Absolute Automation 2.0 Breathing life into your machines 38 VOLUME NO 4 APRIL 2022 Official publication of the SAIMC Oil & gas | Automotive | Process measurement Control systems | IT in manufacturing
Intuitive, easy-to-use EZ-SCREEN® LS safety light screens are designed for machine safeguarding and are built to withstand challenging environments common to both manufacturing and packaging. The alignment indicators are highly visible and intuitive diagnostics simplify setup, facilitating troubleshooting and streamlining installation. Each light screen is built with metal end caps, a thick aluminum housing and a recessed window to avoid damage from impact. Standard pairs, cascade systems and extensive accessories are available. RET Automation Controls (Pty) Ltd | P.O. Box 8378 Edenglen 1613 | Phone: 011 453 2468 | [email protected] End-to-end sensing design (no blind zone) Rugged metal end caps Diagnostic display indicates the total number of blocked beams or specific error conditions Intuitive bi-colour alignment indicators for quicker installation and easier trouble shooting RUGGED SAFETY LIGHT SCREEN WITH ENHANCED FEATURES © 2016 Banner Engineering Corp., Mpls, MN USA EZ-SCREEN® LS www.retautomation.com w w.turckbanner.co.za Turck Banner (Pty) Ltd [email protected] | Phone: +2711 453 2468
www.instrumentation.co.za April 2022 1 Control systems IT in manufacturing Electrical power & energy-efficient systems Process measurement Water, wastewater & waste VOLUME 38 NO 4 APRIL 2022 04 08 11 48 REGULARS Cover story 14 FEATURES Oil & gas Environmental control & monitoring Automotive 16 19 22 24 27 38 32 42 News & events SAIMC news Automation professionals Product news Festo breathes life into pneumatic system productivity Instrotech, RTS Africa Engineering Turck Banner Artic Driers International, Omron Electronics Zest WEG, Rotork Africa Michael Brown Control Engineering CC, Beckhoff Automation, Endress+Hauser South Africa, Pepperl+Fuchs, ASSTech Process Electronics + Instrumentation, ifm - South Africa H3iSquared, Gavin Halse, VEGA Controls SA Trafo Power Solutions, SMC Corporation South Africa, GHM Messtechnik South Africa, Turck Banner KROHNE SA, Comtest, R&C Instrumentation, Instrotech, WIKA Instruments OUR COVER 14 Absolute Automation 2.0 Breathing life into your machines 38 VOLUME NO 4 APRIL 2022 Official publication of the SAIMC Oil & gas | Automotive | Process measurement Control systems | IT in manufacturing Festo continues to raise the industry benchmark with the second leg of its ‘absolute Automation 2.0’ campaign that emphasises its Pneumatic Automation solutions. To simplify its offerings in this field, Festo has created an analogy between its leading products that excel in numerous industries and the human lung.
2 April 2022 www.instrumentation.co.za welcome VOLUME 38 NO 4 APRIL 2022 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. All rights reserved. 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COVID-19 South African Resource Portal www.sacoronavirus.co.za EDITOR Brett van den Bosch B Eng (Electrical & Electronic) [email protected] DEPUTY EDITOR Kim Roberts MSc Chem [email protected] CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Michael Brown BSc (Eng) (Rand), CEng MIEE MSAIEE Gavin Halse BSc Chem Eng Lance Turner BSc (Hons) Information Systems ADVERTISING Sales manager Jane van der Spuy [email protected] Tel: +27 83 234 5412 Heidi Hargreaves [email protected] Tel: +27 83 504 0436 DESIGN AND LAYOUT Technews Production Department SUBSCRIPTION SERVICES For address changes, subscriptions, renewal status or missing issues, email: [email protected] or write to: Technews Publishing (Pty) Ltd, Box 385, Pinegowrie 2123 SUBSCRIBE ONLINE www.technews.co.za PUBLISHERS Technews Publishing (Pty) Ltd, Box 385, Pinegowrie 2123 At the time of writing, parts of KwaZulu-Natal are coming to grips with the magnitude of the damage caused by flooding of catastrophic proportions, with more rain forecast over the Easter weekend. The stories of utter despair being suffered by so many are at times too heart-wrenching to bear, never mind repeat. By the time you read this the toll will no doubt have been counted – in Rands and cents and in lives lost – but it will take some time yet before the province and its citizens are truly able to recover. To those of you who have suffered damage to or loss of property, livelihoods or, most tragically, loved ones, the thoughts and prayers of all of us on the SA Instrumentation & Control team go out to you. Three of our members are in fact currently working from the only one of their homes with power, running water and Internet connectivity and soldiering on to get this edition to print while living through what one of them aptly described as being ‘like a movie set’. Being based at our Johannesburg offices myself, this serves as a stark reminder that things like Stage 2 load-shedding are no more than inconveniences on a personal level and while it does impose business expenses, money is, after all, just money. There is never a good time for a disaster to happen, but during the ongoing pandemic the last thing we need is for people, particularly the poorest members of society, to be huddling together wherever they can find safe refuge from the cold and rain. As if we didn’t have weather worries enough, even our own star is now due to slam us with a storm of a different kind. As of 13 April, various news outlets are reporting that a solar storm is traversing the deep, dark expanse between the sun and Earth. Sadly, although Google is spitting out a related link under the space weather category of the South African National Space Agency’s website, the page itself is unreachable. This forces me to delve into the deep, dark expanse that is British tabloid journalism. As per the Daily Express, a publication which is regarded as falling halfway between sensationalism and respectability on the journalism spectrum, said solar storm is on a direct collision course with Earth on 14 April and is “expected to intensify, which could cause chaos to satellites and spark power grid fluctuations.”The newspaper cites forecast models from both NASA and the NOAA (National The gods must be angry Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration), while the latest update on the NOAA’s website issues a G2 (moderate) geomagnetic storm warning for the 14th and a G1 (minor) one for the 15th. What this means is that the effects will likely be experienced by we Earthlings as more ‘suddenly, nothing happened’ than ‘chaos to satellites’ and risk of radio blackout as reported by aforementioned publication. All of which is not to say that solar storms and solar flares are to be taken lightly. Industrial electronic equipment is somewhat more resilient to their effects than consumer-grade devices, since it is often housed in EMI-resistant enclosures and some of the major electronic components used are rated as dual-purpose for space and industrial use – more resilient, but not immune. Solar storms and flares can and have caused major telecommunications and power outages in the past, to wit: in 1972 they knocked out long-distance phone communication across several US states, causing AT&T to redesign its power system for transatlantic cables; in 1989 they caused a power blackout in Canada that left six million people without electricity; in 2000 they caused some satellites to short-circuit; and in 2003 a solar stormwas so strong it overwhelmed the spacecraft sensor measuring it. For those interested in the topic, there is a fascinating video by Veritasium entitled ‘The Universe is hostile to computers’which looks at how such phenomena have caused false vote counts (conspiracy theorists, rejoice!) and might even have been to blame for Toyota’s infamous recall of millions of its cars in the 2009-2011 period. Go to www.instrumentation.co.za/*apr22-sol to watch the video.
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NEWS & EVENTS 4 April 2022 www.instrumentation.co.za Given the seasonal demand cycles imposed on production and manufacturing operations, many industries such as consumer packaged goods (CPG) use this time of year to shut down for much-needed maintenance and repairs. Conversely, CPG organisations also ramp up production during the holidays and peak periods such as Easter, when the demand for consumer goods is high. During these times, in-house production, maintenance and technical teams must perform optimally as both scenarios go beyond the norm of daily operations. To this end, expert assistance can go a long way in supporting overtaxed in-house teams, particularly when operations are restarted or reach peak capacity. A valuable partnership An outsourced field services team can fill an important gap, assisting organisations not only during emergencies but also in critical scenarios such as providing spares, additional technical support and 24/7 callout availability, as well as aligning maintenance schedules with planned intervention when there is a contract in place. These can provide peace of mind to operations running at full steam or emerging from a shutdown. Moreover, an OEM field services team with certified engineers will have valuable insight into the equipment and will likely have worked in similar scenarios throughout the industries it operates in. These teams therefore provide problem-solving expertise that can save time and ultimately operational and manufacturing costs. An outcome-based evolution Historically, the provision of field services has been a reactive industry. As mentioned, when an issue arises, the maintenance or Choene Ramotshela. Field services – beyond break-fix to invaluable organisational insight By Choene Ramotshela, field services operation director for Anglophone Africa, Schneider Electric. site manager will require assistance and the field services team will repair or replace equipment, or provide alternative solutions. The move towards digital environments is becoming a major driving force behind field services. For example, most CPG organisations and other manufacturers generate an enormous amount of data. Armed with this information, organisations can take steps to improve daily operations and sufficiently prepare for increased production rates and maintenance periods. The field services market is then well positioned to meet these organisational needs by moving beyond traditional operations and maintenance towards outcome-based services. An outcome-based model entails servicing operational technology (OT) equipment throughout the entire product lifecycle and using the resultant data to help organisations meet their goals. Therefore, instead of calling on field services as problems arise, a company can partner with a services company to perform preventive maintenance, install connected products, monitor asset health and make recommendations to optimise operations, including modernisation. The move to digitalisation At the core of this outcome-based model lies digitalisation. Schneider Electric has partnered with BASF to assist the organisation in achieving higher uptime and productivity at its substation in Texas in the US. By remotely monitoring connected assets throughout the facility using Schneider Electric’s EcoStruxure Asset Advisor architecture, the services team has 24/7 visibility into the electrical distribution equipment’s health and efficiency. With this data, Schneider Electric provides BASF with customised advice and proactive recommendations to help prevent equipment failure and optimise maintenance strategies, thus meeting their pre-determined business goals. Since the beginning of the partnership, BASF has met its intended outcomes, including decreasing the mean time to repair equipment by 15% and increasing the mean time between planned outages by 20%. Ultimately, field services isn’t just a break-fix solution; it’s now an industry that provides proactive and preventive strategies to help industries such as CPG meet their manufacturing and production goals. For more information contact Schneider Electric South Africa, +27 11 254 6400, [email protected], www.se.com/za/en/
NEWS & EVENTS www.instrumentation.co.za April 2022 5 In March, Proconics and Sasol concluded an historic partnership agreement. The two organisations have made a commitment to shared value creation through partnership, in a push to positively impact sustainability within the South African engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) market. Melvin Jones, Proconics Group CEO, enthused: “I’m incredibly excited about Sasol’s decision to partner with local engineering talent. Building a decarbonised future for South Africa brings uniquely South African challenges. Rising above them requires a collective spirit, a sense of ubuntu and strong local partnerships. Sasol is taking a bold step, creating the ecosystem in which an inspiring future can become a reality. I firmly believe that we have the talent in-country and this partnership shows one of our leading blue-chip companies placing their faith in South African talent – the future is bright.” During the 27 years Sasol and Proconics have been collaborating, both companies have been dedicated to the development of South African talent. This development is focused on giving local talent the capability to execute EPC projects. The Sasol PEI&T partnership allows both companies to leverage their investment and return benefits to the fence-line communities in which they operate. Proconics announces Sasol PEI&T partnership At the turn of the year, the Berlin-based company Witt Sensoric became part of the Pepperl+Fuchs Group. Witt Sensoric specialises in the development and production of safety sensor technology for the gate industry. “With the acquisition of Witt Sensoric, we want to expand and strengthen our position in the field of entrance automation,” said Dr Gunther Kegel, CEO of Pepperl+Fuchs. Jörg Brech, founder and managing partner of Witt Sensoric, affirmed, “The agreement gives Witt Sensoric access to Pepperl+Fuchs’ international sales channels, which will help accelerate growth. At the same time, we also see the partnership as an opportunity to use existing Pepperl+Fuchs technologies for new sensors for safeguarding and controlling industrial doors.” Witt Sensoric joins Pepperl+Fuchs Group Witt Sensoric was founded in 1993 and specialises in safety sensors on gate systems. With over 60 employees, it is characterised above all by its performance in the field of photoelectric sensor development, mechanical design and large-volume production. Witt Sensoric supplies almost all well-known European door manufacturers with initial equipment. The company’s decades of experience are reflected in an extensive, standards-compliant product portfolio of safety sensor technology and accessories. As one of the leading companies in the automation industry, Pepperl+Fuchs is considered a pioneer in its markets worldwide with its strong offering of advanced technologies. For conventional and innovative applications, the company offers a comprehensive portfolio for factory automation and for the process industry. At the same time, Pepperl+Fuchs continues to drive forward pioneering technologies, paving the way for its customers to meet the challenges of Industry 4.0. Founded in Mannheim, Germany in 1945, Pepperl+Fuchs today employs around 6000 people and generates approximately 780 million Euros in sales across global markets with industrial sensors and products for explosion protection. For more information contact Pepperl+Fuchs, +27 10 430 0250, [email protected], www.pepperl-fuchs.com “It is an exciting time to be part of the energy industry, with the focus shifting beyond asset sustainability and embracing the creation of human and environmental capital,” Jones continued. “Sasol has a proud history of innovation, being the first company to successfully commercialise and operate the complex technologies implemented in Sasolburg and Secunda. Contributing to Sasol’s trailblazing technology leadership and how that is being positioned for a new low-carbon future, makes Proconics gratified by our shared South African roots.” Proconics has committed to innovating, learning, growing and diversifying its footprint within a hypercompetitive and capital-constrained market. Jones stated that this growth makes Proconics proud to be a South African company solving local problems with local talent. “It is with great pride that we take the first steps in the Sasol PEI&T partnership, a South African-born energy and chemicals giant with proudly South African EPC capabilities. Proconics is excited about the future and doing our part in creating South African engineering and construction career paths and supporting Sasol in their ‘Just Transition’ ambitions,” Jones said. For more information contact Proconics, +27 16 982 7880, [email protected], www.proconics.co.za
NEWS & EVENTS 6 April 2022 www.instrumentation.co.za The NorthWest province is known as the country’s ‘Platinum Province’ due to its mineral riches of platinum and other platinum group metals (PGM), as well as chrome. It is also home to a strong dimension stone sector thanks to its abundance of slate, marble and granite deposits. The economy of the NorthWest is driven by mining, which generates more than 50% of the province’s gross domestic product and provides employment for a quarter of its workforce. Gold is mined at Orkney and Klerksdorp; platinum at Rustenburg and Brits; uranium at Klerksdorp; and diamonds at Lichtenburg, Christiana and Bloemhof. NorthWest mining ventures make up 20% of South Africa’s mining industry, while more than 90% of the country’s platinum comes from the province’s mines. In early April, the renowned Mining & Technical Exhibition (MTE) in NorthWest took place, covering Mooinooi and Rustenburg. The event saw hundreds of key individuals from the area’s mining sector in attendance. The MTE events take place throughout the country and other parts of Africa, with one of the main aims being to nurture the mining and related industries by providing up-to-date information and shedding light on developments affecting the sector. Operations manager for MTE, Andrew Macnamara, said that the past 24 months had been challenging for the country’s mining operations, but he was optimistic for the future. “Covid-19 has definitely had long-lasting effects on many industries across the globe,” he acknowledged. “Despite these challenges, Africa’s tenacity and unity during these challenging times have proven strong and as we navigate through these uncertain times, I am certain that all industries will recover tenfold. MTE expos explore the growth of NorthWest mines “Regarding the mining industry in particular, global demand has driven most prices up and mines across SA and Africa have also increased their safety procedures, which further protects their workforces.” He added that the MTE events showcased improved safety protocols that can be seen in African and South African mines and provided a platform for visitors to interact with those in the mining industry who have overcome such challenges. RS Components South Africa was also present at the MTE North West events to show off the latest safety equipment, tools and other offerings from some of the world’s most respected brands. Mellisa Govender, marketing director for RS, said that the MTE North West events not only highlighted the booming mining industry in the area, but also helped to connect with customers more closely. “These MTE events provide an opportunity Left to right: RS Components SA’s VanetteWessels and Kgothatso Mtshali with MTE director Andrew Macnamara, preparing for the exhibition. for us to share the latest industrial technologies and solutions that could help improve and maintain operations. The great thing is that we, at RS South Africa, have over 650 000 products across 2500 global brands that can easily be ordered online and delivered direct to a customer – even in remote areas and while adhering to Covid-19 safety protocols,” she said. At this year’s events, the company focused on its signature label brand, RS Pro, which has expanded from hand tools and automation and control equipment to include electrical products, personal protection gear and test and measurement devices – many of which are vital for any mining operation. For more information contact RS Components SA, +27 11 691 9300, [email protected], www.rsonline.co.za To cater for its growing customer base in markets across Africa, it has become necessary for SEW-EURODRIVE to increase its local production capacity for Generation X.e industrial gear units. South African national operations manager, Greg Perry, highlighted the advantages of the equipment as well as the benefits of assembling them locally in SEW’s new 26 000 m2 factory. “Our new SEW-EURODRIVE building in Aeroton, Johannesburg, which will house our head office as well as assembly, warehousing and repair facilities, is now complete and we are currently in the final stages of laying out the assembly lines for geared motors and industrial gearboxes,” he stated. Geared motors, industrial gears (IGs), SEW to assemble X.e industrial gear units in Johannesburg variable-speed drives (VSDs), automated guided vehicle (AGVs) and servo motors will all be assembled in the new factory, with space left over to conduct repairs on SEW and nonSEW units. “The Johannesburg assembly lines for geared motors are designed for 7000 units per month and we are planning to build up to 100 IG units per month, doubling our current capacity. New spray booths and automated oil filling stations are being installed to cater for these volumes,” he continued. All local assembly of gearboxes, VSDs and servo motors is conducted in accordance with SEW-EURODRIVE’s global quality standards and SEW South Africa is already certified by Germany’s quality department in addition to its ISO 9001 quality certification. The standardised assembly and logistics processes are now incorporated into SEW-EURODRIVE’s SAP system, which will give better traceability and visibility of all orders as they move through the assembly processes. “We have started to design the assembly flows for our X.e range and we will be adding additional industrial gearbox ranges as time goes by,” added Perry. “Initially, we will be assembling the Generation X.e Series in sizes from 120 to 250, which encompasses nominal torque classes from 12,8 to 175 kNm,” he says. The flagship Generation X.e Series The latest generation SEW-EURODRIVE industrial gear units in the X.e Series have been designed with a host of new improvements to
NEWS & EVENTS www.instrumentation.co.za April 2022 7 Michael Brown’s Practical Process Control Training Courses and Loop Optimisation Services Cell: +27 (0)82 440 7790 Email: [email protected] Website: www.controlloop.co.za MICHAEL BROWN CONTROL ENGINEERING CC Courses: These well known courses are unique and invaluable to newcomers as well as experienced practitioners and process engineers in the field of industrial regulatory control optimisation. The courses offer a new and very practical approach to this subject, which very few people really understand properly. Courses are available on demand for six or more delegates and are suitable for instrumentation and control technicians and engineers, and for plant process engineers. Many chemical and mechanical engineers have attended the courses as well as metallurgists. Even people with many years of experience in this field have found the courses a real eye opener. Optimisation Services and Consulting: Michael Brown has had 35 years of experience in control loop optimisation, and in that time has successfully optimised controls in many different types of plants, including pulp and paper, power stations, chemical and petrochemical, oil, steel, mining and metallurgical recovery, cement, brewing, glass, dairy, food, and sugar, both in South Africa and many overseas countries. His work has proved invaluable to plants and has resulted in greatly improved performance and ROI. THE PART 1 COURSE IS NOW AVAILABLE ONLINE VIA SELF STUDY AND ZOOM SESSIONS Greg Perry. be more robust, reliable, efficient and easier to maintain. This modular series is designed to be custom-built based on the exact needs specified by clients, most notably by significantly increasing the number of possible torque/speed combinations and fine-size graduations. A large selection of additional modular features and options – such as motor adaptors, backstops, various sealing and shaft systems and many more – further elevates the ease-ofuse and reliability of X.e Series systems. Key applications Key applications for the X.e Series across Africa include conveyor drives, which are often required to operate in extremely dusty and very hot or cold conditions. Due to new thermally optimised housings, particularly in the X180 sizes and above, along with the contact-free Taconite sealing system design, these drives offer excellent reliability under these conditions. For hoists, which often feature the rope drum and the motor on the same side of a parallel-shaft unit, the X.e hoist range offers an optimised choice of gear unit sizes, reduced gear unit weight and sufficient centre distances. For bucket elevators required to lift bulk materials, the drive needs to be operated at low speed during maintenance – X.e Series bucket elevator drives are equipped with a directly mounted auxiliary drive to perform this function while the main motor is switched off. For agitator and aerator drives, X.e agitator gear units in the 22 to 90 kNm size range have extended bearing distances to absorb high radial and axial forces. In addition, due to their thermally optimised housings, these units can be used without external cooling, even in highperformance agitation applications. Perry also cites the use of the new X.e range in girth gear applications, where the new-generation units have become the global standard for use with SEW-EURODRIVE’s mill drive solution. Key improvements Other key improvements boasted by the newgeneration units include: • Contactless sealing systems, which reduce shaft and seal wear, improving reliability and service life. • Thermally improved oil levels to reduce oil use, extend oil change intervals and improve the thermal performance of the units. • Optimised bearing preload, which gives users a choice between greater operating reliability in critical drive conditions or a longer bearing service life in moderate conditions. • An improved bevel pinion housing, which offers an increase in the service life of the sealing systems and an improvement in coldstarting behaviour. • Optimised tooth flank topology, which involves optimising the microgeometry of the gear tooth surfaces to enable the operating torques and external forces to be transferred more accurately and reliably. • SEW-EURODRIVE’s DriveRadar suite of condition monitoring solutions for vibration, temperature and other key parameters can be seamlessly incorporated for early detection of damage to bearings or gears and to provide instant notifications to equipment operators about potential problems. “When the new X.e assembly line is up and running at our factory in a few months’ time, we expect our delivery times, from receiving an order to shipping to site, to be significantly reduced,” Perry assured. “We will also be in a better than ever position to deliver complete drive systems to industry, including system components such as couplings, brakes and sensors, all of which can be pre-mounted on a baseplate, along with VSDs, soft starters, sensors and all the connectivity needed to link to a customer’s control interface.” For more information contact SEW-EURODRIVE, +27 11 248 7000, [email protected], www.sew-eurodrive.co.za
8 April 2022 www.instrumentation.co.za Branches Johannesburg: Dean Floyd at [email protected]; Mobile: +27 82 455 3929 Cape Town: Hein Ries at [email protected]; Mobile: +27 73 351 2875 Durban: Mark Calvert at [email protected]; Mobile: +27 83 452 3181 Gqeberha: Prof. Theo van Niekerk at [email protected], Mobile: +27 82 440 8957 Richards Bay: Mervyn Govender at [email protected]; Mobile: +27 83 299 2260 Secunda: Lezahn Meiring at [email protected]; Mobile: +27 84 440 7787 Tshwane : Mark Taylor at [email protected]; Mobile: +27 61 769 3344 Vaal: John Phala at [email protected]; Mobile: +27 71 679 5076 Zambia: Andrew Sikwese at [email protected], Tel: +26 96 963 1008 Council: Ina at [email protected], Mobile: +27 82 440 8957, Tel: 08610 72462 (08610 SAIMC) From the office of the CEO Johan Maartens. Once again, the national State of Disaster has been extended. Although the state could have justified this based on the crime in the country, it is not clear how this could be blamed on Covid-19. To make things even worse, it seems that the state now wants to extend the controls by simply sweeping them under the National Health Act rug. Per an article by Daily Maverick’s Marianne Merten, health minister Joe Phaahla signed Regulation 16A(1) on 14 March 2022 pending a 30-day public comment period, which states that “A person must, when in a gathering in an indoor public place, wear a face mask or a homemade item that covers his or her nose and mouth.”This is a typical example of how the world is moving by while South Africa seems to struggle with planning ahead. Most people are aware that South Africa has one of the highest unemployment rates in the world and that new technologies are about to make that even worse unless countries are prepared for it. So, what does the South African government do? It lowers the pass mark for the National Senior Certificate, then proudly proclaims that “the learner must pass at least three subjects at 40%.”True to form, it then insists that we do not need to worry as the pass mark is higher for those wishing to enter university to further their studies. What government fails to realise is that once these learners finish school, they enter ‘the real world’ where nobody wants to employ people who barely meet such minimal criteria, despite what any minister or ministerial committee tries to convince us is the truth. There are, of course, the exceptions where people with very low marks at school make it in the real world, but if that was the norm, South Africa would not have one of the highest unemployment rates in the world. South Africa needs to get serious about addressing these new technologies and understanding that less than half of what was taught at school will not cut it. We need to raise the bar and get tough with schools who are not introducing these new technologies and with tertiary education institutions that believe teaching only the basics is acceptable for producing graduates who are equipped to enter a very competitive industry. Then perhaps we will stop blaming previous regimes, industry, the coming ‘industrial revolutions’ and everything else for our unemployment rates. By the way, if you are doing engineering work and your last name starts with A through K, I sincerely hope your ECSA application paperwork has been completed and sent in, otherwise you could be one of those crying about the ‘unfairness’ of the registration process. Yours in automation, Johan Maartens SAIMC NEWS National Members
www.instrumentation.co.za April 2022 9 SAIMC NEWS The SAIMC Cape Town branch held its monthly technology meeting at Zutari’s offices in Century City. Broadcast on Microsoft Teams and attended by some local members, this was one of the first in-person events held by the branch in 2022, with both in-person and online turnout being better than expected. Bafana Msibi from Yokogawa gave a presentation on pH and conductivity measurement, beginning with an explanation of what pH sensors are and how they work. He then proceeded to describe some of the main reasons these elements fail, for instance, by leaving a sensor to dry out, and methods of revitalising them. His knowledge of the topic was so insightful that the audience interrupted and asked questions frequently, which he answered clearly and thoroughly. So well was his presentation received that after Bafana’s allotted hour ended, the audience wanted him to continue and even requested that he cover conductivity sensors as well. One of the audience members even stated that “if this presentation regarding pH sensors is an example of what is to come, then let him finish this presentation.”The presentation then continued for another 40 minutes and even the virtual delegates stayed online. Bafana successfully managed to take a topic that many people would have written off as being too ‘basic’ and turned it into a presentation with a wealth of useful knowledge. His knowledge is practical and applicable in the general workplace. Cape Town branch The SAIMC Cape Town management team extended its thanks to Bafana and Yokogawa for their presentation and expressed its hope to hear from them again in the future. Several of these in-person events are planned for the remainder of the year and readers are invited to monitor the SAIMC website (https://saimc.co.za/) or LinkedIn page (www.linkedin.com/company/saimc) for up-to-date information.
10 April 2022 www.instrumentation.co.za SAIMC NEWS The Durban branch of the SAIMC is delighted to announce its return to face-to-face technology meetings on 4 May, at a new venue, the Durban Jewish Club (44 KE Masinga Road, North Beach, Durban). Rylance Sukdao, sales manager at ifm KwaZuluNatal, and Peter Meyer, owner of Aumanat, will be presenting on valve actuators and feedback systems in various industries and highlighting the Durban branch The Secunda branch welcomed two new regional member companies to the fold: African Petrochemicals & Energy and Proconics. On 10 March, one of Proconics’ lawyers, Doret Luddick, presented at the branch’s technology evening on the New Engineering Contract (NEC) 3. She covered everything that those working in the projects space and/or with maintenance contracts should know when dealing with/being a service provider that makes use of the NEC3 strategy. The key themes covered in her presentation were: the contractor’s main responsibilities; time; quality management; payment; compensation events; title; liability and insurance; and termination. She also covered the different NEC3 contract options (A-F) and was thanked for the interesting presentation. All instrumentation and control-related mechanicians, technicians and engineers are welcome to attend the branch’s monthly technology events throughout 2022, with the next two planned for 5 May and 2 June. A vote of appreciation went out to Proconics Secunda for Secunda branch common challenges faced. They will also show how, with advancements in technology, innovative design of actuators and smart feedback systems can increase plant availability for added benefits such as reduced downtime, easy maintenance and simplified diagnostics. Their combined experience and knowledge in industrial instrumentation and controls, as well as sales, servicing and development of electric and pneumatic actuators, bodes well for an interesting and relevant presentation which will include both theory and a practical demonstration. As always, the evening will begin at 17h30 with drinks and networking and the presentation at 18h00 will be followed by a delicious dinner. Bookings are essential, so RSVP to [email protected] sponsoring the venue, snacks and beverages for all the planned events. Technical presentations at the SAIMC Secunda branch will earn CPD points for ECSA-registered individuals and all enquiries can be directed to the branch general manager, Lezahn Meiring, on +27 84 440 7787.
www.instrumentation.co.za April 2022 11 SAIMC NEWS Philco Systems started its journey in 1992 as Philco Computing and Automation CC, the brainchild of Robert Phillips who started operations from the garage of his home. By 1997, the CC grew into Philco Systems (Pty) Ltd, with the objective of catering to the processing and automation needs of the mining, metals and mineral processing industries in the Richards Bay area of KwaZulu-Natal. Today, the company has 72 permanent employees and 33 contracted employees, including a host of engineers, technicians and specialists in the various fields that comprise a comprehensive system integrator (SI) offering. This array of talent serves to fulfil Philco’s primary objective of providing turnkey automation solutions to the mining, metals and mineral processing industries. All bases are covered for the purpose of providing clients with the best solutions which are tailored for their individual applications, from conceptual design, detail design and drafting, panel building, software engineering and field installation, all the way to commissioning and handover. The company has 10 construction teams in total, enabling it to implement medium-sized projects. Philco has been associated with Rockwell Automation through its various SI programmes since 1998 and is a Silver-level Rockwell certified SI (RcSI) to this day. This close working Philco Systems relationship has helped Philco flourish, garnering five Rockwell awards over the years – including, most recently, Systems Integrator of the Year in 2019 – in addition to a Certificate of Excellent Performance from South32 and an Occupational Health and Safety Africa Award along the way. The company also has vast experience in integrating such platforms and products as Wonderware Intouch and GE Fanuc Cimplicity on the scada side and ABB and Siemens variable-speed drives (VSD). Philco also has an ongoing relationship with ABB SA and ABB Switzerland to provide clients with expertise on rectifiers for aluminium smelters and has integrated ABB robotics into some of its solutions. Furthermore, it is in the process of enrolling in the Siemens system integrator programme and currently provides integration and support for some Siemens products. To ensure that its employees and clients are up to speed with the technologies used in its projects, training plays a key role in Philco Systems’ approach to providing turnkey solutions. In addition to providing training to its clients on its complete integrated solutions and not just individual products, the company makes a firm commitment to employee training. This comprises various initiatives, such as semi-skilled and skilled construction labour in the E&I field; identifying, guiding and facilitating potential artisan candidates in obtaining their trade certification; in-house training and mentoring of technician and engineering employees in PCS design and PLC software design principles; as well as guidance and mentoring of project leads in managing the commercial and technical requirements of a project. Philco Systems’ abiding business philosophy is centred around building long-lasting relationships with its clients. The cornerstones for putting this into practice are: • Uncompromised integrity and honesty. • Investing in the company’s greatest assets – its employees. • Using tried and tested engineering principles to put a solution on the table that the team can be proud of. • Providing support to clients thereafter. Philco’s vision for its future is to further build and improve upon the reputation it has earned in the automation industry over the last 30 years. It also plans on expanding the range of products it integrates in its solutions, the variety of industries it services and the range of solutions it can provide – and in doing so, diversify Philco’s client base. For more information contact Philco Systems, +27 35 751 1363, [email protected], www.philco.co.za System integration built on strong partnerships, vast expertise and steadfast business philosophy.
12 April 2022 www.instrumentation.co.za AUTOMATION PROFESSIONALS Abacus Automation supplies innovative, custom-developed technical solutions using standard PLCs, drives, scada and motion control equipment and is Siemens approved for crane automation. With 23 years in the industry, this award-winning and internationally acclaimed company has highly qualified, experienced and professional staff. It operates out of offices in KwaZulu-Natal. Tel: +27 31 702 5767 [email protected] www.abacus-automation.co.za Abacus Automation Control Software Solutions - CSS Customer-centricity allows CSS to attain a high percentage of repeat business from its growing customer base.With a solid 17 years’experience in designing customised C&A solutions, CSS partners with customers in relationships thriving on information sharing and open communication enabling them to enhance customer operations. Supplier Certification provides customers with the assurance that the CSS team is completely up to date on current trends and technology as indicated by a number of prestigious awards. Tel: +27 31 914 0040 [email protected] www.cs-solutions.co.za Moore Process Controls Moore Process Controls provides process automation and optimisation solutions to realise the maximum potential of your plant and assets. Its offerings include DCS, PLC, scada, compressor control solutions, MES, production management and predictive maintenance systems, control loop optimisation, alarm and energy management systems, plant security and access management systems, Matrikon OPC, OSi Soft, dashboards and historians, wireless and data solutions including digital twin, process simulators and training simulators and cloud-based IIoT solutions. Tel: +27 11 466 1673 [email protected] www.moore.co.za Consulting engineers, systemintegrators &project houses EHL Consulting Engineers offers comprehensive C&I services across all industries including control system design, software development and system integration; legacy system upgrades and replacements; process automation and optimisation; and IS and SIL services. Tel: +27 11 370 7400 [email protected] [email protected] www.ehl.co.za EHL Consulting Engineers Autotronix is a recognised leader in industrial automation design and implementation having attained its ISO 9001 certification. Autotronix offers its clients turnkey control system integration services for energy management, PLC/HMI/scada/VSD, manufacture of control panels, applications for water distribution and manufacturing. The company operates from offices in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal. Tel: +27 31 705 0400 or +27 16 422 7644 [email protected] www.autotronix.co.za Autotronix Iritron is a newmillennium technology company providing quality solutions in the fields of electrical instrumentation and control systems engineering, MES systems integration and simulations. It has a proven ability tomanage projects efficiently and produce high quality results. It has an extensive track record of successfully implementing plant infrastructure reticulation, designs, and automation and information systems. Iritron, aTUV accredited ISO 9001:2015; ISO 14001:1015 and ISO 45001:2018 as well as a GAMP®5: ARisk-BasedApproach toCompliant technology company, can offer its clients PLC, DCS, MES and scada software and hardware, as well as electrical and instrumentation design, engineering, project management and commissioning services. Tel: +27 12 349 2919 [email protected] www.iritron.co.za Iritron
www.instrumentation.co.za April 2022 13 AUTOMATION PROFESSIONALS Systems Automation and Management is a supplier of data acquisition systems and innovative automation solutions and is one of the leading integrators of PLC, scada and fieldbus systems in South Africa. The company’s comprehensive range of capabilities includes industrial networks, automation and control, scada, custom solutions, information delivery, data warehousing, hardware and software, BMS, MIS and MES. Tel: +27 11 803 0570 [email protected] www.sam.co.za SAM – Systems Automation and Management Process Dynamics specialises in industrial automation and process control. The company is one of Africa’s leaders in turnkey automation projects and specialises in the integration of scada (WINCC, PCS7, Wonderware, Citect and Ignition) and PLC ( Siemens, Schneider, Rockwell and Festo) as well as MCC and control panel manufacturing and installation. Process Dynamics is ISO 9001:2015 accredited as well as a registered CIDB company. Tel: +27 11 394 5412 [email protected] www.process-dynamics.co.za Process Dynamics Saryx Engineering Group PCS Global Philco Systems At PCS Global we understand that you’re ultimately in business tomaximise profits. This means reduced cost of ownership, increased uptime, consistent results and ultimately a solution that not only fits your budget but lets your business work whilst you’re at home with your family. To us that means providing a hassle free, customised engineering solution that exceeds your expectations. Are you ready to take your business to the next level?We are! Level 2 BBEEE , ISO 9001:2015, CIDB. Siemens, Schneider, Wonderware and Rockwell certified. Automation Innovation, it’s the new AI. Tel: +27 11 466 4172 [email protected] www.pcsglobal.com Saryx is an-award winning company whose focus lies in offering its clients the best solutions and services, taking into account their business objectives, current infrastructure and product knowledge investments. Its solutions are delivered at a value that makes sense to the client, by bringing forth industry standard best practices, intellectual capability, knowledge and infrastructure. Saryx is a BBBEE, 7EP CIDB and ISO accredited company. Tel: 086 099 5105 [email protected] www.saryx.com Proconics is a locally based multi-discipline engineering company that executes projects to improve and extend the life of factories. Proconics specialises in multi-discipline, short-term turnkey projects, featuring brownfield replacement projects as well as renewable grid connections. Tel: +27 16 982 7880 [email protected] www.proconics.co.za Philco Systems provides turnkey industrial automation solutions that are tailored to the client’s individual application, with 30 years’ experience in industrial automation design, drafting panel building, software engineering, field construction, commissioning and legacy migration. Philco Systems integrates a vast array of PLCs, VSDs, HMI, scada and instrumentation into custom solutions, which align with industry standards. At Philco we pride ourselves on building long-lasting customer relationships and have an excellent reputation for providing service and support to the clients’ automation systems. Tel: +27 35 751 1363 [email protected] www.philco.co.za Proconics What we are offering (an anually renewable subscription): South Africa’s only dedicated process control and factory automation publication. Whether you are a consulting engineer, a system integrator or a project house, we have the perfect marketing platform to put you in touch with nearly 4500 relevant control and automation practitioners in the automotive, food & beverage, mining, petrochemical, power, pulp & paper and water & wastewater industries. Name, contact details, logo and brief description of your business solution will appear in each issue of SA Instrumentation & Control magazine. Two A4 in depth editorials OR, two half page display advertisements – content of your choice. All articles will also be hosted on our website and appear in a prominent position in one of our electronic newsbriefs. PDF copies of the articles (to be used for your own purposes) will be provided after publication. Your listing will be published in a new“Choose Your Automation Professional” section of the annual SA Instrumentation & Control Buyers’ Guide and a link to your company web page in all directory listings. Contact: [email protected]
14 April 2022 www.instrumentation.co.za Festo South Africa, a pioneering industrial automation company known for providing solutions throughout Africa, recently launched a new three-part campaign, called ‘Absolute Automation 2.0’. This comprehensive campaign focuses on a few of the company’s dedicated business units: Process, Pneumatic and Electric Automation. To simplify the disparate product terms and functions, Festo created an analogy between its products and the human body, with a special focus on the heart, lungs and brain. The first leg of this campaign, themed ‘Heart of Absolute Automation 2.0’, débuted in the latter part of February 2022. The campaign focused on its comprehensive process automation solutions and detailed how its valves, linear actuators as well as quarter-turn actuators intertwine to control the media flow in manufacturing machines. As a customer success-driven company, Festo continues to raise the benchmark with the second leg of its campaign which emphasises its Pneumatic Automation solutions. Breathing life into your solutions Compressed air is an essential medium for numerous modern production companies, however, systems that use this type of air are exposed to a number of failures. One cubic Breathing life into your machines through leading Pneumatic Automation solutions Festo takes customers on a journey to higher productivity with its three-part Absolute Automation 2.0 campaign. metre of compressed air generated contains millions of dirt particles and considerable amounts of water, oil and even heavy metals such as lead, cadmium and mercury. If these are not filtered out, trouble-free operation of the system components cannot be guaranteed in the long term. In the same breath, this is how a poor respiratory system (unhealthy lung) impacts the functioning of the whole body. The lung consists of a network of organs and tissues that help humans breathe. This system helps the body absorb oxygen from the air and clean waste gases, such as carbon dioxide, from the human body’s blood. This same phenomenon applies to Festo Pneumatic Automation products, which ensure the quality of compressed air in machines. These products excel in the pharmaceutical, automotive, food and beverage, water treatment and other industries. Thomas Hohls, Technical Support Engineer at Festo South Africa, offered insight into the campaign’s focus products. MS-Basic series for clean air The Festo MS-Basic offers attractively priced core components focused on the most important technical functions of compressed air preparation, such as pressure regulation, filtration and manual or electric on/off control. It is fully compatible with the MS standard series, allowing users to create the best possible mix of cost-effective basic functions and any high-end functions they need. The regulators and filter regulators of the MS-Basic have a high flow rate of up to 5800 l/min, while their polymer materials deliver a weight reduction of up to 30% compared with the MS metal series. “This combination between MS-Basic and the standard series allows for some very innovative solutions, such as safety systems and feedback on functions,” Hohls explained. This can be achieved by using sensors such as the SDBT-MSX. Proximity sensor with auto-teach function, SDBT-MSX Adjusting the proximity switches for detecting the end position of a pneumatic cylinder’s piston stroke is often a complex process. The Festo Proximity Switch SDBT-MSX, also known as the first programmable proximity sensor, has simplified this process. This allows for automatic detection and saving of the end position with PNP/NPN and open/closed signals built-in. “Commissioning a proximity switch has become easier for users in factory automation,
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