Category: AUTOMATION AND CONTROL

Proven: A digital twin enhances asset productivity, maintainability & reliability in the oil & gas industry

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The ability to continue through the various production cycles unabated (zero unplanned downtime) in the up- and downstream oil & gas industries means that practical efficiencies using digitisation are essential. The most practical, accurate and efficient digitisation method to manage production cycle continuity in oil & gas is a digital twin – an accurate virtual representation of your plant or asset. In addition to improving production efficiency and significantly reducing the likelihood of unplanned maintenance, a digital twin provides numerous other benefits. These benefits include proper visualisation, sharing and collaboration…

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RBM increases ore volume measurement accuracy with time-of-flight sensor incorporating multi-echo technology

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Richards Bay Minerals required a solution that accurately measured mass flow of product on a conveyor belt with high precision and repeatability. It also had to be less maintenance intensive than conventional conveyor belt scales. The KwaZulu-Natal-based mining house selected the Bulkscan volume flowmeter from SICK, which was installed without removing the existing belt scales so the customer could compare measurement accuracy and ease of use.   Initially installed for a proof-of-concept (POC) trial at RBM’s Mining Pond Echo Plant in Q2 2020, belt cut samples proved the sensor’s increased…

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To expand the scope of the training offered to customers, and to ensure they are equipped to meet the electro-hydraulic demands in industry, Bosch Rexroth South Africa has launched a course on electro-hydraulics. It has been tailored to meet the electro-hydraulic educational requirements of anyone working in the industrial or mobile hydraulic industry, from technicians, mechanical fitters, earth moving equipment mechanics and millwrights to engineers. The five-day hydraulic course (hosted at the Bosch Rexroth Hydraulic Training Department, Kempton Park, Gauteng) focuses on the electrical control of hydraulic systems by using push buttons, relays, proximity and pressure switches, etc., differing from the manual actuation of normal on/off hydraulics. The course enables a better understanding of the electrical control systems and develops the candidate’s fault finding techniques. A total of 10 practical exercises are completed over the five days. By equipping technicians with the tools to systematically fault-find in electro-hydraulic circuits instead of just replacing parts until the circuit works, they can proactively prevent downtime and reduce company costs. “Without the physical completion of these exercises, the candidate will not have that ‘hands on’ feel for the subject and practice the art of following the hydraulic and electrical schematic,” explains Arthur Sanderson, Technical Trainer, Bosch Rexroth South Africa. Bosch Rexroth South Africa is an accredited training provider with MerSETA. This course is unit standard aligned (Unit Standard 13115), and is currently in the process of CPD verification with the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA). The course includes an assessment which consists of a theoretical and practical paper. The latter requires the design and assembly of an electro-hydraulic circuit. Candidates must achieve 70% on both assessments to be deemed competent. Enquiries and bookings may be directed to the Bosch Rexroth Hydraulic Training Department (tel 011 979 4630) or to Sanderson (tel 011 396 7157). “Interest in this course is high and courses already scheduled were booked very quickly,” Sanderson concludes. “It is therefore recommended that interested parties book a month in advance.”

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New power system enables sustainable and otherwise impossible lithium mining in areas without grid access, unlocking global market supply Delivers average 27% CapEx saving and 20% CO2 reduction Accelerates mining decarbonisation   Schneider Electric, the leader in the digital transformation of energy management and automation, and Wärtsilä, a global leader in smart technologies and complete lifecycle solutions for the marine and energy markets, have partnered to create a sustainable, uninterrupted power solution for the most remote lithium mines in the world. The holistic fit-for-purpose power system includes tailored power supply…

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OT leaders continue to face security challenges

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Operational technology (OT) is the cyber physical foundation that enables the world’s factories, energy production and transmission facilities, transportation networks, and utilities to function. To boost operational efficiency and profitability, many OT companies have been integrating OT infrastructure and thereby indirectly connecting supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems with IT networks to manage actionable data across a formerly air-gapped framework. However, the improved agility and efficiency derived from digitally connected OT-IT networks comes with increased cybersecurity risk. To understand the types of threats facing operational technology and how OT teams can mitigate…

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ElectroMechanica’s safety light curtain installation boosts productivity

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A safety light curtain installation for a Cape Town-based non-metallic mineral product manufacturer resulted in operator efficiency improvement of almost 20%. The manufacturer, IWT Abrasives, approached ElectroMechanica (EM) in 2019 for a system that would improve safety around its hydraulic press, and simultaneously enhance press productivity. This installation has continued to prove itself, two years later.   IWT specialises in the weaving and impregnation of glass fibre rovings used in the reinforcement of cutting and grinding wheels. Its hydraulic press shapes flexible material into the form of grinding disks. To…

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TETRA PAK TAKES STEPS TO ADDRESS WATER SCARCITY AND REDUCE CARBON EMISSIONS FOR THE DAIRY SECTOR

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Tetra Pak showcases its new UHT 2.0 heating portfolio and Tetra Pak® E3/Speed Hyper packaging equipment in line with World Milk Day earlier this week in support of this year’s theme of sustainability and Dairy’s commitment to innovation to reduce environmental footprint. Tetra Pak’s new UHT 2.0 portfolio with OneStep technology and Tetra Pak® E3/Speed Hyper reduce water and steam consumption, creating less wastewater and therefore also lowering the cost of its removal for Dairy manufacturers. Adding a Water Filtering Station unit to Tetra Pak® E3/Speed Hyper helps recover up…

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Cutting costs on packaging production lines.’

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: How efficient are your production processes? Even the best factories have a few weak links in the chain. Evaluating the threats to production’s bottom line and finding ways to address them is where Pyrotec PackMark can help. Pyrotec PackMark has built its market knowledge and consultative approach by implementing a wide array of well-targeted coding and labelling solutions for numerous industries. ‘We can adapt our offering to our customers’ specific needs and deliver the right insights, technologies and support to help your packaging operations overcome increasing competitive pressure, more…

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Take charge with the new Topcon OS-200 Series TotalStation

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  The TThe Topcon OS Series Total Station is equipped with multiple class-leading features, including a powerful reflectorless EDM, large LCD touchscreen and smart on-board software. opcon OS Series Total Station is equipped with multiple class-leading features, including a powerful reflectorless EDM, large LCD touchscreen and smart on-board software.   The Topcon OS Series Total Station, with its rugged, lightweight design, comes with a handy carry case   The new Topcon OS-200 Series Total Station, distributed and serviced in sub-Saharan Africa by WorldsView, is ideal for land/engineering surveyors seeking highly…

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Learning From Data-Driven Disruptors Before It’s Too Late

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Businesses threatened by data-driven disruptors need to adopt a similarly disruptive mind-set to ensure they stay relevant to their customers. During the past 12 months we’ve all become noticeably more reliant on data and technology in almost everything we do, with investments in data, technology and digital transformation estimated to top US$4 trillion within the past year alone. But it’s the combination of data, insight and analytics that’s the cornerstone for the top performers, which rely on it to inform their decisions, shape their strategy and drive their speed to market and…

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Digitising Agriculture with SICK’s 3D Environment Monitoring Sensors

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SICK Automation is leading the agricultural digitisation era (Farming 4.0), with its visual perception solutions for mobile agricultural machines and harvesting robots. Called Visionary Snapshot Cameras, the range is tailored for 3D environment monitoring, allowing mobile equipment to navigate, increase safety and enhance production processes. Visionary technology from SICK inherent in these cameras make them the ideal solution for a vast range of agricultural applications. They help decrease downtime with their collision avoidance capability when turning, manoeuvring and reversing mobile equipment, and by navigating autonomous agricultural machines during fieldwork. They…

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