Mechanical Technology October 2015

⎪ Products and services ⎪

Variable displacement pump for lower-power applications used fixed displacement pumps.

In introducing a variable displacement axial piston pump for hydraulic systems in the new size 18, Bosch Rexroth has narrowed the price gap to similarly sized gear pumps. Manufacturers of mobile equipment in the agricultural and con- struction sectors can now implement this efficiency-enhancing technology on trac- tors and vehicles of 37 kW and the low- power auxiliary drives on larger vehicles. By using demand-controlled power generation associated with variable dis- placement technology in the lower-power range, manufacturers and operators of mobile equipment can improve machine efficiency by up to 16%, while simultane- ously lowering exhaust emissions. The use of variable displacement pumps has previously been restricted to machines in the upper power ranges, with lower-powered machines having to use en- ergy-intensive fixed displacement pumps. The A1VO axial piston pump from Bosch Rexroth offers a range of available control types – pressure control, load-sensing control and electronic control – providing an economically attractive alternative for many hydraulic systems that previously

in a compact, flexible and reliable enclo- sure that allows a simple installation into existing hydraulic circuits without altering the underlying specifications. The A1VO can be easily combined with other pumps through a universal through-drive and interchangeable adapter. By using a seven piston rotary group, and by integrating all ports and the controller into the port plate, increased leak tightness is achieved in a compact, robust enclosure. As the official partner to Bosch Rexroth across sub-Saharan Africa, the Bosch Rexroth A1VO variable pump is distributed through Hytec, a Hytec Group company. www.hytecgroup.co.za compass measurement mode using an activated electronic inclinometer; dynamic machine tolerance checks; an extend mode to handle gross misalign- ment; and data protection with auto save and resume capability. www.comtest.co.za

Comtest, local distributor of Fluke test and measurement tools, has announced the launch of the Fluke 830 Laser Shaft Alignment Tool, specifically engineered for precision-align rotating shafts. The Fluke 830 offers simple function- ality, fast, accurate and actionable an- swers. Unlike the straight-edge method or dial indicators, Fluke’s 830 performs complicated alignment calculations automatically, which means users have the answers needed to quickly align the machine. An enhanced user interface provides easy format results that don’t require extensive alignment knowledge. The ‘all-in-one’ result screen shows both coupling results and feet corrections (vertical and horizontal) in real terms, allowing for corrective alignment action. The Fluke 830 features: single laser measurement technology; an intuitive guided user interface for easy alignment; Comprehensive simulations using OEM engine map data of a commercially available 66 kW diesel motor demon- strated that the A1VO reduces energy savings by between 10 and 16%. On a projected tractor life of 6 000 hours, and assuming a typical load cycle distribution, the unit was calculated to produce savings of around 10 000 litres of diesel. The variable pump achieves the greatest fuel savings in partial-load operations, such as holding the plough during transportation or working with the front loader. The A1VO pump comes in two sizes, 18 and 35 cm 3 , both of which are housed

New tool to precision-align rotating shafts

The A1VO axial piston variable pump from Bosch Rexroth provides mobile equipment in agriculture and construc- tion with an attractively priced alternative to a gear pump in the new size 18.

Test rig enables local bearing manufacturer to expand GB Bearings, a local manufacturer, refur- bisher and distributor of industrial and white metal bearings for the South African and export markets, has launched a new range of industrial bearings and further expanded its business by adding a new test rig – the only one of its kind in South Africa. These successes were made possible through the implementation of a Firm Technology Assistance Package (FTAP), one of the solutions offered by the Technology Localisation Plan of the Department of Science and Technology (DST). GB Bearings, as a supplier to state-owned companies, was selected to form part of government’s drive to improve the com- petitiveness of local original equipment manufacturers. The DST recognises that upgraded technologies and support are key require- ments for competitiveness. Increasing local industrial activity requires bold intervention to raise the capability and status of local manufacturing companies to that of com- petitive global players. Masande Dlulisa, project manager at the Technology Localisation Implementation Unit (TLIU), says, “In the gap analyses conducted as part of the FTAP, GB Bearings required a new test rig to expand its ca- pability for manufacturing and testing the characteristics of a range of bearings. The

TLU is a DST-supported initiative hosted by the CSIR. “We opted to work with the Durban University of Technology, for reasons of expertise and proximity, to design the new rig. Subsequently, we identified suitable companies to manufacture the test rig. We also had to find a suitable software supplier as the requirements highlighted the need for software to measure a range of bearings and technology specifications. A compatible product was found in the UK.” It took Dlulisa and his team only eight months to get the right partners on board, design, manufacture and implement the test rig, the only one of its kind in the country. www.gbbearings.co.za

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Mechanical Technology — October 2015