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Mechanical Technology — February 2015
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Special report
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Above:
The compressor assembly line at Booyco
Engineering. The company is now adopting a ‘flow line’
assembly process.
Left:
Testing and commissioning at Booyco Engineering’s
Meadowdale, Johannesburg assembly facility.
“Due to the fact that the projects we
are taking on represent sizeable volumes,
we will be adopting a ‘flow line’ assembly
process. We are busy implementing a
new factory layout. There is also a whole
lot of new equipment that we are install-
ing. This represents a step change in the
efficiency and utilisation of two critical
factors, namely space and manpower.”
Pougnet says Booyco Engineering also
has a skills development programme in
place. “All the components required in
our designs are manufactured externally.
Our factory is purely an assembly and test
facility. If you look at it in simple terms,
our company has invested in human
capital while our own supplier base has
invested in capital equipment. This is
very much an intentional part of our strat-
egy because it gives us huge flexibility.
“At a time like this when we are ramp-
ing up significantly, we are able to do it
quite easily as we have both the space
and the necessary skills. Given that we
are going to be far busier in 2015 than
we were in 2014, we have already
started recruiting and training additional
workers. I estimate that over the next 18
months we will probably double our num-
ber of factory workers,” Pougnet says.
Looking at the latest trends in the
HVAC market, Pougnet says there has
been a shift from traditional electrome-
chanical control devices to an increased
use of electronics. “This gives us enor-
mous flexibility in what we can do in
terms of the sophistication of the controls
and how we communicate with the
vehicle system, albeit a military vehicle,
locomotive or coach. From CAN to MBV,
we now have the necessary protocols to
be able to do this. We are able to inter-
face with VDUs (video display units) to
inform the driver about the HVAC unit
status or to alert him to any faults.”
Pougnet says that Booyco Engineering
uses its own proprietary designed
electronic controllers and a proprietary
designed ‘smart’ inverter. The ‘smart’
inverter is used in certain diesel loco-
motives that have a 74 V dc power
supply. Here the ‘smart’ inverter is used
to translate this to a 380 V three-phase
50 Hz power supply so that conventional
compressors and fans can be used. In
addition, the ‘smart’ inverter controls the
cycling of the compressors and the speed
of the fans. “This technology did not exist
20 years ago,” Pougnet points out. The
latest trend in energy efficiency is to use
digital scroll compressors.
“While the size of our company
prohibits us from spending millions on
R&D, whatever we do must be in line
with the latest trends. We like to be the
early adopter of any new technology. For
example, we were one of the first compa-
nies in South Africa to use R134a as an
environmentally friendly refrigerant, at a
time when the bulk of the industry was
still using R12 or R22, which have major
greenhouse gas implications.” Booyco
Engineering is continuing with this trend
by looking at alternative refrigerants with
improved environmental and thermal
performance.
Another trend is increasingly strin-
gent performance specifications.
“Performance specifications now go
way beyond the simple capability of be-
ing able to operate in ventilation, heating
or cooling mode, how many fan speeds
there are and how the temperature can
be adjusted. These days, specifications
include such factors as the noise level
and even the electromagnetic signature
that is emitted. Specifications even go so
far as to include electromagnetic compat-
ibility with any other electrical devices in
the vicinity.
“For every one of these references,
there is a standard or a specification and
a test method. What it has required us
to do is to adapt from being good ther-
modynamic engineers who design the
electrical circuitry and so on to having
to know a lot about many other related
subjects. This has transformed us into a
company where we now have engineers
with different areas of specialisation.”
Looking to the future, Pougnet says
that the Transnet and PRASA contracts
dovetail. “What is quite interesting is
that the Transnet and PRASA business
all tends to start at around the same
timelines, and because Alstom has only
ordered a third of the total quantity, it
happens to run concurrently with the
locomotive business. Thus for the first
time in the history of Booyco Engineering,
we have a very strong order book for a
four-year period.
“This allows us to start hunting for
other projects immediately upon signing
the current contracts. We have already
identified some prospects that will give
us continuity. The work we have done
over the last 30 years has brought us to
a point where we not only have a strong
business, but an adaptable business
model to carry us forward,” Pougnet says.
“Our real differentiating factor is our
responsiveness to our clients’ require-
ments, hand-in-hand with our flexibility.
An advantage of a company of our size is
that we are able to make quick decisions
and can change direction quite quickly.
Clearly we are internationally competi-
tive, in addition to being able to deliver
bespoke engineering solutions. Really
we are in about as good a position as
a company could wish to be, being a
major player in terms of long-term local
contracts, but also being able to perform
at a world class level.
“A critical success factor for having
satisfied clients is the capability to sup-
port your products in the host country.
Our strategy has been to set up servicing
agreements with companies with the req-
uisite skills, equipment and infrastructure
on our behalf. We then give them the
specific training, technical back up and
logistical support. We have found this
to be very efficient, and will continue to
expand our global network on this basis,”
Pougnet concludes.
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