The materials handling division of mechanical and electrical engineering specialist, Powermite, supplies superior quality, rugged, reliable, and economical cable reeling systems and accessories to a wide spectrum of Southern African industries.

Cable reeling systems are used to lay down and retrieve cable in applications where a predetermined length of travel and a fixed amount of cable is connected to a fixed point while a moving point travels over a fixed line, rail, ground or height at a set speed. In addition to a wide variety of cabling including medium voltage, low voltage and milli power, control, fibre optic/data and composite cables for data and video supply, these reeling systems also carry water, air and hydraulic hosing.

“Our cable reeling systems deliver numerous cost and time saving benefits for end-users,” says Powermite Marketing Director, Donovan Marks. “Their extremely rugged design ensures reliable operation for optimised uptime and productivity.

Manufactured in a variety of materials including painted steel, stainless steel and hot dip galvanized surfaces, the cable reeling equipment is suitable for a wide range of indoor and outdoor applications.” By utilising the anti-runback bearing/braking resistive-based drive systems, Powermite achieves tremendous success with system reliability. “Our systems continue to operate over several years in extremely dusty and corrosive environments.”

“In addition, the greased-for-life bearings ensure a maintenance-free cable reeling solution. With no stoppages for maintenance and no maintenance costs, our reeling systems deliver significant cost savings for end-users,” notes Marks.

These systems are also extremely versatile and can be applied to low speeds (5m/min) or high speeds (120m/min) over distances ranging from 1m to over a 1000m and the length can be increased or decreased to meet end-users’ requirements.

Powermite supplements its renowned spring driven, torque motor and permanent magnet clutch drives with Variable Speed Drive (VSD) technology. “It is crucial that the system keeps the correct tension at all times to prevent damage during operation and to keep the cable out of harm’s way,” explains Marks.        2/… Powermite cable reeling solutions.

“Our VSD technology enables all the drives to provide a constant torque to keep the correct tension at all times which is crucial to preventing damage by protecting the cable and keeping it out of harm’s way during winding and un-winding functions.”

The main gearbox unit located inside the motorised reeling drum carries the slip ring assembly, the spool and the drive units. The spring units are provided with a flange for mounting onto structures, frames or walls. Encased in a steel housing with safety anchors, each spring has an operational duty cycle of 80,000 operations.

Powermite’s materials handling division also supplies a comprehensive range of cable reeling system accessories that include one- and two-way guiding devices with optional slack cable, over tension and position detection systems, anchoring drums (with/without connection boxes), connection boxes for LT/MV power, control and fibre optics cable and slicing kits, end limit switches, cable sleeves and shock absorber springs. Marks adds that Powermite has the necessary capabilities and expertise to refurbish cable reeling systems to OEM standards offering customers a cost-effective alternative to new equipment purchase.

Powermite’s cable reel solutions are found in a wide range of industries from mining, plant and factories to warehousing, waterworks and stockyards.

“Our bulk materials handling equipment operates on stackers and reclaimers, spreaders, transfer cars, ship loaders and other port handling applications such as long travel cranes, portal cranes, hoists, magnets, etc.,” says Marks. Customers include bulk mining OEM companies, crane manufacturers, system installers, machine builders, automation manufacturers, wholesalers/retailers, etc.

With over 40 years’ experience across numerous fields of industry, the Powermite teams understand that quality is of paramount importance to customers as it has a direct link to reliability, uptime, productivity and ultimately profitability. Marks confirms that their local manufacture is in accordance to the local industry norms with SANS 9001, 14001 and 18001 alongside their overseas principles Conductix and European EU and IEC standards.

As a leading supplier, manufacturer and importer under one roof, Powermite, a division of Hudaco (Pty) Ltd., augments its cable reeling equipment with a comprehensive range of world-class quality cables, plugs and sockets, festoon systems, drag chain controllers, container load sensing systems, downshop lead systems, etc., “all conveniently available from a single source,” concludes Marks.