLSmidth designs and manufactures indirect heated carbon regeneration kilns and calciners from half a ton per day and larger These kilns and calciners can be fuel gas oil or electric and are skid mounted pre-wired and pre-piped The companyrsquos patented bellows kiln seal has proved effective in eliminating air ingress and process gas egress and can be retrofitted to kilns from other manufacturers FLSmidth holds the world record for the lowest emissions on a carbon plant

And at the companyrsquos Merrill Crowe plant capacities range from skid mounted 34 cubic metres per hour modular plants to full size 2 100 cubic metres per hour The range of supply for plants includes clarification filters de-aeration towers vacuum pumps zinc dust feeders lead nitrate feeders and zinc cones precipitate filter feed pumps filter pre-coat and body feed systems as well as precipitate filters used by refinery and smelting facilities to produce gold bullion

These plants incorporate proprietary zinc dustlead nitrate feeder and mix-ing cone system The company offers individual plant components and partial or complete plant equipment packages together with total plant design

FLSmidth Terence Osborn Tel (010) 210-4820

Magnet has extended its range of abrasive products to include 3Mrsquos new Cubitron II abrasive belts with enhanced grinding performance improved productivity and extended service life

ldquo3Mrsquos new technology has resulted in increased speed improved consistency and extended belt liferdquo says Brian How-arth MD Magnet ldquoThese new abrasive belts ensure up to 30 faster cutting on hard to grind metals like stainless steel nickel alloy and cobalt chrome They also divert heat from the workpiece and belt to the swarf which means cooler cutting This helps eliminate burnishing and minimises heat stress Cubitron II abrasive belts last up to four times longer than conventional ceramic aluminium oxide beltsrdquo

3M Abrasives Bradley Reddy Tel (031) 274 1050 Email bradleyrmagnetgroupcozawwwmagnetgroupcoza

4 x Longer

42 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

MARKET FORUM

X-Calibur is one of the latest product offerings from TAL and was specified to protect the concrete structure of the worldrsquos second longest cable-stayed bridge against corrosion throughout its design life

Stonecutters Bridge is a high level cable-stayed bridge which spans the Rambler Channel in Hong Kong connecting Nam Wam Kok Tsing Yi Island and Stonecut-ters Island Hong Kong is well known for its hot summer weather which is also humid and unstable Temperatures

Say No to Corrosionusually exceed 30oC during the day which coupled with high humidity can result in an extreme heat index

ldquoHot and humid environments have a great effect on the durability of concrete As a rule of thumb we say for every 10oC increase in temperature the possibility of corrosion induced damage to concrete is doubled Add humidity in a marine envi-ronment then protection of the structure is of paramount importancerdquo says Brian Davies CEO X-Calibur International In order to guard the bridge from corro-

sion X-Shield EpoxySeal CR was sup-plied to shield the prestressed concrete cable anchorages from the effects of the environment In addition X-Shield FlexCoat was used in various areas of the structure This provides corrosion protection to reinforced concrete from chloride and carbon dioxide

ldquoThe main challenge was compliance with the strict project specifications as the engineer wanted to ensure that protection would be provided throughout the design life of the structure X-Calibur

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 43

MARKET FORUM

had the products independently tested to prove compliance to all aspects of the specificationrdquo John adds

The materials were applied by spe-cialist painters who had been trained by X-Calibur ldquoMaterials were mixed and applied strictly in accordance with method statements supplied by X-Calibur to ensure working time and recoat windows were not exceededrdquo concludes John

TAL Andrew Dekker Tel (031) 579-2263 wwwtalcoza

Fluid conveyance and pumping solutions expert Incledon has supplied a large water supply line project in the Free State with a total of 4 km of Ultraflo pipes manufactured in-house by DPI Plastics - a leading manufacturer of water reticulation drainage and pipe-fitting systems in South Africa

DPI Plastics technical and product manager Renier Snyman points out that the companyrsquos range of Ultraflo pipes are manufactured from modified polyvinyl chloride (mPVC) which is specifically designed to provide similar tensile strength and greater resilience than standard PVC piping products ldquoThe Ultraflo range of pressure piping systems are ideally suited to bulk water supply projects due to the fact that mPVC is considerably more ductile than industry standard unplasticised polyvinyl chloride (uPVC)rdquo he explains

Renier notes that the ductility of the Ultraflo uPVC piping system ensures that

Large Water Supply Project

the pipes have exceptional resistance to crack propagation under pressure ldquoThe product being supplied to the water sup-ply line project is the 500 mm Ultraflo system which is the largest in the DPI Plastics range It boasts a pressure rat-ing of 12 bar with a design stress of up to 18MPa making it ideally suited as a large underground piping systemrdquo

According to Renier Ultraflo pipes offer environmental advantages too ldquoDue to its superior toughness the wall thick-ness of mPVC is less than that of uPVC This ensures that less materials are used during the manufacturing process which ultimately results in a lighter product that is easier to transport and install thereby minimising the carbon footprint of the piperdquo

DPI Plastics Martine Goodchild Tel (021) 957 5600 Email mgoodchilddpiplasticscozawwwdpiplasticscoza

Donrsquot Miss Out

Promech Publishing is putting the Visitorsrsquo Catalogue together for this Show

Contact Mark Bennett on Tel (011) 781-1401 or Email samechengpromechcoza

to book your space

44 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

MARKET FORUM

Displaying and discussing some of the Dodge housed bearings on offer to local industry and mining are (from left) Tony Patten of Specialised Bearings amp Transmission Peter Small-Shaw Wilecrsquos Product Manager Bearings and Frans Odendaal Wilecrsquos Technical Specialist Bearings

The Bearings division of Actom group company Wilec has formed a strategic alliance for the supply of Dodge housed bearings into southern Africa The partner-ship agreement with Johannesburg-based Specialised Bearings amp Transmission the local distributor for Dodge extends Wilecrsquos ability to satisfy the requirements of industry and mining in a diverse range of bearings applications

ldquoThe most exciting thing about our tie-up with Dodge is that housed bearings while already widely accepted in the US and other leading industrialised countries is a relatively new concept locally but one which offers advanced features to users compared with conventional plum-mer block arrangementsrdquo said Frans Odendaal Wilecrsquos Technical Specialist Bearings

ldquoDodge housed bearings are supplied pre-assembled and sealed so eliminating all risk of contamination during fitment The advanced sealing arrangement and unique adapter system guarantees longer

Strategic Alliance

life ndash up to six times that of a conven-tional plummer block Other cost-saving advantages are that they can be installed by a semi-skilled technician very quickly normally in less than 15 minutes and the need to measure pre- and post-reduction clearance is eliminatedrdquo

ldquoIt is a differentiated product and with it we are able to provide a bearing that is especially well suited to local conditions

and offers benefits that are of real value to customers A particularly important aspect to bear in mind is that the total cost of ownership of a Dodge bearing is significantly lower than that of the conventional product due to its greater reliability and durabilityrdquo

Wilec Frans Odendaal Tel (011) 629-9300 Email fransowileccoza

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 45

MARKET FORUM

Emis Sales 2002 part of Becker Min-ing South Africa supplies a wide range of electrical equipment up to 1 100 V for use in hazardous and non-hazardous areas in the mining petrochemical and surface industry sectors

New to the Emis range are Proloc pro-tection and control relays which are suitable for thermal overload protection of conveyors compressors crushers fan and pump motors as well as shuttle cars and flitting panels

ldquoThe stand-alone Emis ProLoc electronic protection and control relay system which has been designed for the optimum protection of motor and feeder circuits connected to outlet sockets has a wide choice of six user-selectable protection features to meet exact requirementsrdquo says Frikkie Quirk managing director Emis Sales 2002 ldquoAn important advan-tage of this system is a door mounted infra-red link that enables a laptop with Proloc software to manage all settings

and downloads without having to open the panel door and expose personnel to dangerous live equipment This is a critical requirement in the OHSA actrdquo

This system is easy to set up via the Proloc MMI 420 display man-to-machine interface or via a laptop with Proloc software

Emis Sales 2002 Tel (016) 341-6134 Email infozabecker-miningcom wwwzabecker-miningcom

Optimum Protection

Birkenmayer a material processing systems supplier in South Africa and local supplier of German-engineered Eirich material processing technology recently released the Evactherm drier a new product that marries the advantages

Superheated Vacuum Steam

of mechanical and thermo dynamical processes to provide cost-effective and highly efficient drying and processing of filter cake and sludgersquos using superheated vacuum steam

Until now it has been important to observe

a maximum middle temperature when applying direct drying to heat sensitive materials and even more important to avoid the excessive local and boundary temperatures that frequently damage the drying product Both heat and ma-terial transport need to be considered and while convective drying processes such as spray drying largely avoid these problems they are only effective if a surface is available for the hot gas flow

Adjustable for both direct and convec-tive drying and processing Evactherm driers overcome these obstacles while providing a number of further benefits

Super-heated vacuum steam performs drying and granulation while the com-bination of mechanical and thermo dynamical processes allows for low dry-ing temperatures and gentle processing of temperature sensitive materials It also enables continuous drying for long periods of time as fresh material may be continuously added into the fluidized bed replacing material that has already been vaporised

H Birkenmayer Louis Eksteen Tel (011) 970 3880-8 Email louisbirkenmayercozawwwbirkenmayercoza

The Evactherm drier

Proloc protection and control relays

46 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

The Eastern Capersquos Coega Industrial Development Zone (IDZ) is one of a number of industrial regions in South Africa to benefit from Air Products South Africarsquos strategy of long-term capital investment

A region which has long been under-served when it comes to reliable gas supply the Eastern Cape will soon have

A Long-term Viewits own air separation unit (ASU) ndash the first of its kind in the province Seelan Gounden GM supply chain at AirProd-ucts explains the reasons behind the companyrsquos latest investment

ldquoCurrently there is no local industrial gas supply in this area and cryogenic gases have to be procured elsewhere This situation compromises the service

MARKET FORUM

ART Solar specialists in the manufacture of solar photovoltaic (PV) modules for the sustainable generation of electrical power has made the following appointment an-nouncementsMark Walsh as managing director Dr Ronald FM Lange as chief operating officer Robert Ramshaw as financial manager and Gavin Rosslee as production manager

Gavin RossleeRobert RamshawMark Walsh

Jeanne Els has been appointed as Hatchrsquos Managing Director of Operations

Jeanne Els

Ronald Lange

Anton Theunissen

SKF South Africa recently appointed Anton Theunissen as Distributor De-velpoment Manager for South Africa and neighbouring coun-tries

Index to Advertisers

Axiom 12

Bearings International 36

Bibby Turboflex 28

Bonfiglioli 10

Engen 34

Festo 35

Hansen 44

Horne SA 29

IDC Inside Back Cover

ILS 32

KDP Services 22

Loesche 31

Polysius 4

PPS 11 29

Mercedes Outside Back Cover

Merseta Inside Front Cover

MIEO Outside Front Cover

Transmission Components 14

Voith 38

Yellotec 16 17

delivery to our existing customers who have to depend on product being trucked over vast distances Thus we identified the Eastern Cape as a key priority invest-ment destination with a clear need for a new air separation facility dedicated to servicing the region We chose the Coega IDZ after careful market analysis We are pleased to be able to be a part of the growth and development of the region through providing a long-needed security of supply and value-added servicerdquo

Ayanda Vilakazi head of Marketing and Communications at the Coega IDZ adds ldquoThe viability of the new ASU is indis-putable It will mean not only security of gas supply to the region benefiting the many industries here but it also means job security for other investors jobs along the value chain and scope for training and human resource develop-ment as well as enhanced Corporate Social Investment initiativesrdquo

Seelan Gounden AirProducts wwwairproductssouthafricacoza

Left to right Chris Mashigo Executive Man-ager - Business Development Coega Develop-ment Corporation Themba Khoza Executive Manager ndash Operations Coega Development Corporation Seelan Gounden GM - Supply Chain Air Products Pierre Fourie Area Sales Manager ndash Eastern Cape Air Products signed the lease agreement between the CDC and Air Products South Africa

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 47To apply online for funding of R1 million or more go to wwwidccoza

Telephone 086 069 3888Email callcentreidccoza

Driving new market innovationsThe IDC supports high-impact job creation projects acting as a

catalyst to lead new sector development and support existing

industry and sector growth in alignment with governmentrsquos

New Growth Path (NGP) National Development Plan (NDP)

and Industrial Policy Action Plan (IPAP)

The IDC Strategic High Impact Projects (SHIP) Strategic Business

Unit in partnership with the IDC Innovation Department has

launched an Open Innovation Challenge to encourage the

development and implementation of sustainable high-impact

industrial initiatives and projects

The IDC calls upon individuals engineering communities

corporates project sponsors and other related entities to enter

into a partnership to develop qualifying projects that result in

sustainable and profi table industries exploit the value-adding

opportunities of existing and new value chains and enable the

development of innovative local economies

Whatwho qualifi es

projects which enable the development of new industries

across multiple IDC focus sectors

introduce new markets and value chains or revolutionise

existing ones through the use of disruptive technologies

or new approaches

development impact and employment creation

across mandated IDC industrial sectors

SHIP wishes to ensure that the projects undertaken play a major

role in industrial development and employment creation within

the South African and SADC regions

Interested applicants are invited to submit their project

proposals online at

httpopeninnovationidccozaidc-ship-challenge between

project proposals will be informed in May regarding SHIP

wishing to partner with them in the development of the

proposed project

Please contact Bertie Strydom BertieSidccoza and

RetiefBidccoza for more information

Chillibush9119IDC

48 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

A D

aim

ler B

rand

You built the bridges the roads and the tunnels We built the carAs a member of the Engineering Council of South Africa you could qualify for exclusive offers a guaranteed 3-day service booking as well as PremiumDrive our 6 year100 000km maintenance plan To take advantage of this outstandingopportunity inform your nearest dealer of your ECSA status

Not in conjunction with other Mercedes-Benz Fleet ProgrammesOffers Excludes AMG and Limited Edition modelsVehicle specifications may vary for the South African market

Page 35: SAME Mar2013

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 35

Sometimmess a less expeeensiive buuut mmooree suitaaablee abbrasssivee ccaan give bettterr reesulttss

SURFACE FINISHING

ldquoUsing the abrasives to determine a finish can be as simple or as com-plicated as the producer of finished goods chooses to make it With so many choices available in the market we recommend that industrial users iden-tify the requirements of the abrasive and then speak to trained service technicians from suppliers such as 3M

Not about priceldquoPrice is not always the determining factor Some-times a less expensive but more suitable abrasive can give better results and in other instances the use of cheaper materials in the wrong application may be costly as materials will need to be replaced more oftenrdquo

Kelly recommends that us-ers of industrial abrasives take the time to research new products and as-sess their suitability for their processes ldquoYoursquoll be surprised that some of the new abrasives can do the job better and in half the time than older technology abrasives canrdquo she concludes

3M Dylan Ian Hunter Tel (011) 806-2186 Email dhuntermmmcom www3Mcom

36 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

IT TRENDS

ldquo M o b i l e c o m p u t i n g

continues to grow and alongside other IT trends

such as cloud computing social technologies and the era of big data It is going to play a pivotal role in the IT industry this year In factrdquo Derick adds

Mobile Computing

Mobile computing is growing momentously and is set to account for as much as 57 of worldwide T market growth in 2013 says Derick Roberts CEO of TruTeq Devices a Pretoria-based

company focusing on wireless connectivity solutions

ldquoit is going to account for the lionrsquos share of growth ndash even more than the cloud computingrdquo

The IDC predicts that worldwide IT spending will exceed $21 trillion up 57 from 2012 The research company also states that mobility will be the biggest driver Sales of smart mobile devices including smart phones and tablets is expected to grow by 20 and will contribute a significant 57 of all IT growth Excluding smart mobile devices IT industry growth will clock in at only 29

Truteq Devices Derick Roberts Tel (012) 667-1530 wwwtruteqdevicescom

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 37

ELECTRIC DRIVE

The technology performance and design of the Cigarette powerboat is closely based on the electric super sports vehicle made in Affalterbach Germany

The 116 metre long Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept powerboat uses two drive units each featuring six independent electric motors At the rear of the boat each drive unit has its own trans-mission one on the left and one on the right The boat is fitted with the twelve compact liquid-cooled permanent-magnet synchronous electric motors which are the signature piece of the SLS AMG Coupeacute Electric Drive each electric motor delivers 138 kW and 250 Newton metres

The maximum output of 1 656 Kilowatts and maximum torque of 3 000 Newton metres combine to reach a staggering top speed of over 160 kmh making this locally emission-free Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept the worlds fastest electri-cally driven powerboat The low centre of gravity and optimum weight distribution ensure sublime

The Worlds Most Powerful Powerboat

handling characteristics during more dynamic changes of direction

The high-voltage battery boasts an energy content of 60 Kilowatt hours an electric load potential of 600 Kilowatts and a weight of 548 kg ndash all of which are absolute best values in the automotive sector The liquid-cooled lithium-ion high-voltage battery features a modular design with a maximum voltage of 400 V It consists of 12 modules each comprising 72 lithium-ion cells ldquoCigaretterdquo inte-grates four high-tech batteries with a total of 48 modules and 3 456 cells which generate a total capacity of 240 Kilowatt hours and an electric output of 2 400 Kilowatts respect even in the boat building industry

The Cigarette on-board chargers as standard Adapted to fit the infrastructure standard of many American marinas the boat has a charging capac-ity of 44 Kilowatts The battery is fully charged in approximately seven hours To reduce the charging time to less than three hours the powerboat can be fitted with four on-board chargers as an option

Mercedes-Benz Shirle Greig Tel (012) 677-1904 Email shirlegreigdaimlercom wwwmercedes-benzsacoza

Mercedes-AMG and Cigarette Racing launched the latest development of their cooperation at the Miami International Boat Show in February Numerous components from the SLS AMG Coupeacute Electric Drive have been integrated in the design of the Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept engineering design The high performance drive fitted in the electric super sports car makes the off shore powerboat the worlds most

powerful and fastest electrically-driven motor boat With an output of 1 656 Kilowatts and a maximum torque of 3 000 Newton metres the Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept is a fascinating new development

Combine to reach a staggering top speed of over 160 kmh

38 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

ENVIRONMENT

They have been in service for decades

under the toughest conditions ndash and

have proven themselves worldwide

Voith fluid couplings protect belt con-

veyors and drive components by provid-

ing smooth acceleration and torque

control allowing for frequent loaded

starts with the least amount of stress on

the drive and belt

In multi-motor drives they ensure pre-

cise load distribution Result fewer

downtimes ndash and the service life of the

belt and the drive components is in-

creased The latest product innovation is

the Voith TurboBelt 780 TPXL

infovtzavoithcom

wwwrsavoithturbocom

Protect Your Belt Conveyors with

Voith Fluid Couplings

ai_a

it_44

0_e

n ai

k

Water Disclosure ReportingJust as companies are addressing their carbon emissions and

provide carbon reporting to the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) water is becoming a growing priority

Reporting on it is becoming another critical sustainability issue

2011 saw a marked increase in the number of the worldrsquos largest companies reporting on their water usage on the risks that water presents and on their responses to

that risk Responses from these companies indicate that water is impacting global business now and yet water is not nearly as high on the corporate agenda as climate change

Evidence is mounting that South Africa is facing a water crisis of substantial proportions This crisis encompasses all aspects of water management on both the demand and supply side The mounting impacts of acid mine drainage and declining wa-ter quality add to the crisis South Africarsquos water security is likely to be further complicated by an increasingly uneven and unpredictable supply of rainfall as a result of climate change and by a reli-ance on significant water transfers from neighbour-

ing countries In meeting this crisis South Africa will have to resolve tough trade-offs in water use between agriculture key industrial activities such as mining and power generation and the supply to rapidly growing urban centres

Evidence is clearJSE 100 companies will need to show leadership in sustainably managing the water resources on which they rely for their day-to-day business operations The available evidence is clear It is not sustainable to continue exploiting water resources by follow-ing a lsquobusiness as usualrsquo approach If this is the case South Africarsquos freshwater resources will be depleted and unable to meet the needs of people and industry in the next 20 years if not before

In 2011 the response rate to the CDP Water Disclosure amongst South African companies was 46 (26 out of 56 companies) Many of South Africarsquos most significant corporate water users are therefore not yet able to or are not yet ready to report on their water-related risks

Promethuim Robbie Louw Tel (011) 706-8185 Email Robbiepromethiumcoza wwwpromethuimcoza

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 39

EXHIBITION

The Steel and Engineering Industries Federation (SEI-FSA) the Lifting Equipment Engineering Association

of SA (LEEASA) the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA) and the SA Institute of Welding (SAIW) have thrown their weight behind the biggest industrial and engineering trade show in Africa

The three-day 10-shows-in-one event takes place from 14 to 16 May 2013 at Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand Johannesburg

SEIFSA Conference at Indutec The Steel and Engineering Indus-tries Federation of South Africa (SEIFSA) will hold its annual conference at Indutec celebrating 70 years of active support for its members industry and business in Africa The federation has over 2 220 member companies which employ more than 224 000 people comprising 53 of the industryrsquos workforce

SAIW ldquoWe take our affiliations with leading industry players very seriously including our en-dorsement of Indutecrdquo says Jim Guild chief executive officer of the SA Institute of Welding ldquoThese industry ties form part of our strategy to create strong relationships which support our objective and Governmentrsquos mandate to enhance the manufacturing sector in South Africardquo

LEEASAThe Lifting Equipment Engineer-ing Association of South Africa (LEEASA) which is a division of the Chamber of Engineering Tech-

nology (COET) will also be using its endorsement of Indutec to promote its activities in the engineer-ing and technology sectors in general Chamber spokesperson Viv Nel says its exposure at the fair will create more awareness of the Chamberrsquos role in all engineering and technology-driven industries

ECSAIndustry regulator the Engineering Council of South Africa shares these aims ldquoAs a custodian of en-gineering intellectual capital in South Africa our endorsement of Indutec provides us with a platform to publicise our role in the engineering sector and government infrastructure initiativesrdquo says Edgar Sabela ECSArsquos Strategic Services Executive

ldquoWe need to produce 10 times more engineers to compete with developed economies Involvement with the Indutec show will allow us to promote engineering as a career through our Engenius Programme and showcase our existing engineer-ing excellence Most importantly it enables us to network with all key players in the field and even conclude some businessrdquo

Tenfold Benefits to ExhibitorsJohn Thomson managing director of Exhibition Management Services organisers of the 10-in-one Fair says the unqualified support from leading in-dustry bodies indicates the showrsquos tenfold value to the engineering industrial and technology sectors ldquoThis undoubtedly translates into multiple benefits for the showrsquos exhibitors and ultimately to show visitorsrdquo he concludes

Indutec Serean ThomsonTel (011) 783 7250 Email marketingexhibitionsafricacom wwwexhibitionsafricacom

Boosting the Manufacturing Sector32 of South Africarsquos leading industrial and engineering professional and employer associations Chambers and

Councils have collectively endorsed Indutec the recently launched South African Industry and Technology Fair 2013

Promech Publishing through SA Mechanical Engineer and Bulk Handling Today will produce and publish the Official Catalogue for this prestigious show

Make sure your presence is felt before during and after the show by advertising in this one-of-a-kind reference publication

Contact Mark Bennett Tel (011) 781-1401 Email samechengpromechcoza

Jim Guild CEO of the SA Institute of Welding

Edgar Sabela - ECSArsquos Strategic Services Executive

Adelia Pimentel - Marketing and Communications Manager SEIFSA

40 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

MARKET FORUM

ldquoBMG has identified a need in diverse sectors for on-site maintenance services to overcome production challengesrdquo says Dave Russell technical director BMG ldquoRecognising the extreme constraints of high energy prices low productivity the critical skills shortage and a highly competitive economic environment BMG brings a total solutions service to the fore

ldquoIndustry can now access all critical production efficient products and services from one supplier What this means is lower production costs and higher pro-duction efficiency giving South African industry a distinct competitive advantage

ldquoBMGrsquos on-site services include applica-

tion design evaluation and optimisation as well as installation trouble-shooting and service exchange contracts The company also offers predictive planned and breakdown maintenance and energy and reliability studiesrdquo

The company also offers extensive train-ing which covers electrical mechanical hydraulic pneumatic electronic and materials handling disciplines as well as predictive maintenance and component failure analysis

BMG ndash Bearing Man Group Veronique van Niekerk Tel (031) 576-6221Email veroniquevbmgworldnet wwwbmgworldnet

Tenova Takraf Africa (formerly Bateman Engineered Technologies) is putting the final pieces together in completing an order for the supply of a 55m x 275m hydraulically-driven SAG mill to Ontario Graphite operators of the Kearney Mine located in Kearney O n t a r i o Canada

ldquoTenovarsquos scope

Unique SAG Mill in Canada

ABB started with a bang following the order of 2 400 robots by BMW Group Over the next three years the robots will be installed at factories in Regensburg and Leipzig Germany as well as in Tiexi China The ABB robots will mainly be used for mate-rial handling tasks as well as gluing and spot welding processes

ABB robots enable customers to implement efficient manufacturing systems that sustainably produce high-quality products The com-panyrsquos range of products and solu-tions for lean manufacturing cover the range from body-in-white to the final assembly of complete car bodies They improve competitiveness and at the same time optimally comply with customer specifications ABB has installed more than 200 000 robots worldwide

ABB Robotics Natasha Mathebula Tel (010) 202-6156 Email natashamathebulazaabbcom wwwabbcom

2400

Robots

Total Solution

of work includes the engineering manufacturing shipping and technical assistance during erection of the SAG millrsquos feed end shell discharge end drive and main bearings as well as all supporting equipment (lubrication and jacking systems)rdquo says Tenova Takraf

engineer Pieter van der Walt ldquoThe main hydraulic motor and rubber

shell liners were outside our commercial scope of supply but inside our technical

scope of supplyrdquo he adds

The mill is a conventional SAG (semi-autogenous grinding) mill in all ways apart from its drive assem-bly and it is centre-driven

at the discharge end using a Haggluumlnds hydraulic motor and powerpack ldquoTo date this is the largest hydraulic motor installed on a SAG mill with 950kW of power torque of 1 200 kNm (start-up) and 650 kNm (operational) and speed of 1386 rpmrdquo adds Pieter

Since the mill had to be retrofitted to an existing foundation a number of adaptations were required to maintain the mill centreline as well as feed-end and discharge-end positions Certain additions were required to anchor the main motor torque arm

Tenova Takraf Pieter van der Walt Tel (011) 899-2372 Email pietervanderwaltbatemancom wwwtenovagroupcom

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 41

MARKET FORUM

World Record

The ADR plant at Kisladag Mine

FLSmidth designs and manufactures indirect heated carbon regeneration kilns and calciners from half a ton per day and larger These kilns and calciners can be fuel gas oil or electric and are skid mounted pre-wired and pre-piped The companyrsquos patented bellows kiln seal has proved effective in eliminating air ingress and process gas egress and can be retrofitted to kilns from other manufacturers FLSmidth holds the world record for the lowest emissions on a carbon plant

And at the companyrsquos Merrill Crowe plant capacities range from skid mounted 34 cubic metres per hour modular plants to full size 2 100 cubic metres per hour The range of supply for plants includes clarification filters de-aeration towers vacuum pumps zinc dust feeders lead nitrate feeders and zinc cones precipitate filter feed pumps filter pre-coat and body feed systems as well as precipitate filters used by refinery and smelting facilities to produce gold bullion

These plants incorporate proprietary zinc dustlead nitrate feeder and mix-ing cone system The company offers individual plant components and partial or complete plant equipment packages together with total plant design

FLSmidth Terence Osborn Tel (010) 210-4820

Magnet has extended its range of abrasive products to include 3Mrsquos new Cubitron II abrasive belts with enhanced grinding performance improved productivity and extended service life

ldquo3Mrsquos new technology has resulted in increased speed improved consistency and extended belt liferdquo says Brian How-arth MD Magnet ldquoThese new abrasive belts ensure up to 30 faster cutting on hard to grind metals like stainless steel nickel alloy and cobalt chrome They also divert heat from the workpiece and belt to the swarf which means cooler cutting This helps eliminate burnishing and minimises heat stress Cubitron II abrasive belts last up to four times longer than conventional ceramic aluminium oxide beltsrdquo

3M Abrasives Bradley Reddy Tel (031) 274 1050 Email bradleyrmagnetgroupcozawwwmagnetgroupcoza

4 x Longer

42 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

MARKET FORUM

X-Calibur is one of the latest product offerings from TAL and was specified to protect the concrete structure of the worldrsquos second longest cable-stayed bridge against corrosion throughout its design life

Stonecutters Bridge is a high level cable-stayed bridge which spans the Rambler Channel in Hong Kong connecting Nam Wam Kok Tsing Yi Island and Stonecut-ters Island Hong Kong is well known for its hot summer weather which is also humid and unstable Temperatures

Say No to Corrosionusually exceed 30oC during the day which coupled with high humidity can result in an extreme heat index

ldquoHot and humid environments have a great effect on the durability of concrete As a rule of thumb we say for every 10oC increase in temperature the possibility of corrosion induced damage to concrete is doubled Add humidity in a marine envi-ronment then protection of the structure is of paramount importancerdquo says Brian Davies CEO X-Calibur International In order to guard the bridge from corro-

sion X-Shield EpoxySeal CR was sup-plied to shield the prestressed concrete cable anchorages from the effects of the environment In addition X-Shield FlexCoat was used in various areas of the structure This provides corrosion protection to reinforced concrete from chloride and carbon dioxide

ldquoThe main challenge was compliance with the strict project specifications as the engineer wanted to ensure that protection would be provided throughout the design life of the structure X-Calibur

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 43

MARKET FORUM

had the products independently tested to prove compliance to all aspects of the specificationrdquo John adds

The materials were applied by spe-cialist painters who had been trained by X-Calibur ldquoMaterials were mixed and applied strictly in accordance with method statements supplied by X-Calibur to ensure working time and recoat windows were not exceededrdquo concludes John

TAL Andrew Dekker Tel (031) 579-2263 wwwtalcoza

Fluid conveyance and pumping solutions expert Incledon has supplied a large water supply line project in the Free State with a total of 4 km of Ultraflo pipes manufactured in-house by DPI Plastics - a leading manufacturer of water reticulation drainage and pipe-fitting systems in South Africa

DPI Plastics technical and product manager Renier Snyman points out that the companyrsquos range of Ultraflo pipes are manufactured from modified polyvinyl chloride (mPVC) which is specifically designed to provide similar tensile strength and greater resilience than standard PVC piping products ldquoThe Ultraflo range of pressure piping systems are ideally suited to bulk water supply projects due to the fact that mPVC is considerably more ductile than industry standard unplasticised polyvinyl chloride (uPVC)rdquo he explains

Renier notes that the ductility of the Ultraflo uPVC piping system ensures that

Large Water Supply Project

the pipes have exceptional resistance to crack propagation under pressure ldquoThe product being supplied to the water sup-ply line project is the 500 mm Ultraflo system which is the largest in the DPI Plastics range It boasts a pressure rat-ing of 12 bar with a design stress of up to 18MPa making it ideally suited as a large underground piping systemrdquo

According to Renier Ultraflo pipes offer environmental advantages too ldquoDue to its superior toughness the wall thick-ness of mPVC is less than that of uPVC This ensures that less materials are used during the manufacturing process which ultimately results in a lighter product that is easier to transport and install thereby minimising the carbon footprint of the piperdquo

DPI Plastics Martine Goodchild Tel (021) 957 5600 Email mgoodchilddpiplasticscozawwwdpiplasticscoza

Donrsquot Miss Out

Promech Publishing is putting the Visitorsrsquo Catalogue together for this Show

Contact Mark Bennett on Tel (011) 781-1401 or Email samechengpromechcoza

to book your space

44 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

MARKET FORUM

Displaying and discussing some of the Dodge housed bearings on offer to local industry and mining are (from left) Tony Patten of Specialised Bearings amp Transmission Peter Small-Shaw Wilecrsquos Product Manager Bearings and Frans Odendaal Wilecrsquos Technical Specialist Bearings

The Bearings division of Actom group company Wilec has formed a strategic alliance for the supply of Dodge housed bearings into southern Africa The partner-ship agreement with Johannesburg-based Specialised Bearings amp Transmission the local distributor for Dodge extends Wilecrsquos ability to satisfy the requirements of industry and mining in a diverse range of bearings applications

ldquoThe most exciting thing about our tie-up with Dodge is that housed bearings while already widely accepted in the US and other leading industrialised countries is a relatively new concept locally but one which offers advanced features to users compared with conventional plum-mer block arrangementsrdquo said Frans Odendaal Wilecrsquos Technical Specialist Bearings

ldquoDodge housed bearings are supplied pre-assembled and sealed so eliminating all risk of contamination during fitment The advanced sealing arrangement and unique adapter system guarantees longer

Strategic Alliance

life ndash up to six times that of a conven-tional plummer block Other cost-saving advantages are that they can be installed by a semi-skilled technician very quickly normally in less than 15 minutes and the need to measure pre- and post-reduction clearance is eliminatedrdquo

ldquoIt is a differentiated product and with it we are able to provide a bearing that is especially well suited to local conditions

and offers benefits that are of real value to customers A particularly important aspect to bear in mind is that the total cost of ownership of a Dodge bearing is significantly lower than that of the conventional product due to its greater reliability and durabilityrdquo

Wilec Frans Odendaal Tel (011) 629-9300 Email fransowileccoza

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 45

MARKET FORUM

Emis Sales 2002 part of Becker Min-ing South Africa supplies a wide range of electrical equipment up to 1 100 V for use in hazardous and non-hazardous areas in the mining petrochemical and surface industry sectors

New to the Emis range are Proloc pro-tection and control relays which are suitable for thermal overload protection of conveyors compressors crushers fan and pump motors as well as shuttle cars and flitting panels

ldquoThe stand-alone Emis ProLoc electronic protection and control relay system which has been designed for the optimum protection of motor and feeder circuits connected to outlet sockets has a wide choice of six user-selectable protection features to meet exact requirementsrdquo says Frikkie Quirk managing director Emis Sales 2002 ldquoAn important advan-tage of this system is a door mounted infra-red link that enables a laptop with Proloc software to manage all settings

and downloads without having to open the panel door and expose personnel to dangerous live equipment This is a critical requirement in the OHSA actrdquo

This system is easy to set up via the Proloc MMI 420 display man-to-machine interface or via a laptop with Proloc software

Emis Sales 2002 Tel (016) 341-6134 Email infozabecker-miningcom wwwzabecker-miningcom

Optimum Protection

Birkenmayer a material processing systems supplier in South Africa and local supplier of German-engineered Eirich material processing technology recently released the Evactherm drier a new product that marries the advantages

Superheated Vacuum Steam

of mechanical and thermo dynamical processes to provide cost-effective and highly efficient drying and processing of filter cake and sludgersquos using superheated vacuum steam

Until now it has been important to observe

a maximum middle temperature when applying direct drying to heat sensitive materials and even more important to avoid the excessive local and boundary temperatures that frequently damage the drying product Both heat and ma-terial transport need to be considered and while convective drying processes such as spray drying largely avoid these problems they are only effective if a surface is available for the hot gas flow

Adjustable for both direct and convec-tive drying and processing Evactherm driers overcome these obstacles while providing a number of further benefits

Super-heated vacuum steam performs drying and granulation while the com-bination of mechanical and thermo dynamical processes allows for low dry-ing temperatures and gentle processing of temperature sensitive materials It also enables continuous drying for long periods of time as fresh material may be continuously added into the fluidized bed replacing material that has already been vaporised

H Birkenmayer Louis Eksteen Tel (011) 970 3880-8 Email louisbirkenmayercozawwwbirkenmayercoza

The Evactherm drier

Proloc protection and control relays

46 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

The Eastern Capersquos Coega Industrial Development Zone (IDZ) is one of a number of industrial regions in South Africa to benefit from Air Products South Africarsquos strategy of long-term capital investment

A region which has long been under-served when it comes to reliable gas supply the Eastern Cape will soon have

A Long-term Viewits own air separation unit (ASU) ndash the first of its kind in the province Seelan Gounden GM supply chain at AirProd-ucts explains the reasons behind the companyrsquos latest investment

ldquoCurrently there is no local industrial gas supply in this area and cryogenic gases have to be procured elsewhere This situation compromises the service

MARKET FORUM

ART Solar specialists in the manufacture of solar photovoltaic (PV) modules for the sustainable generation of electrical power has made the following appointment an-nouncementsMark Walsh as managing director Dr Ronald FM Lange as chief operating officer Robert Ramshaw as financial manager and Gavin Rosslee as production manager

Gavin RossleeRobert RamshawMark Walsh

Jeanne Els has been appointed as Hatchrsquos Managing Director of Operations

Jeanne Els

Ronald Lange

Anton Theunissen

SKF South Africa recently appointed Anton Theunissen as Distributor De-velpoment Manager for South Africa and neighbouring coun-tries

Index to Advertisers

Axiom 12

Bearings International 36

Bibby Turboflex 28

Bonfiglioli 10

Engen 34

Festo 35

Hansen 44

Horne SA 29

IDC Inside Back Cover

ILS 32

KDP Services 22

Loesche 31

Polysius 4

PPS 11 29

Mercedes Outside Back Cover

Merseta Inside Front Cover

MIEO Outside Front Cover

Transmission Components 14

Voith 38

Yellotec 16 17

delivery to our existing customers who have to depend on product being trucked over vast distances Thus we identified the Eastern Cape as a key priority invest-ment destination with a clear need for a new air separation facility dedicated to servicing the region We chose the Coega IDZ after careful market analysis We are pleased to be able to be a part of the growth and development of the region through providing a long-needed security of supply and value-added servicerdquo

Ayanda Vilakazi head of Marketing and Communications at the Coega IDZ adds ldquoThe viability of the new ASU is indis-putable It will mean not only security of gas supply to the region benefiting the many industries here but it also means job security for other investors jobs along the value chain and scope for training and human resource develop-ment as well as enhanced Corporate Social Investment initiativesrdquo

Seelan Gounden AirProducts wwwairproductssouthafricacoza

Left to right Chris Mashigo Executive Man-ager - Business Development Coega Develop-ment Corporation Themba Khoza Executive Manager ndash Operations Coega Development Corporation Seelan Gounden GM - Supply Chain Air Products Pierre Fourie Area Sales Manager ndash Eastern Cape Air Products signed the lease agreement between the CDC and Air Products South Africa

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 47To apply online for funding of R1 million or more go to wwwidccoza

Telephone 086 069 3888Email callcentreidccoza

Driving new market innovationsThe IDC supports high-impact job creation projects acting as a

catalyst to lead new sector development and support existing

industry and sector growth in alignment with governmentrsquos

New Growth Path (NGP) National Development Plan (NDP)

and Industrial Policy Action Plan (IPAP)

The IDC Strategic High Impact Projects (SHIP) Strategic Business

Unit in partnership with the IDC Innovation Department has

launched an Open Innovation Challenge to encourage the

development and implementation of sustainable high-impact

industrial initiatives and projects

The IDC calls upon individuals engineering communities

corporates project sponsors and other related entities to enter

into a partnership to develop qualifying projects that result in

sustainable and profi table industries exploit the value-adding

opportunities of existing and new value chains and enable the

development of innovative local economies

Whatwho qualifi es

projects which enable the development of new industries

across multiple IDC focus sectors

introduce new markets and value chains or revolutionise

existing ones through the use of disruptive technologies

or new approaches

development impact and employment creation

across mandated IDC industrial sectors

SHIP wishes to ensure that the projects undertaken play a major

role in industrial development and employment creation within

the South African and SADC regions

Interested applicants are invited to submit their project

proposals online at

httpopeninnovationidccozaidc-ship-challenge between

project proposals will be informed in May regarding SHIP

wishing to partner with them in the development of the

proposed project

Please contact Bertie Strydom BertieSidccoza and

RetiefBidccoza for more information

Chillibush9119IDC

48 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

A D

aim

ler B

rand

You built the bridges the roads and the tunnels We built the carAs a member of the Engineering Council of South Africa you could qualify for exclusive offers a guaranteed 3-day service booking as well as PremiumDrive our 6 year100 000km maintenance plan To take advantage of this outstandingopportunity inform your nearest dealer of your ECSA status

Not in conjunction with other Mercedes-Benz Fleet ProgrammesOffers Excludes AMG and Limited Edition modelsVehicle specifications may vary for the South African market

Page 36: SAME Mar2013

36 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

IT TRENDS

ldquo M o b i l e c o m p u t i n g

continues to grow and alongside other IT trends

such as cloud computing social technologies and the era of big data It is going to play a pivotal role in the IT industry this year In factrdquo Derick adds

Mobile Computing

Mobile computing is growing momentously and is set to account for as much as 57 of worldwide T market growth in 2013 says Derick Roberts CEO of TruTeq Devices a Pretoria-based

company focusing on wireless connectivity solutions

ldquoit is going to account for the lionrsquos share of growth ndash even more than the cloud computingrdquo

The IDC predicts that worldwide IT spending will exceed $21 trillion up 57 from 2012 The research company also states that mobility will be the biggest driver Sales of smart mobile devices including smart phones and tablets is expected to grow by 20 and will contribute a significant 57 of all IT growth Excluding smart mobile devices IT industry growth will clock in at only 29

Truteq Devices Derick Roberts Tel (012) 667-1530 wwwtruteqdevicescom

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 37

ELECTRIC DRIVE

The technology performance and design of the Cigarette powerboat is closely based on the electric super sports vehicle made in Affalterbach Germany

The 116 metre long Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept powerboat uses two drive units each featuring six independent electric motors At the rear of the boat each drive unit has its own trans-mission one on the left and one on the right The boat is fitted with the twelve compact liquid-cooled permanent-magnet synchronous electric motors which are the signature piece of the SLS AMG Coupeacute Electric Drive each electric motor delivers 138 kW and 250 Newton metres

The maximum output of 1 656 Kilowatts and maximum torque of 3 000 Newton metres combine to reach a staggering top speed of over 160 kmh making this locally emission-free Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept the worlds fastest electri-cally driven powerboat The low centre of gravity and optimum weight distribution ensure sublime

The Worlds Most Powerful Powerboat

handling characteristics during more dynamic changes of direction

The high-voltage battery boasts an energy content of 60 Kilowatt hours an electric load potential of 600 Kilowatts and a weight of 548 kg ndash all of which are absolute best values in the automotive sector The liquid-cooled lithium-ion high-voltage battery features a modular design with a maximum voltage of 400 V It consists of 12 modules each comprising 72 lithium-ion cells ldquoCigaretterdquo inte-grates four high-tech batteries with a total of 48 modules and 3 456 cells which generate a total capacity of 240 Kilowatt hours and an electric output of 2 400 Kilowatts respect even in the boat building industry

The Cigarette on-board chargers as standard Adapted to fit the infrastructure standard of many American marinas the boat has a charging capac-ity of 44 Kilowatts The battery is fully charged in approximately seven hours To reduce the charging time to less than three hours the powerboat can be fitted with four on-board chargers as an option

Mercedes-Benz Shirle Greig Tel (012) 677-1904 Email shirlegreigdaimlercom wwwmercedes-benzsacoza

Mercedes-AMG and Cigarette Racing launched the latest development of their cooperation at the Miami International Boat Show in February Numerous components from the SLS AMG Coupeacute Electric Drive have been integrated in the design of the Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept engineering design The high performance drive fitted in the electric super sports car makes the off shore powerboat the worlds most

powerful and fastest electrically-driven motor boat With an output of 1 656 Kilowatts and a maximum torque of 3 000 Newton metres the Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept is a fascinating new development

Combine to reach a staggering top speed of over 160 kmh

38 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

ENVIRONMENT

They have been in service for decades

under the toughest conditions ndash and

have proven themselves worldwide

Voith fluid couplings protect belt con-

veyors and drive components by provid-

ing smooth acceleration and torque

control allowing for frequent loaded

starts with the least amount of stress on

the drive and belt

In multi-motor drives they ensure pre-

cise load distribution Result fewer

downtimes ndash and the service life of the

belt and the drive components is in-

creased The latest product innovation is

the Voith TurboBelt 780 TPXL

infovtzavoithcom

wwwrsavoithturbocom

Protect Your Belt Conveyors with

Voith Fluid Couplings

ai_a

it_44

0_e

n ai

k

Water Disclosure ReportingJust as companies are addressing their carbon emissions and

provide carbon reporting to the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) water is becoming a growing priority

Reporting on it is becoming another critical sustainability issue

2011 saw a marked increase in the number of the worldrsquos largest companies reporting on their water usage on the risks that water presents and on their responses to

that risk Responses from these companies indicate that water is impacting global business now and yet water is not nearly as high on the corporate agenda as climate change

Evidence is mounting that South Africa is facing a water crisis of substantial proportions This crisis encompasses all aspects of water management on both the demand and supply side The mounting impacts of acid mine drainage and declining wa-ter quality add to the crisis South Africarsquos water security is likely to be further complicated by an increasingly uneven and unpredictable supply of rainfall as a result of climate change and by a reli-ance on significant water transfers from neighbour-

ing countries In meeting this crisis South Africa will have to resolve tough trade-offs in water use between agriculture key industrial activities such as mining and power generation and the supply to rapidly growing urban centres

Evidence is clearJSE 100 companies will need to show leadership in sustainably managing the water resources on which they rely for their day-to-day business operations The available evidence is clear It is not sustainable to continue exploiting water resources by follow-ing a lsquobusiness as usualrsquo approach If this is the case South Africarsquos freshwater resources will be depleted and unable to meet the needs of people and industry in the next 20 years if not before

In 2011 the response rate to the CDP Water Disclosure amongst South African companies was 46 (26 out of 56 companies) Many of South Africarsquos most significant corporate water users are therefore not yet able to or are not yet ready to report on their water-related risks

Promethuim Robbie Louw Tel (011) 706-8185 Email Robbiepromethiumcoza wwwpromethuimcoza

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 39

EXHIBITION

The Steel and Engineering Industries Federation (SEI-FSA) the Lifting Equipment Engineering Association

of SA (LEEASA) the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA) and the SA Institute of Welding (SAIW) have thrown their weight behind the biggest industrial and engineering trade show in Africa

The three-day 10-shows-in-one event takes place from 14 to 16 May 2013 at Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand Johannesburg

SEIFSA Conference at Indutec The Steel and Engineering Indus-tries Federation of South Africa (SEIFSA) will hold its annual conference at Indutec celebrating 70 years of active support for its members industry and business in Africa The federation has over 2 220 member companies which employ more than 224 000 people comprising 53 of the industryrsquos workforce

SAIW ldquoWe take our affiliations with leading industry players very seriously including our en-dorsement of Indutecrdquo says Jim Guild chief executive officer of the SA Institute of Welding ldquoThese industry ties form part of our strategy to create strong relationships which support our objective and Governmentrsquos mandate to enhance the manufacturing sector in South Africardquo

LEEASAThe Lifting Equipment Engineer-ing Association of South Africa (LEEASA) which is a division of the Chamber of Engineering Tech-

nology (COET) will also be using its endorsement of Indutec to promote its activities in the engineer-ing and technology sectors in general Chamber spokesperson Viv Nel says its exposure at the fair will create more awareness of the Chamberrsquos role in all engineering and technology-driven industries

ECSAIndustry regulator the Engineering Council of South Africa shares these aims ldquoAs a custodian of en-gineering intellectual capital in South Africa our endorsement of Indutec provides us with a platform to publicise our role in the engineering sector and government infrastructure initiativesrdquo says Edgar Sabela ECSArsquos Strategic Services Executive

ldquoWe need to produce 10 times more engineers to compete with developed economies Involvement with the Indutec show will allow us to promote engineering as a career through our Engenius Programme and showcase our existing engineer-ing excellence Most importantly it enables us to network with all key players in the field and even conclude some businessrdquo

Tenfold Benefits to ExhibitorsJohn Thomson managing director of Exhibition Management Services organisers of the 10-in-one Fair says the unqualified support from leading in-dustry bodies indicates the showrsquos tenfold value to the engineering industrial and technology sectors ldquoThis undoubtedly translates into multiple benefits for the showrsquos exhibitors and ultimately to show visitorsrdquo he concludes

Indutec Serean ThomsonTel (011) 783 7250 Email marketingexhibitionsafricacom wwwexhibitionsafricacom

Boosting the Manufacturing Sector32 of South Africarsquos leading industrial and engineering professional and employer associations Chambers and

Councils have collectively endorsed Indutec the recently launched South African Industry and Technology Fair 2013

Promech Publishing through SA Mechanical Engineer and Bulk Handling Today will produce and publish the Official Catalogue for this prestigious show

Make sure your presence is felt before during and after the show by advertising in this one-of-a-kind reference publication

Contact Mark Bennett Tel (011) 781-1401 Email samechengpromechcoza

Jim Guild CEO of the SA Institute of Welding

Edgar Sabela - ECSArsquos Strategic Services Executive

Adelia Pimentel - Marketing and Communications Manager SEIFSA

40 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

MARKET FORUM

ldquoBMG has identified a need in diverse sectors for on-site maintenance services to overcome production challengesrdquo says Dave Russell technical director BMG ldquoRecognising the extreme constraints of high energy prices low productivity the critical skills shortage and a highly competitive economic environment BMG brings a total solutions service to the fore

ldquoIndustry can now access all critical production efficient products and services from one supplier What this means is lower production costs and higher pro-duction efficiency giving South African industry a distinct competitive advantage

ldquoBMGrsquos on-site services include applica-

tion design evaluation and optimisation as well as installation trouble-shooting and service exchange contracts The company also offers predictive planned and breakdown maintenance and energy and reliability studiesrdquo

The company also offers extensive train-ing which covers electrical mechanical hydraulic pneumatic electronic and materials handling disciplines as well as predictive maintenance and component failure analysis

BMG ndash Bearing Man Group Veronique van Niekerk Tel (031) 576-6221Email veroniquevbmgworldnet wwwbmgworldnet

Tenova Takraf Africa (formerly Bateman Engineered Technologies) is putting the final pieces together in completing an order for the supply of a 55m x 275m hydraulically-driven SAG mill to Ontario Graphite operators of the Kearney Mine located in Kearney O n t a r i o Canada

ldquoTenovarsquos scope

Unique SAG Mill in Canada

ABB started with a bang following the order of 2 400 robots by BMW Group Over the next three years the robots will be installed at factories in Regensburg and Leipzig Germany as well as in Tiexi China The ABB robots will mainly be used for mate-rial handling tasks as well as gluing and spot welding processes

ABB robots enable customers to implement efficient manufacturing systems that sustainably produce high-quality products The com-panyrsquos range of products and solu-tions for lean manufacturing cover the range from body-in-white to the final assembly of complete car bodies They improve competitiveness and at the same time optimally comply with customer specifications ABB has installed more than 200 000 robots worldwide

ABB Robotics Natasha Mathebula Tel (010) 202-6156 Email natashamathebulazaabbcom wwwabbcom

2400

Robots

Total Solution

of work includes the engineering manufacturing shipping and technical assistance during erection of the SAG millrsquos feed end shell discharge end drive and main bearings as well as all supporting equipment (lubrication and jacking systems)rdquo says Tenova Takraf

engineer Pieter van der Walt ldquoThe main hydraulic motor and rubber

shell liners were outside our commercial scope of supply but inside our technical

scope of supplyrdquo he adds

The mill is a conventional SAG (semi-autogenous grinding) mill in all ways apart from its drive assem-bly and it is centre-driven

at the discharge end using a Haggluumlnds hydraulic motor and powerpack ldquoTo date this is the largest hydraulic motor installed on a SAG mill with 950kW of power torque of 1 200 kNm (start-up) and 650 kNm (operational) and speed of 1386 rpmrdquo adds Pieter

Since the mill had to be retrofitted to an existing foundation a number of adaptations were required to maintain the mill centreline as well as feed-end and discharge-end positions Certain additions were required to anchor the main motor torque arm

Tenova Takraf Pieter van der Walt Tel (011) 899-2372 Email pietervanderwaltbatemancom wwwtenovagroupcom

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 41

MARKET FORUM

World Record

The ADR plant at Kisladag Mine

FLSmidth designs and manufactures indirect heated carbon regeneration kilns and calciners from half a ton per day and larger These kilns and calciners can be fuel gas oil or electric and are skid mounted pre-wired and pre-piped The companyrsquos patented bellows kiln seal has proved effective in eliminating air ingress and process gas egress and can be retrofitted to kilns from other manufacturers FLSmidth holds the world record for the lowest emissions on a carbon plant

And at the companyrsquos Merrill Crowe plant capacities range from skid mounted 34 cubic metres per hour modular plants to full size 2 100 cubic metres per hour The range of supply for plants includes clarification filters de-aeration towers vacuum pumps zinc dust feeders lead nitrate feeders and zinc cones precipitate filter feed pumps filter pre-coat and body feed systems as well as precipitate filters used by refinery and smelting facilities to produce gold bullion

These plants incorporate proprietary zinc dustlead nitrate feeder and mix-ing cone system The company offers individual plant components and partial or complete plant equipment packages together with total plant design

FLSmidth Terence Osborn Tel (010) 210-4820

Magnet has extended its range of abrasive products to include 3Mrsquos new Cubitron II abrasive belts with enhanced grinding performance improved productivity and extended service life

ldquo3Mrsquos new technology has resulted in increased speed improved consistency and extended belt liferdquo says Brian How-arth MD Magnet ldquoThese new abrasive belts ensure up to 30 faster cutting on hard to grind metals like stainless steel nickel alloy and cobalt chrome They also divert heat from the workpiece and belt to the swarf which means cooler cutting This helps eliminate burnishing and minimises heat stress Cubitron II abrasive belts last up to four times longer than conventional ceramic aluminium oxide beltsrdquo

3M Abrasives Bradley Reddy Tel (031) 274 1050 Email bradleyrmagnetgroupcozawwwmagnetgroupcoza

4 x Longer

42 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

MARKET FORUM

X-Calibur is one of the latest product offerings from TAL and was specified to protect the concrete structure of the worldrsquos second longest cable-stayed bridge against corrosion throughout its design life

Stonecutters Bridge is a high level cable-stayed bridge which spans the Rambler Channel in Hong Kong connecting Nam Wam Kok Tsing Yi Island and Stonecut-ters Island Hong Kong is well known for its hot summer weather which is also humid and unstable Temperatures

Say No to Corrosionusually exceed 30oC during the day which coupled with high humidity can result in an extreme heat index

ldquoHot and humid environments have a great effect on the durability of concrete As a rule of thumb we say for every 10oC increase in temperature the possibility of corrosion induced damage to concrete is doubled Add humidity in a marine envi-ronment then protection of the structure is of paramount importancerdquo says Brian Davies CEO X-Calibur International In order to guard the bridge from corro-

sion X-Shield EpoxySeal CR was sup-plied to shield the prestressed concrete cable anchorages from the effects of the environment In addition X-Shield FlexCoat was used in various areas of the structure This provides corrosion protection to reinforced concrete from chloride and carbon dioxide

ldquoThe main challenge was compliance with the strict project specifications as the engineer wanted to ensure that protection would be provided throughout the design life of the structure X-Calibur

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 43

MARKET FORUM

had the products independently tested to prove compliance to all aspects of the specificationrdquo John adds

The materials were applied by spe-cialist painters who had been trained by X-Calibur ldquoMaterials were mixed and applied strictly in accordance with method statements supplied by X-Calibur to ensure working time and recoat windows were not exceededrdquo concludes John

TAL Andrew Dekker Tel (031) 579-2263 wwwtalcoza

Fluid conveyance and pumping solutions expert Incledon has supplied a large water supply line project in the Free State with a total of 4 km of Ultraflo pipes manufactured in-house by DPI Plastics - a leading manufacturer of water reticulation drainage and pipe-fitting systems in South Africa

DPI Plastics technical and product manager Renier Snyman points out that the companyrsquos range of Ultraflo pipes are manufactured from modified polyvinyl chloride (mPVC) which is specifically designed to provide similar tensile strength and greater resilience than standard PVC piping products ldquoThe Ultraflo range of pressure piping systems are ideally suited to bulk water supply projects due to the fact that mPVC is considerably more ductile than industry standard unplasticised polyvinyl chloride (uPVC)rdquo he explains

Renier notes that the ductility of the Ultraflo uPVC piping system ensures that

Large Water Supply Project

the pipes have exceptional resistance to crack propagation under pressure ldquoThe product being supplied to the water sup-ply line project is the 500 mm Ultraflo system which is the largest in the DPI Plastics range It boasts a pressure rat-ing of 12 bar with a design stress of up to 18MPa making it ideally suited as a large underground piping systemrdquo

According to Renier Ultraflo pipes offer environmental advantages too ldquoDue to its superior toughness the wall thick-ness of mPVC is less than that of uPVC This ensures that less materials are used during the manufacturing process which ultimately results in a lighter product that is easier to transport and install thereby minimising the carbon footprint of the piperdquo

DPI Plastics Martine Goodchild Tel (021) 957 5600 Email mgoodchilddpiplasticscozawwwdpiplasticscoza

Donrsquot Miss Out

Promech Publishing is putting the Visitorsrsquo Catalogue together for this Show

Contact Mark Bennett on Tel (011) 781-1401 or Email samechengpromechcoza

to book your space

44 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

MARKET FORUM

Displaying and discussing some of the Dodge housed bearings on offer to local industry and mining are (from left) Tony Patten of Specialised Bearings amp Transmission Peter Small-Shaw Wilecrsquos Product Manager Bearings and Frans Odendaal Wilecrsquos Technical Specialist Bearings

The Bearings division of Actom group company Wilec has formed a strategic alliance for the supply of Dodge housed bearings into southern Africa The partner-ship agreement with Johannesburg-based Specialised Bearings amp Transmission the local distributor for Dodge extends Wilecrsquos ability to satisfy the requirements of industry and mining in a diverse range of bearings applications

ldquoThe most exciting thing about our tie-up with Dodge is that housed bearings while already widely accepted in the US and other leading industrialised countries is a relatively new concept locally but one which offers advanced features to users compared with conventional plum-mer block arrangementsrdquo said Frans Odendaal Wilecrsquos Technical Specialist Bearings

ldquoDodge housed bearings are supplied pre-assembled and sealed so eliminating all risk of contamination during fitment The advanced sealing arrangement and unique adapter system guarantees longer

Strategic Alliance

life ndash up to six times that of a conven-tional plummer block Other cost-saving advantages are that they can be installed by a semi-skilled technician very quickly normally in less than 15 minutes and the need to measure pre- and post-reduction clearance is eliminatedrdquo

ldquoIt is a differentiated product and with it we are able to provide a bearing that is especially well suited to local conditions

and offers benefits that are of real value to customers A particularly important aspect to bear in mind is that the total cost of ownership of a Dodge bearing is significantly lower than that of the conventional product due to its greater reliability and durabilityrdquo

Wilec Frans Odendaal Tel (011) 629-9300 Email fransowileccoza

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 45

MARKET FORUM

Emis Sales 2002 part of Becker Min-ing South Africa supplies a wide range of electrical equipment up to 1 100 V for use in hazardous and non-hazardous areas in the mining petrochemical and surface industry sectors

New to the Emis range are Proloc pro-tection and control relays which are suitable for thermal overload protection of conveyors compressors crushers fan and pump motors as well as shuttle cars and flitting panels

ldquoThe stand-alone Emis ProLoc electronic protection and control relay system which has been designed for the optimum protection of motor and feeder circuits connected to outlet sockets has a wide choice of six user-selectable protection features to meet exact requirementsrdquo says Frikkie Quirk managing director Emis Sales 2002 ldquoAn important advan-tage of this system is a door mounted infra-red link that enables a laptop with Proloc software to manage all settings

and downloads without having to open the panel door and expose personnel to dangerous live equipment This is a critical requirement in the OHSA actrdquo

This system is easy to set up via the Proloc MMI 420 display man-to-machine interface or via a laptop with Proloc software

Emis Sales 2002 Tel (016) 341-6134 Email infozabecker-miningcom wwwzabecker-miningcom

Optimum Protection

Birkenmayer a material processing systems supplier in South Africa and local supplier of German-engineered Eirich material processing technology recently released the Evactherm drier a new product that marries the advantages

Superheated Vacuum Steam

of mechanical and thermo dynamical processes to provide cost-effective and highly efficient drying and processing of filter cake and sludgersquos using superheated vacuum steam

Until now it has been important to observe

a maximum middle temperature when applying direct drying to heat sensitive materials and even more important to avoid the excessive local and boundary temperatures that frequently damage the drying product Both heat and ma-terial transport need to be considered and while convective drying processes such as spray drying largely avoid these problems they are only effective if a surface is available for the hot gas flow

Adjustable for both direct and convec-tive drying and processing Evactherm driers overcome these obstacles while providing a number of further benefits

Super-heated vacuum steam performs drying and granulation while the com-bination of mechanical and thermo dynamical processes allows for low dry-ing temperatures and gentle processing of temperature sensitive materials It also enables continuous drying for long periods of time as fresh material may be continuously added into the fluidized bed replacing material that has already been vaporised

H Birkenmayer Louis Eksteen Tel (011) 970 3880-8 Email louisbirkenmayercozawwwbirkenmayercoza

The Evactherm drier

Proloc protection and control relays

46 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

The Eastern Capersquos Coega Industrial Development Zone (IDZ) is one of a number of industrial regions in South Africa to benefit from Air Products South Africarsquos strategy of long-term capital investment

A region which has long been under-served when it comes to reliable gas supply the Eastern Cape will soon have

A Long-term Viewits own air separation unit (ASU) ndash the first of its kind in the province Seelan Gounden GM supply chain at AirProd-ucts explains the reasons behind the companyrsquos latest investment

ldquoCurrently there is no local industrial gas supply in this area and cryogenic gases have to be procured elsewhere This situation compromises the service

MARKET FORUM

ART Solar specialists in the manufacture of solar photovoltaic (PV) modules for the sustainable generation of electrical power has made the following appointment an-nouncementsMark Walsh as managing director Dr Ronald FM Lange as chief operating officer Robert Ramshaw as financial manager and Gavin Rosslee as production manager

Gavin RossleeRobert RamshawMark Walsh

Jeanne Els has been appointed as Hatchrsquos Managing Director of Operations

Jeanne Els

Ronald Lange

Anton Theunissen

SKF South Africa recently appointed Anton Theunissen as Distributor De-velpoment Manager for South Africa and neighbouring coun-tries

Index to Advertisers

Axiom 12

Bearings International 36

Bibby Turboflex 28

Bonfiglioli 10

Engen 34

Festo 35

Hansen 44

Horne SA 29

IDC Inside Back Cover

ILS 32

KDP Services 22

Loesche 31

Polysius 4

PPS 11 29

Mercedes Outside Back Cover

Merseta Inside Front Cover

MIEO Outside Front Cover

Transmission Components 14

Voith 38

Yellotec 16 17

delivery to our existing customers who have to depend on product being trucked over vast distances Thus we identified the Eastern Cape as a key priority invest-ment destination with a clear need for a new air separation facility dedicated to servicing the region We chose the Coega IDZ after careful market analysis We are pleased to be able to be a part of the growth and development of the region through providing a long-needed security of supply and value-added servicerdquo

Ayanda Vilakazi head of Marketing and Communications at the Coega IDZ adds ldquoThe viability of the new ASU is indis-putable It will mean not only security of gas supply to the region benefiting the many industries here but it also means job security for other investors jobs along the value chain and scope for training and human resource develop-ment as well as enhanced Corporate Social Investment initiativesrdquo

Seelan Gounden AirProducts wwwairproductssouthafricacoza

Left to right Chris Mashigo Executive Man-ager - Business Development Coega Develop-ment Corporation Themba Khoza Executive Manager ndash Operations Coega Development Corporation Seelan Gounden GM - Supply Chain Air Products Pierre Fourie Area Sales Manager ndash Eastern Cape Air Products signed the lease agreement between the CDC and Air Products South Africa

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 47To apply online for funding of R1 million or more go to wwwidccoza

Telephone 086 069 3888Email callcentreidccoza

Driving new market innovationsThe IDC supports high-impact job creation projects acting as a

catalyst to lead new sector development and support existing

industry and sector growth in alignment with governmentrsquos

New Growth Path (NGP) National Development Plan (NDP)

and Industrial Policy Action Plan (IPAP)

The IDC Strategic High Impact Projects (SHIP) Strategic Business

Unit in partnership with the IDC Innovation Department has

launched an Open Innovation Challenge to encourage the

development and implementation of sustainable high-impact

industrial initiatives and projects

The IDC calls upon individuals engineering communities

corporates project sponsors and other related entities to enter

into a partnership to develop qualifying projects that result in

sustainable and profi table industries exploit the value-adding

opportunities of existing and new value chains and enable the

development of innovative local economies

Whatwho qualifi es

projects which enable the development of new industries

across multiple IDC focus sectors

introduce new markets and value chains or revolutionise

existing ones through the use of disruptive technologies

or new approaches

development impact and employment creation

across mandated IDC industrial sectors

SHIP wishes to ensure that the projects undertaken play a major

role in industrial development and employment creation within

the South African and SADC regions

Interested applicants are invited to submit their project

proposals online at

httpopeninnovationidccozaidc-ship-challenge between

project proposals will be informed in May regarding SHIP

wishing to partner with them in the development of the

proposed project

Please contact Bertie Strydom BertieSidccoza and

RetiefBidccoza for more information

Chillibush9119IDC

48 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

A D

aim

ler B

rand

You built the bridges the roads and the tunnels We built the carAs a member of the Engineering Council of South Africa you could qualify for exclusive offers a guaranteed 3-day service booking as well as PremiumDrive our 6 year100 000km maintenance plan To take advantage of this outstandingopportunity inform your nearest dealer of your ECSA status

Not in conjunction with other Mercedes-Benz Fleet ProgrammesOffers Excludes AMG and Limited Edition modelsVehicle specifications may vary for the South African market

Page 37: SAME Mar2013

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 37

ELECTRIC DRIVE

The technology performance and design of the Cigarette powerboat is closely based on the electric super sports vehicle made in Affalterbach Germany

The 116 metre long Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept powerboat uses two drive units each featuring six independent electric motors At the rear of the boat each drive unit has its own trans-mission one on the left and one on the right The boat is fitted with the twelve compact liquid-cooled permanent-magnet synchronous electric motors which are the signature piece of the SLS AMG Coupeacute Electric Drive each electric motor delivers 138 kW and 250 Newton metres

The maximum output of 1 656 Kilowatts and maximum torque of 3 000 Newton metres combine to reach a staggering top speed of over 160 kmh making this locally emission-free Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept the worlds fastest electri-cally driven powerboat The low centre of gravity and optimum weight distribution ensure sublime

The Worlds Most Powerful Powerboat

handling characteristics during more dynamic changes of direction

The high-voltage battery boasts an energy content of 60 Kilowatt hours an electric load potential of 600 Kilowatts and a weight of 548 kg ndash all of which are absolute best values in the automotive sector The liquid-cooled lithium-ion high-voltage battery features a modular design with a maximum voltage of 400 V It consists of 12 modules each comprising 72 lithium-ion cells ldquoCigaretterdquo inte-grates four high-tech batteries with a total of 48 modules and 3 456 cells which generate a total capacity of 240 Kilowatt hours and an electric output of 2 400 Kilowatts respect even in the boat building industry

The Cigarette on-board chargers as standard Adapted to fit the infrastructure standard of many American marinas the boat has a charging capac-ity of 44 Kilowatts The battery is fully charged in approximately seven hours To reduce the charging time to less than three hours the powerboat can be fitted with four on-board chargers as an option

Mercedes-Benz Shirle Greig Tel (012) 677-1904 Email shirlegreigdaimlercom wwwmercedes-benzsacoza

Mercedes-AMG and Cigarette Racing launched the latest development of their cooperation at the Miami International Boat Show in February Numerous components from the SLS AMG Coupeacute Electric Drive have been integrated in the design of the Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept engineering design The high performance drive fitted in the electric super sports car makes the off shore powerboat the worlds most

powerful and fastest electrically-driven motor boat With an output of 1 656 Kilowatts and a maximum torque of 3 000 Newton metres the Cigarette AMG Electric Drive Concept is a fascinating new development

Combine to reach a staggering top speed of over 160 kmh

38 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

ENVIRONMENT

They have been in service for decades

under the toughest conditions ndash and

have proven themselves worldwide

Voith fluid couplings protect belt con-

veyors and drive components by provid-

ing smooth acceleration and torque

control allowing for frequent loaded

starts with the least amount of stress on

the drive and belt

In multi-motor drives they ensure pre-

cise load distribution Result fewer

downtimes ndash and the service life of the

belt and the drive components is in-

creased The latest product innovation is

the Voith TurboBelt 780 TPXL

infovtzavoithcom

wwwrsavoithturbocom

Protect Your Belt Conveyors with

Voith Fluid Couplings

ai_a

it_44

0_e

n ai

k

Water Disclosure ReportingJust as companies are addressing their carbon emissions and

provide carbon reporting to the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) water is becoming a growing priority

Reporting on it is becoming another critical sustainability issue

2011 saw a marked increase in the number of the worldrsquos largest companies reporting on their water usage on the risks that water presents and on their responses to

that risk Responses from these companies indicate that water is impacting global business now and yet water is not nearly as high on the corporate agenda as climate change

Evidence is mounting that South Africa is facing a water crisis of substantial proportions This crisis encompasses all aspects of water management on both the demand and supply side The mounting impacts of acid mine drainage and declining wa-ter quality add to the crisis South Africarsquos water security is likely to be further complicated by an increasingly uneven and unpredictable supply of rainfall as a result of climate change and by a reli-ance on significant water transfers from neighbour-

ing countries In meeting this crisis South Africa will have to resolve tough trade-offs in water use between agriculture key industrial activities such as mining and power generation and the supply to rapidly growing urban centres

Evidence is clearJSE 100 companies will need to show leadership in sustainably managing the water resources on which they rely for their day-to-day business operations The available evidence is clear It is not sustainable to continue exploiting water resources by follow-ing a lsquobusiness as usualrsquo approach If this is the case South Africarsquos freshwater resources will be depleted and unable to meet the needs of people and industry in the next 20 years if not before

In 2011 the response rate to the CDP Water Disclosure amongst South African companies was 46 (26 out of 56 companies) Many of South Africarsquos most significant corporate water users are therefore not yet able to or are not yet ready to report on their water-related risks

Promethuim Robbie Louw Tel (011) 706-8185 Email Robbiepromethiumcoza wwwpromethuimcoza

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 39

EXHIBITION

The Steel and Engineering Industries Federation (SEI-FSA) the Lifting Equipment Engineering Association

of SA (LEEASA) the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA) and the SA Institute of Welding (SAIW) have thrown their weight behind the biggest industrial and engineering trade show in Africa

The three-day 10-shows-in-one event takes place from 14 to 16 May 2013 at Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand Johannesburg

SEIFSA Conference at Indutec The Steel and Engineering Indus-tries Federation of South Africa (SEIFSA) will hold its annual conference at Indutec celebrating 70 years of active support for its members industry and business in Africa The federation has over 2 220 member companies which employ more than 224 000 people comprising 53 of the industryrsquos workforce

SAIW ldquoWe take our affiliations with leading industry players very seriously including our en-dorsement of Indutecrdquo says Jim Guild chief executive officer of the SA Institute of Welding ldquoThese industry ties form part of our strategy to create strong relationships which support our objective and Governmentrsquos mandate to enhance the manufacturing sector in South Africardquo

LEEASAThe Lifting Equipment Engineer-ing Association of South Africa (LEEASA) which is a division of the Chamber of Engineering Tech-

nology (COET) will also be using its endorsement of Indutec to promote its activities in the engineer-ing and technology sectors in general Chamber spokesperson Viv Nel says its exposure at the fair will create more awareness of the Chamberrsquos role in all engineering and technology-driven industries

ECSAIndustry regulator the Engineering Council of South Africa shares these aims ldquoAs a custodian of en-gineering intellectual capital in South Africa our endorsement of Indutec provides us with a platform to publicise our role in the engineering sector and government infrastructure initiativesrdquo says Edgar Sabela ECSArsquos Strategic Services Executive

ldquoWe need to produce 10 times more engineers to compete with developed economies Involvement with the Indutec show will allow us to promote engineering as a career through our Engenius Programme and showcase our existing engineer-ing excellence Most importantly it enables us to network with all key players in the field and even conclude some businessrdquo

Tenfold Benefits to ExhibitorsJohn Thomson managing director of Exhibition Management Services organisers of the 10-in-one Fair says the unqualified support from leading in-dustry bodies indicates the showrsquos tenfold value to the engineering industrial and technology sectors ldquoThis undoubtedly translates into multiple benefits for the showrsquos exhibitors and ultimately to show visitorsrdquo he concludes

Indutec Serean ThomsonTel (011) 783 7250 Email marketingexhibitionsafricacom wwwexhibitionsafricacom

Boosting the Manufacturing Sector32 of South Africarsquos leading industrial and engineering professional and employer associations Chambers and

Councils have collectively endorsed Indutec the recently launched South African Industry and Technology Fair 2013

Promech Publishing through SA Mechanical Engineer and Bulk Handling Today will produce and publish the Official Catalogue for this prestigious show

Make sure your presence is felt before during and after the show by advertising in this one-of-a-kind reference publication

Contact Mark Bennett Tel (011) 781-1401 Email samechengpromechcoza

Jim Guild CEO of the SA Institute of Welding

Edgar Sabela - ECSArsquos Strategic Services Executive

Adelia Pimentel - Marketing and Communications Manager SEIFSA

40 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

MARKET FORUM

ldquoBMG has identified a need in diverse sectors for on-site maintenance services to overcome production challengesrdquo says Dave Russell technical director BMG ldquoRecognising the extreme constraints of high energy prices low productivity the critical skills shortage and a highly competitive economic environment BMG brings a total solutions service to the fore

ldquoIndustry can now access all critical production efficient products and services from one supplier What this means is lower production costs and higher pro-duction efficiency giving South African industry a distinct competitive advantage

ldquoBMGrsquos on-site services include applica-

tion design evaluation and optimisation as well as installation trouble-shooting and service exchange contracts The company also offers predictive planned and breakdown maintenance and energy and reliability studiesrdquo

The company also offers extensive train-ing which covers electrical mechanical hydraulic pneumatic electronic and materials handling disciplines as well as predictive maintenance and component failure analysis

BMG ndash Bearing Man Group Veronique van Niekerk Tel (031) 576-6221Email veroniquevbmgworldnet wwwbmgworldnet

Tenova Takraf Africa (formerly Bateman Engineered Technologies) is putting the final pieces together in completing an order for the supply of a 55m x 275m hydraulically-driven SAG mill to Ontario Graphite operators of the Kearney Mine located in Kearney O n t a r i o Canada

ldquoTenovarsquos scope

Unique SAG Mill in Canada

ABB started with a bang following the order of 2 400 robots by BMW Group Over the next three years the robots will be installed at factories in Regensburg and Leipzig Germany as well as in Tiexi China The ABB robots will mainly be used for mate-rial handling tasks as well as gluing and spot welding processes

ABB robots enable customers to implement efficient manufacturing systems that sustainably produce high-quality products The com-panyrsquos range of products and solu-tions for lean manufacturing cover the range from body-in-white to the final assembly of complete car bodies They improve competitiveness and at the same time optimally comply with customer specifications ABB has installed more than 200 000 robots worldwide

ABB Robotics Natasha Mathebula Tel (010) 202-6156 Email natashamathebulazaabbcom wwwabbcom

2400

Robots

Total Solution

of work includes the engineering manufacturing shipping and technical assistance during erection of the SAG millrsquos feed end shell discharge end drive and main bearings as well as all supporting equipment (lubrication and jacking systems)rdquo says Tenova Takraf

engineer Pieter van der Walt ldquoThe main hydraulic motor and rubber

shell liners were outside our commercial scope of supply but inside our technical

scope of supplyrdquo he adds

The mill is a conventional SAG (semi-autogenous grinding) mill in all ways apart from its drive assem-bly and it is centre-driven

at the discharge end using a Haggluumlnds hydraulic motor and powerpack ldquoTo date this is the largest hydraulic motor installed on a SAG mill with 950kW of power torque of 1 200 kNm (start-up) and 650 kNm (operational) and speed of 1386 rpmrdquo adds Pieter

Since the mill had to be retrofitted to an existing foundation a number of adaptations were required to maintain the mill centreline as well as feed-end and discharge-end positions Certain additions were required to anchor the main motor torque arm

Tenova Takraf Pieter van der Walt Tel (011) 899-2372 Email pietervanderwaltbatemancom wwwtenovagroupcom

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 41

MARKET FORUM

World Record

The ADR plant at Kisladag Mine

FLSmidth designs and manufactures indirect heated carbon regeneration kilns and calciners from half a ton per day and larger These kilns and calciners can be fuel gas oil or electric and are skid mounted pre-wired and pre-piped The companyrsquos patented bellows kiln seal has proved effective in eliminating air ingress and process gas egress and can be retrofitted to kilns from other manufacturers FLSmidth holds the world record for the lowest emissions on a carbon plant

And at the companyrsquos Merrill Crowe plant capacities range from skid mounted 34 cubic metres per hour modular plants to full size 2 100 cubic metres per hour The range of supply for plants includes clarification filters de-aeration towers vacuum pumps zinc dust feeders lead nitrate feeders and zinc cones precipitate filter feed pumps filter pre-coat and body feed systems as well as precipitate filters used by refinery and smelting facilities to produce gold bullion

These plants incorporate proprietary zinc dustlead nitrate feeder and mix-ing cone system The company offers individual plant components and partial or complete plant equipment packages together with total plant design

FLSmidth Terence Osborn Tel (010) 210-4820

Magnet has extended its range of abrasive products to include 3Mrsquos new Cubitron II abrasive belts with enhanced grinding performance improved productivity and extended service life

ldquo3Mrsquos new technology has resulted in increased speed improved consistency and extended belt liferdquo says Brian How-arth MD Magnet ldquoThese new abrasive belts ensure up to 30 faster cutting on hard to grind metals like stainless steel nickel alloy and cobalt chrome They also divert heat from the workpiece and belt to the swarf which means cooler cutting This helps eliminate burnishing and minimises heat stress Cubitron II abrasive belts last up to four times longer than conventional ceramic aluminium oxide beltsrdquo

3M Abrasives Bradley Reddy Tel (031) 274 1050 Email bradleyrmagnetgroupcozawwwmagnetgroupcoza

4 x Longer

42 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

MARKET FORUM

X-Calibur is one of the latest product offerings from TAL and was specified to protect the concrete structure of the worldrsquos second longest cable-stayed bridge against corrosion throughout its design life

Stonecutters Bridge is a high level cable-stayed bridge which spans the Rambler Channel in Hong Kong connecting Nam Wam Kok Tsing Yi Island and Stonecut-ters Island Hong Kong is well known for its hot summer weather which is also humid and unstable Temperatures

Say No to Corrosionusually exceed 30oC during the day which coupled with high humidity can result in an extreme heat index

ldquoHot and humid environments have a great effect on the durability of concrete As a rule of thumb we say for every 10oC increase in temperature the possibility of corrosion induced damage to concrete is doubled Add humidity in a marine envi-ronment then protection of the structure is of paramount importancerdquo says Brian Davies CEO X-Calibur International In order to guard the bridge from corro-

sion X-Shield EpoxySeal CR was sup-plied to shield the prestressed concrete cable anchorages from the effects of the environment In addition X-Shield FlexCoat was used in various areas of the structure This provides corrosion protection to reinforced concrete from chloride and carbon dioxide

ldquoThe main challenge was compliance with the strict project specifications as the engineer wanted to ensure that protection would be provided throughout the design life of the structure X-Calibur

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 43

MARKET FORUM

had the products independently tested to prove compliance to all aspects of the specificationrdquo John adds

The materials were applied by spe-cialist painters who had been trained by X-Calibur ldquoMaterials were mixed and applied strictly in accordance with method statements supplied by X-Calibur to ensure working time and recoat windows were not exceededrdquo concludes John

TAL Andrew Dekker Tel (031) 579-2263 wwwtalcoza

Fluid conveyance and pumping solutions expert Incledon has supplied a large water supply line project in the Free State with a total of 4 km of Ultraflo pipes manufactured in-house by DPI Plastics - a leading manufacturer of water reticulation drainage and pipe-fitting systems in South Africa

DPI Plastics technical and product manager Renier Snyman points out that the companyrsquos range of Ultraflo pipes are manufactured from modified polyvinyl chloride (mPVC) which is specifically designed to provide similar tensile strength and greater resilience than standard PVC piping products ldquoThe Ultraflo range of pressure piping systems are ideally suited to bulk water supply projects due to the fact that mPVC is considerably more ductile than industry standard unplasticised polyvinyl chloride (uPVC)rdquo he explains

Renier notes that the ductility of the Ultraflo uPVC piping system ensures that

Large Water Supply Project

the pipes have exceptional resistance to crack propagation under pressure ldquoThe product being supplied to the water sup-ply line project is the 500 mm Ultraflo system which is the largest in the DPI Plastics range It boasts a pressure rat-ing of 12 bar with a design stress of up to 18MPa making it ideally suited as a large underground piping systemrdquo

According to Renier Ultraflo pipes offer environmental advantages too ldquoDue to its superior toughness the wall thick-ness of mPVC is less than that of uPVC This ensures that less materials are used during the manufacturing process which ultimately results in a lighter product that is easier to transport and install thereby minimising the carbon footprint of the piperdquo

DPI Plastics Martine Goodchild Tel (021) 957 5600 Email mgoodchilddpiplasticscozawwwdpiplasticscoza

Donrsquot Miss Out

Promech Publishing is putting the Visitorsrsquo Catalogue together for this Show

Contact Mark Bennett on Tel (011) 781-1401 or Email samechengpromechcoza

to book your space

44 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

MARKET FORUM

Displaying and discussing some of the Dodge housed bearings on offer to local industry and mining are (from left) Tony Patten of Specialised Bearings amp Transmission Peter Small-Shaw Wilecrsquos Product Manager Bearings and Frans Odendaal Wilecrsquos Technical Specialist Bearings

The Bearings division of Actom group company Wilec has formed a strategic alliance for the supply of Dodge housed bearings into southern Africa The partner-ship agreement with Johannesburg-based Specialised Bearings amp Transmission the local distributor for Dodge extends Wilecrsquos ability to satisfy the requirements of industry and mining in a diverse range of bearings applications

ldquoThe most exciting thing about our tie-up with Dodge is that housed bearings while already widely accepted in the US and other leading industrialised countries is a relatively new concept locally but one which offers advanced features to users compared with conventional plum-mer block arrangementsrdquo said Frans Odendaal Wilecrsquos Technical Specialist Bearings

ldquoDodge housed bearings are supplied pre-assembled and sealed so eliminating all risk of contamination during fitment The advanced sealing arrangement and unique adapter system guarantees longer

Strategic Alliance

life ndash up to six times that of a conven-tional plummer block Other cost-saving advantages are that they can be installed by a semi-skilled technician very quickly normally in less than 15 minutes and the need to measure pre- and post-reduction clearance is eliminatedrdquo

ldquoIt is a differentiated product and with it we are able to provide a bearing that is especially well suited to local conditions

and offers benefits that are of real value to customers A particularly important aspect to bear in mind is that the total cost of ownership of a Dodge bearing is significantly lower than that of the conventional product due to its greater reliability and durabilityrdquo

Wilec Frans Odendaal Tel (011) 629-9300 Email fransowileccoza

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 45

MARKET FORUM

Emis Sales 2002 part of Becker Min-ing South Africa supplies a wide range of electrical equipment up to 1 100 V for use in hazardous and non-hazardous areas in the mining petrochemical and surface industry sectors

New to the Emis range are Proloc pro-tection and control relays which are suitable for thermal overload protection of conveyors compressors crushers fan and pump motors as well as shuttle cars and flitting panels

ldquoThe stand-alone Emis ProLoc electronic protection and control relay system which has been designed for the optimum protection of motor and feeder circuits connected to outlet sockets has a wide choice of six user-selectable protection features to meet exact requirementsrdquo says Frikkie Quirk managing director Emis Sales 2002 ldquoAn important advan-tage of this system is a door mounted infra-red link that enables a laptop with Proloc software to manage all settings

and downloads without having to open the panel door and expose personnel to dangerous live equipment This is a critical requirement in the OHSA actrdquo

This system is easy to set up via the Proloc MMI 420 display man-to-machine interface or via a laptop with Proloc software

Emis Sales 2002 Tel (016) 341-6134 Email infozabecker-miningcom wwwzabecker-miningcom

Optimum Protection

Birkenmayer a material processing systems supplier in South Africa and local supplier of German-engineered Eirich material processing technology recently released the Evactherm drier a new product that marries the advantages

Superheated Vacuum Steam

of mechanical and thermo dynamical processes to provide cost-effective and highly efficient drying and processing of filter cake and sludgersquos using superheated vacuum steam

Until now it has been important to observe

a maximum middle temperature when applying direct drying to heat sensitive materials and even more important to avoid the excessive local and boundary temperatures that frequently damage the drying product Both heat and ma-terial transport need to be considered and while convective drying processes such as spray drying largely avoid these problems they are only effective if a surface is available for the hot gas flow

Adjustable for both direct and convec-tive drying and processing Evactherm driers overcome these obstacles while providing a number of further benefits

Super-heated vacuum steam performs drying and granulation while the com-bination of mechanical and thermo dynamical processes allows for low dry-ing temperatures and gentle processing of temperature sensitive materials It also enables continuous drying for long periods of time as fresh material may be continuously added into the fluidized bed replacing material that has already been vaporised

H Birkenmayer Louis Eksteen Tel (011) 970 3880-8 Email louisbirkenmayercozawwwbirkenmayercoza

The Evactherm drier

Proloc protection and control relays

46 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

The Eastern Capersquos Coega Industrial Development Zone (IDZ) is one of a number of industrial regions in South Africa to benefit from Air Products South Africarsquos strategy of long-term capital investment

A region which has long been under-served when it comes to reliable gas supply the Eastern Cape will soon have

A Long-term Viewits own air separation unit (ASU) ndash the first of its kind in the province Seelan Gounden GM supply chain at AirProd-ucts explains the reasons behind the companyrsquos latest investment

ldquoCurrently there is no local industrial gas supply in this area and cryogenic gases have to be procured elsewhere This situation compromises the service

MARKET FORUM

ART Solar specialists in the manufacture of solar photovoltaic (PV) modules for the sustainable generation of electrical power has made the following appointment an-nouncementsMark Walsh as managing director Dr Ronald FM Lange as chief operating officer Robert Ramshaw as financial manager and Gavin Rosslee as production manager

Gavin RossleeRobert RamshawMark Walsh

Jeanne Els has been appointed as Hatchrsquos Managing Director of Operations

Jeanne Els

Ronald Lange

Anton Theunissen

SKF South Africa recently appointed Anton Theunissen as Distributor De-velpoment Manager for South Africa and neighbouring coun-tries

Index to Advertisers

Axiom 12

Bearings International 36

Bibby Turboflex 28

Bonfiglioli 10

Engen 34

Festo 35

Hansen 44

Horne SA 29

IDC Inside Back Cover

ILS 32

KDP Services 22

Loesche 31

Polysius 4

PPS 11 29

Mercedes Outside Back Cover

Merseta Inside Front Cover

MIEO Outside Front Cover

Transmission Components 14

Voith 38

Yellotec 16 17

delivery to our existing customers who have to depend on product being trucked over vast distances Thus we identified the Eastern Cape as a key priority invest-ment destination with a clear need for a new air separation facility dedicated to servicing the region We chose the Coega IDZ after careful market analysis We are pleased to be able to be a part of the growth and development of the region through providing a long-needed security of supply and value-added servicerdquo

Ayanda Vilakazi head of Marketing and Communications at the Coega IDZ adds ldquoThe viability of the new ASU is indis-putable It will mean not only security of gas supply to the region benefiting the many industries here but it also means job security for other investors jobs along the value chain and scope for training and human resource develop-ment as well as enhanced Corporate Social Investment initiativesrdquo

Seelan Gounden AirProducts wwwairproductssouthafricacoza

Left to right Chris Mashigo Executive Man-ager - Business Development Coega Develop-ment Corporation Themba Khoza Executive Manager ndash Operations Coega Development Corporation Seelan Gounden GM - Supply Chain Air Products Pierre Fourie Area Sales Manager ndash Eastern Cape Air Products signed the lease agreement between the CDC and Air Products South Africa

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 47To apply online for funding of R1 million or more go to wwwidccoza

Telephone 086 069 3888Email callcentreidccoza

Driving new market innovationsThe IDC supports high-impact job creation projects acting as a

catalyst to lead new sector development and support existing

industry and sector growth in alignment with governmentrsquos

New Growth Path (NGP) National Development Plan (NDP)

and Industrial Policy Action Plan (IPAP)

The IDC Strategic High Impact Projects (SHIP) Strategic Business

Unit in partnership with the IDC Innovation Department has

launched an Open Innovation Challenge to encourage the

development and implementation of sustainable high-impact

industrial initiatives and projects

The IDC calls upon individuals engineering communities

corporates project sponsors and other related entities to enter

into a partnership to develop qualifying projects that result in

sustainable and profi table industries exploit the value-adding

opportunities of existing and new value chains and enable the

development of innovative local economies

Whatwho qualifi es

projects which enable the development of new industries

across multiple IDC focus sectors

introduce new markets and value chains or revolutionise

existing ones through the use of disruptive technologies

or new approaches

development impact and employment creation

across mandated IDC industrial sectors

SHIP wishes to ensure that the projects undertaken play a major

role in industrial development and employment creation within

the South African and SADC regions

Interested applicants are invited to submit their project

proposals online at

httpopeninnovationidccozaidc-ship-challenge between

project proposals will be informed in May regarding SHIP

wishing to partner with them in the development of the

proposed project

Please contact Bertie Strydom BertieSidccoza and

RetiefBidccoza for more information

Chillibush9119IDC

48 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

A D

aim

ler B

rand

You built the bridges the roads and the tunnels We built the carAs a member of the Engineering Council of South Africa you could qualify for exclusive offers a guaranteed 3-day service booking as well as PremiumDrive our 6 year100 000km maintenance plan To take advantage of this outstandingopportunity inform your nearest dealer of your ECSA status

Not in conjunction with other Mercedes-Benz Fleet ProgrammesOffers Excludes AMG and Limited Edition modelsVehicle specifications may vary for the South African market

Page 38: SAME Mar2013

38 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

ENVIRONMENT

They have been in service for decades

under the toughest conditions ndash and

have proven themselves worldwide

Voith fluid couplings protect belt con-

veyors and drive components by provid-

ing smooth acceleration and torque

control allowing for frequent loaded

starts with the least amount of stress on

the drive and belt

In multi-motor drives they ensure pre-

cise load distribution Result fewer

downtimes ndash and the service life of the

belt and the drive components is in-

creased The latest product innovation is

the Voith TurboBelt 780 TPXL

infovtzavoithcom

wwwrsavoithturbocom

Protect Your Belt Conveyors with

Voith Fluid Couplings

ai_a

it_44

0_e

n ai

k

Water Disclosure ReportingJust as companies are addressing their carbon emissions and

provide carbon reporting to the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) water is becoming a growing priority

Reporting on it is becoming another critical sustainability issue

2011 saw a marked increase in the number of the worldrsquos largest companies reporting on their water usage on the risks that water presents and on their responses to

that risk Responses from these companies indicate that water is impacting global business now and yet water is not nearly as high on the corporate agenda as climate change

Evidence is mounting that South Africa is facing a water crisis of substantial proportions This crisis encompasses all aspects of water management on both the demand and supply side The mounting impacts of acid mine drainage and declining wa-ter quality add to the crisis South Africarsquos water security is likely to be further complicated by an increasingly uneven and unpredictable supply of rainfall as a result of climate change and by a reli-ance on significant water transfers from neighbour-

ing countries In meeting this crisis South Africa will have to resolve tough trade-offs in water use between agriculture key industrial activities such as mining and power generation and the supply to rapidly growing urban centres

Evidence is clearJSE 100 companies will need to show leadership in sustainably managing the water resources on which they rely for their day-to-day business operations The available evidence is clear It is not sustainable to continue exploiting water resources by follow-ing a lsquobusiness as usualrsquo approach If this is the case South Africarsquos freshwater resources will be depleted and unable to meet the needs of people and industry in the next 20 years if not before

In 2011 the response rate to the CDP Water Disclosure amongst South African companies was 46 (26 out of 56 companies) Many of South Africarsquos most significant corporate water users are therefore not yet able to or are not yet ready to report on their water-related risks

Promethuim Robbie Louw Tel (011) 706-8185 Email Robbiepromethiumcoza wwwpromethuimcoza

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 39

EXHIBITION

The Steel and Engineering Industries Federation (SEI-FSA) the Lifting Equipment Engineering Association

of SA (LEEASA) the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA) and the SA Institute of Welding (SAIW) have thrown their weight behind the biggest industrial and engineering trade show in Africa

The three-day 10-shows-in-one event takes place from 14 to 16 May 2013 at Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand Johannesburg

SEIFSA Conference at Indutec The Steel and Engineering Indus-tries Federation of South Africa (SEIFSA) will hold its annual conference at Indutec celebrating 70 years of active support for its members industry and business in Africa The federation has over 2 220 member companies which employ more than 224 000 people comprising 53 of the industryrsquos workforce

SAIW ldquoWe take our affiliations with leading industry players very seriously including our en-dorsement of Indutecrdquo says Jim Guild chief executive officer of the SA Institute of Welding ldquoThese industry ties form part of our strategy to create strong relationships which support our objective and Governmentrsquos mandate to enhance the manufacturing sector in South Africardquo

LEEASAThe Lifting Equipment Engineer-ing Association of South Africa (LEEASA) which is a division of the Chamber of Engineering Tech-

nology (COET) will also be using its endorsement of Indutec to promote its activities in the engineer-ing and technology sectors in general Chamber spokesperson Viv Nel says its exposure at the fair will create more awareness of the Chamberrsquos role in all engineering and technology-driven industries

ECSAIndustry regulator the Engineering Council of South Africa shares these aims ldquoAs a custodian of en-gineering intellectual capital in South Africa our endorsement of Indutec provides us with a platform to publicise our role in the engineering sector and government infrastructure initiativesrdquo says Edgar Sabela ECSArsquos Strategic Services Executive

ldquoWe need to produce 10 times more engineers to compete with developed economies Involvement with the Indutec show will allow us to promote engineering as a career through our Engenius Programme and showcase our existing engineer-ing excellence Most importantly it enables us to network with all key players in the field and even conclude some businessrdquo

Tenfold Benefits to ExhibitorsJohn Thomson managing director of Exhibition Management Services organisers of the 10-in-one Fair says the unqualified support from leading in-dustry bodies indicates the showrsquos tenfold value to the engineering industrial and technology sectors ldquoThis undoubtedly translates into multiple benefits for the showrsquos exhibitors and ultimately to show visitorsrdquo he concludes

Indutec Serean ThomsonTel (011) 783 7250 Email marketingexhibitionsafricacom wwwexhibitionsafricacom

Boosting the Manufacturing Sector32 of South Africarsquos leading industrial and engineering professional and employer associations Chambers and

Councils have collectively endorsed Indutec the recently launched South African Industry and Technology Fair 2013

Promech Publishing through SA Mechanical Engineer and Bulk Handling Today will produce and publish the Official Catalogue for this prestigious show

Make sure your presence is felt before during and after the show by advertising in this one-of-a-kind reference publication

Contact Mark Bennett Tel (011) 781-1401 Email samechengpromechcoza

Jim Guild CEO of the SA Institute of Welding

Edgar Sabela - ECSArsquos Strategic Services Executive

Adelia Pimentel - Marketing and Communications Manager SEIFSA

40 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

MARKET FORUM

ldquoBMG has identified a need in diverse sectors for on-site maintenance services to overcome production challengesrdquo says Dave Russell technical director BMG ldquoRecognising the extreme constraints of high energy prices low productivity the critical skills shortage and a highly competitive economic environment BMG brings a total solutions service to the fore

ldquoIndustry can now access all critical production efficient products and services from one supplier What this means is lower production costs and higher pro-duction efficiency giving South African industry a distinct competitive advantage

ldquoBMGrsquos on-site services include applica-

tion design evaluation and optimisation as well as installation trouble-shooting and service exchange contracts The company also offers predictive planned and breakdown maintenance and energy and reliability studiesrdquo

The company also offers extensive train-ing which covers electrical mechanical hydraulic pneumatic electronic and materials handling disciplines as well as predictive maintenance and component failure analysis

BMG ndash Bearing Man Group Veronique van Niekerk Tel (031) 576-6221Email veroniquevbmgworldnet wwwbmgworldnet

Tenova Takraf Africa (formerly Bateman Engineered Technologies) is putting the final pieces together in completing an order for the supply of a 55m x 275m hydraulically-driven SAG mill to Ontario Graphite operators of the Kearney Mine located in Kearney O n t a r i o Canada

ldquoTenovarsquos scope

Unique SAG Mill in Canada

ABB started with a bang following the order of 2 400 robots by BMW Group Over the next three years the robots will be installed at factories in Regensburg and Leipzig Germany as well as in Tiexi China The ABB robots will mainly be used for mate-rial handling tasks as well as gluing and spot welding processes

ABB robots enable customers to implement efficient manufacturing systems that sustainably produce high-quality products The com-panyrsquos range of products and solu-tions for lean manufacturing cover the range from body-in-white to the final assembly of complete car bodies They improve competitiveness and at the same time optimally comply with customer specifications ABB has installed more than 200 000 robots worldwide

ABB Robotics Natasha Mathebula Tel (010) 202-6156 Email natashamathebulazaabbcom wwwabbcom

2400

Robots

Total Solution

of work includes the engineering manufacturing shipping and technical assistance during erection of the SAG millrsquos feed end shell discharge end drive and main bearings as well as all supporting equipment (lubrication and jacking systems)rdquo says Tenova Takraf

engineer Pieter van der Walt ldquoThe main hydraulic motor and rubber

shell liners were outside our commercial scope of supply but inside our technical

scope of supplyrdquo he adds

The mill is a conventional SAG (semi-autogenous grinding) mill in all ways apart from its drive assem-bly and it is centre-driven

at the discharge end using a Haggluumlnds hydraulic motor and powerpack ldquoTo date this is the largest hydraulic motor installed on a SAG mill with 950kW of power torque of 1 200 kNm (start-up) and 650 kNm (operational) and speed of 1386 rpmrdquo adds Pieter

Since the mill had to be retrofitted to an existing foundation a number of adaptations were required to maintain the mill centreline as well as feed-end and discharge-end positions Certain additions were required to anchor the main motor torque arm

Tenova Takraf Pieter van der Walt Tel (011) 899-2372 Email pietervanderwaltbatemancom wwwtenovagroupcom

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 41

MARKET FORUM

World Record

The ADR plant at Kisladag Mine

FLSmidth designs and manufactures indirect heated carbon regeneration kilns and calciners from half a ton per day and larger These kilns and calciners can be fuel gas oil or electric and are skid mounted pre-wired and pre-piped The companyrsquos patented bellows kiln seal has proved effective in eliminating air ingress and process gas egress and can be retrofitted to kilns from other manufacturers FLSmidth holds the world record for the lowest emissions on a carbon plant

And at the companyrsquos Merrill Crowe plant capacities range from skid mounted 34 cubic metres per hour modular plants to full size 2 100 cubic metres per hour The range of supply for plants includes clarification filters de-aeration towers vacuum pumps zinc dust feeders lead nitrate feeders and zinc cones precipitate filter feed pumps filter pre-coat and body feed systems as well as precipitate filters used by refinery and smelting facilities to produce gold bullion

These plants incorporate proprietary zinc dustlead nitrate feeder and mix-ing cone system The company offers individual plant components and partial or complete plant equipment packages together with total plant design

FLSmidth Terence Osborn Tel (010) 210-4820

Magnet has extended its range of abrasive products to include 3Mrsquos new Cubitron II abrasive belts with enhanced grinding performance improved productivity and extended service life

ldquo3Mrsquos new technology has resulted in increased speed improved consistency and extended belt liferdquo says Brian How-arth MD Magnet ldquoThese new abrasive belts ensure up to 30 faster cutting on hard to grind metals like stainless steel nickel alloy and cobalt chrome They also divert heat from the workpiece and belt to the swarf which means cooler cutting This helps eliminate burnishing and minimises heat stress Cubitron II abrasive belts last up to four times longer than conventional ceramic aluminium oxide beltsrdquo

3M Abrasives Bradley Reddy Tel (031) 274 1050 Email bradleyrmagnetgroupcozawwwmagnetgroupcoza

4 x Longer

42 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

MARKET FORUM

X-Calibur is one of the latest product offerings from TAL and was specified to protect the concrete structure of the worldrsquos second longest cable-stayed bridge against corrosion throughout its design life

Stonecutters Bridge is a high level cable-stayed bridge which spans the Rambler Channel in Hong Kong connecting Nam Wam Kok Tsing Yi Island and Stonecut-ters Island Hong Kong is well known for its hot summer weather which is also humid and unstable Temperatures

Say No to Corrosionusually exceed 30oC during the day which coupled with high humidity can result in an extreme heat index

ldquoHot and humid environments have a great effect on the durability of concrete As a rule of thumb we say for every 10oC increase in temperature the possibility of corrosion induced damage to concrete is doubled Add humidity in a marine envi-ronment then protection of the structure is of paramount importancerdquo says Brian Davies CEO X-Calibur International In order to guard the bridge from corro-

sion X-Shield EpoxySeal CR was sup-plied to shield the prestressed concrete cable anchorages from the effects of the environment In addition X-Shield FlexCoat was used in various areas of the structure This provides corrosion protection to reinforced concrete from chloride and carbon dioxide

ldquoThe main challenge was compliance with the strict project specifications as the engineer wanted to ensure that protection would be provided throughout the design life of the structure X-Calibur

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 43

MARKET FORUM

had the products independently tested to prove compliance to all aspects of the specificationrdquo John adds

The materials were applied by spe-cialist painters who had been trained by X-Calibur ldquoMaterials were mixed and applied strictly in accordance with method statements supplied by X-Calibur to ensure working time and recoat windows were not exceededrdquo concludes John

TAL Andrew Dekker Tel (031) 579-2263 wwwtalcoza

Fluid conveyance and pumping solutions expert Incledon has supplied a large water supply line project in the Free State with a total of 4 km of Ultraflo pipes manufactured in-house by DPI Plastics - a leading manufacturer of water reticulation drainage and pipe-fitting systems in South Africa

DPI Plastics technical and product manager Renier Snyman points out that the companyrsquos range of Ultraflo pipes are manufactured from modified polyvinyl chloride (mPVC) which is specifically designed to provide similar tensile strength and greater resilience than standard PVC piping products ldquoThe Ultraflo range of pressure piping systems are ideally suited to bulk water supply projects due to the fact that mPVC is considerably more ductile than industry standard unplasticised polyvinyl chloride (uPVC)rdquo he explains

Renier notes that the ductility of the Ultraflo uPVC piping system ensures that

Large Water Supply Project

the pipes have exceptional resistance to crack propagation under pressure ldquoThe product being supplied to the water sup-ply line project is the 500 mm Ultraflo system which is the largest in the DPI Plastics range It boasts a pressure rat-ing of 12 bar with a design stress of up to 18MPa making it ideally suited as a large underground piping systemrdquo

According to Renier Ultraflo pipes offer environmental advantages too ldquoDue to its superior toughness the wall thick-ness of mPVC is less than that of uPVC This ensures that less materials are used during the manufacturing process which ultimately results in a lighter product that is easier to transport and install thereby minimising the carbon footprint of the piperdquo

DPI Plastics Martine Goodchild Tel (021) 957 5600 Email mgoodchilddpiplasticscozawwwdpiplasticscoza

Donrsquot Miss Out

Promech Publishing is putting the Visitorsrsquo Catalogue together for this Show

Contact Mark Bennett on Tel (011) 781-1401 or Email samechengpromechcoza

to book your space

44 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

MARKET FORUM

Displaying and discussing some of the Dodge housed bearings on offer to local industry and mining are (from left) Tony Patten of Specialised Bearings amp Transmission Peter Small-Shaw Wilecrsquos Product Manager Bearings and Frans Odendaal Wilecrsquos Technical Specialist Bearings

The Bearings division of Actom group company Wilec has formed a strategic alliance for the supply of Dodge housed bearings into southern Africa The partner-ship agreement with Johannesburg-based Specialised Bearings amp Transmission the local distributor for Dodge extends Wilecrsquos ability to satisfy the requirements of industry and mining in a diverse range of bearings applications

ldquoThe most exciting thing about our tie-up with Dodge is that housed bearings while already widely accepted in the US and other leading industrialised countries is a relatively new concept locally but one which offers advanced features to users compared with conventional plum-mer block arrangementsrdquo said Frans Odendaal Wilecrsquos Technical Specialist Bearings

ldquoDodge housed bearings are supplied pre-assembled and sealed so eliminating all risk of contamination during fitment The advanced sealing arrangement and unique adapter system guarantees longer

Strategic Alliance

life ndash up to six times that of a conven-tional plummer block Other cost-saving advantages are that they can be installed by a semi-skilled technician very quickly normally in less than 15 minutes and the need to measure pre- and post-reduction clearance is eliminatedrdquo

ldquoIt is a differentiated product and with it we are able to provide a bearing that is especially well suited to local conditions

and offers benefits that are of real value to customers A particularly important aspect to bear in mind is that the total cost of ownership of a Dodge bearing is significantly lower than that of the conventional product due to its greater reliability and durabilityrdquo

Wilec Frans Odendaal Tel (011) 629-9300 Email fransowileccoza

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 45

MARKET FORUM

Emis Sales 2002 part of Becker Min-ing South Africa supplies a wide range of electrical equipment up to 1 100 V for use in hazardous and non-hazardous areas in the mining petrochemical and surface industry sectors

New to the Emis range are Proloc pro-tection and control relays which are suitable for thermal overload protection of conveyors compressors crushers fan and pump motors as well as shuttle cars and flitting panels

ldquoThe stand-alone Emis ProLoc electronic protection and control relay system which has been designed for the optimum protection of motor and feeder circuits connected to outlet sockets has a wide choice of six user-selectable protection features to meet exact requirementsrdquo says Frikkie Quirk managing director Emis Sales 2002 ldquoAn important advan-tage of this system is a door mounted infra-red link that enables a laptop with Proloc software to manage all settings

and downloads without having to open the panel door and expose personnel to dangerous live equipment This is a critical requirement in the OHSA actrdquo

This system is easy to set up via the Proloc MMI 420 display man-to-machine interface or via a laptop with Proloc software

Emis Sales 2002 Tel (016) 341-6134 Email infozabecker-miningcom wwwzabecker-miningcom

Optimum Protection

Birkenmayer a material processing systems supplier in South Africa and local supplier of German-engineered Eirich material processing technology recently released the Evactherm drier a new product that marries the advantages

Superheated Vacuum Steam

of mechanical and thermo dynamical processes to provide cost-effective and highly efficient drying and processing of filter cake and sludgersquos using superheated vacuum steam

Until now it has been important to observe

a maximum middle temperature when applying direct drying to heat sensitive materials and even more important to avoid the excessive local and boundary temperatures that frequently damage the drying product Both heat and ma-terial transport need to be considered and while convective drying processes such as spray drying largely avoid these problems they are only effective if a surface is available for the hot gas flow

Adjustable for both direct and convec-tive drying and processing Evactherm driers overcome these obstacles while providing a number of further benefits

Super-heated vacuum steam performs drying and granulation while the com-bination of mechanical and thermo dynamical processes allows for low dry-ing temperatures and gentle processing of temperature sensitive materials It also enables continuous drying for long periods of time as fresh material may be continuously added into the fluidized bed replacing material that has already been vaporised

H Birkenmayer Louis Eksteen Tel (011) 970 3880-8 Email louisbirkenmayercozawwwbirkenmayercoza

The Evactherm drier

Proloc protection and control relays

46 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

The Eastern Capersquos Coega Industrial Development Zone (IDZ) is one of a number of industrial regions in South Africa to benefit from Air Products South Africarsquos strategy of long-term capital investment

A region which has long been under-served when it comes to reliable gas supply the Eastern Cape will soon have

A Long-term Viewits own air separation unit (ASU) ndash the first of its kind in the province Seelan Gounden GM supply chain at AirProd-ucts explains the reasons behind the companyrsquos latest investment

ldquoCurrently there is no local industrial gas supply in this area and cryogenic gases have to be procured elsewhere This situation compromises the service

MARKET FORUM

ART Solar specialists in the manufacture of solar photovoltaic (PV) modules for the sustainable generation of electrical power has made the following appointment an-nouncementsMark Walsh as managing director Dr Ronald FM Lange as chief operating officer Robert Ramshaw as financial manager and Gavin Rosslee as production manager

Gavin RossleeRobert RamshawMark Walsh

Jeanne Els has been appointed as Hatchrsquos Managing Director of Operations

Jeanne Els

Ronald Lange

Anton Theunissen

SKF South Africa recently appointed Anton Theunissen as Distributor De-velpoment Manager for South Africa and neighbouring coun-tries

Index to Advertisers

Axiom 12

Bearings International 36

Bibby Turboflex 28

Bonfiglioli 10

Engen 34

Festo 35

Hansen 44

Horne SA 29

IDC Inside Back Cover

ILS 32

KDP Services 22

Loesche 31

Polysius 4

PPS 11 29

Mercedes Outside Back Cover

Merseta Inside Front Cover

MIEO Outside Front Cover

Transmission Components 14

Voith 38

Yellotec 16 17

delivery to our existing customers who have to depend on product being trucked over vast distances Thus we identified the Eastern Cape as a key priority invest-ment destination with a clear need for a new air separation facility dedicated to servicing the region We chose the Coega IDZ after careful market analysis We are pleased to be able to be a part of the growth and development of the region through providing a long-needed security of supply and value-added servicerdquo

Ayanda Vilakazi head of Marketing and Communications at the Coega IDZ adds ldquoThe viability of the new ASU is indis-putable It will mean not only security of gas supply to the region benefiting the many industries here but it also means job security for other investors jobs along the value chain and scope for training and human resource develop-ment as well as enhanced Corporate Social Investment initiativesrdquo

Seelan Gounden AirProducts wwwairproductssouthafricacoza

Left to right Chris Mashigo Executive Man-ager - Business Development Coega Develop-ment Corporation Themba Khoza Executive Manager ndash Operations Coega Development Corporation Seelan Gounden GM - Supply Chain Air Products Pierre Fourie Area Sales Manager ndash Eastern Cape Air Products signed the lease agreement between the CDC and Air Products South Africa

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 47To apply online for funding of R1 million or more go to wwwidccoza

Telephone 086 069 3888Email callcentreidccoza

Driving new market innovationsThe IDC supports high-impact job creation projects acting as a

catalyst to lead new sector development and support existing

industry and sector growth in alignment with governmentrsquos

New Growth Path (NGP) National Development Plan (NDP)

and Industrial Policy Action Plan (IPAP)

The IDC Strategic High Impact Projects (SHIP) Strategic Business

Unit in partnership with the IDC Innovation Department has

launched an Open Innovation Challenge to encourage the

development and implementation of sustainable high-impact

industrial initiatives and projects

The IDC calls upon individuals engineering communities

corporates project sponsors and other related entities to enter

into a partnership to develop qualifying projects that result in

sustainable and profi table industries exploit the value-adding

opportunities of existing and new value chains and enable the

development of innovative local economies

Whatwho qualifi es

projects which enable the development of new industries

across multiple IDC focus sectors

introduce new markets and value chains or revolutionise

existing ones through the use of disruptive technologies

or new approaches

development impact and employment creation

across mandated IDC industrial sectors

SHIP wishes to ensure that the projects undertaken play a major

role in industrial development and employment creation within

the South African and SADC regions

Interested applicants are invited to submit their project

proposals online at

httpopeninnovationidccozaidc-ship-challenge between

project proposals will be informed in May regarding SHIP

wishing to partner with them in the development of the

proposed project

Please contact Bertie Strydom BertieSidccoza and

RetiefBidccoza for more information

Chillibush9119IDC

48 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

A D

aim

ler B

rand

You built the bridges the roads and the tunnels We built the carAs a member of the Engineering Council of South Africa you could qualify for exclusive offers a guaranteed 3-day service booking as well as PremiumDrive our 6 year100 000km maintenance plan To take advantage of this outstandingopportunity inform your nearest dealer of your ECSA status

Not in conjunction with other Mercedes-Benz Fleet ProgrammesOffers Excludes AMG and Limited Edition modelsVehicle specifications may vary for the South African market

Page 39: SAME Mar2013

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 39

EXHIBITION

The Steel and Engineering Industries Federation (SEI-FSA) the Lifting Equipment Engineering Association

of SA (LEEASA) the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA) and the SA Institute of Welding (SAIW) have thrown their weight behind the biggest industrial and engineering trade show in Africa

The three-day 10-shows-in-one event takes place from 14 to 16 May 2013 at Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand Johannesburg

SEIFSA Conference at Indutec The Steel and Engineering Indus-tries Federation of South Africa (SEIFSA) will hold its annual conference at Indutec celebrating 70 years of active support for its members industry and business in Africa The federation has over 2 220 member companies which employ more than 224 000 people comprising 53 of the industryrsquos workforce

SAIW ldquoWe take our affiliations with leading industry players very seriously including our en-dorsement of Indutecrdquo says Jim Guild chief executive officer of the SA Institute of Welding ldquoThese industry ties form part of our strategy to create strong relationships which support our objective and Governmentrsquos mandate to enhance the manufacturing sector in South Africardquo

LEEASAThe Lifting Equipment Engineer-ing Association of South Africa (LEEASA) which is a division of the Chamber of Engineering Tech-

nology (COET) will also be using its endorsement of Indutec to promote its activities in the engineer-ing and technology sectors in general Chamber spokesperson Viv Nel says its exposure at the fair will create more awareness of the Chamberrsquos role in all engineering and technology-driven industries

ECSAIndustry regulator the Engineering Council of South Africa shares these aims ldquoAs a custodian of en-gineering intellectual capital in South Africa our endorsement of Indutec provides us with a platform to publicise our role in the engineering sector and government infrastructure initiativesrdquo says Edgar Sabela ECSArsquos Strategic Services Executive

ldquoWe need to produce 10 times more engineers to compete with developed economies Involvement with the Indutec show will allow us to promote engineering as a career through our Engenius Programme and showcase our existing engineer-ing excellence Most importantly it enables us to network with all key players in the field and even conclude some businessrdquo

Tenfold Benefits to ExhibitorsJohn Thomson managing director of Exhibition Management Services organisers of the 10-in-one Fair says the unqualified support from leading in-dustry bodies indicates the showrsquos tenfold value to the engineering industrial and technology sectors ldquoThis undoubtedly translates into multiple benefits for the showrsquos exhibitors and ultimately to show visitorsrdquo he concludes

Indutec Serean ThomsonTel (011) 783 7250 Email marketingexhibitionsafricacom wwwexhibitionsafricacom

Boosting the Manufacturing Sector32 of South Africarsquos leading industrial and engineering professional and employer associations Chambers and

Councils have collectively endorsed Indutec the recently launched South African Industry and Technology Fair 2013

Promech Publishing through SA Mechanical Engineer and Bulk Handling Today will produce and publish the Official Catalogue for this prestigious show

Make sure your presence is felt before during and after the show by advertising in this one-of-a-kind reference publication

Contact Mark Bennett Tel (011) 781-1401 Email samechengpromechcoza

Jim Guild CEO of the SA Institute of Welding

Edgar Sabela - ECSArsquos Strategic Services Executive

Adelia Pimentel - Marketing and Communications Manager SEIFSA

40 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

MARKET FORUM

ldquoBMG has identified a need in diverse sectors for on-site maintenance services to overcome production challengesrdquo says Dave Russell technical director BMG ldquoRecognising the extreme constraints of high energy prices low productivity the critical skills shortage and a highly competitive economic environment BMG brings a total solutions service to the fore

ldquoIndustry can now access all critical production efficient products and services from one supplier What this means is lower production costs and higher pro-duction efficiency giving South African industry a distinct competitive advantage

ldquoBMGrsquos on-site services include applica-

tion design evaluation and optimisation as well as installation trouble-shooting and service exchange contracts The company also offers predictive planned and breakdown maintenance and energy and reliability studiesrdquo

The company also offers extensive train-ing which covers electrical mechanical hydraulic pneumatic electronic and materials handling disciplines as well as predictive maintenance and component failure analysis

BMG ndash Bearing Man Group Veronique van Niekerk Tel (031) 576-6221Email veroniquevbmgworldnet wwwbmgworldnet

Tenova Takraf Africa (formerly Bateman Engineered Technologies) is putting the final pieces together in completing an order for the supply of a 55m x 275m hydraulically-driven SAG mill to Ontario Graphite operators of the Kearney Mine located in Kearney O n t a r i o Canada

ldquoTenovarsquos scope

Unique SAG Mill in Canada

ABB started with a bang following the order of 2 400 robots by BMW Group Over the next three years the robots will be installed at factories in Regensburg and Leipzig Germany as well as in Tiexi China The ABB robots will mainly be used for mate-rial handling tasks as well as gluing and spot welding processes

ABB robots enable customers to implement efficient manufacturing systems that sustainably produce high-quality products The com-panyrsquos range of products and solu-tions for lean manufacturing cover the range from body-in-white to the final assembly of complete car bodies They improve competitiveness and at the same time optimally comply with customer specifications ABB has installed more than 200 000 robots worldwide

ABB Robotics Natasha Mathebula Tel (010) 202-6156 Email natashamathebulazaabbcom wwwabbcom

2400

Robots

Total Solution

of work includes the engineering manufacturing shipping and technical assistance during erection of the SAG millrsquos feed end shell discharge end drive and main bearings as well as all supporting equipment (lubrication and jacking systems)rdquo says Tenova Takraf

engineer Pieter van der Walt ldquoThe main hydraulic motor and rubber

shell liners were outside our commercial scope of supply but inside our technical

scope of supplyrdquo he adds

The mill is a conventional SAG (semi-autogenous grinding) mill in all ways apart from its drive assem-bly and it is centre-driven

at the discharge end using a Haggluumlnds hydraulic motor and powerpack ldquoTo date this is the largest hydraulic motor installed on a SAG mill with 950kW of power torque of 1 200 kNm (start-up) and 650 kNm (operational) and speed of 1386 rpmrdquo adds Pieter

Since the mill had to be retrofitted to an existing foundation a number of adaptations were required to maintain the mill centreline as well as feed-end and discharge-end positions Certain additions were required to anchor the main motor torque arm

Tenova Takraf Pieter van der Walt Tel (011) 899-2372 Email pietervanderwaltbatemancom wwwtenovagroupcom

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 41

MARKET FORUM

World Record

The ADR plant at Kisladag Mine

FLSmidth designs and manufactures indirect heated carbon regeneration kilns and calciners from half a ton per day and larger These kilns and calciners can be fuel gas oil or electric and are skid mounted pre-wired and pre-piped The companyrsquos patented bellows kiln seal has proved effective in eliminating air ingress and process gas egress and can be retrofitted to kilns from other manufacturers FLSmidth holds the world record for the lowest emissions on a carbon plant

And at the companyrsquos Merrill Crowe plant capacities range from skid mounted 34 cubic metres per hour modular plants to full size 2 100 cubic metres per hour The range of supply for plants includes clarification filters de-aeration towers vacuum pumps zinc dust feeders lead nitrate feeders and zinc cones precipitate filter feed pumps filter pre-coat and body feed systems as well as precipitate filters used by refinery and smelting facilities to produce gold bullion

These plants incorporate proprietary zinc dustlead nitrate feeder and mix-ing cone system The company offers individual plant components and partial or complete plant equipment packages together with total plant design

FLSmidth Terence Osborn Tel (010) 210-4820

Magnet has extended its range of abrasive products to include 3Mrsquos new Cubitron II abrasive belts with enhanced grinding performance improved productivity and extended service life

ldquo3Mrsquos new technology has resulted in increased speed improved consistency and extended belt liferdquo says Brian How-arth MD Magnet ldquoThese new abrasive belts ensure up to 30 faster cutting on hard to grind metals like stainless steel nickel alloy and cobalt chrome They also divert heat from the workpiece and belt to the swarf which means cooler cutting This helps eliminate burnishing and minimises heat stress Cubitron II abrasive belts last up to four times longer than conventional ceramic aluminium oxide beltsrdquo

3M Abrasives Bradley Reddy Tel (031) 274 1050 Email bradleyrmagnetgroupcozawwwmagnetgroupcoza

4 x Longer

42 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

MARKET FORUM

X-Calibur is one of the latest product offerings from TAL and was specified to protect the concrete structure of the worldrsquos second longest cable-stayed bridge against corrosion throughout its design life

Stonecutters Bridge is a high level cable-stayed bridge which spans the Rambler Channel in Hong Kong connecting Nam Wam Kok Tsing Yi Island and Stonecut-ters Island Hong Kong is well known for its hot summer weather which is also humid and unstable Temperatures

Say No to Corrosionusually exceed 30oC during the day which coupled with high humidity can result in an extreme heat index

ldquoHot and humid environments have a great effect on the durability of concrete As a rule of thumb we say for every 10oC increase in temperature the possibility of corrosion induced damage to concrete is doubled Add humidity in a marine envi-ronment then protection of the structure is of paramount importancerdquo says Brian Davies CEO X-Calibur International In order to guard the bridge from corro-

sion X-Shield EpoxySeal CR was sup-plied to shield the prestressed concrete cable anchorages from the effects of the environment In addition X-Shield FlexCoat was used in various areas of the structure This provides corrosion protection to reinforced concrete from chloride and carbon dioxide

ldquoThe main challenge was compliance with the strict project specifications as the engineer wanted to ensure that protection would be provided throughout the design life of the structure X-Calibur

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 43

MARKET FORUM

had the products independently tested to prove compliance to all aspects of the specificationrdquo John adds

The materials were applied by spe-cialist painters who had been trained by X-Calibur ldquoMaterials were mixed and applied strictly in accordance with method statements supplied by X-Calibur to ensure working time and recoat windows were not exceededrdquo concludes John

TAL Andrew Dekker Tel (031) 579-2263 wwwtalcoza

Fluid conveyance and pumping solutions expert Incledon has supplied a large water supply line project in the Free State with a total of 4 km of Ultraflo pipes manufactured in-house by DPI Plastics - a leading manufacturer of water reticulation drainage and pipe-fitting systems in South Africa

DPI Plastics technical and product manager Renier Snyman points out that the companyrsquos range of Ultraflo pipes are manufactured from modified polyvinyl chloride (mPVC) which is specifically designed to provide similar tensile strength and greater resilience than standard PVC piping products ldquoThe Ultraflo range of pressure piping systems are ideally suited to bulk water supply projects due to the fact that mPVC is considerably more ductile than industry standard unplasticised polyvinyl chloride (uPVC)rdquo he explains

Renier notes that the ductility of the Ultraflo uPVC piping system ensures that

Large Water Supply Project

the pipes have exceptional resistance to crack propagation under pressure ldquoThe product being supplied to the water sup-ply line project is the 500 mm Ultraflo system which is the largest in the DPI Plastics range It boasts a pressure rat-ing of 12 bar with a design stress of up to 18MPa making it ideally suited as a large underground piping systemrdquo

According to Renier Ultraflo pipes offer environmental advantages too ldquoDue to its superior toughness the wall thick-ness of mPVC is less than that of uPVC This ensures that less materials are used during the manufacturing process which ultimately results in a lighter product that is easier to transport and install thereby minimising the carbon footprint of the piperdquo

DPI Plastics Martine Goodchild Tel (021) 957 5600 Email mgoodchilddpiplasticscozawwwdpiplasticscoza

Donrsquot Miss Out

Promech Publishing is putting the Visitorsrsquo Catalogue together for this Show

Contact Mark Bennett on Tel (011) 781-1401 or Email samechengpromechcoza

to book your space

44 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

MARKET FORUM

Displaying and discussing some of the Dodge housed bearings on offer to local industry and mining are (from left) Tony Patten of Specialised Bearings amp Transmission Peter Small-Shaw Wilecrsquos Product Manager Bearings and Frans Odendaal Wilecrsquos Technical Specialist Bearings

The Bearings division of Actom group company Wilec has formed a strategic alliance for the supply of Dodge housed bearings into southern Africa The partner-ship agreement with Johannesburg-based Specialised Bearings amp Transmission the local distributor for Dodge extends Wilecrsquos ability to satisfy the requirements of industry and mining in a diverse range of bearings applications

ldquoThe most exciting thing about our tie-up with Dodge is that housed bearings while already widely accepted in the US and other leading industrialised countries is a relatively new concept locally but one which offers advanced features to users compared with conventional plum-mer block arrangementsrdquo said Frans Odendaal Wilecrsquos Technical Specialist Bearings

ldquoDodge housed bearings are supplied pre-assembled and sealed so eliminating all risk of contamination during fitment The advanced sealing arrangement and unique adapter system guarantees longer

Strategic Alliance

life ndash up to six times that of a conven-tional plummer block Other cost-saving advantages are that they can be installed by a semi-skilled technician very quickly normally in less than 15 minutes and the need to measure pre- and post-reduction clearance is eliminatedrdquo

ldquoIt is a differentiated product and with it we are able to provide a bearing that is especially well suited to local conditions

and offers benefits that are of real value to customers A particularly important aspect to bear in mind is that the total cost of ownership of a Dodge bearing is significantly lower than that of the conventional product due to its greater reliability and durabilityrdquo

Wilec Frans Odendaal Tel (011) 629-9300 Email fransowileccoza

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 45

MARKET FORUM

Emis Sales 2002 part of Becker Min-ing South Africa supplies a wide range of electrical equipment up to 1 100 V for use in hazardous and non-hazardous areas in the mining petrochemical and surface industry sectors

New to the Emis range are Proloc pro-tection and control relays which are suitable for thermal overload protection of conveyors compressors crushers fan and pump motors as well as shuttle cars and flitting panels

ldquoThe stand-alone Emis ProLoc electronic protection and control relay system which has been designed for the optimum protection of motor and feeder circuits connected to outlet sockets has a wide choice of six user-selectable protection features to meet exact requirementsrdquo says Frikkie Quirk managing director Emis Sales 2002 ldquoAn important advan-tage of this system is a door mounted infra-red link that enables a laptop with Proloc software to manage all settings

and downloads without having to open the panel door and expose personnel to dangerous live equipment This is a critical requirement in the OHSA actrdquo

This system is easy to set up via the Proloc MMI 420 display man-to-machine interface or via a laptop with Proloc software

Emis Sales 2002 Tel (016) 341-6134 Email infozabecker-miningcom wwwzabecker-miningcom

Optimum Protection

Birkenmayer a material processing systems supplier in South Africa and local supplier of German-engineered Eirich material processing technology recently released the Evactherm drier a new product that marries the advantages

Superheated Vacuum Steam

of mechanical and thermo dynamical processes to provide cost-effective and highly efficient drying and processing of filter cake and sludgersquos using superheated vacuum steam

Until now it has been important to observe

a maximum middle temperature when applying direct drying to heat sensitive materials and even more important to avoid the excessive local and boundary temperatures that frequently damage the drying product Both heat and ma-terial transport need to be considered and while convective drying processes such as spray drying largely avoid these problems they are only effective if a surface is available for the hot gas flow

Adjustable for both direct and convec-tive drying and processing Evactherm driers overcome these obstacles while providing a number of further benefits

Super-heated vacuum steam performs drying and granulation while the com-bination of mechanical and thermo dynamical processes allows for low dry-ing temperatures and gentle processing of temperature sensitive materials It also enables continuous drying for long periods of time as fresh material may be continuously added into the fluidized bed replacing material that has already been vaporised

H Birkenmayer Louis Eksteen Tel (011) 970 3880-8 Email louisbirkenmayercozawwwbirkenmayercoza

The Evactherm drier

Proloc protection and control relays

46 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

The Eastern Capersquos Coega Industrial Development Zone (IDZ) is one of a number of industrial regions in South Africa to benefit from Air Products South Africarsquos strategy of long-term capital investment

A region which has long been under-served when it comes to reliable gas supply the Eastern Cape will soon have

A Long-term Viewits own air separation unit (ASU) ndash the first of its kind in the province Seelan Gounden GM supply chain at AirProd-ucts explains the reasons behind the companyrsquos latest investment

ldquoCurrently there is no local industrial gas supply in this area and cryogenic gases have to be procured elsewhere This situation compromises the service

MARKET FORUM

ART Solar specialists in the manufacture of solar photovoltaic (PV) modules for the sustainable generation of electrical power has made the following appointment an-nouncementsMark Walsh as managing director Dr Ronald FM Lange as chief operating officer Robert Ramshaw as financial manager and Gavin Rosslee as production manager

Gavin RossleeRobert RamshawMark Walsh

Jeanne Els has been appointed as Hatchrsquos Managing Director of Operations

Jeanne Els

Ronald Lange

Anton Theunissen

SKF South Africa recently appointed Anton Theunissen as Distributor De-velpoment Manager for South Africa and neighbouring coun-tries

Index to Advertisers

Axiom 12

Bearings International 36

Bibby Turboflex 28

Bonfiglioli 10

Engen 34

Festo 35

Hansen 44

Horne SA 29

IDC Inside Back Cover

ILS 32

KDP Services 22

Loesche 31

Polysius 4

PPS 11 29

Mercedes Outside Back Cover

Merseta Inside Front Cover

MIEO Outside Front Cover

Transmission Components 14

Voith 38

Yellotec 16 17

delivery to our existing customers who have to depend on product being trucked over vast distances Thus we identified the Eastern Cape as a key priority invest-ment destination with a clear need for a new air separation facility dedicated to servicing the region We chose the Coega IDZ after careful market analysis We are pleased to be able to be a part of the growth and development of the region through providing a long-needed security of supply and value-added servicerdquo

Ayanda Vilakazi head of Marketing and Communications at the Coega IDZ adds ldquoThe viability of the new ASU is indis-putable It will mean not only security of gas supply to the region benefiting the many industries here but it also means job security for other investors jobs along the value chain and scope for training and human resource develop-ment as well as enhanced Corporate Social Investment initiativesrdquo

Seelan Gounden AirProducts wwwairproductssouthafricacoza

Left to right Chris Mashigo Executive Man-ager - Business Development Coega Develop-ment Corporation Themba Khoza Executive Manager ndash Operations Coega Development Corporation Seelan Gounden GM - Supply Chain Air Products Pierre Fourie Area Sales Manager ndash Eastern Cape Air Products signed the lease agreement between the CDC and Air Products South Africa

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 47To apply online for funding of R1 million or more go to wwwidccoza

Telephone 086 069 3888Email callcentreidccoza

Driving new market innovationsThe IDC supports high-impact job creation projects acting as a

catalyst to lead new sector development and support existing

industry and sector growth in alignment with governmentrsquos

New Growth Path (NGP) National Development Plan (NDP)

and Industrial Policy Action Plan (IPAP)

The IDC Strategic High Impact Projects (SHIP) Strategic Business

Unit in partnership with the IDC Innovation Department has

launched an Open Innovation Challenge to encourage the

development and implementation of sustainable high-impact

industrial initiatives and projects

The IDC calls upon individuals engineering communities

corporates project sponsors and other related entities to enter

into a partnership to develop qualifying projects that result in

sustainable and profi table industries exploit the value-adding

opportunities of existing and new value chains and enable the

development of innovative local economies

Whatwho qualifi es

projects which enable the development of new industries

across multiple IDC focus sectors

introduce new markets and value chains or revolutionise

existing ones through the use of disruptive technologies

or new approaches

development impact and employment creation

across mandated IDC industrial sectors

SHIP wishes to ensure that the projects undertaken play a major

role in industrial development and employment creation within

the South African and SADC regions

Interested applicants are invited to submit their project

proposals online at

httpopeninnovationidccozaidc-ship-challenge between

project proposals will be informed in May regarding SHIP

wishing to partner with them in the development of the

proposed project

Please contact Bertie Strydom BertieSidccoza and

RetiefBidccoza for more information

Chillibush9119IDC

48 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

A D

aim

ler B

rand

You built the bridges the roads and the tunnels We built the carAs a member of the Engineering Council of South Africa you could qualify for exclusive offers a guaranteed 3-day service booking as well as PremiumDrive our 6 year100 000km maintenance plan To take advantage of this outstandingopportunity inform your nearest dealer of your ECSA status

Not in conjunction with other Mercedes-Benz Fleet ProgrammesOffers Excludes AMG and Limited Edition modelsVehicle specifications may vary for the South African market

Page 40: SAME Mar2013

40 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

MARKET FORUM

ldquoBMG has identified a need in diverse sectors for on-site maintenance services to overcome production challengesrdquo says Dave Russell technical director BMG ldquoRecognising the extreme constraints of high energy prices low productivity the critical skills shortage and a highly competitive economic environment BMG brings a total solutions service to the fore

ldquoIndustry can now access all critical production efficient products and services from one supplier What this means is lower production costs and higher pro-duction efficiency giving South African industry a distinct competitive advantage

ldquoBMGrsquos on-site services include applica-

tion design evaluation and optimisation as well as installation trouble-shooting and service exchange contracts The company also offers predictive planned and breakdown maintenance and energy and reliability studiesrdquo

The company also offers extensive train-ing which covers electrical mechanical hydraulic pneumatic electronic and materials handling disciplines as well as predictive maintenance and component failure analysis

BMG ndash Bearing Man Group Veronique van Niekerk Tel (031) 576-6221Email veroniquevbmgworldnet wwwbmgworldnet

Tenova Takraf Africa (formerly Bateman Engineered Technologies) is putting the final pieces together in completing an order for the supply of a 55m x 275m hydraulically-driven SAG mill to Ontario Graphite operators of the Kearney Mine located in Kearney O n t a r i o Canada

ldquoTenovarsquos scope

Unique SAG Mill in Canada

ABB started with a bang following the order of 2 400 robots by BMW Group Over the next three years the robots will be installed at factories in Regensburg and Leipzig Germany as well as in Tiexi China The ABB robots will mainly be used for mate-rial handling tasks as well as gluing and spot welding processes

ABB robots enable customers to implement efficient manufacturing systems that sustainably produce high-quality products The com-panyrsquos range of products and solu-tions for lean manufacturing cover the range from body-in-white to the final assembly of complete car bodies They improve competitiveness and at the same time optimally comply with customer specifications ABB has installed more than 200 000 robots worldwide

ABB Robotics Natasha Mathebula Tel (010) 202-6156 Email natashamathebulazaabbcom wwwabbcom

2400

Robots

Total Solution

of work includes the engineering manufacturing shipping and technical assistance during erection of the SAG millrsquos feed end shell discharge end drive and main bearings as well as all supporting equipment (lubrication and jacking systems)rdquo says Tenova Takraf

engineer Pieter van der Walt ldquoThe main hydraulic motor and rubber

shell liners were outside our commercial scope of supply but inside our technical

scope of supplyrdquo he adds

The mill is a conventional SAG (semi-autogenous grinding) mill in all ways apart from its drive assem-bly and it is centre-driven

at the discharge end using a Haggluumlnds hydraulic motor and powerpack ldquoTo date this is the largest hydraulic motor installed on a SAG mill with 950kW of power torque of 1 200 kNm (start-up) and 650 kNm (operational) and speed of 1386 rpmrdquo adds Pieter

Since the mill had to be retrofitted to an existing foundation a number of adaptations were required to maintain the mill centreline as well as feed-end and discharge-end positions Certain additions were required to anchor the main motor torque arm

Tenova Takraf Pieter van der Walt Tel (011) 899-2372 Email pietervanderwaltbatemancom wwwtenovagroupcom

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 41

MARKET FORUM

World Record

The ADR plant at Kisladag Mine

FLSmidth designs and manufactures indirect heated carbon regeneration kilns and calciners from half a ton per day and larger These kilns and calciners can be fuel gas oil or electric and are skid mounted pre-wired and pre-piped The companyrsquos patented bellows kiln seal has proved effective in eliminating air ingress and process gas egress and can be retrofitted to kilns from other manufacturers FLSmidth holds the world record for the lowest emissions on a carbon plant

And at the companyrsquos Merrill Crowe plant capacities range from skid mounted 34 cubic metres per hour modular plants to full size 2 100 cubic metres per hour The range of supply for plants includes clarification filters de-aeration towers vacuum pumps zinc dust feeders lead nitrate feeders and zinc cones precipitate filter feed pumps filter pre-coat and body feed systems as well as precipitate filters used by refinery and smelting facilities to produce gold bullion

These plants incorporate proprietary zinc dustlead nitrate feeder and mix-ing cone system The company offers individual plant components and partial or complete plant equipment packages together with total plant design

FLSmidth Terence Osborn Tel (010) 210-4820

Magnet has extended its range of abrasive products to include 3Mrsquos new Cubitron II abrasive belts with enhanced grinding performance improved productivity and extended service life

ldquo3Mrsquos new technology has resulted in increased speed improved consistency and extended belt liferdquo says Brian How-arth MD Magnet ldquoThese new abrasive belts ensure up to 30 faster cutting on hard to grind metals like stainless steel nickel alloy and cobalt chrome They also divert heat from the workpiece and belt to the swarf which means cooler cutting This helps eliminate burnishing and minimises heat stress Cubitron II abrasive belts last up to four times longer than conventional ceramic aluminium oxide beltsrdquo

3M Abrasives Bradley Reddy Tel (031) 274 1050 Email bradleyrmagnetgroupcozawwwmagnetgroupcoza

4 x Longer

42 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

MARKET FORUM

X-Calibur is one of the latest product offerings from TAL and was specified to protect the concrete structure of the worldrsquos second longest cable-stayed bridge against corrosion throughout its design life

Stonecutters Bridge is a high level cable-stayed bridge which spans the Rambler Channel in Hong Kong connecting Nam Wam Kok Tsing Yi Island and Stonecut-ters Island Hong Kong is well known for its hot summer weather which is also humid and unstable Temperatures

Say No to Corrosionusually exceed 30oC during the day which coupled with high humidity can result in an extreme heat index

ldquoHot and humid environments have a great effect on the durability of concrete As a rule of thumb we say for every 10oC increase in temperature the possibility of corrosion induced damage to concrete is doubled Add humidity in a marine envi-ronment then protection of the structure is of paramount importancerdquo says Brian Davies CEO X-Calibur International In order to guard the bridge from corro-

sion X-Shield EpoxySeal CR was sup-plied to shield the prestressed concrete cable anchorages from the effects of the environment In addition X-Shield FlexCoat was used in various areas of the structure This provides corrosion protection to reinforced concrete from chloride and carbon dioxide

ldquoThe main challenge was compliance with the strict project specifications as the engineer wanted to ensure that protection would be provided throughout the design life of the structure X-Calibur

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 43

MARKET FORUM

had the products independently tested to prove compliance to all aspects of the specificationrdquo John adds

The materials were applied by spe-cialist painters who had been trained by X-Calibur ldquoMaterials were mixed and applied strictly in accordance with method statements supplied by X-Calibur to ensure working time and recoat windows were not exceededrdquo concludes John

TAL Andrew Dekker Tel (031) 579-2263 wwwtalcoza

Fluid conveyance and pumping solutions expert Incledon has supplied a large water supply line project in the Free State with a total of 4 km of Ultraflo pipes manufactured in-house by DPI Plastics - a leading manufacturer of water reticulation drainage and pipe-fitting systems in South Africa

DPI Plastics technical and product manager Renier Snyman points out that the companyrsquos range of Ultraflo pipes are manufactured from modified polyvinyl chloride (mPVC) which is specifically designed to provide similar tensile strength and greater resilience than standard PVC piping products ldquoThe Ultraflo range of pressure piping systems are ideally suited to bulk water supply projects due to the fact that mPVC is considerably more ductile than industry standard unplasticised polyvinyl chloride (uPVC)rdquo he explains

Renier notes that the ductility of the Ultraflo uPVC piping system ensures that

Large Water Supply Project

the pipes have exceptional resistance to crack propagation under pressure ldquoThe product being supplied to the water sup-ply line project is the 500 mm Ultraflo system which is the largest in the DPI Plastics range It boasts a pressure rat-ing of 12 bar with a design stress of up to 18MPa making it ideally suited as a large underground piping systemrdquo

According to Renier Ultraflo pipes offer environmental advantages too ldquoDue to its superior toughness the wall thick-ness of mPVC is less than that of uPVC This ensures that less materials are used during the manufacturing process which ultimately results in a lighter product that is easier to transport and install thereby minimising the carbon footprint of the piperdquo

DPI Plastics Martine Goodchild Tel (021) 957 5600 Email mgoodchilddpiplasticscozawwwdpiplasticscoza

Donrsquot Miss Out

Promech Publishing is putting the Visitorsrsquo Catalogue together for this Show

Contact Mark Bennett on Tel (011) 781-1401 or Email samechengpromechcoza

to book your space

44 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

MARKET FORUM

Displaying and discussing some of the Dodge housed bearings on offer to local industry and mining are (from left) Tony Patten of Specialised Bearings amp Transmission Peter Small-Shaw Wilecrsquos Product Manager Bearings and Frans Odendaal Wilecrsquos Technical Specialist Bearings

The Bearings division of Actom group company Wilec has formed a strategic alliance for the supply of Dodge housed bearings into southern Africa The partner-ship agreement with Johannesburg-based Specialised Bearings amp Transmission the local distributor for Dodge extends Wilecrsquos ability to satisfy the requirements of industry and mining in a diverse range of bearings applications

ldquoThe most exciting thing about our tie-up with Dodge is that housed bearings while already widely accepted in the US and other leading industrialised countries is a relatively new concept locally but one which offers advanced features to users compared with conventional plum-mer block arrangementsrdquo said Frans Odendaal Wilecrsquos Technical Specialist Bearings

ldquoDodge housed bearings are supplied pre-assembled and sealed so eliminating all risk of contamination during fitment The advanced sealing arrangement and unique adapter system guarantees longer

Strategic Alliance

life ndash up to six times that of a conven-tional plummer block Other cost-saving advantages are that they can be installed by a semi-skilled technician very quickly normally in less than 15 minutes and the need to measure pre- and post-reduction clearance is eliminatedrdquo

ldquoIt is a differentiated product and with it we are able to provide a bearing that is especially well suited to local conditions

and offers benefits that are of real value to customers A particularly important aspect to bear in mind is that the total cost of ownership of a Dodge bearing is significantly lower than that of the conventional product due to its greater reliability and durabilityrdquo

Wilec Frans Odendaal Tel (011) 629-9300 Email fransowileccoza

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 45

MARKET FORUM

Emis Sales 2002 part of Becker Min-ing South Africa supplies a wide range of electrical equipment up to 1 100 V for use in hazardous and non-hazardous areas in the mining petrochemical and surface industry sectors

New to the Emis range are Proloc pro-tection and control relays which are suitable for thermal overload protection of conveyors compressors crushers fan and pump motors as well as shuttle cars and flitting panels

ldquoThe stand-alone Emis ProLoc electronic protection and control relay system which has been designed for the optimum protection of motor and feeder circuits connected to outlet sockets has a wide choice of six user-selectable protection features to meet exact requirementsrdquo says Frikkie Quirk managing director Emis Sales 2002 ldquoAn important advan-tage of this system is a door mounted infra-red link that enables a laptop with Proloc software to manage all settings

and downloads without having to open the panel door and expose personnel to dangerous live equipment This is a critical requirement in the OHSA actrdquo

This system is easy to set up via the Proloc MMI 420 display man-to-machine interface or via a laptop with Proloc software

Emis Sales 2002 Tel (016) 341-6134 Email infozabecker-miningcom wwwzabecker-miningcom

Optimum Protection

Birkenmayer a material processing systems supplier in South Africa and local supplier of German-engineered Eirich material processing technology recently released the Evactherm drier a new product that marries the advantages

Superheated Vacuum Steam

of mechanical and thermo dynamical processes to provide cost-effective and highly efficient drying and processing of filter cake and sludgersquos using superheated vacuum steam

Until now it has been important to observe

a maximum middle temperature when applying direct drying to heat sensitive materials and even more important to avoid the excessive local and boundary temperatures that frequently damage the drying product Both heat and ma-terial transport need to be considered and while convective drying processes such as spray drying largely avoid these problems they are only effective if a surface is available for the hot gas flow

Adjustable for both direct and convec-tive drying and processing Evactherm driers overcome these obstacles while providing a number of further benefits

Super-heated vacuum steam performs drying and granulation while the com-bination of mechanical and thermo dynamical processes allows for low dry-ing temperatures and gentle processing of temperature sensitive materials It also enables continuous drying for long periods of time as fresh material may be continuously added into the fluidized bed replacing material that has already been vaporised

H Birkenmayer Louis Eksteen Tel (011) 970 3880-8 Email louisbirkenmayercozawwwbirkenmayercoza

The Evactherm drier

Proloc protection and control relays

46 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

The Eastern Capersquos Coega Industrial Development Zone (IDZ) is one of a number of industrial regions in South Africa to benefit from Air Products South Africarsquos strategy of long-term capital investment

A region which has long been under-served when it comes to reliable gas supply the Eastern Cape will soon have

A Long-term Viewits own air separation unit (ASU) ndash the first of its kind in the province Seelan Gounden GM supply chain at AirProd-ucts explains the reasons behind the companyrsquos latest investment

ldquoCurrently there is no local industrial gas supply in this area and cryogenic gases have to be procured elsewhere This situation compromises the service

MARKET FORUM

ART Solar specialists in the manufacture of solar photovoltaic (PV) modules for the sustainable generation of electrical power has made the following appointment an-nouncementsMark Walsh as managing director Dr Ronald FM Lange as chief operating officer Robert Ramshaw as financial manager and Gavin Rosslee as production manager

Gavin RossleeRobert RamshawMark Walsh

Jeanne Els has been appointed as Hatchrsquos Managing Director of Operations

Jeanne Els

Ronald Lange

Anton Theunissen

SKF South Africa recently appointed Anton Theunissen as Distributor De-velpoment Manager for South Africa and neighbouring coun-tries

Index to Advertisers

Axiom 12

Bearings International 36

Bibby Turboflex 28

Bonfiglioli 10

Engen 34

Festo 35

Hansen 44

Horne SA 29

IDC Inside Back Cover

ILS 32

KDP Services 22

Loesche 31

Polysius 4

PPS 11 29

Mercedes Outside Back Cover

Merseta Inside Front Cover

MIEO Outside Front Cover

Transmission Components 14

Voith 38

Yellotec 16 17

delivery to our existing customers who have to depend on product being trucked over vast distances Thus we identified the Eastern Cape as a key priority invest-ment destination with a clear need for a new air separation facility dedicated to servicing the region We chose the Coega IDZ after careful market analysis We are pleased to be able to be a part of the growth and development of the region through providing a long-needed security of supply and value-added servicerdquo

Ayanda Vilakazi head of Marketing and Communications at the Coega IDZ adds ldquoThe viability of the new ASU is indis-putable It will mean not only security of gas supply to the region benefiting the many industries here but it also means job security for other investors jobs along the value chain and scope for training and human resource develop-ment as well as enhanced Corporate Social Investment initiativesrdquo

Seelan Gounden AirProducts wwwairproductssouthafricacoza

Left to right Chris Mashigo Executive Man-ager - Business Development Coega Develop-ment Corporation Themba Khoza Executive Manager ndash Operations Coega Development Corporation Seelan Gounden GM - Supply Chain Air Products Pierre Fourie Area Sales Manager ndash Eastern Cape Air Products signed the lease agreement between the CDC and Air Products South Africa

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 47To apply online for funding of R1 million or more go to wwwidccoza

Telephone 086 069 3888Email callcentreidccoza

Driving new market innovationsThe IDC supports high-impact job creation projects acting as a

catalyst to lead new sector development and support existing

industry and sector growth in alignment with governmentrsquos

New Growth Path (NGP) National Development Plan (NDP)

and Industrial Policy Action Plan (IPAP)

The IDC Strategic High Impact Projects (SHIP) Strategic Business

Unit in partnership with the IDC Innovation Department has

launched an Open Innovation Challenge to encourage the

development and implementation of sustainable high-impact

industrial initiatives and projects

The IDC calls upon individuals engineering communities

corporates project sponsors and other related entities to enter

into a partnership to develop qualifying projects that result in

sustainable and profi table industries exploit the value-adding

opportunities of existing and new value chains and enable the

development of innovative local economies

Whatwho qualifi es

projects which enable the development of new industries

across multiple IDC focus sectors

introduce new markets and value chains or revolutionise

existing ones through the use of disruptive technologies

or new approaches

development impact and employment creation

across mandated IDC industrial sectors

SHIP wishes to ensure that the projects undertaken play a major

role in industrial development and employment creation within

the South African and SADC regions

Interested applicants are invited to submit their project

proposals online at

httpopeninnovationidccozaidc-ship-challenge between

project proposals will be informed in May regarding SHIP

wishing to partner with them in the development of the

proposed project

Please contact Bertie Strydom BertieSidccoza and

RetiefBidccoza for more information

Chillibush9119IDC

48 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

A D

aim

ler B

rand

You built the bridges the roads and the tunnels We built the carAs a member of the Engineering Council of South Africa you could qualify for exclusive offers a guaranteed 3-day service booking as well as PremiumDrive our 6 year100 000km maintenance plan To take advantage of this outstandingopportunity inform your nearest dealer of your ECSA status

Not in conjunction with other Mercedes-Benz Fleet ProgrammesOffers Excludes AMG and Limited Edition modelsVehicle specifications may vary for the South African market

Page 41: SAME Mar2013

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 41

MARKET FORUM

World Record

The ADR plant at Kisladag Mine

FLSmidth designs and manufactures indirect heated carbon regeneration kilns and calciners from half a ton per day and larger These kilns and calciners can be fuel gas oil or electric and are skid mounted pre-wired and pre-piped The companyrsquos patented bellows kiln seal has proved effective in eliminating air ingress and process gas egress and can be retrofitted to kilns from other manufacturers FLSmidth holds the world record for the lowest emissions on a carbon plant

And at the companyrsquos Merrill Crowe plant capacities range from skid mounted 34 cubic metres per hour modular plants to full size 2 100 cubic metres per hour The range of supply for plants includes clarification filters de-aeration towers vacuum pumps zinc dust feeders lead nitrate feeders and zinc cones precipitate filter feed pumps filter pre-coat and body feed systems as well as precipitate filters used by refinery and smelting facilities to produce gold bullion

These plants incorporate proprietary zinc dustlead nitrate feeder and mix-ing cone system The company offers individual plant components and partial or complete plant equipment packages together with total plant design

FLSmidth Terence Osborn Tel (010) 210-4820

Magnet has extended its range of abrasive products to include 3Mrsquos new Cubitron II abrasive belts with enhanced grinding performance improved productivity and extended service life

ldquo3Mrsquos new technology has resulted in increased speed improved consistency and extended belt liferdquo says Brian How-arth MD Magnet ldquoThese new abrasive belts ensure up to 30 faster cutting on hard to grind metals like stainless steel nickel alloy and cobalt chrome They also divert heat from the workpiece and belt to the swarf which means cooler cutting This helps eliminate burnishing and minimises heat stress Cubitron II abrasive belts last up to four times longer than conventional ceramic aluminium oxide beltsrdquo

3M Abrasives Bradley Reddy Tel (031) 274 1050 Email bradleyrmagnetgroupcozawwwmagnetgroupcoza

4 x Longer

42 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

MARKET FORUM

X-Calibur is one of the latest product offerings from TAL and was specified to protect the concrete structure of the worldrsquos second longest cable-stayed bridge against corrosion throughout its design life

Stonecutters Bridge is a high level cable-stayed bridge which spans the Rambler Channel in Hong Kong connecting Nam Wam Kok Tsing Yi Island and Stonecut-ters Island Hong Kong is well known for its hot summer weather which is also humid and unstable Temperatures

Say No to Corrosionusually exceed 30oC during the day which coupled with high humidity can result in an extreme heat index

ldquoHot and humid environments have a great effect on the durability of concrete As a rule of thumb we say for every 10oC increase in temperature the possibility of corrosion induced damage to concrete is doubled Add humidity in a marine envi-ronment then protection of the structure is of paramount importancerdquo says Brian Davies CEO X-Calibur International In order to guard the bridge from corro-

sion X-Shield EpoxySeal CR was sup-plied to shield the prestressed concrete cable anchorages from the effects of the environment In addition X-Shield FlexCoat was used in various areas of the structure This provides corrosion protection to reinforced concrete from chloride and carbon dioxide

ldquoThe main challenge was compliance with the strict project specifications as the engineer wanted to ensure that protection would be provided throughout the design life of the structure X-Calibur

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 43

MARKET FORUM

had the products independently tested to prove compliance to all aspects of the specificationrdquo John adds

The materials were applied by spe-cialist painters who had been trained by X-Calibur ldquoMaterials were mixed and applied strictly in accordance with method statements supplied by X-Calibur to ensure working time and recoat windows were not exceededrdquo concludes John

TAL Andrew Dekker Tel (031) 579-2263 wwwtalcoza

Fluid conveyance and pumping solutions expert Incledon has supplied a large water supply line project in the Free State with a total of 4 km of Ultraflo pipes manufactured in-house by DPI Plastics - a leading manufacturer of water reticulation drainage and pipe-fitting systems in South Africa

DPI Plastics technical and product manager Renier Snyman points out that the companyrsquos range of Ultraflo pipes are manufactured from modified polyvinyl chloride (mPVC) which is specifically designed to provide similar tensile strength and greater resilience than standard PVC piping products ldquoThe Ultraflo range of pressure piping systems are ideally suited to bulk water supply projects due to the fact that mPVC is considerably more ductile than industry standard unplasticised polyvinyl chloride (uPVC)rdquo he explains

Renier notes that the ductility of the Ultraflo uPVC piping system ensures that

Large Water Supply Project

the pipes have exceptional resistance to crack propagation under pressure ldquoThe product being supplied to the water sup-ply line project is the 500 mm Ultraflo system which is the largest in the DPI Plastics range It boasts a pressure rat-ing of 12 bar with a design stress of up to 18MPa making it ideally suited as a large underground piping systemrdquo

According to Renier Ultraflo pipes offer environmental advantages too ldquoDue to its superior toughness the wall thick-ness of mPVC is less than that of uPVC This ensures that less materials are used during the manufacturing process which ultimately results in a lighter product that is easier to transport and install thereby minimising the carbon footprint of the piperdquo

DPI Plastics Martine Goodchild Tel (021) 957 5600 Email mgoodchilddpiplasticscozawwwdpiplasticscoza

Donrsquot Miss Out

Promech Publishing is putting the Visitorsrsquo Catalogue together for this Show

Contact Mark Bennett on Tel (011) 781-1401 or Email samechengpromechcoza

to book your space

44 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

MARKET FORUM

Displaying and discussing some of the Dodge housed bearings on offer to local industry and mining are (from left) Tony Patten of Specialised Bearings amp Transmission Peter Small-Shaw Wilecrsquos Product Manager Bearings and Frans Odendaal Wilecrsquos Technical Specialist Bearings

The Bearings division of Actom group company Wilec has formed a strategic alliance for the supply of Dodge housed bearings into southern Africa The partner-ship agreement with Johannesburg-based Specialised Bearings amp Transmission the local distributor for Dodge extends Wilecrsquos ability to satisfy the requirements of industry and mining in a diverse range of bearings applications

ldquoThe most exciting thing about our tie-up with Dodge is that housed bearings while already widely accepted in the US and other leading industrialised countries is a relatively new concept locally but one which offers advanced features to users compared with conventional plum-mer block arrangementsrdquo said Frans Odendaal Wilecrsquos Technical Specialist Bearings

ldquoDodge housed bearings are supplied pre-assembled and sealed so eliminating all risk of contamination during fitment The advanced sealing arrangement and unique adapter system guarantees longer

Strategic Alliance

life ndash up to six times that of a conven-tional plummer block Other cost-saving advantages are that they can be installed by a semi-skilled technician very quickly normally in less than 15 minutes and the need to measure pre- and post-reduction clearance is eliminatedrdquo

ldquoIt is a differentiated product and with it we are able to provide a bearing that is especially well suited to local conditions

and offers benefits that are of real value to customers A particularly important aspect to bear in mind is that the total cost of ownership of a Dodge bearing is significantly lower than that of the conventional product due to its greater reliability and durabilityrdquo

Wilec Frans Odendaal Tel (011) 629-9300 Email fransowileccoza

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 45

MARKET FORUM

Emis Sales 2002 part of Becker Min-ing South Africa supplies a wide range of electrical equipment up to 1 100 V for use in hazardous and non-hazardous areas in the mining petrochemical and surface industry sectors

New to the Emis range are Proloc pro-tection and control relays which are suitable for thermal overload protection of conveyors compressors crushers fan and pump motors as well as shuttle cars and flitting panels

ldquoThe stand-alone Emis ProLoc electronic protection and control relay system which has been designed for the optimum protection of motor and feeder circuits connected to outlet sockets has a wide choice of six user-selectable protection features to meet exact requirementsrdquo says Frikkie Quirk managing director Emis Sales 2002 ldquoAn important advan-tage of this system is a door mounted infra-red link that enables a laptop with Proloc software to manage all settings

and downloads without having to open the panel door and expose personnel to dangerous live equipment This is a critical requirement in the OHSA actrdquo

This system is easy to set up via the Proloc MMI 420 display man-to-machine interface or via a laptop with Proloc software

Emis Sales 2002 Tel (016) 341-6134 Email infozabecker-miningcom wwwzabecker-miningcom

Optimum Protection

Birkenmayer a material processing systems supplier in South Africa and local supplier of German-engineered Eirich material processing technology recently released the Evactherm drier a new product that marries the advantages

Superheated Vacuum Steam

of mechanical and thermo dynamical processes to provide cost-effective and highly efficient drying and processing of filter cake and sludgersquos using superheated vacuum steam

Until now it has been important to observe

a maximum middle temperature when applying direct drying to heat sensitive materials and even more important to avoid the excessive local and boundary temperatures that frequently damage the drying product Both heat and ma-terial transport need to be considered and while convective drying processes such as spray drying largely avoid these problems they are only effective if a surface is available for the hot gas flow

Adjustable for both direct and convec-tive drying and processing Evactherm driers overcome these obstacles while providing a number of further benefits

Super-heated vacuum steam performs drying and granulation while the com-bination of mechanical and thermo dynamical processes allows for low dry-ing temperatures and gentle processing of temperature sensitive materials It also enables continuous drying for long periods of time as fresh material may be continuously added into the fluidized bed replacing material that has already been vaporised

H Birkenmayer Louis Eksteen Tel (011) 970 3880-8 Email louisbirkenmayercozawwwbirkenmayercoza

The Evactherm drier

Proloc protection and control relays

46 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

The Eastern Capersquos Coega Industrial Development Zone (IDZ) is one of a number of industrial regions in South Africa to benefit from Air Products South Africarsquos strategy of long-term capital investment

A region which has long been under-served when it comes to reliable gas supply the Eastern Cape will soon have

A Long-term Viewits own air separation unit (ASU) ndash the first of its kind in the province Seelan Gounden GM supply chain at AirProd-ucts explains the reasons behind the companyrsquos latest investment

ldquoCurrently there is no local industrial gas supply in this area and cryogenic gases have to be procured elsewhere This situation compromises the service

MARKET FORUM

ART Solar specialists in the manufacture of solar photovoltaic (PV) modules for the sustainable generation of electrical power has made the following appointment an-nouncementsMark Walsh as managing director Dr Ronald FM Lange as chief operating officer Robert Ramshaw as financial manager and Gavin Rosslee as production manager

Gavin RossleeRobert RamshawMark Walsh

Jeanne Els has been appointed as Hatchrsquos Managing Director of Operations

Jeanne Els

Ronald Lange

Anton Theunissen

SKF South Africa recently appointed Anton Theunissen as Distributor De-velpoment Manager for South Africa and neighbouring coun-tries

Index to Advertisers

Axiom 12

Bearings International 36

Bibby Turboflex 28

Bonfiglioli 10

Engen 34

Festo 35

Hansen 44

Horne SA 29

IDC Inside Back Cover

ILS 32

KDP Services 22

Loesche 31

Polysius 4

PPS 11 29

Mercedes Outside Back Cover

Merseta Inside Front Cover

MIEO Outside Front Cover

Transmission Components 14

Voith 38

Yellotec 16 17

delivery to our existing customers who have to depend on product being trucked over vast distances Thus we identified the Eastern Cape as a key priority invest-ment destination with a clear need for a new air separation facility dedicated to servicing the region We chose the Coega IDZ after careful market analysis We are pleased to be able to be a part of the growth and development of the region through providing a long-needed security of supply and value-added servicerdquo

Ayanda Vilakazi head of Marketing and Communications at the Coega IDZ adds ldquoThe viability of the new ASU is indis-putable It will mean not only security of gas supply to the region benefiting the many industries here but it also means job security for other investors jobs along the value chain and scope for training and human resource develop-ment as well as enhanced Corporate Social Investment initiativesrdquo

Seelan Gounden AirProducts wwwairproductssouthafricacoza

Left to right Chris Mashigo Executive Man-ager - Business Development Coega Develop-ment Corporation Themba Khoza Executive Manager ndash Operations Coega Development Corporation Seelan Gounden GM - Supply Chain Air Products Pierre Fourie Area Sales Manager ndash Eastern Cape Air Products signed the lease agreement between the CDC and Air Products South Africa

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 47To apply online for funding of R1 million or more go to wwwidccoza

Telephone 086 069 3888Email callcentreidccoza

Driving new market innovationsThe IDC supports high-impact job creation projects acting as a

catalyst to lead new sector development and support existing

industry and sector growth in alignment with governmentrsquos

New Growth Path (NGP) National Development Plan (NDP)

and Industrial Policy Action Plan (IPAP)

The IDC Strategic High Impact Projects (SHIP) Strategic Business

Unit in partnership with the IDC Innovation Department has

launched an Open Innovation Challenge to encourage the

development and implementation of sustainable high-impact

industrial initiatives and projects

The IDC calls upon individuals engineering communities

corporates project sponsors and other related entities to enter

into a partnership to develop qualifying projects that result in

sustainable and profi table industries exploit the value-adding

opportunities of existing and new value chains and enable the

development of innovative local economies

Whatwho qualifi es

projects which enable the development of new industries

across multiple IDC focus sectors

introduce new markets and value chains or revolutionise

existing ones through the use of disruptive technologies

or new approaches

development impact and employment creation

across mandated IDC industrial sectors

SHIP wishes to ensure that the projects undertaken play a major

role in industrial development and employment creation within

the South African and SADC regions

Interested applicants are invited to submit their project

proposals online at

httpopeninnovationidccozaidc-ship-challenge between

project proposals will be informed in May regarding SHIP

wishing to partner with them in the development of the

proposed project

Please contact Bertie Strydom BertieSidccoza and

RetiefBidccoza for more information

Chillibush9119IDC

48 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

A D

aim

ler B

rand

You built the bridges the roads and the tunnels We built the carAs a member of the Engineering Council of South Africa you could qualify for exclusive offers a guaranteed 3-day service booking as well as PremiumDrive our 6 year100 000km maintenance plan To take advantage of this outstandingopportunity inform your nearest dealer of your ECSA status

Not in conjunction with other Mercedes-Benz Fleet ProgrammesOffers Excludes AMG and Limited Edition modelsVehicle specifications may vary for the South African market

Page 42: SAME Mar2013

42 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

MARKET FORUM

X-Calibur is one of the latest product offerings from TAL and was specified to protect the concrete structure of the worldrsquos second longest cable-stayed bridge against corrosion throughout its design life

Stonecutters Bridge is a high level cable-stayed bridge which spans the Rambler Channel in Hong Kong connecting Nam Wam Kok Tsing Yi Island and Stonecut-ters Island Hong Kong is well known for its hot summer weather which is also humid and unstable Temperatures

Say No to Corrosionusually exceed 30oC during the day which coupled with high humidity can result in an extreme heat index

ldquoHot and humid environments have a great effect on the durability of concrete As a rule of thumb we say for every 10oC increase in temperature the possibility of corrosion induced damage to concrete is doubled Add humidity in a marine envi-ronment then protection of the structure is of paramount importancerdquo says Brian Davies CEO X-Calibur International In order to guard the bridge from corro-

sion X-Shield EpoxySeal CR was sup-plied to shield the prestressed concrete cable anchorages from the effects of the environment In addition X-Shield FlexCoat was used in various areas of the structure This provides corrosion protection to reinforced concrete from chloride and carbon dioxide

ldquoThe main challenge was compliance with the strict project specifications as the engineer wanted to ensure that protection would be provided throughout the design life of the structure X-Calibur

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 43

MARKET FORUM

had the products independently tested to prove compliance to all aspects of the specificationrdquo John adds

The materials were applied by spe-cialist painters who had been trained by X-Calibur ldquoMaterials were mixed and applied strictly in accordance with method statements supplied by X-Calibur to ensure working time and recoat windows were not exceededrdquo concludes John

TAL Andrew Dekker Tel (031) 579-2263 wwwtalcoza

Fluid conveyance and pumping solutions expert Incledon has supplied a large water supply line project in the Free State with a total of 4 km of Ultraflo pipes manufactured in-house by DPI Plastics - a leading manufacturer of water reticulation drainage and pipe-fitting systems in South Africa

DPI Plastics technical and product manager Renier Snyman points out that the companyrsquos range of Ultraflo pipes are manufactured from modified polyvinyl chloride (mPVC) which is specifically designed to provide similar tensile strength and greater resilience than standard PVC piping products ldquoThe Ultraflo range of pressure piping systems are ideally suited to bulk water supply projects due to the fact that mPVC is considerably more ductile than industry standard unplasticised polyvinyl chloride (uPVC)rdquo he explains

Renier notes that the ductility of the Ultraflo uPVC piping system ensures that

Large Water Supply Project

the pipes have exceptional resistance to crack propagation under pressure ldquoThe product being supplied to the water sup-ply line project is the 500 mm Ultraflo system which is the largest in the DPI Plastics range It boasts a pressure rat-ing of 12 bar with a design stress of up to 18MPa making it ideally suited as a large underground piping systemrdquo

According to Renier Ultraflo pipes offer environmental advantages too ldquoDue to its superior toughness the wall thick-ness of mPVC is less than that of uPVC This ensures that less materials are used during the manufacturing process which ultimately results in a lighter product that is easier to transport and install thereby minimising the carbon footprint of the piperdquo

DPI Plastics Martine Goodchild Tel (021) 957 5600 Email mgoodchilddpiplasticscozawwwdpiplasticscoza

Donrsquot Miss Out

Promech Publishing is putting the Visitorsrsquo Catalogue together for this Show

Contact Mark Bennett on Tel (011) 781-1401 or Email samechengpromechcoza

to book your space

44 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

MARKET FORUM

Displaying and discussing some of the Dodge housed bearings on offer to local industry and mining are (from left) Tony Patten of Specialised Bearings amp Transmission Peter Small-Shaw Wilecrsquos Product Manager Bearings and Frans Odendaal Wilecrsquos Technical Specialist Bearings

The Bearings division of Actom group company Wilec has formed a strategic alliance for the supply of Dodge housed bearings into southern Africa The partner-ship agreement with Johannesburg-based Specialised Bearings amp Transmission the local distributor for Dodge extends Wilecrsquos ability to satisfy the requirements of industry and mining in a diverse range of bearings applications

ldquoThe most exciting thing about our tie-up with Dodge is that housed bearings while already widely accepted in the US and other leading industrialised countries is a relatively new concept locally but one which offers advanced features to users compared with conventional plum-mer block arrangementsrdquo said Frans Odendaal Wilecrsquos Technical Specialist Bearings

ldquoDodge housed bearings are supplied pre-assembled and sealed so eliminating all risk of contamination during fitment The advanced sealing arrangement and unique adapter system guarantees longer

Strategic Alliance

life ndash up to six times that of a conven-tional plummer block Other cost-saving advantages are that they can be installed by a semi-skilled technician very quickly normally in less than 15 minutes and the need to measure pre- and post-reduction clearance is eliminatedrdquo

ldquoIt is a differentiated product and with it we are able to provide a bearing that is especially well suited to local conditions

and offers benefits that are of real value to customers A particularly important aspect to bear in mind is that the total cost of ownership of a Dodge bearing is significantly lower than that of the conventional product due to its greater reliability and durabilityrdquo

Wilec Frans Odendaal Tel (011) 629-9300 Email fransowileccoza

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 45

MARKET FORUM

Emis Sales 2002 part of Becker Min-ing South Africa supplies a wide range of electrical equipment up to 1 100 V for use in hazardous and non-hazardous areas in the mining petrochemical and surface industry sectors

New to the Emis range are Proloc pro-tection and control relays which are suitable for thermal overload protection of conveyors compressors crushers fan and pump motors as well as shuttle cars and flitting panels

ldquoThe stand-alone Emis ProLoc electronic protection and control relay system which has been designed for the optimum protection of motor and feeder circuits connected to outlet sockets has a wide choice of six user-selectable protection features to meet exact requirementsrdquo says Frikkie Quirk managing director Emis Sales 2002 ldquoAn important advan-tage of this system is a door mounted infra-red link that enables a laptop with Proloc software to manage all settings

and downloads without having to open the panel door and expose personnel to dangerous live equipment This is a critical requirement in the OHSA actrdquo

This system is easy to set up via the Proloc MMI 420 display man-to-machine interface or via a laptop with Proloc software

Emis Sales 2002 Tel (016) 341-6134 Email infozabecker-miningcom wwwzabecker-miningcom

Optimum Protection

Birkenmayer a material processing systems supplier in South Africa and local supplier of German-engineered Eirich material processing technology recently released the Evactherm drier a new product that marries the advantages

Superheated Vacuum Steam

of mechanical and thermo dynamical processes to provide cost-effective and highly efficient drying and processing of filter cake and sludgersquos using superheated vacuum steam

Until now it has been important to observe

a maximum middle temperature when applying direct drying to heat sensitive materials and even more important to avoid the excessive local and boundary temperatures that frequently damage the drying product Both heat and ma-terial transport need to be considered and while convective drying processes such as spray drying largely avoid these problems they are only effective if a surface is available for the hot gas flow

Adjustable for both direct and convec-tive drying and processing Evactherm driers overcome these obstacles while providing a number of further benefits

Super-heated vacuum steam performs drying and granulation while the com-bination of mechanical and thermo dynamical processes allows for low dry-ing temperatures and gentle processing of temperature sensitive materials It also enables continuous drying for long periods of time as fresh material may be continuously added into the fluidized bed replacing material that has already been vaporised

H Birkenmayer Louis Eksteen Tel (011) 970 3880-8 Email louisbirkenmayercozawwwbirkenmayercoza

The Evactherm drier

Proloc protection and control relays

46 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

The Eastern Capersquos Coega Industrial Development Zone (IDZ) is one of a number of industrial regions in South Africa to benefit from Air Products South Africarsquos strategy of long-term capital investment

A region which has long been under-served when it comes to reliable gas supply the Eastern Cape will soon have

A Long-term Viewits own air separation unit (ASU) ndash the first of its kind in the province Seelan Gounden GM supply chain at AirProd-ucts explains the reasons behind the companyrsquos latest investment

ldquoCurrently there is no local industrial gas supply in this area and cryogenic gases have to be procured elsewhere This situation compromises the service

MARKET FORUM

ART Solar specialists in the manufacture of solar photovoltaic (PV) modules for the sustainable generation of electrical power has made the following appointment an-nouncementsMark Walsh as managing director Dr Ronald FM Lange as chief operating officer Robert Ramshaw as financial manager and Gavin Rosslee as production manager

Gavin RossleeRobert RamshawMark Walsh

Jeanne Els has been appointed as Hatchrsquos Managing Director of Operations

Jeanne Els

Ronald Lange

Anton Theunissen

SKF South Africa recently appointed Anton Theunissen as Distributor De-velpoment Manager for South Africa and neighbouring coun-tries

Index to Advertisers

Axiom 12

Bearings International 36

Bibby Turboflex 28

Bonfiglioli 10

Engen 34

Festo 35

Hansen 44

Horne SA 29

IDC Inside Back Cover

ILS 32

KDP Services 22

Loesche 31

Polysius 4

PPS 11 29

Mercedes Outside Back Cover

Merseta Inside Front Cover

MIEO Outside Front Cover

Transmission Components 14

Voith 38

Yellotec 16 17

delivery to our existing customers who have to depend on product being trucked over vast distances Thus we identified the Eastern Cape as a key priority invest-ment destination with a clear need for a new air separation facility dedicated to servicing the region We chose the Coega IDZ after careful market analysis We are pleased to be able to be a part of the growth and development of the region through providing a long-needed security of supply and value-added servicerdquo

Ayanda Vilakazi head of Marketing and Communications at the Coega IDZ adds ldquoThe viability of the new ASU is indis-putable It will mean not only security of gas supply to the region benefiting the many industries here but it also means job security for other investors jobs along the value chain and scope for training and human resource develop-ment as well as enhanced Corporate Social Investment initiativesrdquo

Seelan Gounden AirProducts wwwairproductssouthafricacoza

Left to right Chris Mashigo Executive Man-ager - Business Development Coega Develop-ment Corporation Themba Khoza Executive Manager ndash Operations Coega Development Corporation Seelan Gounden GM - Supply Chain Air Products Pierre Fourie Area Sales Manager ndash Eastern Cape Air Products signed the lease agreement between the CDC and Air Products South Africa

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 47To apply online for funding of R1 million or more go to wwwidccoza

Telephone 086 069 3888Email callcentreidccoza

Driving new market innovationsThe IDC supports high-impact job creation projects acting as a

catalyst to lead new sector development and support existing

industry and sector growth in alignment with governmentrsquos

New Growth Path (NGP) National Development Plan (NDP)

and Industrial Policy Action Plan (IPAP)

The IDC Strategic High Impact Projects (SHIP) Strategic Business

Unit in partnership with the IDC Innovation Department has

launched an Open Innovation Challenge to encourage the

development and implementation of sustainable high-impact

industrial initiatives and projects

The IDC calls upon individuals engineering communities

corporates project sponsors and other related entities to enter

into a partnership to develop qualifying projects that result in

sustainable and profi table industries exploit the value-adding

opportunities of existing and new value chains and enable the

development of innovative local economies

Whatwho qualifi es

projects which enable the development of new industries

across multiple IDC focus sectors

introduce new markets and value chains or revolutionise

existing ones through the use of disruptive technologies

or new approaches

development impact and employment creation

across mandated IDC industrial sectors

SHIP wishes to ensure that the projects undertaken play a major

role in industrial development and employment creation within

the South African and SADC regions

Interested applicants are invited to submit their project

proposals online at

httpopeninnovationidccozaidc-ship-challenge between

project proposals will be informed in May regarding SHIP

wishing to partner with them in the development of the

proposed project

Please contact Bertie Strydom BertieSidccoza and

RetiefBidccoza for more information

Chillibush9119IDC

48 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

A D

aim

ler B

rand

You built the bridges the roads and the tunnels We built the carAs a member of the Engineering Council of South Africa you could qualify for exclusive offers a guaranteed 3-day service booking as well as PremiumDrive our 6 year100 000km maintenance plan To take advantage of this outstandingopportunity inform your nearest dealer of your ECSA status

Not in conjunction with other Mercedes-Benz Fleet ProgrammesOffers Excludes AMG and Limited Edition modelsVehicle specifications may vary for the South African market

Page 43: SAME Mar2013

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 43

MARKET FORUM

had the products independently tested to prove compliance to all aspects of the specificationrdquo John adds

The materials were applied by spe-cialist painters who had been trained by X-Calibur ldquoMaterials were mixed and applied strictly in accordance with method statements supplied by X-Calibur to ensure working time and recoat windows were not exceededrdquo concludes John

TAL Andrew Dekker Tel (031) 579-2263 wwwtalcoza

Fluid conveyance and pumping solutions expert Incledon has supplied a large water supply line project in the Free State with a total of 4 km of Ultraflo pipes manufactured in-house by DPI Plastics - a leading manufacturer of water reticulation drainage and pipe-fitting systems in South Africa

DPI Plastics technical and product manager Renier Snyman points out that the companyrsquos range of Ultraflo pipes are manufactured from modified polyvinyl chloride (mPVC) which is specifically designed to provide similar tensile strength and greater resilience than standard PVC piping products ldquoThe Ultraflo range of pressure piping systems are ideally suited to bulk water supply projects due to the fact that mPVC is considerably more ductile than industry standard unplasticised polyvinyl chloride (uPVC)rdquo he explains

Renier notes that the ductility of the Ultraflo uPVC piping system ensures that

Large Water Supply Project

the pipes have exceptional resistance to crack propagation under pressure ldquoThe product being supplied to the water sup-ply line project is the 500 mm Ultraflo system which is the largest in the DPI Plastics range It boasts a pressure rat-ing of 12 bar with a design stress of up to 18MPa making it ideally suited as a large underground piping systemrdquo

According to Renier Ultraflo pipes offer environmental advantages too ldquoDue to its superior toughness the wall thick-ness of mPVC is less than that of uPVC This ensures that less materials are used during the manufacturing process which ultimately results in a lighter product that is easier to transport and install thereby minimising the carbon footprint of the piperdquo

DPI Plastics Martine Goodchild Tel (021) 957 5600 Email mgoodchilddpiplasticscozawwwdpiplasticscoza

Donrsquot Miss Out

Promech Publishing is putting the Visitorsrsquo Catalogue together for this Show

Contact Mark Bennett on Tel (011) 781-1401 or Email samechengpromechcoza

to book your space

44 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

MARKET FORUM

Displaying and discussing some of the Dodge housed bearings on offer to local industry and mining are (from left) Tony Patten of Specialised Bearings amp Transmission Peter Small-Shaw Wilecrsquos Product Manager Bearings and Frans Odendaal Wilecrsquos Technical Specialist Bearings

The Bearings division of Actom group company Wilec has formed a strategic alliance for the supply of Dodge housed bearings into southern Africa The partner-ship agreement with Johannesburg-based Specialised Bearings amp Transmission the local distributor for Dodge extends Wilecrsquos ability to satisfy the requirements of industry and mining in a diverse range of bearings applications

ldquoThe most exciting thing about our tie-up with Dodge is that housed bearings while already widely accepted in the US and other leading industrialised countries is a relatively new concept locally but one which offers advanced features to users compared with conventional plum-mer block arrangementsrdquo said Frans Odendaal Wilecrsquos Technical Specialist Bearings

ldquoDodge housed bearings are supplied pre-assembled and sealed so eliminating all risk of contamination during fitment The advanced sealing arrangement and unique adapter system guarantees longer

Strategic Alliance

life ndash up to six times that of a conven-tional plummer block Other cost-saving advantages are that they can be installed by a semi-skilled technician very quickly normally in less than 15 minutes and the need to measure pre- and post-reduction clearance is eliminatedrdquo

ldquoIt is a differentiated product and with it we are able to provide a bearing that is especially well suited to local conditions

and offers benefits that are of real value to customers A particularly important aspect to bear in mind is that the total cost of ownership of a Dodge bearing is significantly lower than that of the conventional product due to its greater reliability and durabilityrdquo

Wilec Frans Odendaal Tel (011) 629-9300 Email fransowileccoza

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 45

MARKET FORUM

Emis Sales 2002 part of Becker Min-ing South Africa supplies a wide range of electrical equipment up to 1 100 V for use in hazardous and non-hazardous areas in the mining petrochemical and surface industry sectors

New to the Emis range are Proloc pro-tection and control relays which are suitable for thermal overload protection of conveyors compressors crushers fan and pump motors as well as shuttle cars and flitting panels

ldquoThe stand-alone Emis ProLoc electronic protection and control relay system which has been designed for the optimum protection of motor and feeder circuits connected to outlet sockets has a wide choice of six user-selectable protection features to meet exact requirementsrdquo says Frikkie Quirk managing director Emis Sales 2002 ldquoAn important advan-tage of this system is a door mounted infra-red link that enables a laptop with Proloc software to manage all settings

and downloads without having to open the panel door and expose personnel to dangerous live equipment This is a critical requirement in the OHSA actrdquo

This system is easy to set up via the Proloc MMI 420 display man-to-machine interface or via a laptop with Proloc software

Emis Sales 2002 Tel (016) 341-6134 Email infozabecker-miningcom wwwzabecker-miningcom

Optimum Protection

Birkenmayer a material processing systems supplier in South Africa and local supplier of German-engineered Eirich material processing technology recently released the Evactherm drier a new product that marries the advantages

Superheated Vacuum Steam

of mechanical and thermo dynamical processes to provide cost-effective and highly efficient drying and processing of filter cake and sludgersquos using superheated vacuum steam

Until now it has been important to observe

a maximum middle temperature when applying direct drying to heat sensitive materials and even more important to avoid the excessive local and boundary temperatures that frequently damage the drying product Both heat and ma-terial transport need to be considered and while convective drying processes such as spray drying largely avoid these problems they are only effective if a surface is available for the hot gas flow

Adjustable for both direct and convec-tive drying and processing Evactherm driers overcome these obstacles while providing a number of further benefits

Super-heated vacuum steam performs drying and granulation while the com-bination of mechanical and thermo dynamical processes allows for low dry-ing temperatures and gentle processing of temperature sensitive materials It also enables continuous drying for long periods of time as fresh material may be continuously added into the fluidized bed replacing material that has already been vaporised

H Birkenmayer Louis Eksteen Tel (011) 970 3880-8 Email louisbirkenmayercozawwwbirkenmayercoza

The Evactherm drier

Proloc protection and control relays

46 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

The Eastern Capersquos Coega Industrial Development Zone (IDZ) is one of a number of industrial regions in South Africa to benefit from Air Products South Africarsquos strategy of long-term capital investment

A region which has long been under-served when it comes to reliable gas supply the Eastern Cape will soon have

A Long-term Viewits own air separation unit (ASU) ndash the first of its kind in the province Seelan Gounden GM supply chain at AirProd-ucts explains the reasons behind the companyrsquos latest investment

ldquoCurrently there is no local industrial gas supply in this area and cryogenic gases have to be procured elsewhere This situation compromises the service

MARKET FORUM

ART Solar specialists in the manufacture of solar photovoltaic (PV) modules for the sustainable generation of electrical power has made the following appointment an-nouncementsMark Walsh as managing director Dr Ronald FM Lange as chief operating officer Robert Ramshaw as financial manager and Gavin Rosslee as production manager

Gavin RossleeRobert RamshawMark Walsh

Jeanne Els has been appointed as Hatchrsquos Managing Director of Operations

Jeanne Els

Ronald Lange

Anton Theunissen

SKF South Africa recently appointed Anton Theunissen as Distributor De-velpoment Manager for South Africa and neighbouring coun-tries

Index to Advertisers

Axiom 12

Bearings International 36

Bibby Turboflex 28

Bonfiglioli 10

Engen 34

Festo 35

Hansen 44

Horne SA 29

IDC Inside Back Cover

ILS 32

KDP Services 22

Loesche 31

Polysius 4

PPS 11 29

Mercedes Outside Back Cover

Merseta Inside Front Cover

MIEO Outside Front Cover

Transmission Components 14

Voith 38

Yellotec 16 17

delivery to our existing customers who have to depend on product being trucked over vast distances Thus we identified the Eastern Cape as a key priority invest-ment destination with a clear need for a new air separation facility dedicated to servicing the region We chose the Coega IDZ after careful market analysis We are pleased to be able to be a part of the growth and development of the region through providing a long-needed security of supply and value-added servicerdquo

Ayanda Vilakazi head of Marketing and Communications at the Coega IDZ adds ldquoThe viability of the new ASU is indis-putable It will mean not only security of gas supply to the region benefiting the many industries here but it also means job security for other investors jobs along the value chain and scope for training and human resource develop-ment as well as enhanced Corporate Social Investment initiativesrdquo

Seelan Gounden AirProducts wwwairproductssouthafricacoza

Left to right Chris Mashigo Executive Man-ager - Business Development Coega Develop-ment Corporation Themba Khoza Executive Manager ndash Operations Coega Development Corporation Seelan Gounden GM - Supply Chain Air Products Pierre Fourie Area Sales Manager ndash Eastern Cape Air Products signed the lease agreement between the CDC and Air Products South Africa

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 47To apply online for funding of R1 million or more go to wwwidccoza

Telephone 086 069 3888Email callcentreidccoza

Driving new market innovationsThe IDC supports high-impact job creation projects acting as a

catalyst to lead new sector development and support existing

industry and sector growth in alignment with governmentrsquos

New Growth Path (NGP) National Development Plan (NDP)

and Industrial Policy Action Plan (IPAP)

The IDC Strategic High Impact Projects (SHIP) Strategic Business

Unit in partnership with the IDC Innovation Department has

launched an Open Innovation Challenge to encourage the

development and implementation of sustainable high-impact

industrial initiatives and projects

The IDC calls upon individuals engineering communities

corporates project sponsors and other related entities to enter

into a partnership to develop qualifying projects that result in

sustainable and profi table industries exploit the value-adding

opportunities of existing and new value chains and enable the

development of innovative local economies

Whatwho qualifi es

projects which enable the development of new industries

across multiple IDC focus sectors

introduce new markets and value chains or revolutionise

existing ones through the use of disruptive technologies

or new approaches

development impact and employment creation

across mandated IDC industrial sectors

SHIP wishes to ensure that the projects undertaken play a major

role in industrial development and employment creation within

the South African and SADC regions

Interested applicants are invited to submit their project

proposals online at

httpopeninnovationidccozaidc-ship-challenge between

project proposals will be informed in May regarding SHIP

wishing to partner with them in the development of the

proposed project

Please contact Bertie Strydom BertieSidccoza and

RetiefBidccoza for more information

Chillibush9119IDC

48 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

A D

aim

ler B

rand

You built the bridges the roads and the tunnels We built the carAs a member of the Engineering Council of South Africa you could qualify for exclusive offers a guaranteed 3-day service booking as well as PremiumDrive our 6 year100 000km maintenance plan To take advantage of this outstandingopportunity inform your nearest dealer of your ECSA status

Not in conjunction with other Mercedes-Benz Fleet ProgrammesOffers Excludes AMG and Limited Edition modelsVehicle specifications may vary for the South African market

Page 44: SAME Mar2013

44 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

MARKET FORUM

Displaying and discussing some of the Dodge housed bearings on offer to local industry and mining are (from left) Tony Patten of Specialised Bearings amp Transmission Peter Small-Shaw Wilecrsquos Product Manager Bearings and Frans Odendaal Wilecrsquos Technical Specialist Bearings

The Bearings division of Actom group company Wilec has formed a strategic alliance for the supply of Dodge housed bearings into southern Africa The partner-ship agreement with Johannesburg-based Specialised Bearings amp Transmission the local distributor for Dodge extends Wilecrsquos ability to satisfy the requirements of industry and mining in a diverse range of bearings applications

ldquoThe most exciting thing about our tie-up with Dodge is that housed bearings while already widely accepted in the US and other leading industrialised countries is a relatively new concept locally but one which offers advanced features to users compared with conventional plum-mer block arrangementsrdquo said Frans Odendaal Wilecrsquos Technical Specialist Bearings

ldquoDodge housed bearings are supplied pre-assembled and sealed so eliminating all risk of contamination during fitment The advanced sealing arrangement and unique adapter system guarantees longer

Strategic Alliance

life ndash up to six times that of a conven-tional plummer block Other cost-saving advantages are that they can be installed by a semi-skilled technician very quickly normally in less than 15 minutes and the need to measure pre- and post-reduction clearance is eliminatedrdquo

ldquoIt is a differentiated product and with it we are able to provide a bearing that is especially well suited to local conditions

and offers benefits that are of real value to customers A particularly important aspect to bear in mind is that the total cost of ownership of a Dodge bearing is significantly lower than that of the conventional product due to its greater reliability and durabilityrdquo

Wilec Frans Odendaal Tel (011) 629-9300 Email fransowileccoza

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 45

MARKET FORUM

Emis Sales 2002 part of Becker Min-ing South Africa supplies a wide range of electrical equipment up to 1 100 V for use in hazardous and non-hazardous areas in the mining petrochemical and surface industry sectors

New to the Emis range are Proloc pro-tection and control relays which are suitable for thermal overload protection of conveyors compressors crushers fan and pump motors as well as shuttle cars and flitting panels

ldquoThe stand-alone Emis ProLoc electronic protection and control relay system which has been designed for the optimum protection of motor and feeder circuits connected to outlet sockets has a wide choice of six user-selectable protection features to meet exact requirementsrdquo says Frikkie Quirk managing director Emis Sales 2002 ldquoAn important advan-tage of this system is a door mounted infra-red link that enables a laptop with Proloc software to manage all settings

and downloads without having to open the panel door and expose personnel to dangerous live equipment This is a critical requirement in the OHSA actrdquo

This system is easy to set up via the Proloc MMI 420 display man-to-machine interface or via a laptop with Proloc software

Emis Sales 2002 Tel (016) 341-6134 Email infozabecker-miningcom wwwzabecker-miningcom

Optimum Protection

Birkenmayer a material processing systems supplier in South Africa and local supplier of German-engineered Eirich material processing technology recently released the Evactherm drier a new product that marries the advantages

Superheated Vacuum Steam

of mechanical and thermo dynamical processes to provide cost-effective and highly efficient drying and processing of filter cake and sludgersquos using superheated vacuum steam

Until now it has been important to observe

a maximum middle temperature when applying direct drying to heat sensitive materials and even more important to avoid the excessive local and boundary temperatures that frequently damage the drying product Both heat and ma-terial transport need to be considered and while convective drying processes such as spray drying largely avoid these problems they are only effective if a surface is available for the hot gas flow

Adjustable for both direct and convec-tive drying and processing Evactherm driers overcome these obstacles while providing a number of further benefits

Super-heated vacuum steam performs drying and granulation while the com-bination of mechanical and thermo dynamical processes allows for low dry-ing temperatures and gentle processing of temperature sensitive materials It also enables continuous drying for long periods of time as fresh material may be continuously added into the fluidized bed replacing material that has already been vaporised

H Birkenmayer Louis Eksteen Tel (011) 970 3880-8 Email louisbirkenmayercozawwwbirkenmayercoza

The Evactherm drier

Proloc protection and control relays

46 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

The Eastern Capersquos Coega Industrial Development Zone (IDZ) is one of a number of industrial regions in South Africa to benefit from Air Products South Africarsquos strategy of long-term capital investment

A region which has long been under-served when it comes to reliable gas supply the Eastern Cape will soon have

A Long-term Viewits own air separation unit (ASU) ndash the first of its kind in the province Seelan Gounden GM supply chain at AirProd-ucts explains the reasons behind the companyrsquos latest investment

ldquoCurrently there is no local industrial gas supply in this area and cryogenic gases have to be procured elsewhere This situation compromises the service

MARKET FORUM

ART Solar specialists in the manufacture of solar photovoltaic (PV) modules for the sustainable generation of electrical power has made the following appointment an-nouncementsMark Walsh as managing director Dr Ronald FM Lange as chief operating officer Robert Ramshaw as financial manager and Gavin Rosslee as production manager

Gavin RossleeRobert RamshawMark Walsh

Jeanne Els has been appointed as Hatchrsquos Managing Director of Operations

Jeanne Els

Ronald Lange

Anton Theunissen

SKF South Africa recently appointed Anton Theunissen as Distributor De-velpoment Manager for South Africa and neighbouring coun-tries

Index to Advertisers

Axiom 12

Bearings International 36

Bibby Turboflex 28

Bonfiglioli 10

Engen 34

Festo 35

Hansen 44

Horne SA 29

IDC Inside Back Cover

ILS 32

KDP Services 22

Loesche 31

Polysius 4

PPS 11 29

Mercedes Outside Back Cover

Merseta Inside Front Cover

MIEO Outside Front Cover

Transmission Components 14

Voith 38

Yellotec 16 17

delivery to our existing customers who have to depend on product being trucked over vast distances Thus we identified the Eastern Cape as a key priority invest-ment destination with a clear need for a new air separation facility dedicated to servicing the region We chose the Coega IDZ after careful market analysis We are pleased to be able to be a part of the growth and development of the region through providing a long-needed security of supply and value-added servicerdquo

Ayanda Vilakazi head of Marketing and Communications at the Coega IDZ adds ldquoThe viability of the new ASU is indis-putable It will mean not only security of gas supply to the region benefiting the many industries here but it also means job security for other investors jobs along the value chain and scope for training and human resource develop-ment as well as enhanced Corporate Social Investment initiativesrdquo

Seelan Gounden AirProducts wwwairproductssouthafricacoza

Left to right Chris Mashigo Executive Man-ager - Business Development Coega Develop-ment Corporation Themba Khoza Executive Manager ndash Operations Coega Development Corporation Seelan Gounden GM - Supply Chain Air Products Pierre Fourie Area Sales Manager ndash Eastern Cape Air Products signed the lease agreement between the CDC and Air Products South Africa

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 47To apply online for funding of R1 million or more go to wwwidccoza

Telephone 086 069 3888Email callcentreidccoza

Driving new market innovationsThe IDC supports high-impact job creation projects acting as a

catalyst to lead new sector development and support existing

industry and sector growth in alignment with governmentrsquos

New Growth Path (NGP) National Development Plan (NDP)

and Industrial Policy Action Plan (IPAP)

The IDC Strategic High Impact Projects (SHIP) Strategic Business

Unit in partnership with the IDC Innovation Department has

launched an Open Innovation Challenge to encourage the

development and implementation of sustainable high-impact

industrial initiatives and projects

The IDC calls upon individuals engineering communities

corporates project sponsors and other related entities to enter

into a partnership to develop qualifying projects that result in

sustainable and profi table industries exploit the value-adding

opportunities of existing and new value chains and enable the

development of innovative local economies

Whatwho qualifi es

projects which enable the development of new industries

across multiple IDC focus sectors

introduce new markets and value chains or revolutionise

existing ones through the use of disruptive technologies

or new approaches

development impact and employment creation

across mandated IDC industrial sectors

SHIP wishes to ensure that the projects undertaken play a major

role in industrial development and employment creation within

the South African and SADC regions

Interested applicants are invited to submit their project

proposals online at

httpopeninnovationidccozaidc-ship-challenge between

project proposals will be informed in May regarding SHIP

wishing to partner with them in the development of the

proposed project

Please contact Bertie Strydom BertieSidccoza and

RetiefBidccoza for more information

Chillibush9119IDC

48 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

A D

aim

ler B

rand

You built the bridges the roads and the tunnels We built the carAs a member of the Engineering Council of South Africa you could qualify for exclusive offers a guaranteed 3-day service booking as well as PremiumDrive our 6 year100 000km maintenance plan To take advantage of this outstandingopportunity inform your nearest dealer of your ECSA status

Not in conjunction with other Mercedes-Benz Fleet ProgrammesOffers Excludes AMG and Limited Edition modelsVehicle specifications may vary for the South African market

Page 45: SAME Mar2013

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 45

MARKET FORUM

Emis Sales 2002 part of Becker Min-ing South Africa supplies a wide range of electrical equipment up to 1 100 V for use in hazardous and non-hazardous areas in the mining petrochemical and surface industry sectors

New to the Emis range are Proloc pro-tection and control relays which are suitable for thermal overload protection of conveyors compressors crushers fan and pump motors as well as shuttle cars and flitting panels

ldquoThe stand-alone Emis ProLoc electronic protection and control relay system which has been designed for the optimum protection of motor and feeder circuits connected to outlet sockets has a wide choice of six user-selectable protection features to meet exact requirementsrdquo says Frikkie Quirk managing director Emis Sales 2002 ldquoAn important advan-tage of this system is a door mounted infra-red link that enables a laptop with Proloc software to manage all settings

and downloads without having to open the panel door and expose personnel to dangerous live equipment This is a critical requirement in the OHSA actrdquo

This system is easy to set up via the Proloc MMI 420 display man-to-machine interface or via a laptop with Proloc software

Emis Sales 2002 Tel (016) 341-6134 Email infozabecker-miningcom wwwzabecker-miningcom

Optimum Protection

Birkenmayer a material processing systems supplier in South Africa and local supplier of German-engineered Eirich material processing technology recently released the Evactherm drier a new product that marries the advantages

Superheated Vacuum Steam

of mechanical and thermo dynamical processes to provide cost-effective and highly efficient drying and processing of filter cake and sludgersquos using superheated vacuum steam

Until now it has been important to observe

a maximum middle temperature when applying direct drying to heat sensitive materials and even more important to avoid the excessive local and boundary temperatures that frequently damage the drying product Both heat and ma-terial transport need to be considered and while convective drying processes such as spray drying largely avoid these problems they are only effective if a surface is available for the hot gas flow

Adjustable for both direct and convec-tive drying and processing Evactherm driers overcome these obstacles while providing a number of further benefits

Super-heated vacuum steam performs drying and granulation while the com-bination of mechanical and thermo dynamical processes allows for low dry-ing temperatures and gentle processing of temperature sensitive materials It also enables continuous drying for long periods of time as fresh material may be continuously added into the fluidized bed replacing material that has already been vaporised

H Birkenmayer Louis Eksteen Tel (011) 970 3880-8 Email louisbirkenmayercozawwwbirkenmayercoza

The Evactherm drier

Proloc protection and control relays

46 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

The Eastern Capersquos Coega Industrial Development Zone (IDZ) is one of a number of industrial regions in South Africa to benefit from Air Products South Africarsquos strategy of long-term capital investment

A region which has long been under-served when it comes to reliable gas supply the Eastern Cape will soon have

A Long-term Viewits own air separation unit (ASU) ndash the first of its kind in the province Seelan Gounden GM supply chain at AirProd-ucts explains the reasons behind the companyrsquos latest investment

ldquoCurrently there is no local industrial gas supply in this area and cryogenic gases have to be procured elsewhere This situation compromises the service

MARKET FORUM

ART Solar specialists in the manufacture of solar photovoltaic (PV) modules for the sustainable generation of electrical power has made the following appointment an-nouncementsMark Walsh as managing director Dr Ronald FM Lange as chief operating officer Robert Ramshaw as financial manager and Gavin Rosslee as production manager

Gavin RossleeRobert RamshawMark Walsh

Jeanne Els has been appointed as Hatchrsquos Managing Director of Operations

Jeanne Els

Ronald Lange

Anton Theunissen

SKF South Africa recently appointed Anton Theunissen as Distributor De-velpoment Manager for South Africa and neighbouring coun-tries

Index to Advertisers

Axiom 12

Bearings International 36

Bibby Turboflex 28

Bonfiglioli 10

Engen 34

Festo 35

Hansen 44

Horne SA 29

IDC Inside Back Cover

ILS 32

KDP Services 22

Loesche 31

Polysius 4

PPS 11 29

Mercedes Outside Back Cover

Merseta Inside Front Cover

MIEO Outside Front Cover

Transmission Components 14

Voith 38

Yellotec 16 17

delivery to our existing customers who have to depend on product being trucked over vast distances Thus we identified the Eastern Cape as a key priority invest-ment destination with a clear need for a new air separation facility dedicated to servicing the region We chose the Coega IDZ after careful market analysis We are pleased to be able to be a part of the growth and development of the region through providing a long-needed security of supply and value-added servicerdquo

Ayanda Vilakazi head of Marketing and Communications at the Coega IDZ adds ldquoThe viability of the new ASU is indis-putable It will mean not only security of gas supply to the region benefiting the many industries here but it also means job security for other investors jobs along the value chain and scope for training and human resource develop-ment as well as enhanced Corporate Social Investment initiativesrdquo

Seelan Gounden AirProducts wwwairproductssouthafricacoza

Left to right Chris Mashigo Executive Man-ager - Business Development Coega Develop-ment Corporation Themba Khoza Executive Manager ndash Operations Coega Development Corporation Seelan Gounden GM - Supply Chain Air Products Pierre Fourie Area Sales Manager ndash Eastern Cape Air Products signed the lease agreement between the CDC and Air Products South Africa

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 47To apply online for funding of R1 million or more go to wwwidccoza

Telephone 086 069 3888Email callcentreidccoza

Driving new market innovationsThe IDC supports high-impact job creation projects acting as a

catalyst to lead new sector development and support existing

industry and sector growth in alignment with governmentrsquos

New Growth Path (NGP) National Development Plan (NDP)

and Industrial Policy Action Plan (IPAP)

The IDC Strategic High Impact Projects (SHIP) Strategic Business

Unit in partnership with the IDC Innovation Department has

launched an Open Innovation Challenge to encourage the

development and implementation of sustainable high-impact

industrial initiatives and projects

The IDC calls upon individuals engineering communities

corporates project sponsors and other related entities to enter

into a partnership to develop qualifying projects that result in

sustainable and profi table industries exploit the value-adding

opportunities of existing and new value chains and enable the

development of innovative local economies

Whatwho qualifi es

projects which enable the development of new industries

across multiple IDC focus sectors

introduce new markets and value chains or revolutionise

existing ones through the use of disruptive technologies

or new approaches

development impact and employment creation

across mandated IDC industrial sectors

SHIP wishes to ensure that the projects undertaken play a major

role in industrial development and employment creation within

the South African and SADC regions

Interested applicants are invited to submit their project

proposals online at

httpopeninnovationidccozaidc-ship-challenge between

project proposals will be informed in May regarding SHIP

wishing to partner with them in the development of the

proposed project

Please contact Bertie Strydom BertieSidccoza and

RetiefBidccoza for more information

Chillibush9119IDC

48 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

A D

aim

ler B

rand

You built the bridges the roads and the tunnels We built the carAs a member of the Engineering Council of South Africa you could qualify for exclusive offers a guaranteed 3-day service booking as well as PremiumDrive our 6 year100 000km maintenance plan To take advantage of this outstandingopportunity inform your nearest dealer of your ECSA status

Not in conjunction with other Mercedes-Benz Fleet ProgrammesOffers Excludes AMG and Limited Edition modelsVehicle specifications may vary for the South African market

Page 46: SAME Mar2013

46 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

The Eastern Capersquos Coega Industrial Development Zone (IDZ) is one of a number of industrial regions in South Africa to benefit from Air Products South Africarsquos strategy of long-term capital investment

A region which has long been under-served when it comes to reliable gas supply the Eastern Cape will soon have

A Long-term Viewits own air separation unit (ASU) ndash the first of its kind in the province Seelan Gounden GM supply chain at AirProd-ucts explains the reasons behind the companyrsquos latest investment

ldquoCurrently there is no local industrial gas supply in this area and cryogenic gases have to be procured elsewhere This situation compromises the service

MARKET FORUM

ART Solar specialists in the manufacture of solar photovoltaic (PV) modules for the sustainable generation of electrical power has made the following appointment an-nouncementsMark Walsh as managing director Dr Ronald FM Lange as chief operating officer Robert Ramshaw as financial manager and Gavin Rosslee as production manager

Gavin RossleeRobert RamshawMark Walsh

Jeanne Els has been appointed as Hatchrsquos Managing Director of Operations

Jeanne Els

Ronald Lange

Anton Theunissen

SKF South Africa recently appointed Anton Theunissen as Distributor De-velpoment Manager for South Africa and neighbouring coun-tries

Index to Advertisers

Axiom 12

Bearings International 36

Bibby Turboflex 28

Bonfiglioli 10

Engen 34

Festo 35

Hansen 44

Horne SA 29

IDC Inside Back Cover

ILS 32

KDP Services 22

Loesche 31

Polysius 4

PPS 11 29

Mercedes Outside Back Cover

Merseta Inside Front Cover

MIEO Outside Front Cover

Transmission Components 14

Voith 38

Yellotec 16 17

delivery to our existing customers who have to depend on product being trucked over vast distances Thus we identified the Eastern Cape as a key priority invest-ment destination with a clear need for a new air separation facility dedicated to servicing the region We chose the Coega IDZ after careful market analysis We are pleased to be able to be a part of the growth and development of the region through providing a long-needed security of supply and value-added servicerdquo

Ayanda Vilakazi head of Marketing and Communications at the Coega IDZ adds ldquoThe viability of the new ASU is indis-putable It will mean not only security of gas supply to the region benefiting the many industries here but it also means job security for other investors jobs along the value chain and scope for training and human resource develop-ment as well as enhanced Corporate Social Investment initiativesrdquo

Seelan Gounden AirProducts wwwairproductssouthafricacoza

Left to right Chris Mashigo Executive Man-ager - Business Development Coega Develop-ment Corporation Themba Khoza Executive Manager ndash Operations Coega Development Corporation Seelan Gounden GM - Supply Chain Air Products Pierre Fourie Area Sales Manager ndash Eastern Cape Air Products signed the lease agreement between the CDC and Air Products South Africa

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 47To apply online for funding of R1 million or more go to wwwidccoza

Telephone 086 069 3888Email callcentreidccoza

Driving new market innovationsThe IDC supports high-impact job creation projects acting as a

catalyst to lead new sector development and support existing

industry and sector growth in alignment with governmentrsquos

New Growth Path (NGP) National Development Plan (NDP)

and Industrial Policy Action Plan (IPAP)

The IDC Strategic High Impact Projects (SHIP) Strategic Business

Unit in partnership with the IDC Innovation Department has

launched an Open Innovation Challenge to encourage the

development and implementation of sustainable high-impact

industrial initiatives and projects

The IDC calls upon individuals engineering communities

corporates project sponsors and other related entities to enter

into a partnership to develop qualifying projects that result in

sustainable and profi table industries exploit the value-adding

opportunities of existing and new value chains and enable the

development of innovative local economies

Whatwho qualifi es

projects which enable the development of new industries

across multiple IDC focus sectors

introduce new markets and value chains or revolutionise

existing ones through the use of disruptive technologies

or new approaches

development impact and employment creation

across mandated IDC industrial sectors

SHIP wishes to ensure that the projects undertaken play a major

role in industrial development and employment creation within

the South African and SADC regions

Interested applicants are invited to submit their project

proposals online at

httpopeninnovationidccozaidc-ship-challenge between

project proposals will be informed in May regarding SHIP

wishing to partner with them in the development of the

proposed project

Please contact Bertie Strydom BertieSidccoza and

RetiefBidccoza for more information

Chillibush9119IDC

48 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

A D

aim

ler B

rand

You built the bridges the roads and the tunnels We built the carAs a member of the Engineering Council of South Africa you could qualify for exclusive offers a guaranteed 3-day service booking as well as PremiumDrive our 6 year100 000km maintenance plan To take advantage of this outstandingopportunity inform your nearest dealer of your ECSA status

Not in conjunction with other Mercedes-Benz Fleet ProgrammesOffers Excludes AMG and Limited Edition modelsVehicle specifications may vary for the South African market

Page 47: SAME Mar2013

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013 47To apply online for funding of R1 million or more go to wwwidccoza

Telephone 086 069 3888Email callcentreidccoza

Driving new market innovationsThe IDC supports high-impact job creation projects acting as a

catalyst to lead new sector development and support existing

industry and sector growth in alignment with governmentrsquos

New Growth Path (NGP) National Development Plan (NDP)

and Industrial Policy Action Plan (IPAP)

The IDC Strategic High Impact Projects (SHIP) Strategic Business

Unit in partnership with the IDC Innovation Department has

launched an Open Innovation Challenge to encourage the

development and implementation of sustainable high-impact

industrial initiatives and projects

The IDC calls upon individuals engineering communities

corporates project sponsors and other related entities to enter

into a partnership to develop qualifying projects that result in

sustainable and profi table industries exploit the value-adding

opportunities of existing and new value chains and enable the

development of innovative local economies

Whatwho qualifi es

projects which enable the development of new industries

across multiple IDC focus sectors

introduce new markets and value chains or revolutionise

existing ones through the use of disruptive technologies

or new approaches

development impact and employment creation

across mandated IDC industrial sectors

SHIP wishes to ensure that the projects undertaken play a major

role in industrial development and employment creation within

the South African and SADC regions

Interested applicants are invited to submit their project

proposals online at

httpopeninnovationidccozaidc-ship-challenge between

project proposals will be informed in May regarding SHIP

wishing to partner with them in the development of the

proposed project

Please contact Bertie Strydom BertieSidccoza and

RetiefBidccoza for more information

Chillibush9119IDC

48 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

A D

aim

ler B

rand

You built the bridges the roads and the tunnels We built the carAs a member of the Engineering Council of South Africa you could qualify for exclusive offers a guaranteed 3-day service booking as well as PremiumDrive our 6 year100 000km maintenance plan To take advantage of this outstandingopportunity inform your nearest dealer of your ECSA status

Not in conjunction with other Mercedes-Benz Fleet ProgrammesOffers Excludes AMG and Limited Edition modelsVehicle specifications may vary for the South African market

Page 48: SAME Mar2013

48 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER VOL 63 March 2013

A D

aim

ler B

rand

You built the bridges the roads and the tunnels We built the carAs a member of the Engineering Council of South Africa you could qualify for exclusive offers a guaranteed 3-day service booking as well as PremiumDrive our 6 year100 000km maintenance plan To take advantage of this outstandingopportunity inform your nearest dealer of your ECSA status

Not in conjunction with other Mercedes-Benz Fleet ProgrammesOffers Excludes AMG and Limited Edition modelsVehicle specifications may vary for the South African market