Mechanical Technology March 2015

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38 Mechanical Technology — March 2015
⎪ Products and services ⎪
With a dwindling supply of natural
resources, it is incumbent upon all busi-
nesses to adopt more energy efficient
ways of operating. Decreasing reliance on
air conditioning and other energy-hungry
forms of controlling temperature is a good
starting point.
Wim Dessing, managing director of
Apex Strip Curtains & Doors, points out
that the use of general purpose strip
curtains provides a cost-effective alterna-
tive to traditional environmental control
The very real danger with replacement
parts is that companies produce ‘copy-
cat’ parts by duplicating the look of the
original part. In contrast, IPD parts are
engineered replacement parts produced
under stringent quality control mea-
sures to ensure integrity and optimum
VicFlex brackets for cold storage applications
Victaulic, the leading global producer of mechanical pipe join-
ing and fire protection systems, has introduced the new Vic-
Flex™ Style AB6 bracket for cold storage applications, which
reduces hands-on installation time by as much as 75 %.
The new bracket is part of the VicFlex range of innovative
flexible drops and patented fitting brackets designed to be
installed more easily than traditional rigid piping systems,
whilst delivering more durable performance. VicFlex offers
a convenient and safe solution, requires fewer man-hours to
install, is cost effective for maintenance and retrofit applica-
tions, and lowers shipping costs due to its more compact form.
“The new VicFlex Style AB6 bracket for cold storage ap-
plications is going to revolutionise the way cold storage units
are protected, installing up to four times faster than rigid
pipe,” says Barry van Jaarsveld, Victaulic regional manager
Africa. “With this new technology you will no longer have to
wrestle with rubber boots or messy foam sprays, or wait for
glue to dry – and there is no need to cut and measure hard
pipe, saving contractors precious time,” he says.
Championing the use of engineered replacement parts
performance. “Therefore, they not only
resemble parts from the original equip-
ment manufacturer (OEM), but their
performance under working conditions is
identical to that of the OEM part,” says
Andrew Yorke, operations director, Metric
Automotive Engineering.
As a local distributor of IPD engine
parts, Metric Automotive Engineering
has access to new part numbers released
on a monthly basis to cover the popular
Caterpillar® C Series engines. IPD is an
international manufacturer of engine
parts for Caterpillar engines.
“We are proud to be first to market af-
termarket parts of this quality,” York says.
Metric Automotive Engineering is one of
South Africa’s most comprehensively
equipped diesel engine and component
re-manufacturers.
“Since being appointed as IPD’s dis-
IPD is an international manufacturer of engine parts for
Caterpillar® engines and Metric Automotive Engineering
has distributed IPD parts locally since 2008.
tributor in South Africa in 2008, we have
been servicing an increasing number of
customers who have recognised and
experienced the significant cost savings
associated with world-class quality re-
placement parts,” Yorke says.
“The focus of both Metric Automotive
Engineering and IPD has been on helping
equipment owners to save money without
risk to reliability. Essentially IPD products
are Caterpillar replacement parts but,
unlike parts being sourced from the East,
IPD parts are manufactured in a Lloyds
accredited ISO 9001:2000 quality con-
trolled environment.”
“The major advantage for our cus-
tomers is that they are able to source
engine parts from an engineering com-
pany – the very parts that we use in the
re-manufacture of our own engines,”
Yorke assures.
Strip curtains and doors contribute to energy efficiency
methods.” Not only does the installation
of Apex general purpose strip curtains
result in decreased energy demand, but
it also contributes to a cleaner working
environment, with a reduced quantity of
dust, insects and airborne contaminants.
In addition to being quick and easy to
install, the strip curtains are also easy
to clean and allow unimpeded access by
both people and vehicles,” says Dessing.
Apex Strip Curtains & Doors has
devised a specially formulated PVC material, which is rustproof, durable,
heat- and chemical-resistant. It also pro-
vides a powerful sound barrier, blocking
the diffusion of noise from one place to
another. The very low thermal conduc-
tivity of PVC strips makes them a key
component in locking cold or warm air in
a room, compartment, or enclosed area.
“Our patented Balledge® design pro-
vides an effective thermal seal that parts
easily under pressure to allow people
and goods to move through unhindered.
The design has a reinforced edge on the
border of each strip that prevents snag-
ging or scratching of goods or people and
provides extended strip life, irrespective
of the application.
“Being able to control the environ-
mental conditions in terms of heat and
humidity plays a large role in ensuring
that employees are comfortable and thus,
more productive. All these benefits will
add substantially to the bottom line of
businesses,” he concludes.
Apex general-purpose strip curtains contrib-
ute towards energy efficiency and a cleaner
working environment.