Electricity + Control August 2019

round up

POWER QUALITY, STANDBY + BACK-UP

Cummins drives growth in Africa

not only fuel, but also air intake, cooling and lubrication systems. “The construction industry presents us with issues where we have to distinguish between genuine product, or operational and maintenance issues. Has the application been catered for adequately? Is there an element of misuse where an engine is being operated outside its recommended guidelines?” Similar questions would be asked for other engine applications. Judd says, “It is easier to answer these questions with an electronic engine, which has an electronic control module that logs all events on-site, as opposed to purely mechanical engines that do not have remote monitoring or diagnostic capabilities. “We supply both mechanical and electronic engines and will specify the best solution for each application. If a customer is operating in a remote area where there is not a lot of service support and the fuel quality is not ideal, a mechanical engine is best. It is an older technology, but it is more robust and can deal with more arduous operating conditions. “Cummins’ electronic engines do offer fuel cost savings. They have modular common rail systems that provide high performance and fuel economy. Maintenance is a critical consideration though, as electronic engines are highly susceptible to dirt and contamination. “In some cases,” Judd says, “Cummins will work with the OEM or equipment supplier to discuss maintenance cycles and load conditions, to ensure that it supplies the best engine solution.” The Cummins Service Engineering team in Africa supports all types of equipment and applications, from on-highway vehicles to forklifts and reach stackers and tractors in the agricultural space. Mining is also a big portion of the business. Enquiries: Deepa Rungasamy, Cummins Africa Middle East. Tel +27 (0)11 589 8512. Visit: www.africa.cummins.com

Cummins plans to cap its centennial year by setting a new record in 2019, manufacturing over 1.5 million engines and servicing about 12 million engines in the field globally. According to Christopher Judd, Service Engineering Lead - Sub-Saharan Africa, Cummins Africa Middle East, there are big opportunities for business in Africa. “In terms of new and existing customers, these opportunities include first-fits and repowers, which is when we take an existing piece of equipment with a different engine and look at how it can be improved with a Cummins solution,” Judd explains. While competition is strong on the continent, Cummins’ strategy is to ensure the lowest total cost of ownership (TCO) for its customers. This has a fourfold focus: reducing repair cost, maintenance cost and time, and rebuild cost, and ensuring fuel economy. Fuel constitutes about 75% of the TCO. Apart from purchase costs on equipment, maintenance and running costs are critical and, according to Judd, this is an area where the competition is toughest. “On the engines we currently rebuild for the construction industry, we upgrade to the latest technology which allows for the most efficient engines and is still within the customers’ price range,” he says. He highlights one of the challenges in Africa being that many countries on the continent are not regulated in terms of emissions. In the northern hemisphere most countries subscribe mainly to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) emissions regulations and other countries in Latin America, Australia and some in Africa observe the regulations of European Union (EU) agencies. International companies are driving their own emissions compliance programmes in terms of US or EU regulations and, for Cummins, as a supplier that adheres to strict emissions controls on its engines, the quality of fuel supply is a recurring issue. “Fuel contamination is probably the single biggest maintenance issue in Africa,” Judd says, “and it affects all the engine systems,

An HMI for extreme environments

interface, USB, RS232 and RS422/485. Audible warning functionality reinforces the information displayed on the screen and Mitsubishi Electric’s GOT Mobile provides real-time machine visualisation using remote devices such as tablets, smartphones and PCs. All these functions contribute to improving productivity and reducing total cost of ownership for machinery. As well as the food and beverage and power industries, other applications for the GOT2507T-WTSD include heavy machinery, parking systems, power conditioners, electric vehicle charging stands and shipping/dockside applications. Enquiries: MonikaTorkel at Mitsubishi-Electric, email: Monika.Torkel@meg.mee.com or visit: www.de.mitsubishielectric.com

beverage manufacturers and in power industry applications, as well as offering more flexibility for use where extreme temperatures are encountered. Where use in direct sunlight is required, the terminal offers enhanced resistance to UV rays and a high brightness LCD panel and special coating to eliminate glare ensure on-screen clarity even under strong sunlight. In addition, as the structure of the front panel is reinforced with a metal housing, the rugged model can be used in environments that are subject to shock or vibration. Along with increased strength and durability, users benefit from all the features and functions of the existing GOT2000 models. These include multiple communication interfaces, comprising two Ethernet ports, a wireless LAN

With an operating temperature range of -20°C to +65°C and protection ratings to IP67F/IP66F, the GOT2507T-WTSD 7” operator terminal from Mitsubishi Electric meets the needs of harsh and demanding applications. No additional protective measures are required for washdown with high pressure water or use in power equipment that is outdoors. This makes it suitable for industries such as power, food and beverage and machine building. While standard HMIs typically feature an operating temperature range from 0°C to 55°C, the extended temperature range of the GOT2507T-WTSD means it can be used in harsher environments without the need for heaters in the lowest temperatures or fans and coolers in the highest. This can reduce operating expenses significantly for food and

24 Electricity + Control

AUGUST 2019