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Maintenance News

Koeberg generators, tank replacement projects still on track

By: Mia Breytenbach 15th May 2015 Technical resources provider, Lesedi Nuclear Services, remains on track to complete its portion of the steam generator replacement (SGR) project in 2018 at State-owned power utility Eskom’s Koeberg nuclear power station, in the Western Cape. Lesedi Nuclear Services, part of the South African SGR... →

Davies sets up broad-based ownership task team amid codes outcry

By: Terence Creamer 8th May 2015 Trade and Industry Minister Dr Rob Davies has defended the new codes for Broad-based Black Economic Empowerment (BBBEEE), but has also moved swiftly to deal with the fallout arising from the controversial last-minute decision to downgrade recognition for broad-based ownership schemes and employee... →

Photo by Duane Daws
Trade and Industry Minister Dr Rob Davies

Manufacturing standards evolving, says industry body

By: Kimberley Smuts 8th May 2015 Significant changes are currently under way in the concrete industry, with amendments being made to design codes, construction standards, material specifications and test methods for concrete, says technical services provider to the cement and concrete industry, The Concrete Institute (TCI).... →

CHANGING CONSTRUCTION CODESIndustry specifications in the construction industry ensure that the public and the company overseeing construction are protected

Concrete seminar highlights need for reduced maintenance costs

By: Kimberley Smuts 8th May 2015 Hosted by nonprofit public benefit organisation The Concrete Society of Southern Africa (CSSA), the RepSem Concrete Repair and Protection seminar, which took place in March in the four major centres around the country, focused on starting repair and rehabilitation processes at the design stage of... →

UPDATING THE INDUSTRY The CSSA offers seminars, site visits, student support and continuing professional development accreditation for its members

Construction chemicals specialist to open East Africa branch

By: Kimberley Smuts 8th May 2015 The establishment of construction chemicals specialist Chryso Southern Africa Group’s first subsidiary outside South Africa – Chryso Eastern Africa, headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya – is currently under way and is expected to be operational by June 2015. This development is part of Chryso Group’s... →

CEMENT'S GLOBAL GROWTH One of the primary demands from customers is the assurance that the Chryso Group’s products are 'green'

Association hosts conference alongside utility expo

By: Pimani Baloyi 1st May 2015 The Southern African Asset Management Association (Saama) will, for the second year running, host an asset management conference alongside the African Utility Week and Clean Power Africa at the Cape Town International Convention Centre from May 12 to 14. Saama VP Craig Henry tells Engineering... →

CRAIG HENRY Had proper asset management been implemented in South Africa's power sector, the country would not have to deal with the electricity challenges it is currently facing

Rope-access specialist continues with repair services for Sappi mills

By: Kimberley Smuts 27th March 2015 Rope access specialist Skyriders completed hard-to-reach inspection and repair work on time and within budget early last year for South African pulp and paper producer Sappi’s Ngodwana mill, in Mpumalanga, Skyriders marketing manager Mike Zinn tells Engineering News. Zinn explains that, rather... →

Skyriders technicians use ropes to abseil down into confined spaces as a means of moving from point A to point B.

Will Eskom inquiry yield anything new on poor performance of coal fleet?

By: Terence Creamer 17th March 2015 One of the main reasons given for the recent suspension of Eskom CEO Tshediso Matona and three other senior executives related to a “lack of credible information” surrounding the poor performance of the existing coal-fired power plants. In response, the Eskom board established an independent... →

Company highlights benefits of thermography for maintenance

By: Pimani Baloyi 13th March 2015 South African companies and government entities need to realise the benefits of applying thermographic imaging to maintenance procedures, says process control equipment solutions provider Comtest thermography products specialist Jeanri Mellanby. Mellanby is Southern Africa’s first female Snell... →

Food-safe metal-detectable technology receives trademark

By: Mia Breytenbach 6th March 2015 UK-based lubrication manufacturer Rocol in September 2014 received the trademark for its X-ray and metal-detectable Detex technology, applied to its food grade products to offer an additional layer of protection against foreign-object contamination. “This is a significant step forward for the... →

EASY DETECTION The Detex X-ray and metal-detectable plastic actuators and caps used on the Foodlube and food-grade lubricants can be identified using standard X-ray or metal-detection equipment

Aircraft maintenance academy has new training centre

By: Keith Campbell 13th February 2015 One of the country’s few training centres for aircraft maintenance technicians, the Safomar Group’s Mega Aero Training Academy (MATA) can now provide practical as well as theoretical training for apprentices at its own facility, thanks to the opening, at the start of this year, of its dedicated... →

Industry-proven lubricants ensure steady sales

By: Donna Slater 6th February 2015 Wynberg-based special lubricants manufacturer Spanjaard’s products are gaining in popularity, owing to their increasing use in many specialised and industrial applications – in a niche field of the sector where competing products are falling short of meeting the requirements of heavy industrial... →

INDUSTRIAL APPLICATIONS Spanjaard's products serve a niche field, whereas competing products are falling short of meeting the requirements of heavy industrial applications

Energy savings with advanced lubricant for heavy industry

By: Donna Slater 6th February 2015 US-based lubricant specialist Lubrication Engineers is helping heavy industries to register significant savings, owing to the improved energy efficiency and product longevity provided by the company’s advanced series of Pyroshield lubricants. →

SUPERIOR BASE STOCK Lubrication Engineers’ production facility uses mainly mineral oils for base stock and only synthetic formulas for specialised applications

Cement kiln maintenance optimisation important for efficiency

By: Schalk Burger 6th February 2015 Cement producers must prepare adequately for shutdowns so that maintenance work proceeds rapidly and must optimise their plants to enable efficient maintenance and repairs during shutdowns. This will also improve the efficiency of repairs during unplanned stoppages, says cement and limekiln... →

MAINTENANCE PREPARATION
Proper maintenance planning will also improve the efficiency of repairs during unplanned stoppages

Photo by Duane Daws
MAINTENANCE PREPARATION Proper maintenance planning will also improve the efficiency of repairs during unplanned stoppages

State rail company invests in track management

By: Bruce Montiea 12th December 2014 In support of its Market Demand Strategy (MDS), State-owned freight and logistics company Transnet is concentrating on refurbishing the country’s rail track system through training and the introduction of new rail track monitoring and management methods, says Transnet Freight Rail (TFR) track... →

ON TRACK
Transnet Freight Rail’s aim is to identify the problems that affect the country’s rail tracks and find the most suitable solutions

Transnet Freight Rail track and technology principal engineer Kanak Mistry discusses the parastatal’s training initiatives

Positive responses to product received, growth expected

By: Jonathan Rodin 21st November 2014 Energy and petrochemicals company Shell has received positive responses from original-equipment manufacturers (OEMs) for its range of transmission-component protection oil, Shell Spirax, which was launched in April. Shell commercial technical manager Raymond Abraham explains that products, such... →

Metal roofing industry body releases standard for cladding

21st November 2014 Metal roofing industry body Southern African Metal Cladding and Roofing Association (Samcra), a division of the Southern African Institute of Steel Construction, completed the draft of the new standard for cladding, aimed at assisting engineers and specifiers with cladding work, says association... →

CLADDING WORK Samcra is regulating the industry to benefit metal roofing professionals

Rail fleet maintenance backlog cleared

By: Mia Breytenbach 14th November 2014 State-owned logistics company Transnet Freight Rail (TFR) has cleared its fleet backlog with the new locomotives being brought on board and old locomotives having been retired, TFR spokesperson Mike Asefovitz tells Engineering News. TFR plans to replace some of its aging stock with 1 400 new... →

Photo by Duane Daws
REFIT PROGRAMME About 30 6E1 locomotives will be upgraded to 18E locomotives within this financial year

High-performance fan manufacturer to diversify industry focus

By: Mia Breytenbach 14th November 2014 Having been awarded significant contracts to retrofit fans at several mining operations in South Africa in the past two years, high-performance fan designer and manufacturer MechCaL will actively focus on establishing a footprint in other industries, such as steelmaking, MD Gavin Ratner tells... →

COST REDUCTION MechCal had repaired only 121 of 1 347 composite and steel impeller fans since initial installation in the mining industry in 2012

OEM registers significant service contracts demand increase

By: Mia Breytenbach 14th November 2014 Gas conveying and compression company Aerzen sub-Saharan Africa subsidiary Airgas Compressors has noted a significant increase in the demand for maintenance and service contracts, as well as a 300% increase in it services division in the past 14 years, Airgas Compressors assistant service manager... →

SERVICE RANGE Airgas Compressors offers field service, repairs, overhauls and maintenance contracts to Aerzener Maschinenfabrik roots blowers and screw compressors

Water treatment units upkeep complete

14th November 2014 Rope access specialists Skyriders has successfully completed the maintenance of six water treatment units, which form part of the water treatment plant at the Medupi power station, a greenfield coal-fired power plant near Lephalale, in Limpopo. Skyriders was originally approached and tasked with... →

CONCRETE COMPLETION Skyriders was commissioned to complete maintenance on the entire water treatment building’s 6-m-high columns at the Medupi power station, in Lephalale, in Limpopo

Lack of maintenance vision

By: Mia Breytenbach 14th November 2014 Ongoing challenges are faced by municipalities and State-owned enterprises that are struggling to operate and maintain their infrastructure, so much so that it severely hampers service delivery, says asset management company IHA Technology & Aviation director Allan Tarita. However, this problem... →

DRIVING STRATEGY
A maintenance vision will drive the composition of a maintenance strategy that should include all facets of an organisation

Photo by Bloomberg
DRIVING STRATEGY A maintenance vision will drive the composition of a maintenance strategy that should include all facets of an organisation

Demand increase for preventative maintenance strategies

By: Mia Breytenbach 14th November 2014 Steel plant processing technology, equipment and services specialist SMS Siemag South Africa, a division of SMS Group, has registered significant demand growth for preventative maintenance in the local ferrous, nonferrous and ferroalloys industries, paired with a 10% to 15% increase in technical... →

Photo by Duane Daws
PREVENTATIVE STRATEGY SMS Group assists the industry in monitoring predictive failure and scheduled shutdowns

Spin filter technology reduces costly maintenance

By: Mia Breytenbach 14th November 2014 A key benefit of Tshwane-based specialised engineering solutions company Rand Technical Services’ (RTS’) spin filter technology remains its maintenance-free features, which provide a compelling motivation for companies to use this technology, RTS MD Ian Fraser notes. Costly maintenance in... →

LASTING INSTALLATION Rand Technical Services supplied dedicated back channel cooling to variable speed drive (VSD) panels in a control room on a mine in the Northern Cape

Fabricator awarded chemicals and energy group’s maintenance contract

By: Mia Breytenbach 14th November 2014 Gas conveying and compression company Aerzen sub-Saharan Africa subsidiary Airgas Compressors has noted a significant increase in the demand for maintenance and service contracts, as well as a 300% increase in it services division in the past 14 years, Airgas Compressors assistant service manager... →

CONTRACT SCOPE The contract for Sasol entails service of pressure vessels, storage tanks, heat exchangers and pipes according to Sasol’s specifications

Locomotives manufacturer to realign its maintenance strategy

By: Megan van Wyngaardt 14th November 2014 S outh Africa-based locomotives manufacturer and supplier Grindrod Locomotives aims to increase its annuity locomotive maintenance, repair and leasing to 50% of its total services by 2015, Grindrod Locomotives CEO Robert Spoon tells Engineering News. About five years ago, Grindrod Locomotives’... →

Maintenance vital to infrastructure sustainability

By: Mia Breytenbach 14th November 2014 Operations and maintenance service contracts are imperative in ensuring the sustainable operation and maintenance practices of existing and future infrastructure, as they can strengthen maintenance provision activities, voluntary association Consulting Engineers South Africa (Cesa) CEO Lefadi... →

SUSTAINABLE IMPERATIVE

Strategic partnerships regarding operations and maintenance contracts must be formed between the private and public sectors

Consulting Engineers South Africa CEO Lefadi Makibinyane discusses the need for operations and maintenance contracts for the public sector.

Higher-quality lubrication reduces maintenance

By: Mia Breytenbach 14th November 2014 Wear control, lubrication and filtration company Filter Focus has assisted Germiston-based precious metals refiner Rand Refinery in significantly reducing its operational expenditure from R2.4-million to about R1-million in the past eight months by changing the refinery’s lubrication and... →

MAINTENANCE ACHIEVEMENT Many industries have reported a 2% to 10% productivity increase, owing to the correct use of predictive maintenance practices and use of correct lubrication

Local company supplies split bearings to TPT

By: David Oliveira 7th November 2014 South African split bearings specialist OE Bearings secured a supply contract for four 500 mm cast-iron split bearings, last month, with State-owned port logistics company Transnet Port Terminals (TPT). OE Bearings MD Warwick Steinhobel tells Engineering News that the bearings, which will be... →

LENGTHY DOWNTIME The bucket wheels needed to be removed to replace the bearing, which took up to three weeks

Heavy-duty bearing cuts machine downtime

By: David Oliveira 7th November 2014 Imported bearings and transmission products supplier Bearings International (BI) supplied the Link-Belt 5000 series bearing to a reputable Gauteng-based brick manufacturer, in September. BI Link-Belt product manager Lucas Pretorius notes that there were frequent bearing failures, including... →

First stockholding of new bearing housings received

By: David Oliveira 7th November 2014 East Rand-based Bearings 2000 received its first stockholding of the complete range of FAG SNS plummer block bearing housings in September. The plummer block bearing housings were first launched in 2013, but were made commercially available to the South African market only in June this year. →

FAG SNS PLUMMER BLOCK HOUSING Design improvements on the FAG SNS plummer block housing range resulted in ease of operation while reducing total life-cycle costs

Company relaunches SRB campaign

By: David Oliveira 7th November 2014 Global technology provider SKF relaunched its spherical roller bearings (SRBs) campaign in September to gather new momentum in the South African market for improved product penetration in key applications. SKF asset management business development manager Giscard Lailvaux tells Engineering News... →

EXPLORER SRB SKF relaunched its spherical roller bearings campaign, with its Explorer range, in September to gather new momentum in the local market

Simple, robust hydraulic equipment for tough tasks

By: Donna Slater 17th October 2014 Mining infrastructure systems company Becker Mining South Africa’s hydraulic rail benders, which have been developed for bending and forming rails on railway lines in heavy industrial and underground transport systems in mining applications, easily handle rail up to 40 kg/m. →

EASY RAIL BENDING Becker Mining South Africa’s rail benders are powered by 25 t/250 kN hydraulic cylinders and activated by two-stage hand pumps

Aluminium growth boosts company

By: Mia Breytenbach 26th September 2014 Owing to the continuous expansion of its specialised services in the aluminium industry, local furnace and industrial services company Dickinson Group of Companies has registered a 60% increase in business from this industry in the past 20 years. “We can now offer more products and services that... →

KEY SERVICES PROVIDER DRS Mozambique has been rendering site-wide smelter services to the aluminium industry, which include pot delining and relining

Helicopter company rebrands and transforms

By: Keith Campbell 19th September 2014 The recently rebranded Airbus Helicopters Southern Africa (AHZA, previously Eurocopter Southern Africa Limited or ESAL) is, in parallel with the rebranding, undergoing a transformation to improve its service to its customers. The rebranding process follows the restructuring of the Airbus Group... →

Pretoria to host engineering asset management congress next month

By: Schalk Burger 5th September 2014 The ninth World Congress on Engineering Asset Management (WCEAM) will be held at the International Convention Centre, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, in Pretoria, from October 28 to 31 and will explore complementary disciplines that constitute the body of knowledge on engineering... →

New academic chair to develop knowledge in maintenance engineering industry

By: Sashnee Moodley 22nd August 2014 A newly established academic chair at the University of Pretoria, co-funded by minerals solutions company Weir Minerals, will perform fundamental research in the maintenance engineering industry to provide key skills for a growing industry. →

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