A major wastewater treatment project in the Vaal Triangle has become the first recipient in South Africa of the new energy efficient IE3 compliant DRN motors from SEW-Eurodrive.
The initial order is for ten complete units, with gearboxes and motors (six 45 kW motors and four 55 kW motors), comments head of projects, Rudi Swanepoel. These specific units will be used for aerator applications.
Customised solution required
“With aerator and mixing applications, our projects and engineering teams have to double check all of the loads and bending moments,” explains Swanepoel. “These loads are supplied to us by the client, based on their designs and we then have to ensure that the gearboxes that have been selected are suited to the application at hand.
“Our calculation program has been designed specifically to determine if the gearbox selection is adequate, based on the loads and bending moments. This is particularly important when it comes to aerators and mixers. Thus, these are not off the shelf products, but have been selected specifically for the system in question.”
SEW-Eurodrive also had to comply with stringent specifications in terms of these motors, due to the arduous conditions on-site in the wastewater treatment plant. These included the addition of auxiliary instrumentation such as PT100s (to measure temperature) and thermistors (a cut-out failsafe when the motor temperature reaches a set high point). Other additional accessories included strip heaters for colder conditions, and rain canopies.
Swanepoel reveals that, following this initial order, the company has received a follow up for another major wastewater treatment in the Eastern Cape. “These two orders in quick succession represent a foothold for us in this industry, which is definitely picking up in terms of business.”
Energy efficiency and lower TCO
SEW-Eurodrive now offers its energy-efficient DRN motor series as standard across its entire product range. “The main benefit for our customers is that it reduces the total cost of ownership over the long term, which means the payback period is quicker, and consequently the return on investment is that much higher.”
European regulations introduced at the beginning of 2016 meant that all two, four and six-pole asynchronous motors with power ratings of 7,5 kW to 375 kW have to meet the requirements of energy-efficiency class IE3 in the European Union (EU). In 2017, IE3 is now mandatory for all asynchronous motors with a power rating of 0,75 kW to 375 kW.
“We have always remained at the forefront of new technological and regulatory developments, and keeping the South African industry up to date is important to us and to our customers. The first successful order of these latest motors for the wastewater treatment industry is testament to this approach,” concludes Swanepoel.
Enhanced manufacturing expertise in large-dimension hydraulic cylinders
Motion Control & Drives
WEBER-HYDRAULIK has expanded its manufacturing capabilities to produce hydraulic cylinders with internal diameters of up to 300?mm, extending its portfolio into large-dimension ballast and support cylinders for demanding heavy machinery applications.
Read more...High-performance linear guides igus
Motion Control & Drives
igus continues to expand its drylin range of lubrication-free polymer linear guides, including PFAS-free and EHEDG-certified variants for food safety applications. The tribo-optimised iglidur polymer technology eliminates maintenance while offering corrosion resistance and load capacity up to 600 kg.
Read more...New motion platform for tube laser processing
Motion Control & Drives
Aerotech has announced the LaserTurn280, a motion platform for laser machining of cylindrical medical device components, offering calibrated accuracy of plus or minus 1 micrometre and designed for integration into high-volume production lines.
Read more...Functional safety in modern factory automation
Motion Control & Drives
Functional safety in modern factory automation allows machines to operate at controlled speeds or hold axes at standstill rather than shutting down entirely. Kollmorgen’s Safe Motion monitor software now supports additional safety-rated encoder protocols, extending these capabilities to precision and linear motion applications.
Read more...Improving material handling with autonomous mobile robots Rockwell Automation
Motion Control & Drives
Autonomous mobile robots offer flexible, AI-driven material handling that adapts to shifting demand, fills labour gaps, and generates the operational data needed to optimise end-to-end facility performance.
Read more...Sinamics G210 versatile drive for continuous motion applications
Motion Control & Drives
Siemens has expanded its drive portfolio with the Sinamics G210, a versatile converter for continuous motion applications that combines motor openness with modular hardware, software options and flexible communication on a scalable OEM platform.
Read more...Trends and outlook for actuators in humanoid motion
Motion Control & Drives
The humanoid robotics industry is shifting from prototype development to early commercial adoption, with electric actuators dominating current designs and materials innovation set to define next-generation hardware. IDTechEx forecasts a 47% compound annual growth rate for humanoid unit sales over the next decade.
Read more...Specialist girder frame trailer solves challenging transformer delivery
Motion Control & Drives
Mammoet used its high-capacity girder frame trailer to transport an oversized Hitachi Energy transformer 130?km by road from Ludvika to Köping Port in Sweden, then completed a RoRo transfer to a heavy-lift vessel bound for China.
Read more...SEW-EURODRIVE to exhibit energy-efficient automation at Propak Cape SEW-EURODRIVE
Motion Control & Drives
SEW-EURODRIVE will showcase its MOVI-C modular automation portfolio at Propak Cape, demonstrating how integrated drive and automation technologies can help processing and packaging companies reduce energy consumption and improve production consistency.
Read more...XPlanar aids innovation in laser processing Beckhoff Automation
Editor's Choice Motion Control & Drives
Aalborg University is among the first in the world to test Beckhoff’s XPlanar intelligent transport system in advanced laser processes, achieving micrometer-precise workpiece positioning and dramatically shorter lead times compared with traditional tool-based manufacturing.
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 and company contact details are published as provided by the advertiser. Technews Publishing (Pty) Ltd cannot be held responsible for the accuracy or veracity of supplied material.
printer friendly version