Multi-purpose contact block
April 2024
Electrical Power & Protection
The TME catalogue has been expanded to include products from Schlegel. This German, family-owned company has been specialising in the production of high-quality electromechanical components for almost 80 years. The range of Schlegel products available at TME includes contact blocks, compatible switches and accessories. The first product category has modules in a number of different contact configurations, starting from the most basic (a single NO or NC contact pair) to truly advanced (NCx3 + NO). They have been designed to withstand loads of 1,5 A at 250 V AC, 6 A at 440 V AC, and 2 A at 24 V DC, depending on the model. Their mechanical durability can reach up to a million operating cycles.
Switches and switch holders are available in diameters from 18 to 36 mm, and come in toggle, double and pushbutton variants. Most of those are rotary models (including models protected from unauthorised access via an ID-key). A choice of different colours is available, the products can be marked with a START or STOP symbol, and they can be illuminated.
The first Schlegel products in the TME catalogue were panel-mount switches, typically used in machine operation in industrial settings. Schlegel makes sure that most of its products are IP65-rated, so are fully dust-proof and splash-proof in order to protect the contacts and panels from damage. The range of Schlegel accessories includes lenses, dedicated identification nameplates and labels, indicator lights and keys, and other compact complementary products.
Further reading:
Overcoming the bottling industry’s fragmented visibility
Schneider Electric South Africa
IT in Manufacturing Electrical Power & Protection
Beverage bottling facilities are among manufacturing’s most energy-intensive environments, yet many still operate without granular insight into where that energy goes. Rezolia Muller-Potluri of Schneider Electric explains how tiered metering architecture and advanced
Read more...
Schneider Electric introduces next-generation BlokSeT switchboard
Schneider Electric South Africa
Electrical Power & Protection
Schneider Electric has launched its next-generation BlokSeT low-voltage switchboard in West Africa, offering high reliability, predictive maintenance capability and digital integration for critical infrastructure and industrial applications.
Read more...
Powering South Africa’s renewable energy expansion
Electrical Power & Protection
ACTOM Distribution Transformers, the sole NECRT contract holder for Eskom, is powering South Africa’s renewable energy expansion through robust neutral earthing transformer solutions deployed across solar and wind projects in southern Africa.
Read more...
You can’t digitise a blackout
Schneider Electric South Africa
Electrical Power & Protection
Across East Africa, smart meters and AI promise cleaner, more reliable power, but digital tools cannot optimise a grid too weak to carry the load. Schneider Electric’s Symphrose Ochieng sets out why operators should strengthen physical infrastructure first, then add digital capability in phases.
Read more...
Battery energy storage is key to powering South Africa’s manufacturing sector
Electrical Power & Protection
South Africa’s shift to renewables is creating a significant opportunity in battery energy storage, but local manufacturers face an uphill battle against cheap imports and stop-start demand. Richard van Moltke of ACTOM Static Power examines what it will take to build a sustainable local battery storage industry.
Read more...
Decarbonisation is reshaping mining strategy in Africa
Schneider Electric South Africa
IT in Manufacturing Electrical Power & Protection
Mining companies across Africa are embedding decarbonisation into operational strategy, driven by investor, regulatory and customer pressure to reduce emissions while improving resilience.
Read more...
How to tell whether your mini-substation is new or refurbished
Electrical Power & Protection
Cosmetically refurbished mini-substations are being misrepresented as new equipment and sold back into the market, posing serious reliability and safety risks for mining, industrial and commercial operations. Trafo Power Solutions explains what to look for and what questions to ask before purchasing.
Read more...
Optimising energy reliability for African manufacturing
Electrical Power & Protection IT in Manufacturing
Unreliable power can cost African manufacturers as much as 31% in sales. Behind-the-meter power offers manufacturers in sub-Saharan Africa control, visibility and resilience in their energy provisioning.
Read more...
Electrical solutions for FMCG manufacturing giant
Electrical Power & Protection
An electrical upgrade at a leading fast-moving consumer goods facility demonstrates how ACTOM Kenya turned a fragile, reactive power infrastructure into a resilient, data-driven backbone for production. The project is also a case study in bridging legacy equipment with modern automation without disrupting operations.
Read more...
Yokogawa digital plant to accelerate green hydrogen revolution
Yokogawa South Africa
Editor's Choice Electrical Power & Protection IT in Manufacturing
Yokogawa explains how a digital plant approach and autonomous operations can integrate the full green hydrogen value chain, from renewable power generation to end-use applications, and why digitalisation and system integration are central to making green hydrogen viable in South Africa.
Read more...