4th Quarter 2012Electrical switching & drive systems & components
Another year is slowly coming to an end. It is mid-October as I write this letter and already I see Christmas decorations for sale in the shops.
It will be interesting to see what happens this festive season with all the fall-out from the wildcat strikes. Big firms are sitting on their profits in case of hard times, while capital expenditure and even maintenance budgets are being frozen. This we can all feel on our bottom lines. Even banks have been cutting back on staff. Let us see what the retailers can pull off this year, but I am not going to hold my breath. An industry that seems to feel the opposite effect is chocolate manufacturers. Apparently their sales increase when times are tough so there must be something to comfort eating.
On the plus side, we as South Africans have something to look forward to. Our most recent SAFPA technical talk was on the Bloodhound SSC (Super Sonic Car), due to drive across South Africa’s Hakskeen Pan in the Northern Cape. This is just an amazing project with the ultimate aim of reaching 1610 kmph in a car – a car being described as having at least four wheels in contact with the ground at all times and being in the full control of its driver. To put it in perspective, the speed of sound is 1236 kmph, and the speed of the Eurofighter Typhoon, the world’s most advanced fighter plane, is 2472 kmph. To put it in another way, it has the power of more than 150 Formula 1 cars.
SAFPA feedback is as follows:
Marketing
With our recent push for membership, accompanied by an industry specific questionnaire, a lot of insight has been gained. Firstly we have increased our membership by a good margin, and secondly we are learning what exactly the industry expects from the SAFPA council. Without a shadow of doubt, education and what can SAFPA do in this regard are the top concerns.
Education sub-committee
With this in mind, we have established an education sub-committee to deal with this subject specifically. Having been down the MERSETA route, we feel it is now prudent to try and establish a SAFPA standard for hydraulic and pneumatic training against which individuals can be assessed.
Safety training course on hose assemblies
With over 50 people having already attended this course, and courses regularly becoming over-subscribed, it is clear that industry is beginning to see the merits in this safety orientated training. Keep an eye on our website for proposed dates in the near future.
Hydraulic Handbook
The Hydraulic Handbook is available for purchase at R75. It has come out very well, with good feedback from those who have taken the time to read it. It is a great year-end gift for customers and you have the council’s permission to place a ‘With Compliments’ logo inside the front cover.
New generation low power frequency inverters Bearing Man Group T/A BMG
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New to BMG’s electromechanical range are energy-efficient Synergy PI150 series frequency inverters, which have been designed for efficient use in many applications.
Read more...Planar motor system for quality assurance Beckhoff Automation
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Achieving the shortest possible inspection times, even when working with different components, is paramount when it comes to series production. This is precisely what special machine builder, stoba Sondermaschinen set out to achieve with its InspectorONE optical inspection system, which is based on deep learning and features the Beckhoff XPlanar planar motor system at the conveyor system core.
Read more...Siemens elevates automotive and aerospace simulation Siemens South Africa
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Siemens Digital Industries Software has announced the latest update to its Simcenter portfolio, delivering advancements in aerostructure analysis, electric motor design, gear optimisation and smart virtual sensing. These enhancements are designed to streamline workflows, accelerate certification and provide deeper insights into system performance.
Read more...Turbomachinery controls: the call of duty Schneider Electric South Africa
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There’s a lot to be said about the unsung heroes of this world; those men, women and machines that deliver such important functions, often overlooked and recognised. One such machine is turbomachinery, and while the name does sound quite obvious to the layman, its rich history and daily functions are not.
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Aerotech aims to revolutionise the market for precision motion and machine controls with an intuitive control platform.
Read more...SAFPA: From the President’s desk SA Fluid Power Association (SAFPA)
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SAFPAs first council meeting for 2025 was held on 7 February. All members seemed well rested and returned with vigour to drive forward our plans and initiatives started in 2024.
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Ekurhuleni West Technical, Vocational, Education and Training College (EWC) is starting a new occupational program, Mechatronics Technician L5.
In conjunction with their German Partner BBW, they ...
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At a recent SAFPA technical evening Marcus Gericke, head of electro-automation at Festo South Africa, gave a very informative presentation on pneumatic vs electric automation.
Read more...Motion technology for all types of automation Bearing Man Group T/A BMG
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BMG has been appointed by The Timken Company as a distributor in southern Africa for the Rollon linear motion guidance system.
Read more...Servo motor series for explosive environments with expanded certification Parker Hannifin - Sales Company South Africa
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Parker Hannifin’s ongoing commitment to safety and performance in hazardous environments is evident in the new certifications and product improvements for its EY and EX servo motor series.
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