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Instrumentation & Control News

Industrial IoT platform enables companies to customise solutions

By: Schalk Burger 14th July 2017 Network solutions provider Vula Telematix is inviting industrial and commercial organisations to develop fit-for-purpose industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) systems for their specific needs on an open IoT platform, which will help to stimulate local innovation and use of IoT, says Vula Telematix... →

Passenger rail group in final stages of deploying digital comms system

By: Schalk Burger 14th July 2017 A digital wireless communications system – GSM for railway, or GSM-R – is being deployed to improve the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa’s (PRASA’s) operations and run its rail passenger transport systems more efficiently, says information technology multinational Huawei Railway executive... →

Control system minimises dust escape during grab discharge

By: Simone Liedtke 7th July 2017 Materials handling equipment supplier BLT South Africa’s Samson travelling Eco-Hoppers have an effective dust control system that minimises the escape of dust during the grab discharge cycle. →

DUST CONTROL The grab discharge cycle includes transferring materials down the line using handling systems

Automation pivotal to steel industry’s future

By: Nica Schreuder 7th July 2017 Owing to its customers requiring cost-effective, faster and better solutions, capital equipment manufacturer First Cut MD Andrew Poole says automation coupled with innovation is pivotal to the future of companies in the local steel industry. The prospect of automation threatening the livelihood... →

Digitalisation evolution, not revolution

7th July 2017 Efficient plants, machinery and services solutions company SMS group has developed strategies to promote digitalisation in the steel industry, in light of Internet 4.0, digitalisation, Internet of Things (IoT) and cloud computing becoming dominant themes in the industry. According to the SMS... →

DIGITAL SALES Electronic spare parts catalogue in an eService module, which would be used by sales departments as digital tools to facilitate pricing and delivery transparency

Filter standard replacement to occur over 18-month transition period

7th July 2017 The new test standard for International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 16890, for filter testing and assessment, replaced European Standard (EN) 779 as of January this year, with a transition period of 18 months. →

SHIFTING PARADIGM This new method for the evaluation of air filter elements represents a paradigm shift

New-generation Sentient hand-held unit for gas detection

7th July 2017 The new generation Ingress Protection 68 rated Sentient handheld unit is widely regarded as the most cost effective, sophisticated and low maintenance gas detection device in the mining industry today. →

GAS DETECTION SYSTEMS This instrument was developed by Booyco Electronics, specifically to improve safety in any confined spaces

Particulate matter a national concern

By: Simone Liedtke 7th July 2017 Owing to government’s 2020 target that air quality in all low-income settlements should be in full compliance with ambient air quality standards, mineral processing company MIP Process Technologies (MIP) MD Philip Hoff says particulate matter is, therefore, a national concern. →

PHILIP HOFF MIP invests in young engineers and has, in the past, offered bursaries to chemical engineering students

Rustenburg scrubber upgrade project set for completion

By: Simone Liedtke 7th July 2017 Chemicals and process engineering company Lodestone Engineering is set to complete the supply of equipment as part of an upgrade to an existing large wet scrubber for a major platinum producer in Rustenburg by the end of this month. →

UPGRADED SCRUBBER Valued at about R10-million the overall project upgrades an existing 3.6-m-diameter scrubber

Thermometer designed and tested for industry use

7th July 2017 Handheld-products supplier Fluke - represented locally by distribution service provider Comtest - has launched the Fluke 64 MAX IR thermometer with internal memory, unattended monitoring, improved accuracy, increased battery life, as well as the precision needed to do the job accurately. →

THERMOMETER APPLICATIONS Applications include the industrial maintenance, the electrical as well as the heating, ventilation and air conditioning industries

Commissioning activities under way at pipeline

By: Simone Liedtke 7th July 2017 Packaging company Nampak Glass in May commissioned a 1-km-long, high-pressure underground gas pipeline that was constructed by multidisciplinary corporation Saiyl. →

NAMPAK STATION This underground pipeline ties into the newly constructed Nampak Pressure Reduction Station in Germiston

Manufacturing to be changed by digital systems, Endress+Hauser avers

By: Schalk Burger 7th July 2017 Digital technologies, the automation of processes and the changes to business models will be some of the main areas to be affected by digitalisation and connection of industrial systems, says industrial automation multinational Endress+Hauser VP supervisory board and German Electrical and... →

SA antenna technology used on Swiss Alps tunnel

By: Donna Slater 7th July 2017 Antennas from South African wireless technology company Poynting Antennas are being used in the world’s longest and deepest train tunnel – the Gotthard Base Tunnel – which runs through the Swiss Alps mountain range, in Switzerland. →

Need for accurate designs of dosing systems

By: Simone Liedtke 7th July 2017 The designs for dosing systems in the gas and fumes industries have to be accurate to ensure safety, says chemical dosing and pumping applications supplier Packaged Metering and Pumping Solutions (PMPS) technical director David O’Neill. →

EXPANDING PRODUCT OFFERING
PMPS partnered with solar system integrator Solar Injection Australia to import complete units that include a solar power unit

Packaged Metering and Pumping Solutions’ David O’Neill talks about the company’s strategies with regards to the fracking process. Camerawork and Editing: Nicholas Boyd.

Firm reports growing demand for access control and video as a service

By: Schalk Burger 30th June 2017 Internet protocol-based security systems company Genetec is reporting growing interest in its Internet of Things (IoT) platform for access control and video as a service (ACaaS and VaaS) offerings in the sub-Saharan Africa region, says Genetec Africa regional sales manager Brent Cary. The... →

BRENT CARY Demand for cloud-based IoT platforms – owing to the cybersecurity protection – is starting to pick up across Africa

Revolution draws mixed reaction from industry

By: Nica Schreuder 23rd June 2017 Although the fourth industrial revolution is set to disrupt almost every industry globally by transforming production, management systems and governance, Department of Science and Technology advanced manufacturing technologies acting director Sechaba Tsubella says for the manufacturing industry,... →

Photo by Bloomberg
MANUAL SACRIFICE The fourth industrial revolution will disrupt labour practices in the manufacturing industry

Drive supplier remains committed to continent

By: Nadine James 23rd June 2017 German drive engineering group SEW Eurodrive remains committed to Africa despite political and economic instability in parts of the continent, says local subsidiary SEW Eurodrive South Africa (SA). SEW Eurodrive SA MD Raymond Obermeyer says while the political upheaval and economic uncertainty... →

Industrial IoT helping to streamline complex operations

By: Schalk Burger 16th June 2017 Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) solutions are helping to reduce the complexity and management of industrial automation systems and making industrial operations more visible, controllable and resilient, says industrial systems availability firm Stratus Technologies Africa and Middle East... →

Defence-in-depth security model punted for protecting industrial assets

By: Schalk Burger 16th June 2017 Protecting industrial assets requires a defence-in-depth (DiD) security approach that addresses in-house and external security threats. The approach uses multiple layers of defence, including physical, electronic and procedural protection, and at separate instances by applying appropriate... →

CHRISTO BUYS Effective defence-in-depth leads to system security that is designed into the infrastructure and becomes a set of layers within the overall network security

Electronics supplier to launch latest tech

By: Marleny Arnoldi 2nd June 2017 Electronics supplier Actum Electronics will launch railway technology manufacturer Pentair’s three-dimensional (3D) configurator tool program to customise racks and front panels in railway infrastructure at the Africa Rail exhibition on June 13 and 14 at the Sandton Convention Centre, in... →

South African industries show interest in new flexible borescope

By: Schalk Burger 2nd June 2017 South African technical industries are showing interest in the new Gradient Lens Corporation’s Hawkeye V2 flexible borescope to conduct nondestructive testing and inspections of machines, products and components, says local reseller GP Agencies sales manager Lesley Scott. The flexible borescopes... →

FLEXIBLE BORESCOPE Flexible borescopes are used in the aerospace, automotive manufacturing, energy and wind-generation industries

Solutions specialist expands product range

By: Simone Liedtke 26th May 2017 Electrical solutions specialist Magnet Electrical – a subsidiary of Magnet Group – has extended its range of automation solutions with the addition of automation systems company Schneider Electric’s new Altivar ATV320 variable-speed drives (VSDs). →

ALTIVAR ATV320 This system has been developed to optimise design and engineering costs

Company offers process solutions for valve systems

19th May 2017 It is often the tiny inconspicuous details that determine human and environmental safety as well as the operating costs incurred and the process yield, says global valves, automation components and piping products manufacturer Gemü, which is why it offers customised process solutions which join... →

Photo by Bloomberg
VALVE SAFETY Several criteria are taken into consideration when choosing the best valve technology for a specific process

Huawei's SA OpenLab to focus on safe city, smart grid solutions

By: Schalk Burger 12th May 2017 Information and communication technology multinational Hauwei has launched an OpenLab in South Africa that will focus on safe city and smart grid technologies, says Huawei South Africa deputy CEO Alex Du. The research and development laboratory is one of seven Huawei OpenLabs that will be opened... →

Festo Didactic providing Industry 4.0 training for tertiary education

By: Schalk Burger 5th May 2017 Employees in industry as well as students at vocational colleges and universities will need to be specially trained to work with Industry 4.0 systems to develop their understanding of fully automated digital production technologies, and knowledge of the layout and programming of digital system... →

Robotic solution for machine tools industry

28th April 2017 When it comes to the automated feeding of machine tools, the choice of the right robot set-up and manipulator is a key element in the planning process, says Japanese robotics company Yaskawa. →

CONTROL CONCEPT Finding the right software structure is just as important as the hardware

Control and instrumentation play rugged role in industry

By: Simone Liedtke 28th April 2017 The uptake of new information technology (IT) in industrial automation has traditionally been at a slower rate compared with that of the broader information, communications and technology (ICT) sector, says the Society for Automation Instrumentation, Measurements and Control (SAIMC) professional... →

TRIED AND TESTED Companies still use more traditional tried and tested architectures for projects locally

New tandem horizontal boring to be fully operational in July

By: Simone Liedtke 28th April 2017 Installation of the new tandem horizontal boring mill – which can perform multiple tasks simultaneously – will be complete and fully operational by July, enthuses project services corporation Hydra Arc. →

Photo by Petrus Saayman
FULLY AUTOMATED The tandem horizontal boring mill is fully automated and programmable

Machines produce components for isotope facility

By: Simone Liedtke 28th April 2017 Machine component manufacturer Precision Separators bought six computer numerical control (CNC) machines from machine industry company Hurco to manufacture and produce components for private company Klydon’s medical isotope facility MoF6. →

Machines produce components for isotope facility

New concept crane being developed

By: Simone Liedtke 21st April 2017 Global engineered heavy lifting and transportation specialist Mammoet and engineering specialist Stoof Engineering and Innovation (E&I) are joining forces to develop a containerised heavy lifter named Focus. →

FULLY ASSEMBLED Mammoet uses a jacking system to lift the dragline and place it on a specialised transport system to move it to its new location

Pressure, temperature transmitter launched for downhole applications

21st April 2017 Last month, US-based Emerson Automation Solutions introduced the Paine 328-12-0010 pressure and temperature data logger and digital transmitter for process measurement and data logging in downhole drilling applications. The company notes that downhole drilling operators need to measure pressure... →

PAINE 328-12-0010 It measures pressure and temperature with full-scale accuracy of about 0.05% and is able to withstand operating temperatures from -40 °C to 175 °C

Temperature transmitter ideal for numerous industries

By: Nadine James 21st April 2017 The DT722 relative humidity and temperature transmitter is ideal for the chemicals, food and beverage, as well as heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) industries because it offers accurate, stable measurement and control of humidity and temperature, says instrumentation and... →

VERSATILITY PERSONIFIED DT722 is suitable for measuring temperature and humidity in any controlled environment

Fabrication facility to expand to accommodate heavy lifting fleet

By: Simone Liedtke 21st April 2017 Manufacturing company Sky Hill Heavy Engineering - a part of project services corporation Hydra-Arc in Secunda, Mpumalanga - has already commenced with the 100 m expansion of three of its four fabrication bays, to accommodate its heavy lifting fleet, says Hydra-Arc. →

IN-HOUSE PROJECTS
Fabrication and refurbishment projects are executed from the engineering to transportation stages

Photo by Petrus Saayman
IN-HOUSE PROJECTS Fabrication and refurbishment projects are executed from the engineering to transportation stages

Local equipment supplier upgrades product offering

By: Simone Liedtke 21st April 2017 Machine manufacturer Meclift has added the ML1812R variable reach truck series to its heavy-lifting equipment range, which has a lifting capacity of 18 t and operates swiftly in confined spaces, including warehouses and cargo vessels. →

ML1812R MECLIFT The variable-reach truck is designed for swift, efficient and safe handling of heavy loads in diverse industries

Two in five industrial computers faced cyberattacks in second half of 2016

By: Schalk Burger 14th April 2017 An average of two-in-five computers related to the technological infrastructure of industrial enterprises were exposed to malicious software and targeted cyberattack in the second half of 2016, says cybersecurity multinational Kaspersky Lab Head of Critical Infrastructure Defence Department... →

Joburg to host automation conference next month

By: Schalk Burger 7th April 2017 The industrial automation multinational Rockwell Automation’s Automation University conference will develop and hone local automation skills and expertise in industries, says Rockwell Automation Sub-Saharan Africa control systems and software business manager Christo Buys. The two-day conference,... →

Pumps range included in offering to cater for demand

By: Simone Liedtke 24th March 2017 Technical solutions provider Bearing Man Group (BMG) is strategising to enhance its fluid technology services to meet growing market demand in diverse industries, including the pumps industry. →

PNEUMATIC GREASE TRANSFER About 180 kg of grease is being pumped and used daily at Richards Bay Minerals

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