Monthly Archives: September 2022

Client Focus

LEADING THE PDS AND CPS EVOLUTION IN COAL MINING

With a strong understanding of the coal mining industry, proximity detection system (PDS) and collision prevention system (CPS) specialist Booyco Electronics continues to steer the evolution of PDS and CPS solutions that meet specific requirements for both surface and underground collieries. 

In line with the mining industry’s quest for zero harm, a stringent safety culture has held a much more prominent role in safety management in coal mines. One of the enabling factors has been the advent and increased take-up of PDS and CPS solutions, an industry where Booyco Electronics has taken a leading role since its inception in 2006, says chief sales officer Graeme Jardine. 

From the onset, explains Jardine, Booyco Electronics had a good grasp of the safety challenges faced by the coal mining industry, which informed the development of its PDS and CPS solutions. “With a solid background in coal mining, Anton Lourens, founder and CEO of the company, had a first-hand understanding of the requirements of both surface and underground coal operations,” says Jardine. “Consequently, right from the start we were able to develop fitting solutions from an informed position.”

Some 16 years later, coal mining remains a critical commodity area for Booyco Electronics, constituting about 25% of the company’s PDS and CPS installed base, with a formidable client base ranging from large coal mining groups to junior miners. 

From CWS to CXS

Informed by changing industry requirements, Booyco Electronics has evolved its offering from its first-generation technology, the Collision Warning System (CWS), to the new generation Booyco CXS system.

Based on the technology available at the time, the Booyco CWS found favour within the coal mining sector due to its reliability. Leveraging Very Low Frequency (VLF) technology, the Booyco CWS set the benchmark in the early days, especially in the underground mining environment. Use of VLF technology enabled sensors on pedestrians and on trackless mining machines (TMMs) to communicate through rock walls for optimal safety.

Fast forward to 2022, the latest generation Booyco CXS consolidates the learnings of the past 16 years, leveraging technology to achieve new levels of safety in both underground and surface mining environments. It is a best-of-breed system providing a comprehensive and integrated response to Level 7, Level 8 and Level 9 requirements, as stipulated by Earth Moving Equipment Safety Round Table (EMESRT).

“Over the years, the technology has evolved from simply a PDS solution, to incorporating many other functions such as tracking and data management. In addition to the safety capabilities, our solutions are now able to provide customers with the bigger operational picture, which includes information such as machine standing time, idling times and cycles times,” says Jardine. 

Key differentiators 

A key differentiator is the intrinsically safe nature of the Booyco Electronics solution, which bodes well for the coal mining environment. Due to the presence of flammable gases, coal mines, especially underground operations, are susceptible to explosions. One spark and a split second are all that it takes for disaster to happen. The common industry alternative to intrinsically safe solution is for suppliers to supply a flameproof enclosure to house the PDS, which tends to be expensive, heavy and impractical. 

“Because they are intrinsically safe, our products are designed within specific system specification to allow them to be deployed in hazardous areas such as coal mining,” explains Jardine. “Typical benefits of this approach compared to flameproof enclosures include cost savings in installation and maintenance of the equipment.”

In addition, Booyco Electronics is one of few companies that can offer PDS and CPS solutions for both surface and underground environments. “Some of our competitors only focus on either underground or surface. By contrast, our solutions and system architecture are by design suited to all facets of coal mining, making us a one-stop provider for operations with both surface and underground environments,” he says. 

Customer relations

Every product is as good as its support, stresses Jardine, who firmly believes that the relationship between the supplier and the customer is key to the success of any PDS installation. A key enabler is the company’s strong support footprint in the coal mining regions of South Africa. 

Its fully-fledged branch in Witbank supports the Mpumalanga coalfields, while the Richards Bay branch looks after the Vryheid/Newcastle coal mines. Each branch has a large aftermarket team of technically skilled and competent field staff, assisting customers to optimise uptime and productivity.

“We have always prided ourselves on the fact that of our 330 employees, 190 are technicians, which speaks to our commitment to provide unparalleled aftermarket support to customers. It also enforces our partnership approach to all our PDS installations because we have the technical means to ensure hassle-free operation for our customers,” he concludes.

Client Focus

UPGRADES BRING NEW LIFE TO CRUSHERS

In today’s market customers have to maximise their return on investment to stay competitive, and companies like Pilot Crushtec partner closely with customers to ensure equipment will continue to produce at the lowest cost per ton. This is according to company sales manager Charl Marais who says Pilot Crushtec, together with Metso Outotec, recently delivered and installed a world first upgrade to older Metso Outotec mobile crushing equipment.

“In doing this we created an opportunity to breathe new life into older machines in a way never done before in the industry,” he enthuses. “In this particular case the upgrade, which was done on site, was to a Lokotrack® LT300HP™ cone crusher with a belt feeder, which has now been upgraded to include a vibrating grizzly feeder. This upgrade significantly increases production capacity and decreases wear on the cone crusher.”

Migrating to the TK feeder option on Metso Outotec Lokotrack® LT300HP™ cone crushers assists in maximising productivity, increasing throughput and reducing costs per tonne for several of Pilot Crushtec’s mining and aggregate producing customers. 

Marais says these upgrades are particularly exciting for Pilot Crushtec as it is the first time this type of upgrade has been conducted within the international Metso Outotec community.

“The majority of Lokotrack® LT300HP™ cone crushers we have in the field use a belt feeder,” he explains. “However, applications changes due to market demands and customer expectations resulted in our working with customers to take their equipment to the next level.”

The Lokotrack® LT300HP™ – an efficient and flexible mobile cone crusher for secondary and tertiary stage crushing – has always been available with either of the two feeder options. The TK feeder includes the advantage of a vibrating pan feeder with a grizzly. Local customers have historically opted for the belt feeder, largely due to the lower upfront capital cost of this option. 

A belt fed cone crusher comes with a feed hopper at the back of the machine. Material from an excavator feed is received and directed onto the belt conveyor, which then carries the material to the cone crushing chamber. 

With a belt feeder, the cone crusher is fed with a high proportion of fine material. This adds to the load in the crushing chamber but does not contribute to the high value output that the crusher produces. In contrast, the vibrating feeder and grizzly bars in the TK feeder allow the fine material in the feed to bypass the crusher and go straight to the stockpile or further in the process. 

“Bypassing the fines and only crushing material that needs to be crushed increases your throughput,” says Marais. “A cone crusher is a volumetric machine by nature, and by taking out fines, you create more crushing volume in the chamber. For instance, if you bypass 20% of fines in your feed material, your production rate will increase by 20%.”

Pilot Crushtec has been able to assist several customers to upgrade their existing Lokotrack® LT300HP™ cone crushers with TK feeders. A mid-tier miner has already gone the TK feeder route for two of its units operating at two different sites. A further unit has just been commissioned for another customer running a Lokotrack® LT300HP™ cone crusher in an aggregate operation. 

Marais highlights other benefits of the TK feeder, including reduced wear. Limiting the amount of fine material that reports to the crushing chamber increases the life of wear items, particularly crusher liners. This also reduces the machine’s power draw as the cone crusher’s closed side settings are maintained, translating into lower cost per tonne of material produced. 

“As customers seek increased efficiencies and ways to reduce their bottom-line costs, we believe the trend towards upgrading machines as opposed to replacements will gain traction in the next few years,” concludes Marais. “Pilot Crushtec is committed to working closely with customers to find the best possible solution for their operations.” 

Client Focus

MINE PROJECT TAKES STAFF MEMBER FROM LABOURER TO BOILERMAKER

Murray & Roberts Cementation is excited to announced that its Venetia Underground Project (VUP) project has produced its first boilermaker. 

Thibi Jerry Phala has just completed his apprenticeship, which he began in 2019 after joining Murray & Roberts Cementation a few years earlier as an engineering assistant. Phala says he has been passionate about engineering since he was a child.

“Being part of Murray & Roberts Cementation’s VUP project inspired me to apply for an apprenticeship with the company,” he says. “Working with our experienced boilermakers – and being exposed to various engineering activities – really motivated me to develop my skills further in this field.”

The journey so far has included learning the skills of a plater – handling thick metal plates – as well as understanding steel structures, drawing and design. The apprenticeship involved studying boilermaking theory at Harmony Engineering Training Centre in Orkney for three years. The practical aspect of the apprenticeship was done on the VUP site, where experienced artisans supervised and mentored Jerry for 11 months. This achievement is only the beginning, he says. 

“I am planning to continue working hard and gaining more experience in this important occupation,” says Jerry. “This will give me a good starting point to work towards becoming an engineer.”

He urges any person with ambition to look seriously at the engineering field for a career – and to pursue this goal with commitment, hard work and resilience.

Client Focus

KWATANI SAYS REAL CUSTOMER SUPPORT MUST REDUCE TCO

While low total cost of ownership (TCO) is a function of product quality, it is also about predicting maintenance intervals and optimising uptime. 

“Prediction and planning have become the pillars of quality aftermarket support,” says Jan Schoepflin, general manager sales and service at Kwatani, now part of the global Sandvik engineering group. “More than ever, OEMs must support customers with systems and services that pinpoint future needs.”

Schoepflin highlights that when equipment users adopt a TCO approach, they realise cost savings through smoother operations and less disruption, as there are fewer unplanned stoppages. 

“This approach should also extend the life of equipment, making it not only more cost effective but more environmentally sustainable,” he says. “As the name suggests, capital equipment is a significant investment and should last as long as possible.”

An important part of an OEM’s support role, then, is to help customers measure the condition and performance of equipment. This vital data allows users to plan better, by knowing what financing and maintenance will cost. This means more accurate proposals and reporting to management and board level. 

“Equipment owners can also outsource some of their business risk to supply partners like Kwatani,” he notes. “If an OEM claims a certain TCO for its equipment, owners should be able to hold the company to this promise, by delivering both reliability and performance at a given cost.”

He says Kwatani does this is by offering instruments like extended warranties and tonnage contracts to customers. By applying the necessary maintenance programmes with genuine spares, owners can benefit from cost certainty and operational uptime.

Planning for maintenance has become even more crucial given Covid-19’s disruption of the global supply chain. Kwatani’s aftermarket specialists work closely with customers to predict what maintenance and spares will be needed. With the risk of longer lead times, effective planning requires that certain stock be kept aside to supply specific customers’ maintenance programmes.

“OEMs with a proven reputation make it easier for users to trust a forecast TCO,” says Schoepflin. “With our focus on aftermarket services, we attract a high level of return business – making us more sustainable over time.”

He emphasises the importance of this sustainability, as customers know the company will be there in future to support the equipment they sell and uphold their TCO promise.

Client Focus

IPR RAISED REBRANDED FLAG AT ELECTRA MINING 2022

After seven successful years of growth and evolution, pumping specialist Integrated Pump Rental has rebranding as IPR.

Announcing the rebranding at the popular Electra Mining Africa 2022 show in Johannesburg, IPR managing director Lee Vine says the fresh new look reflects the company’s expanded range of offerings. It has made a solid name for itself as a rental operation in dewatering and dredging – having significantly grown its rental fleet over the years.

This rental success has led to a move towards selling pump solutions where this made sense to the customer’s particular operating conditions. By prioritising the total cost of ownership, IPR is able to offer the most cost effective choice between renting and purchasing. 

“In responding to customer needs, we have also naturally evolved into the manufacture of custom pump sets for specific applications,” says Vine. “With our extensive experience and engineering expertise, this was a logical step which our new brand can now embrace.”

He emphasises that IPR boasts the same expert team that customers have relied upon, and continues to deliver their well-known standards of service excellence. As the sole agent in southern Africa for Sykes diesel-driven pump sets, IPR also deals with various global pump brands including Grindex, Flygt, Godwin and Atlas Copco. 

IPR successfully launched its rebranding at Electra Mining Africa 2022.
IPR successfully launched its rebranding at Electra Mining Africa 2022.
A view of the SlurrySucker with accessories including pump flotation devices.
A view of the SlurrySucker with accessories including pump flotation devices.
The name IPR is synonymous with pump dewatering and dredging solutions across industries.
The name IPR is synonymous with pump dewatering and dredging solutions across industries.
IPR showcased both its new logo and its products at Electra Mining Africa 2022.
IPR showcased both its new logo and its products at Electra Mining Africa 2022.
IPR launched its fresh new look at Electra Mining Africa 2022.
IPR launched its fresh new look at Electra Mining Africa 2022.
The rebranding from Integrated Pump Rental to IPR was announced at Electra Mining Africa 2022.
The rebranding from Integrated Pump Rental to IPR was announced at Electra Mining Africa 2022.
After seven successful years of growth and evolution, pumping specialist Integrated Pump Rental has rebranding as IPR.
After seven successful years of growth and evolution, pumping specialist Integrated Pump Rental has rebranding as IPR.

“Among the products that we have developed locally – to great acclaim in the local market – are the SlurrySucker and SlurryBlaster,” he says. “These are designed for dredging silted-up ponds and for removing accumulation of slurry and sediments on dam walls and inside dams.”

He credits hard work from the IPR team as the force behind becoming synonymous with pump dewatering and dredging solutions across industries, especially in challenging conditions. Existing customers as well as the broader marketplace today recognise the company as IPR, so it was appropriate to update its branding and launch a new look.

The vision, he explains, continues to be aimed at becoming the leading pump dewatering and dredging specialist – with a focus on assisting customers to reduce their total cost of ownership. 

“Our ability to be agile and flexible is underpinned by our in-depth understanding that these pumping applications need quick and dependable solutions,” says Vine. “This has always been what we are all about, and this remains IPR’s commitment to the market.”

Client Focus

BCCEI CALLS FOR PARTNERSHIPS IN ROLLING BACK CONSTRUCTION CRIME

Taking an important step in addressing systemic extortion in the construction sector, the Bargaining Council for the Civil Engineering Industry (BCCEI) has signed the Anti-Corruption Pledge and set up a platform for joint action. 

Working in support of Public Works and Infrastructure (DPWI) Minister Patricia de Lille’s and Special Investigating Unit Advocate Mothibi’s Infrastructure Built Anti-Corruption Forum, the BCCEI is calling on all affected parties to be part of a collaborative solution. 

“It has been encouraging to see government and media expressing growing concern about how the construction mafia is impacting South Africa’s future,” says BCCEI operations manager Lindie Fourie. “After many months of consultation and planning, the BCCEI has an action plan in place that reaches out to all parties involved.”

Construction sites have been disrupted country-wide by criminal gangs often presenting themselves as business forums. As far back as 2020, it was estimated that the resulting losses suffered by the economy had reached over R40 billion. Representing employers and employees in the civil engineering sector, the BCCEI has been proactive, says Fourie.

“In addition to engaging with our own stakeholders, we have put our full support behind the Infrastructure Built Anti-Corruption Forum set up by Minister De Lille and the Special Investigating Unit (SIU),” she says. “We are now looking forward to building practical partnerships to roll back the lawlessness that threatens our sector.”

She highlights that the minister called for a risk analysis focusing on key threats to the execution of projects. This would include identifying high priority projects where these risks were delaying successful completion. 

“Our action plan deliberately aligns with the efforts of government departments and agencies, so that the energy of all affected parties can be harnessed,” she says. “The focus has often been on the South African Police Service to do more about stemming this criminal activity; but the long-term solution really needs everyone’s involvement.”

She highlights that the BCCEI action plan includes macro level engagements with government, as well as support mechanisms at the micro level where construction projects are planned or being conducted. The BCCEI council has approved the appointment of a resource to co-ordinate input from project stakeholders including contractors, clients, employees and communities and offer guidance to contractors when sites are disrupted by construction mafia or communities. This will include working closely with the responsible persons within SAPS mandated to address extortion incidents. 

“To help our members to execute projects safely and smoothly, we are creating a centralised database with key contacts at regional and national level,” says Fourie. “This includes unions, government departments, police, private security, community leaders and even taxi associations.”

The BCCEI is also reaching out to credible specialists who may be able to assist in resolving site disruptions. At project level, she says the plan would see engagement between clients and contractors on how to systematically deal with criminal and other disruption. 

“The aim is to equip both parties with guidelines to prevent and respond to external interference – with the support of SAPS and a national policing strategic plan,” she says. “Importantly, we would like to see every project having contact details of a nominated mobile policing unit.”

Projects should also have local contacts in the trade unions, municipalities, emergency services and Department of Employment and Labour – who will be able to provide support. Fourie emphasised that it was not enough just to react to project interference; proactive steps need to be taken to prevent it. This, she says, needs to take place within a framework of acceptable behaviour that all parties formally accept. 

“Awareness needs to be built around the value that civil engineering projects are adding to communities, and community expectations must also be carefully managed,” she says. “Reacting to disruption will need more effective collaboration and intervention – with careful monitoring and recording of information on each incident.”

She is hopeful that momentum is building in the national response to construction mafia disruption and violence. The safety of employees on site remains the key concern. A key aim must be to create a stable environment where law-abiding communities and capable local sub-contractors can benefit fully from construction works, she explains.

Client Focus

HIS EXCELLENCY PRESIDENT CYRIL RAMAPHOSA OPENS SANDVIK’S NEW KHOMANANI FACILITY

Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions in southern Africa has very effectively transitioned its operations to Khomanani, its new high-tech head office facility, workshop and manufacturing complex in Kempton Park, Johannesburg. The facility was officially opened by his Excellency President Cyril Ramaphosa today.

Representing an investment of R350 million, Khomanani – which accommodates approximately 500 Sandvik employees – consolidates the operations previously undertaken at five separate sites.  Sandvik’s full-time equivalent (FTE) forecast is 39 by end of December 2022 representing an 8% growth.

For the first time ever, the company now has its soft rock, hard rock and surface businesses all under one roof. Khomanani, which occupies a 62 000 m2 site, is one of Sandvik’s biggest and most advanced facilities globally and has the ability to produce underground loaders with over 60 % local content, allowing them to be designated as ‘Proudly South African’.

Developed in conjunction with Equites Property Fund, Khomanani is a bespoke facility comprising of an office building and three workshops. Two of the workshops are dedicated to the refurbishment and rebuilding of Sandvik machines – to OEM standards – from throughout the southern African region while the third is designed to assemble equipment locally. 

The workshops are equipped with 23 docking bays and a combination of cranes up to 30-t capacity to facilitate the handling of equipment. The floors can support very high loads, including continuous miners weighing over 100 tonnes. The spacious site has a carefully designed road layout which allows heavy transport vehicles to move in and out of the property easily without the need for time-consuming manoeuvring.

The machines being assembled at Khomanani are the 12-tonne capacity LS312 flameproof loader for underground coal operations, as well as the LH115 and LH208 loaders, respectively of 5,5 tonne and 7,7 tonne capacity, for underground hard rock mining. 

Not only are these machines being supplied to the southern African market but Sandvik can also export them. They are produced to the exact same quality standards as Sandvik machines manufactured at our overseas factories such as Tampere in Finland. Moreover, the company is able to produce them at a cost which is very competitive by global standards.

Sandvik is very proud of Khomanani’s ‘green’ credentials and the company has prioritised energy and water efficiency. Solar power, of course, forms an important part of the energy mix. There is already a shared solar facility which generates 500 kW and the company recently installed additional solar units in its own facility, which will be sufficient to take us entirely off the grid in the middle of the day under ideal conditions.”

Sandvik is committed to sustainability and has developed its BEV range of trucks and loaders. The TH665B truck with a payload capacity of 65 tonne was unveiled at Electra Mining Africa 2022. Commercial production of the unit, which ranks as the largest capacity BEV truck in the world, is planned for late 2023. 

Client Focus

MORE LOCAL FOCUS AS ZEST WEG LAUNCHES NEW MOTOR ASSEMBLY LINE 

A new assembly line for its low voltage (LV) premium efficiency WEG IE3 electric motors is yet another advance by Zest WEG in sustainability and local economic impact. 

Zest WEG CEO Eduardo Werninghaus says the addition of the new facility is an important contribution to local manufacturing capacity in South Africa. It improves flexibility in the company’s electric motor supply chain, and ensures prompt delivery times for customers. The line produces WEG W22 IE3 LV motors in various sizes, offering high reliability in all applications.

“As a Level 1 B-BBEE company, our commitment to transformation includes continuous promotion of local manufacture,” said Werninghaus. “Our focus on premium efficiency IE3 motors is also significant as it helps drive energy efficiency – a key sustainability goal for mines and other industries.”

According to Sindi Mbhalati, Operations Executive at Zest WEG, the assembly line required considerable investment in equipment. This included jib cranes for easier materials handling, an air reticulation system to feed compressed air to the pneumatic tools on the line as well as to the spray booth and packaging equipment, enhancing the efficiency of the production processes and a state-of-the-art test panel. 

As with any world class manufacturing and assembly operation, record keeping is an important cornerstone. The panel is therefore synchronised with the advanced WEG manufacturing facilities in Brazil, for complete and accurate record tracking and evaluation. Each motor undergoes routine testing which includes winding resistance tests, accessories tests, insulation resistance tests and no-load tests. 

Elaborating on this, Mbhalati says that the panel tests winding resistance per phase with an imbalance test to compare the imbalances between the resistance results, while the accessories resistance test confirms that the accessories installed in the motor are in working order. The panel also tests for insulation resistance which provides the team with data on the motor winding health. A No-Load test is conducted to determine the current that the motor draws at no-load and determines the imbalance of the current drawn between the phases. 

“Further ensuring operational efficiency, the line was capacitated with state-of-the-art equipment including a heating and greasing facility as well as rotor assembly C-hooks,” says Mbhalati. “In addition and most importantly the assembly line has been engineered to allow multiple shifts to be worked should it become necessary to increase capacity and output. This type of futureproofing to accommodate market demands is in line with Zest WEG’s commitment to its customers.”

The facility has created several new jobs within the business. Most of the new employees are dedicated to the W22 motor assembly line, while some others are shared with the company’s various production lines.

“To ensure the highest quality standards in the assembly process, Zest WEG put our new staff through extensive technical and process training relevant to the new line,” she says. “This included in-depth product and component training, as well as the operation of the specialised test panel.”

Among the components Zest WEG procures for assembly are rotors, stators and bearings. These are produced mainly at WEG’s extensive manufacturing facilities in Brazil, under stringent quality conditions. These are thoroughly tested before shipment to Zest WEG. Smaller components are sourced from local suppliers wherever possible, in line with the company’s supply chain development policy.

“Governed by our ISO 9001 quality certification, the new assembly line is closely monitored by our dedicated quality department,” says Mbhalati. “All motors are tested and quality inspected prior to dispatch to customers.”

She highlights that Zest WEG’s quality control personnel are rigorously trained to assess motors during the build process as well as final quality inspection and testing. All aspects are aligned with WEG quality procedures, ensuring world class standards are maintained across all operating parameters. 

Werninghaus highlights that mines are always looking for opportunities to promote local supply chains in line with the Mining Charter, and also to reduce their energy consumption and carbon footprint. With some 65% of industrial energy worldwide consumed by motors, WEG’s global corporate strategy aims to use resources responsibly and to create fewer emissions. 

Werninghaus recently assumed the role of CEO at Zest WEG, bringing 15 years of experience in the WEG group in Brazil and the US. This includes five years as part of establishing WEG’s wind turbine capability. His two years in the US included an important role as vice-chair of the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA), which develops standards for electric motor designs, frame sizes, enclosures and configurations.

As part of the Brazil-based WEG group, a leading global player in electric motors, Zest WEG is one of a wide network of the group’s manufacturing facilities. He emphasises that this ensures the highest level of quality and engineering locally.

“We apply WEG’s stringent quality control protocols to new LV motor assembly line here in South Africa,” he says. “All the motors produced from our local facility undergo the same standard of testing and analysis as any of our factories across the world.”

Zest WEG’s extensive manufacturing base in South Africa means that it achieves almost 90% local content capability for its transformers and more than 70% local content capability for other products such as E-houses and panels. These products form part of the company’s wide range of solutions, including energy generation, electrical infrastructure, automation and generator sets.

Client Focus

HIGH-TECH DRIVE SOLUTION MAKES ITS DEBUT AT ELECTRA MINING

One of the star attractions at SEW-EURODRIVE’s stand at the Electra Mining Africa 2022 exhibition was the company’s new-generation MOVI-C® all-in-one modular drive solution, which had its African launch at the show.

In essence, MOVI-C® is a suite of products that automates drive applications, whether they be simple or very complex. It is ideal for optimising or expanding existing automation systems or for rapidly implementing new automation projects where flexibility, rapid deployment and cost-effectiveness are key.

A true 4IR solution that offers huge productivity benefits to users, MOVI-C® can be used in a wide range of applications where processes and operations need to be automated – for example, production lines or packaging operations. “It can be applied to any situation where the speed, acceleration and torque and position of drives needs to be regulated and controlled,” says Dylan Enslin, SEW-EURODRIVE’s MAXOLUTION® engineer.

He adds that MOVI-C® can be used to implement standards-based single-axis or multi-axis applications or customised and/or particularly complex motion control applications or automation solutions.

“Generation C is a big step up from its predecessor Generation B, with better control, higher efficiency, added flexibility and a much-improved interface,” he says. “It represents the future of automation and we see it having a big future in South Africa, and further afield on the African continent.”

MOVI-C® has four main components – the requisite engineering software (MOVISUITE®); advanced control technology (MOVI-C® Controller); cutting-edge inverter technology for motor control (MOVIDRIVE®); and decentralised drive technology (MOVIGEAR® and MOVIMOT®). Together these components represent a single end-to-end modular automation system, all available from SEW-EURODRIVE with no necessity for any add-ins from third parties.

All the components can be fully integrated into any automation design, fieldbus technology or network standard. There is complete freedom of configuration when it comes to the communication technology as MOVI-C® is compatible with protocols from Profibus and Industrial Ethernet through to Modbus, Profinet and EtherCat. Another benefit is the EtherCat CiA402 protocol.

SEW-EURODRIVE's geared motors.
SEW-EURODRIVE’s geared motors.
The new range of SEW-EURODRIVE's MOVIGEAR®.
The new range of SEW-EURODRIVE’s MOVIGEAR®.
SEW-EURODRIVE's MOVI-C® modular automated system.
SEW-EURODRIVE’s MOVI-C® modular automated system.

SEW-EURODRIVE has used MOVI-C® to automate operations at its brand new Aeroton facility in Johannesburg, which now acts as the hub for its African operations. The complex includes a factory which significantly expands SEW-EURODRIVE’s manufacturing capability and which will ultimately assemble most products in the SEW-EURODRIVE range. 

The main production conveyor at the new facility is based on MOVI-C®. The installation includes the MOVIGEAR® mechatronic drive system. The MOVIGEAR® units – which combine an energy-efficient IE5 motor, gear unit and corresponding drive electronics in a single housing – control and drive a conveyor line used in the assembly of gearboxes. The modular nature of the installation means it can easily be extended in the future should the need arise.

Installation of MOVI-C® at the Aeroton facility has resulted in a 40 % productivity gain compared to the less advanced, more manual systems for assembly used in the past, says Jacques Kemp, SEW-EURODRIVE’s Geared Motor Production Manager. “This increase in productivity stems from MOVI-C®’s ability to eliminate ‘wasteful’ activities, which were previously carried out manually but which are now being done by machines.”

Kemp points out that automation should not be seen as a means of reducing employee headcount. “We have not replaced a single worker – quite the opposite, in fact. Instead, we’ve empowered our existing employees to be far more productive. This is what MOVI-C® does.”

The installation not only demonstrates SEW-EURODRIVE’s confidence in MOVI-C® but it will also allow the company to show its customers the system in operation in a ‘real world’ application. 

As Enslin says: “It showcases our abilities very effectively. It will allow customers to see MOVI-C® in action and judge for themselves the efficiencies that can be achieved when SEW-EURODRIVE’s advanced drive technology is installed in a production environment.” 

Client Focus

CONCOR’S TREVENNA PROJECT SECURES TOP SAFETY RATING PLUS 1ST PLACE IN 2022 MBSA NATIONAL SAFETY COMPETITION

Concor, a diversified infrastructure and services construction company has earned a Five Star Safety Grading from the Master Builders South Africa (MBSA) and also secured first place in the National Safety Competition in Category G for projects between R250M and R450M. Both these accolades are in relation to Concor’s construction of the Trevenna Basement project in Sunnyside Pretoria commissioned by the Public Investment Corporation (PIC). 

Both the award and the Five Star Safety Grading from the MBSA reflect the highest level of safety compliance by this leading black-owned construction company. The results are based on a stringent audit process including an on-site audit at the Trevenna site, where Concor began construction early this year. According to Martin Muller, Concor contract manager, the 11-month contract comprises a five level, 68,000 square metre super basement with all services, lobbies and finishes.

“We have deployed five tower cranes on the site to fast track the project, ensuring the safe movement of steelwork, formwork and other construction material,” says Muller. Readymix concrete is being used for the in-situ construction of post-tensioned slabs, with space at a premium due to the busy urban location.

“The exciting results of this compliance audit and the MBSA National Safety Competition hold great credibility as we have been audited and rated in relation to our peers in the sector,” he says. He notes that Concor also conducts its own internal safety audits during the life of the project in line with the Occupational Health and Safety Act and other related regulations.

Concor health, safety and environment (HSE) coordinator Margaret Dube says the MBSA audit included a detailed physical inspection of site activities, housekeeping, cranes and equipment. Aspects such as temporary formwork are also required to be signed off by the responsible engineer. 

“It also checks that all our documentation is compliant with legal requirements,” says Dube. “After scrutinising the condition of our cranes, for instance, the audit team will also check that this equipment has been inspected by a qualified lifting machinery inspector (LMI).”

She highlights the importance of the company’s HSE awareness philosophy: Stop.Think.Act! By applying this culture through visible felt leadership, safety is prioritised among staff and subcontractors alike. 

“Wherever we work, it is vital for Concor managers and supervisors to lead from the front, providing an example for the whole site,” says Muller. “This leadership must apply as much to safety as to production.”

“Concor will continue to elevate health and safety at all its sites, while delivering on projects on behalf of its clients,” Muller concludes.