Sparks Electrical News September 2019

DBS, SWITCHES, SOCKETS AND PROTECTION

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PRACTBOX FLUSH-MOUNTING DISTRIBUTION CABINETS

boxes with one row of six, eight or 12 modules and units with two or three rows of 12 modules. Legrand’s Practibox flush-mounting distribu- tion cabinets have a modern white finish and clear windows for enhanced aesthetics. The distribution cabinets ensure optimum efficiency and safety in living areas and in workplaces. A reversible faceplate enables the door to be opened from the left or right, offering maximum flexibility. For added security, this unit can be fit- ted with a key lock. Legrand offers a technical advisory and back- up support service throughout the country.

LEGRAND’S comprehensive range of modular electrical equipment and wiring accessories en- compasses flush-mounting distribution cabinets, which ensure optimum efficiency, enhanced aes- thetics and absolute safety in living areas and in workplaces. These stylish Practibox flush-mounting dis- tribution cabinets have a modern white finish and clear windows. The distribution cabinets conform with IEC 439-3 standards and are IK 07 and Class II rated. The units have an IP 40 index protection rating, with the door fitted as a guard against solid bodies larger than 1 mm. The Practibox range includes terminal shield

Enquiries: www.legrand.co.za

CHALLENGES FACING SOUTH AFRICAN PANEL MANUFACTURERS

ENSURING OPTIMAL PROTECTION FOR ENERGY STORAGE UNITS

JOHAN BASSON, Managing Director of JB Switchgear, wrote a piece for SDC-IBA 2019 looking at some of the challenges that face the electrical panel building industry in South Africa. The focus of Johan’s summation

tested at laboratories in South Africa and/or abroad. Locally designed and developed panels are type tested to the same IEC standards as the international OEM designs. What are the internal challenges facing these manufacturers in SA today? In Johan’s opinion there are two major challenges at present, namely: Type testing issues at the SABS Type testing is essentially a range of safety and performance tests to con- firm the assembly’s design and build integrity against the manufacturer’s rat- ings for the product. Perceptions arose that the SABS laboratories cannot perform the full suite of tests required in IEC 61439-1 and 2. Whilst not every test could be performed at NETFA, their Groenkloof laboratory and Gerotek could provide the services to fulfil the requirement. The SABS did indicate at various stages that some of the test facilities needed to be overhauled or upgraded, and so a new status report on the laboratories is now overdue. Damaging rumours were also spread that the quality of testing per- formed by the SABS laboratories was inferior. This caused some custom- ers to insist on panels which were type-tested overseas. It was generally felt that these rumours were mischievous, and with ulterior motives. Major challenges included: • Cost of type testing is very expensive for smaller, South African man- ufacturers. Some local panel manufacturers who performed their IEC 61439-1 and 2 type testing with independent test laboratories in Europe, claimed that their total testing costs inclusive of shipping, flights and accommodation were around 30% cheaper than they were quoted by the SABS in 2018. • Given the low manufacturing volumes here, it is virtually impossible to recover the cost of testing within reasonable period of time. • The waiting period for a testing slot at independent labs in Europe is around two months, vs. the nine months offered by SABS-NETFA. • SABS laboratories would not perform ‘special testing’ or ‘development testing’ against selected clauses of the IEC 60439/61439 standards. This caused major challenges for manufacturers who wanted to develop their products. OEMs who manufacture Independent local manufacturers often have to compete with OEM manu- facturers, using that OEM’s switchgear components inside their assemblies. This often puts the local manufacturer at a disadvantage, since his nett pur- chase cost for the components is much higher than that of the OEMs internal manufacturing division, which enjoys favourable internal transfer costs for the components. Switchgear components typically represent 45-55% of the total value of the assembly and so it follows that the local manufacturer will suffer a rather substantial disadvantage on pricing. For this reason, mark-ups are usually substantially lower than that of the OEMs in order to be com- petitive. OEMs often pass special project discounts to selected project houses, consultants or integrators equal to or better than the panel build-

was on panel builders and manufacturers who serve the industrial sector which include MMM, water, petrochemical, paper and pulp, cement, material handling, automotive, food and allied, and energy. “When we use the term panel builders, we are referring to manufacturers of low voltage switchgear and control gear assemblies as defined in the IEC 60439,61439 and SANS 1973 series of standards” said Johan. Categories of panel builders There are three categories of pan- el builders in South Africa, namely: International OEMs who have invested in the establishment of manufacturing facilities in the country. In most instances, core parts are supplied from the OEMs’ main plants overseas, whilst the manufacturing of se- lected parts is done here before the panels are assembled and populated. In these cases, the designs are mainly developed and tested overseas. OEM partner manufacturers who manufacture and/or as- semble OEM designs in South Africa under license, or other special agreements. They will usually have been trained and provided with the required en- gineering software and special tools. In addition, the OEM will provide a formalised EDS Man- ual to ensure compliance and consistency. The panels are pop- ulated by the partner company in South Africa. The designs and type testing in these cases are also done overseas. South African manufacturers who manufacture designs which were locally developed, and type

F rom small UPS installations in server rooms all the way to large battery racks housed in twenty-foot containers – the applications where battery installations ensure reliable, round- the-clock power supply are many. In its new battery brochure, SIBA presents a customised range of spe- cialty fuses and gives hands-on instructions on how to identify the right fuse in four easy steps. The latter is important because fuses designed for ac applications cannot readily be used in dc- based circuits. When switching over from mains to battery operation, discharge currents result, which require faster-acting and more specific fuses. While SIBA’s standard portfolio of fast-acting fuses already covers a wide range of applications, the company’s in-house R&D department is al- ways ready to help when tailor-made solutions are called for.

ers, who then free issue the switchgear components to the local manufacturers for incorporation into the assemblies. Sheet metal, copper and labour alone do not provide sufficient income for the local manufacturer to remain viable under such circumstances, and it is felt that as re-sellers for the OEMs equipment, discounts should be so structured to allow local manufacturer to add a fair mark-up, but still be competitive. Basson will be examining the external challenges facing the industry in future blog posts on the JB Switchgear website.

Enquiries: www.jbswitchgear.co.za

Enquiries: www.siba-fuses.com

SPARKS ELECTRICAL NEWS

SEPTEMBER 2019