Automation, measurement and control in Africa
December 2001
News
The African measurement and control market is unique in its requirements and challenges.
In order to assure success in the African market these challenges must be overcome. A robust maintenance-free, friendly design is critical when engineering a scale for African conditions. In order to understand the requirements for measurement and control instruments in Africa one must have intimate knowledge of our conditions and marketplace.
Extreme changes in ambient temperatures; heavy rains and massive electric storms all form part of the challenge to build a higher quality unit. Vast distances between main service centres and the remoteness of some locations mean that getting service to customers is not only costly but also a time-consuming process. This means that the customer will have to operate and maintain his own equipment to a large degree.
Instrumentation must not only be reliable and user friendly but also robust in order to stand up to the harsh African environment and plant operating conditions. It is commonly thought that Africa does not require the same level of quality and technology as the more advanced First World countries.
Those that think like this can be excused as they are in fact correct. Africa requires higher levels of quality accuracy reliability and technology. It is only superior equipment that will allow the African economy to profit in the long term. A unit designed for Africa can work well anywhere in the world. The reverse is not always the case.
Distrimodal
(035) 797 5920
[email protected]
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