Documenti di Didattica
Documenti di Professioni
Documenti di Cultura
31
NO 8 AUGUST 2015
R26 incl VAT
Official publication of the SAIMC
OUR COVER 26
REGULARS
VEGA now supplies SIL-qualified
measuring instruments for 04 News digest
06
radiation-based level and point
level measurement. The ProTrac News & events
series was developed accord-
ing to the strict specifications 13 Training
of IEC/EN 61508 and all sensors
in this series fulfil the highest 17 System integrators
standard requirements. In addi-
tion, all ProTrac sensors have an 20 SAIMC news
ingenious asset management
system at their disposal. See this 24 Nick Denbow
month’s cover story on page 26
for more. 92 Product news
FEATURES
Cover story 26 Radiation-based instrumentation for extreme process conditions
Food & beverage 28 Krohne SA, Siemens Southern Africa, ifm electronic SA,
ABB South Africa
Robotics & mechatronics 48 Horne Technologies, SMC Pneumatics, Parker Hannifin SA,
ifm electronic SA
Valves, actuators & pumps 52 Metso Automation, IQ Instruments, Pinnacle Instruments SA,
Emerson Process Management, Macsteel Fluid Control, Mitech,
Gemü Valves Africa, Raptech, Parker Hannifin SA, Heaton Valves
Africa, Valve & Automation, AT Technical Services, Pneumax
Southern Africa
Electrical power & efficiency 68 Yokogawa South Africa, Zest WEG Group, Adroit Technologies,
ABB South Africa, Vert Energy, Rockwell Automation,
Comtest Group
Wireless & telemetry 76 Yokogawa South Africa, Phoenix Contact, RET Automation,
SICK Automation SA
Disclaimer
While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained herein, the publisher and its agents cannot be held responsible for any errors contained, or any loss
incurred as a result. Articles published do not necessarily reflect the views of the publishers. The editor reserves the right to alter or cut copy. Articles submitted are deemed to have been cleared
for publication.
Advertisements, inserts and company contact details are printed as provided by the advertiser. Technews Publishing (Pty) Ltd cannot be held responsible for the accuracy or veracity
of supplied material.
Professional
Andrew’s integrity illuminated everything he did. He
never accepted second-best from himself, on both per-
sonal and professional levels. His honesty shone through
in his journalism and as an editor.
Personable
More than one colleague described Andrew as being “a
true gentleman”. But that wasn’t the only gentleness that
we experienced. His genuine concern over the wellbeing
The automotive industry is based on manufacturers to reduce both the com-
of his colleagues and friends was a hallmark of our inter-
‘just-in-time’ (JIT) and ‘just-in-sequence’ plexity of their systems, as well as their
action with him. His smile was infectious and his humour
(JIS) processes for material provision and installation costs. “Our drive technology
was never at the expense of someone else.
production. JIT is a methodology aimed and expert knowledge ensures maximum
primarily at reducing flow times within productivity, energy efficiency and reli-
Perspicacious
production as well as response times from ability for clients’ systems,” he continues.
Andrew was one of the smartest people with whom we
suppliers and to customers, while JIS is a Variolution is essentially a ‘packaged
have had the privilege to work. He was highly intellectual
specialised inventory strategy to achieve offering’, whereby 80 percent of the pack-
with a remarkable understanding of extremely complex
JIT, whereby components and parts arrive age is standard and 20 percent is cus-
technical problems across a broad range of subjects. His
at a production line right in time as sched- tomisable. This provides customers with
multiple technical and commercial qualifications com-
uled before they get assembled. some level of customisation on top of
bined with a drive to reach perfection in everything he
Maximum system availability is, there- the benefit of a standard tried and tested
did, made him an unparalleled technical writer that the
fore, essential as any downtime results in solution. The benefit is that the customer
industry will sorely miss.
high follow-up costs. SEW-Eurodrive pro- has to deal with less variables and suppli-
Andrew, we will miss you not only for what you did,
vides the local automotive industry with ers during the process of setting up a new
but for who you were.
a unique product portfolio specifically application.
designed to meet these requirements. “There are ten Variolution packages
SEW-Eurodrive Port Elizabeth branch which include conveyer line, packing and
manager Francois Sieberhagen says that unpacking, and lifting, to name a few.
the product offering ranges from indi- Special modifications to meet different
vidual components to complete packages requirements such as energy-efficiency or
and system solutions. “Leading automo- hygienic design have also been taken into
tive manufacturers choose SEW-Eurodrive account. With Variolution, customers are
as the company provides cost-effective provided with on-site commissioning and
drive solutions that deliver more value installation as well,” says Sieberhagen.
over the long-term. We provide a modular According to Sieberhagen, SEW-
design and a reduced number of variants, Eurodrive’s recent involvement in the local
which increases flexibility and minimises automotive industry has been primarily
Andrew and Christine Ashton. costs,” he explains. focused on machine builders and com-
SEW-Eurodrive products most com- ponent suppliers. He does, however,
Andrew’s long association with Technews dates back
monly used in the local automotive anticipate an increase in market share
to his student days when one of his lecturers was Ray
industry are; standard gear motors, with scheduled upgrades due to take
Beaumont, the founder of Technews.
synchronous and asynchronous servo- place at various manufacturing facilities.
In 1990 he became a client of Technews whilst he
motors, Movidrive B application inverters, “We continue to work on expanding our
was MD of Prolocon.
Movifit FC decentralised standard invert- extensive product and service portfolio
In 2004 he joined Technews full-time as the editor
ers, Movipro SDC decentralised standard in order to support and fulfil the needs of
of two of Technews’ publications, SA Instrumentation &
inverters and Movipro ADC decentralised the automotive industry,” he concludes.
Control and Motion Control in Southern Africa.
application inverters.
In 2009 he left full-time employment with
Sieberhagen indicates that the For more information contact Rene Rose,
Technews but remained as consulting and contribut-
latest-generation SEW-Eurodrive SEW-Eurodrive, +27 (0)11 248 7000,
ing editor until his death.
Variolution packages enable automotive rrose@sew.co.za, www.sew.co.za
Appointments
Indecon Instrumentation SEW-Eurodrive has Tectra Automation has
has appointed Lester appointed Erlou Labuschagne appointed Wayne Neethling
Swart as instrumentation as mechatronics application as branch manager for its
sales representative. engineer. Cape Town office.
InterCal has moved
As from 1 July, InterCal will be conducting business from
its new more modern premises. The address is:
581 Lupton Drive
Cnr Johnic Boulevard
Halfway House Ext 12
Midrand
GPS:26.003046S 28.133519E
Tel: +27 (0)11 315 4321
intercal@intercal.co.za
www.intercal.co.za Lester Swart. Erlou Labuschagne. Wayne Neethling.
System integrators
Abacus Automation Afrilek Automation
Abacus Automation supplies innovative, custom-developed technical Afrilek Automation provides superior turnkey automation and electrical
solutions using standard PLCs, drives, scada and motion control solutions, as well as service and support for production facilities. With a
equipment and is now Siemens approved for crane automation. fresh and innovative approach, the company is involved in every stage of
With 16 years in the market, this BEE-certified, award-winning and the project, offering ongoing functional and technical support. Its extensive
internationally acclaimed company has highly qualified, experienced skills encompass all aspects of implementation and operation, including
and professional staff. It operates out of offices in KwaZulu-Natal. panel manufacturing, power management and product distribution.
Tel: +27 (0)31 702 5767 Tel: +27 (0)11 372 9340
sales@abacus-automation.co.za su-anne@afrilek.com
www.abacus-automation.co.za www.afrilek.com
Tel: +27 (0)11 235 7640 Tel: +27 (0)31 705 0400
nwatermeyer@alcom.co.za or +27 (0)16 422 7644
www.alcommatomo.co.za sales@autotronix.co.za
www.autotronix.co.za
Supported by high work ethics, high quality of work, high Hybrid Automation is an approved Siemens system
level of skills, and excellent experienced resources, CSi is integrator and partner for automation and drives, process
ranked amongst top systems integrators in South Africa by instrumentation as well as motion control. This enables it to
various automation industry suppliers and customers. provide its clients with the latest technology and solutions.
Its client base includes major blue chip companies and has
Tel: +27 (0)12 653 7901 gained a strong foothold in virtually all the engineering
andreb@controlsi.co.za verticals.
www.controlsi.co.za
Tel: +27 (0)31 573 2795
info@hybridautomation.co.za
www.hybridautomation.co.za
Tel: +27 (0)12 349 2919 Tel: 0861 NAC ENG (622 364)
alwyn.rautenbach@iritron.co.za admin@nac-eng.com
www.iritron.co.za www.nac-eng.com
System integrators
Process Dynamics PSY Systems
Process Dynamics specialises in industrial automation and PSY Systems is an ABB, LG and Omron system integrator and is involved
process control. The company is one of Africa’s leaders in turnkey in building management systems and process control. Specialising
automation projects and process dynamics, and specialises in in electronic modules, the company offers consultation, project
the integration of scada (Wincc, Wonderware, Citect) and PLC management, project design, development, commissioning and
(Siemens, Schneider, Allen Bradley) as well as panel manufacturing installation of electronic components and control systems for specialised
and installation. applications.
Tel: +27 (0)11 394 5412 Tel: +27 (0)11 782 5449
systems@process-dynamics.co.za paul@psysystems.com
www.process-dynamics.co.za www.psysystems.com
Tel: +27 (0)31 262 6299 Tel: +27 (0)11 231 8900
nimelen@pulsecontrol.co.za info@sam.co.za
www.pulsecontrol.co.za www.sam.co.za
Durban branch
The Durban branch held its annual golf day on green (considering the drought conditions) day, as well as the golfers, sponsors and prize
Friday, 3 July. As often happens with mid-win- and the sponsors’ banners and flags lent a donators, without whom this day would not be
ter days in Durban, the weather was warm and festive air to the occasion. Prize-giving was possible, let alone the success that it was.
breezeless with not a scarf or jacket in sight, a jovial affair with a great array of prizes for In the photos, the winning four-ball from
and the 100 golfers entered into the four-ball everybody and a good old Durban curry and Endress+Hauser (Thys Labuschagne, George
alliance competition were relaxed and in good rice for supper. It also happened to be branch Dyman, Kushal Bugareth and Thys Otto) is seen
spirits as they teed off. The committee decided chairman Howard Lister’s birthday, so a rousing about to tee off and then accepting their trophy.
on a new venue this year and the Kloof Country ‘Happy Birthday’ set the tone for the evening. To view other photographs from the day
Club provided a great and convenient location. The Durban committee would like to thank please go to http://www.instrumentation.
The greens were nicely kept and reasonably Steve Sanders for his help with organising the co.za/7075r
John Owen-Ellis (right) is seen thanking Carmine at the Durban branch July technology meeting. of using this as opposed to existing technolo-
Canale, business development manager of the This very specific and interesting topic gies and of course pipe-centric integration.
Gas Analytics Division of Endress+Hauser who included aspects such as: on-line gas analysis, Judging by the many and varied questions
gave a very interesting presentation on modern sample conditioning system issues, basic prin and interaction after the meeting it was a well
gas analysis techniques for process applications ciples of Raman Spectroscopy, the advantages received and well presented topic.
Johannesburg branch
At the last technology evening, Gary Friend, sales director from Extech
Safety Systems, walked us though the topic “Making Safe Waves in
Hazardous Areas”. Or in other words, can wireless be used in hazard-
ous areas especially when radiated energy has the potential to initiate
explosions?
As wireless devices such as mobile phones and laptop comput-
ers become more reliable and cost effective, there is growing interest
amongst the process industry about the benefits to be found from
enabling such devices for hazardous areas. However, this is not a simple
task. Installing wireless networks in hazardous areas requires careful,
expert planning and execution.
It has always been understood that radio frequency (RF) can cause
ignition in the right set of circumstances. There are now a number
of approval standards that must be adhered to, including the CLC/
TR50427, EN60079 series, IEC60079 series and others such as FM3600.
Fortunately, much of the latest wireless technology that is of interest to
users to deploy in their plants, such as WiFi or RFID, has RF power levels
lower than the 2 W limit. Providing antenna gain does not cause these
levels to be exceeded, and they are installed with adequate protec-
tion e.g. Ex d enclosure, they can be used in a hazardous area without
restrictions. However, when the amount of power is above the safe
levels then CLC/TR50427 can be used to assess the installation for safe
Eric Carter (left) thanks Gary after the presentation.
use in hazardous areas.
A recent development by Extronics, represented by Extech Safety e.g. access points and standard antennas, without further Notified Body
Systems here in South Africa, has completely altered the landscape of certification.
deploying wireless networks in hazardous areas by using the intrinsic The SAIMC thanks Gary for presenting and hosting respectively this
safety protection concept and being able to deploy wireless hardware valued and informative presentation.
housing protects the surroundings against connected in series for level measurement measurement of lime water in flue gas
gamma rays so well that it allows operation in round and conical vessels. Now there is de-sulpherisation. The gauge can also be
even without a control area and at the same FiberTrac, a sensor with flexible plastic fibres. applied to a conveyor belt to measure mass
time protects the isotope from damage. The The flexible detector can be up to 7 m long flow of a hot product such as clinker.
container is also available in a fire-resistant and very simply contoured to the vessel shape.
version as per ISO 7205 and IEC 60405. So today, one single instrument often suffices Set-up and adjustment
The radiation is emitted through a narrow where several were previously required. To ProTrac speaks the language of automation
ray path in the housing and focused in the allow for extremely long measuring ranges, equipment and can be simply integrated
direction of the detector. This radiation emis- FiberTrac can also be cascaded. into any process control system. Setting up
sion channel can be completely closed if For measurement in straight sided vessels a radiometric measurement is now simpler
required. The shutter mechanism of the source there is SoliTrac, which has a classic PVT rod than ever: users can set the parameters of
container can also be pneumatically operated. detector. With its crystal scintillator in compact normal level or density applications with
design, MiniTrac is the specialist for density the on-site adjustment module PLICSCOM
Asset management measurement. And last but not least there is directly on the instrument. For more com-
All ProTrac instruments are equipped with PoinTrac, a level switch that offers a convincing plex measurement setups, the powerful
a smart asset management system for self price and performance capability. and highly effective DTMs and EDDs take
monitoring and diagnosis. It continuously over this task.
checks all components and functions for A range of applications for level, overfill Groom concludes: “With ProTrac,
accuracy and correctness, fully automatically. protection, density and mass flow the user gets perfected radiation-based
ProTrac switches from ‘green’ to ‘yellow’ status measurement measurement technology from a leading
according to the traffic light principle when it VEGA’s ProTrac series of gauges are suitable producer of sensors and gauges. The instru-
recognises even the smallest deviations from for a range of applications; for example, for ment sets standards in the area of safety as
the optimal state. This allows sufficient time to level measurement in a polyester melt process, well as being particularly easy to handle.”
correct the problem well before a real distur- where the gamma radiation penetrates the
bance or breakdown can occur, thus prevent- cylinder despite the rotation of the cylinder For more information contact
ing expensive system standstills. and the great heat generated during the Chantal Groom, VEGA Instruments SA,
process. +27 (0)11 795 3249,
Flexible application options ProTrac is also suitable for level detec- chantal.groom@vega.com,
Until now, multiple rod detectors had to be tion in cellulose production and for density www.vega.com
Although the process steps involved in the regarding indirect fat standardisation, the real required optimisation of calibration. To do so,
production of drinking and extended shelf life fat value must be regularly checked by way of samples are first taken by way of the integrated
(ESL) milk are different, fat standardisation is sampling and laboratory measurements. These sampling valve. During sampling, a button is
generally still taken care of indirectly in both tests take a relatively long time in the laboratory, activated to notify the analyser unit and the
cases using Coriolis flowmeters. A new method meaning intervention in the process is thus cor- measurement, determined over the entire
of fat standardisation using a non-contact, inline respondingly delayed. In the case of deviations period of sampling, is saved in the operating
analysis device capable of measuring the fat from the required fat content, the target value unit. The reference value as determined in the
content in ESL milk with extreme accuracy is is manually changed and more or less cream is laboratory is then entered. If several samples
introduced here. added accordingly. have been measured and entered, the current
calibration can be optimised at the touch of a
The basics of milk production Spectroscopic analysis simplifies the button.
To produce drinking milk with various minimum process The measurements of the Optiquad M were
fat contents, the raw milk is separated in the Krohne’s new Optiquad M is a spectroscopic recorded over several months. The accuracy was
dairy into skim milk (approx. 0,05% fat content) analysis system well suited to the task of fat found to be in the range of the reference mea-
and cream. The Coriolis flowmeter is placed in standardisation, as it performs continuous surements determined in-house and in inde-
the flow of cream to measure the fat content. inline non-contact measurement of fat content pendent laboratories. “Our confidence in the
In addition to measuring the direct mass flow, directly in the drinking milk. In addition, it also device grew when we heard this,” commented
Coriolis flowmeters also measure the density of measures the protein and lactose content in dairy production manager, Armin Tjards. “With
the product. The fat value is calculated using this milk products. The Ammerland dairy processes Krohne’s solution we can measure the fat and
density and a fixed formula. approximately 3,3 million litres of raw milk per protein content directly in the standardised ESL
However, the only reason this fat measure- day and was looking for a solution to the prob- milk, in other words, exactly where we want to
ment is relatively accurate is because the fat lem of fat standardisation in ESL milk. Particular measure. We can now continuously look into
content in the cream flow is sufficiently high. emphasis was placed on continuous accurate the process which means that we were able to
Measurements done in the drinking milk, where measurement to enable improved process set the desired fat content precisely, even in the
producers would actually like to measure the control without time delay. The dairy installed complex production processes of ESL milk.
value, are not nearly accurate enough to regu- an Optiquad M 4050 W. The analyser unit was
late the fat content. installed directly in the production line by way Optiquad M functionality:
Using the current flow rates of skim milk of a standard Varinline process connection The analysis system uses optical spectroscopy to
and cream, it is possible to calculate how much without bypass. This entire measuring section measure the contents of milk products continu-
cream must be added to achieve the desired fulfils the high hygienic requirements and is ously and without contact. In the process, light
fat content in the standardised milk. In addition FDA-compliant. of varying wavelengths is coupled into the
to the inaccuracies of the measuring and final The analyser unit contains no moving parts, product through an optical window. The system
controlling devices, the approximate 0,02% and the wetted parts are cleaned via CIP. The simultaneously determines the values of up to
fluctuation range of the fat value in skim milk operating unit, built in a stainless steel housing, four optical effects (transmission, scattering,
plays a role when it comes to customer require- is installed in close proximity to the analyser and fluorescence and refraction) which manifest in
ments for high accuracy. Consider also the many connected using a serial interface. Its purpose is different ways depending on the substances in
process steps involved in ESL milk production, to display the measurements, make them avail- the product, and then uses them to calculate the
whereby partial flows can be pasteurised, able to the control unit via 4-20 mA outputs and amounts of protein, fat and lactose.
homogenised and micro filtered, it is easy to see enable all entries and actions. To this end, the
why the inline measurement of fat content is operating unit is fitted with a modern industrial For more information contact John
advantageous. PC featuring touchscreen operation. Alexander, Krohne SA, +27 (0)11 314 1391,
Taking into account the various uncertainties The operating unit also takes care of any j.alexander@krohne.com, www.krohne.com
For more information contact ifm electronic SA, 086 143 6772,
info.za@ifm.com, www.ifm.com/za
Michael Kurz is manager of the design and systems. We even produce the pouches pouch on the market known as Caps. Were
development department at Indag Germany, ourselves. Only the foil, which is just a tenth of you not worried about breaking with
a subsidiary of Wild, a world leading supplier a millimetre thick, is produced and supplied tradition?
of natural flavour ingredients for the food by an external company according to strict A: It was a clever marketing concept to
industry. Capri-Sonne and Caps are private specifications. extend the product range and revitalise the
brands of Wild. Indag, founded in 1952, devel- brand. The target group for Capri-Sonne is
ops and implements state-of-the-art process Q: Each year, 5 billion pouches across the children up to 12 years of age. Caps on the
systems and filling and packaging machines world are filled with Capri-Sonne. You other hand are designed to appeal to young
for the food and beverage industry. would think that would give you enough to adults. We were tasked with designing a
do, but you also supply machines to other resealable shaped pouch without affecting
Q: What drives the systems of the Capri- branded companies, don’t you? the throughput rate of the machine. We are
Sonne manufacturer Wild? A: We have been designing and manufactur- proud to have come up with such a good
A: With the exception of the US, it is almost ing systems for other companies for about solution. We have had a great deal of success
always SEW-Eurodrive. When I started at Indag three years now under the name Indag Pouch with this new machinery, particularly on the
in 1994, my first project was to speed up Systems. We supply systems to the food, open market.
process times in production. Servo drives from drinks, pet food and pharmaceutical industries.
SEW-Eurodrive were best equipped to handle We take on turnkey projects covering the Q: Capri-Sonne, Caps, intelligent filling
this task. The next quantum leap in filling entire process chain, including downstream technology, marketing solutions – is there
speeds followed at the end of the ‘90s – from and upstream equipment. anything left that can challenge you as a
324 to 500 pouches per minute. Now, one line development manager?
is able to fill and close the pouches, attach Q: What was the most challenging problem A: At present, we are designing stand-up
straws, and package the drinks ready for deliv- you were faced with when improving the pouches for other foodstuffs, such as milk
ery. It is true to say that servo technology is the systems? drinks, coffee or tea. These types of products
key in the production processes today. A: It may not sound very interesting for cannot be kept at warm temperatures for
anyone unfamiliar with the industry, but long after sterilisation because the ingred
Q: The stand-up pouch has been part of one of the most challenging problems was ients, particularly the flavour additives, would
the branding of Capri-Sonne for almost 40 to develop a solution for attaching straws to suffer. They must be kept cold, which means
years now. Do you think it is also the reason the Capri-Sonne pouches. In this process, the they must be filled under aseptic conditions.
for the product’s worldwide success? horizontal pouches must be transferred to a We are concentrating our energies on this
A: Yes, it is one of the factors of the company’s conveyor belt at full speed (1,2 m/s) with exact project at the moment. I am sure we will be
success, besides the brand and the recipe. positioning. As our development partner, SEW- able to introduce a prototype by the end of
Company founder Rudolf Wild established Eurodrive had an important part to play in the year. That would represent another break-
the packaging as an integral part of the brand this development. In fact, we were one of the through for our packaging philosophy.
right from the beginning. The stand-up pouch, first companies to use the new Movi-PLC in an
made of a three-ply composite material, is a industrial application. For more information contact Rene Rose,
packaging concept in its own right. This is why SEW-Eurodrive, +27 (0)11 248 7000,
we produce our own filling and packaging Q: In 2002, Wild launched a new type of rrose@sew.co.za, www.sew.co.za
The cap lining machines from MMC Packaging from MMC can also run several tooling types, electrical designer, MMC Packaging. Using auto-
cut the lining material (pulp, foam, cardboard eliminating the downtime associated with matic timing in software, the LM-270 machine,
or foil) and insert it into the cap. Depending on production changeover. with all its connected peripherals, can change
the machine configuration, cutting may take speed on the fly and adapt the production rate
place as rotary die cutting; i.e. rolls of liners are PC-based control increases efficiency of the machine to the client’s needs to main-
pre-cut and subsequently fed to the insertion The control hardware previously used by MMC tain high throughput, among other concerns.
station. With punch and die technology, the Packaging had reached its technological limits: TwinCAT 3 NC PTP controls and synchronises
liners are cut and inserted into the cap in a “The processing speed, system memory, data the indexing, cutting, and insertion of the lining
single operation. Subsequently, a vision system storage and database capabilities would not material with registration marks. “TwinCAT 3
inspects the caps to ensure they are free of allow any further optimisation of our machine,” Scope records all the data in the process,” con-
defects before they are sorted or moved to the explains Mathieu Ouellet, vice president of tinues Letourneau. “The PC is not only a central
next production step. business and product development. “We controller, but also a production data recorder.”
MMC Packaging has designed various lining needed more processing power on the one
machine versions to suit different cap sizes and hand, and greater flexibility of the control Modernised machine operation with
types: up to 1200 caps can be processed per platform on the other. In addition, we wanted multi-touch
minute, depending on the type of machine a state-of-the-art user interface with a wide The LM-270 lining machine uses a multi-touch
and the operating mode. MMC’s best-selling variety of standard programming tools.” control panel from the Beckhoff CP391x
machine, the LM-270, performs 150 cycles per The complete automation of the LM-270, series as its HMI hardware. “With the PC and
minute, according to president and owner, including the feeding, cutting and mounting of EtherCAT-based control platform, we created
Philippe McNally. The cutting and insertion the liner, inspection/rejection, and the con a state-of-the-art user interface that provides
of the liner can be done both for one and firmation of rejects, runs on a PC-based control the client with important production data in
two caps at a time, so that up to 300 parts system from Beckhoff. A C6525 Industrial PC real-time,” comments Letourneau. “This also
can be processed per minute. The settings (IPC) with Intel Celeron dual-core processor includes comprehensive operational and per-
of every component in the line are managed and TwinCAT 3 automation software provides formance data from the machine. MMC clients
automatically, so changing a recipe or produc- the foundation for the control system. “With have up-to-the-second information regard-
tion parameters can be done at the press of TwinCAT 3, manual intervention is minimised ing the health and efficiency of equipment,
a button and production changeovers take when performing timing changes on the optimising maintenance efforts and boosting
less than 30 minutes. Some machine models machine,” stresses Yan Letourneau, senior machine uptime.”
MMC Packaging utilises 3D models and tutorial videos for operator as an interface to other networks and protocols when required.”
training and support regarding the handling of the new control platform. “The first stage of the controller upgrade has now been successfully
“The ability to run the Windows-based graphical interface, as well as PLC completed,” states Anthi Balafoutis, sales and marketing coordinator,
and motion control tasks, on a single device was, in our view, a huge MMC Packaging. “So far we have converted the LM-270 machines, our
factor in favour of PC-based control,” stresses Ouellet. “Our 3D manual MMC-icon user interface, and our QTVision inspection system to the
uses multi-touch functionality, programmed using C++ and C with pinch PC-based control platform. The next step will be to implement this
gestures for zooming in and out, allowing customers to view valuable technology in our entire range of machines.”
equipment information, for example.”
Tried and tested in the LM-270 cap lining machine, the PC-based For more information contact Kenneth McPherson, Beckhoff
control platform is now also employed by MMC Packaging in its QTVision Automation, +27 (0)11 795 2898, k.mcpherson@beckhoff.com,
inspection system, which checks the quality of the caps. In this case, www.beckhoff.co.za
a CX2040 Embedded PC, with TwinCAT 3 automation software and
EtherCAT as the system bus, simultaneously runs several automation, con-
trol, and data acquisition tasks. “With four cameras, we can now inspect
up to 2400 caps per minute and process up to 9 600 images per minute
without causing strain on the CPU,” confirms Letourneau.
EtherCAT as the universal system bus for I/O, motion and safety
“Thanks to EtherCAT, control speeds in the low microsecond range are
now commonplace for MMC Packaging, such as triggering cameras in the
vision system at 250 microseconds,” notes Letourneau. “The integrated
TwinSAFE safety solution from Beckhoff represents further added value.
We use standard Ethernet cables for safety technology as all the safety
data now goes through the EtherCAT protocol and there are TwinSAFE
terminals in use throughout the machine. A system-integrated pro-
grammable safety solution is much easier to modify in the future as our
machine designs evolve.” MMC Packaging primarily uses TwinSAFE for
emergency stops, safety devices, and for safety measures on drives. The
TwinSAFE drive option cards are used on the Beckhoff AX5000 Servo
Drives to implement safe stop functions (STO, SS1).
The basic requirement for the use of the (4-20 mA output) in a range of -50 to 250°C.
TR21 in sterilisation processes under With a case diameter of only 19 mm, the
saturated steam is its consistent sealing TR21 can also be integrated into the smallest
concept (IP69K ingress protection). The units. The thermometer also offers explosion
new instrument option adds to this feature protection and is certified as intrinsically safe in
with an electrical system of high-quality accordance with ATEX and IECEx.
components which are matched to the high
temperatures (134°C) found in autoclaves. The For more information contact
hygienic thermometer operates with a direct WIKA Instruments, +27 (0)11 621 0000,
sensor output (Pt100) or integrated transmitter sales@wika.co.za, www.wika.co.za
Emerson Process Management’s Micro Motion gain better insight into their processes for meet B31.1 design standards and code stamp
Coriolis and Rosemount 8800 vortex flow- improved operations.” certification include all carbon steel flanged,
meters have been certified to the ASME B31.1 B31.1 power piping design standard certifi- reducer and dual vortex meters with flange rat-
power piping design standards, in addition to cation applies to all areas of the power plant ings up to and including ASME Class 1500 (PN
the existing B31.3 process piping standard. except for boiler external piping (BEP), and is a 160) on 1-inch (DN25) through 8-inch (DN200)
“We are committed to serving the power basic design requirement for products sold into meter body sizes and ASME Class 600 (PN100)
industry and are excited to announce compli- the power industry. B31.1 code stamp certifica- on 10-inch (DN250) and 12-inch (DN300) meter
ance to B31.1 power piping design standards,” tion applies to the BEP area of the plant. body sizes.
said Andy Dudiak, president of Micro Motion at Compliance with B31.1 power piping
Emerson Process Management. “Micro Motion design standard is offered on several of the For more information contact Michael
Coriolis and Rosemount vortex meters bring Micro Motion Coriolis Meters – including Elite, Eksteen, Emerson Process Management, +27
accurate, reliable measurement to a wide range F-series and R-series meters. (0)11 451 3700, michael.eksteen@emerson.
of applications, helping electricity generators Rosemount 8800 vortex products that com, www.emersonprocess.com
Higher-precision pressure
transmitters added to Sitrans family
Siemens has extended the Sitrans P family of with an orifice meter the Sitrans P410 is ideally deviation to 0,065 percent with a turndown
its pressure transmitter portfolio. By adding suited for applications such as the flow of 1:1 to 5:1. This allows plant efficiency to be
the newly developed Sitrans P310 and P410 measurements required when filling and further increased when performing processes
to the basic and advanced segments, and the emptying gas tanks. The same applies to such as level measurement, as the new
proven Sitrans P500, in the premium segment, pressure measurements for process gases or technology enables better utilisation of
Siemens is now able to offer the right device fluids in low and high pressure applications shut-off limits for tank filling levels. These
class to address every conceivable measurement up to 700 bar. The Sitrans P500 rounds off the improvements and the wider relative pressure
requirement. The proven Sitrans P DS III has Sitrans P family in the premium segment with range, which has been extended with a
also been technically innovated. The new standard measurement ranges from 50 mbar 250 mbar cell, make this the highest
developments deliver even more accurate to 32 bar. In terms of performance, precision, performing transmitter for flue gas measurements
measurement results across the whole long-term stability and diagnostic scope, the in power stations and incineration plants.
pressure transmitter range. differential pressure transmitter is capable of All of the transmitter series are simple to
The Sitrans family provides a high-precision coping with the most stringent demands. operate using just three push buttons, and
product portfolio to cover any conceivable With a response time of 88 ms and an ability offer a long-term stability of 0,125 percent
measurement need with its comprehensive to operate in temperatures of -49 to 125°C, over a period of five years, allowing calibration
range of device classes, from the basic model, the Sitrans P500 is ideally suited for the cycles to be extended and maintenance work
the P310, through the advanced Sitrans P410 ultra-precise measurement of differential reduced with all the associated cost savings.
to the proven premium Sitrans P500. The P310 pressure, filling level and flow rate. They are also certified to SIL 2/3 and dispose
pressure transmitter offers a measurement Still available is the tried and tested Sitrans the commonly required Ex zone certifications.
accuracy of 0,075 percent, making it ideal for P DS III. This product from the advanced
applications in fields such as water supply and segment has been innovated to feature For more information contact Keshin
disposal. premium sensor technology, bringing about Govender, Siemens Southern Africa, +27 (0)11
With its extreme measurement accuracy an improvement in accuracy and temperature 652 2412, keshin.govender@siemens.com,
of 0,04 percent, when used in combination range, as well as optimising measurement www.siemens.co.za
area approvals
measurement ranges are in liquids up to 25 m
and in solids up to 12 m. The Sonicont USG/
USF is mainly used in places where the opera-
tion does not take place locally, e.g. in high
silos or tanks, or when the user wishes the
display and parameterisation to be external WIKA’s multi-function UPT-2x is a solution for
to the sensor. The designs range from front tasks in pressure, level and volume measurement.
panel mounting housings for the cabinet Its sensor, with a measuring range between
door, on to weather-proof DIN rail mounting 0-400 mbar and 0-1000 bar depending on the
up to wall-mounted versions. requirement, operates with an accuracy of up to
All devices of the series Sonicont have 0,1% of the measuring span. For applications in the
a backlit TFT display that combines bright pharmaceutical and food industries, flush-mount
display of the measured values with an USG/USF devices can also be supplied with versions are available. The electronics are protected
excellent operability. The combination of a real-time clock with battery backup to save by a conductive plastic case, or optionally by a
large buttons, the bright display, and intui- the time stamps. Other features include: stainless steel case in hygienic design.
tive menu navigation, simplifies the installa- • Process temperature range from -40 to 85°C. The measuring ranges of the UPT-2x are
tion. Commissioning is usually completed in • Weather proof (IP68). freely scalable and can therefore be adjusted to
a few minutes via the software that records • Analog output 4-20 mA and 4 switching individual measurement tasks. An intuitive-to-use
the environmental conditions with various outputs. menu in accordance with the HARTv7 standard and
diagnostic functions designed to fade out • Accuracy 0,2%. the integrated display make programming easier.
any false echoes. The sensors all have a data • Hermetically sealed sensors made of PVDF With its handling without the need for tools, its
logger that allows over 500 000 recorded for the highest chemical resistance. high long-term stability and its universal applica-
measurements, which can be seen directly • The Sonicont USG sensor can be installed tion possibilities, the UPT-2x is also a cost-effective
as a chart representation. Since the user may up to 30 m from the transmitter. solution.
choose the timeframe in which to record,
there is the possibility of measuring values For more information contact Veni Reddy, For more information contact WIKA Instruments,
over weeks to analyse, visualise and opti- Allpronix, +27 (0)11 795 9500, +27 (0)11 621 0000, sales@wika.co.za,
mise processes. As an option, the Sonicont veni@allpronix.com, www.allpronix.com www.wika.co.za
Flexible relative
humidity instruments
for industrial users
Michell Instruments has released its latest range of
relative humidity transmitters for industrial applications.
As well as being flexible, for use in a wide range of
processes, the HygroSmart 280/290 series includes
an interchangeable sensor that allows for routine
maintenance to be made in just 30 seconds for most
models.
At the heart of each instrument is the new
HygroSmart I7000XP. This sensor is fully replaceable,
and, because all the calibration data is incorporated,
makes routine maintenance and recalibration as easy as
changing a light bulb. The I7000XP uses Michell’s latest
polymer capacitive sensing technology, the H8000 tile to
provide reliable accuracy of 1% RH.
The HygroSmart 280/290 series features a number
of configurations designed to suit different applications.
This includes duct- and wall-mounted as well
as remote sensor versions, each with optional
displays for easy interrogation and configuration. New
software also allows for easy access to all configuration
settings and data collection from a control room.
The units are configurable to suit specific needs
including outputs, units and alarms. Michell Instruments
Compact vortex
is a provider of field measurement solutions of
humidity and temperature.
flowmeter with
For more information contact Instrotech,
+27 (0)10 595 1831, sales@instrotech.co.za,
www.instrotech.co.za
TFT display
The new vortex flowmeters from ifm known as the vortex principle, is virtually
electronic are space-saving devices independent of pressure and temperature
that quickly inform the user about the fluctuations of the medium.
current volumetric flow and medium The new SV type devices are best
temperature. The multi-colour display suited for use in cooling water circuits.
can be rotated electronically and the They can be used for water with and
red/green colour selection for process without conductivity. Outputs for flow
values can be set. Installation can be rate and temperature are switched
independent of orientation due to the output, analogue current signal
rotatable G and R process connections (4-20 mA), as a frequency signal, or
which are optionally available. via IO-Link. Thanks to the vortex
Behind a bluff body integrated in the principle with its simple constructive
measuring pipe, the flowing medium design, the sensors are cost effective
generates swirling vortices depending on and feature intuitive menu-guided
its velocity. These vortices are detected programming.
by a piezo-ceramic sensor. If the cross-
section is known, the number of vortices For more information contact
allows determination of the flow rate. ifm electronic SA, 086 143 6772,
This flow rate measurement principle, info.za@ifm.com, www.ifm.com/za
User-friendly
mass flow
controller
EL-Flow Prestige is the next generation of Bronkhorst mass flow meters/
controllers for gases. Nearly all core components have been redesigned
and many improvements and innovations have been incorporated. With
this new series Bronkhorst introduced the ‘differential temperature
balancing’ technology to ensure high accuracy and superb sensor
stability.
New, power-efficient micro-processors with innovative multistage
control loops have been applied to achieve enhanced dynamic
behaviour and the new metal housing is of robust yet compact design.
EL-Flow Prestige represents a ground-breaking shift in versatility and
user-friendliness, featuring an on-board gas conversion model, various
fieldbus options and customisable I/O functions.
The control performance is factory adjusted for swift response to
setpoint changes, without overshoot. Moreover, the controllers are
highly resistant to mechanical shocks and pressure fluctuations that may
be caused by other devices consuming gas from the same source. As an
option the MFCs can be tuned for extra fast flow response (down to 500
milliseconds) or extra smooth control, depending on the requirements
of the user’s process. The dynamic behaviour can also easily be tuned
on site by adjusting the controller speed settings via the FlowTune or
FlowPlot software tools. These can also be used for device diagnostics or
alarm and counter settings.
Drive systems from Faulhaber defy the harsh conditions of a 10-year journey through the vacuum
and low temperatures of space.
4:33 AM 14 June 2015. “Hello Earth! Can you hear Because of the small size of the comet, further important tasks to perform in order to
me?” A lonely robot, freezing on an isolated about the size of Mt. Fuji in Japan, the force transform the kinetic energy generated during
space fragment, cheerily reaches out through of gravity is very low in the region making the landing into electrical energy and finally
Twittersphere to herald its reawakening. Seven it difficult to ensure a secure stance on the into heat using a spindle drive. A Faulhaber
months after being forced into an ultra low- surface. Thus, the Max-Planck-Institut for 3557 series bell-type armature motor was
power state of hibernation, the Rosetta Mission’s Extraterrestrial Physics developed a special connected directly through an external resistor
Philae lander has finally stirred from its slumber anchor system for the probe. Immediately and operated as a generator in this case.
on the icy surface of Comet 67P/Churyumov- after ground contact on landing, two har- Additional drives from the 1224 series
Gerasimenko, some 600 million kilometres away. poons were to be shot by a propellant charge were used in the three-legged landing gear of
In November 2014, Philae had touched into the surface of the comet to lodge into it. the craft in order to swivel or rotate the upper
down to global applause as it became the first (Barbs were provided to prevent these anchor part by means of a cardan joint, so that the
spacecraft ever to land on the nucleus of a fittings from tearing themselves loose again.) solar panels would always remain optimally
comet. But, it had come to rest in the shadow As each harpoon shot out, it would have aligned. Microdrives were also needed for
of a crater. With its solar panels now unable unwound a cable from a circular magazine. By taking samples: the lander has a drill that
to harvest the sunlight required to keep the means of a Faulhaber 1628 series brushless feeds core samples into an oven for pyrolysis.
batteries charged, the diminutive craft had servomotor with a 16/7 planetary gearhead, Small 1016 series motors with 10/1 planetary
been able to work only 60 hours before being this cable would then be wound back onto a gearhead drive a cam via a worm arrange-
obligated to “go dark” in the primordial wilder- drum until taut in order to secure the probe ment. This provides feed to a ceramic breech
ness it had come to explore. to the surface. At least that was the plan – piece on the oven and simultaneously closes
As luck would have it, Comet 67P’s ellipti- unfortunately the harpoons were not fired, the electrical contacts for the oven heating
cal orbit has now changed its position relative the rewinding mechanism was not used, and element. The combustion gases generated
to the sun just enough for the rays to light up Philae ended up bouncing three times even- in the furnace are then routed through tubes
the solar panels of Philae’s outer shell. This is tually coming to rest in a crater. Nevertheless, in the oven latch to the scientific instru-
what breathed life back into the little comet the miniature laboratory was still able to ments for analysis. During its first scientific
chaser, including the 14 Faulhaber drive sys- begin its analyses as planned. phase, which lasted a total of 60 hours, the
tems which defied the harsh conditions of the lander performed all of the planned scien-
10-year journey through the vacuum and low Landing gear and sample analysis tific measurements on the comet surface.
temperatures of space. During the landing phase, other motors had Philae successfully transmitted this data to
When Renault began development on its new drive to improve production efficiency. involves the use of robotic technology.
generation K9 engine to meet the now obliga- Renault was one of the original adopt- However, these utilise valuable space and are
tory Euro6 regulations, it needed to develop ers of SMC’s electric range of products and costly, and complicated to program and main-
new processes in various areas of its Valladolid has not been disappointed with the results, tain. So, it was Renault’s ambition to replace
plant in Spain. All of these were required expressing its satisfaction with the LEF actua- these, where possible, with more efficient
to support its SPR and lean manufacturing tors. According to Bester, the actuators have alternative solutions.
principles. According to Johan Bester, head of provided Renault with the high degree of As a result, SMC’s LEF actuators have been
sales at SMC Pneumatics South Africa, the K9 flexibility required for the development of new installed in place of a robot, with the ability to
produces fewer than 80 mg/km of nitrogen products, and at a very competitive price. cover eight different positions whilst with-
oxides, which is a requirement of Euro6. It Renault also believes that continuous col- standing heavy loads. The actuators are also
features steel pistons that generate less friction laboration with SMC has been key to the easy to program and maintain, and deliver
and delivers 3% lower fuel consumption. integration of the electric actuators, and has production efficiencies across all key areas.
The particular challenges facing Renault’s reinforced the image of the company as a com- Since installing the electric actuators,
production system (SPR) was how to maximise ponents supplier for the automotive industry. Renault has significantly reduced the cycle
efficiency and output while optimising the and overall operation times, as well as saving
available space and keeping maintenance as Continuous improvement is the vision significant space in production area.
simple as possible. Being Japanese owned, SMC shares Renault’s “It’s a great example of lean manufactur-
SPR principle through the kaizen (continuous ing and has provided Renault with the perfect
LEF actuators meet the requirements improvement) philosophy and collectively solution to its production challenges, and
With ambitious targets to reduce overall both teams are always striving to enhance the ultimately helped it to bring a highly competi-
costs of the new engine whilst maintaining manufacturing process, so that it is as lean tive product to market,” concludes Bester.
quality, Renault needed an experienced and and efficient as possible. This allowed the key
trusted components supplier. SMC with its LEF objectives of reducing production time by 50% For more information contact SMC
actuators met the requirement to support the and minimising maintenance time and cost, to neumatics South Africa, +27 (0)11 568 2407,
P
screw driven parts of the process. Their highly be comfortably achieved. sales@smcpneumatics.co.za,
repeatable action was a key benefit in the A key part of Renault’s production process www.smcpneumatics.co.za
AS-I M8 compact
modules for limited
space
The AS-i M8 modules from ifm electronic are suitable for applications
where space is limited. The units are equipped with ecolink connec-
tion technology and full potting ensures high shock and vibration
resistance.
The compact modules require little space due to their slim design.
They are suitable for robotics, handling technology and assembly tech-
nology. They have a protection rating of IP67/IP68 and are quickly and
easily installed via two fixing holes from the front or from the side.
The ecolink technology mounts easily. An integrated mechanical end
Parker Hannifin stop protects the O-ring from damage and rapid and secure installation
is possible without a torque wrench.
extends air motors For more information contact ifm electronic SA, 086 143 6772,
info.za@ifm.com, www.ifm.com/za
series
P1V-M air motors now offer two new power
ratings plus ATEX certification.
Parker Hannifin has extended its P1V-M air vane motors range to include
two new sizes, namely 900 and 1200 Watts, combined with new ATEX (II 2
GD C IIC T4) certified variants and a non-gearbox derivative. Together with
the existing 200, 400 and 600 Watt models, the P1V-M series represent one
of the largest power ranges available in the global market today.
Due to its compact design, the P1V-M is suitable for deployment in a
wide range of industries such as machine builders, food and beverage,
packaging and conveying, chemical industry, and in plant automotive.
This compact design also helps to reduce machine build footprint. The
P1V-M is also suitable for use in particularly harsh environments, under
extremes of vibration and operating at temperatures between -20 and
110ºC. Similarly, as there are no electrical connections, the air motor can
be used in hazardous environments hence the ATEX (II 2 GD C IIC T4)
certification.
The P1V-M is capable of providing output shaft free speeds from 32
to a maximum of 10 500 rpm, with torque up to about 120 Nm. High
levels of torque can be achieved at low speeds, and in common with all
Parker air motors, the P1V-M can be used as a replacement for traditional
electric motors and – power for power it offers a more compact solution.
Featuring the ability to be loaded until stall, the P1V-M can be stopped
and started continuously without damage. What’s more the direction of
rotation is reversible simply by changing the direction of the airflow.
Designed and manufactured from hardwearing robust materials the
P1V-M series features a patented vane change system. This innovation
delivers real benefits in terms of minimising machine downtime. When
it comes time for service, the motor can be left in situ and all the user
needs to do is to loosen the screws that hold the rear piece to the motor,
and then remove the old vanes if they are worn and insert new ones.
Controlling abrasive fluids is known to be a cover ring and seat ring. When inspecting the
challenge for any industrial application. All valve valves approximately 40 days after the installa-
technologies have pros and cons, and they need tion, water leaked through the body. The water
to be evaluated in the light of the media to be was leaking through a hole just in the middle of
controlled. The main ratios to be taken into the body and additionally, the inlet cover ring,
account are purchase cost, installation cost and ball sector and seat ring were badly worn.
most importantly when it comes to abrasive
media; the cost for maintanance. Application 1: Iron ore dressing plant
Ramén’s KSG is a rubber lined valve that Throttling of deposit from thickener:
offers extended resistance to wear and tear in • Flow 120-240 m3/h with 10–30% solids. Measures and results
the valve for slurries, gravel, powder, iron ore • Grain size about 1 mm. Two years after installation the KSG rubber
and other highly abrasive media. The natural • Inlet pressure – 0,8 bar. lined valve was taken out of service. The rubber
rubber design, applied on the ball sector and in • Pressure drop 0.8 bar. was beginning to come loose from the sector
the valve house gives a valve with very long life but the valve was in very good condition.
time in any situation with maintained throttling Measures and results Experiences has established the KSG valve
and isolating characteristics. The KSG was devel- Soft natural rubber is, in certain cases, much design as the preferred valve technology in
oped in the beginning of the 1970s together more resistant than steel. A soft rubber lined severe services and replaced other valve tech-
with mining companies in Sweden. When a size 150 mm was installed in exactly the same nologies e.g pinch valves.
high end control or a long life isolating valve is application.
needed for tough media the Ramén KSG valve The valve was then taken out for inspection Conclusions
can be used in wafer and flanged design. after 6 months (after 4 months continuous ser- Since the development of the Ball Sector
vice), and absolutely no damage from wear was Valves in 1968 and the KSG in 1973 Ramén Ball
Challenge observed. Several other valve technologies had Sector Valves have been used successfully in
Prior to the development and use of rubber been tested e.g. rubber pinch valve, lined but- thousands of installations in mining and other
lined valves, the standard solution found in terfly valves etc. in the same service and none industries for controlling abrasive media with
mining operations handling abrasive media had lasted more than about 2 months. outstanding ratios for purchase cost, installa-
were stainless steel or iron cast valves. This tion cost and mostly important, the costs for
proved to be an inefficient solution, both Application 2 maintenance and replacements.
technically as well as financially. To provide an Throttling control of water to magnetic separa-
example Ramén, at several occasions in mining tor where iron is separated from granite. For more information contact
operations, installed a standard stainless steel • Flow 90 m3/h with 12–15 g solids/litre. Pinnacle Instruments SA, +27 (0)11 450 4885,
ball sector valve type KS size 150 mm, with hard • Inlet pressure – 2 bar. pinnaclesales@pinnacle-ice.com,
chromium faced ball sector and stellite inlet • Pressure drop 2 bar. www.pinnacle-ice.com
Normally, control valves for use in process control circuits band setting of a mere 0,2 %, even with these small strokes, this
are equipped with pneumatic actuators. The advantages of motorised actuator achieves a repeatability accuracy of up to
this design are rapid positioning speed and high resolution 0,1 %. These values for resolution and repeatability are better by
of the valve position, both being prerequisites in achieving a a factor of 10 than those of valve actuators available up to now
satisfactory standard of control accuracy. However, in this case on the market and are setting new standards for motorised
the power supply can be a cause of concern since a supply of actuators – in particular where small strokes are involved.
instrument quality air is needed for the actuation of the almost
always required positioner. In principle, an electrical power Quick commissioning and sturdy construction
supply would be less problematical for this purpose, but the Furthermore, this motorised actuator offers self adaptation for
positioning of motorised control valves is very often slow and quick commissioning.
they are subject to very high hysteresis which makes them By pushing a button, the actuator searches for the end
unsuitable for many control tasks. positions of the valve. As a result, it takes the operator just a few
seconds to adapt the actuator to the particular valve. Naturally,
New motorised actuation from Schubert & Salzer this can also be done by using the optionally available commu-
The new motorised actuation from Schubert & Salzer Control nications software DeviceConfig. Moreover, the software also
Systems has overcome these drawbacks as it sets new bench- offers the opportunity to define all parameters extremely easily.
marks in terms of resolution and positioning speed. The Monitoring and self diagnostic functions optimise operating
actuation of the 2030 series, comprising an electric stepping reliability and simplify preventive maintenance.
motor, a flexible coupling, gear box and stroke detection, is Its sturdy aluminium body and separate terminal box are
designed and manufactured to a high degree of precision. The ideal prerequisites for harsh operating conditions, which are
stepping motor defines 400 steps per revolution. Every part of reflected also in the high IP67 protection level. The terminals
the gearbox is made of steel which guarantees a long service are easily accessible and enable connections for 230, 115 and
life. Therefore, each step of the motor results in a displacement 24 VAC or 24 VDC power supplies, and set point signal connec-
of a mere 1,5 μm. At the same time, the new 2030 actuator can tions of 0-20 mA or 0-10 V. A binary actuation (On/Off/Stop)
achieve positioning speeds of up to 1,3 mm/sec. via a 24 VDC signal is also available, as is a separate manual
Furthermore, the stroke detection for feeding back the operation mode.
position consists of extremely sturdy metal guides, a linear The new Schubert & Salzer Control Systems motorised valve
potentiometer and limit switches with Hall sensors. By using a offers high speed and precision for control processes involv-
12 bit AC/DC converter and a special interpolation process, the ing neutral to highly aggressive media flows in the chemical
position of the stroke can be detected precisely with a resolu- industry or process engineering.
tion of about 3 μm. Although the sliding gate valves 8038 series
combined with this 2030 actuator has a stroke of only 6 mm, For more information contact Keith Hedges, Macsteel Fluid
the resolution and, therefore, the level of control, are very high, Control, +27 (0)82 575 9354, keith.hedges@macfluid.co.za,
taking just 4,5 seconds to open or close. With a standard dead www.macsteel.co.za
Safety in
high pressure
applications
Metso’s new XH series high pressure ball valves by Neles
have been designed to deliver safety and reliability for
multiple high pressure applications. Modern safety and
emission standards are setting a new demand level for
valve products. The new XH series is ready to meet these
requirements in higher pressure classes, ASME 900/EN PN
160. The XH, designed to meet low emissions (ISO 15848),
functional safety (IEC 61508-2:2010, SIL 3) and fire safety
(API 607) standards still provides all the traditional bene-
fits that Neles ball valves are famous for. These provide
a low cost of ownership due to less need for servicing,
high production yield due to long lasting high tightness
and general trouble-free operation in both shut-off and
throttling applications.
The benefits are delivered through Metso’s extensive
experience in ball valve technologies including applica-
tion-based seat selection, material and coating technolo-
gies, and robust bearing construction. Reliable operations
are ensured in temperatures ranging from -50 to 600°C.
Material options range from a forged carbon steel body
to fully Ni-based high grade alloys used in oxygen service.
valve adjustment
Mitech’s pneumatic and electro-pneu- standard, the positioners are suitable
matic positioners are advanced control for a 20-100 kPa or 4-20 mA signal
devices that provide stability in diffi- with an air supply of up to 10 bar.
cult environments and great precision Mitech’s conventional positioners
in valve adjustment. The positioners offer two alternative supply ports and
are ideal for harsh environments while two alternative signal ports. They are
maintaining precise, accurate posi- intrinsically safe with ATEX approval
tioning of the control element. Units and no regulator is required making
can easily be changed from direct to them ideal for 1 000 kPa operation.
reverse action, or vice versa. Low air The positioners can be mounted
consumption keeps operating costs to linear actuators to DIN/IEC 534,
at a minimum, while still responding mounted to linear power cylinders,
quickly and accurately. and mounted to rotary actuators to
Easy to set up and calibrate, the VDI/VDE 3845.
positioners are modular in design
making them suitable for almost For more information contact Pieter
any pneumatic application. They are Badenhorst, Mitech, +27 (0)11 927
available in rotary, linear, single and 4850, enquiries@mitech.co.za,
double acting versions. With Ex ia as a www.mitech.co.za
Pumping solutions
from Parker Hannifin
AC30 variable speed drive helps to mitigate flooding in
park pumping application.
Residents of the United Kingdom have out a series of SMS messages via a low-
not been able to escape the floods that cost modem to the mobile phones of
have affected the region over the past few maintenance personnel should certain
years. One caravan park, situated on the predetermined events occur. Specific text
south coast of England decided to take messages will be sent in the instance of
an innovative and proactive approach pumping being initiated by the drive,
to flood management. Recognising the power failure, RCD trip (stating exactly
threat that flood water could have on its what caused the trip), water level change,
business, the management of the Warner pump stall, or any a number of other
Farm Touring Park approached Arun pre-determined triggers. This gives
Electrical, a Parker Hannifin SSD drives maintenance teams the ability not only to
products customer, to provide a cutting monitor the system, but also take immedi-
edge pumping system to minimise the ate corrective action when required.
threat of flooding. Controlling the motor via a variable
After significant flood damage during speed drive in this application also gives
2013, Warner Farm set itself the challenge benefits in terms of efficiency. The VSD
of pumping water swiftly and efficiently matches system demands by matching
from the grounds to protect customers the workload of the motor to the pump-
and the grounds themselves. The concept ing requirements, keeping running costs
is based on a series of interconnected to a minimum, and reducing energy
Submersible
ponds and pools on site. The water drains wastage. The drives are installed in fully
into the first pool and is then pumped outdoor rated enclosures and, unlike
into the second, then third and so on, many other drives in this class, the AC30
Locally manufactured
ball valves
The Titan range of extreme service ball valves is designed for very
aggressive service in applications that require repeatable tight shut-off
and long life characteristics. The valves can be used in tight shut-off
isolating as well as in modulating control applications, ranging from
cryogenic to temperatures up to 850°C. When replacing other valve
types, a comparison of CV values can often indicate a selection of
smaller valves than is possible with conventional gate and globe types.
Titan valves can be considered in applications where the following
conditions are encountered:
• Temperatures higher than 300°C combined with large temperature
fluctuations.
• Erosion by abrasive media such as catalyst, coke, fines, slurries and
pipe scale at high velocity.
• High cycle – in excess of three times per hour.
• Emergency shutdown – isolation of flow in less than five seconds.
Features include:
• Ball and seat coatings several times harder than the ‘valve industry
standard’ Stellite.
• Zero leakage.
• Ball and seats in constant wiping contact.
• All metal to metal construction.
• Seats protected from flow in open and closed positions.
• Integral seats.
• Full round port as standard.
• High CV.
• Uninterrupted flow path for abrasive media.
• Quarter turn operation.
• Easily automated.
Many users try to avoid using ball valves to control slurry applica-
tions, but the Titan ‘D’ Port slurry control valve design can handle the
most severe high temperature and pressure slurry applications, giving
a valve life of three to five years maintenance free. Live loaded packing
ensures that zero leakage to atmosphere is maintained, and continu-
ous wiping of the seat by the ball ensures drop tight shut-off when
required. Local manufacture ensures that spare parts for maintenance
are always available at short notice.
Pump protection
for power
generation
Michael Brown is a specialist in control loop optimisation with many years of experience in process
control instrumentation. His main activities are consulting, and teaching practical control loop analysis
and optimisation. He gives training courses which can be held in clients’ plants, where students can have
the added benefit of practising on live loops. His work takes him to plants all over South Africa and also
to other countries. He can be contacted at Michael Brown Control Engineering cc, +27 (0)82 440 7790,
michael.brown@mweb.co.za, www.controlloop.co.za
This is the fourth article taken from a report this temperature did in fact have quite fast problem that shows just how important flow
which was prepared for various departments dynamics. loops can be. This is the control of combustion
in a process company after some optimisation A new tuning with a proportional gain of air flow in a boiler system. The flow of air is con-
work was performed for them. (The other three 1,5 and an integral of 2 minutes per repeat was trolled by means of a damper. Figure 2 shows
articles were published in preceding issues.) then inserted into the controller. (This tune has an open loop test on this system.
Once again, the first example in this article good robustness, i.e. safety factor.) The damper is very bad and there is no
is of a success story. The loop in question is the The ‘before’ and ‘after’ performance of the way that any, even reasonable, control can be
control of an important temperature. The opera- control is shown in Figure 1. This recording is obtained. The damper has stiction, particularly
tors were controlling it as well as they could, but taken from the plant’s trend recording system, on closing, and the controller output moves
mostly in manual, as it did not seem to be able and unfortunately is not of great quality, but through 12% after which the damper bangs
to hold the temperature at set-point in auto- it does show the remarkable improvement in down. There is little repeatability and it is
matic. There were frequent load disturbances control variance. By the way, the scale of the essential that this be sorted out before any rea-
and the temperature jumped around badly. temperature is zoomed up quite considerably. sonable boiler firing control can be achieved.
On a scale of 0-100% the temperature would This is a vitally important control.
Example 1: for once the valve was not be drawing a straight line. The cycling caused by this control is affect-
the culprit This is a typical case of poor original tuning. ing all the other loops and causes cycling even
Open and closed loop tests were performed Temperature controls, being relatively slow, are on the steam temperature, which is controlled
on the loop, and it was found for once that notoriously difficult to tune by the normal ‘trial by a sophisticated cascaded desuperheater
the control valve was not the culprit, but and error’ method used in 98% of all tuning. It control system. It is impossible to just tune the
was in fact operating very well. The problem shows the importance of using a good tuning loop. The damper needs repairing or replacing
lay with the tuning. The original tuning had package. before any decent control can be obtained.
a proportional gain of 1 and an integral of
12 minutes per repeat. This is tuning typically Example 2: flow loops are important Example 3: important pressure control
for a relatively slow temperature process, but The second example is dramatic and of a huge The last example, also of a problem loop, is
Figure 1.
that of an important pressure control. This seen in Figure 3, which shows an open loop and poor tuning of the positioner. Luckily the
control modulates the feed to a large distilla- test. (The valve had been serviced recently, pressure was quite slow, which still allowed
tion column. and it is a common complaint in plants, that relatively good control of the feed to the
It is very important to keep the feeds to valves coming back from service often display column.
distillation columns as steady as possible, as more problems after the service than they did This is another example of the power
fluctuating feed creates all sorts of instability in before!) of feedback control. With all the valve prob-
the processes, which the controls downstream The test shows a big overshoot on open- lems encountered in about 70% of control
cannot deal with effectively. ing, and a massive overshoot on closing, loops worldwide, it would be impossible
In this case there was a large problem which was causing control problems. This is to run plants without the use of feedback
with the pressure control valve as can be probably due to excessive stiction in the valve control.
Figure 2.
Figure 3.
is included at no additional cost. It acquires with the IEDs (Intelligent electric devices) of an importantly, it is possible to capture alarms
real-time alarms and events from various electrical system. This allows fast, bi-directional and events with their original time stamp. This
systems, and then sorts and delivers only the communication with the electrical system is a big benefit to the plant O&M team trying
necessary alarms to the right person at the from and to the DCS. Thus, a separate electrical to increase plant productivity, and assists with
right time. This type of alarm sorting enables scada became superfluous. analysing plant abnormalities and trips from a
users to identify the root cause of alarm or trip MMS (manufacturing message specifica- single platform.
occurrences. Alarms and events are displayed tion) is a communication protocol for control
with their original time stamping, up to a mil- and monitoring among industrial automation Conclusion
lisecond, even when acquired from third-party devices and systems. MMS is adopted as one of Convergence of control system platforms is a
systems through interfaces like OPC A&E, IEC the protocols for communications among IEC big productivity enhancement tool for plant
61850 etc. 61850 IEDs. The DCS communicates with IEDs O&M management today. Further applica-
The EEMUA 191 guidelines are followed using the MMS service protocol. tions of plant performance monitoring and
in the software design and the following The biggest advantage of an integrated optimisation using advanced process controls,
advanced alarm management features like control, safety and electrical system is the ease such as Exapilot to ensure repeatability, can
prioritisation, suppression, eclipsing, sorting, of operation by the plant operators. They get easily be built on the plant-wide DCS, which is
filtering, shelving, load shedding etc. are avail- the same HMI to operate the entire plant and integrated in nature. Worldwide, Yokogawa is
able. These capabilities, along with plant-wide all plant-related data, alarms or messages are currently delivering many projects with these
alarm reporting and analysis in a consolidated made available in a single platform. This can be features.
window, are a major achievement towards achieved without compromising the advanced The industry is excited about control
convergence and consolidation of the control features of a modern DCS using state-of-the- system convergence. Power generation com-
system platform for a power generation plant. art technology. panies are showing an increased inclination to
buy a modern DCS from the open market with
ECMS (electrical control and monitoring Third-party system integration through such capabilities. As a market leader in DCS
system) open protocols (especially OPC) technology, Yokogawa is striving to match
Traditionally, power generation plants had a Practically, there are control systems beyond the aspirations of power plant owners and
separate electrical scada system to cater for the the plant-wide DCS, which are typically operators.
control and monitoring of HV/MV/LV electrical delivered by OEMs e.g. turbine control systems
boards and systems. However, thanks to the for new plants, PLCs from packaged systems For more information contact Christie Cronje,
standardisation of matured digital communica- etc. Thanks to OPC connectivity (both OPC DA Yokogawa South Africa, +27 (0)11 831 6300,
tion protocols like IEC 61850, a modern DCS and OPC A&E) these control systems can be christie.cronje@za.yokogawa.com,
has the capability of directly communicating seamlessly integrated with the plant DCS. Most www.yokogawa.com/za
Mitsubishi Electric’s
low voltage switchgear
The complete solution for line and load side.
The recently completed installation of a roof- to 98,2% due to the flat efficiency curves that
top grid-tied photovoltaic plant designed by ensure optimal performance at all output levels,”
Genergy and ABB value added service provider, says Alessanda Romoli, ABB area sales manager,
All Electrical, has enabled a Port Elizabeth prop- solar products.
erty owner to reduce their reliance on daytime Advanced design features include a high effi-
utility power. According to Warren Alistoun, ciency integral heat sink compartment and a front
design engineer at Genergy, in the period April panel display system. Furthermore, the system
to June 2015 the plant reliably produced a total does not rely on electrolytic capacitors, as a result
of 33,25 MWh of electricity. The building relies the product enjoys an extended lifetime.
on the photovoltaic (PV) plant to augment util- All Electrical’s technical specialist, Riaan
ity electrical supply and is primarily occupied Gerber notes: “Installation of the ABB range of
during the daytime hours, making it well suited inverters is made easier by numerous design
for a grid-tied PV solution. features such the detachable wiring box and field
The PV plant is rated to produce 100 kWp and selectable grid codes. The wide range of products
relies on three ABB Trio 27,6 kVA inverters, and manufactured by ABB, with specific focus on the
a single ABB Trio 10 kVA inverter, to provide the solar industry, allows for the protection and con-
flexibility required by the design. trol of the solar installation to be offered through
ABB’s Trio range of string inverters offers high a matched product suite.”
levels of flexibility and control for system design-
ers and installers, allowing for the optimal har- For more information contact Alessandra
vesting of energy from strings that are oriented Romoli, ABB, +27 (0)10 202 6995,
in different directions. “The technology employed alessandra.romoli@za.abb.com,
in these inverters delivers efficiency rating of up www.abb.co.za/lowvoltage
For more information contact Comtest Group, +27 (0)10 595 1821,
sales@comtest.co.za, www.comtest.co.za
WIRELESS & TELEMETRY
Yokogawa has announced the release of facilitate the collection of information from the console screen so that operators can
version R3.20 of its Plant Resource Manager field devices for use in optimising device monitor the status of the entire wireless
(PRM) software tool for the centralised maintenance and plant operations. The network as well as the status of individual
management of large amounts of data from product enhancements include the following: devices on that network.
plant monitoring and control devices and
manufacturing equipment. PRM R3.20 is an 1. Quick access to HART device status 3. Compliance with FDT2.0, the latest
upgrade to R3.12 and includes an improved information FDT standard
management function for HART and ISA100 Using the Centum VP R6.01 integrated FDT2.0 is the latest version of the field device
Wireless field devices. With this new PRM production control system’s N-IO (network-IO) tool (FDT) communications interface that links
version, Yokogawa aims to capture a larger field input/output (IO) device, PRM can now field devices and control systems. FDT2.0 has
share of the plant maintenance market. obtain start-up, stop, failure, and other entered wide use because it improves device
Manufacturers are constantly looking for status information from Yokogawa HART7 response times and performance. As this
ways to improve maintenance efficiency by compliant devices in almost real time. For new PRM version is compatible with FDT2.0,
using software tools like PRM that can centrally other companies’ HART5, 6, and 7 compliant it is easier now to monitor and set up
manage large amounts of maintenance and devices, PRM can collect information at FDT-compliant devices.
other types of data from plant monitoring 1 minute intervals. With PRM R3.12, data PRM is a software package that centrally
and control devices and manufacturing collection at intervals of 10 to 60 minutes was manages large amounts of status and mainte-
equipment. Maintenance personnel use such supported. nance information from plant monitoring and
data to reduce plant downtime and enhance control devices and manufacturing equipment.
safety by proactively spotting and responding 2. Management functions for field With PRM, users can monitor the status of their
to device failures. wireless devices devices and perform online diagnosis via a
To optimise plant operations, it is essential This new PRM version comes with improved network. In addition, PRM centrally manages
not only to keep devices in good working management functions for ISA100 Wireless maintenance information, including device
order but also to have up-to-date information devices. Diagnostic information can be viewed ledgers, in a database, and supplies mainte-
on device status and maintain records on all on screen and in real time not only in the nance information for plant field devices and
maintenance work that is performed. Such PRM window, but also in the operation and equipment to maintenance personnel.
information is most useful if operators can view monitoring screens of the Centum series
it on screen at their control system human integrated production control system. The new For more information contact Christie Cronje,
interface stations. PRM version also works with the console that Yokogawa South Africa, +27 (0)11 831 6300,
With such needs in mind, Yokogawa has centrally manages plant field wireless devices. christie.cronje@za.yokogawa.com,
developed new functions for its PRM tool that When it accesses this console, PRM can call up www.yokogawa.com/za
Wireless vibration
and temperature sensor
Banner Engineering now offers a wire- failure or potential problems,” said Scott
less vibration and temperature sensor; Pritchard, director of wireless global sales
designed to monitor machines for at Banner Engineering. “This allows facil-
increases in vibration and temperature, ity managers to reduce labour costs by
the sensor measures RMS velocity and eliminating manual checks and the risk of
multiplexer
too severe and cause additional damage sensor is ideal for a variety of machine
or result in unplanned down time. monitoring applications, including motors,
is doing the hard work of designing multiple and can affect your final network design. For giants AMD, Cisco, Hewlett-Packard, IBM, Intel,
layers of packet filtering security over a widely instance, the reliability of a VPN is dependent Microsoft, and Wave Systems Corp, today the TCG
distributed computing architecture. Widely upon the quality of the connection maintained continues to evolve, with input from over 105
distributed networks like those found in the by the service provider. If high reliability is a participating members, all of them world-class
industrial cloud will require multiple layers of requirement, network engineers will need to enterprise IT manufacturers. Consequently, TPM
overlapping security zones, and while Netfilter work closely with the ISP to guarantee the has typically been associated with the IT industry,
admirably fulfils its role as the only packet quality of the network connections or else and not least because up until recent years there
filter you will ever need, the task of designing compensate by designing the network using has never been much of a need for encrypting
a highly secure filtering layer into a network distributed redundancies over shorter seg- data on industrial networks. Where enterprise
composed of thousands of devices will require ments. Similarly, to guarantee future scalability, networks were responsible for storing and
a lot of time-consuming and minutely detailed care must be taken to either use established manipulating sensitive, strategic business data
design and testing. open standards – which may be freely that could be exploited by hostile competitors,
Firewalls strive to keep unauthorised expanded as needed – or be at peace with IA networks were responsible solely for localised
intruders and services from gaining network the idea that future expansions may require input/output, monitoring processes, and remote
access. In contrast, a virtual private network, expensive proprietary alternatives that cannot control. Yet in today’s era of distributed big-data
or VPN, strives to keep communications across be easily integrated with the original system. industrial systems, this is now changing: the
the open Internet a private affair, giving
remote clients full access to a private network
by wrapping all communications between
the two sides in a heavily encrypted stream
managed by a dedicated VPN gateway. IPsec
is currently the most commonly used form of
VPN encryption, a strong algorithm with full
AAA functionality. By using a proven VPN suite,
network engineers may configure a remote
device to connect to a server using either IPsec
or TLS, making it very, very difficult for mali-
cious attackers to intercept or interfere with
the data stream.
Continued from page 81 in a hardware-based platform configuration locked down from any input interfaces. That
and peripherals. Because each cipher is unique register (PCR). From that point on, TPM will means that all console and USB interfaces must
to each device, TPM allows the integration of be able to detect any changes in the operat- be able to be turned off so that they cannot be
the very lowest levels of device software and ing system. Similarly, TPM can use the same used, thereby shutting down any possibility
firmware with physical-layer security, allowing method to test things like the BIOS, chipsets, of infection from viruses, or cracking exploits.
for the possibility of creating computing plat- MACs, and so forth. Once this has been achieved, pretty much the
forms that can detect any physical alteration or Software support for TPM is already robust, only possible way to further increase security
interference in the device’s normal functioning, with established vendors like Microsoft and would be to disconnect the computer from the
and issue emergency shutdown orders. Cisco providing solid, feature-filled (but closed) Internet and lock it away in a strong box.
To get an idea of how TPM can work, end solutions. At the same time, open source
imagine the VPN situation described above. projects in GNU/Linux also provide numer- Bringing it all together
When a client requests access to a VPN, the ous software packages which may be freely A RISC platform that features TPM, a kernel-
server responds using an encrypted, asym- adapted, enhanced, and integrated to provide authenticating secure boot feature, strong
metric handshake that keeps all root keys whatever combination of features is needed. encryption, VPN tunneling, and full interface
(or “passwords”) hidden from public view. These software systems empower TPM to take control delivers a strongly secure device suitable
Using this asymmetric process, the VPN a variety of emergency security actions that for deployment in residential and commercial
server and the client exchange encrypted range from ordinary corrective maintenance settings. An embedded computer featuring
messages that authenticate the client and to alarms and full system shut-down. TPM can carefully engineered security of this sort may be
allow the server to authorise access to the be put to many uses: password management, used in smart metering applications, residen-
remote network, all without ever exposing the disk encryption, or binding and sealing of the tial solar solutions, intelligent transportation
private, cryptographic keys they are using to entire platform (hardware plus software), and it systems, and any number of wide area industrial
confirm the login. What TPM does is create a can also be configured and administered using cloud applications. To find out more how these
specific cryptographic key for each individual remote, mass deployment software. Generally features come together to give you a powerful,
device, hardcoded within the platform itself. speaking, TPM brings only strong benefits to compact, small-footprint embedded computing
Devices may then use this key to both gener- the industrial user. platform, visit the Moxa website and read up on
ate more keys, and to authenticate hardware the UC-8100 universal computer for distributed
components within the system. For instance, Locking down the inputs computing applications.
to verify that a read-only operating system There is one other feature that should be
has not changed, TPM can create a hash of standard on any embedded computing device For more information contact RJ Connect,
the drive image, encrypt this using its highly intended for deployment in wide area industrial +27 (0)11 781 0777, info@rjconnect.co.za,
secure cryptographic key, and store it locally, networks: the device should be able to be fully www.rjconnect.co.za
Manufacturing Execution Systems can help “on-board” the new generation of workers.
Recent ARC Advisory Group research indi- Companies must figure out how to capture
cates that the improving global economy and the knowledge and experience that will be
population dynamics were major influencing leaving as the baby boomers retire. Companies
factors in the collaborative production system/ can utilise the intelligence provided by CPM/
manufacturing execution systems (CPM/MES) MES solutions to enable newer, less-experi-
market in 2013 and 2014. Improving economic enced personnel to make better decisions.
conditions, uncertainty in the European manu- The response to the retirement trend
facturing sector, oil and gas price declines, and is multi-faceted. Some manufacturers are
geopolitical issues – all affected market growth. making a strong effort to integrate these solu-
Lower oil and energy prices contributed to tions into their processes; others are just ignor-
more consumer spending and demand for ing the problem, possibly due to poor planning
consumer products result in an uptick in many or recent economic conditions. However, the
industrial markets in 2014 and 2015. problem is not going away – so companies
Population dynamics, including the need to address the issue.
impending retirement of the “Baby Boomer”
generation of workers and the associated need Retiring workforce and knowledge
to quickly “on-board” the next generation of transfer
workers in industrial plants and facilities, are Many soon-to-be-retiring workers have as
helping drive demand for CPM/MES solutions. much as 30 to 40 years of knowledge and expe-
This applies to the process, batch and discrete rience. One way to transfer this information
Janice Abel.
manufacturing industries. quickly to new workers is to utilise software
that integrates the data, analysis, intelligence, about work processes. But due to today’s
Demographic changes and the tech- and decision making with the process. CPM/ high turnover rates, workflow software must
savvy generation MES can help enforce workflow standards be more intuitive and include the necessary
Loss of worker knowledge due to a retiring and responses to abnormal conditions and intelligence to enable complex workloads
workforce and inexperienced workers impacts therefore improve overall performance for all and guide workers. Dynamic engine rules for
industrial organisations in both developed and generations. workflow are being integrated within CPM/MES
emerging economies. Many managers facing As “digital natives”, the newer, tech-savvy that can help workers make the right decision,
retirement will not embark on a new project millennial workers do best with modern which should help inexperienced workers gain
unless there is a relatively low risk of failure and software. As manufacturers face challenges experience quickly. Other workflow solutions
ROI is relatively easy to attain and document. in skill gaps and shortages of skilled workers are being used to address batch processes.
In lieu of this, they would prefer to focus their due to the retiring workforce, recruiting and
limited time on incremental updates to existing retaining a younger generation of worker is CPM/MES solutions evolving
applications rather than embark on new, riskier essential. One key issue for many companies is As the manufacturing environment continues
projects. However, due to cybersecurity vulner- finding workers that can fill the skills gap. One to change, CPM/MES solutions are evolving by
abilities and technology obsolescence issues user told ARC that the new tech savvy worker integrating new technologies and solutions to
related to many legacy systems, there is often generation “does not want to work on the old meet new demands and expectations.
no option available except to implement new technologies, so keeping older systems run- Future manufacturing processes will be
CPM/MES applications. ning is increasingly problematic” and a driver more connected than ever, smarter and have
The demand for these solutions will for CPM/MES purchases. highly intuitive software solutions that predict
continue as new-generation workers get more Interactive, immersive, and up-to-date outcomes, anticipate needs, and provide tools
automation experience, economies stabilise software tools can help companies meet the that can provide insight for better, faster and
and companies release capital. Today’s produc- expectations of the next generation of manu- more accurate decisions. Wearables such as
tion processes and products are increasingly facturing employees. digital watches will be incorporated into the
complex, global, and multi-faceted, challeng- daily work routine. These, and many other
ing many manufacturers to find methods to New workflow enforcement features characteristics, help make evolving CPM/MES
simplify and streamline complex processes helps less experienced workers make solutions attractive and effective for the new
while maintaining product quality and encour- decisions workforce.
age innovation. Product and process complex- Workflow software that improves and enforces
ity, innovation, manufacturing intelligence, work processes is another important reason For more information contact Paul Miller,
analytic tools and ease of use (including “app- for implementing these solutions. In the past, ARC Advisory Group, +1 781 471 1141,
like” functionality) drive CPM/MES growth. workers were expected to be knowledgeable pmiller@arcweb.com, www.arcweb.com
Emerson Process Management has launched gridding. This enables users to build fault that allows users to manipulate large amounts
the latest version of its reservoir modelling uncertainty models in full and investigate a of data with advances in well administration
software, Roxar RMS. The new version – RMS wide variety of scenarios corresponding to the and fault grouping/sorting.
2013.1 – comes with enhanced structural uncertainty in the input data. Finally Roxar RMS 2013.1 also comes with
modelling tools that acknowledge realistic In addition, horizon uncertainty modelling new predictive analytics tool for identifying
uncertainties in the data and improve volumet- is significantly enhanced, allowing users to sweet spots within unconventional fields.
ric sensitivities. This makes it faster and easier create horizons and zones based on uncer- Kjetil Fagervik concludes: “When it comes
for modellers to build geological scenarios, tainty data and information derived from to strengthening operator confidence in their
investigate the full effects of structural uncer- well picks, velocities, seismic travel times and reservoirs’ economics, improving decision-
tainty, and maximise the value of their reservoir isochores. Uncertainty modelling has also been making and increasing workflow productivities
assets. extended with new parameters added such and efficiencies, Roxar RMS is changing the
“Too often in the past reservoir modellers as the modelling of fault sealing effects and reservoir modelling landscape. RMS 2013.1 will
have had to resign themselves to using best fractures. be the first of a number of significant model-
case estimates of faults and horizons, with the The accuracy of the models can be further ling advances over the coming months.”
inherent uncertainty in these interpretations improved with the new tool for adjusting the Emerson’s Roxar RMS is comprised of 24
often neglected and thereby underestimating 3D grid to well picks, and enhanced isochore fully integrated software modules that form
the actual uncertainty in reservoir volumes,” modelling tools that provide users with full a seamless and fully integrated seismic to
said Kjetil Fagervik, managing director of quality control over isochore input data. simulation workflow. This includes seismic
Emerson’s Roxar Software Solutions. The focus on the geophysical domain sees interpretation, structural model building, 3D
He continues: “With our new version of further enhancements to the new Model- gridding, facies and petrophysical modelling,
Roxar RMS and our tightly integrated structural Driven Interpretation (MDI) tools first released flow simulation, well planning and uncertainty
modelling and gridding tools, users will be able in RMS 2013 with improvements to MDI and modelling tools. RMS operates on Red Hat
to quantify uncertainty more effectively and velocity modelling through new tools for Enterprise Linux 64-bit versions 5 and 6 and on
increase confidence when it comes to crucial QC-ing the velocity model, providing input Windows 64-bit 7.
decisions on where to drill, what production for horizon uncertainty modelling, and for
strategies to adopt, and how to maximise well-ties. For more information contact Michael
recovery.” Efficiencies and performance is improved Eksteen, Emerson Process Management,
As part of the new enhancements, RMS through multi-threading (the ability for com- +27 (0)11 451 3700,
2013.1 also sees fault uncertainty tools further puting to take place in parallel), new SEG-Y michael.eksteen@emerson.com,
integrated with structural modelling and 3D importing functionality and RMS Data Explorer www.emersonprocess.com
Today, many hard disk drives are designed and produced in China with
little to no vibration testing. This has created something of a problem
when one considers the potential vibration damage that could result
when a gaseous fire extinguishing system discharges a data centre.
Noise issues, and the vibration damage associated with these, have been
attributed to all gas types, and IT specialists need to investigate specific
measures that can be implemented because as the mechanical disk
drives become more sensitive due to performance and cost objectives,
this problem will only get worse.
However, for the interim, Alien Systems & Technologies has devel-
oped and manufactured a product that will treat the symptoms and
lower the risk of damage to hard disks. The Whisp-Air Silencer Nozzle has
been designed specifically for use in applications where protection of
sound sensitive equipment such as hard drives is required.
The Whisp-Air’s full-flow design uses interposing sound waves, redirected into smaller streams that rebound off opposing walls of the
multiple-stage velocity deceleration, an obstruction-free expansion chamber. When these steams collide head-on with each other, the veloc-
chamber and a metal fibre disseminator to dissipate potentially damag- ity is reduced and the extinguishant is dispersed throughout the large
ing discharge noise. A large peripheral exhaust surface area diffuses exit surface area. This technique eliminates noise without sacrificing flow
the extinguishing media, further lowering its velocity and reducing rate or increasing back pressure.
discharge noise.
The Whisp-Air silent nozzle product eliminates excessive discharge For more information contact Samantha Wright, Alien Systems
noise by dividing the extinguishing media stream and turning it back & Technologies, +27 (0)11 949 1157, sam@astafrica.com,
on itself. As the extinguishant enters the muffler at high velocity, it is www.astafrica.com
Today, in every aspect of our lives but more more data faster than any other. It’s all hap- from one another. Also, they will have been
particularly in the industrial IT world, Big Data pening in real-time down to the millisecond. designed to address specific issues and prob-
is all the rage. The old ‘KB’ has been turned Most of these data simply show that things ably in isolation of one another and of the
into the new ‘GB’ – Microsoft’s original and are operating normally, but others may bigger enterprise-wide business picture.
(now) laughable limit of 640K memory has indicate that potentially dangerous trends Figure 1 shows the process of transforming
now been turned into the run-of-the-mill 640 are emerging while the remainder are cause data into knowledge – note the all-important
Gigabyte hard drive. And while ‘GB’ is morph- for immediate concern. But how do you tell? central block of contextualisation. Context can
ing into ‘TB’, just around the corner is the ‘EB’ – Data isn’t information, yet companies run on be described as the additional data or infor-
the Exabyte (1 EB = 1billion Gigabytes) – if you information so the conversion from one to the mation pertaining to the conditions and cir-
wanted Big Data, you got it. But now what? other is an important aspect of effective decis- cumstances under which a measurement was
While today’s industrial automation and ion making. Data only becomes information made. For example, knowing that the night
information technology is geared to produce after they are collected, validated and collated shift exceeded the production of the day shift
more data than ever before, what does it all within the context of the situation and envi- may well be due to their motivated approach
mean? Data only becomes useful if it can be ronment in which they originated. but it could also be due to the fact that they
turned into information and then into action- Any production environment generates a had eight uninterrupted hours of electricity,
able knowledge – so it could be said that more variety of data from many different sources. quality raw material with which to work, high
data is only useful if it leads to more wisdom. Some are stored together in the same data- machine availability (which may mean that
base (e.g. process control data in a real-time they look after plant machinery better than
Turning big data into actionable database) while others are stored elsewhere their colleagues), etc., etc. A single datum
knowledge (e.g. LIMS, MOM, etc.). Of necessity, these on its own has value but never as much as
The world of industrial automation generates varied databases will be structurally different when viewed in relation to other events that
influenced it. This may mean digging in other So where to from here?
data repositories in order to collate it all. Reporting software is available but to do
The information process is replicated and the above is going to require the services
applied to each item or each group of the data of an expert (who will most probably not
sources showing that enterprise information fully understand the needs of the end-user).
is complex and multi-dimensional in nature Another avenue is the use of spreadsheets but
– imagine the information process ‘stacked’ who’s going to maintain them? On the other
six or seven layers deep as shown. And that’s hand, Flow Software allows the average indi-
where things get interesting. vidual to connect to the real-time historian as
well as other databases, aggregate data (e.g.
The dynamic and multi-dimensional daily/weekly reports), perform calculations
nature of information (e.g. efficiency of production processes by
Different people need to know different area or shift, energy consumption, machine
things at different times. Operators, super- efficiency, etc,), enter manual data and correct
visors and maintenance personnel need to / validate existing data before using one of
know a great deal more about the details of the standard reports supplied to provide the
operational processes (and in real-time) than required information – all through drag-and-
corporate operations management. Yet what drop easiness. What’s more, Flow is designed
both groups need to know is often derived to cater for the easy and frequent report
from the same data or groups of data which is, changes necessary for analyses.
thankfully, finite (although mind-bogglingly
large). About Flow software
The Structured Query Language (SQL) Flow is a configuration-based calculation
used for retrieving data from relational and reporting engine that integrates directly
databases is still the standard for individual, into and extends various data sources such
application-specific databases. But when as Wonderware Historian, Microsoft SQL,
we get to the situation where the relevant OPCHDA and others. Measurements are taken
information is spread across several of these from points of interest that are configured in
databases, things become more complex – the Flow system which automatically retrieves
not because of the technology involved to do and aggregates data from the underlying
this but because of the nature of the informa- data sources. Calculations, manual data entry,
tion required which is often unknown before limits, reports and forms are configured in a
it is required. So what we need is a super SQL drag ’n drop manner.
that can cut across database boundaries yet With its simple configuration environ-
provide the friendly interaction necessary for ment, Flow promises an ease of use that even
multiple views (depending on your needs) business users will adopt, moving the system
into a seemingly seamless pool of factual ownership to end users and lowering the total
information so that you can make the right cost of ownership. Flow is typically used as a
moves – oh yes – and it’s all got to be time- production or manufacturing performance
stamped for correlation purposes. Continued on page 88
Honeywell’s Uniformance
technology boosts uptime
Uniformance Asset Sentinel can reduce unplanned downtime by up to 10 percent and
cut maintenance cost by 15 percent.
Honeywell Process Solutions has announced process-based domain knowledge to build best practice templates for more than 100
the launch of Uniformance Asset Sentinel, solutions that solve problems from basic to the equipment types, such as pumps, com-
which continuously monitors equipment and most complex.” pressors, exchangers, valves and turbines
process health, assisting industrial facilities to Uniformance Asset Sentinel helps compa- combined with its seamless interface to its
predict and prevent asset failures and poor nies with industrial assets increase utilisation process design simulation software (UniSim
operational performance. of those assets by up to 10 percent by reducing Design) helps customers rapidly deploy
The new offering expands HPS’ unplanned downtime. It can also cut main- equipment or process monitoring on any
Uniformance software suites and supports the tenance costs by up to 15 percent by better plant asset, eliminating the need for complex
emergence of the Industrial Internet of Things predicting and preventing catastrophic equip- model development.
(IIoT) in the process industry, enabling com- ment failure and inefficient operations. Several major refining and chemical
panies to collect, organise and analyse data The technology works by continuously facilities are now implementing Uniformance
for a specific asset or ‘thing.’ These analytics accessing data from a variety of sources, Asset Sentinel to help them overcome the
can transform work processes from reactive to including process parameters, vibration data challenge of accessing data from multiple
proactive, helping industrial plant operators. and alarms. Using a real-time complex event sources and turning it into actionable infor-
“Uniformance Asset Sentinel is the latest processing engine, Uniformance Asset Sentinel mation. In addition to the positive impact on
evolution of proven technology that is cur- continuously performs performance, health, safety, this capability can translate into higher
rently watching over billions of dollars of assets efficiency and safety-related calculations and operational efficiency, agility and, ultimately,
across industries, including oil and gas, power compares those results of the current actual higher margins.
generation, mining, refining, and chemi- performance to an expected performance
cal manufacturing,” said Mike Brown, global model. Predicted or detected deviations from For more information contact Boni
marketing director for HPS’ advanced solutions these models are used to generate notifications Magudulela, Honeywell Southern Africa,
business. “With more than four decades of to facilitate investigation and intervention to +27 (0)11 695 8000,
experience in process control and automa- minimise the cost and frequency of an event. boni.magudulela@honeywell.com,
tion, Honeywell is uniquely qualified to bring Uniformance Asset Sentinel’s pre-defined www.honeywellprocess.com
New FieldConnex
FieldBarrier from
Pepperl+Fuchs
Twelve outputs with diagnostics and
monitoring.
Intelligent Fieldbus from Pepperl+Fuchs is
synonymous with a generation of components
that brings diagnostic capabilities into the
field. The new FieldConnex FieldBarrier is the
perfect addition to this concept of uncompro- changes in the installation and faults in the This package of integrated intelligence is
mising availability. The FieldBarrier comes with control room to be reported. This monitor- completed by the FieldBarrier self-monitoring
innovative technical features that offer reliable ing function ensures an even higher degree function, which can transmit alarm signals to
protection against typical fault scenarios to of transparency and covers a significant gap the control room. These innovative features do
ensure maximum reliability. in the monitoring process as it proactively not require any engineering. The FieldConnex
An intelligent component is an ideal com- identifies maintenance requirements. Another FieldBarrier is the perfect addition to diagnos-
ponent: FieldConnex FieldBarriers can detect feature is the sophisticated load management. tics-enabled intelligent fieldbus components
the special dynamics of faults, such as loose The twelve outputs start sequentially, reduc- and is another key step toward achieving the
contacts or contact bounces. As a result, faults ing the load on the power supply from the goal of 100% availability.
can be identified and isolated both quickly and inrush current. What’s more, if the segment
reliably. current reaches critical levels, automatic load- For more information contact Mark Bracco,
The new component is the first to allow shedding of less critical nodes is activated in Pepperl+Fuchs, +27 (0)87 985 0797,
monitoring of the physical layer at each order to safeguard against failure of the mbracco@za.pepperl-fuchs.com,
FieldBarrier output. This enables gradual entire segment. www.pepperl-fuchs.co.za
9292August
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2015www.instrumentation.co.za
2015
PRODUCT NEWS
Diffuse proximity light curtain from Telco Sensors Efficient earth leakage protection
The New SGP 30 Telco Sensors proximity those channels to be ignored when
light curtain has been successfully used operation is resumed. Other features
in the board, paper and pulp and sawmill include:
and industries where different shapes and • Discrete output is generated whenever
lengths need to be detected. By using the one or more of the channels are
SGP 30 users can create a compact wide activated.
coverage of beams so that the product • Distances ranging from 510 to 1980 mm
being sensed will always be detected, no and up to 40 channel pairs.
matter what shape size or form. The same • Multiple transmitter/receiver channels in
system is being used by manufacturers same profile, paired in horizontal axis.
for the detection of different log and box • Channels operate in diffuse proximity
sizes. mode over active zone of profile.
The SGP30 is a diffuse proximity light • Object is detected when emitted light
curtain system housed in a sturdy from transmitter element is reflected
aluminium profile housing multiple back by an object to the paired receiver.
transmitter/receiver pairs that generate
an array of channels. For more information contact
It features a blanking function which Gail Norton Instrumentation,
is configurable using a control input to +27 (0)31 701 4861,
memorise the channels which detect an telco@telcosa.co.za,
object (activated) during set-up, allowing www.gailnortoninstrumentation.co.za
www.instrumentation.co.za
www.instrumentation.co.za August 20159393
August2015
PRODUCT NEWS
9494August
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Month 2012
2015 www.instrumentation.co.za
2012www.instrumentation.co.za
www.instrumentation.co.za
PRODUCT NEWS
www.instrumentation.co.za
www.instrumentation.co.za
www.instrumentation.co.zaMonth
Month 20129595
2012
August 2015
PRODUCT NEWS
Five lighting tests in 30 seconds Supply voltage influences and damage control
It is often wise to include supply voltage pull-up and pull-out torque. When the
monitoring as a useful tool for prolong- supply voltage is reversed, the connected
ing motor life expectancy and possible motor will rotate in the opposite direction
Building maintenance technicians for commercial, retail or mechanical damage to equipment due and will almost always result in some or
institutional facilities with fluorescent lighting have hun- to, for example, motors turning in the other form of mechanical damage.
dreds, if not thousands of fluorescent tubes that have to wrong direction as a result of voltage In conclusion, no stress should be
be routinely checked and maintained. Even though these phase rotation. Essentially, the protec- placed on electric motors and other
may last for tens of thousands of hours, they do ultimately tion given falls into three categories: electrical equipment as a result of oper-
fail, some prematurely, and some stop working because of the detection of an over-voltage condi- ating a power system at or near the ends
other problems with the installation ballast. tion; the detection of an under-voltage of voltage limits. The best life and most
Fluke has now developed a tool that takes the trial and condition; and the detection of voltage efficient operation usually arise when
error – and a significant amount of time – out of maintain- phase rotation on the supply side. motors operate at voltages very close to
ing fluorescent lighting. The result is the Fluke 1000FLT High voltage on a motor tends to the nameplate ratings.
fluorescent light tester, specifically designed for building push the magnetic portion of the motor NewElec offers a variety of prod-
maintenance professionals. It is an all-in-one fluorescent into saturation. This causes the motor ucts that include protection for supply
lamp tester, ballast tester, non-contact voltage tester, pin to draw excessive current in an effort to voltage influence.
continuity tester and ballast-type discriminator. This device magnetise the iron beyond the point
takes care of all the essential lighting tests, saving time, tool where magnetising is practical. Low volt- For more information contact NewElec,
bag space and trips up and down ladders. The 1000FLT is age can lead to overheating, shortened 086 010 3041, sales@newelec.co.za,
able to make the following measurements: life, reduced starting ability, and reduced www.newelec.co.za
Lamp test: Allows testing without removing the tube from
the ballast. The tester sends a pulse of energy that lights up Helukabel launches industrial plug connector with
the tube if there is gas in it. The 1000FLT is compatible with Profinet fast connection technology
T5, T8, and T12 fluorescent tubes.
Ballast test: Determines whether the ballast is working. Helukabel has introduced its new Profinet designed to be used with both bunched
Non-contact voltage test: Checks for the presence of volt- plug connector, the Helukat RJ45 Cat5 and solid wire conductor types.
age without touching the source. IP20, which has built-in fast connection The Profinet plug connector can be
Pin continuity test: Tests whether filaments in the tube technology. The fieldbus-compatible plug installed without the need for special
have continuity. comes in a linear and angled design. It is tools. The single wires must be arranged
Ballast-type discriminator: Allows technicians to identify therefore well-suited for industrial use in in accordance with the colour coding
easily whether the ballast is electronic or magnetic without tight installation spaces. of the RJ45 plug and, in the folded-up
taking the fixture apart or climbing a ladder. The tester Helukat has coloured contact ele- guide element, inserted into the contact
is aimed at the ballast from the ground and immediately ments to prevent the installers from points up to the stop. To achieve a full
identifies if the tube needs maintenance or replacement. making connection errors. The clear connection, the user presses the guide
The user interface was designed to be as simple as labelling matches the wire sequence of element downward to the stop, closes
possible, with all tests delivering instant results. The ballast, the Profinet standard whose four single the housing cover, and fixes the front
voltage and pin continuity tests indicate results with either wires can be quickly connected. The screw cap. The development of a 145°-
Go or No Go indicator lights. The ballast-type discriminator metal housing enables it to be used in angled version as well as an 8-pin variant
lights up either the magnetic or electronic LED on the face industrial applications. Transmission rates is currently in the planning process and
of the tester, while the lamp test result is determined by the are up to 100 MHz Cat 5. The shielded will expand the product range once suc-
user. Users can run all five tests on the 1000FLT in about 30 plug connector comes in a linear and cessfully completed.
seconds, so if there are hundreds of fluorescent lights to 180° and 90° angled versions. Designed
maintain it can save hours of testing time every week. to protection grade IP20, it can withstand For more information contact
operating temperatures of -20°C to 70°C. Helukabel SA, +27 (0)11 462 8752,
For more information contact Comtest Group, +27 The Helukat RJ45 Cat5 IP20 is compatible sales@helukabel.co.za,
(0)10 595 1821, sales@comtest.co.za, www.comtest.co.za with AWG 22 and AWG 24 cables, and www.helukabel.co.za
9696August
Month
Month 2012
2015 www.instrumentation.co.za
2012www.instrumentation.co.za
www.instrumentation.co.za
quickfind august 2015
C0MPANY TELEPHONE E-MAIL WEBSITE PAGE
A.T. Technical Services +27 (0)12 345 1005 admin@atts.co.za www.atts.co.za 61*,63
ABB South Africa +27 (0)10 202 5000 instrumentation@za.abb.com www.abb.com/measurement 32
ABB South Africa +27 (0)10 202 6995 alessandra.romoli@za.abb.com www.abb.co.za/lowvoltage 72
Adroit Technologies +27 (0)11 658 8100 info@adroit.co.za www.adroit.co.za 71
Alien Systems & Technologies +27 (0)11 949 1157 sales@astafrica.com www.astafrica.com IFC*,85
Allpronix +27 (0)11 795 9500 sales@allpronix.com www.allpronix.com 43,45*
Ana-Digi Systems +27 (0)21 914 9030 info@anadigi.co.za www.anadigi.co.za 71*
ARC Advisory Group +1 781 471 1141 pmiller@arcweb.com www.arcweb.com 83
Autotronix +27 (0)16 422 7644 royw@autotronix.co.za www.autotronix.co.za 17
Beckhoff Automation +27 (0)11 795 2898 k.mcpherson@beckhoff.com www.beckhoff.co.za 38,39
Bürkert Contromatic +27 (0)11 574 6000 sales.za@burkert.com www.burkert.com 65*
Comtest +27 (0)10 595 1821 sales@comtest.co.za www.comtest.co.za 75,96
Current Automation +27 (0)10 591 1713 ca@rectifier.co.za www.rectifier.co.za Stitched insert*
Define Instruments South Africa +27 (0)87 945 2700 sales@defineinstruments.co.za www.defineinstruments.co.za 47*
Dehn Africa +27 (0)11 704 1487 info@dehn-africa.com www.dehn-africa.com 10,75*
Emerson Process Management +27 (0)11 451 3700 michael.eksteen@emerson.com www.emersonprocess.com 43,55,77*,84
Endress+Hauser +27 (0)11 262 8000 info@za.endress.com www.za.endress.com 13,31*
Flow Software +27 (0)11 607 8100 jaco.markwat@wonderware.co.za www.flow-software.com 87*
Gail Norton Instrumentation Agencies +27 (0)31 701 4861 telco@telcosa.co.za www.gailnortoninstrumentation.co.za 93
Gemü Valves Africa +27 (0)11 462 7795 info@gemue.co.za www.gemu-group.com 55*,58
Heaton Valves Africa +27 (0)31 902 8241 keithmitchell@heatonvalves.co.za www.heatonvalves.co.za 56*,61
Helukabel South Africa +27 (0)11 462 8752 sales@helukabel.co.za www.helukabel.co.za 70*,96
Honeywell Southern Africa +27 (0)11 695 8000 boni.magudulela@honeywell.com www.honeywellprocess.com 89
Horne Technologies +27 (0)76 563 2084 david@hornet.cc www.hornet.cc 48,49
IAC +27 (0)12 657 3600 info@iacontrol.co.za www.iaconline.co.za 79*
ifm electronic SA 086 143 6772 info.za@ifm.com www.ifm.com/za 29*,30,46,51,94
Instrotech +27 (0)10 595 1831 sales@instrotech.co.za www.instrotech.co.za 46,95
IQ Instruments +27 (0)11 792 1210 rotex@iqinstruments.com www.iqinstruments.com 54,94
Krohne SA +27 (0)11 314 1391 j.alexander@krohne.com www.krohne.com 28,40
Macsteel Fluid Control +27 (0)82 575 9354 keith.hedges@macfluid.co.za www.macsteel.co.za 56
Macsteel Fluid Control +27 (0)31 581 7800 rowan.blomquist@macfluid.co.za www.macsteel.co.za 53*
Mecosa +27 (0)11 257 6100 measure@mecosa.co.za www.mecosa.co.za 47
Metso Automation +27 (0)31 502 9350 nsdu@metso.com www.metsoautomation.com 52,57,59*
Michael Brown Control Eng +27 (0)82 440 7790 michael.brown@mweb.co.za www.controlloop.co.za 66,67
Mitech +27 (0)11 927 4850 enquiries@mitech.co.za www.mitech.co.za 10,57,62*,64
National Laboratory Assoc. (NLA) +27 (0)12 349 1500 steves@nla.org.za www.nla.org.za 4*,8
NewElec 086 010 3041 sales@newelec.co.za www.newelec.co.za 93,94,96
Omron +27 (0)11 579 2600 info.sa@eu.omron.com www.industrial.omron.co.za 85*
Parker Hannifin +27 (0)11 961 0700 lisa.debeer@parker.com www.parker.com 51,60
Pepperl+Fuchs +27 (0)87 985 0797 mbracco@za.pepperl-fuchs.com www.pepperl-fuchs.co.za 91
Phoenix Contact +27 (0)11 801 8200 patrickr@phoenixcontact.co.za www.phoenixcontact.co.za 72*,78,92,95
Pinnacle Instruments +27 (0)11 450 4885 pinnaclesales@pinnacle-ice.com www.pinnacle-ice.com 54
Pneumax Southern Africa +27 (0)11 573 0900 info@pneumax.co.za www.pneumax.co.za 47*,65
Prime Automation +27 (0)41 819 7746 craig@primeautomation.co.za www.primeautomation.co.za 34,35*
R&C Instrumentation 086 111 4217 info@randci.co.za www.randci.co.za 39*,42
Raptech +27 (0)11 693 5110 enquiries@raptech.co.za www.raptech.co.za 60
RET Automation Controls +27 (0)11 453 2468 brandon.topham@retautomation.com www.retautomation.com 7*,35,78,93
RJ Connect +27 (0)11 781 0777 info@rjconnect.co.za www.rjconnect.co.za 80,81,82
Rockwell Automation +27 (0)11 654 9700 hscraukamp@ra.rockwell.com www.rockwellautomation.co.za 74
SA Gauge +27 (0)31 579 2216 sales@sagauge.com www.sagauge.com 5*
SAEE +27 (0)18 290 5130 convention@saee.org.za www.convention.saee.org.za 15*
SEW-Eurodrive +27 (0)11 248 7000 rrose@sew.co.za www.sew.co.za 6,11,33*,36
SICK Automation Southern Africa +27 (0)11 472 3733 info@sickautomation.co.za www.sickautomation.co.za 37*,79
Siemens Southern Africa +27 (0)11 652 2412 keshin.govender@siemens.com www.siemens.co.za 30,44
SKF South Africa +27 (0)11 821 3500 sales.za@skf.com www.skf.co.za 49*,91
SMC Pneumatics South Africa +27 (0)11 568 2407 sales@smcpneumatics.co.za www.smcpneumatics.co.za 50,OBC*
Specialised Exhibitions +27 (0)11 835 1565 kerrysharp@specialised.com www.electramining.co.bw 9*
Technews Publishing +27 (0)31 764 0593 jane@technews.co.za www.technews.co.za 16*
UIC Control & Automation +27 (0)31 468 2561 stuartb@uic.co.za www.uic.co.za 78*
Valve & Automation +27 (0)11 397 2833 sales@valve.co.za www.valve.co.za 62,63*,64
Varispeed +27 (0)11 312 5252 ralphr@varispeed.co.za www.varispeed.co.za 73*
VEGA Instruments SA +27 (0)11 795 3249 chantal.groom@vega.com www.vega.com OFC*,26,27
*denotes advertiser
For more information on these and other suppliers please see www.ibg.co.za