The ability to provide high-tech fit for purpose electrical control equipment that meets individual customer requirements and can be supported across the African continent is positioning the Zest WEG Group among the top electric motor supply companies in South Africa.

The Zest WEG Group’s small works division was recently contracted by Dymot Engineering to supply electric equipment destined for a kibble and stage winder application at a mine in the DRC. The order included a floor standing panel with a WEG CFW09 variable speed drive (VSD) rated at 75 kW with dynamic braking and a full driver desk complete with a range of WEG LV switchgear for the kibble. Zest WEG Group also supplied a W22 55 kW 400 V electric motor and dual 11 kW motors with one control panel for the stage winder.

The Zest WEG Group has a longstanding relationship with Dymot Engineering, which standardises on WEG motors to drive its winching systems. Last year Zest WEG Group supplied a similar set of electrical control equipment to Dymot Engineering for the same DRC-based mine, and the success of this installation led to the second order. All this equipment has been supplied to underground contractor Bomar Projects which is establishing the mine’s shaft system.

“We received the second order from Bomar in early 2013 and we again chose to source the electrical control equipment needed from Zest WEG Group, not only for the quality of its products and services but because our customer wanted this equipment to be supplied by a company capable of supporting the equipment from a nearby base,” Billie Christie, engineering manager at Dymot Engineering, says. “Zest WEG Group fulfils this requirement through its strategically situated network of branches and distributors throughout Africa, staffed with skilled personnel able to provide technical support and parts supply.

“The second order was more technically specific than the previous one, because it includes a separate braking resistor rated at 100% of the motor rating. This is a fast winch that will run continuously at 1.5 metres per second moving men and materials. The Zest WEG Group small works team was more than willing to help us programme the special brake valve involved in this installation and when we tested the system before shipping it, everything worked perfectly. This team really did a good overall job for us.”

The Zest WEG Group’s small works division primarily produces smaller starter panels for the OEM market and the end user. Most of these starter panels are tailor made for specific customer requirements and incorporate products from WEG’s own range including WEG switchgear, WEG VSDs and WEG soft-starters. The small works division provides an important value-add to customers who traditionally buy motors and drives from the company. Its specialist team is able to provide tailor made solutions designed for specific purposes, which are a great improvement on off-the-shelf products. These solutions are backed by Zest WEG Group’s in-house expertise, rigorous quality control and exceptional lead times.

The small works division has been so successful that Zest WEG Group is rolling the concept out to its other branches.

DYMOT ENGINEERING PIC 01 : The floor standing panel with a WEG CFW09 variable speed drive (VSD) rated at 75 kW with dynamic braking supplied to Dymot Engineering by Zest WEG Group for a kibble and stage winder application.

DYMOT ENGINEERING PIC 02 : The full driver desk complete with a range of WEG LV switchgear supplied by Zest WEG Group to Dymot Engineering for a kibble and stage winder application