2nd Quarter 2016Electrical switching & drive systems & components
ABB is supplying a special medium voltage switch-fuse combination switchgear for power protection and isolation in unit substations for one of the country’s largest wind power projects. The Longyuan Mulilo De Aar 1 and 2 wind projects in the Northern Cape will have installed capacities of 100 and 139 MW respectively. ABB’s NALFWind 36 kV switch-fuse combination units will be incorporated into 163 unit substations as part of a R15 million order from Adenco Construction, the EPC contractor for the R5 billion wind project.
The switch-fuse combination units are specially designed for use in wind electricity distribution environments where HRC fuses are required to handle high levels of fault energies to provide protection and isolation on the windfarm electricity network. It is the first time that the NALFWind 36 kV switch-fuse combination units will be used in a unit substation on an onshore wind farm. The fuses used for the NALFWind are a new design based on the fast acting ABB CEF-S, which secures and protects against faults in low-voltage switchgear. The CEF-S fuses are specially designed to achieve breaking current value within 100 milliseconds.
“This is an advanced technology breakthrough which will maximise cost effectiveness and safety,” says Mike de Swardt, ABB regional manager, Western Cape. “It is far more cost-effective than traditional ring main unit solutions for compact substation applications.” The project commenced in the third quarter of 2015 and is expected to be operational by the last quarter of 2017.
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Electrical switching & drive systems & components
A plant built by Belgian specialist machine builder, Absolem Engineering features an innovative process for separating recyclable materials. Using PC-based control from Beckhoff, a major problem has been elegantly solved - the generation of different signal sequences for the exact synchronisation of different camera systems.
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Electrical switching & drive systems & components
The increasing reliance of South African businesses on generator sets to mitigate power disruptions highlights a crucial need for proper selection based on specific operational demands. Despite their growing usage, there is still widespread confusion about how to choose the appropriate genset, often leading to inefficient and costly decisions.
Read more...PC-based control for advanced hydrogen storage technology Beckhoff Automation
Editor's Choice Electrical switching & drive systems & components
The proportion of renewable energies from solar, wind and water is rising continuously. However, sufficient storage options are of the essence to use these energies as efficiently as possible. GKN Hydrogen offers a particularly compact and safe option, low-pressure metal hydride hydrogen storage systems with PC-based control from Beckhoff.
Read more...Axiom reaches new heights Axiom Hydraulics
Editor's Choice Electrical switching & drive systems & components
When Rula Bulk Handling could not source a cable tensioner large enough for a new cableway, the engineers knew they had to come up with an inventive solution. After discovering that no such tensioner was immediately available, Rula approached Axiom Hydraulics and ifm to assist with building their own.
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As SEW-EURODRIVE South Africa actively extends its offerings to customers, the SEW PPK and SEW P2.e industrial gearbox ranges are good examples of solutions that are well suited to the local business environment.
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Editor's Choice Electrical switching & drive systems & components
Designing and constructing compact automation systems is one of the core activities of the Austrian machine manufacturer, STIWA. Its modular LTM-CI system has been optimised for small parts assembly. Linear and rotating micromotors from Faulhaber perform key tasks in these systems.
Read more...Innovative five-axis laser precession scanner
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Motion control specialist, Aerotech has launched the AGV5D, an innovative five-axis laser precession scanner specially developed for laser micromachining. This makes it possible to create high-precision bores, contoured slots and other complex geometries with dimensional tolerances in the sub-micrometre range.
Read more...Minetruck with electric drivetrain combines power and innovation
Electrical switching & drive systems & components
The new Minetruck MT66 S eDrive is the first of Epiroc’s large-capacity mine trucks to feature the latest generation electric drivetrain. Along with an upgraded and powerful diesel engine, the hauler combines the cost-effectiveness of a traditional mine truck with the productivity of an electric one, without requiring changes to a mine’s infrastructure.
Read more...Modular hydraulic control blocks for brake actuation
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Electrohydraulic brake release valves are exposed to extreme loads, and can become uncontrollable in the event of a power failure. The experts at WEBER-HYDRAULIK GMBH have developed a practical, modular solution that ensures the safety of construction machinery, and is also suitable for a wide range of other vehicles with hydrostatic drive systems.