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Mechanical Technology — April 2016
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April 2016 contents
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ON THE COVER
Electromechanical drive solutions using leading global brandsMechTech
talks to BMG’s David Dyce,
electronics manager; Mark Barbour, busi-
ness unit manager of Electro Mechanical
Drives; and Graeme Neilson the unit’s
general manager, about the complete
set of brands, drive packs, engineering
and service solutions available from
this single-source, multi-brand local
distributor.
For more information contact:
BMG
Mark Barbour, BU manager:
Electro Mechanical Drives
+27 11 620 1611
markb@bmgworld.net www.bmgworld.net12
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FEATURES
SPECIAL REPORT 8 African solutions: C&I, microgrids and smarter plant services MechTech talks to ABB South Africa’s CEO, Leon Viljoen, about his Africa-wide outlook and emerging technologies to carry the continent towards smarter, more connected and more reliable infrastructure. POWER TRANSMISSION, BEARINGS, BUSHES AND SEALS 12 SA’s robot specialist moves towards total automation solutions Yaskawa Southern Africa, through the opening of a new Drives Motion Control (DMC) division at its Longmeadow facility in Gauteng, South Africa, is taking on local responsibility for the full Yaskawa product range. MechTech talks to managing director, Terry Rosenberg. 15 Aluminium motors for industrial applications 17 Induction heater for couplings 18 Cornerstones of success – 85 years and counting COMPUTER-AIDED ENGINEERING 20 Best-ever simulation-driven design suite released On March 8, 2016 in Troy, Michigan, Altair released HyperWorks ® 14.0, its latest open architecture CAE simulation platform, which is to be showcased at Hannover Messe 2016 on April 27. MechTech summarises some of the new features. HYDRAULIC AND PNEUMATIC SYSTEMS: POWER PACKS, COMPRESSORS AND VALVES 22 Flexible solutions thanks to SY manifold valves SMC, a leading provider of pneumatics continues to dazzle with the new SY series of valve manifolds, which will be manufactured on-site in SMC South Africa’s new production facili- ties. Product manager Ernst Smith at SMC Pneumatics South Africa reveals more. 25 Latest air compressors deliver efficiency improvement 27 Two-in-one filter solution for compressed air lines STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING MATERIALS, METALS AND NON-METALS 28 Interactive glass to fuse IT and architecture This article outlines some of the innovations that will be highlighted at glasstec 2016, to be held in Düsseldorf this September. Most notably, the use of ultra-thin glass in thicknesses down to 10 µ m is increasingly being merged with IT and used in architectural design. 31 Materials engineering in practice: What’s in a number 32 Stainless steel handrailing: accident and maintenance free 33 Plastics initiative to boost quality and productivity INNOVATIVE ENGINEERING 34 Engineering excellence from SA’s shaft sinking specialist In response to the traditionally onerous, high-risk and labour intensive methods used, Murray & Roberts Cementation has introduced a series of innovations that are likely to change the way shaft sinking is done in South Africa forever. MechTech talks to Japie du Plessis, project executive designate and Jan Vermaak, mine engineering manager.REGULARS
1 Comment 4 On the cover: Electromechanical drive solutions using leading global brands 6 Industry forum 38 Products and services 40 Nota bene