39VOLUME NO 9 SEPTEMBER 2023 Official publication of the SAIMC Control systems | Process measurement | IT in manufacturing Wireless & telemetry | Food & beverage | Mining | Oil, gas & chemicals | Safety systems Electrical power & energy efficient systems | Enclosures, cabling & connectors Sensors & transducers Systems in Harmony Products talk to products, systems talk to people
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www.instrumentation.co.za September 2023 1 Oil, gas & chemicals Mining Safety systems Enclosures, cabling & connectors Electrical power & energy efficient systems Sensors & transducers VOLUME 39 NO 9 SEPTEMBER 2023 03 06 10 40 REGULARS FEATURES Process measurement Control systems Food & beverage IT in manufacturing 22 18 15 26 31 29 34 36 35 38 News & events SAIMC news Automation professionals Product news Electromechanica, Emerson Automation Solutions, NIST Beckhoff Automation VEGA Controls SA, Endress+Hauser South Africa, ifm - South Africa Valve & Automation, Michael Brown Control Engineering CC Anton Paar Southern Africa, WIKA Instruments BMG, SEW-EURODRIVE Pepperl+Fuchs igus South Africa, Communica RJ Connect, Vepac Electronics ifm - South Africa, Yokagawa South Africa OUR COVER 12 39VOLUME NO 9 SEPTEMBER 2023 Official publication of the SAIMC Control systems | Process measurement | IT in manufacturing Wireless & telemetry | Food & beverage | Mining | Oil, gas & chemicals | Safety systems Electrical power & energy efficient systems | Enclosures, cabling & connectors Sensors & transducers Systems in Harmony Products talk to products, systems talk to people A common phrase within Turck Banner’s Systems Division is “products talk to products, systems talk to people”. Read Turck Banner’s case study on a prestigious British car manufacturer in our cover story on page 12. This discusses an application of the systems approach to working in unison with customers to achieve their business objectives.
2 September 2023 www.instrumentation.co.za welcome VOLUME 39 NO 9 SEPTEMBER 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 Kim Roberts 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 Kim Roberts MSc Chem [email protected] CIO & DIRECTOR Graeme Bell NHD Elec. Eng., MBA [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 Our recent Sustainability in Manufacturing Industry Guide has made me more aware of the issues affecting the future of energy. So when researchers at Korea University in Seoul announced on 22 July that they had discovered a room temperature superconductor I got interested and decided to investigate. It’s quite a story. Solid-state physics is not something that goes viral. But that’s what happened when the research team published two papers, still to be peer reviewed, that claimed to have developed the world’s first superconducting material that functions at room temperature and pressure. The compound is called LK-99, and is prepared in a baking process that combines the minerals lanarkite (Pb₂SO₅) and copper phosphide (Cu₃P). This took the physics community by storm and sparked wild enthusiasm online. The team shared the simple process for creating LK-99, and videos showing how they did it circulated worldwide. Labs everywhere rushed to test the results. Shares in a superconductor company in Seoul surged in value by 400%. The reason for the excitement is that room temperature, ambient pressure superconductors could conduct electricity with no resistance and without losing energy. Currently, to achieve this they have to be cooled to temperatures near absolute zero, or be subjected to huge pressure, so they can only be used in a specialised environment. Basically, if something uses electricity or magnetism, room temperature superconductors could improve it. They could accelerate the development of a commercially-viable fusion reactor. They could be used to create efficient electricity grids with the ability to transmit electricity over long distances, with no loss of heat. Computer chips made with superconducting materials could be 100 times as efficient as today’s computer chips, which would greatly reduce the cost of data centres. They could result in cheaper medical scanners (the MRI that we know) and better electric motors. Superfast trains could levitate on a superconducting material. According to Science Journal, “this is one of the most sought after goals in all of materials science and condensed matter physics”. One of the properties of a superconductor is the Meissner effect, which causes it to levitate in a magnetic field. The researchers said LK-99 shows two key signs of superconductivity at ambient pressure and temperature: zero resistance and magnetic levitation. They also uploaded a video of a sample of LK-99 partially levitating. However, levitation could just mean that the material is diamagnetic – a Science in action property found in many materials. Since the papers were published laboratories around the world have been trying to replicate the findings. So far the most credible attempts have found that LK-99 is not superconductive. The Korean Society of Superconductivity and Cryogenics concluded that LK-99 is not a superconductor because it does not show the Meisnner effect. Meanwhile, researchers at Huazhong University of Science and Technology in China posted a video on 1 August showing magnetic levitation of a LK-99 sample at multiple different angles. This suggests it is a perfect diamagnet, a rarer property than simple diamagnetism, and one associated with superconductors. In two days the video had over nine million views and is number one on the most trending list on Bilibili, a Chinese video sharing website. And theorists at several top universities worldwide have done calculations to explore what the properties of LK-99 might be, and found that it could be superconductive at room temperature. In all the twists, turns and reversals in this social media fuelled story, the boom and bust cycle of LK-99 is a classic demonstration of science in action. The scientific process is working as it should. So what happens now? The processes of science swing into action. Experts will closely review the papers. Researchers at other laboratories will attempt to reproduce the experiments described in the papers, and see whether they end up with a room temperature superconductor. This is needed to prove the validity and reliability of the claims. If they do, it would be one of the most important advances in physics and materials engineering in decades. If they don’t, it’s back to the drawing board. It occurred to me that this whole process is not even a month old, thanks to social media. It makes me think of the years it took to get scientific research through in my time (though that was quite a while ago). It also looks to me like they are not going to get there this time. I don’t know how the science world treats mavericks, but my opinion is that these researchers deserve full credit for taking the leap and setting in motion a whole new direction of research that, who knows, could get to the holy grail.
NEWS & EVENTS www.instrumentation.co.za September 2023 3 As part of ABB’s strategic plans to strengthen local manufacturing, the company has invested over R10 million to complete additional technology transfer that brings the manufacture of UniGear ZS1 medium-voltage switchgear to South Africa. Previously, the product was fully imported from the Czech Republic, or other countries, when needed. Due to the investment, 60 to 70% of the technology will be locally manufactured and assembled. As a result, the company’s customers will benefit from a higher design flexibility, faster accessibility, and decreased costs due to reduced import costs and delivery time. In addition to the transfer of UniGear ZS1 production, the company has started the process of increasing the localisation of its Compact Secondary Substations (CSS), due to be completed in October 2023. Egon Worthmann, MV primary AIS switchgear manager for ABB Electrification’s Distribution Solutions division, says: “Utilities are increasingly looking to implement smart solutions to solve complex energy challenges. ABB is well placed to continue to deliver world-class solutions to customers now through local manufacturing right here in South Africa. The creation of job ABB invests in MV switchgear manufacturing in SA Iritron has been awarded two international, multimillion-Rand furnace drying projects. The company has extensive expertise in furnace drying control systems, and provides solutions in the fields of electrical, instrumentation, control systems, and decision support systems. It has been appointed by an international OEM for projects in Canada and Angola. The OEM is a global supplier of bulk material handling and separation equipment for mines, and specialises in high-tech engineering for the drying and processing industries. “We have collaborated on several projects with the OEM, and provide specialist in-house engineering expertise, and products specific to these complex drying projects. By designing an intelligent thyristor control system, we provide Iritron awarded international contract for furnace control immediate savings by reducing the cost of expensive, high-maintenance capacitors and freeing up transformer capacity, making the plant more cost effective,” says Iritron managing director, Andre Roeloffze. Iritron has been appointed to supply the control system utilising Eurotherm’s award-winning EPower that offers a patented predictive load management control strategy utilising a high-speed CanBUS network. It continually samples data that allows the main drive to distribute furnace zone firing cycles, keeping demand as low as possible, while maintaining product quality. In addition, through advanced diagnostics, the resistance of each element is continually measured for possible local failure, giving maintenance teams proactive warning to correct the element phase and remediate any unbalanced load on the star connection. All communication protocols are supported, including ProfiBus, ProfiNet and DeviceNet, for early warning to PLC, DCS and scada systems. The system will include machine learning and artificial intelligence for predicting anomalies, opportunities for local engineers and contractors demonstrates our commitment to the long-term development of the country.” Built in 2009, ABB South Africa’s headquarters demonstrates the company’s early adoption of more sustainable manufacturing approaches, with the site boasting a 760 kWp array of rooftop solar panels that generate enough solar energy to cover around 30% of the site’s annual energy consumption of 2400 MWh. Yunus Hoosen, head of InvestSA, an agency of the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition says: “The South African switchgear market is projected to grow substantially. The increasing number of investments in sustainable power generation, coupled with the growing population, is expected to drive this growth. This illustrates the importance of the domestic sector to multinationals and the strategic location of South Africa for a rapidly growing African consumer market. The ABB investment signifies that South Africa remains an attractive investment destination across all sectors, including the advanced manufacturing sector.” For more information contact Ofentse Dijoe, ABB, +27 10 202 5105, [email protected], www.abb.com/za for smart alarms, and for indicating trends in operational areas. All these are focused on overall equipment efficiency and preventive maintenance. Within the mining, minerals and metals clusters, large consumers of electricity are processes utilising kilns, ovens, glass lehr baths, and furnaces for extracting, drying, melting, and heat treatment. “The current energy crisis facing many countries across the world makes it increasingly critical to implement energy-efficient systems and processes. Implementing digital transformation will result in efficiencies and ultimately energy savings,” explains Roeloffze. He concludes: “It is important to not only reduce energy consumption and maintenance costs but also reduce carbon dioxide emissions. Environmental, social and governance (ESG) considerations become important when investors measure the sustainability and ethical impact of a company.” For more information contact Iritron, +27 12 349 2919, www.iritron.co.za, [email protected], [email protected]
NEWS & EVENTS 4 September 2023 www.instrumentation.co.za Schneider Electric has earned a spot on Corporate Knights’ 2023 Global 100 list of Most Sustainable Corporations in the world, for the 12th time in a row. Strong performance across climate and social commitments, such as sustainable revenues and investments, gender diversity, and sustainability pay link have helped secure this position in this annual index compiled by the Corporate Knights sustainability research group. The Global 100 is based on a rigorous assessment of public companies with revenues over $1 billion. Schneider Electric is the only one in its category to have been named a Global 100 every year since 2012, and was ranked as the world’s most sustainable corporation by Corporate Knights in 2021. This achievement follows top Environmental Societal and Governance (ESG) ratings from Schneider Electric on Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations list Siemens Digital Industries Software recently signed a strategic cooperation agreement with Tianjin Lishen Battery, a leading high-tech company specialising in the research, development and production of lithium-ion batteries. The agreement signifies a pivotal Siemens Xcelerator to scale sustainable battery production Tech United is a multidisciplinary team of students, postdoctorates and employees of the Eindhoven University of Technology, who are working on robot development. Their expertise is gleaned from the fields of mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, and computer algorithms. Tech United relies on EtherCAT for its communication technology, as it has done since the first generation in 2005, and participates in robot tournaments around the world. The team has done it again: its autonomous EtherCAT-based soccer robots won the world championship, the RoboCup, the most powerful league in robot soccer. The RoboCup is an annual world championship for robots that can communicate and respond to an ever-changing environment. It is an open-source competition, and after each tournament all of the knowledge gained is shared among the teams. The rules of the game also change every year to challenge teams to constantly improve and innovate their technologies. The software for controlling the robots consists of four modules: Vision, World Model, Strategy, and Motion. The Vision module processes data from the vision sensors, such as omnivision images, to determine the positions of the ball, opponents, and the robot itself. This position data is fed into the World Model. Here, image data from all team members is Tech United Team wins RoboCup 2023. EtherCAT soccer robots are world champions again Standard & Poors, CDP and Moodys ESG Solutions for its sustainability impacts and best practices. Its climate strategy and its commitment to environmental transparency were one of the first to be validated in accordance with SBTi’s Corporate Net-Zero Standard in mid-2022. Schneider Electric is also just one of 19 corporate recipients of this year’s Terra Carta Seal recognising global companies that are driving innovation, demonstrating commitment, and gaining momentum towards genuinely sustainable markets. “Kickstarting 2023 with these sustainability achievements is truly energising,” said Gwenaelle Avice-Huet, chief strategy & sustainability officer at Schneider Electric. “It shows that consistency and commitment don’t go unnoticed, and that we can make a difference at all levels, in business and through our environmental, social and economic impacts.” For more information contact Schneider Electric South Africa, +27 11 254 6400, [email protected], www.se.com/za/en milestone in Lishen Battery’s digital transformation journey, with both Siemens Digital Industries Software and Lishen Battery fully dedicated to advancing the evolution of the global battery industry. As part of the collaboration, Lishen Battery will leverage Opcenter software from the Siemens Xcelerator portfolio of industry software, to establish a technology centre for Lishen. The dedicated facility will be equipped with advanced capabilities for full data traceability and connectivity throughout both product research and development, and the manufacturing process. “The key to improving the competitiveness of the manufacturing industry lies in the deep integration with digital technology, so we are honoured that Lishen Battery has selected Siemens Xcelerator,” said Leo Liang, senior vice president and managing director for Greater China. “Siemens remains committed to our aspiration to foster a collaboration with Lishen Battery that fully leverages Siemens’ expertise and commitment to continuous innovation and comprehensive solutions, which range from product design, testing and simulation, to production, to contribute to the rapid development of the global battery industry.” For more information contact Siemens South Africa, [email protected], www.siemens.co.za combined to create a unified representation of the environment. The Strategy module makes decisions based on this generated world model. Finally, the Motion module translates the Strategy module’s instructions into low-level control commands for the robot’s actuators. For more information contact Polina Andreeva, EtherCAT Technology Group, [email protected], +49 911 540 56226, www.ethercat.org/press
6 September 2023 www.instrumentation.co.za SAIMC NEWS Johan Maartens. National Members Continuous Professional Development (CPD) is a crucial aspect of the formalisation of the engineering industry in South Africa. This encompasses not only engineers, but also technicians and technologists. The objective is to establish a system that ensures that engineering practitioners carry out their work in a safe and ethical manner, similar to other professions such as medicine. To facilitate CPD, ECSA has established two bodies: the CPD Licensed Body and the CPD Service Provider. SAIMC has successfully applied for and registered as a CPD Licensed Body with ECSA. CPD Licensed Body As a CPD Licensed Body, SAIMC has several responsibilities. Firstly, it is responsible for the registration of CPD service providers and the assessment of events for CPD purposes. It is also responsible for ensuring the quality of the events, and that event administration is done in a professional manner. This includes ensuring that attendees receive value for their money and that events are meticulously organised. In the same way as ECSA conducts audits on CPD Licensed Bodies, SAIMC also conducts audits on CPD service providers to ensure compliance and quality. In August 2023, SAIMC underwent an audit by ECSA, which resulted in some improvement suggestions. Overall, ECSA was satisfied with the SAIMC’s internal system and event assessment process. CPD Service Provider The CPD Service Provider registers with the CPD Licensed Body (for example SAIMC) to present events that could qualify as CPD Category 1 points. All technicians, technologists and engineers must obtain CPD points in three categories, and some of these points must be in Category 1. To register as a CPD Service Provider with SAIMC, the following steps must be followed once every three years: • Request the ECPD 7 form from [email protected]. • Provide a CPD quality management system (QMS). Ina has a template that you can customise for your use. • After the event, the presenter must forward an accurate attendance register and satisfaction survey to [email protected]. Every presenter must sign a document stating they will be available for the duration of the event. If the attendees must pay for attending the event, the fee structure, when the fees are payable, and the refund policy, must be presented in the QMS. For more information visit https://saimc.co.za/cpd/ From the office of the CEO Technews is working together with SAIMC on an online CPD Category 1 system where you will be asked a couple of questions based on a particular Technews publication. Should you achieve 80% or more, you will receive a certificate with the CPD number that you can present to ECSA. International activities through an international provider will be validated for the registered person by ECSA subject to the required application forms being submitted. What CPD points do I need? The requirements for the three categories are: • Category 1 covers CPD assessed events. A maximum of two CPD points per annum is allowed. • In category 2, one credit is allocated for every 300 notional hours per year for engineering-related work, including management. Mentoring of engineering graduates in the workplace, in academia, or through formalised structures, including ECSA Academies, will be recognised as a CPD activity with a maximum of one credit for 50 notional hours of mentoring per year. Skills training sessions pertaining to career guidance for candidates may also be presented under this sub-category. A maximum of two credits (equivalent to 600 notional hours) per year may be earned in respect of this activity. • In Category 3, membership of an ECSA Voluntary Association will result in a maximum of one credit per year. Participation in statutory, professional, institutional, engineering, or non-engineering committees or task groups such as the SAIMC committees earn one credit for every 10 notional hours of active participation. For more information see ECSA’s Board Notice 131 of 2005: Rules for Continuing Professional Development and Renewal of Registration. Yours in automation Johan Maartens.
www.instrumentation.co.za September 2023 7 SAIMC NEWS The Durban branch end-of-year-dinner Let’s celebrate another year by bringing back an old favourite! And his friends….. Conrad is South Africa’s top comedy ventriloquist, a double international Emmy-nominated comedian. His most famous puppet, Chester Missing, has won numerous awards in his own right, including being the first recipient of the Ahmed Kathrada Foundation’s Anti-Racism Award. Chester Missing has interviewed most of South Africa’s political élite and has held a number of regular radio and TV slots, and even wrote an award-winning book. Conrad’s live shows have received wide political acclaim, and are a regular feature at arts and comedy festivals, including at the prestigious Just For Laughs Comedy Festival in Montreal. The truth is, with a master’s degree in social anthropology, talking to puppets was his only career option. Venue: Mount Edgecombe Country Club Date: 18 November 2023 Time: 18h30 for 19h00 Supper: Gourmet three-course meal Entertainment: Conrad Koch and Chester Missing Music by Angus Tables of ten: R9500 Sponsorship opportunities available! Contcat: Joan Jones, [email protected], +27 83 703 8070 The committee of the SAIMC Johannesburg branch recently hosted a Ladies Celebration to celebrate International Women’s Month. The event was held at La Rosa Mexican Grille in Honeydew. The guest speaker was Professor Robin Dolman-Macleod. She spoke about wellness in today’s fast paced lifestyle. Robin has a PhD in SAIMC Ladies Celebration Dietetics and is currently associate professor and programme leader for dietetics at the Centre of Excellence for Nutrition, North-West University. The event was attended by ladies from SAIMC, MESA, ifm, Wika Instruments, DRA South Africa Projects, Pepperl+Fuchs, Comtest, Instrotech,Technews and RJ Connect. Guests enjoyed a delicious Mexican meal consisting of three courses of shared platters of classic Mexican treats. A great time was had by all. Thanks to everyone who attended and supported the SAIMC Johannesburg Branch Ladies Celebration and helped to make it such a success.
8 September 2023 www.instrumentation.co.za SAIMC NEWS Johannesburg golf day Where: Jackal Creek Golf Course When: 29 September 2023 Cost: R4800 per 4 ball Watering hole: R1725 + R1500 corkage Book now for 29 September 2023 For information and booking contact Cheryl Hird at [email protected] The SAIMC Secunda branch held its monthly technology evening on 12 July 2023 at the Proconics Secunda office. Jurie Weidemann from Pepperl+Fuchs gave an enlightening presentation on Functional Safety: Manufacturing vs Process. The presentation highlighted functional safety and how it relates to both manufacturing of SIL-rated equipment and implementing this in process safety systems. Jurie covered common misconceptions about SIL. He explained how a single SIL-rated device does not make a loop a SIL certifiable loop, how SIL 3 is not necessarily better than SIL 2 because of complexities around maintenance and associated costs, and how the credibility of a SIL-rated device also depends on how you install and maintain it. He touched on the topic of residual risks and tolerable risks, and their matrices in functional safety. The topic of tolerable risks sparked a healthy engagement among the attendees. The general conversation was about the controversy around tolerable risks and how it does not sit well with society. Tolerable risks can be misconstrued as reducing human life to monetary value. However, the point of functional safety is to reduce the risks as much as possible. Secunda branch SAIMC Zambia branch recently held a technical presentation on variable frequency and variable speed drives (VFDs and VSDs) for Copperbelt University students. The 21 students who attended this presentation are in their final year of studying electromechanical engineering. TC Siame, SAIMC Zambia’s past president, made the presentation both theoretically and practically. He covered the architecture, hardware, application and basic programing of variable speed drives (VSDs), and included a working demonstration to ensure the students gained hands-on experience for better understanding. The advantages and disadvantages of VSDs were discussed, including some troubleshooting tips. Zambia branch Participants in the SAIMC Zambia technical presentation. From left: Mkhanyisi Zulu, vice-chair, SAIMC Secunda Branch; Jurie Weidemann, external sales engineer, Pepperl+Fuchs. Jurie Weidemann is an external sales engineer at Pepperl+Fuchs. He started his technical career in the SA Navy in 2005. He has since held a number of technical positions in various organisations. The Secunda SAIMC committee would like to thank him for his time and presentation, and Proconics for hosting the monthly Technology Evening.
www.instrumentation.co.za September 2023 9 SAIMC NEWS Michael Brown’s Practical Process Control Training Courses and Loop Optimisation Services Cell: +27 (0)82 440 7790 Email: [email protected] Website: www.controlloop.co.za MICHAEL BROWN CONTROL ENGINEERING CC Courses: These well known courses are unique and invaluable to newcomers as well as experienced practitioners and process engineers in the field of industrial regulatory control optimisation. The courses offer a new and very practical approach to this subject, which very few people really understand properly. Courses are available on demand for six or more delegates and are suitable for instrumentation and control technicians and engineers, and for plant process engineers. Many chemical and mechanical engineers have attended the courses as well as metallurgists. Even people with many years of experience in this field have found the courses a real eye opener. Optimisation Services and Consulting: Michael Brown has had 35 years of experience in control loop optimisation, and in that time has successfully optimised controls in many different types of plants, including pulp and paper, power stations, chemical and petrochemical, oil, steel, mining and metallurgical recovery, cement, brewing, glass, dairy, food, and sugar, both in South Africa and many overseas countries. His work has proved invaluable to plants and has resulted in greatly improved performance and ROI. THE PART 1 COURSE IS NOW AVAILABLE ONLINE VIA SELF STUDY AND ZOOM SESSIONS The August technology meeting of the Durban branch of the SAIMC was held as usual at the Premier Splendid Inn in Pinetown and was kindly sponsored by Yokogawa. The topic of the evening was gas analysers and the environment, and was presented by Renier van Rooyen. He discussed energy efficiency, industrial emissions and greenhouse gases, what they are, and why we want to manage them. He then went on to briefly explore the technology applicable to each of these topics. This included the measuring principles, the advantages, the drawbacks, and where they can be applied for optimal benefit. Renier completed a computer systems engineering degree at Vaal University of Technology in 2004 after which he joined Sasol to complete his apprenticeship. He joined Sasol Secunda in the central analyser department as an analyser artisan on all the refinery plants, before being promoted in 2009 to technician to work on analyser projects and give advanced support on analyser maintenance issues. In 2016 he joined Yokogawa South Africa as an analyser service engineer before taking over as a product specialist for gas analysers, where his core focus is on gas chromatography, TDLS and zirconia analysers. He is also involved in gas density and CEMS projects. With over 16 years in the instrumentation field, Renier was well qualified to present to us on this very relevant topic. The Durban branch would like to thank him for presenting and Yokogawa for sponsoring the evening. Durban branch SAIMC GM, Mark Calvert (right) thanks Renier van Rooyen for his presentation. 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)
10 September 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 September 2023 11 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]
12 September 2023 www.instrumentation.co.za Behind every product request there is, or should be, a business objective. If we lose sight of the business objective, we often end up just papering over the cracks. This case study discusses an application of Turck Banner’s systems approach to working in unison with customers to achieve their business objectives, and it illustrates how the company’s Systems Division operates. To understand this systems approach, it is first necessary to have an understanding of the distinction between a product and a system. A product is typically characterised by precise specifications and limited room for deviation. For instance, consider a temperature sensor which operates within a predetermined temperature range and may have features such as an analogue output, adjustable switch points, or a data output. Its primary function is to interface with other products, for example a PLC, to facilitate The systems approach to achieving business objectives. control, without any inherent ability to engage with humans. A system incorporates hardware components (products) with a software overlay, and these work in unison to fulfil a customer’s specific business objective. Such a system is then capable of product, machine-to-machine, machine-to-operator, and management interactions. A product can be chosen and purchased from a catalogue, whereas a business objective creates a conversation, not a sale. The conversation creates a relationship, which results in a partnership to achieve the business objective. A common phrase within Turck Banner’s Systems Division is “products talk to products, systems talk to people”. A large, prestigious British car manufacturer set out to purchase a switch and a light. The initial enquiry was put through to Turck Banner’s Systems Division, where instead of asking what specifications were needed for the switch and light, a team member enquired about the objective. The car plant had a U-shaped assembly line. The line began with an empty car shell, and finished with a full interior. Between the two ends were approximately 50 stations, each fitting parts of the interior, with the car remaining at each station for a set time (the Takt time). When the Takt time expired the car moved to the next station. If any station had not completed its task, the whole line stopped until that task was completed. Although there may have been many acceptable reasons why a task was not completed, not having the required part to fit to the car at the beginning of the Takt time was not one of them. In order to maintain a constant supply of parts to each station, a team of support staff with tow motors constantly moved around the path inside the U. When operators required more parts, they stepped away from their station to Products talk to products, systems talk to people
www.instrumentation.co.za September 2023 13 flag down one of them, and they then went to collect more parts and drop them at the station. They called this the Milk Run. Station operators did not want to run out of parts, and as the time taken to replenish the stock was variable, operators often requested parts before they really needed them. This led to crates of parts backing up into the roadway, creating traffic jams, which increased the time taken to replenish the station. The reason for the car manufacturer’s original enquiry for a switch and a light was to avoid having the operators flag down someone on the Milk Run, because while they were waving to attract attention they were not fitting the part, and the Takt time was counting down. The idea was for them to switch on a light above their station, which would be much quicker, and they could continue with their task. While this may sound like a good solution, the Turck Banner systems team had other ideas. Together with the customer, the team looked at the whole part replenishment procedure, which consisted of three parts. The first part was a huge warehouse, which was a slow-moving area. Parts were replenished here from suppliers, with sufficient stock held to cover the production demand between supplier shipments. The second part was called the Supermarket, and held the stock required for one day of production, and this was replenished daily from the warehouse. The third part was the Milk Run, which delivered parts from the Supermarket to the stations. The business objective was to maintain the supply of parts to every station in the most efficient way possible, ensuring that every station had the parts required at the start of each Takt cycle. The space at each station was limited, and some parts, like the seats, were very large, so a just-in-time solution was considered. The existing Milk Run was inefficient in the use of human resources and tow motors, and there was no empirical data on performance, only anecdotal. The systems team looked at both the whole replenishment procedure and the requirements of each individual station, from where they developed a solution. COVER STORY Continued on page 14 As some of the parts, like door handles, were quite small, it was possible to have the stock required for a whole day’s production held at the station. These stations were restocked once a day before the shift started and could be excluded from the Milk Run. This reduced the traffic on the Milk Run by 28%, and freed up resources to be used more efficiently in the Call For Parts solution. The Call For Parts solution The Milk Run in its original format had several weaknesses. All the tow motors were constantly in motion, waiting to be flagged down. When they were flagged down, they were away from the Supermarket, so had to drive to the Supermarket before they could collect the required parts. The line operator had to leave the line to request parts. The objectives of the new system were: 1. The line operator should call for parts without leaving the station, and with minimal interruption.
14 September 2023 www.instrumentation.co.za Continued from page 13 Turck Banner was founded as RET Automation Controls in 1984. In 2018 the company’s name was changed to Turck Banner when RET was purchased by Hans Turck (Germany) and Banner Engineering (USA), each owning a 50% share, to establish a South African joint venture company supplying both companies’ products to the southern African market. With over 50 years of cooperation, Turck and Banner have jointly continued to pave the way for future technology and solutions. This cooperation enables the offering of the widest range of products in the global market, offering a single source solution for both the OEM and the end user. “This effectively means that, even though these are two separate and autonomous companies, it allows Turck Banner SA to be more competitive by offering complementary products to the southern African market. Additionally, it is this partnership and combined technology offering that allows the joint venture to be stronger together and represent more than just a joint venture,” says Brandon Topham, CEO of Turck Banner South Africa. “Being an integral part of the Turck and Banner worldwide network of subsidiaries and representatives brings great advantages to our customers on many levels. Our customers, who themselves have international markets, are secure in the knowledge that their customers will receive the same high level of service. Our customers benefit from our connections, not just with the technical support services within our parent companies, but with the engineering, research and development, and logistics departments at those times when our customers urgently require less common parts.” Turck Banner Southern Africa is known for quality and durable products, offering products that include award-winning sensors, wireless solutions, machine safety, indication, and LED lighting, while automation solutions increase the availability and efficiency of machines and plants in numerous industries, such as food and beverage, mining, pharmaceutical, chemical, and automotive, and in applications such as mobile machinery, intralogistics and packaging. Since the start of the original company, and now Turck Banner Southern Africa, it has maintained its reputation for supplying high-quality sensing and automation equipment at competitive prices. By helping customers increase efficiency, reduce costs, and ensure quality, it has become the automation partner of choice in the southern African market. 2. Tow motors should only be in the Milk Run when they are delivering parts or returning with empty crates. 3. The floor space around each station should be used efficiently. Some parts were very large, like seats, and it was not practical to hold stock for more than a few Takt cycles. These stations required constant replenishment, while other stations using parts where a reasonable quantity could be held required replenishment less often. 4. Proper data generation and capture should be implemented. The Call For Parts system The operator at a station called for parts when one set of parts was needed by pressing a call button which was connected wirelessly to the Bus Stop. This was a new area adjacent to the Supermarket where the drivers waited with their tow motors. The order appeared on an HMI screen at the Bus Stop, showing the station and the parts required. The next driver in the queue accepted the order, which also informed the station that parts were being delivered. The driver collected the parts and delivered them to the station. At the station, the driver cleared the order by pressing a button, and took the empty crate to be restocked, then returning to the end of the driver queue at the Bus Stop. The times when the operator called for parts, when the order was acknowledged, and when the order was delivered, were all recorded for analysis. The station delivery worked on its own Takt time, which was normally the same as the assembly line, but could be shorter. By reducing the delivery Takt time without changing the production Takt time, a stress test could be performed on the delivery system without harming production. The results of the reduction in delivery Takt time identified those stations that could be vulnerable to delivery failures. Remedial action Sponsored content “A product can be chosen and purchased from a catalogue, whereas a business objective creates a conversation, not a sale. The conversation creates a relationship, which results in a partnership to achieve the business objective. A common phrase within Turck Banner’s Systems Division is ‘products talk to products, systems talk to people’. ” could then be taken before a reduction in the production Takt time was implemented. There were many benefits to the new system: • Production delays due to waiting for parts were eliminated. • Production increased. • Fewer drivers were required for the deliveries. • Floor space was saved and re-used for the Bus Stop. • The whole replenishment procedure was more flexible. Stations could be easily included or excluded from the system. • Quantifiable data was generated for analysis and future comparisons. Having successfully delivered a solution, the focus of the systems team moved to adjacent operations. By paying attention throughout the definition and design stages to how the system could interact with upstream and downstream operations, improvements could be made both in isolation and in planned stages. This made proof of concept, procurement and funding easier. Once Turck Banner established which products and system to deploy, the systems team worked alongside the customer to provide a solution, including ongoing support and expansion, allowing a look at the bigger picture and the complete system topology. Finally, to deliver a complete solution, both the end user’s engineering team and the Turck Banner team worked with IT to create an interface between SAP and the line-side equipment. This was critical for the application to be a success, because without a reliable interface the best products in the world would be useless. For more information contact Turck Banner, +27 11 453 2468, [email protected], www.turckbanner.co.za COVER STORY
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