38 VOLUME NO 11 NOVEMBER 2022 Official publication of the SAIMC Mining, metals & quarrying | Laboratory & analytical | Control systems Process measurement | IT in manufacturing | Motion control A true gauge of our success 30 years young MANUFACTURERS
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www.instrumentation.co.za November 2022 1 IT in manufacturing Control systems Motion control VOLUME 38 NO 11 NOVEMBER 2022 04 11 14 40 REGULARS Cover story 16 FEATURES Mining, metals & quarrying Laboratory & analytical Process measurement 18 22 24 30 38 34 News & events SAIMC news Automation professionals Product news SA Gauge: A shining example of South African resilience Siemens South Africa, ABB South Africa, Gavin Halse, KBC Health & Safety Endress+Hauser South Africa, SMC Corporation South Africa, ASSTech Process Electronics & Instrumentation, R&C Instrumentation, Instrotech Comtest, Dekra Industrial Iritron, Beckhoff Automation, ifm – South Africa Omron Electronics, BMG, Turck Banner Michael Brown Control Engineering CC, Turck Banner, Emerson Automation Solutions OUR COVER 16 38 VOLUME NO 11 NOVEMBER 2022 Official publication of the SAIMC Mining, metals & quarrying | Laboratory & analytical | Control systems Process measurement | IT in manufacturing | Motion control A true gauge of our success 30 years young MANUFACTURERS Backed by a complement of more than 50 staff members, SA Gauge got through the worst that COVID-19 could throw at it, having managed to meet sales targets since lockdown, and in some cases far exceeding them. Reaching the 30 year-old milestone is no reason to rest on its laurels, however, as SA Gauge is redoubling its efforts and moving straight back into growth mode.
2 November 2022 www.instrumentation.co.za welcome VOLUME 38 NO 11 NOVEMBER 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. Nopart of thispublicationmaybe reproduced, adapted, stored ina retrieval systemor transmitted inany formorbyanymeans, electronic,mechanical, photocopying, recordingor otherwise,without thepriorwrittenpermissionofTechnewsPublishing (Pty) Ltd, RegNo. 2005/034598/07 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Letters to the editor should be addressed to Brett van den Bosch at [email protected]. Sending material to this publication will be considered automatic permission to use in full or in part in our Letters column. Be sure to include your name, e-mail address, city and zip code. We reserve the right to edit all letters. 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 Subscribe online: www.technews.co.za In his monthly column on page 11, Johan Maartens, CEO of the Society for Automation, Instrumentation, Mechatronics and Control (SAIMC), discusses the state of tertiary education in South Africa, and the flaws inherent in how institutions are ranked. These flaws are so multi-faceted and so systemically ingrained in our education system that it’s impossible to do them justice on this page alone. However, with the adage ‘it takes a village to raise a child’ in mind, I will attempt to break things down into a semblance of a hierarchical structure (as I see things) and touch on the shortcomings at each level. Starting at the top of the pyramid, a Department of Higher Education and Training report released in March 2021 (see www.instrumentation.co.za/*nov22-dhet) shows that over 1,2 million students enrolled at public and private higher education institutions (HEI) in 2019, while roughly 265 000 graduated during the same year. Curiously, the majority (29,1%) of these were in the science, engineering and technology category – in stark contrast with the dire lack of skilled graduates actually being deployed into industry. HEIs occupy the next layer, and without rehashing what Johan covers, it is indeed the case that the criteria for their global rankings are primarily focused on research output (great for tenured academics), reputation and financial income (fantastic for management), and self-propagated, back-patting news headlines for cracking the list (which reassures boards of directors that all is well). The conversion rate of students into graduates is apparently not deemed significant. As for the bit-part actors in this tragic comedy – the students themselves – things don’t look nearly as rosy. With a national unemployment rate that’s currently nudging 34% making it unlikely to get any job at all, numbers from a 2019 OECD report (www.instrumentation.co.za/*nov22-oecd) A pyramid built upon sand dampen prospects yet further: “Tertiary attainment in South Africa is the lowest across all OECD and partner countries, with the majority of the population having an upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary qualification as their highest level of education. [...] While tertiary education is not widespread in South Africa, the country spends a larger share of its wealth on the public funding of primary, secondary and post-secondary non-tertiary education than most OECD and partner countries.” Although it’s often (rightly) said that statistics don’t lie, in my experience they very seldom tell the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. I openly confess to cherry-picking the statistics above to back up my argument, but numbers aside, we all know that our education system is broken. I do not claim to understand the full puzzle and I am certainly not qualified to put the pieces together, but that is not unfamiliar territory for me – what really worries me is that nobody knows how.
NEWS & EVENTS 4 November 2022 www.instrumentation.co.za Hitachi Energy has signed a long-term service agreement with Société Nationale d’Électricité (SNEL), the national electricity company of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), to secure power supply in the country’s most important power transmission asset: the Inga-Kolwezi high-voltage direct current (HVDC) link. The link supplies up to 1000 megawatts of emission-free electricity from the Inga Falls hydropower plant in the far west of the country to the Kolwezi mining region in the south. With a length of 1700 kilometres, it is the longest HVDC link in Africa. It also enables the DRC to export surplus power to the member countries of the Southern African Power Pool, which currently comprise Angola, Botswana, DRC, Eswatini, Lesotho, Mozambique, Malawi, Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe. The agreement continues the close collaboration between SNEL and Hitachi Energy over the past 40 years to ensure the link operates at maximum availability and reliability over its long operating life. Hitachi supplied the two converter stations at either end of the link Hitachi Energy to secure power supply in Africa’s longest HVDC link in 1982 and has subsequently upgraded them and doubled transmission capacity. As part of the agreement, Hitachi Energy will assess the precise service needs of the converter stations, develop a preventive maintenance programme and supervise its implementation over the next five years. The agreement includes training, knowledge sharing and expertise enhancement of SNEL service personnel. “We are delighted to be continuing our long collaboration with SNEL to protect the nation’s investment in its most important power transmission link,” said Andreas Berthou, HVDC and HVDC Service global product group manager at Hitachi Energy. “This long-term service agreement demonstrates how we work closely Transportation accounts for nearly 24% of all global CO2 emissions. More than 75% of that is road transportation, including cars, trucks and motorbikes. Passenger cars alone account for 60% of global road transportation emissions. E-mobility, paired with renewable energy generation, can significantly lower global CO2 emissions, helping us achieve emission targets, reduce pollution and noise, and improve our health and comfort. ABB showcases latest EV charging solutions ABB showed off its AC and DC electric vehicle (EV) charging portfolio at the Smarter Mobility Africa Summit from 5 to 7 October at the CISR in Tshwane, a highlight of Transport Month. The Terra 54 50-kW unit was under the spotlight, which has served ABB well for the last few years with its modular design. The Terra 124 was also showcased, an all-in-one, high-power charging station that allows charging network operators to quickly perform their charging station rollout. Designed around the needs of today’s EV requirements, the Terra 124 is fully field-upgradable to 180 kW to meet the needs of tomorrow. Compact and scalable, it represents high-power charging innovation from ABB that brings more charging power to urban locations. Visitors got to experience ABB’s AC and DC wall boxes on its stand. The Terra 360 charging solution was showcased virtually at the summit via a video presentation, to give visitors insight into the latest technology from ABB. “Our latest Terra 360 is the world’s most powerful and compact all-in-one high-power charging solution. Not only does it allow charging network operators to deploy fast charging stations, it accelerates the transition to future e-mobility,” said product marketing director, Ettienne Delport. Looking to the future, the Terra 360 can output up to 360 kW and can charge four vehicles simultaneously at 90 kW each. It features a brand-new design that makes the charger more ergonomic and modern. With its intuitive user interface, the Terra 360 offers the end user a pleasant charging experience. What’s more, it supports the major charging standards CCS-1, CCS-2, CHAdeMO and AC Type-2. A compact footprint enables quick, efficient installation of both the Terra 124 and the Terra 360 in any parking configuration. They allow easy frontal parking and charging, making them ideal for cities and shopping malls, and are a perfect fit for curb-side charging. Both units can serve two parallel drive-through lanes simultaneously, with each side equipped with different charging standard outlets. As battery technology advances, major truck and heavy-duty vehicle manufacturers are already releasing their lineups of low-noise, lowcarbon producing electric vehicles. However, these high-power vehicles need high-power infrastructure, with a strong focus on safety. ABB offers future-proof integrated charger and grid connection solutions that reduce installation costs while meeting the highest safety standards. For more information contact ABB South Africa, +27 10 202 5000, [email protected], www.abb.com/za with the customer to secure availability and reliability over the entire lifetime of the asset.” “Hitachi Energy has been a close and valued partner of SNEL for almost 50 years, when we first collaborated on the design of what was then a ground-breaking HVDC link with the world’s longest transmission line,” said Jean-Bosco Kayombo Kayan, CEO of SNEL. “Since then, we have worked closely together to increase the capacity and maximise the reliability of this critical national infrastructure.” For more information contact Jocelyn Chang, Hitachi Energy, +41 79 384 7775, [email protected], www.hitahienergy.com
| EK11-11bE | Simply integrated into the system: measurement technology from Beckhoff High resolution: 24-bit precision low measurement uncertainty: down to 25 ppm Wide measuring range: 10 mΩ to 10 MΩ High sampling rate: 100,000 samples/s Channels synchronized with < 1 μs Highly precise vibration analysis: up to 50 kHz www.beckhoff.com/ethercat-measurement Through a wide range of EtherCAT Terminals with advanced functionality, Beckhoff integrates measurement technology directly into the standard I/O system – delivering high speed, high bandwidth and precise synchronisation capabilities. Modular measuring terminals are available for applications that range from the measurement of temperature, power, current and voltage up to complex mains monitoring or Condition Monitoring. The signals are acquired via electrically isolated channels and sent to the controller for further processing. In order to promote more efficient engineering in these areas, Beckhoff offers numerous time-saving TwinCAT software libraries. Beckhoff Automation (Pty) Ltd Randburg 2169, South Africa Phone: +27 (0)11 795 2898 [email protected]
NEWS & EVENTS 6 November 2022 www.instrumentation.co.za If ever you want an example of a company that successfully pivoted to a different business model, you need look no further than RJ Connect. Perhaps best known today as the official Moxa distributor in South Africa, the company in fact began life as a system integrator (SI) called RJ Programmable Techniques in 1997. With a particular focus on the wastewater and automotive industries, the company soon found itself in a ‘feast or famine’ scenario due to the unknown, oftentimes unknowable, nature of project wins and implementation timelines. Wasting no time in assessing the situation, founder and managing director, Robert Wright, RJ Connect marks silver jubilee in style set about building relationships and exploring opportunities to build a portfolio of products that would complement the company’s automotive offering, and that its existing customers could make use of. His efforts paid off in a big way with the securing of the Moxa agency in 1999, which triggered a complete shift in focus from SI to value-added distributor. This was subsequently reflected by the name change from RJ Programmable Techniques to RJ Connect in 2006. Growing up together Itself only 12 years old in 1999, Moxa was looking to build a name for itself as a leading global provider of industrial networking, computing and automation solutions. Its faith in the young RJ has proved to be well founded, as evidenced by year-on-year sales growth throughout the history of the companies’ relationship. “Moxa was not a name in South Africa at that time,”Wright points out. “The local footprint it enjoys today was achieved with a dedicated and focused organisation that spent years growing the brand and being a recognised, premium industrial communications vendor. One of the guiding principles we follow is ‘Good quality and good service is not expensive – it’s priceless’.” Wright says this success is built on a dedication to offer the best solution that matches any particular customer’s needs. “We offer support to all our customers, SIs and end users alike, and are always willing to put ourselves in our customers’ shoes. To this end, we created an industrial training course to help our customers upskill themselves and gain CPD points. We have also increased our Moxa stockholding to prevent shortages. This holistic approach to the Moxa brand has been key to our joint success in the local market.” Back in the groove and raring to go This year’s Electra Mining Africa exhibition proved to be the perfect time and place to celebrate RJ Connect’s 25th anniversary, the so-called silver jubilee. “RJ Connect has attended Electra Mining for many years, and has always found it to be beneficial, and a great opportunity to showcase our everexpanding array of products and solutions. This year’s show was definitely a great success,”Wright adds. Never content to rest on its laurels, the company is excited about its prospects for the
NEWS & EVENTS Over the past four decades, EHL has grown into a multi-disciplinary engineering group, with world-class skills and experience across the mining, minerals, industrial, telecoms and petrochemical industries. EHL ENGINEERING GROUP EHL offers themarket: - Professionalism, integrity, reliability, value and service. - Turnkey solutions tailored to clients' needs, with a unique end-to-end approach. - Seamless, dynamic communication between the planners, engineers, on the ground project managers and site personnel, ensuring that an agile problem-solving approach is adopted throughout a project. What began as a small South African engineering firm is now a global leader in Engineering, Procurement and Construction Management (EPCM), and Engineering, Procurement and Construction services (EPCs). EHL has embraced the principles of broadbased black economic empowerment. We are an empowered supplier and amongst our entities attained a 110% procurement recognition as a Level 2 contributor to BBBEE. HOW CAN WE HELP YOU? future. Having moved premises five years ago to accommodate its increase in staff headcount and inventory, it is already considering the possibility of acquiring a new property across the road from its current home in the near future. “With our existing portfolio of products, we are ideally positioned to benefit from new and upcoming technologies in the industrial sector. Industry 4.0, TSN, 5G version 6/7, etc. are still in their infancy, but will play a large role in the future of industrialisation. All the brands we have partnered with are working on these emerging technologies, so the future looks bright for the next five to ten years as we are ready, constantly developing and eager to grow,”Wright concludes. For more information contact RJ Connect, +27 11 781 0777, [email protected], www.rjconnect.co.za Is it a server? Is it a router? No, it is (or rather, it was) a cake!
NEWS & EVENTS 8 November 2022 www.instrumentation.co.za Obituary: Steve Edwards A tribute from R&C Instrumentation’s staff. As regular customers of Valve & Automation are undoubtedly aware, the company suffered a devastating fire during the civil unrest in July 2021, which saw its offices in Springfield Park, Durban, razed to the ground. The company has now proudly announced its return home to Elmfield Place, and far from bemoaning its fate, issued the following statement of gratitude: “After the devastating fire of 2021, then insurance approvals and a seven-month rebuild, we are finally back home. Thanks to so many people for making the rebuild and relocation a success, including our brilliant, amazing and fantastic staff; our wonderful clients Mondi, Sappi, Sasol and so many more; and our amazing European suppliers Actreg, NAF, PMV, Richter and Zwick who replaced stock that was lost in the fire in record time.” Further praise was given to “Our excellent insurers, Compendium Insurance Group, who ensured we received a 100% insurance payout; 3CI Project Management & Construction Management who managed this successful rebuild (particularly Jamie Erskine who, as construction project manager, was tolerant and accommodating of all our requirements and changes); Computate IT, our IT service provider, Valve & Automation comes home WIKA earns certification to ISO nuclear standard who installed the network cabling and got our server and fibre up and running in record time; and IT project manager, Wesley Svirovski, who made sure he kept us updated every step of the way, and kept cabling neat and tidy.” For more information contact Valve & Automation, +27 31 579 2593, [email protected], www.valve.co.za We are sad to announce the passing of the founding member of R&C Instrumentation, Steve Edwards, on 11 October 2022. After emigrating from the UK, Ballito in KwaZulu-Natal became Steve’s home for over 35 years, where he raised his family and started the company that you all know as R&C Instrumentation. Steve was a man of many talents, with a passion for the field of industrial temperature measurement, and his knowledge and expertise in the field have been invaluable to our team and our valued customers over the years. Steve retired from an active role in the company in 2019 and spent the last few years pursuing his passion for rebuilding classic motorbikes, spending time with his family and enjoying travel adventures around the world on his motorbike. He never failed to make people laugh and always made friends wherever he went. Steve will be missed dearly by all of us at R&C, his family, industry colleagues and the many friends he has made over the years. We will never meet anyone like him again, but we will continue his legacy, keeping his memory alive. Rest well. Steve, May you continue your adventures on your trusty motorbike in the ever-after. WIKA has been certified by TÜV SÜD in accordance with the ISO 19443:2018 quality management standard for civil nuclear projects. The measurement technology manufacturer is the first company in Germany, and just the fourth worldwide, to achieve this status to date. The audit was passed at the first attempt. Until now, WIKA has been certified to KTA 1401. However, this standard was primarily designed for the German market. With its processes in accordance with ISO 19443, the company is now focusing on global project business in the civil nuclear power generation segment. Customer audits for qualification as a supplier can thus be widely reduced. For the measurement requirements of the industry, WIKA offers products and customerspecific solutions for the measurement parameters of pressure, temperature and level. For more information contact WIKA Instruments, +27 11 621 0000, [email protected], www.wika.co.za
Condition monitoring specialist company, WearCheck, proudly announced that its Asset Reliability Care (ARC) division officially has Africa’s first and only CAT IV instructor, after technical and training manager, Louis Peacock, passed his final exam with flying colours. CAT certification is achieved through the Mobius Institute, a worldwide provider of education in reliability improvement, condition monitoring and precision maintenance. WearCheck is one of a select few certified Mobius training centres for Africa, and is now the only centre on the continent to boast a local instructor for the CAT IV course. Training courses are run by WearCheck anywhere and on any date, on demand. The CAT courses include Vibration CAT I (junior analyst and data collector), Vibration CAT II (intermediate analyst and data collector), Vibration CAT III (senior analyst with supervisor roles) and Vibration CAT IV (expert analyst with additional roles and expert techniques). For the stringent CAT IV certification, students must pass the exam with a score of at least 70% and work through 52 hours of online videos during part one. Part two entails 40 hours of classroom-based, instructorled coursework, and students must have the required number of years’ condition monitoring experience as per ISO 18436-2, ISO 18436-1, ISO/IEC 17024 and ISO 18436-3 certification. The CAT IV course covers: 1. Advanced signal processing. 2. Cross-channel measurements. 3. Dynamics (mass/stiffness/damping, natural frequencies, modes). WearCheck staffer becomes Africa’s first and only CAT IV instructor 4. Resonance testing (run-up/coast-down tests, impact tests, ODS, modal analysis). 5. Corrective action (flow control, resonance correction, isolation and damping). 6. Proximity probe and casing measurements. 7. Orbit and centreline plot analysis. 8. Rotor dynamics (natural frequencies, modelling). 9. Journal bearings (design, fluid film instabilities). 10. Flexible rotor balancing. 11. Torsional vibration. Peacock, who aced the course with marks in the 80-90% range, had this to say: “I relished the challenges presented by the comprehensive course material, and I’m pleased that all the extra hours of hard work have paid off. One thing is for sure: the CAT-IV course transforms a very good vibration analyst into a vibration superhero!” There are only eight other CAT IV analysts in Africa, but Peacock is the first and only instructor. On a global scale there are only 249 CAT IV analysts, broken down as follows: Africa Louis Peacock (right) receiving his certificate from Philip Schutte, WearCheck’s ARC manager. (9), Asia (55), Australia (29), South America (13), North America (25), Europe (93) and Middle East (25). Following Peacock’s lead, several more WearCheck ARC technicians achieved other CAT certification in the 2021/2022 period: CAT I (12), CAT II (8) and CAT III (2). The next scheduled in-class CAT IV courses to be run byWearCheck take place from 23-27 January 2023 and 24-28 July 2023: The first 10 students to enrol for the January course (priced at $5000) will undergo 90 hours of video training, 48 additional workshop preparation hours at WearCheck’s Longmeadow training centre, 45 hours of compulsory in-class training and five hours for the certification exam. To book a Mobius course with WearCheck, check out the available dates and courses at www.wearcheck.co.za/training/mobiustraining.html or contact Louis Peacock to book your spot via email ([email protected]). For more information contact WearCheck, +27 31 700 5460, [email protected], www.wearcheck.co.za NEWS & EVENTS
NEWS & EVENTS 10 November 2022 www.instrumentation.co.za www.rtsafrica.co.za — [email protected] — +27 (0)82 879 0734 Dust Free Instrumentation & Control Rooms RTS Africa Inertial Spin Filters No Maintenance – No Down Time – No Dust – Energy Efficient RTS Africa Engineering (Pty) Ltd TM Referro closes technology gap for smaller food and beverage plants Industrial automation, electrical control and instrumentation supplier, Referro Systems, is focusing on the automation gap felt in the food and beverage industry, by bringing its solutions and capabilities closer to small- and medium-sized customers. The growing gap in the food and beverage industry Adrian vanWyk, managing director at Referro Systems, says there is a notable gap in the implementation of automation and control in the food and beverage industry. As a result, small- and medium-sized businesses are left behind when it comes to benefiting from the capabilities and savings enabled by control technologies. “There is a misconception in small- to medium-sized businesses that the cost of control technologies is high,”VanWyk elaborates. “If we look at the South African food and beverage market, we can confidently state that there are varying levels of control technology implementation, with the vast majority implemented by multinational companies. The gap therefore exists within the smaller food and beverage businesses, which are critical to our country and Africa as a continent.” There are various reasons why smaller businesses are not adopting newer control technologies. However, VanWyk asserts that the perceived cost and scale factors are the main reasons. “Other than the cost hurdle, there is also a view that control technologies are available only to multinational companies with the budgets and volumes that warrant an investment in these technologies. This is 100% incorrect.” Together with its suppliers, Referro offer fully connected, integrated, modular and scalable solutions to meet any business’s requirements. “There is a clear lack of information and know-how on the capabilities and benefits of control technologies amongst smaller to medium-sized businesses,” says VanWyk, “We must educate these businesses through real insight and information.” Referro solutions for food and beverage “Referro Solutions supplies these control technologies to all businesses,” says VanWyk. “For the food and beverage industry, we supply integrated, multidiscipline control systems such as Allen-Bradley Micro800, CompactLogix and ControlLogix.” For scalability, the company also offers fixed-speed, intelligent motor control solutions, machine solutions such as Allen-Bradley ArmorStart distributed motor controllers, intelligent soft-starters such as SMC Flex and SMC 50, and intelligent motor protection devices such as the E100/200/300. For additional scalability and production flexibility, the PowerFlex range of AC and DC variable-speed drives boasts the performance and reliability necessary for standard and higher-performance applications. Referro also provides intelligent sensing and safety devices for plant-wide solutions and on-machine applications. “We have various HMI solutions, from high-end stainless steel-based HMI products to standard operator interfaces where high IP ratings are important. For example, our customer may have washdown areas or require an HMI that can withstand high heat. In addition, we can deliver plant-wide control, automation and information solutions to complete the customer’s solution,”explains vanWyk. All these solutions can be applied to a wide range of industries and applications over and above food and beverage, from discrete, process, safety and motion control, to HMI, scada and MIS/MES. Applications include conveyors, pick-and-place, refrigeration, filling and forming, bottling, capping, sorting, packaging, washing, and ripening, to name a few. The benefits of these control technologies are seen in a truly connected and integrated business solution, with real-time control information from various platforms and devices throughout the manufacturing plant. “More so, data from control technologies are secure and contextualised, enabling the business to make decisions much more proactively and in real time. You also benefit from improved productivity which ultimately leads to overall optimal business performance. “These benefits,” says VanWyk, “are available to all food and beverage businesses, no matter the size. And as a result, we can service and address the customer’s requirements accordingly. At Referro, we don’t just supply the solutions but the actual products as well. We help our customers throughout the decision-making process. We guide and assist them in finding the best control solution for their requirements, whether they are a large multinational or a small business supplying the local food sector or export market. We also provide a training and post-sales service, including support and spare parts, as close to the customer’s operations as possible,”he adds. Closing the gap “The support from smaller businesses in the Northern Cape is testament to our medium- and long-term goals – we invested heavily in that region because it is one of the most important food export regions for South Africa. However, our customers outside the major metros have a problem. Travelling to and from the metros has its challenges in both time and expense. So, Referro has invested in resources and skills closer to those customers. We can now supply and support our existing customers and new customers in the outlying regions, and we aim to expand in the long term to cover more outlying regions in South Africa,” says VanWyk. “One can argue that the location of many small- to medium-sized businesses is why many of our customers have not been exposed to many of the available control technologies, their benefits and their varying applications, and this leads to the gap we see in the market. The information and knowledge are usually shared at conferences and seminars, predominantly held in the major metros. Referro aims to close that gap by spreading awareness and offering control technologies and solutions that are scalable, modular, and therefore applicable to the needs of any customer, without the exorbitant cost,”he says. For more information contact Referro Systems, +27 12 349 1297, [email protected], https://referro.co.za/
www.instrumentation.co.za November 2022 11 From the office of the CEO National Members SAIMC NEWS Johan Maartens. Let’s say youwant to study further. Youmight have a bursary or, if not, somebody (most likely your parents) is going to fork out a lot of money for the privilege. In some cases, people take on temporary jobs to pay for their further education, hoping that one day theymight be able tomake a decent living andmake something of themselves. Assuming you have selected the correct subjects and passedmatric with grades sufficient to be accepted into a tertiary institution, you’re good to go, so bright-eyed and bushy-tailed you get ready to apply. The question then is, which institution should I choose? Education institutions are very proud to publish their rankings, but are these rankings any good? Should you even look at these rankings and do they have any bearing on your personal goals? You will be surprised, as I was, when you look at what these rankings mean. NO, their ranking does not warrant you a job, and NO, their ranking is not based on the success of their graduates! How are these universities ranked, and by whom? They rank themselves according to these criteria: • Annual turnover. • Student to staff ratio. • Research income. • Number of research papers produced. The Times Higher Education World University Rankings are more specific about what constitutes a top-200 university: It includes an annual total university income of above $750 000 per academic; a student-staff ratio of almost 12 to 1; about a fifth of staff and students are international; and research income is about $230 000 per academic. We had interesting talks with deans of engineering faculties at ECSA a few years ago, and lately with various lecturers in engineering, about the possibility of creating an Automation The state of tertiary education Engineering discipline.With the exception of Tshwane University of Technology, NorthWest University andNelsonMandela University, they enthusiastically referredme to their electrical departments, as if automation is all about electrical engineering. Thismight have been true during the third industrial revolution, but times have changed – but sadlymany of our universities have not. Many universities think that by teaching ‘the basics’ like Nyquist diagrams, P&ID control and other mathematical models (which are more clearly explained on YouTube), they are producing ‘products’ that industry wants. Meanwhile, back at the ranch, their graduates are battling to find jobs and sufficient practical experience to register with ECSA. There is no measurement of how their ‘products’ are accepted by industry. It simply does not form part of their grading system, their mission or their vision. Education at tertiary levels should seriously revisit their grading systems, or risk dragging the new generation with them into irrelevance. Yours in Automation, Johan Maartens Mark Calvert (left) being thanked by branch management teammember, Kevin McElroy. Details to be confirmed Watch this space! Annual gala dinner September/October 2023
12 November 2022 www.instrumentation.co.za SAIMC NEWS Professor Theo van Niekerk (mechatronics lecturer and MC for the evening) and Mrs Zandra Joubert from Nelson Mandela University (NMU) arranged a hugely successful event launching the SAIMC Eastern Cape branch at NMU North Campus Conference Centre on 27 October. More than 80 students, Eastern Cape branch The Durban branch of the SAIMC held its October technology meeting at the Premier Splendid Inn in Pinetown on 5 October. The presenter was Mark Calvert (branch GM and managing director of Industrial Control & Automation) who took attendees through practical examples of how a company is embracing digitalisation and IIoT by using various forms of technology to achieve better control (and profitability) in its factory. Mark’s reputation preceded him and attendance at the meeting was good, and he certainly didn’t disappoint those present with his enthusiastic yet down-to-earth presentation. The Durban branch would like to thank him for taking the time to present. Durban branch Mark Calvert (left) being thanked by branch management teammember, Kevin McElroy. lecturers and industry professionals enjoyed the friendly atmosphere and festive exhibition. Professor van Niekerk welcomed all attendees, SAIMC CEO Johan Maartens discussed the SAIMC governance structure and mechatronics registration, and Berdus Janse van Rensburg (coastal sales leader, Festo) presented the company’s latest technologies, including biotechnologies. Professor Farouk Smith (director of the NMU School of Engineering) closed the formalities with a very humorous speech which he jokingly ‘blamed’ Zandra for writing for him.
www.instrumentation.co.za November 2022 13 SAIMC NEWS Engineering is a complex, ever-evolving world that demands change within organisations and the way in which they are run. A long-dormant clause in an Act of government is set to enforce new strictures on directors and managers imminently, with serious implications in the form of penalties and possibly even sanctions. Why now, suddenly? The Professional Engineering Act is catching many business owners and managers unprepared. Originally gazetted in 2000, one particular clause in the Act which defines ‘EngineeringWork’ has been forced to wait in the wings. It eventually passed all hurdles and has now been thrust into the limelight. Unbeknown to many technical staff and their companies’management teams, it is they who are expected – or rather, legally obligated – to perform at centre stage. At the risk of being undiplomatic, my question to the management staff of businesses (including financial, technical, quality and legal departments) is: Are you aware of the impact of this law from 2000, and have you considered its impact on your business, or are you waiting and hoping that by ignoring it, it will all go away? The reason I am putting this message out now is to alert the engineering industry at large to the urgency with which individuals and their companies must ensure they comply with the Act. Compliance with ‘EngineeringWork’ standards, as (eventually) defined in the Act only last year, will come into effect at the start of 2025. Two and a half years might seem like a long time from now, but registration of technical staff (not just engineers) must be performed by the end of 2022 in some cases – read on for more granular detail of who, and by when. What hoops do I have to jump through? As from 1 January 2025, people doing ‘EngineeringWork’ need to do so under the supervision of a registered person, or face a possible fine of up to twice the salary they earned while doing said work. Another complication is that many managers, despite understanding the engineering work their own organisation conducts inside-out, do not know what ‘EngineeringWork’ is in the context of the Professional Engineering Act. Quality managers, in particular, are responsible for ensuring that their organisation is aware of all legal Acts that have an impact on their business. The registration of applicable persons falls under the purview of the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA). Besides registering with ECSA, staff ‘Engineering Work’ is catching companies sleeping By Johan Maartens (Pr. Eng.), CEO of SAIMC. must also obtain Continuing Professional Development (CPD) points to stay up to date with the knowledge and skills necessary to support their businesses. Obtaining CPD points means that technical staff must be given the opportunity to join a Voluntary Association, attend courses, seminars, exhibitions and similar events that have secured the necessary CPD status. Individuals are required to obtain 25 points in three categories over a five-year cycle to remain registered. How do I go about registering? As a non-profit statutory body, ECSA does not have unlimited resources – that goes not only for finances, but also time (particularly given the urgency of this matter) and qualified assessors, who must themselves be registered with the Council. What is more, the review process is intense and timeconsuming in order to ensure fairness while also adhering strictly to the prescribed regulations. As such, in my capacity as CEO of the Society for Automation, Instrumentation, Mechatronics and Control (SAIMC – an ECSA-affiliated association), I issue the following call to action for all individuals and businesses affected: • Investigate this Act, together with the applicable Government Gazette. They are both available on the ECSA website as well as the SAIMC website. • Allow your technical staff to join a Voluntary Association and assist with the duties of the association’s committees. Apart from serving the industry, it will also give them CPD points. • Allow your staff to attend CPD-accredited events like training courses, exhibitions and the like. Apart from gaining knowledge and skills to strengthen your business, they will also obtain the CPD points they need to remain registered. The registration of technical staff is already underway, and has been split up alphabetically in order to manage the process as effectively and efficiently as possible: • Last names starting with A through K need to register in 2022. • Last names starting with L through Q need to register in 2023. • Last names starting with R through Z need to register in 2024. • Anybody can register at any time – before or after the scheduled year – however, those who need to register in that specific year receive preference. For supporting information and documentation, visit www.ecsa.co.za or www.saimc.co.za, and direct any queries to the contact details published on the websites.
14 November 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 November 2022 15 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 PCS Global 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 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 Proconics Philco Systems 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 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]
16 November 2022 www.instrumentation.co.za Chris and Judith du Plessis founded SA Gauge with a fairly modest vision, but one that was vivid and focused enough to lay the groundwork for a proudly South African company that has stood the test of time. Celebrating its 30th birthday this year, the company’s welcome return to the first postCOVID-19 Electra Mining Africa was somewhat bittersweet, as it marked its first showing at the event without its spearhead in attendance. Chris du Plessis passed away on 12 January 2021 at the age of 61, but his legacy is an SA Gauge that is barely recognisable from the original, back when he and his wife used to stay up at night making gauge scale plates by hand. Armed only with the idea of manufacturing pressure gauges and thermometers locally, a can-do attitude and six staff members, the Du Plessis couple steadily grew the business to encompass two self-owned branches and two SANAS-approved laboratories, one for pressure and the other for temperature. Through thick and thin As with any business, SA Gauge has had its ups and downs over the years, and relocations to accommodate its growing market share and number of personnel. Since its inception in 1992 as one of only two local manufacturers of branded pressure gauges and thermometers, many milestones have followed. The company’s first branch was in Germiston, where Chris and his family lived at the time, and when they moved to Durban in December 1995, a second branch was opened there which SA Gauge: A shining example of South African resilience became its new head office. Initially located at 9 Beechfield Crescent in rented 250 m2 premises, the headquarters moved directly across the road for a spell before SA Gauge bought its own property in 2007. There have been no more moves since, and SA Gauge is based at 8 Beechfield Crescent in Springfield Park, Durban to this day. In 2011 the Johannesburg branch also moved from Germiston to a larger, self-owned factory in Croydon, Kempton Park on the East Rand of Johannesburg. In 2008 the company opened its first SANAS-accredited lab, in Durban, specifically for the pressure gauge side of its business. As the SA Gauge team puts it, “the places we move into always seem so big when we move in but within a few years we manage to outgrow them.” A second lab, this one for its temperature gauge business, was opened in Croydon in February 2019 before moving to Durban in March 2020. As was the case for almost everyone, COVID-19 was a trying time for the staff as fears of job losses escalated. Fortunately, Chris and Judith always believed in being prepared for a rainy day and were able to pay all their employees in full for the entirety of the lockdown, and no jobs were lost. Very unfortunately, the company suffered the double-whammy of losing two teammembers in January 2021: Chris and Dinesh Betchan, technical salesperson and SANAS laboratory manager. Emerging stronger than ever Now, backed by a complement of more than 50 staff members and having managed to meet sales targets since lockdown, and in some cases far exceeding them, SA Gauge is back in growth mode. It recently completed the construction of an additional 100 m2 factory floorspace to allow for a new press and lathes, into which it will be moving two sections of its manufacturing operations. A new SANAS lab is also being built and is expected to be up and running in January 2023. At 145 m2, it will be a fair bit bigger than the current lab to accommodate more equipment and improve turnaround times. A major headache the company is dealing with right now is the unstable electricity supply, which necessitated an investment in generators to keep its systems up and running. In future, it plans to investigate the addition of solar power systems to keep critical systems online all the time. The future, though, looks bright for SA Gauge as it continues to draw from the principles instilled by Chris du Plessis. “Chris was very big on being prepared and trying to make sure that whatever was thrown at us, we could find a way around it or over it. Loyal staff members also makes things much easier. Everyone pulls their weight and helps out when needed, without management having to ask. If SA Gauge fails, we all fail. We have managed to create a range of products that is of a superior quality and marketed at competitive pricing,” reads a joint message from the team. Technical advice for industry SA Gauge is about more than just pushing product, as it strives to not only satisfy its customers, but also educate them to make the best possible use
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