VOL 25 NO 2 • SECOND QUARTER 2023 TMA Winches Just Winches Since 1987
+27 (011) 021 8082 | [email protected] +27 (031) 579 2216 | www.sagauge.com MANUFACTURERS Made in South Africa Always in stock GAUGE PRESSURE EXPERTS Pressure Gauges Thermometers Diaphragm Seals Pressure Testing Kits Calibration Certificates
www.motioncontrol.co.za Second Quarter 2023 1 SAFPA news News & events New technology Product news OUR COVER 9 SECOND QUARTER 2023 04 05 10 32 REGULARS FEATURES 12 Motion Tronic, Invertek Drives, Beckhoff Automation, SEW-Eurodrive, DEPRAG Schultz, DMA Europa 17 Bosch Rexroth South Africa, BMG, Axiom Hydraulics 21 Svendborg Brakes, Zest WEG, Bosch Rexroth South Africa DNH Tradeserve, Yaskawa Southern Africa, Oregon State University, IDX Online 23 28 Comtest, ISO-Reliability Partners, Gail Norton Instrumentation 26 Drives Hydraulics Motion control in mining Robotics Pneumatics Condition monitoring Hydrosense Hydraulics has announced its new partnership with Italian winch manufacturer, TMA Winches. TMA designs and builds hoisting and pulling winches for every application across a wide range of sectors, and is widely regarded as a world leader in the industry. Read our cover story on page 9 to find out how Hydrosense Hydraulics can supply not only winches, but also pumps, motors, valves, custom manifolds and other engineered products that usually have long lead times or are not available in South Africa, and offer fast deliveries on these items. VOL 25 NO 2 • SECOND QUARTER 2023 TMA Winches Just Winches Since 1987 SKF, Edson Evers
2 Second Quarter 2023 www.motioncontrol.co.za welcomeSECOND QUARTER 2023 EDITOR Kim Roberts MSc Chem [email protected] ADVERTISING Sales manager Jane van der Spuy [email protected] Tel: +27 83 234 5412 Heidi Hargreaves [email protected] Tel: +27 83 504 0436 DESIGN AND LAYOUT Technews production department SUBSCRIPTION SERVICES For address changes, subscriptions, renewal status or missing issues, call +27 11 543 5800 [email protected] or write to: Technews Publishing (Pty) Ltd, Box 385, Pinegowrie 2123 SUBSCRIBE ONLINE www.technews.co.za PUBLISHERS Technews Publishing (Pty) Ltd, Box 385, Pinegowrie 2123 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Letters to the editor should be addressed to Kim Roberts at [email protected]. Sending material to this publication will be considered automatic permission to use in full or in part in our Letters column. Be sure to include your name, e-mail address, city and zip code. We reserve the right to edit all letters. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, adapted, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of Technews Publishing (Pty) Ltd, Reg No. 2005/034598/07 Disclaimer While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained herein, the publisher and its agents cannot be held responsible for any errors contained, or any loss incurred as a result. Articles published do not necessarily reflect the views of the publishers. The editor reserves the right to alter or cut copy. Articles submitted are deemed to have been cleared for publication. Advertisements, inserts and company contact details are printed as provided by the advertiser. Technews Publishing (Pty) Ltd cannot be held responsible for the accuracy or veracity of supplied material. The robots are coming In this issue of Motion Control we have a fun story on Cassie the robot that broke the world record for the fastest 100 metres by a bipedal robot. Cassie was trained using machine learning, but the world has since launched into a new era of AI. Now a team of programmers at Boston Dynamics has fitted its robot dog, Spot with ChatGPT and text-to-speech modulation. I was watching a viral video showing it answering enquiries about its automated tasks in real time after capturing vast amounts of data. The researchers ask a question using the context of the mission. ChatGPT interprets the question, summarises all the files, and formulates the answer. The voice-enabled interface allows it to respond verbally, and even follow instructions. A quick search will get you to the video. The world is about to change When Bill Gates says something, everyone listens. In his book The Road Ahead, he says: “We always overestimate the change that will occur in the next two years and underestimate the change that will occur in the next ten.” I was looking at his most recent Gates Notes blog − ‘The age of AI has begun’ − where he writes that even bigger changes are coming. He says he’s seen only two revolutionary technological advances in his lifetime. The first was the graphical user interface in 1981. Remember when you had to type in a command at the C prompt C:> to do anything on your computer. Forty-two years later he has the same feeling that the whole world is about to change. He reckons the development of AI is as fundamental as the impact of the microprocessor, personal computer, internet, and mobile phone. It will change the way people work, learn, and communicate with each other. Entire industries will reorient around it and businesses will distinguish themselves by how well they use it. But amongst all the hype there are grave concerns that this generative AI is spiralling out of control. The European Union is already preparing legislation on AI that will require companies like OpenAI to disclose copyrighted material like the books, photographs and videos they use to train their systems. Personally I think that’s a good thing, World class expos It’s so good to see everyone out and about at the expos again. The Africa Automation Technology Fair has just been held again after a four-year break, and was a huge success, with lots of examples of the latest innovations in automation technology. Hanover Messe 23 is another one pushing the boundaries after a layoff. Still on expos, Where are we headed? in our last issue we had a story on the then-upcoming prestigious International Fluid Power Exposition (IFPE). I have been following its progress and by all accounts it was a blockbuster, with huge strides having been made in the last three years. The fluid power industry is not typically thought of as being innovative, but nothing could be further from the truth, and electrification and automation are making their mark. The combination of electronic control with the power, density, and the heavy lifting capabilities of fluid power make it unique. The top trends covered at IFPE were digitalisation, connectivity and energy efficiency in fluid power systems. Electrification is at a turning point and was the most evident trend, with many new electric powertrain solutions on display. OEMs and component suppliers have made huge progress in the three years since the expo was last held. Today machines are smarter, more efficient and provide better control in the drive to reduce fuel use and emissions. Sensors for safety and proactive maintenance Sensors for IIoT were also at the forefront. There is a growing integration of sensors and other digital technologies for system monitoring and maintenance. Being able to access information remotely is giving the industry the ability to understand on a nanosecond level what’s going on inside the fluid power system. This is being applied especially to oil condition monitoring to help with proactive maintenance. Another area where huge strides have been made is in the control of the actuation of fluid powered devices to protect the safety of the operators. The environment is much safer as a result of these advanced technologies. For me a key takeaway of IFPE is that the fluid power industry is in a period of innovation which will bring about fundamental changes in the performance, maintenance and capabilities of hydraulic and pneumatic systems – exciting times are ahead. I hope that Motion Control will keep you informed.
4 Second Quarter 2023 www.motioncontrol.co.za From the President’s desk SAFPA President, Michael Abbot. www.safpa.org.za | +27 11 061 5000 | [email protected] SAFPA NEWS At the previous AGM in June 2021, I had just become president of the association, the world and the country were still facing levels of lockdown and we reported that we were focusing on establishing an online presence for SAFPA. We also proposed constitutional changes which increased the term of office of the council to two years, and the AGM was changed to a Biennial General Meeting. Hence we only meet this evening on the matters of the association. Despite the difficult recovery period post COVID-19 and all its challenges, we have managed to remain financially viable throughout, and huge thanks go to our members who remain loyal and continue to show their support for the association by paying their membership dues and participating in our social events each year. During this period we have successfully transitioned to a ‘hybrid’ organisation, offering a balance of online and physical events, and continuing to expand our virtual footprint on social media. The turnout here this evening shows that there is still a demand for physical meetings, with the added benefit of the convenience of online options being offered President’s report to the SAFPA AGM held on 11 May 2023. from time to time. Thank you to those who have taken the time to be here in person this evening. We did not make this a hybrid event because we wanted to give our members the exclusive opportunity of meeting face to face again. Over the past two years we have hosted many online technical meetings, two social events, and two training sessions. We have also developed the Import Code tool which is available to members only, and the Hose Safety Course which has run twice now. At this year’s technical meetings there were 39 attendees on 2 March and 14 attendees on 4 May. At the two social events last year there were 30 participants in the golf day on 29 July, and at the soccer day held on 26 November, 11 teams participated. Our social media presence over the past two years has grown from zero to 99 on LinkedIn, 25 on Twitter and 59 on Facebook. To the council members who have served with me over the past two years, I extend a huge word of thanks for your time, inputs and efforts; it has been a pleasure working with you. To the membership, thank you for your continued support and contributions to not only the association but also to our industry. At SAFPA’s recent technical online presentation, Dr Mandy Wilke, global technical manager for drives, motion control and intellectual property at Trelliborg Sealing solutions, gave a very interesting and relevant presentation on lubrication management technology and innovations in sealing technology that increase the lifetime of a system by reducing friction and increasing robustness. As part of the valuable information she shared, she gave hints on what can be changed to become innovative in lubrication management technology, and outlined the benefits of optimising the performance of a hydraulic system. SAFPA technical evening At a recent SAFPA technical presentation, a young engineer from BMG, Christo Theron gave an interesting presentation entitled ‘Accumulator Pre-Charge Nitrogen Bottle Requirement’, covering his experience in the effective use of nitrogen technology in a hydraulic power unit on an accumulator project. SAFPA technical presentation Dr Mandy Wilke. Christo Theron.
www.motioncontrol.co.za Second Quarter 2023 5 NEWS & EVENTS Omron has long believed in the power of co-creation. Now the company is taking this vision further and partnering up with OEMs to accelerate innovation. Its broad portfolio of industrial automation technologies is supported by a network of carefully chosen channel partners. Omron Solution Partners act as preferred integrators, following Omron standards in terms of quality of service, company ethics, and respect for society. It now has a new Solutions Partner, Lambda Automation, an automation and mobile robotics system integrator. Lambda traces its roots back to 2014, and by developing a talented and adept workforce, has discovered its place in the industry as a dynamic and flexible business that delivers high-quality solutions to an ever-growing list of loyal customers. The company prides itself on fast turnaround times and places tremendous importance on the ability to supply clients with custom-made solutions. With a head office in Pretoria, it specialises in programming, robotics and panel wiring, and services the automotive, food and beverage, brewery, and dairy sectors. ”We are not a project house, we offer tailor-made solutions to our clients, as we know from experience Omron has strategic partnership with Lambda Siemens Digital Industries Software and Daimler Truck are collaborating to implement a state-of-the-art digital engineering platform built using the Siemens Xcelerator portfolio of software and services. The new platform will enable Daimler Truck to explore a future of commercial vehicle innovation and the efficient product development and lifecycle management of trucks and buses. It will be rolled out globally across Daimler Trucks’ engineering hubs, brands, and business segments. The new digital platform will expand Daimler Truck’s adoption of the Siemens Xcelerator portfolio through the Integrated digital engineering platform for Daimler Schneider Electric and the public institution in charge of rebuilding Notre-Dame de Paris have signed a sponsorship agreement in which Schneider is committed to contributing to the restoration of the cathedral through in-kind donations and the transfer of skills. The fire that severely damaged the cathedral in 2019 triggered an extraordinary wave of solidarity that Schneider Electric wanted to be part of. Schneider’s commitment is to provide its expertise, equipment and state-of-the-art solutions. The company will supply all Schneider Electric contributes to restoration of Notre-Dame implementation of Teamcenter software for product lifecycle management (PLM), extended with bill of materials (BOM) management as its future standard PLM solution. This environment brings together and integrates the Daimler Truck teams’ workflows, systems and their associated mechanical design, electrical design, and simulation data. Daimler Truck has begun a digitalisation initiative with the strategic intent to lead sustainable transportation with intelligent IT innovations. To develop trucks and buses of the future, the company is pursuing a clear technology strategy where, in a carbonneutral future, vehicles will be powered by both electric battery and hydrogen-based drives. These vehicles are also likely to become more intelligent through increased digitalisation, enabling next-level service offerings such as autonomous trucking. Trucks are the backbone of global supply chains, and Daimler Truck will build its carbon-neutral future using the Siemens technology platform, using its leading product engineering, lifecycle management, and simulation tools. For more information contact Siemens South Africa, [email protected], www.siemens.co.za the equipment needed to power the site, including the transformer station and all the downstream electrical cabinets and breaker panels with their components. The agreement includes a Building Management System (BMS) with all the tools for energy management and power consumption control. This entails sensors, controllers, PLCs, communication buses, and associated software. Cédric Larcher, senior project manager at Schneider Electric France, is responsible for the implementation and follow-up of the project. Accustomed to tailor-made projects in special environments, he and his team are delighted to be working on this project, which, in addition to its prestigious nature, is anything but ordinary. The reasons for this include the cathedral’s historical monument status, which brings its own specific requirements, but also its scale, the logistics, space and access constraints, and the resulting complexity of the work. The BMS will make it possible to control and optimise the monument’s energy consumption, bringing 21st-century innovations to this cathedral, which is a world heritage site and a masterpiece of medieval art. For more information contact Schneider Electric South Africa, +27 11 254 6400, [email protected], www.se.com/za/en that automation is not one size fits all,” says founding partner, Francois Scheepers. “We are proud to welcome Lambda as a Solutions Partner,” says Omron’s Alexander Valla. “Given today’s industry trends, production challenges and labour shortage concerns, Lambda will be an excellent partner for end users in various industries to engage with in order to improve system performance.” For more information contact Omron Electronics SA, +27 11 579 2600, [email protected], www.industrial.omron.co.za
6 Second Quarter 2023 www.motioncontrol.co.za NEWS & EVENTS HYDAC, along with economic empowerment partner, Uven Moodley, has established a 51% black-owned company dedicated to delivering solutions to South Africa’s mining industry. The new company, HK Mining Solutions, is 51% owned by Moodley, and the business will be ring-fenced for the mining industry. Moodley has been part of the engineering industry for 30 years and has held positions at engineering, management, director and shareholder levels in several successful companies. HK Mining Solutions is equipped to offer countrywide services to South Africa’s mining industry. The company will initially be registered as an Exempted Micro Enterprise (EME), with views to rapidly growing into a Qualifying Small Enterprise (QSE). Moodley believes that with a partner of HYDAC’s global stature and presence in countries that are strong in mining, HK Mining Solutions will be able to add value and improve the reliability of mining operations in the local mining industry by leveraging off HYDAC’s local and international expertise. This aligns with HYDAC’s core business, which is turnkey mobile and industrial hydraulics, along with lubrication and filtration solutions, and diesel and process filtration. “With HK Mining Solutions I feel I have circled back to engineering, where my passion lies. We are looking to extend our scope and range to mining-specific customers. As part of HK Mining’s growth strategy we HYDAC has new B-BBEE partner Mercedes-Benz Vans is consistently pursuing its goal of building the most desirable vans, and increased its sales by a total of 12% in the first three months of the year. Worldwide 98 900 vehicles were sold, more than ever before in a first quarter. The share of all-electric vans rose by 22% to 3600 vehicles. The eVans’ share of total sales increased to 3,6%. Mercedes-Benz Vans achieves best ever first quarter will be looking at expanding our footprint into mining areas by either direct presence or partnering with local complementary engineering companies,” concludes Moodley. For more information contact Eddie Jacobs, HK Mining Solutions, +27 72 513 5563, [email protected] From left: Uven Moodley, MD HK Mining Solutions; Angus Beveridge, HYDAC Technology. This once again underlines the company’s claim to be a leader in the field of electric vans. South Africa is poised to make an impact in the market of all-electric vans by 2024. Earlier in the year, Mercedes-Benz Vans South Africa announced that the much-anticipated eSprinter will be available in South Africa by 2024. This forms part of the goal to embark on a new era of sustainable mobility, particularly for businesses and individuals looking for a cost-effective, environmentally-friendly mode of transportation. By introducing its first electric van to the South African market, Mercedes-Benz Vans South Africa reaffirms its assertion that it is at the forefront of electric van technology. Mercedes-Benz Vans South Africa remains committed to being the leader in the field of electric vans within the South African market. For more information contact Beate Mey, Mercedes Benz Vans, +27 69 146 3324, [email protected], www.mercedes-benz.com Imagine a car that runs on the same power as a toaster. That’s what the student-run Stanford Solar Car Project claims to have done. The project designs, builds, tests and races solar-powered vehicles as part of the World Solar Challenge, a 3200 kilometre trek across the Australian Outback. The aim is to develop fuel-efficient, lighter, and more aerodynamic vehicles. The lightweight vehicle, which cruises at 90 km/h, operates on only one battery pack’s charge. Its bulbous shape is designed to minimise drag, but it was a huge challenge to build. The team’s engineering philosophy is that they can repurpose traditional designs to make them more efficient and sustainable. The car won’t ever make it on to the roads however – it is too fragile to survive a crash with another vehicle, and had to be escorted by other cars during the Australian race. For more information visit https://solarcar.stanford.edu/ The car that runs on sunshine
www.motioncontrol.co.za Second Quarter 2023 7 NEWS & EVENTS SKF has received validation of its Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions reduction targets from the Science Based Target initiative (SBTi). The SBTi has verified SKF’s net-zero target by 2050, validating its near and long-term science-based emissions reduction targets. SBTi is the global body enabling companies to set ambitious emissions reduction targets in line with the latest climate science. Validation means that SKF’s targets comply with the goals of the Paris Agreement. SKF has committed to reducing its absolute scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions by 95% by 2030 from a 2019 base year, and to reduce its scope 3 emissions by at least 31%. In addition, SKF has committed to reach net-zero GHG emissions across the value chain by 2050. Furthermore, SKF commits to a reduction in absolute scope 3 GHG emissions from purchased goods and services, fuel and energy related activities, upstream transportation, and distribution and use of sold products of 90% by 2050. Magnus Rosén, head of sustainability at SKF, says: “We have set a clear and bold path to reach net-zero emissions in 2050. Our SBTi approves SKF’s emissions reduction targets targets are based on an understanding of the complete life cycle, meaning we will prioritise actions that make the biggest positive impact, while avoiding negative trade-offs. By setting targets that align with the latest scientific research, we can help mitigate climate change, protect natural resources, and create a better future for all.” For more information contact Samantha Joubert, SKF South Africa, +27 11 821 3500, [email protected], www.skf.com Dedicated to Brilliant Service PART OF EVERY PROCESS NO TIME FOR DOWNTIME BMG brings together the world’s leading brands of geared drives, electronic drives and electric motors. We offer integrated drive solutions and vast technical expertise to ensure reduced power consumption and maximised uptime. For more information, contact your nearest BMG branch. BEARINGS SEALS POWER TRANSMISSION DRIVES MOTORS MATERIALS HANDLING & FASTENERS & TOOLS HYDRAULICS PNEUMATICS FILTRATION LUBRICATION VALVES TECHNICAL RESOURCES FIELD SERVICES • • • • • • • • • • • BMG-ELE-2022-V2 ISO 14001 Certified ISO 45001 Certified ISO 9001 Certified
8 Second Quarter 2023 www.motioncontrol.co.za NEWS & EVENTS Hägglunds Fusion, a powerful drive system that mounts directly on the drive shaft, was named the 2022 Innovation Award winner from New Equipment Digest – Hydraulic and Pneumatic category. The award celebrates the most disruptive innovation in industrial technology, tools and equipment. New Equipment Digest (NED) launched its award programme six years ago to highlight industrial products that redefine limitations and bring change to its markets. Hägglunds Fusion is a durable, reliable, hydraulic solution that meets high demands in several low-power applications. It is a spacesaving and cost-efficient solution that takes compactness to a new level by placing the entire hydraulic drive system on its torque arm, and it does not require a gearbox. It also provides unbeatable torque from zero speed, and includes built-in torque limitation. This enables the machine to start, stop and reverse as often as needed to serve applications, without the risk of damage. Hägglunds’ newest product wins industry recognition Clients looking for improved reliability and availability of their industrial equipment have a new partner in ISO-Reliability Partners. “Our expertise combines the sciences of lubrication, filtration and tribology. We offer unique and dramatic cost reduction solutions for our customers,” says Craig FitzGerald. “We analyse in-operation oil samples and implement proactive measures to counter machine wear, the essence of predictive maintenance.”The new company owns and manages the iconic Filter Focus brand, together with all its associated intellectual property. ISO-Reliability Partners is an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) of class-leading micro fine oil filtration solutions, vacuum dehydration systems, automated water removal for compressed air, and high-efficiency industrial air scrubbing. “The majority of our clients are from manufacturing facilities, general industry, and The benefits of predictive maintenance “According to NED, winners and finalists redefine their markets for a smarter, more efficient manufacturing world, and we within the Bosch Rexroth Group believe that we do just that with our continuous drive for innovation and customer satisfaction,” says Kay Govinder. “Our easy plug-and-play hydraulic drive maximises profitability by increasing the productivity for low-speed infeed conveyors.” NED has covered the latest products and solutions from industrial suppliers for their target market, a global network of buyers, engineers, and business leaders, for the past 85 years. For more information contact Hägglunds Drives South Africa, +27 11 454 4933, [email protected], www.boschrexroth.africa mining. Our products are suited to any large-scale user of industrial equipment, gearboxes, or mobile machinery,” he explains. “Our solutions excel in high speed, extreme load, high temperature and high contamination applications. We can help you eliminate equipment failures and dramatically improve operating efficiencies.” Energy efficiency through premium lubrication A trend in industry is to chase after price when considering lubricant purchases. The resulting inability of the lubricant to eliminate metal-to-metal contact has adverse effects on equipment performance, operating cost, and ultimately the equipment’s productivity. “Significant performance improvements can be achieved when lubricants are treated as assets,” FitzGerald continues. To bolster the company’s solutions, it holds distribution rights for premium US lubrication brands Bel-Ray and Royal Purple. “Both are phenomenal lubricant grades that significantly improve energy efficiency on large equipment,” he says. Another USA-manufactured product distributed by ISO-Reliability Partners is Seal Saver, a breakthrough in preventive maintenance tools for hydraulic cylinders. The company is the sole exclusive distributor for Seal Saver hydraulic cylinder protection solutions. FitzGerald says that numerous companies trust ISO-Reliability with the lubrication of their open gear systems. For example, at Sibanye Stillwater it holds the open gear lubrication contract, a critical application in the mining industry in terms of productivity and efficiency. “To be charged with lubricating the most important components at Sibanye’s operations is quite a feather in our cap as it reflects the client’s trust in our products and the associated thermal analysis services we have on offer,” he adds. Another major reference is Rand Refinery, which had a history of equipment breakdowns and unplanned stoppages, prior to using the company’s products. The largest integrated single-site precious metals refining and smelting complex in the world, Rand Refinery went from 80% red indicators on problem machines to 98% green and available, with zero breakdowns to date. “Our engineering team now also has the opportunity of evergreen time to address any potential issues well in advance, whereas previously the maintenance regime was largely reactive,” says FitzGerald. As for the future, he concludes that ISO-Reliability Partners will continue to champion the advantages of reducing energy consumption through effective lubricants, and make inroads into its existing industrial and mining markets, together with new ones. For more information contact Craig FitzGerald, ISO-Reliability Partners, +27 10 449 6414, [email protected], www.iso-reliability.com
www.motioncontrol.co.za Second Quarter 2023 9 COVER STORY Hydrosense Hydraulics is excited to announce a partnership with world-class winch manufacturer, TMA Winches. TMA is an Italian winch manufacturer that was founded in 1987. TMA has solely manufactured winches since its inception, and is widely regarded as a world leader in this industry. Hydrosense Hydraulics was founded in 2019 by Daniel Cattell as a family owned and run business. Daniel has been working in the hydraulics industry since leaving school, when he joined Kawasaki Precision Machinery as an apprentice. Since then, he has worked in many fields both on and offshore, and has gained extensive experience in both technical and commercial aspects of the industry. ‘’I began Hydrosense Hydraulics primarily as a place for people in our industry to go to for expert advice and excellent customer service for hydraulic pump and motor spare parts, and sourcing of new units; but we have quickly expanded our offering and we now have excellent relationships with a number of world-class suppliers and manufacturers. This has enabled us to offer pumps, motors, valves, custom manifolds and other engineered products. Our focus is on finding the parts and products that have long lead times or are not available in South Africa, and on offering fast deliveries on these items.’’ Hydrosense Hydraulics partners with TMA Winches From Spilamberto, Modena, in the very heart of ‘Hydraulic and Motor Valley’, TMA designs and builds hoisting and pulling winches for every application and for very different sectors. These include compact winches for truck cranes, high-speed winches for mobile cranes, special winches for drilling machines, customised winches for marine applications, and special low magnetism winches for the military sector. “Over the years I have worked directly and indirectly with customers for their winching needs,” says Cattell. “Having experience in maintaining, operating, designing and selling winches puts us in a great position to work together with TMA. We understand the customers’ requirements and work closely with TMA to ensure that the correct winch is selected to fulfill all the customers’ needs. Sometimes a winch does not exist that covers all the requirements. In these cases we work with the customer and with TMA to design a custom solution for the application. The great thing about our TMA colleagues is their adaptability and engineering expertise, and we leverage this so that we can help our customers with all manner of winching applications.” Marine, mobile, construction, military, forestry, and drilling applications are all covered in the product range. If you need class approvals TMA can offer any class approval you require, including ATEX rating, man riding, constant tension and more. It is also able to offer a large number of accessories and rigging equipment to accompany the winch, including pully blocks, snatch blocks, hooks, and wire rope. Quality is of the upmost importance to us, and with TMA we have peace of mind that all winches we supply are designed and manufactured to the strictest European standards. Every winch is supplied with a full test certificate, detailed user manual and complete set of drawings. We also offer 3D drawings to our customers to allow them to easily integrate the winch into their designs. “We are excited to see what the future will bring for us. As a new company and level 1 BB-BEE contributor, it is challenging to be accepted by the industry and we hope that this partnership with TMA will bring opportunities for us to showcase our excellent service to the African and South African markets,” he concludes. For more information contact Daniel Cattell, Hydrosense Hydraulics, +27 62 357 3740, [email protected], www.hydrosensehydraulics.com
10 Second Quarter 2023 www.motioncontrol.co.za NEW TECHNOLOGY The discovery of new quantum materials with magnetic properties are believed to pave the way for ultra-fast and considerably more energy efficient computers and mobile devices. So far, these types of materials have been shown to work only in extremely cold temperatures. Now, a research team at Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden is the first to make a device made of a two-dimensional magnetic quantum material work at room temperature. Today’s rapid IT expansion generates enormous amounts of digital data that needs to be stored, processed and communicated. This comes with an ever-increasing need for energy − projected to consume over 30% of the world’s total energy consumption by 2050. To combat the problem, the research community has entered a new paradigm in materials science. The research and development of two-dimensional quantum materials, that form in sheets and are only a few atoms thick, have opened new doors for sustainable, faster and more energy-efficient data storage and processing in computers and mobiles. The first atomically thin material to be isolated in a laboratory was graphene, a single atom-thick plane of graphite, that resulted in the 2010 Nobel Prize in Physics; and in 2017, two-dimensional materials with magnetic properties were discovered for the first time. Researchers have for the first time succeeded in demonstrating a device, based on a 2D magnetic material, in room temperature. The 2D magnetic crystal is shown as the blue, yellow, and white balls and is a mix of Iron, Tellurium, and Germanium atoms. The big turquoise arrow indicates the magnetisation direction of the 2D magnet. The crystal with grey colour is the carbon atoms of the graphene channel. The smaller turquoise arrows indicate the spin-polarised electrons injected from the 2D magnet into the graphene channel. Here, the 2D magnet acts as a source for spin-polarised electrons and the graphene channel for spin transport and communication. Paving the way for way for ultra-fast sustainable computers Magnets play a fundamental role in our everyday lives, from sensors in our cars and home appliances to computer data storage and memory technologies, and the discovery opened the way for new and more sustainable solutions for a wide range of technology devices. “Two-dimensional magnetic materials are more sustainable because they are atomically thin and offer unique magnetic properties that make them attractive for developing new energy-efficient and ultra-fast applications for sensors, and advanced magnetic memory and computing concepts. This makes them promising candidates for a range of different technologies”, says Saroj Dash, professor in Quantum Device Physics at Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden. So far, researchers have only been able to demonstrate two-dimensional magnets in extremely low temperatures in laboratory environments, so-called cryogenic temperatures, inhibiting their broader use in society. The researchers at Chalmers University of Technology have been able to demonstrate, for the very first time, a new two-dimensional magnetic materialbased device at room temperature. They used an iron-based alloy (Fe5GeTe2) with graphene, which can be used as a source and detector for spin polarised electrons. Conventional electronic logic devices are based on nonmagnetic semiconductors and use the flow of electric charges to achieve information processing and communication. Spintronic devices, on the other hand, exploit the spin of electrons to generate and control charge currents, and to interconvert electrical and magnetic signals. By combining processing, storage, sensing, and logic within a single integrated platform, spintronics could complement and, in some cases, outperform semiconductor-based electronics, offering advantages in terms of scaling, power consumption, and data processing speed. The breakthrough is believed to enable a range of technical applications in several industries as well as in our everyday lives. “These 2D magnets can be used to develop ultra-compact, faster, and more energy-efficient memory devices in computers. They may also be used to develop highly sensitive magnetic sensors for a wide range of applications, including biomedical and environmental monitoring, navigation, and communication,” concludes Bing Zhao, post-doctorate researcher in Quantum Device Physics and first author of the study. For more information contact Professor Saroj Dash Chalmers, University of Technology, +46 31 772 51 70, [email protected]
12 Second Quarter 2023 www.motioncontrol.co.za DRIVES Industrial automation group Inovance Technology Europe, in partnership with its distributor Motion Tronic, has announced the release of the MD800 – an AC multidrive designed to meet the demands of South African OEMs for increasingly flexible and scalable multidrive performance, with a smaller footprint. Motion Tronic is a leading South African distributor of industrial automation technology. The company was established in 2003 (the same year Inovance was founded), and is based in Durban. MD800’s modular design enables up to eight drives to be supplied by a single rectifier on one rack, sharing energy through the common DC bus. The product offers comprehensive functionality, including individual STO on each drive, the ability to control PM and induction motors from a single software package, a Motion Tronic’s compact AC multidrive for South African OEMs 4000 metres, and a separate cooling channel for the heatsink. Bradley Douglas, director at Motion Tronic, says, “It’s great to be working with Inovance and to be offering its advanced, innovative technology to the South African market. Inovance has implemented an extensive research and development strategy, as well as conducting extensive market research to ensure that the MD800 meets and exceeds the demands of all multidrive manufacturing machines. The MD800 is the most compact and flexible multidrive on the market today, while also being the most cost-effective AC multidrive available in South Africa. I look forward to working with our customers and demonstrating how the MD800 can improve efficiency and productivity in manufacturing.” David Bedford Guaus, Inovance’s global strategic marketing manager for AC drives, based in Barcelona, adds: “We are thrilled to be working with Motion Tronic. Their strong experience in the industrial automation industry allows them to deliver an expert service to customers. That level of localised expertise, coupled with our advanced Inovance automation products, is an offer we think many South African OEMs will find very interesting.” For more information contact Bradley Douglas, Motion Tronic, +27 83 641 1487, [email protected], www.motiontronic.co.za The importance of variable frequency drives (VFD) in reducing energy use in industries using electric motor control applications was the topic at Hannover Messe 2023, held from 17 to 21 April. Invertek Drives displayed its complete range of Optidrive VFDs at the exhibition and highlighted how VFD technology is not only helping industry make savings of up to 50% in some motor and pump control applications, but also supporting a reduction in emissions and the need for a reduction in climate change. “Energy efficiency is a core component in the future of drive technologies such as ours. Our variable frequency drives have been reducing energy costs, increasing efficiencies, and helping support the reduction in associated emissions for 25 years in motor, pump and HVAC-R systems,” said Rhydian Welson, sales and marketing director at Invertek Drives. “Hannover is a key industry event for us. We enjoyed meeting existing and future customers to discuss ways our drives technology can support them.” Invertek Drives highlights VFD advantages +24 V DC control backup supply, and a full range of fieldbus and I/O expansion option cards. Meanwhile, the dual rating of each drive module permits heavy-duty 150% overload for demanding torque applications or normal duty 110% overload for fan and pump applications. Additionally, MD800 is highly cost-effective, and also delivers significantly reduced total cost of ownership. Installation costs are slashed as a result of user-friendly pluggable, spring type connectors, and build times are faster due to reduced wiring and fewer external components. The product is also designed to operate in the harshest of industrial environments, with 3C3 and 3S2 conformal coating, an operating temperature range of -20 to 60°C, an operating altitude of up to For more information contact Owain Betts, Invertek Drives, +44 1938 558 253, [email protected], www.invertekdrives.com
www.motioncontrol.co.za Second Quarter 2023 13 Meld Manufacturing has pioneered a solid-state metal additive process that is based on applying friction and force. The advantages compared to melt-based processes include very large-format 3D printers, and higher part strength. For optimal control of its systems, the company relies on flexible EtherCAT and PC-based control technology from Beckhoff. Launched in 2018, the Virginia-based company offers its capabilities to a wide range of customers in defence, research, and manufacturing. MELD spun off from its parent company, Aeroprobe, in 2018 to apply the principle of friction stir welding to additive manufacturing technologies. Friction stir welding is a method for welding metals without melting them. From this, MELD developed an additive process to enable deposition of multiple layers for 3D printing applications. The patented process entails rotating a bar of solid metal while applying a specified force at the point of deposition. Friction causes the metal to deform plasticly and be deposited in a layer. Through adiabatic heating, i.e. without exchanging heat with the environment, the metal feedstock will continue to flow if spun continuously at the correct speed. The innovative process allows equipment end users to print parts using any metal, including aluminium alloys and others that have typically posed problems for other additive manufacturing systems. As it does not require melting like most other established 3D printing methods, the process also doesn’t affect the metal‘s properties. As a result, the product remains stronger and is less susceptible to porosity, hot-cracking or other typical issues of melt-based additive processes. PC-based control for additive manufacturing with solid-state metals The solid-state process is also at least 10 times faster and requires less energy. MELD offers the CD-14 package consisting of a spindle with rotating deposition tool, electrical enclosure and HMI, which machine builders can implement in large, custom systems. Open, scalable control technologies have proven critical to enabling continued development. MELD’s original controls platform could not keep pace. Senior automation engineer, Fred Lalande eventually got in touch with members of the local Beckhoff team. As he learned about fully integrated PC-based control from Beckhoff, Lalande believed he had found the ideal platform for MELD. What pushed Lalande toward Beckhoff was the TwinCAT 3 automation software. “Previously, I had to use two or three different software packages. That was a pain,” he says. “With TwinCAT, I open one program and everything I need is there.” As the solutions have developed, the code has grown more sophisticated over time. The portability of code in TwinCAT made it easy to adapt one machine’s program when designing the next. In addition, IP protection is critical in additive manufacturing and especially so with this unique patented process. The Beckhoff software platform gave MELD the ability to lock down its valuable code. Everything is password protected and encrypted, so no one can copy MELD’s developments. In this 3D process, the spindle speed must be modulated for each specific material to maintain the desired temperature for continuous printing. To accomplish this, the PID controller in the TwinCAT Controller Toolbox provides dual-loop closure on the axis, ensuring successful implementation of MELD’s unrivalled technology. Motion control and functional safety The L3, K2 and 3PO machines rely on Beckhoff servo solutions for motion control. A variety of AX5000 servo drives and AM8000 servomotors with appropriate gearboxes handle movement in X, Y and Z coordinates. The drive components also offer One Cable Technology, which combines power and feedback in one cable to simplify commissioning. A VFD and spindle motor from a third-party spin each machine’s rotating deposition tool, and since the VFD is EtherCAT-based, Lalande found integration to be simple. EtherCAT provided the ease of plug-and-play operation when using devices from both Beckhoff and third parties. MELD also leverages TwinSAFE, the integrated functional safety solution from Beckhoff. This allows Lalande to implement E-stops, safety doors and TwinSAFE motion functions. “TwinSAFE is straightforward to use,” he says. “By implementing this solution, we elevated the level of safety that our machines provide to PLe, the highest level.” 3D printing grows with futureproof technologies As MELD continues to make advances in additive manufacturing, PC-based control provides a solid foundation. EtherCAT and OCT shorten commissioning times, while TwinCAT consolidates HMI, motion control, PLC and other machine control functions. For more information contact Beckhoff Automation, +27 11 795 2898, [email protected], www.beckhoff.co.za Image copyright: Foreword LLC, 2022.
14 Second Quarter 2023 www.motioncontrol.co.za DRIVES SEW-EURODRIVE has for many years pursued a sustainability agenda that is applied across every aspect of its business. According to SEW-EURODRIVE managing partner Jürgen Blickle points out that sustainability is nothing new for SEW‑EURODRIVE, which has long since seen recycling as an essential step in achieving a sustainable circular economy. The company has also championed renewable and efficient energy sources, and maximised the energy efficiency of its drives. Living up to responsibilities Through a long-term sustainability initiative called sustainability@SEW, the company is gradually and consistently safeguarding resources, lowering CO₂ emissions and optimising its entire value chain. This cradle to cradle approach – established back in 1990 as an end-to-end system for a circular economy – is now a benchmark for the environmentally-friendly development of products and associated processes. It means that all the products, materials and substances used to manufacture a product can be fully returned to, or reused in, biological or technical loops. Eco-design This holistic approach is the basis for planning the roll-out of SEW-EURODRIVE’s in-house eco-design guidelines. An example of how this is applied can be found in the way the company is developing and documenting two projects already underway on the recycling of brake components and magnets. Another project will take these findings further and incorporate more product families. With its depth of expertise built from Gear business driven by sustainability its sustained commitment to quality, SEWEURODRIVE is opening a completely new chapter in product design with this sustainable product concept development. Its design guidelines will be distilled it into practical recommendations, such as avoiding the use of certain adhesives or casting resin. Reuse and recycling The company will also produce an extended product qualification system as a benchmark for product development. Among the focus areas are reuse and recycling, which give many components a second lease on life. The scope of recycling is to be maximised, while leveraging a reuse system that puts as many products as possible back into service. This means inspecting and cleaning reusable parts to possibly be fed back directly into the production process. This saves on the energy required to recycle copper, steel, and die-cast aluminium parts – including the transport, separation and melting down of used parts. Gear lubricant from sustainable biomass In another sustainability innovation, SEW-EURODRIVE has developed a CO₂-reduced lubricant for its gear units. With 90 years of experience in developing and building gear units, the company has considerable expertise in tribology – the study of friction, lubrication and wear. Last year, it launched GearFluid Poly 220 E1, the first CO₂-reduced gear unit lubricant made from sustainable biomass, rather than from petroleum or another fossil raw material. This improves the carbon footprint of GearFluid by 84% compared to petroleumbased polyglycol base oils. The biomass does not even need to be specially produced, and it takes up no additional agricultural land. Instead, the biomass comes from green cuttings and food waste, which is readily available, and can now be very easily recycled. This biowaste undergoes a complex synthesis process that transforms it into a high-quality base oil. The packaging has also been designed with sustainability in mind, so there is 25% recycled plastic in the cannisters for the oil. Sustainable service SEW-EURODRIVE’s holistic sustainability focus extends to the service end of its business, demanding that its products should always be designed to be as maintenance- and repair-friendly as possible. An example of this is how gear units and gearmotors can be disassembled non-destructively and then reassembled again once faulty or worn parts have been replaced. Extending the service life of existing products also means having all individual components available worldwide for decades, to avoid unnecessarily using up resources on new equipment. The company’s Life Cycle Services are the next logical step in this approach. These services are based on the concept of a holistic, closed loop that covers a product’s entire service lifespan while in use with the customer. Provided by a dedicated contact, customers receive the best possible expertise and advice for their drive technology. An illustration of how this supports sustainability is the maintenance-friendly connection between SEW-EURODRIVE’s gear units and motors. This connection is made with a pinion shaft that has a key, and a mounted pinion with a corresponding slot. Unlike on crimped pinions, this connection can be disassembled without destroying the parts. Any necessary repairs can be carried out at the customer’s premises or in one of SEW-EURODRIVE’s service centres. “Maintaining and protecting the very basis of our existence – that is exactly what sustainability means and that is what drives us at SEW‑EURODRIVE,” concludes Blickle. For further information contact SEW-EURODRIVE, +27 11 248 7000, [email protected], www.sew-eurodrive.co.za
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