MechChem Africa July 2017

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July 2017 • MechChem Africa ¦ 37
⎪ Products and industry news ⎪
SMC rolls out two new
compact cylinders
SMC’s latest compact cylinders, the JMGP guide
cylinder and the compact JCQ Series, have been
designed with weight and space savings in mind.
Both help to reducemachine sizes and costs, and
deliver increased efficiency due to their light-
weight nature, which could enhance cycle time.
With the launchof its compact cylinders, SMC,
a leadingworldwideexpert inpneumatics, is help-
ing customers meet the demand for space saving
components that drive down costs and drive up
productivity.
The JMGP is a guide cylinder, featuring a dual
rod, which has been designed for a variety of ap-
plications including pushing, clamping and lifting
where there are space and weight restrictions,
such as in transport lines or for robotic manipu-
lation and handling. The compact JCQ is ideal
for similar applications where a short cylinder is
required, but without the lifting capability.
With space being at a premium inmanymanu-
facturingplants,theneedtoproducesmaller,more
efficient machinery is growing. These two new
models achieve just that, as they are both smaller
than similar cylinders on themarket. Being lighter
in weight, they also achieve improved cycle times
and help to deliver higher output.
The ability to directly mount auto switches
reduces overall labour costs and, the fact they do
not protrude beyond the body of either cylinder,
helpsminimise the risk of interferencewithother
machine parts. In addition, options for four piping
directions and three mounting surfaces on the
JMGP makes it extremely versatile.
A group of Canadian students from the
University of British Columbia’s Mining
Engineering faculty recently visited the
Multotec Group manufacturing facilities
in Spartan, just outside Johannesburg in
South Africa. The visit for the students,
from the graduating class of 2017, pro-
vided the ideal platform from which to
interact with a leading South African
manufacturer that supplies both capital
equipment as well as consumables to the
minerals processing sector.
Training facilitator at Multotec, Brent
Combrink, says that themodernmanufac-
turing industry is often not understood by
university graduates and students from
tertiary institutions. For this reason,
Multotec believes it is important to pro-
vide opportunities such as facility visits so
students can see this side of the industry
they have studied.
“Exposure to real world manufactur-
ing environments is a valuable tool and
not only assists in consolidating what has
beenlearnedattertiaryeducationcentres,
it also allows students to understand the
types of employment opportunities that
this sector can offer,” Combrink says.
The group’s facilities, spread over
several properties, are equipped with
‘state-of-the-art’ design technologies,
including 3D prototyping, computational
fluid dynamics, computer aided drawing
and trajectory modelling, among others.
Combrink says visiting the various sec-
tions allowed students to get a real feel
for the manufacturing sector.
SMC’s latest compact cylinders,
the JMGP guide cylinder and the compact JCQ Series,
have been designed with weight and space savings in
mind.
Canadian students visit Multotec
Students from the University of British Columbia’s Mining Engineering faculty on a visit to the
Multotec Group’s manufacturing facilities.
Fibertex supplies a wide range
ofcomponentsforadvanced
subsoil drainage systems,
designed for use in vari-
ous industries, includ-
ing civil engineering,
construction and ag-
riculture. Included in
this range are Drainex
slotted drainage pipes,
which are used in con-
junction with Fibertex geo-
textiles and composite drainage
systems that encompass geonets, fin
drains and wick drains.
“Drainex pipes aremanufactured from
high density polyethylene (HDPE), which
is a chemically resistant polymer with
resistance to acids or alkali attack. These
durable drainage pipes also offer high
impact resistance and are UV stabilised,
ensuring extended service life in arduous
environments,” says Darryn
Meisel, national sales di-
rector: geosynthetics,
Fibertex SA.
“These drainage
pipes are bedded and
side filled with filter
material and properly
compacted surround-
ing soil, to form a com-
plete pipe-soil system.
This robust structure can
withstand loads in excess of
150 kN/m from soil pressure and other
superimposed loads.”
Drainex pipes have a double wall
sandwich construction, with a corrugated
externalwall anda smooth innerwall, with
a low coefficient of friction. This design
combines high ring stiffness (>450 kPa)
with excellent flow characteristics, al-
lowing for the optimum utilisation of
pipe diameter. Drainage perforations are
created in the valley of the corrugations
to protect the pipe from blockage from
drainage aggregate.
Drainex is available in diameters of
75 mm, 110 mm or 160 mm, in coils and
6.0 m lengths. Push fit couplings and pro-
filed sealing rings ensure reliable joining
and watertight sealing of Drainex pipe
fittings.
Slotted pipes for subsoil drainage