Electricity + Control October 2015

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LIGHT + CURRENT
Mini-lab provides maxi service
Ten world-class full-service laboratories make up a comprehensive
network operated by condition monitoring specialists WearCheck,
with the head office in Pinetown, Durban. Here, next to the full-
service primary laboratory, is a highly specialised mini-laboratory,
which provides niche analysis services.
While one of the core functions of the Pinetown mini-lab is to
do preparation for aircraft filter analysis, it also provides several
other monitoring services and speciality tests on samples that are
not generally processed in the main laboratory. This laboratory
processes samples from around the country, where speciality
analysis is required.
Some of the specialty tests conducted in the mini-lab include
the analysis of grease, coolant, Karl Fischer moisture,VPR (varnish
potential rating), aircraft and refrigeration.
The three highly-specialised technical staff members who oper-
ate the mini-lab also conduct field visits to customers in a variety
of industries, such as Illovo,Tongaat Hulett, Gud filters, and more.
They take samples from gearboxes, turbines, compressors and any
other component that needs monitoring.
These samples are then processed and analysed in the mini-lab,
and the results sent to the customer, with recommendations on what
corrective maintenance action should be taken, if any is needed.
The on-site sampling is a service that is highly sought-after by
mini-lab customers.
The ten full-serviceWearCheck laboratories operate across the Af-
rican continent and beyond, and are situated in Gauteng, KwaZulu-
Natal, Mpumalanga Province, with international laboratories in
India, Dubai, Ghana, Mozambique and Zambia - at Lumwana mine
and Kitwe. WearCheck also has a presence in CapeTown, Rusten-
burg, Steelpoort, Port Elizabeth, Zimbabwe and Namibia.
An eleventh full-service laboratory is scheduled to open soon
in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). One of the mini-lab
technicians, Shane Goslin, will relocate to the DRC to supervise
the initial phase of the new laboratory, which will be on-site at the
new Kibali Gold Mine, potentially the largest gold mine in Africa.
Media queries: Sharon 082 8230539 or
‘Good. Better. Vast’
Erlangen, Germany. Students from the Marie-Therese-Gymnasium
high school in Erlangen bagged the ‘German Champion’ title in the
2015 ‘Formula 1 in Schools’ contest.The winning model racing car
was designed by the students using Solid Edge PLM Software from
Siemens. Two additional participating teams from Augsburg and
Munster also performed well using Siemens technology.
‘Good. Better. Vast’. This was the war cry to be heard emanat-
ing from the Erlangen-based team ‘Vast Velocity’ at this year’s
‘Formula 1 in Schools’ contest. Siemens was backing the team
in the role of Premium Sponsor, and made available a range of
equipment to the young scientists and to every other of the over
200 German teams including the CAD software Solid Edge. This
professional program enabled the students to design the perfectly
formed racing vehicle. ‘Vast Velocity’ and some other teams were
also particularly supported by Siemens.The model car secured the
team from Erlangen first place in the German Championship, and
qualified them to go on to contest the world championship title in
Singapore in September. The ‘Chasing Shadows’ team from the
Jakob-Fugger-GymnasiumHigh School inAugsburg, also supported
by Siemens, took 6th place in the German Junior Championship.
The model racing car of the Team from Muenster was developed
with the CAD-CAM process chain with subsequent production on
a CNC machine as the competition required.
Enquiries: Keshin Govender. Email
Field and lab technician Shane Goslin prepares
a tray of engine coolant samples for testing.
WearCheck’s Trevor Pillay (left, at microscope) is
the senior mini-lab technician, and field and lab
technician, Shashay Rampersad.
Electricity+Control October ‘15 46