50 years of Industrial Automation excellence in South Africa 39VOLUME NO 4 APRIL 2023 Official publication of the SAIMC Control systems | Process measurement | IT in manufacturing Pulp & paper | Wireless & telemetry | Water & wastewater
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www.instrumentation.co.za April 2023 1 Wireless & telemetry Water & wastewater VOLUME 39 NO 4 APRIL 2023 04 08 12 40 REGULARS FEATURES Process measurement Control systems Pulp & paper IT in manufacturing 16 28 22 36 38 39 News & events SAIMC news Automation professionals Product news Michael Brown Control Engineering CC, Iritron, Beckhoff Automation Lance Turner, ifm South Africa, Booyco Electronics, Omniflex Remote Monitoring Specialists, Turck Banner, LOESCHE South Africa Valmet Automation, Graecor Agencies, Gail Norton Instrumentation Agencies Elemental Analytics, Allpronix, KROHNE SA, GHM Messtechnik South Africa, VEGA Controls SA Pepperl+Fuchs Endress+Hauser OUR COVER 14 50 years of Industrial Automation excellence in South Africa 39VOLUME NO 4 APRIL 2023 Official publication of the SAIMC Control systems | Process measurement | IT in manufacturing Pulp & paper | Wireless & telemetry | Water & wastewater Celebrating 50 Years of innovation: Festo South Africa has reached a significant milestone. Discover their journey to becoming market leaders across Africa and their ever-evolving product portfolio. Turn to page 14 to read more about their exceptional solutions and how they’re shaping the industrial landscape through innovation.
2 April 2023 www.instrumentation.co.za welcome VOLUME 39 NO 4 APRIL 2023 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. No part of this publication may be reproduced, adapted, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of Technews Publishing (Pty) Ltd, Reg No. 2005/034598/07 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Letters to the editor should be addressed to Jane van der Spuy 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. CIO & DIRECTOR Graeme Bell NHD Elec. Eng., MBA [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 Wild Fig Business Park, Block B, Unit 21, 1494 Cranberry Street, Honeydew Welcome to another edition of I&C. I feel very privileged to be the interim editor of such a high-quality publication. We have some top drawer contributors − like Michael Brown, Gavin Halse and Lance Turner. I was having a look through Lance’s contribution and I couldn’t help laughing about his buzzwords. His latest one ‘single pane of glass’ (SPOG) gave me a chuckle and so I thought I would have a further look. This led me to a competition for ‘the worst marketing buzzword you’ve seen: 2022’. Forget ballcourt, deep dive, pain points, futureproof, new normal and low hanging fruit. We now have SPOG. Apparently SPOG is a management strategy that “manages a complex digital system from a single executive dashboard and helps employees quickly understand the big picture, while providing them with the ability to drill down and run reports”. Ja-well-no-fine. Down at the factory where the real world happens we have a great case study from Sasol, where Omniflex upgraded 21 000 safety-critical alarm points. Having been in the chemical industry for over 20 years, I have to admit that I have a soft spot for it. I used to hang out with the chemical engineers on the plant. There was a guy who tripped a switch by mistake and the whole ammonia plant went clunk and then it was silent. In those days they called it a ‘monument’ and they still talk about it, and I still remember it. But it makes me think that we all have our monuments. A couple of mine I still sweat about, but some are really funny. More years later than I will admit, something like that would be unthinkable in our energy-efficient automation world. Energy is on our minds right now. I am captivated by the sheer scale of a new technology also involving chemistry. On the horizon is the promise of something way bigger than renewable energy – nuclear fusion – with the vision of a clean and endless source of fuel. In fusion, the nuclei of hydrogen isotopes are forced together, liberating a massive amount of light and heat. The idea is to take hydrogen gas, superheat it to more than 100 million degrees K – hotter than the sun – until it forms a plasma, and then compress it with powerful magnets to force the hydrogen isotopes together, producing helium and high-speed neutrons. The energy released is harnessed to heat water, create steam and spin a turbine, producing electricity. In fact we experience this every day; the sun and stars are giant self-sustaining fusion reactors where Clean and endless fuel huge gravitational forces compress matter, forcing atoms to fuse, and generating vast amounts of energy. This is the opposite of the nuclear fission that we all know, which breaks atoms apart. Fission is expensive, it generates dangerous radioactive waste, and it raises serious issues about safety and the threat of nuclear weapons. On the other hand, fusion doesn’t produce greenhouse gases or generate radioactive pollutants. And the fuel for fusion, hydrogen, is plentiful enough to meet our energy needs for millions of years. Fusion is difficult, and commercial-scale fusion is an engineering challenge rather than a scientific one. The reactor needs to be built out of material that can withstand the intense heat of the plasma, under huge pressure. It’s a huge undertaking. However things are happening. Over 35 countries have started a major international cooperative effort called Iter. The Iter fusion reactor in France is 70% built and is expected to achieve its first plasma in 2025, providing 500 megawatts of fusion power – about the production of an average coal-fired plant. In another project, the UK aims to build a commercially viable fusion power plant by 2040. The compact design will mean that the magnets can be much smaller, saving many millions. One possibility is to use part of an existing power plant, with the old power generation system replaced with the new reactor. The benefit of this is that the back-end process of converting energy to electricity remains the same. Utilising a site with an existing turbine building makes the project more feasible. It’s when, not if What I find exciting is the private fusion companies. They are smaller and nimbler, and they develop by making mistakes and learning fast. There are dozens of them around the world, raising funds and bringing different approaches – just as there are in the space race. Looking at what our world has achieved over time when down to the wire, I am thinking that maybe nuclear fusion is going to be the next giant leap.
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4 April 2023 www.instrumentation.co.za Over 70 key industry partners convened at Siemens Park in Johannesburg where insights and recent developments at Siemens Digital Industries were shared. Claudio Ranaudo, Senior VP, Digital Industries (DI) for Sub-Sahara Africa, elaborated on the value of closer collaboration with Siemens and its partners as well as intensified business relationships with each other for a stronger go to market. “We are starting to develop a very strong focus on collaborative projects. This is a highly encouraging growth initiative as seen in some of the key projects Siemens has been awarded. Partners have become an integral part of our daily business and we regard them as an important extension of our go-to market. The various Business Units also provided an overview of their support strategies and focus areas for collaboration. Supply chain and stock remain critical issues and top priorities for DI globally. The consistent application of business compliance is another game changer for Siemens. Partners had a short update on the Siemens affirms its support to its Partners in Africa integrity and business practices where vigilance should be maintained. Chief Executive Officer, Sabine Dall’Omo and Franz Wiehler, Chief Financial Officer for the region, addressed the partners with an overview of the company’s business landscape and priorities. They also reaffirmed their support and commitment to partners especially facing some of the challenges in a volatile market currently. Overall partners were extremely satisfied and engaged throughout the event. In addition to the individual meetings that followed the conference, some also had a sneak preview into the ‘Digital Experience Cente’ (DEX) soon to be launched at Siemens Park. Partners were excited to be the first to view the DEX and enjoyed the demonstrations and simulations by the DI and Software team members. We congratulate all award winners for your exceptional achievements through driving excellence in the Siemens Digital Industries Partner programme. For more information contact Siemens South Africa, +27 11 652 2000, [email protected], www.siemens.co.za Best Project of the Year Award Scibotron (Pty) Ltd. Best Solution Partner Business Growth Award Sietronic & Control (Pty) Ltd. Best Value-Added Reseller Business Growth Award Rubicon Electrical Distributor (Pty) Ltd. Overall Best Performing Partner Award Greenpeg Nigeria Ltd. Solution Partner of the year Award Moore Process Controls (Pty) Ltd. Value-Added Reseller of the year Award Sietech (Pty) Ltd. “We are very proud to be on a journey with our certified partners. For the business to be successful and become a great digital enterprise, we rely on our partners to consistently promote sustainable growth and to jointly deliver automation and digitalisation expertise to the target market”, ends Claudio. NEWS & EVENTS
www.africaautomationtechnologyfair.com Contact Daleen Filbey on +27 (0)10 496 3502 | [email protected] SHOW INNOVATIONS African Hosted Buyer Programme Automation Technology Experience Business Connection Zone Visitor Guided Tours CPD Accredited Workshops Technology Demo Zone Thousands of Products to View New Product Launches Networking Opportunities Built by: Member of: SAEC EVENT REGISTERED Proudly affiliated with: #AATF2023 2023 The most comprehensive and focused Industrial Automation Technology platform in Africa! 9 - 11 MAY 2023 GALLAGHER CONVENTION CENTRE, JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA
NEWS & EVENTS 6 April 2023 www.instrumentation.co.za UJ and Schneider Electric launch 4IR Experience Room Schneider Electric and the University of Johannesburg (UJ) Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment have officially unveiled the 4IR Experience Room, a first for UJ. Focused on engineering faculty students, the room is a practical demonstration of the inner workings of 4IR, its interconnectivity and relevance in sectors such as energy. It offers real-time demonstrations of 4IR technologies such as AR, VR, AI and 3D printers. Schneider Electric’s vendor neutral ecosystem, EcoStruxure is also on full display. The architecture encompasses connected products, edge control layers, and apps, analytics and services in a myriad sectors. Additional Schneider Electric products featured in the 4IR Experience Room include: • The Modicon M580 ePAC: a controller that enables hybrid manufacturers to achieve better, measurable and earlier ROI. • Altivar 630: designed for variable torque control, it includes features such as pump control and monitoring, and advanced drives for fluid and gas handling applications, which offer embedded energy monitoring, information management and process optimisation. From left: Professor Letlhokwa Mpedi, Zanélle Dalglish. • PowerTags: compact, class 1 wireless communication energy sensors that monitor and measure energy and power in real time. UJ forms part of the French Southern African Schneider Electric Education Centre (F’SASEC) network, which also includes other South African tertiary education providers such as the Vaal University of Technology (VUT), Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT), Sedibeng TVET College, College of Cape Town (CCT), Eastcape Midlands College (EMC) and Ukufunda Youth Development. Speaking at the unveiling of the 4IR Experience Room, UJ vice chancellor and principal, Professor Letlhokwa Mpedi, said: “The future is not something we enter. It is something we create. We must create partnerships like the one we have with Schneider Electric. 4IR entails increased interconnectivity. It is myopic to perceive 4IR as a shift in technological innovation, it is an intelligence revolution.” Zanélle Dalglish, global leader of Training & Education Affairs at Schneider Electric, echoed Professor Letlhokwa’s sentiment, reemphasising the success of the partnership between UJ and Schneider. “One of our main goals in South Africa is to work with academia to bridge the gap between industry and academia. Once students exit prestigious universities such as UJ and enter the workplace, they are ready to take up the challenge and are practically trained in the technologies they find in industry.” 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 2023 7 Emerson is to provide automation technologies, software and analytics from its Plantweb digital ecosystem for the Golden Triangle Polymers Project, a world-scale integrated polymers facility on the Texas Gulf Coast. The total installed cost of the project is expected to be $8,5 billion and is a joint venture between Chevron Phillips Chemical Company and a subsidiary of QatarEnergy. Operations are expected to begin in 2026. Designed using the latest greenhouse gas emissions reduction technology, the project aims to have 25% lower emissions than similar facilities in the United States and Europe. It Emerson to automate ethane cracker In support of their #endresswaterchallenge initiative, the Endress+Hauser team recently took part in a fundraising campus run. True to the Endress+Hauser spirit, the proceeds of R160 000 went to Hippo Roller in South Africa, an organisation that focuses on global awareness of the need for water reliability. In December 2022 Bernhard Klöss, managing director of Endress+Hauser South Africa and Charl McAllister, head of marketing, joined the handover ceremony in the Bushbuckridge Village next to Kruger National Park. “It is hard to comprehend how little some people have and just how much they appreciate everything,” said Klöss. The people in the community have no running water in their houses or shacks. They only have Our hearts beat for the communities From left: Joe Herink, president and CEO of Scallon Controls, Ron Martin, president Americas for Emerson’s global sales, Keven Dunphy, vice president and general manager of Emerson’s measurement solutions. includes a 2080 KTA ethane cracker, as well as two 1000 KTA high density polyethylene units. The Golden Triangle Polymers Project is among the world’s largest ethane crackers, leveraging Emerson’s digital automation technologies, software and expertise to promote safer, smarter and more sustainable operations. Emerson will deliver integrated process control and safety systems that leverage advanced predictive technologies to reduce operational complexity and minimise project risk through its DeltaV distributed control and safety instrumented systems, and its Rosemount gas analyser and chromatograph a central tap located in the village. Usually, they use a wheelbarrow, or carry a bucket or drum on their heads to fetch water. Often the children have to walk kilometres a day to collect water, and then miss school, which is really heartbreaking. “We are pleased to announce that our donation of 60 Hippo Rollers, with 90 litre capacity, has made a mark and positively changed the lives of 60 families in four small villages to overcome the challenge of water collection,” he concludes. For more information contact Endress+Hauser South Africa, +27 11 262 8000, [email protected], www.endress.com solutions. The project also leverages Emerson’s Mimic and AspenTech HYSYS simulation software for operator training, energy management, safety analysis and operational optimisation. Emerson’s AgileOps operations management software and alarm management services will help staff monitor and maintain safety, alarms, and the control system to drive improved process and operational integrity. For more information contact Emerson Automation Solutions, [email protected], www.emerson.com
8 April 2023 www.instrumentation.co.za National Members SAIMC NEWS From the office of the CEO Will South Africa survive automation? We had an e-tag (no, seriously, we did) because it was easier to get through the booms at the toll gates on the motorbike – no taking off gloves, searching for the credit card, putting the card back, putting on the gloves, all the while trying to balance the bike with two of us on the large GS Adventure. That was until the e-tags no longer worked for motorcycles, and we had to use the regular booms. Then even the e-tag-only lanes at the toll gates began to disappear. Today, they are ancient history. But the issue is that an automated system was installed, and South African technicians could not maintain it. The once reliable power generating units of South Africa degraded to the new load shedding system within 30 years. ‘Unplanned maintenance’ − a phrase that tarnished the reputation of engineers, technologists and technicians in the past − has become a household name, with no eyebrows raised at the mention of this insult. Politicians have done an excellent job of convincing churches not to get involved in politics and have even convinced businesses to stay out of politics. Many businesses frown on their employees talking about politics. But when politicians destroy the moral fibre of our country and our economy, it is time for politicians to step aside and take note of what churches and businesses have to say. Since de Ruyter went ‘rogue’ we have had some insight into South Africa’s leadership when the head of state announced that he was not responsible for providing electricity to municipalities, but still appointed a Minister of Electricity – to do what exactly? If he does not understand his role as head of state, how can other cabinet members understand their roles? This raises some questions: Do the ministers in the Department of Basic Education and the Department of Higher Education and Training understand their educational roles, and does the head of state know that he is ultimately responsible for these and other departments? And what about the National Treasury? This is like a CEO saying to the board “angazi, boss”. The South African government does not have a perfect history – going from apartheid to ‘skebenga’ − with a short respite during Nelson Mandela’s reign over the rainbow nation. Strangely, all colonial structures are viewed with contempt – all but the title ‘honourable’ − which seems to be the least appropriate. ‘Comrade’ appears to be more fitting. Most South Africans will believe it when they are told that automation will cost them their jobs, while the truth is that the ANC government might have signed South Africa’s death warrant when the head of state seemingly admitted that he had no clue what his responsibilities were. All automation hinges on electricity, but nobody has the guts to take responsibility for providing it in South Africa – not even the head of state. But when SOEs have a grand opening or gala dinner they receive VIP treatment, even though they are “not responsible for any of it”. If South Africa is to survive, it will be up to the private sector, despite all the hurdles that the ANC government will throw its way, pretending to look after the interests of the ‘previously disadvantaged’ and the ‘poorest of the poor’, and not taking any responsibility for putting these groups in the position they are now in. It blames apartheid, COVID, Ukraine, etc. for its failure to provide a safe and stable environment for South Africa’s economy. The world is automating, and South Africa’s infrastructure is not ready for it; neither are its leaders. Automation is not the problem; it just highlights our problems – and they are not caused by technology. Yours in automation, Johan Maartens. Branches Johannesburg: Jenine Jansen van Vuuren at [email protected]; Mobile: +27 63 204 5248 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)
www.instrumentation.co.za April 2023 9 SAIMC NEWS The March technology meeting of the Durban branch of the SAIMC was held, as usual, at the Premier Splendid Inn in Pinetown. Professor Ramsuroop, professional engineering technologist with the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA), gave a very comprehensive overview of the challenges of the Identification of Engineering Work (IDoEW). He first gave a brief overview of the background to IDoEW and why it was introduced under the Council for the Built Environment, and then covered essential points such as definitions; the implications for anyone doing engineering work as defined in the Act; matters specific to tertiary educational establishments; the various categories in which work falls; and transition to the new legislation. Professor Ramsuroop is the acting dean in the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment at CPUT. He is currently the chairperson of the task team for the national implementation of the new legislation on Identification of Engineering Work (IDoEW). The attendance at this meeting was the highest it has been for a long time, which spoke to the importance of the topic and Branch manager Mark Calvert (right) thanking Professor Ramsuroop for his interesting presentation. Durban branch The SAIMC Cape Town Branch recently held its annual AGM for 2023 at Zutari’s offices in Cape Town. There was a great turnout, with many of its members meeting for the first time in the year. The highlight of the event was a presentation by Riaan du Plessis, an experienced electronic engineer. In his talk he compared the uses and applications of scada/PLC and DCS and shared insights on how these two systems, when properly designed, can be beneficial in modern automation. In addition to the presentation, Siemens brought two show buses showcasing its automation electrical technology. These are aimed at the water and mining industries. Following the presentation, the AGM was held to elect a new committee for 2023, and the preliminary budget and plan for the year was approved. The committee structure was approved, and four new members were elected. The new members are Chrisman De Jager, Kossivi Fangbemi, Lukas Steenkamp and Mathias Shimwetheleni. The SAIMC Committee structure for 2023 includes Hein Ries as the Cape Town branch From left: Hein Ries, Riaan du Plessis. the impact it has on the industry. This was the perfect opportunity for members to ask questions such as “How does it apply to me?”, and Professor Ramsuroop did not disappoint. His answers were to the point and elicited a spirited and interesting conversation among those present. Because of the questions raised from the floor, the legal advisor for ECSA, who was present at the meeting, will be examining in greater detail some unanticipated aspects of the IDoEW legislation that are causing concern. branch manager, Jean Fourie as the financial manager and Riaan Du Plessis as the secretary. Other committee members are Samantha Wright and Adriaan van Wyk. We, the SAIMC Cape Town committee, would like to thank the four new members for joining us, and we would like to thank Siemens for contributing to our highly successful event.
10 April 2023 www.instrumentation.co.za Johan Maartens. Previously I wrote about companies caught off guard by needing to understand the legislation relating to professional engineering practitioners, and not understanding the responsibilities placed on employers. Engineers, technicians and technologists are now regulated to a greater extent than in the past, when all that was required was a certificate on the wall. Now they must have relevant experience in the field in which they operate. Here are some of the questions that may arise. What does ECSA registration have to do with it? What does ECSA know about my business? I have been in this business now for many years, why should I expose myself to ECSA – which knows nothing about my job – and ask to be registered as a professional? What if the person doing the assessment does not understand my work or does not like how I document my reports? There are a few incorrect assumptions in these arguments. ECSA does not do assessments. ECSA trains professionals in the relevant industry to do the reviews. Therefore it is critical that engineers, technologists and technicians with experience in mechatronic devices, factory automation, and process automation contact ECSA and register to be trained as assessors. This ensures that there are more experienced professionals in the field to review new applicants. The assessments are carried out by three groups of three people. The first group individually reviews the applicant’s documents and makes recommendations. None of the three know who the others are because the reports are sent to each person individually by email. The second group consists of three others who receive all the applicant’s information and recommendations from the first three reviewers. One of their roles is to “probe for more information during the interview”. Then the third group of three people condutcs the final review. These are other assessors who did not communicate with the first six apart from reading their reports and feedback. Some professionals have 30 years of experience, but it could be one year of Unplanned shutdowns are an insult to professionals As engineers technologists and technicians we need to register with ECSA – why? By Johan Maartens, CEO of SAIMC. experience repeated 30 times. The interviewers’ task is to assess whether the applicants have sufficient experience to be ‘let loose’ on the public. ‘Unplanned shutdown’ has become a household name. As a professional, unplanned shutdowns could cost you your job. It is an insult to you and your team. How many engineers, technologists and technicians have the knowledge and experience to ensure that unplanned shutdowns never become household names? The public should not even know this term; it embarrasses the whole organisation. Bad service delivery and unplanned shutdowns are two of the reasons why a piece of paper against a wall in a nice frame no longer cuts it. No amount of empowerment or years in the industry will alone qualify a person as a registered professional. In the past, every Tom, Dick and Harry called themselves engineers or technicians. These times have now passed. Professional Engineer Tom, Pr. Eng., Professional Engineering Technologist Dick Pr.Tech.Eng., and Professional Engineering Technician Harry Pr. Techni Eng. will now service the industry. Becoming a professional brings enormous responsibilities to the individual and considerable benefits to the public. You now have a leg to stand on if you encounter unplanned breakages or bad service, and suspect unethical behaviour. Complaints can be lodged with ECSA, a statutory professional regulatory body established in terms of Section 2 of the Engineering Profession Act No. 46 of 2000 (“the Act”). ECSA operates within the ambit of the Built Environment Profession. No, I am not an employee of ECSA. I was not paid to provide this letter, nor was I asked by ECSA to place it. I am one of those individuals who have seen the incredible feats of the engineering profession over the years in organisations such as Sasol, South African Railways, etc. Later I saw how the engineering profession come into disrepute due to political interference, criminal behaviour, incompetence, lack of experience and bad attitudes. It is time to turn the tide. Certificates can no longer buy people positions, and neither can their race. It is now a question of “show me the money, honey”. We want to see valid, applicable experience. By appointing professionally registered people, industry leaders can have a person who was interviewed by at least nine other people in their engineering discipline. But you need to know your responsibilities. You need them to go to exhibitions such as Electra Mining and the Africa Automation and Technology Fair. Here they can see the latest equipment, talk to professionals about technical problems they are battling with, and obtain the CPD points that they need to remain registered. It is an embarrassment to hear that engineering managers who know so little about their discipline that they force their employees to take leave to go to these events, or become members of the voluntary associations where they can continue their learning experience and benefit their industry. This is a wake-up call for engineering managers, and I am not asking ‘on behalf of a friend’, as a good friend said in a letter to the President. For supporting information and documentation, visit www.ecsa.co.za or www.saimc.co.za, and direct any queries to the contacts published on the websites. To visit Africa Automation and Technology Fair between 9 and 11 May 2023 at Gallagher Estate, please register here: https://aatf.showhub.live/ SAIMC NEWS
Beckhoff will be highlighting our complete range of EtherCAT-based control technology at the Africa Automation Technology Fair 2023. This includes industrial PCs, I/O and fieldbus components, drive technology and automation software. Our New Automation Technology stands for universal and industry-independent control and automation solutions that are used worldwide in a large variety of different applications, ranging from CNC-controlled machine tools to intelligent building control. We look forward to seeing you at Gallagher Convention Centre, Johannesburg, Stand C507 Beckhoff Automation (Pty) Ltd Randburg 2169, South Africa Phone: + 27 (0)11 795 2898 [email protected] Our team of experts … … is expecting you … … on 9 – 11 May. … at Gallagher Convention Centre, Stand C507 … Beckhoff Vision: Hardware portfolio complements TwinCAT Vision software XPlanar: additional degree of freedom for planar motor drive system through software-based 360-degree rotation TwinCAT: Automation suite with a 25-year success story TwinCAT Controller Redundancy: Controller redundancy with standard hardware components More information
12 April 2023 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, system integrators & 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 new millennium 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 to manage 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, a TUV accredited ISO 9001:2015; ISO 14001:1015 and ISO 45001:2018 as well as a GAMP®5: A Risk-Based Approach to Compliant 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 2023 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 PCS Global At PCS Global we understand that you’re ultimately in business to maximise 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]
14 April 2023 www.instrumentation.co.za Festo Holdings Group is a worldwide automation giant which was founded in 1925. Although it had been operating in South Africa through a distributor before 1973, Dr Wilfried Stoll (General Manager of the Festo Holdings Group GmbH) identified significant opportunities for automation development during a visit to the country. In March 1973, Festo South Africa was established as the Group’s 16th international subsidiary. The business quickly gained traction due to its premium quality products and competent professional sales team. With its headquarters in Johannesburg, the company expanded its local footprint by progressively opening seven additional branches covering Gauteng, Eastern Cape, Western Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, as well as the Free State provinces. Mr Kurt Auf der Heyde was the organisation’s first Managing Director, and after leading the charge for twenty-five years, he passed the baton to Mr Richard Teagle in 1998. With Mr Auf der Heyde’s legacy in mind, Mr Teagle ushered the entity into a new era of growth. In 2014, Mr Brett Wallace, a visionary with a passion for innovation and a drive to take Festo to new heights, was announced Festo celebrates 50 years in the African market A look at the company’s impact and growth. as the new Managing Director. Under his leadership, this pioneering corporation has confidently played a pivotal role in shaping the industrial landscape and driving economic growth within industry. “Today, we have established ourselves as leaders throughout the continent, directly and indirectly, with the aid of our vast distributor presence, thereby making modern automation technology easily accessible in Africa. The Group has expanded to 61 countries with over 20 700 employees globally. At Festo South Africa, we collaborated with Festo France, Spain, and Portugal to form a collective cluster referred to as Southwest Europe Africa (SWEA). This partnership has extended the team’s capabilities to provide sales and technical support to our patrons in various languages, thus better serving Africa’s diverse operational landscape and enabling Festo clients to accelerate their performance”, shares Mr Wallace. An ever-evolving product portfolio to meet the market’s needs Festo’s continual innovation in research and development ensures that its Business Units (Process, Electric, Pneumatic Automation and Didactic training) offer the latest technological solutions. Its range spans from basic fittings and tubing to sophisticated systems, including linear drives, actuators, valve terminals, servo and stepper motors, sensors, customised control panels and training to name a few. These offerings boast an extensive array of automation solutions tailored to meet the distinct demands of the African market and its diverse industries, including automotive, food and beverage, packaging, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, petrochemicals, oil and gas, water and wastewater, and mining. From concept to completion, it is a one-stop shop for all automation needs. Staying at the forefront of technological innovation, Festo continuously merges its extensive knowledge of industrial applications with the latest digital enhancements. An excellent illustration of this alignment can be seen in the way it incorporated digital apps into smart valve terminals – a first globally. These apps are popular for enhancing productivity and reducing system complexities. To outpace the rapid technological developments in the digital space, Festo acquired an IT enterprise
www.instrumentation.co.za April 2023 15 COVER STORY specialising in Artificial Intelligence (AI). This acquisition empowers its consumers to benefit from years of its subsidiary’s experience in this AI field and allows them to obtain and maximise the advantages of machine learning. Also making an impressive mark in the industry is its latest digital project, the Automation Experience (AX). This platform uses AI to help businesses monitor and proactively detect deviations within standard operating environments and uses findings as leading indicators of production efficiencies, cost savings and maintenance requirements. Its product innovation department continues to evolve as the industry embraces changes in the world of digital technology. A customer-centric omnichannel experience At the forefront of digital transformation, the corporation leads the way by operating an online shop featuring a vast inventory of more than 30 000 products. Mr Wallace adds, “We launched our Online shop in 2009 with the aim that this platform would offer buyers an exceptional shopping experience and showcase our unwavering dedication to providing top-notch service. To keep pace with the ever-changing landscape of e-commerce, we frequently integrate the latest functional updates into our website, which allows clients to compare products, download CAD models, select appropriate accessories and optimise product configurations. We founded our Customer Interaction Centre (CIC) in 2010, which is the first point of telephonic contact for clientele seeking quality service, seamless purchasing, and expert guidance. This was established to streamline our purchasers’ order process and promptly assist with technical queries. We continuously monitor all the CIC’s transactions and customer experiences to achieve this efficiency. This information is used to benchmark against global standards and incorporate improvements to our performance and service delivery to our customers”. As automation pioneers, this entity is proud to have a competent, technically knowledgeable and qualified team that carries its vision of helping its consumers reach their highest productivity levels. Festo introduced a vast distributor network of 115 resellers and 43 Official Partners supplying products and technical support solutions across Africa. Collectively, this omnichannel approach helps businesses find the perfect solution through a process of their choosing. Technical training and learning systems Festo’s commitment goes beyond just automation solutions; it has significantly contributed to educational institutions over the years. Tying into its contributions to development, Festo has established itself as a leader in technical competence training. This division offers a range of training equipment, curricular and technical courses designed to equip users with the competence needed in their respective industries. Festo’s commitment to education and training has nurtured a strong talent pool in South Africa, contributing to both employability and productivity. Their state-of-the-art learning systems are supplied to vocational institutions and industrial training centres across Africa. Its comprehensive training equipment ranges from individual learning systems to complete workstations, training packages and training factories to software, e-learning as well as teachware. Although designed and adapted for training, the components are authentic industrial parts designed for users to acquire practical competence through hands-on learning and actively working with the equipment. Festo’s ethos to cultivate critical engineering skills aids students in developing their technical competence, which in turn is ultimately transferred back into industry, driving efficiency gains and industrialisation. Mr Wallace, Managing Director of Festo South Africa, concludes, “All of us at Festo South Africa are incredibly proud of our history and our impact on the African continent thus far. As we celebrate our 50th anniversary, we look towards the future with optimism. We aim to continue to build a presence that is dependable, sustainable and focused on achieving growth not only for our clients but for the economy in general”. The company’s commitment to innovation, and customer-centric solutions, coupled with its adoption of robust omnichannel strategies and training programs, positions them for infinite growth and success in the market. For more info on Festo products, visit www.festo.co.za or contact their marketing team at 08600 FESTO (33786) or email [email protected]
16 April 2023 www.instrumentation.co.za CONTROL SYSTEMS Michael Brown is a specialist in control loop optimisation, with many years of experience in process control instrumentation. His main activities are consulting and teaching practical control loop analysis and optimisation. He now presents courses and performs optimisation over the internet. His work has taken him to plants all over South Africa and also to other countries. He can be contacted at: Michael Brown Control Engineering CC, +27 82 440 7790, [email protected], www.controlloop.co.za Loop Signatures 17 How to make a bad valve into a good valve. People often have little realisation as to how badly a faulty valve can affect the performance of the control of the loop. Figure 1 shows the response of a slow temperature control loop to a setpoint change. In the test, taken over nearly two hours, the loop has still not stopped cycling. It looks like it has been terribly badly tuned. However, at the time of this test it was determined that the control valve suffered from a hysteresis of 6,8%, which is extremely bad (see earlier loop signature articles dealing with hysteresis). Figure 2 shows the response of the same loop after the valve had been replaced with a good one. What may be hard to believe is that the tuning has not been changed at all since the previous test. On the setpoint change, the process reached the new setpoint and settled out quickly within a few minutes. All the cycling was caused by the integral term in the controller trying to get the valve to move to the correct place. This is an incredibly good example of why one cannot afford to use bad valves on slow processes. Figure 3 shows a heat exchanger being controlled by a single temperature controller. The temperature of the process fluid is the input to the controller, and the controller’s output is fed directly to the steam valve. This method of control is not an ideal method of controlling any slow process, and in particular in the case of a heat exchanger it is particularly bad. There are two reasons for this. Firstly, any slow process like this exchanger can only be tuned very slowly, because when tuning self-regulating processes one generally sets the integral term in the controller close to the dominant time constant of the process. This often means integral times of many minutes per repeat. With slow settings like this, the controller can only make slow corrections if any load disturbances arise. In the case of the heat exchanger under discussion, the steam is fed from a header that has other take-offs leading from it. This can result in fluctuations of pressure in the header. If, for example, the header steam pressure suddenly dropped by 3% as steam was drawn off to another process, the steam flow to the exchanger would be reduced. The controlled temperature would then slowly start to drop. The controller with its slow integral would take a long time to catch and correct this, and large control variance would result. Secondly, any valve problems like hysteresis cause havoc in slow control loops with long integral settings, as can be seen in Figure 1, and as discussed in previous articles. Now, what one must realise is that the output of a controller sets the position of the valve stem. If the valve was perfect without hysteresis, had linear installed characteristics, and there were constant pressure conditions in its feed line, then this would result in achieving the correct amount of flow through the valve to satisfy the dictates of the controller. In reality, valves are seldom perfect and there is no guarantee that the stem will move to the position as dictated by the controller (particularly with hysteresis in the valve). Secondly, it may not have completely linear installed characteristics, and thirdly, if pressure variations in the line can occur (as in this case), then the correct flow through the valve will definitely not be obtained. If it were possible to ensure that the correct flow rate did follow the controller’s output, as would happen if we had a perfect valve, then the problems would be overcome. So how then can one make a real valve with its problems into a perfect valve? The answer is very simple. One makes use of a technique called cascade control, whereby a second controller is used to control the flow of fluid through the valve. (This obviously also involves having to install a flowmeter in the steam line). This new configuration is shown in Figure 4. Flow controllers are tuned with parameters that are lightning fast compared with those in the temperature controller. The time constant of a flow loop is in the order of one or two seconds, which is what the integral is set to in the flow controller. This means that the flow controller is capable of correcting for problems like line pressure variations, non-linearity and hysteresis in the valve relatively quickly, so the temperature process will not be affected. Even if the flow loop suffers from something like stick-slip cycling, and relatively bad hysteresis, the average flow through the valve will probably be more than good enough to keep the temperature on setpoint. Terminology used can differ widely. As mentioned in previous articles there are no standards in control. The temperature loop can be called the primary, master or outer loop, and the flow loop the secondary, slave, or inner loop, respectively. Cascade control can really work brilliantly, even as mentioned above, with relatively poor valves. As discussed, it effectively takes the valve problems out of the equation, including variations in pressure in the valve line, and in fact could be said to have made a bad valve into a good one. In general, I believe that cascade control is almost mandatory for any critical slow control process in a plant. I have often persuaded plants to install cascade systems on important slow loops with absolutely excellent results, and resulting in vastly improved control performance and variance.
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