At the May Technology Evening, Sagelok’s sales director, Mike van Eck, presented on Hose Essentials. Previously, Swagelok brought us the Bloodhound and this time the focus was on flexibility, safety, and compatibility regarding hose applications. A hose is a reinforced tube for conveying liquids, solids, and gases. A typical hose may be subjected to being dragged, coiled, run over or kinked, and these poor practices can lead to premature failures. In a typical chemical plant, there could be more than 200 hose applications. If hoses are not selected and implemented correctly, they may be the weakest link in the industrial automation chain, leading to critical failures and plant downtime.
Eric Carter (left) thanks Mike van Eck after the presentation.
Embedded in every production business is the objective to extend the production plant life cycle, ensure safety and lower total cost of ownership. Mike provided delegates with an awareness of the fundamentals of fluid system hoses and flexible tubing considerations, components, identification, selection and installation best practices, with the aim to ensure that production objectives are not compromised due to premature failures caused by incorrect selection and implementation.
Other topics covered included:
• Hose and flexible tubing construction.
• The components of a hose assembly.
• Hose assembly identification.
• Hose selection considerations.
• Hose inspection considerations.
• Examples of bad practices.
• Electrostatic discharge.
• Hose installation and inspection.
The Johannesburg branch thanks Mike for his valued and informative presentation that was well received. This surely enlightened us all on the subject matter.
Site visit
On 20 May, members of the Johannesburg branch undertook a visit to the SAB Alrode plant. The welcome and introduction by Brenda was a most informative video on the brewing process and facts about SAB, in particular the Alrode Brewery.
Johannesburg branch members pose outside the Alrode Brewery.
Grant escorted the team through the plant, where they experienced the advancement of automation. The production line we viewed produces 60 000 bottles of beer per hour.
By the end of the great trek, the thirst needed to be quenched, which led the team to the Brewhouse pub for a beer tasting presented by Anton.
Dates to diarise
The JHB branch will host its annual SAIMC Golf Day on 21 October at the Kempton Park Golf course.
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