At the April Technology Evening Gary Friend from Extech Safety Systems, presented on Cyber Security in a Modern Process Network and outlined the way in which the rapid growth of Ethernet has opened up the vulnerability of control systems, particularly when Wi-Fi is involved.
With industrial plant networks being increasingly connected to the hostile IT world, and the frequency and sophistication of malware growing exponentially, industrial players must act vigilantly to protect their critical systems and investments. Whether it is a targeted attack like Stuxnet, or an accidental disruption, a single cyber incident can cost millions in lost revenue, jeopardise employee and public safety and potentially disrupt national critical infrastructure.
In May, Chris Gimson, general manager of Pyrotemp, explained why all utility gas flow meters (steam, air, carbon dioxide) are not equal. There are many flow meter types in the market that are capable of measuring these media, but the purchasing decision needs to go beyond the price or published specification: the real performance expectations, the application itself and the actual installation details may well result in a failure to perform to expectation even when there are similar multiple installation and application criteria.
Chairman Alvin Seitz (l) hands Chris Gimson the SAIMC certificate.
Choosing the correct flow meter for the job is critical. Flow meters such as thermal, DP, Coriolis, vortex etc. are all capable and suited to measure air, natural gas, nitrogen, argon and many others. But factors such as economic, environmental, instrument performance, installation, as well as fluid property effects all need to be considered when selecting a fit for purpose instrument.
Chris shared specific application questions to be considered: flow meter sizing, mass or volume considerations, volume vs corrected volume selections, volume mass vs operating conditions, flow measurement units definitions, compressor characteristics, compressed air conversion of inlet flow to outlet flow, gas quality, natural gas sizing example, thermal mass and the consequence of making the wrong meter selection.
Another topic was carbon dioxide: thermal vs vortex, DP flow equation, differential pressure measurement, DP temperature and pressure compensation for density, the danger of ignoring DP ambient compensation, orifice plates considerations and the use of existing instruments to calculate fuel-steam efficiency.
Chris discussed real examples of failed installations and misapplications of what were considered good choices on paper. The SAIMC thanks Chris Gimson for this well received, informative and entertaining presentation.
Read more...SAIMC: Durban branch SAIMC
SAIMC
The Durban branch of the SAIMC was pleased to welcome Vusi Sithole, managing member of Hybrid Control Corporation in Richards Bay, who presented\on the very pertinent topic of ‘Infrastructure monitoring and control for water loss management’.
Read more...SAIMC: Sunshine, swings and smiles: Durban Golf Day hits a high note Technews Publishing (SA Instrumentation & Control)
SAIMC
We say it every year, and we’ll say it again: May in Durban is hard to beat; but 9 May, when the Durban Golf Day teed off at Kloof Country Club, was something else. With sunny skies and temperatures in the upper 20s, it was a fantastic day, full of fun and great energy.
Read more...SAIMC User Advisory Council KS4I event: Bridging the industry/education divide
SAIMC
Horst Weinert, head of Didactic at Festo Southern/Eastern Africa, will be sharing some of Festo’s Didactic experiences of working across industry and education. He will cover training for productivity and employability in the public and private sectors, discussing especially the potential for inter-company training centres.
Read more...SAIMC: Johannesburg branch SAIMC
SAIMC
The local Johannesburg Branch of the SAIMC recently hosted a Technology Evening at Bryanston Sports Club on 9 April 2025.
Read more...SAIMC: Durban branch SAIMC
SAIMC
The April technology meeting for the Durban branch of the SAIMC was kindly sponsored by ProRisk, a subsidiary company of the Proconics Group of Companies. Process safety engineer, Guillaume de Swardt gave a fascinating presentation on the power of operational risk control by utilising CFD software.
Read more...SAIMC User Advisory Council KS4I event SAIMC Supplier Advisory Council
SAIMC
The SAIMC User Advisory Council started 2025 with its first event in the ‘Knowlege Sharing 4 Industry’ event series on the 19th of March.
Read more...Knowledge Sharing 4 Industry
SAIMC
In proud partnership with Innomotics, SAIMC will be hosting the first Knowledge Sharing 4 Industry event for 2025.
Read more...Getting your OT data into the cloud – the why and the how
SAIMC
As users recognise the benefits of a digital transformation strategy for their industrial plants and systems and start to adopt it, they soon face the challenge of getting operational technology data securely and reliably to a cloud service provider of their choice.
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