demm engineering & manufacturing magazine november 2012

November 2012 $6 INCL GST

NZ’S LARGEST ABC AUDITED CIRCULATION TO THE ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING SECTORS

1

Ed SayS

The days of unions ‘fighting’ for jobs by organising a protest picket outside a factory gate may not yet be a thing of the past. But one has to look at last months’ manufacturing and exporters’ summit as a positive response to an issue that affects us all.

It was organised by the Employers and Manufacturers’ Union (EPMU), which claims 40,000 manufacturing jobs have been lost in New Zealand since 2008.

Part of the reason for job losses is our dollar. Most economists agree it is over valued by 15 percent against the US dollar, making it tough for exporters to turn a profit when selling goods to other nations.

New Zealand has to be an exporting nation because there are too few people in the country to buy what we make.

It was no surprise that opposition political Parties turned up to have a pop at the government at the Friday, 12 October summit.

National says it wasn’t invited and PM John Key repeated that he wouldn’t have attended “even if I had been invited”. To me, that shows a little less statesmanship than required for the country’s top job.

However, the meeting was attended by representatives from the NZ Council of Trade Unions, the Heavy Engineering Research Association, the NZ Manufacturers & Exporters Association, and the University of Auckland among others.

It was a bringing together of organisations to discuss and debate the issues faced by the country’s manufacturers.

There are some things we can’t control, and until things are changed for us, we have to work within the current system and global environment. They are not too flash, but until they change, it is all we have.

One bright prospect is that I believe interest rates will come down by around 0.25 basis points pretty soon, taking a little pressure off business loan repayments. That may also go someway to bringing the dollar back, putting more money in our pockets and making it slightly easier to export at a decent profit.

Meanwhile, all we can do is to keep calm, and carry on.

Steve Hart Editor

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copYriGHt: DEMM Engineering & Manufacturing Magazine has a copyright and may not be reproduced in whole or in part without the written permission of the publisher. Neither editorial opinions expressed nor facts stated in advertisements are necessarily agreed to by the editor or publisher. Whilst all efforts are made to ensure accuracy, no responsibility will be taken by the publishers for inaccurate information, or for any consequences of reliance on this information.

Editor: Steve Hart, Email: [email protected]

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printinG: GEON ISSN 1172-4536 (Print)ISSN 2253-279X (Online)circulAtion: 12,754

Supported by:

3 News

6 Manufacturing summit – special report

9 Product watch

14 Food processing

22 Motors and drives

28 Galvanising

30 Maintenance matters

39 Electrical technology

42 Electrical safety

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Contents

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14

28 30

9

22

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Boost for ChristchurchThe demand for state-of-the-art, super-resilient infrastructure to underpin the rebuild of Christchurch received a major boost with the commissioning of a multi-million dollar plastic pipe manufacturing plant in Bromley on October 24.

Christchurch company Frank PKS New Zealand’s $3 million-plus production line will equip it to more than double production of its specialised high-density polyethylene pipes, as well as produce a significantly expanded array of pipe sizes of up to four metres diameter.

Its general manager, Bryan Wilson, says that will position it to supply critical materials for the Christchurch rebuild, as well as service growing demand from local government and heavy industry around New Zealand.

China offers huge opportunities for New Zealand businesses, but too few are taking the plunge and entering the market, says Auckland Chamber of Commerce chief executive Michael Barnett.

“By 2020 China will be the world’s largest economy and while it’s already New Zealand’s second largest trading partner, there is scope for far more benefit for New Zealand business,” says Barnett.

Auckland Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with NZ INC Ltd, held the inaugural China Business Summit in Auckland on 3 October to help galvanise businesses into action and provided a platform to increase business engagement between China and New Zealand.

NZ INC Ltd director Fran O’Sullivan says the summit helped create “a new platform for New Zealand business engagement with China”.

Barnett says: “We need to be well-prepared, we need to collaborate with other NZ businesses, we need to invest in building relationships with partners in China, we need to retain management and control of our businesses and brands in China, and we need to make our products specifically for the Chinese market, but most of all we need to be clear about our story – about the New Zealand brand.”

See: www.newzealandinc.com

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4 November 2012

NEWS

Key to smelter survivalThe union for workers at Tiwai Point aluminium smelter is calling on the government to drop its hands-off approach and take action to save the smelter.

The call comes amid speculation the smelter may be forced to close due to unaffordable power prices and the overvalued New Zealand dollar.

EPMU director of organising Alan Clarence says the Tiwai smelter is too important to fail.

“It’s time for the government to step in, sort out a fair deal between Meridian and Rio Tinto that allows the smelter to remain open, and finally act on the overvalued New Zealand dollar,” says Clarence.

The Tiwai Point aluminium smelter is majority owned by Rio Tinto and employs around 900 staff and contractors.

Positive manufacturing trend

Despite a slight improvement from the previous month, New Zealand’s manufacturing sector remained stubbornly in contraction during September, according to the latest BNZ - BusinessNZ Performance of Manufacturing Index (PMI).

The seasonally adjusted PMI for September was 48.2 (a PMI reading above 50 indicates that manufacturing is generally expanding; below 50.0 that it is declining). While this was 0.8 points up from August, it represented the fourth consecutive month of no expansion in the sector. Over the last quarter, the PMI has averaged 48.3.

BNZ senior economist Craig Ebert says the September PMI is more likely to be temporary turbulence than tragedy.

“While the data are worryingly weak-looking, they are about current conditions more than the way ahead,” says Ebert. “Talk that the industry is in crisis is overblown. Manufacturers’ expectations for output over the next three months remain positive.”

Rose by any other name…Industry training organization ETITO has changed its name to The Skills Organisation.

“The industry training world has evolved since ETITO started out in 1992 – from the number of industries we represent to the changing nature of the industry training sector itself,” says the organisation’s Christina Campbell.

“Our new identity is simple and easily identifiable across all of our sectors that better reflects who we have become and how what we do relates to industry.”

New look for Fresco SystemsAfter 18 years in business, bulk materials handling and process system specialists Fresco Systems has a new website.

“We’re a global company now and it was time to reinvigorate the brand and bring it in line with our goals moving forward,“ says the firm’s managing director Ray Rawlings.

He says the Fresco Systems identity, which was created when the company first started trading, was no longer an accurate reflection of the company, its employees and global footprint.

Aussie carbon tax opportunitiesSix New Zealand companies specialising in energy efficient products and services took part in the New Zealand Trade and Enterprise’s (NZTE) Path to Market programme, to fast-track their entry into the Australian market.

Increasing energy costs, combined with the introduction of the carbon tax, and greater consumer and business awareness around sustainability, mean the requirement for energy-efficient products and services in Australia is greater than ever. Michelle Templer, NZTE regional director, Australia Pacific, says findings from the global 2012 Energy Efficiency Indicator survey for Australia prove the appetite for energy efficient products and services is growing.

Companies that took part in the Path to Market event were Switch Lighting, Outpost Central, Triplics (ecoPortal), Senztek, Cosydome and Energy Light. NZTE customer director Carole Wright says it is essential companies wanting to export to Australia have a sound market entry strategy.

Plastic fantasticJudges were unable to agree on a winner at this year’s Plastics Industry Biennial Design awards.

At a ceremony held at the Ellerslie Convention Centre in Auckland on Friday 5 October, the 2012 supreme award was presented to joint winners Adept and Aquaduct New Zealand.

The 2012 awards attracted 31 entries, and among the other gongs handed out included 10 bronze, 13 silver and 12 gold. “These awards recognise those members who are transforming the way in which plastics are perceived in the market,” says Plastics New Zealand CEO Robin Martin.

“We congratulate all of the entrants and the winners in the 2012 Design Awards on their superb entries and look to them as drivers of this transformation, through their product and process innovation, design technology and entrepreneurial spirit that is leading the way forward.”

Winners of this year’s Plastics Industry Biennial Design awards Gerard Bosch of Aquaduct New Zealand (left), and Murray Fenton of Adept (right), with the evening’s MC Rod Oram (centre).

5

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National Instruments has opened registration for the 2012 NI Embedded Control and Monitoring Technology roadshow – a free event featuring the latest trends, technologies and information for engineers and scientists developing embedded control and monitoring applications.

The New Zealand show will be held in Auckland on Thursday 15 November.

It will feature a series of technical presentations, live demonstrations and hands-on training, where engineers and scientists can learn how to overcome some of the biggest challenges in energy, power quality, condition monitoring, transportation, and machine control.

To register go to: http://goo.gl/hgzGy

Foodtech successFoodtech Packtech 2012 was a winner according to visitors and organisers at this year’s event. More than 3,000 mostly food manufacturing professionals flocked to the ASB Showgrounds in Auckland to see 200-plus food machinery, technology, packaging and related sector exhibitors during 25-27 September.

The trade-only show will be held again in 2014.

Small is goodRevolution Fibres, an Auckland company that uses nanotechnology to make super strong fibres, has won the Supreme New Zealand Innovator award 2012.

The firm also won the Innovation in Manufacturing category at the event, held at the Auckland City Art Gallery on 12 October.

The company was recognised for its work in developing manufacturing processes for nanofibres and nanofibre products.

It has created three nanofibre products; air filters, high strength fishing rods and fabric to enhance skin healing.

Organisers of the event – Bayer New Zealand, Idealog Magazine and Ideas Accelerator – say the 152 entries was a record, which reflects the growing importance of innovation to the New Zealand economy.

Dig deep

The biennial Austmine 2013 International conference and exhibition – Australia’s premier mining innovation and technology event – is taking place in on 20-23 May 2013 at the Perth Convention & Exhibition Centre.

The event will focus on some of the most prosperous mining regions around the world, including the Pilbara, Western Australia; West Africa; Russia; Brazil and Mongolia.

Speakers confirmed include David Peever and John McGagh of Rio Tinto Australia. The company is the event’s principal sponsor.

NEWS

Regal mergerElectric motor distributor CMG is joining with electrical insulation and conductor firm OBA to form Regal Beloit New Zealand.

“As a company, we are in the midst of simplification,” says Regal’s general manager David Priestley. “We are consolidating our product lines, standardising our computer system, reducing the number of legal entities and streamlining our product brands – all with the idea of making it easier for customers and suppliers to do business with us.”

While the announcement of the merger took place on 1 October, the businesses of CMG and OBA will continue to trade separately until January 2013.

“The primary points of contact with these organisations will continue to be the same people customers are working with now,” says Priestley.

Foodtech event draws 3000 people

6 November 2012

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High dollar under the gun Steve Hart reports on the latest talkfest to help generate jobs in manufacturing and make it easier for exporters to turn a profit.

When all else fails, hold a meeting. That’s what happened in 2009 when Prime Minister John Key held his Job Summit behind closed doors, bringing the country’s top CEOs into a room at Sky City.

The event was basically repeated last month – although this time it was led by unions and opposition political Parties. The first meeting was blue, the second, red – both were about finding ways to save jobs, create jobs and drive up exports.

The 12 October event at a hall in Auckland’s Grafton Road looked specifically at the country’s manufacturing industry and the high exchange rate, which is crippling exporters.

The event brought together manufacturing and exporting bodies, unions, economists and political parties to discuss how to build a future for manufacturing in New Zealand.

We at Engineering & Manufacturing magazine live and breathe this industry every day, but just so we are all clear, nearly 40,000 manufacturing jobs have been lost to the economy since 2008.

Those at the latest talkfest agree something needs to be done to stem the tide of redundancies and company closures in the manufacturing and exporting industries.

Among those who spoke at the event were Peter Conway, NZ Council of Trade Unions; Nick Inskip, Heavy Engineering Research Association; Selwyn Pellett, technology entrepreneur; John Walley, NZ Manufacturers & Exporters Association (NZMEA), and Hugh Whittaker of the University of Auckland.

EPMU national secretary Bill Newson says his union called the summit because of the “deepening jobs crisis in this country”.

“We wanted to bring together people involved in the sector to talk about how we can address the crisis and then to start to build support for a new approach that supports businesses, communities and working New Zealanders,” says Newson.

“The Government needs to take a more active role to support manufacturing. The industry speakers at our summit identified that the current crisis needs a political solution and this is exactly the

kind of initiative we were hoping for.“Our union will now start work on

building a network of businesses, unions, economists and commentators who are passionate about high value manufacturing and want to work together to provide a future for the sector.

“We are also supporting the excellent initiative from the Council of Trade Unions and the NZ Manufacturers and Exporters Association to approach the government with some practical steps that it can take right now to support manufacturers and stem the flow of job losses.”

In a statement issued before the meeting, NZMEA chief executive John Walley said: “It is clear that New Zealand’s exchange rate is the key problem behind our poor export performance, and the resulting job losses we have seen over the past couple of months. Any denial of this problem is

simply economic negligence.“It is true that a lower exchange rate

will mean higher petrol prices and more expensive imports in general, but sooner or later a flat line economy means no jobs, and therefore, no flat screen TVs. That is essentially the choice that confronts us.”

Robert Reid, general secretary of First Union says: “An inquiry into manufacturing won’t bring back the thousands of jobs already lost in the past three or four years, but it will draw attention to the jobs crisis facing manufacturing, and what can be done about it.

“Employers that our union deals with have consistently identified the volatile New Zealand dollar as the cause of closures or redundancies.”

Job lossesWorkplaces hit by mass redundancies in recent months include Solid Energy’s Spring Creek and Huntly East mines, Norske Skog’s paper mill in Kawerau, the Tiwai Point aluminium smelter, Axiam Metals, Nuplex Industries, Flotech, Summit Wool Spinners, Goulds Fine Foods, Fisher & Paykel Appliances, Kiwirail and the Christchurch Engine Centre.

National’s job summit

On 26 February 2009, John Key, Prime Minister and minister for tourism, held a job summit in response to unemployment reaching a five-year high of 4.6 per cent.

The key outcomes included:• A nine-day working fortnight,

with the government paying for training on the 10th day. Cost $320 million a year.

• A $50 million cycleway from Cape Reinga to Bluff – to help tourism.

• A multi-million dollar investment fund to help companies’ access capital to grow their businesses.

• A $60 million private-public fund to boost tourism.

Taking part at the Job Summit were (L-R) Peter Conway, Council of Trade Unions, Nick Inskip, Heavy Engineering Research Association, Hugh Whittaker, University of Auckland, Selwyn Pellett, technology entrepreneur, and John Walley, NZ Manufacturers & Exporters Association.

Bill Newson of the EPMU opens the Job Summit conference.

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AUCKLAND 82 Greenmount Drive, East Tamaki. Ph: (09) 274 5627. Fax: (09) 274 0165PALMERSTON NORTH Ph: (06) 355 2165CHRISTCHURCH 10 Settlers Crescent, Ferrymead. Ph: (03) 384 6251. Fax: (03) 384 6455Email: [email protected] • Web: www.nz.sew-eurodrive.com

When you deal with SEW-Eurodrive, you are dealing with the `manufacturer’. Our huge range of quality European manufactured componentry is held in stock at our Auckland & Christchurch plants, ready for fast turnaround customised assembly. In tight economic conditions, getting it `right’ every time, is even more crucial. Contact us for advice, planning and drive calculations.

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Customised assembly to each customer application specifi cation.

Every fi nished assembled product is given a unique ID code to be backed by complete SEW-Eurodrive 24/7 service.

Application software is created for each customer requirement at our Auckland & Christchurch plants.

A control project complete and ready for delivery – this application required cabinet mounting.

The Movitrac B range of contollers provide solutions for most speed control applications.

The powerful Movidrive range of controllers for when sophisticated positioning and control is required.

Geared motors in a huge range of gear confi gurations, mountings, sizes and power. Fast customised assembly for every customer application requirement.

Newson says: “The common thread through all of these redundancies is the hands-off approach of the last 30 years, which says the government should keep out of the economy, leave our exchange rate to be set by speculators and accept the decline of manufacturing in this country as somehow inevitable.

“Our union is part of a growing consensus that the hands-off approach to the economy is broken and we need the government to step up and support our manufacturing sector and the jobs it provides. There are alternatives, and as a country we need to discuss them.”

The latest BusinessNZ Performance of Manufacturing Index shows the sector has been in decline for four consecutive months. The PMI for September 2012 was 48.2 (a reading below 50 indicates the sector is declining). Over the last quarter the index averaged 48.3.

MiningNational’s economic development minister, Steven Joyce, says the EPMU led summit was a political stunt.

“Not content to be told by nearly every

EPMU’s job summit

On 12 October 2012, the EPMU held a jobs/manufacturing summit as unemployment reached 5.4 per cent.

The key outcomes included:• A Parliamentary inquiry into the

crisis in manufacturing.• The Council of Trade Unions, with

the NZ Manufacturers and Exporters Association, to seek a meeting with the government to propose steps to deal with the exchange rate issue.

• The EPMU will bring together a “broad network of individuals and organisations” to lobby for change on structural issues that it says is holding back manufacturing.

• Employers and unions commit to working together to improve the manufacturing sector.

mainstream economic commentator that there is no jobs crisis, manufacturing crisis, or economic crisis, opposition parties are determined to keep talking the New Zealand economy down by heading off in search of one to serve their own political ends,” says Joyce.

“The meeting today [12 October] between Labour, the Greens and New Zealand First was nothing more than a political stunt. The number of manufacturing jobs [has] actually grown over the last two years.”

Joyce says the number of jobs in the economy overall has grown by 57,000 in the past two years, but didn’t say how many of them were in manufacturing and engineering.

“There is no doubt that economic conditions in the post GFC world are challenging for some firms,” he says. “The role of government is to do things that help make firms more competitive and that is what our business growth agenda is all about.

“If the political opposition and the EPMU were serious about jobs they would ask Forest and Bird to

withdraw their objections to Bathurst Resources’ Escarpment Mine project near Westport. Doing so would create 225 new jobs on the West Coast straight away and 400 over time.”

NEWS

8 November 2012

NEWS

Rubber bounces backAsia’s weakened demand for synthetic rubbers, commonly used in tyre production, is expected to recover following this year’s drop in car production, says a new report from petrochemical experts GBI Research.

The business intelligence firm’s latest research states that hunger for synthetic rubbers (polybutadiene and styrene butadiene rubber (SBR)) has been damaged due to falling car

manufacturing levels, but, as Asian economies such as China and India regain momentum, the need for synthetic rubber will return.

Asia-Pacific demand for butadiene (the chemical required to manufacture synthetic rubber) is expected to climb from five million tons in 2011 to eight million tons in 2020, growing at a compound annual growth rate of 5.1 percent.

Still pulling after 30 yearsAn automotive accessory business that was founded in a lock-up garage in South Auckland marked its 30th anniversary in October.

Best Bars designs, manufactures and supplies vehicle towbars and automotive accessories in New Zealand and Australia.

The company started out as a car care business that offered towbar fitment as a side venture. Within six months it began concentrating on towbars, from development, through to manufacturing and fitting.

New technology has been introduced to the manufacturing side of the business, with computer-controlled robot welders and automated CNC cutting machines.

Boost for heavy engineering groupThe Heavy Engineering Research Association (HERA) has received funding from the Ministry for Business Innovation and Employments (MBIE) High Value Manufacturing and Services investment round.

The funding is the government’s initial two-year cornerstone contribution to a longer term co-operative research programme between HERA, metals engineering industry companies and research partners University of Canterbury and University of Auckland.

The annual Government contribution of close to $1 million is matched by industry and research partners’ own contributions to the programme and demonstrates the commitment of both government and industry to have New Zealand-sourced organic ranking cycle (ORC) based power generation products on the market within five years.

HERA director Dr Wolfgang Scholz says: “Our AGGAT research is market-driven and reflects the industry’s outward-looking export focus.

“This programme will bring together research capability from across New Zealand and support international collaboration, while providing a platform for the development of New Zealand technology offerings.”

HERA’s general manager for industry development Nick Inskip says: “The grant is transformational funding for industry. It will build on our existing low enthalpy heat-to-electrical energy research programme that has been in operation for the past 15 months with industry partners, and will allow wider participation from industry.”

$29,000 fine over unguarded sawTangiwai-based Winstone Pulp International has been ordered to pay a fine of $29,000 for a hazardous snip saw that had been used unsafely for more than seven years.

Palmerston North District Court heard that following an accident the saw was inspected by a Labour Group Health and Safety Inspector who observed that the was no effective guard on the saw – contrary to the general guidance about guarding provided by Ministry.

The firm was charged with one offence under Sections 7 and 50(1)(a) of the Health

and Safety in Employment Act 1992.Labour Group general manager, John

Howard, says: “Unguarded machinery is extremely dangerous and an accident waiting to happen. The general guidance around guarding machinery is long-standing, well-understood and easily available from the Labour Group website.

“There is also specific guidance around the required level of guarding for these types of saws.

“When you consider the time that this machine has been operational

and unguarded together with the easy availability of clear guidance, then there is no excuse whatsoever for this company to be operating such an inherently dangerous piece of machinery.”

“All too often employees are seriously injured at work, when it is their fundamental right to go home safe at the end of their working day.”

MBIE-Labour has a three-year project under way to reduce the number of serious harm and fatal accidents resulting from the unsafe use of machinery.

9

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Smartphone can go anywhereHandheld Group has launched its Nautiz X1 ultra-rugged smartphone – “the toughest smartphone in the world”.

The phone is waterproof, dust-proof and shock-resistant, yet it’s lightweight and slim.

The Nautiz X1’s IP67 ingress protection rating means it’s protected against dust and sand, and can withstand immersion in water. It also meets military standards for enduring humidity, vibration, drops and extreme temperatures.

Probably the lightest, slimmest rugged smartphone on the market, the Nautiz X1 weighs in at 180 grams and measures only 125×65×15mm (4.9"×2.6"×0.6"). It has a 4-inch WVGA sunlight-readable and damage-resistant capacitive touchscreen.

It also features Bluetooth, GPS, and a five-megapixel

camera, and comes with the latest Android 4.0 or Windows Embedded Handheld 6.5 operating system. The Nautiz X1 is ideal for field workers in industries such as geomatics, logistics, forestry, public transportation, utilities, construction, maintenance, mining, military and security.

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One size fits allWeighing and dimensioning equipment maker Mettler Toledo has developed Cubetape, a compact, durable, hand held device that uses an inbuilt scanner to read a parcel’s barcode data, and a three metre waterproof, tearproof tape to capture the dimensions.

This information can then be stored for later use or sent onto a host application via bluetooth. Due to the automatic nature of the device, manual errors are eliminated making the entire process, from weighing through to dimensioning, more accurate.

The device provides audible feedback throughout the data capturing process, ensuring the operator is

coached through each stage, assisting to prevent errors and maximising uptime.

Cubetape can be integrated with the most common transport and logistics applications such as PCs, mobile PDA devices, scales and printers, allowing companies to start using the device straight away.

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10 November 2012

PRODUCT WATCH

No valve meteringIn what’s described as a “no-valve metering revolution” Watson-Marlow Pumps Group has launched its Qdos 30 pump range.

Developed in response to customer feedback for improved chemical metering, the Qdos 30 delivers an 5,000:1 f low range from 0.1 – 500 ml/min and seven bar while integrating easily through IP66 manual, analogue, and Profibus control options.

Featuring patented ReNu pumphead technology, Qdos 30 is sealed for safe, tool-

free maintenance.The pumps boost process

efficiency by providing accurate, linear and repeatable f low performance from 0.1 to 500 ml/min at seven bar, even when metering difficult f luids when pressure. There are no seals or valves in the f low path to clog, leak or corrode.

Maintenance intervals can be up to six months apart at typical usage, reducing the impact of process downtime.

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Pump it upUltima pumps have a two-speed operation that is suited for rugged applications where durability is needed.

They comfortably handle cylinders of five to 25 tons capacity, while withstanding rugged sites and rough treatment, says Enerpac national sales manager Darryl Lange.

The Ultima series of hand pumps features a design that provides ease-of-use and handle effort is reduced by up to 20 percent without – says the firm – compromising speed or performance.

By incorporating a power push handle grip and linkage design, loads are better

distributed, further reducing felt load while pumping – minimising operator fatigue.

The hydraulic pumps are compatible with a range of high-pressure hydraulic tools already in many workshops.

A chrome-plated plunger protects the pump from wear and withstands contaminants, while a wiper ring cleans the plunger, preventing contamination from damaging the piston. The vent-free reservoir prevents contaminants from entering the pump through the opening.


Fright night fingersIndustrial safety equipment specialist BOC has launched lightweight work gloves that are functional and fun.

The skeleton glove has become one of the company’s most popular sellers, offering the same protection of the Umatta mechanic glove but in a fun style.

The gloves conform to CE EN 388 3131 and offer a snug and comfortable fit with padding and reinforcement that gave protection in all the right places.

Featuring a 0.8mm black synthetic leather glove base, neoprene padded palm reinforcement and black nylon/lycra foam back with neoprene knuckle bar construction, the gloves have adjustable wrist straps with Velcro fasteners and high-tech construction to give extra manoeuvrability.


11

PRODUCT WATCH

• V-Duct modular ducting• Welding and fume extraction

T: (09) 835 4090F: (09) 835 4070

www.vikingltd.co.nz

NEW ZEALANDS MOST COMPREHENSIVE RANGE

OF DUST EXTRACTION AND SPRAY BOOTH SYSTEMS.

DUST EXTRACTION

SPRAY BOOTHS

• Reverse pulse bag filters• Camfil Gold series collectors• Cyclones and static filters• Fans and rotary valves• Design build, project management• Sheet metal and general engineering

• Kit set open face booths• Auto spray lines• Heated spray and bake booths• Heated drying rooms• Paint work stations

VIKING

Better WiFi securityFluke Networks has a dedicated sensor for WiFi network monitoring that eliminates the need for ethernet cabling, and reduces the cost by up to two thirds in situations where cable installation is restricted from a time, cost or logistics perspective.

Fluke’s SmartEdge Sensor Series 4 (for AirMagnet Enterprise) extends WiFi security and performance monitoring, providing immediate coverage in the face of wireless LAN (WLAN) and the growth in bring-your-own-device (BYOD).

Wayne Allen, programme manager, Fluke Networks, says: “With WLAN growth

Pacific Hoists expands range

A square drive torque wrench from Wren.

Lifting and materials handling firm Pacific Hoists has added to its hydraulic range by including pumps, tools and cylinders.

With internationally recognised brands such as Wren, Eagle Pro and CEJN; the firm offers solutions to a wide variety of applications in the mining, oil & gas, automotive and other resource industries.

Quality is the key word for the new range of Wren tools and pumps which includes air hydraulic pumps, electric hydraulic pumps for both torque tools and cylinders, hand pumps and hydraulic torque wrenches; both square drive and low profile for applications with low height clearances.

Additional products such as hexagon cassettes, sockets and reducers are also available to create flexibility of use.

All products are backed up by a 24-month warranty and

technical support, service and repair is carried out in-house by the PH Hydraulic Service Centres.

By scanning the code on the product, the user is able to access specifications, technical drawings, instruction manuals and selection guides. This information can be saved to a smartphone or accessed again through rescanning the code.


scanning and rogue detection, combined with client performance verification via AirMagnet Enterprise’s Automated Health Check (AHC) feature.

AHC proactively tests and

verifies WLAN network health from the end-user device all the way to the cloud and identifies issues before they impact the organisation.


approaching $1 billion a quarter, and the dramatic increase in BYOD, the areas in which organisations need WiFi performance and monitoring coverage is increasing exponentially.

“The SmartEdge sensor provides a solution to help secure and monitor the network by eliminating roadblocks caused by ethernet cabling.”

For customers where ethernet cable is already available or not cost restricted to install, the SmartEdge Sensor can leverage its internal radios (two 802.11n 3x3 MIMO 450Mbps plus one for dedicated spectrum analysis) for 24x7 security monitoring,

12 November 2012

PRODUCT WATCH

Freephone 0800 ASK LOCK (0800 275 562) lockfi nance.co.nz

Is your business strategy for growth being held back?…no need to bet the house*

Lock Finance is New Zealand’s leading independent and business fi nance company offering a fully integrated combination of trade fi nance, working capital, debtor fi nance and factoring since 1889.

*House mortgage security not normally required

LOC 6899 B

Reel easyThis tough, impact-resistant reel from ReCoila is perfect for

extended use in general applications such as cold water wash down.

It also provides an efficient storage system for hoses, thereby taking trip hazards off the ground and improving safety during cleaning processes.

The firm’s Gen III air/water series are manufactured from impact and corrosion-

resistant polypropylene and are available in a range of hose lengths up to 20 metres, and hose ID from 8mm to 12mm. The

hoses are suitable for up to 240psi working pressure at 30°C.


Manually energised actuatorsFlow control engineering group Rotork has introduced a range of manually energised spring-return actuators to provide an economical solution for failsafe valves that are infrequently operated.

The Rotork ManPower range reduces installation time and expense

since no external electrical, hydraulic or pneumatic power is required.

Suitable for a wide range of ball, butterfly and plug valves, the scotch-yoke actuators are

equipped with a compact, self-contained manually

operated hydraulic power pack.A hydraulic hand pump

on the power pack is used to operate the actuator and compress the failsafe spring,

holding the valve in the desired open or closed position

until a failsafe signal is received, at which point the spring will drive the

valve to the safe position.Failsafe operation can be triggered

by electrical signals, high or low pressure pilots or fire sensors, enabling the fulfilment of many emergency shutdown and pressure related protection duties in the oil, gas, petrochemical and pipeline industries.

Actuators are available with output torques up to 45,000Nm, with explosion-proof and watertight certification to international standards.

Where space is restricted the ManPower hydraulic module can be located separately from the valve. Standard units are suitable for a temperature range from -23°C to +60°C and equipped with built-in temperature compensation.


13

A Wide Rangefor Any Job!

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Heads up on loud noisesThe Quietdose personal dosimeter, from Howard Leight by Honeywell, can be an addition to any workplace hearing protection plan.

It is an ‘in-ear’ dosimetry device that measures the noise that workers hear accurately and in real time. By avoiding costly engineering changes and accurately measuring noise exposure at its source, employers can make significant savings and taking steps to adjust workers’ hearing protection.

Traditional dosimetry devices measure the ambient

noise around the worker and then make assumptions or estimates about the sounds that impact the wearer’s ear. Quietdose goes one step further by measuring the noise hitting the wearer’s eardrum.

It is essentially a hearing protector that measures itself, taking the guesswork out of traditional dosimetry by providing truly accurate data that can be used to adjust hearing protection immediately.

The data allows supervisors to respond when an alarm is activated if the worker is

getting close to the safe noise limit. The Quietdose measures the ‘dose’ of noise a worker is hearing over the course of the day and can be programmed to send an SMS or email alerting the supervisor if workers are being overexposed to noise.

Studies out of Australia show that noise exposure is the most common cause of occupational hearing loss and that most hearing loss occurs in the first five to 10 years of exposure.


Milling made cost-efficientThe Seco Square 6-04 is a compact square shoulder milling tool with six edges per insert, for small and medium-sized milling machines.

Seco’s latest addition to this milling tool range includes an M-geometry, reduced diameter shanks and one more shell end mill.

Its 6-04 range of cutters has brought the six-edge productivity of the bigger Square 6-08 down to the 20mm (0.75 inch) diameter range.

“In this type of milling, an important

diameter range for cutters is between 20mm and 25mm,” says Tapio Alatalo, product manager at Seco. “Square 6-04 is a complement to its larger sibling and to cutters with one-sided inserts.”

Square 6-04 is available in diameter ranges from 20mm to 63mm (0.75" to 2.5"). The cutters have between two and 10 pocket seats equipped with indexable triangular inserts with three edges on each side, a total of six per insert.


PRODUCT WATCH

14 November 2012

Hear this

Aluminium compressed air pipingIndustrial Air Systems NZ has launched a new range of compressed air piping systems. Gone are the days of the black and galvanised air pipe, laboriously cut and threaded on site, says the firm. Enter the Alu plastic pipe system with a zero corrosion factor, lightweight for ease of handling, and good long-term sealing properties.

The firm’s Alu Air aluminium air pipe reticulation system has the rigidity qualities of iron pipe yet has the lightweight advantages of plastic.

The company says its piping system makes for fast and easy installation with no risk of sags, “even in the most extreme climates”.

The company says its compressed O-ring seal is leak-proof and doesn’t deteriorate with water contamination.

“High-strength nylon fittings can be reused in years to come, lending the system to fast and cost-effective alterations as the compressed air requirement grows down the track,” says the firm.

With a lighter gauge wall

thickness, the company says its aluminium piping supports up to 50 percent higher air flows than the corresponding steel or plastic pipe sizes, “which minimises pressure drop and makes for ultimate air energy transfer and productivity”.

In addition, it says the ultra-smooth internal aluminium wall of the pipes ensure smoother ‘latimer’ air f low with less friction, less velocity-causing back pressure, and a more stable compressed air delivery.


The 3M Peltor H505B earmuffs can be worn with welding helmets to provide moderate level attenuation that meets the needs of most welding industry applications.

When correctly selected and worn, they help reduce exposure to hazardous levels of noise and loud sounds.

They have a modern, stylish, slim-line cup design that incorporates liquid sealing rings for improved comfort. Relatively large space inside the cups helps reduce moisture and heat build-up.

The soft wide cushions also help in decreasing pressure around the ears and provide increased wearer comfort.

Easy to replace cushions and

inserts ensure the earmuffs remain hygienically clean.

Although ideal for use in the welding industry, these earmuffs can be used in a range of other industrial applications such as agriculture, automotive construction, chemical and pharmaceutical manufacture, light engineering and woodworking.


Measure the temperature

The US military first developed the wet bulb globe temperature (WBGT) gauge for its

training camps, and it has since become widespread for workplaces.

The Lutron WBGT-2010SD measures WBGT values, black globe temperature,

humidity, air temperature, wet bulb temperature and dew point.

These values can be read on the display and logged to an SD card memory. Data from the card can be transferred to a PC and analysed using a spreadsheet program.

Data can be logged automatically in real time at intervals from one second to 3600 seconds with unlimited records, or manually to 99 readings.

This means any decisions made on activity can be backed up by factual evidence of environmental

conditions at a given time.


Safe Cleaning and Sanitising the

wayPathoSans® innovative technologyslashes cleaning costs by replacingtoxic cleaners and sanitisers withsafe, eco-friendly cleaners. On site.On demand.

This non-toxic system convertswater and salt Into Alkaline cleaner(NaOH) and Acidic sanitiser (HCIO)solutions for surface cleaning,pathogen destruction and biofilmremoval.

Replace virtually all your currentchemical cleaners and sanitisers,save money, transport and storagespace.

Spraying Systems NZLTD

12E Saturn Place, Rosedale, Auckland 0632• Free Ph: 0800 777 291 • Fax: (09) 916 1172 • [email protected] • www.spray.co.nz

For advice on how PathoSans® will pay for itself, contact

pathos 19x13 18/10/12 10:19 AM Page 1

“Total Oil supplies all our lubricants for all our machines, mainly container handling equipment, running 24 hours, 7 days a week. They have never let us down. Total Oil has come out on top because of their reliability and service.”

Bob Lloyd – Port of Napier, Workshop Foreman

– Total Customer since 2003

We’re Total Fans

ATT

N12

TOT9

1

For technical information, latest specials or to find your nearest distributor call 0800 TOTAL OIL or visit www.totaloilsolutions.co.nz

food procESSing

“Total Oil supplies all our lubricants for all our machines, mainly container handling equipment, running 24 hours, 7 days a week. They have never let us down. Total Oil has come out on top because of their reliability and service.”

Bob Lloyd – Port of Napier, Workshop Foreman

– Total Customer since 2003

We’re Total Fans

ATT

N12

TOT9

1

For technical information, latest specials or to find your nearest distributor call 0800 TOTAL OIL or visit www.totaloilsolutions.co.nz

16 November 2012

food procESSing

GEA FreezingOffers a wide range of energy efficient freezing and cooling

systems. The design of our Spirals, Tunnels and Carton Freezers has

evolved from more than 30 years’ experience in the food processing

industry. Our food application, engineering and manufacturing teams

ensure the freezers or chillers fully meet your processing needs.

GEA Refrigeration Technologies

GEA Freezing Office 5 (Level 2, Building 10)

666 Great South Road, Penrose, Auckland, NZ

PO Box 12479 Penrose, Auckland 1642

Phone: NZ +64 9 969 1605 · Fax +64 9 526 3345

Phone: AUS +61 3 9770 8832 · Fax +61 3 9770 8839

www.geafreezing.com TC02

83_D

EMM

TC0283_DEMM.indd 1 20/06/12 11:11 AM

Keep it clean

Geoff Anders looks at one way to ensure food is kept free of unwanted contaminants on the production line.

There are a number of ways to sterilise the caps used on food jars and bottles. A common method of hot sterilisation is to lay the container down or fully invert it while the contents are hot.

The optimal time for this method is one to two minutes at above 75°C, so to lay a bottle sideways or hold it inverted for that time then reorient it requires a long section of conveyor at production speeds.

The length needed is proportional to the speed of travel. Once installed, a fixed length conveyor prevents any increase in line speed. It also takes up a lot of f loor space, though the system can suit high throughput operations and short product change time.

Auckland-based Zecante Developments’ patented Rotary Under Cap Steriliser (RUCS) is a compact unit that achieves full inversion and quick product change times while using minimum space and conveyor length.

Its main body is 1200mm long x 900mm wide x 1800mm high, and requires only 2400mm of conveyor space. This model is aimed at operations with 3.5 to 4.5K litre an hour hot filling rates. This is a ‘cost optimised’ size. Higher rates would be achieved by lengthening the machine and minor changes to a conveyor.

Machines of this design have been running successfully for three years. The one shown was recently installed to

Barkers of Geraldine’s new hot filling line.Geraldine is a South Canterbury

town, and Barkers is a long-standing, award-winning family business that makes fruit based sweet and savoury products including sauces, chutneys, relishes, jellies, fruit syrups and spreads, jams, curds, marmalades and patisserie fillings. It also processes Anathoth jams and Tandoori Palace Indian food products.

This standard design handles bottles from 2.3lt down to 200ml round, square or rectangular – at rates of 2200 bph x two litre bottles, 4000bph x one litre and up to 7500bph for smaller bottles. It will work with any type of cap and glass or PET containers.

Product change requires only two or

three minutes to swap colour-coded clip-in product lanes and program selection at a touch screen. Channel sets are customer specific and each set can accommodate more than one container type or style of a similar size or shape.

The rotating transport looks similar to a stern-wheeler’s paddle. It has product lanes on eight arms that step around in 45 degree increments. Product runs in to the bottom lane, steps through eight positions for a full circle, then runs out as a group of sterilised containers and a new load is counted in, indexing 45 degrees once the lane is full.

Containers are counted in and out. Product is counted as inverted and

Richard Clare finishing an upgrade at the Barkers’ plant in Geraldine, South Canterbury. Photo – Geoff Anders

17

Beyond today’s standardsMAF C15/ NSF H1 food grade lubricants, ammonia refrigeration & industrial lubricants for gears, chains, compressors, hydraulics &

greases call:THE CANADIAN OIL COMPANY LIMITED

09 837 1174 (fax 09 837 1708)www.canadianoilcompany.co.nz

[email protected]

food procESSing

sterilising for all stations except the load/unload position as the rotation provides turbulent hot product movement under lids.

Machine control is by Omron type CP1L and NV touch screen, programmed with the Omron CX one package.

The variable speed drive is an Omron MX2 unit driving a 0.37kw SEW spiral bevel gearbox. Power and air use is minimal and the machine is low stressed, so a long low-maintenance life is expected. Also used are Omron relays and proximities, IFM effector clear glass photo switches, Wieland power supplies and terminals and Lapp cables.

All container and product options can be preprogrammed to the touch screen and others may be added on site.

Lane capacity by container count is programmed and there are jam sensors, lanes can handle partial loads. In-feed, main body and out-feed guards have monitored category three safety sensors and operator reach protection.

The Zecante Developments partnership consists of John Vazey (engineering design) and Richard Clare (control and automation). They have worked together for 20 years designing, building, upgrading and commissioning production lines and machinery for the food industry, including for Montana Wines (now Pernod Ricard).


Richard Clare and operator Donna run checks after a service at the Barkers’ plant. Photo / Geoff Anders

Doorway to chilling issueIf you see frost on the edges of your industrial freezer door and you’ve seen accidents due to an automatic door’s lack of speed, then the insulated and high-speed Ulti-Flex freezer door may be the solution to your problems. It may also save you money in the long run.

According to Ulti Group, one customer recovered the cost of his two freezer doors in three months.

The Ulti doors have a high insulation value (equivalent to freezer panel), doors part at a speed of more than two meters a second, they feature collision-resistant

panels and help eliminate ice build-up.


18 November 2012

food procESSing

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACTLÄCKEBY AUTHORISED DISTRIBUTOR:

Pump Systems Ltd

0800 60 90 60www.pumpsystems.co.nz

World-classwastewaterseparation +dewateringtechnology.

Läckeby ProductsA DIVISION OF LÄCKEBY WATER GROUP AB.A DIVISION OF LÄCKEBY WATER GROUP AB.

• Maximum dewatering of organic wastes• High amount of dry solids (over 50% DSC)• Built-in spray function for sludge washing• Low maintenance with few moving parts• Supplied as one robust, ultra-compact unit• Full integration with Roto-Sieve® Drum Screen•• Very low investment and life cycle costs

Läckeby WSPWash Screw Presses

• Unique “rotary sieve” design for high separation• Guaranteed 100% separation above screen size• Drum screen perforations down to 0.6 mm dia.• Effectively captures hair and fibrous material• Self-cleaning with integrated overflow system • Minimises downstream chemical treatment•• Ultimate Membrane Bioreactor (MBR) protection

Roto-Sieve®

Rotary Drum Screens

THE MOSTEFFICIENT

DRUM SCREENON THEMARKET

SLUDGEDEWATERINGTO OVER 50%DRY SOLIDS

CONTENT

A Roto-Sieve drum screen is primarily

installed to remove solid particles from

various types of wastewaters. There is a wide

range of screens, which can be tailored to

almost any application where suspended

solids need to be separated.

Fine-screening using Roto-Sieve has

many advantages over generic drum

screens and different kinds of bar

screens. This is one of the reasons why

Roto-Sieve drum screens have been

installed in most slaughter houses, food

processing and fish industries and in

nearly half of Sweden’s approximately

3000 municipal sewage plants.

Roto-Sieve is a Swedish designed

and produced product and is officially

represented in Europe, the US, the Far East,

as well as Australia and New Zealand.

The screen consists of a rotating,

perforated, inclined drum, and an

internally mounted continuous transport

screw, which transports the separated

solids out of the drum.

The drum rotates by a belt drive system

and is operated by a cog gear motor. The

incoming liquid is fed into the drum by

means of an internal inlet pipe, which

distributes the water over a large area of the

drums inside.

The water passes through the holes of

the drum and falls into the water collection

trough underneath the drum. Separated

solids are moved to the elevated end of the

drum for optimum dewatering and freely

discharged through the discharge chute.

Roto-Sieve can handle fat in process

wastewater due to the automatic cleaning of

the perforated area. A counter rotating roller

brush provides for continuous cleaning of

the apertures during drum operation and a

spray header with spray nozzles provides for

intermittent spray cleaning.

The drum screens are completely encased

with detachable splashguards and equipped

with a ventilation exhaust connection for

control of odours. Most Roto-Sieve drum

screen models are also available with an

automatic overflow system.

Roto-Sieve comes in five sizes for different

flows, ensuring there will always be one or

more units to fit the bill.

All models are mainly of stainless steel

AISI 304 construction (316 on request).

Standard screen perforations are 0.8, 1, 1.5,

2 and 3mm diameter; with the smallest

perforation being 0.6mm.

Roto-Sieve drum screens are a

guaranteed safe investment, with

reliability in operation, long life and

low energy consumption. For certain

applications, Roto-Sieve has proven to be

superior to other equipment with a very

short pay-off time.

Roto-Sieve can be applied within key

areas of the food industry such as: poultry,

beef, lamb and pig slaughterhouses and

production plants, meat and by-product

process plants, tanneries, fruit and

vegetable processing plants and associated

food product manufacturing plants, fishing

industry factory ships and deep sea trawlers.


Drum out unwanted solids

19

AUCKLAND : Tel : (09) 579 1990 WELLINGTON : Tel : (04) 499 3591 CHRISTCHURCH : Tel : (03) 366 0017

Email : [email protected] WEBSITE : www.eurotec.co.nz

With the cost of refrigerants forecast to rise signi cantly at the end of this year with the introduction of the ETS, the need for high quality refrigerant leak detection systems has never been more vital to the health of your business. Even minor leaks can cost your bottom line in terms of replacement refrigerant and the likelihood of increased insurance premiums.With a wide range of detection products from leading manufacturers such as Manning, Honeywell and MSA, Eurotec have the tools to help you detect refrigerant leaks, from cool stores to major plants and retail environments.If you want to ensure your bottom line isn't leaking pro ts due to poor refrigerant leak detection, talk to your local Eurotec of ce today.

Refrigerant Leak Detection

Can be the difference between pro t & loss

food procESSing

Keep the air cleanNu-Way’s HVAC family is growing, with Phoenix Hygienic Air Handlers now available for critical process applications such as food processing facilities.

Used in food processing plants, hygienic air handlers supply fresh, filtered, humidified and cooled / temperature controlled air to pressurise food processing rooms.

Room pressurisation can inhibit airborne contaminants from entering the processing space from other areas.

Controlling humidity is crucial to help reduce free moisture and condensation. Excess moisture fosters the growth and spread of bacteria.

Roof or indoor mounted hygienic handlers are used instead of air-cooling units that are mounted inside the processing rooms.

By eliminating ‘in-room’ equipment and mounting hygienic air units outside the processing room, washing and disinfecting the process rooms is much quicker and

easier with less growth surfaces for bacteria.

Nu-Way says the Phoenix system can help companies involved in the processing of meat, poultry, beef, pork as well as in kill f loors, cut-up rooms, grinding, marinating, breading, fryer to freezer areas, slicing and evisceration rooms.

They are also recommended for use in dairy, fruit, vegetable/salad preparation, bagging and packing rooms as well as ready-to-eat and frozen dinners, frozen food preparation and packaging rooms.

Phoenix Air Systems is a manufacturer of hygienic air handling systems providing a comprehensive approach for the critical process environment of the food and pharmaceutical grade production and process industries.


20 November 2012

P 9 441 0177E [email protected]

ReCoila’s SE Series spring rewind stainless steel reels are strong, compact and perfect for hygienic food processing and manufacturing environments. The SE Series is available in a wide range of sizes to suit various hose sizes and pressures. Need a reel for a different application? We’ve got thousands to choose from - or we can design and manufacture a reel for your speci c requirements. Call us for more info or visit us online at www.recoila.co.nz

Hose reels for

FoodProcessing

Applications

food procESSing

Say cheese

Loading the Milmeq SRT with cheese blocks ready to begin the 24-hour cooling cycle.

Milmeq has installed hundreds of automated chilling and freezing systems globally and a considerable number of these have been for dairy processors in New Zealand, Australia, USA, Ireland and Japan. The Milmeq automatic chilling system is chosen for the smart technology, robust design and the benefit of having a customised, f lexible and easy to use control programme.

The unique tunnel design by Milmeq adapted specifically for the dairy industry ensures 40lb blocks of cheese receive exactly the same treatment through the cooling process.

Its rapid cooler can automatically chill 3,420 cheese blocks to a set temperature within a 24-hour cycle.

Historically Milmeq technologies has grown and catered to the food industries in New Zealand and Australia. Today, the firm continues to attract an increasing number of overseas projects for processors who are looking for improved ways to

design their total plant operations and ensure that new extensions or system upgrades offer seamless integration into existing processes as well as

deliver increased efficiencies and product quality.


The quality insurance process is an always recurring challenge in the production of food and beverage products.

Production of high-quality products based on secure and simple manageable filling processes is a specialty of Mettler Toledo’s networked software FreeWeigh.

The firm’s data management system is designed to streamline and stabilise the filling process while improving process efficiency and maximising production yield.

Over the period of a year, even a small overfill of valuable raw material sums up to tremendous costs. FreeWeigh is the key to having full control of the production process.

The system helps by eliminating expensive giveaways and at the same time ensures that legal obligations are complied with.

Key elements in FreeWeigh include statistical quality control (SQC), which automatically controls the filling process, and expensive overfills as well as illegal under fills can be eliminated.

With the tracking and tracing functionality, FreeWeigh provides full traceability of all relevant production activities which enables you to analyse the recorded data from any point in time.


Not too much, not too little

21

Dust and Fume Extraction

Freephone 0508 NZ DUCT (0508 69 38 28)

13F Saleyards Road, Otahuhu, AucklandPh: 09 276 8020 Fax: 09 276 8070

Email: [email protected]

www.nzduct.co.nz

New ZealandDUCT & FLEX

Absolutely anything you need for

In-stock for overnight delivery

Widest Range

EuropeanQuality

Flex

Fans

Fume Arms

ModularDuct

Baghouse Filters

Dust StormFilters

food procESSing

Keep it clean

Xenos is using food grade ducting

from NZ Duct & Flex at its plant in

Christchurch.

Xenos has been at the forefront of the aseptic bottling industry with a range of processing and filling systems that are compact, and have a throughput range of 150–6000 bottles an hour.

When the Kiwi firm needed flexible duct for its Christchurch plant, the company’s managers called on New Zealand Duct & Flex.

Based in Auckland, the firm supplied polyurethane flex that met FDA and EU regulations.

Manufactured in Germany by Schauenburg Ruhrkunststoff, the product, which is resistant to hydrolysis and microbes, is non toxic and is food use approved.

The product is clear, and withstands a temperature range of -40°C to 100°C.

Matthias Kerkmann, engineering manager at Xenos, says every stage of the firm’s beverage system process is carried out within a sterile environment to

Retractable cordonsMany workplaces have areas that are used

as a thoroughfare one moment, and then restricted the next.

An example would be a factory roller door – deliveries need to come in and

stock needs to go out – but customers and visitors need to be made aware of the no

entry rules. Traditionally, businesses have used

traffic cones, bollards, wall mounted signage, freestanding signs or a combination of these.

ReCoila manufactures an easy solution for areas that are designated as both thoroughfare and restricted access – a wall-mounted safety barrier reel, fitted with 15 metres of retractable barrier tape or chain, in high visibility orange or yellow respectively.

When mounted on the side wall of a doorway or accessway, the reel allows staff to easily unwind a chain or tape and attach it to a hook on the opposite wall. The barrier is easily retracted when pedestrian or vehicular access is necessary.

The reels have a durable impact and UV resistant outer case coupled with a heavy duty spring mechanism, making them ideal for harsh industrial environments, as well as a vented outer case allowing for airflow and washdown when required.


ensure there is no chance of recontamination.

“There are many flexible duct products available,” says Geoff Ebdon from NZ Duct & Flex. “However, buyers should always ask for proof that the products are actually certified to the stringent regulations if food grade flex is required.

“In this case the flex was not being used for food conveyance, but like so many similar food processors, Xenos has the highest of standards to adhere to and it needed the regulated product on their

site.” • Go to www.demm.co.nz/enquiry quote: D121121a

22 November 2012

motorS and drivES

A drive for all seasonsThe Escon 36/3 is the newest addition to Maxon Motor’s servo controller series. Its design allows the set-up of cost efficient drive systems solely using Hall sensor feedback (no encoder necessary) without waiving the comprehensive four-quadrant operation capabilities.

It is designed for efficient control of brushless DC motors with Hall sensors up to approximately 100 watts.

The Escon 36/3 has a digital current controller. Its drift-free dynamic speed behaviour enables a speed range of zero

Expansion drive

Wellington Drive Technologies has formed a technology partnership with PAX Scientific; a USA based engineering research and development firm focused on fluid-related industrial solutions.

Wellington and PAX will collaborate on the development of a range of high efficiency, low-noise fans to complement Wellington’s ECR energy saving motor range.

The addition of high performance fan technology to Wellington’s product portfolio will allow Wellington to offer a total air-movement solution to commercial refrigeration customers, aligning with the company’s strategy of adding value ‘beyond the motor’.

The partnership will include a license from PAX Scientific subsidiary PAX Air to Wellington for the use of its patented, biomimicry based, f luid f low techniques in commercial refrigeration fans.

Initial products based on this license and other co-development projects are expected to be launched starting first quarter 2013.

Wellington Drive Technologies is one of the world’s leading suppliers of energy saving motors and intelligent control solutions for the commercial refrigeration industry.

The company has offices in the United States, Turkey, Singapore and Central America, and has an engineering centre and headquarters in Auckland.


to 150,000 RPM. The controller provides a wide range of functions with fully configurable digital and analogue inputs and outputs, and can be run in various operating modes; speed controller – closed loop; speed controller – open loop, and current controller.

The range for input voltage and operating temperature allows a flexible use in almost all drive applications, such as automation technology, machine manufacturing, equipment engineering, and in mechatronics.

With an efficiency of 95 percent, the

Escon 36/3 is ideal for consumption-optimised applications.


Motor training with EECAEECA Business works with the University of Waikato to develop and promote courses relating to efficiency in motor systems. Courses are designed for all businesses (small to large), auditors and service providers. These include webinars (general information on the latest technologies) and manager training.

Current training programmes include free webinars that are quick, easy ways to keep up to date with the latest technologies.

These show case studies and demonstrate how you can get started or improve your existing system. You can pick the topic you are interested, register and dial in from wherever you are.

Each webinar is one hour long and is presented by Dr Martin Atkins, Dr Michael Walmsley and Dr James Neale from The University of Waikato.

Upcoming Webinar dates are 7 November, fan system control; 21 November, heat exchanger and heat exchanger networks, and 12 December, f lash steam and condensate systems.

In addition, there is series of one-day manager training workshops, which provide practical instruction to factory-based management and technical staff. All workshops are based on best practice energy efficiency opportunities for pump, fan and compressed air systems. Attendees

will leave with an ability to identify system efficiency opportunities and to work confidently with skilled service providers to realise the efficiency opportunities available from the particular technology covered.

Upcoming courses include best practice in industrial pump systems on 16 November. In each case, a full systems approach is used to provide a sound understanding of best practice efficiency opportunities for the system concerned. Real industrial case studies and laboratory exercises are used to strengthen the learning experience.


23

motorS and drivES

For the most demanding industriesMotors and Drives are critical

nZ_deMM_201211_HAA.indd 1 28/09/2012 10:29:00 AM

Get up to speed with money-saving motors

Motor and drives technology has improved greatly in the last 10 years, and with a large effort being spent on making equipment with a greener footprint, Steve Dumbrell, automation applications engineer at Bonfiglioli, says business owners can save money by reassessing how they use energy.

“Even straightforward initiatives such as the adoption of variable speed drives instead of fixed speed drives can produce savings,” says Dumbrell.

“Variable speed drives can typically reduce the speed required for a particular operation by 20 percent, cutting power bills by more than 30 percent and achieving payback in less than a year.

“Some of the biggest savings can be made simply by seeing if particular companies have any fans or pumps that are not being controlled by a variable speed drive – typically where the flow of the fan or pump is being controlled by a

valve or f low regulator. “Installation of a variable speed on

these applications has one of the biggest potentials to save money and supply a quick payback time by reducing motor speed and thus reducing motor current.”

Where the use of motors becomes costly is when the motor is started and stopped regularly via a direct online start. This can draw five to seven times full load current of the motor out of the supply grid.

“Variable speed drives (VSDs) limit the starting current to between 150 percent and 200 percent of full motor current and also smoothly ramp the motor to require speed,” says Dumbrell.

Advances in drive design and control mean users can generate full motor torque down to virtually zero speed. This will reduce high inrush currents, greatly reduce motor winding fatigue and also allow users to set the correct motor

speed for the application. “By putting a VSD onto a common

centrifugal pump and reducing the speed by around 20 percent, users can see power savings of around 30 to 50 percent,” he says.

“Many manufacturers and material processors install VSDs to allow the machine to have a variable speed, but modern VSDs can also have a variety of industrial sensors incorporated to allow the drive to better control the process – and save the cost of a PLC or separate controller.”

Dumbrell says makers of drives are starting to design them with low loss drive filters, sleep modes to reduce energy consumption when motors are not running, and load monitoring to optimise motor current to application and reduce energy supplied to the motor.


The industrial motors and drives at the heart of industrial businesses provide a major opportunity for energy savings.

24 November 2012

How to test your motor’s insulationBy Jim Evans

motorS and drivES

The motor stator has two main insulating systems that include the ground wall and turn-to-turn insulation.

Over time, this insulation will deteriorate as a result of mechanical movement of the windings, torque transients, heat and contamination.

Although the motor will continue to run, the deterioration rate will accelerate. Eventually, the dielectric strength of the insulation will fall below operating voltage or deteriorate to the point that copper wire will touch turn-to-turn. At this point a turn-to-turn or hard welded short has developed.

The nature of high-voltage testing, and the necessity of the step-voltage and surge methods, are the main focus of this article.

Step-voltage test This DC test is performed to a voltage that a motor typically sees during starting and stopping.

The DC voltage is applied to all three phases of the winding and raised slowly to a reprogrammed voltage step level and held for a predetermined time period.

This process continues until the target test voltage is reached. Typical steps for a 3,300v motor are 1,000-volt increments, holding at minute intervals.

For motors less than 3,300V, the step voltages should be 500v.

Data is logged at the end of each step. This is to ensure the capacitive charge and polarisation current is removed and that only real leakage current remains, providing a true indication of the ground wall insulation condition.

If, at this point, the leakage current doubles, insulation weaknesses are indicated and the test should be stopped. If the leakage current rises consistently less than double, the motor insulation is in good standing.

If this DC test is not performed, the operator cannot be assured that the motor will start and operate without failing.

Surge test Regardless of a person’s view of surge testing, knowing that a motor’s turn-to-turn insulation is sound is crucial for safety and motor reliability.

During a surge test, the equipment will charge up a capacitor inside the unit and dissipate it into one phase while holding the other two phases to ground. Then, automatically, the test unit will slowly increase the voltage from zero volts to the target test voltage.

This generates a waveform, in a shape based upon the inductance of the coil that is displayed on the test equipment screen. If the target test voltage is attained without any frequency change in the waveform, the turn-to-turn insulation integrity has been realised.

As the rise time slows, the operator will notice that the voltage potential difference between the turns is dramatically reduced.

This is in contrast to any other signal utilised to diagnose motor issues. No DC test (or AC tests such as an inductance, capacitance, impedance, phase angle or HiPot) will produce this potential difference between the turns.


Eight into one does go

Before: Eight belts were used to drive a slurry pump that needed regular maintenance.

After: Now a single Gates belt is doing the job and saving the company money.

A coal wash plant using a medium density slurry pump was operating a belt drive system with a total weight of 200kg via eight SPC V-belts and eight groove pulleys.

The 280kW Weir Warman slurry pump required up to six maintenance inspections a year to check tensions and replace components.

Looking for a way to reduce downtime, the company installed a 14MGT-3136-90 Poly Chain GT Carbon belt with a 56 tooth driver sprocket and 140 tooth driven sprocket from Gates.

The total weight of the revised drive was 83kg, 59 percent less than the old drive,

resulting in lower overhung shaft loads and potential bearing wear.

The width of the drive was reduced by 49 percent from 213mm to 106mm, freeing up valuable work area.

The drive also meant five per cent less power consumption, equating to a saving of $2,000 a year for the Australian firm.

Gates says its Poly Chain belt has carbon fibre cords that do not stretch, and so removes the need for tensioning, “making them maintenance-free”.


25

motorS and drivES

DC motors with plenty of torqueMaxon motor, a provider of high precision drives up to 500W, is launching a new range of DC drives on 13 November.

These are characterized by innovative and powerful DC motors with an ironless rotor. Matching gearheads and sensors will be available from the same date. “New magnets, new design, new processes. Our best brushed drives have been given a complete technical revision,” says Eugen Elmiger, CEO of Maxon motor.

“Furthermore our customers can in future fine-tune their drives to their specific needs in even more detail. With just a few clicks on our website,” says the head of Maxon.

However, the technical data is not being revealed yet. Markus Schwab, the responsible product manager for the new Maxon DCX program, says: “These are going to be the most powerful DC motors on the market. In comparison to our direct competitors, our new products provide 20 per cent more power in the same size class.”


Brushless motors sweep the market

NUM is releasing two new brushless servomotor ranges for CNC machinery applications.

Machine builders can use a single drive-to-motor cable for each motion axis, thereby reducing cabling, speeding installation/commissioning, and improving system performance.

NUM estimates that for a typical high-end CNC machine installation involving 20 metre cable lengths, the new technology can reduce total motor cabling costs by as much as 20 percent per axis.

Available in 75, 95, 126 and 155mm frame sizes and three different lengths, the SHX and SPX brushless servomotors offer machine builders a wide choice of output power and speed ratings.

The SHX range is intended mainly for cost-sensitive applications and includes models with continuous torque outputs from 1.2 to 20Nm.

For applications demanding motors with maximum power-to-volume ratios and a high degree of protection (IP67), such as high-end machine tools, grinding machines and robotics, the SPX range offers units with continuous torque ratings from 1.4 to 23 Nm.

Developed for use with NUM’s latest-generation NUMDrive X digital servodrives and Flexium+ CNC platform, SHX and SPX brushless servomotors only require a single cable connection. An innovative embedded digital interface scheme allows the encoder power and position feedback data – together with diagnostic information and thermal data from the motor’s temperature sensor – to be carried on just two shielded wires contained within the motor’s power cable. This approach has significant advantages for machine builders. In addition to lower cabling costs, cable chains are smaller and lighter, the onerous task of installing and debugging cable runs is much less time consuming, and the reduced number of interconnections improves reliability and immunity to electromagnetic interference.


26 November 2012

ABB LimitedTel: 0800 GO 4 ABB (0800 46 4 222)Web: www.abb.co.nz

Process performance motors. The time has come to look beyond the ordinary.

ABB’s process performance motors have what it takes to reach new levels of efficiency in demanding processes. Combining the best available materials with superior technology and uncontested expertise, they are prepared to meet the most demanding expectations. Helping you to achieve the most reliable production process, ABB’s process performance motors are prepared to answer any reliability, availability and energy efficiency challenge, both now and in the future. For more information visitwww.abb.co.nz/motors&generators

UShalfpage.indd 1 4/15/2012 11:46:29 PM









motorS and drivES

Demand high for precision gearsGlobal shipments of precision gearboxes and geared motors were 69 percent higher in 2011 than in 2009 because of increased manufacturing output in 2010 and 2011.

IMS Research in Australia projects further growth in the market, but expects precision geared product sales to slow through 2016.

Demand surged as machine tool and industrial robot sales exceeded expectations in 2010 and 2011. Pent-up demand for machine tools and investment in industrial robots for new automobile production lines following the global recession were major driver behind the sharp increase in precision gearbox sales.

Although precision planetary gearboxes sales accounted for the majority of the 69 percent increase in shipments from 2009 to 2011, sales of precision geared motors and right angle gearboxes also recovered to pre-recession levels due to the overall increased manufacturing output in the North American and Asia Pacific markets which drove demand for advanced materials handling, packaging and food, beverage and tobacco machinery.

“There are two reasons behind the strong growth in sales of precision gearboxes and

geared motors,” says Bryan Turnbough, an analyst with IMS Research. “One being that demand for precision geared products continues to be more niche than standard industrial geared products, which allows for greater volatility in the precision geared products market.

“The other being that the standard geared products are continuing to be replaced with precision geared products in greater numbers due to growing demand for higher torque densities and precision.”

Market revenues for precision geared products are projected to grow on average 6.7 percent a year from 2011 to 2016. With machine tool and industrial robot sales slowing and the lingering weakness in the global economy, sales of precision geared products are expected to slow between now and 2016. Overcapacity resulting from the rapid increase in investments in new production facilities amid slow economic growth is also expected to factor in the slowdown of precision geared product sales.

“After two years of very high demand for precision geared products used in machine tools and industrial robots, the cyclical nature of the machine tool and robotics

industry can be expected to have the most profound impact on the market for precision geared products,” says Turnbough.

The markets for precision geared products sold into the machine tools and robotics are forecast to be the slowest growing markets with respective revenue compound annual growth rates of 5.9 percent and 3.2 percent from 2011 to 2016 according to the IMS Research report, World Market for Precision Gearboxes and Geared Motors.

Slower growth in sales of precision geared products through 2016 does not mean the market for precision geared products does not have any long-term potential for further growth. IMS Research expects the sales growth of precision geared products to accelerate once industrial demand catches up to production capacity. Precision geared product suppliers are also proactively developing products for use in other industries such as chemicals and power & energy, and this is likely to promote additional growth for sales of precision gearboxes and geared motors over the next five years and possibly over the next decade.


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28 November 2012

galvaniSing

Smart zincing solves big problem

A four-ton steel beam is dipped in a zinc galvanising bath at Perry Metals Protection in Hamilton.

Steve Hart reports that when an Australian mining firm urgently needed dozens of steel beams – fabricated, galvanised and delivered quick smart – it looked to Kiwi firms to deliver the goods.

A new hot dip galvanising plant costing $8 million is earning its keep at Perry Metal Protection in Hamilton.

The firm, which has plants at five locations across the country, agreed to a rushed order to galvanise oversized beams that were needed at a mine in Australia’s Northern Territories.

The job, which was completed on 31 August, meant the firm’s staff had to overcome some tricky logistical problems.

Due to the urgency of the order, the company brought in staff for weekend working, shuffled its schedules and prepared for deliveries of 14m long beams, some weighing more than four tons each.

Working as a subcontractor to D&H Steel Construction in Auckland, one of Perry Metal’s advantages in winning the contract was the speed by which it could turn the job around.

“The beams were large and heavy, and for a single piece they were among the heaviest beams galvanised in New Zealand to date,” says Neville Bamford, business development manager at Perry Metal Protection.

“We were the only firm in New Zealand who could do this particular job.”

One of the reasons New Zealand firms got the job was that the fabrication firm – D&H Steel – was able

to produce the welded steel beams faster than companies in Australia.

Bamford says Kiwi firms working together were able to deliver the beams to where they were needed faster than any firm based across the Tasman.

“It was all hands to the pumps as there were strict shipping deadlines to meet,” he says.

“There were a lot of logistical hurdles with this contract, for example, the sheer size of the beams meant we had to transport them by road in the early hours – when there was little traffic around.

“Once they were galvanised we had to get most of them to Tauranga for shipping to Australia. Others were returned to D&H for shipping out of Auckland. Due to the size and weight of the beams, this job was unique for us.”

Dipping 14m long beams in a 9.5m long galvanising kettle presented its own issues. While simple to remedy – by dipping one end, and then the other, in a process called double-dipping – swinging four-ton beams around had to be done with extreme care and planning using an overhead gantry.

“The pieces came in dribs and drabs, and as soon as each one arrived we dipped it in our bath – a bath that has $1 million worth of molten zinc in it –

Invisible barrier wards off corrosionA coating so thin it’s invisible to the human eye has been shown to make copper nearly 100 times more resistant to corrosion, creating tremendous potential for metal protection in harsh environments.

In a paper published in the September issue of Carbon, researchers from Monash University and Rice University in the USA say their findings could mean paradigm changes in the development of anti-corrosion coatings using extremely thin graphene films.

Graphene is a microscopically thin layer of carbon atoms. It is already in use in such things as smartphone screens, and is attracting research attention for its possibilities as a means of increasing metal’s resistance to corrosion.

“We have obtained one of the best improvements that have been reported so far,” says study co-author Dr Mainak Majumder. “At this point we are almost 100 times better than untreated copper.”

Dr Parama Banerjee, who performed most of the experiments for this study, says graphene has “excellent mechanical properties and great strength”.

The polymer coatings that are often used on metals can be scratched, compromising their protective ability, but the invisible layer of graphene – although it changes neither the feel nor the appearance of the metal – is much harder to damage.

The researchers applied the graphene to copper at temperatures between 800 and 900 degrees, using a technique known as chemical vapour deposition, and tested it in saline water.

“It is particularly significant that such an atomically thin coating can provide protection in that environment,” says Dr Banerjee.

Initial experiments were confined to copper, but Dr Banerjee says research was already under way on using the same technique with other metals.

“This would open up uses for a huge range of applications, from ocean-going vessels to electronics; anywhere that metal is used and at risk of corrosion. Such a dramatic extension of metal’s useful life could mean tremendous cost savings for many industries,” he says.

The process is still in the laboratory testing stage, but Dr Majumder says the group was not only looking at different metals, but also investigating ways of applying the coating at lower temperatures, which would simplify production and enhance market potential.


29

For advice on service, quotations and technical knowledge on hot dip galvanizing, contact your local Perry Metal Protection site.

Email [email protected] www.perrymetalprotection.co.nz

Auckland 09 820 8471Tauranga 07 541 1344

Hamilton 07 850 0120Wellington 04 568 4139

Christchurch 03 349 0290

galvaniSing

galvaniSing

Quick look: D&H Steel – PMP

• Galvanised beams were urgently needed for a mine workshop in Australia.

• Beams were delivered to Perry Metal Protection (PMP) for hot dip galvanising.

• Total weight of the steel handled was 108 tons.

• Due to the size and weight of some crucifix and crane beams, the total galvanized was 80.5 tons.

• Beam lengths ranged from 6m to 15m, from 700mm to 1200mm in depth and from one tonne to over four tons.

• The four-ton beams were the largest to be galvanized in New Zealand

• Galvanising was completed in six days.• PMP loaded around 40 tons into two

open top containers for transport from Hamilton to Tauranga for shipping, with the balance returned to D&H Steel for shipping out of Auckland.

• PMP provided full QA certification to standard 4680 and all galvanising was independently tested.

Perry Metals Protection – Hamilton

• The centrepiece of the firm’s new $8 million galvanizing facility is its gas-fired kettle, or bath, that holds 300 tons of molten zinc heated to 450°C.

• Steel items are loaded into the kettle via a monorail system.

• Heat from the kettle’s furnace exhaust is recycled and passed through a heat exchanger to heat water to 90°C, which is used for two process tanks.

• The facility can double dip items up to 18m in length.

and sent it out the next day,” says Bamford.

“In all the job took six days to complete over the course of a few weeks.”

He says the firm’s new facility in Hamilton has only been in operation since January this year, and that without it, the job of dipping the beams could not have been done in New Zealand.

“It is the country’s largest plant of its type and is state-of-the-art,” says Bamford.

“It means that every job of this size is new to us, and we are hoping to build a good reputation for handling oversized and custom work.”

Bamford says the firm

was also involved in packing the beams into open top containers for shipping, something its staff has never done before.

“It was a bit unusual for us, particularly given the size and weight involved with dozens of beams,” he says. “But now we have another string to our bow.”

When it is not handling special projects, the company, which has been operating for 38 years and has a 40 percent market share, services public and private organisations in areas such as rural, industrial and infrastructure.


30 November 2012

MAINTENANCE MATTERS

Full steam aheadA high-pressure boiler supplied and installed by Energy Plant Solutions is helping one dairy firm save money with better use of energy.

Energy Plant Solutions was asked by SKL8, project manager on a new dairy factory near Balclutha, to supply and install a high-pressure boiler supplying 20,000kg/hr of steam for a milk powder spray dryer.

The boiler plant is a dual fuel fired unit; the primary fuel being LPG with a secondary diesel fuel supply in case of the unavailability of gas. In the last 10 years there have been at least three major gas outages causing loss of supply for up to seven days on two occasions.

Energy Plant Solutions recommended the dual fuel system to SKL8 and dairy processing firm Gardians. With a temporary diesel fuel supply in place, the boiler can be backed up and running by simply selecting the diesel fuel selection on the boiler control system’s touch screen, so there is minimal downtime and no loss of production.

The Oilon dual fuel burner installed is controlled by a Siemens LMV control system. Individual actuators on the gas, oil, air and auxiliary head controls provide direct digital control of the dampers without the need for associated linkages as on conventional burners causing backlash preventing accurate and repeatable results impacting

on combustion efficiency. Variable speed control on

the burner force draft fan reduces power consumption and noise as the fan runs down to low speeds at times of low burner output. Oxygen trim is fitted to the boiler. This system is constantly sampling and adjusting the air fuel ratio to ensure optimum combustion regardless of air temperature and barometric pressure to levels as low as two percent residual oxygen.

To put this in perspective, at seven per cent residual oxygen, this equates to excess air levels 50 percent over and above the perfect level required for combustion. With typical high excess air levels, fuel is essentially being wasted heating all the extra cold air.

The boiler is insulated with a three-layer system to maximise the thermal efficiency of the boiler plant, reducing the radiant losses from the boiler. This system provides cladding surface temperatures as low as 20°C.

Infrared thermal images demonstrate just how effective this insulation is. This results in significantly reduced fuel consumption. The boiler plant can be shut off overnight and only drops to half operating pressure. Most boilers will

flatten if left turned off overnight, only to have to burn addition fuel to get them back up to full operating pressure.

A large deaerator has been fitted with future additional boiler capacity in mind as the factory expands. This unit assists in removing oxygen from the boiler�s feedwater to prevent corrosion and preheat the boiler feedwater to 104°C.

A flash steam recovery system installed captures a large portion of the energy lost from the boiler’s continuous blowdown system. Such blowdown systems are a common requirement on boiler plant for controlling the solid levels within the boiler, however the energy is often wasted.

The flash steam from this blowdown system is captured and introduced into the deaerator to further assist in preheating the cold makeup water being introduced into the deaerator, reducing fuel consumption.

If a fault should occur the control system will text message the fault description to the people assigned to the boiler’s supervision.

A first for New Zealand on a boiler plant of this size is a large counterflow condensing heat exchanger that has been installed by Energy Plant

Energy Plant Solutions’ economiser and condensing heat exchanger system.

Solutions on the exhaust of the boiler, condensing the water vapour in the flue gas and preheating cold feedwater makeup from 10°C up to as high as 70°C.

This water is then fed into the de-aerator where it is preheated to 104°C. The firm’s boiler feed pump system send water into the boiler without the requirement for a typical bypass system, required on boilers with conventional modulating feedwater systems.

Normal bypass systems waste energy by circulating water back to the feedwater storage system at low loads to prevent pump damage. Energy Plant Solutions’ system does not require such a bypass.

A large portion of the work, as a result of the condensing heat exchanger and economiser, is achieved with the use of waste energy dramatically reducing fuel consumption.

This results in flue gas temperatures exiting the stainless steel flue ducting as low as 40°C. These gases being emitted to the atmosphere are as much as 230°C lower than other boiler plant installed in New Zealand, dramatically reducing operating costs and reducing environmental impact.


SAVED: $45,000 IN 3 HOURS

IT’S ALL PART OF THE SERVICE

www.eecabusiness.govt.nz

Over half of the energy consumed by New Zealand industry is used for process heat. And it’s estimated that at least 10% of that could be saved without any loss to production capability.

Many businesses have found that Making significant energy savings can be easy, quick and part of ‘business as usual’.

For instance, by following a planned maintenance schedule, manufacturers can easily improve boiler efficiency. One dairy processing company, for example, found that boiler

tunings undertaken as part of regular operations can achieve savings of $45,000 a year. And the actual tuning process can take as little as three hours, with no interruption to production.

And the savings are not just at the boiler. In a typical steam system, 25% of the productive heat output is often wasted on losses in the network or downstream equipment.

Whether it is for boiler tuning or overall heat systems efficiency, talk to an EECA Business approved programme partner. They can help you with expert advice and unlock any funding that may be available to you.

EEC2563A

EEC2563 Business Industrial Prog Ad 2_2.indd 1 15/10/12 4:55 PM

EEC2563B

TO SEE HOW MUCH YOUR BUSINESS CAN SAVE,

CONTACT ONE OF OUR PROGRAMME PARTNERS

BOILER TUNING PROGRAMME PARTNERSEECA provides funding towards the cost of a six-monthly boiler

tune-up schedule. The approved programme partners are:

Advanced Boiler ServicesLocation: North Island • Contact: Kevin Melpas Phone 07 847 1821

www.absboiler.co.nz

Energy Plant SolutionsLocation: Nationwide • Contact: Brendon Stephenson Phone 021 446 698

www.epsolutions.co.nz

Gas and Oil Combustion Services Location: North Island • Contact: Neil Lunnis Phone 027 479 0933

RCR EnergyLocation: Nationwide • Contact: Phil Morrell Phone 06 872 7605

www.rcrtom.com.au

PROCESS HEAT SYSTEMS PROGRAMME PARTNERSEECA provides funding for process heat systems energy audits

conducted by the following approved programme partners:

Ahika Consulting Location: Dunedin • Contact: Lloyd McGinty, 03 742 1093

www.ahika.co.nz

Demand Response LtdLocation: Auckland and Wellington

Contact: Mark Davis (Auckland), 027 632 6956 Stephen Gillespie (Wellington), 04 472 6060

www.demandresponse.co.nz

DETA Consulting LtdLocation: Christchurch • Contact: Jonathan Pooch, 03 377 6510

www.deta.co.nz

Enercon LtdLocation: Christchurch • Contact: Kees Brinkman, 03 384 7905

www.enercon.co.nz

Energy Management Solutions Ltd Location: Nelson • Contact: Erin Roughton, 03 538 0686

www.emsol.co.nz

Energy NZ LtdLocation: Auckland • Contact: Andy Logue, 09 488 0942

www.energynz.com

Energy Veritas Ltd Location: Auckland • Contact: Graeme Burke, 0508 837 4821

www.energyveritas.co.nz

Integrated Technology and Energy Solutions Ltd Location: Auckland • Contact: Edgar Ludwig, 09 524 4754

www.ites.co.nz

Ivan A FraserLocation: Auckland • Contact: Ivan Fraser, 09 410 5008

33

SAVED: $45,000 IN 3 HOURS

IT’S ALL PART OF THE SERVICE

www.eecabusiness.govt.nz

Over half of the energy consumed by New Zealand industry is used for process heat. And it’s estimated that at least 10% of that could be saved without any loss to production capability.

Many businesses have found that Making significant energy savings can be easy, quick and part of ‘business as usual’.

For instance, by following a planned maintenance schedule, manufacturers can easily improve boiler efficiency. One dairy processing company, for example, found that boiler

tunings undertaken as part of regular operations can achieve savings of $45,000 a year. And the actual tuning process can take as little as three hours, with no interruption to production.

And the savings are not just at the boiler. In a typical steam system, 25% of the productive heat output is often wasted on losses in the network or downstream equipment.

Whether it is for boiler tuning or overall heat systems efficiency, talk to an EECA Business approved programme partner. They can help you with expert advice and unlock any funding that may be available to you.

EEC2563A

EEC2563 Business Industrial Prog Ad 2_2.indd 1 15/10/12 4:55 PM

EEC2563B

TO SEE HOW MUCH YOUR BUSINESS CAN SAVE,

CONTACT ONE OF OUR PROGRAMME PARTNERS

BOILER TUNING PROGRAMME PARTNERSEECA provides funding towards the cost of a six-monthly boiler

tune-up schedule. The approved programme partners are:

Advanced Boiler ServicesLocation: North Island • Contact: Kevin Melpas Phone 07 847 1821

www.absboiler.co.nz

Energy Plant SolutionsLocation: Nationwide • Contact: Brendon Stephenson Phone 021 446 698

www.epsolutions.co.nz

Gas and Oil Combustion Services Location: North Island • Contact: Neil Lunnis Phone 027 479 0933

RCR EnergyLocation: Nationwide • Contact: Phil Morrell Phone 06 872 7605

www.rcrtom.com.au

PROCESS HEAT SYSTEMS PROGRAMME PARTNERSEECA provides funding for process heat systems energy audits

conducted by the following approved programme partners:

Ahika Consulting Location: Dunedin • Contact: Lloyd McGinty, 03 742 1093

www.ahika.co.nz

Demand Response LtdLocation: Auckland and Wellington

Contact: Mark Davis (Auckland), 027 632 6956 Stephen Gillespie (Wellington), 04 472 6060

www.demandresponse.co.nz

DETA Consulting LtdLocation: Christchurch • Contact: Jonathan Pooch, 03 377 6510

www.deta.co.nz

Enercon LtdLocation: Christchurch • Contact: Kees Brinkman, 03 384 7905

www.enercon.co.nz

Energy Management Solutions Ltd Location: Nelson • Contact: Erin Roughton, 03 538 0686

www.emsol.co.nz

Energy NZ LtdLocation: Auckland • Contact: Andy Logue, 09 488 0942

www.energynz.com

Energy Veritas Ltd Location: Auckland • Contact: Graeme Burke, 0508 837 4821

www.energyveritas.co.nz

Integrated Technology and Energy Solutions Ltd Location: Auckland • Contact: Edgar Ludwig, 09 524 4754

www.ites.co.nz

Ivan A FraserLocation: Auckland • Contact: Ivan Fraser, 09 410 5008

Train for an advanced qualification

A new training programme has been launched enabling maintenance technicians to achieve the national level five advanced trade qualification through a programme of block courses and distance learning.

Skills4Work Maintenance Training Centre has put the programme together based on its maintenance excellence training courses. The programme runs over 18 months and is split into three, six-month long semesters.

Each semester starts with a five-day block course and is followed by two or three additional unit standards that can be completed via distance learning.

Skills4Work’s maintenance training manager Phil Hurford says: “Skills4Work has been running courses for maintenance technicians, supervisors and managers for several years and these are becoming ever more popular with more than 100 people attending them this year.

“We have now taken these courses as the core component of the training to achieve the national level five certificate in maintenance & general engineering.

“Most people know this simply as the advanced trade certificate. Until now, the only way to achieve this qualification was through distance learning by correspondence, but without tutor support and direction this is not an easy thing to do.

“With this new programme, distance learning plays a much smaller part and there is a dedicated tutor available to help with any problems.”


Elementary valve solutionThe Element range of valves has been extended into larger-format valves and drives with sizes up to DN50 and actuator to 130mm. This will enable their use at higher process pressures and larger flow rates.

Element is a modular valve concept that delivers single-unit controlled valves, with a choice in valve style, and feedbacks, positioner or process controller needs. Valves have a stainless steel housing with intelligent and flexible system architecture. The range further extends to flow, level, and analysis chemistry sensors.

The firm’s expanded line of larger size valves and drives encompasses on/off Types 2100 angle-seat and 2101 globe valves, the corresponding proportional control Types 2300 angle-seat and 2301 globe valves, and the on/off and proportional control 2103 diaphragm valve family. All valves will be available with 50mm to 130mm actuators, with orifice sizes DN8 to DN50.

It is anticipated that these more powerful and larger format valves will have a wide application scope. The valves reliably control fluids, steam, caustic solutions and chemicals, as well as abrasive or high-purity substances in many applications and process environments.

A robust IP65/67 construction suits hygienic process caustic wash-down areas (FDA and EHEDG certification), to high-dust mineral processing areas. Their on/off and proportional control heads offer network interfaces, push-button commissioning, LED status indicators, and numerous feedbacks and options.

The drive design facilitates integration of automation units at all levels of the modular valve system, fitting to the broader Burkert control philosophy.

Valve positioners and process controllers link seamlessly with sensors for a monitoring and control system, for complete decentral automation of complex systems with minimal expense for cables and hoses.


MAINTENANCE MATTERS

34 November 2012

Ice an easy way to clean machineryDry ice blast cleaning originated in the aerospace industry at Lockheed in 1977 and the technique became commercially available 10 years later.

Originally, equipment for dry ice blasting required air pressure capability of more than 200psi. However, with advances in the technology, these machines only require 80psi. This makes the equipment affordable and practical for more cleaning applications.

In New Zealand, dry ice cleaning has been used for at least a decade, but on a limited scale.

The system uses compressed air to accelerate solid carbon dioxide (CO2) pellets to strip surfaces of residues such as ink, glue, paint, food, rubber, release agents and mould.

Unlike sand blasting, dry ice cleaning is non-abrasive. When the ice pellets hit a surface they immediately change from solid to gas.

The cleaning process occurs through the combination of three different effects:• Kinetic energy is transferred

to the contaminant by the accelerated dry ice pellet

when it hits the surface. • Thermal-shock effect occurs

when ice pellets (-79 degrees C) strike a much warmer, contaminated surface.

• The cold temperature of the ice causes the bond to weaken between the surface being cleaned and the contaminant.During dry ice cleaning,

when the pellet hits the contaminated surface, the vapour expands so much (up to 800 times the volume of the pellet) and so fast that a micro-explosion occurs, taking off dirt and grime in the process.

The natural sublimation of dry ice particles eliminates the cost of collecting the cleaning media for disposal. Containment and collection costs associated with water/grit blasting procedures are also eliminated.

The cleaning systems provide on-line maintenance capabilities for production equipment; time-consuming and expensive de-tooling procedures are kept to a minimum. Dedicated cleaning cycles are no longer required; instead schedules can be adopted, which allow for equipment cleaning during

production periods or standard maintenance breaks.

Dry ice cleaning can be adjusted for the surface that is being cleaned, from aggressive paint and rust removal to delicate cleaning of wood and paper. The process will not damage electrical wiring, controls or switches.

Rust formation after cleaning is far less likely with dry ice cleaning than with steam or water blasting.

Sanitising Dry ice cleaning also has a sanitising effect on the surfaces being cleaned. Allergen contamination is eliminated

and surfaces are sterilised. Mould and bacteria growth is inhibited.

The process is also carbon neutral, as carbon dioxide used throughout the CO2 industry is derived from by-product sources.

The use of dry ice avoids the use of toxic cleaning agents, solvents or abrasive grits. It reduces the need to produce them and dispose of them after use.

The only residue to be collected and disposed of is dirt, paint, tar, rust scale, etc – the material removed by blasting.


Intergraph has released an upgraded version of Caesar II – its pipe stress analysis software.

The latest version reduces time and eliminates manual re-entry by transferring Smart 3D design data into the Caesar II model.

The firm says the software provides a flexible, user-configurable interface with reporting messages to give more confidence to the stress analyst in the imported model, and so reduces validation time.

Also, if a designer makes any changes or additions in the middle of a project, those lines can be updated in the stress

model without it having to be reworked.The program also allows the easy

export of pipe stress analysis results between Caesar II and either Smart 3D or SmartPlant Review, which makes for quicker incorporation of analysis changes during a project.

This availability of results provides fast and accurate transfer of information from the stress analyst back to the piping designer and civil engineer to reduce chances of errors, thus reducing project risk.


Hail Caesar V2

MAINTENANCE MATTERS

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35

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National Certificate inMechanical Engineering

A structured programme to achieve the NCME level five advanced trade qualification in maintenance and general engineering. A blended approach to learning involving block courses and distance learning with full tutor support throughout.Each unit standard has been carefully chosen to meet the qualification criteria and to give meaningful skills in areas such as: Maintenance Procedures Maintenance Management Competitive Manufacturing Occupational health and safety “Lean” tools and how they relate to maintenance

“Calling maintenance technicians, leading hands and supervisors. Increase your skills and knowledge while

achieving this nationally recognised qualification.”

Nationally Recognised Qualification

MAINTENANCE MATTERS

Global joint integrity and engineering services specialist Hydratight says that in a typical oil & gas plant up to five percent of flanged joints may leak, and the escaping material can be highly toxic, highly inflammable, under high pressure.

“Similarly, mining, mineral processing and chemical plants can face major environmental hazards if products are allowed to leak into surrounding communities or water tables, causing entire plant shutdowns, in the worst case, and major losses of chemicals and product,” says Hydratight’s Australian commercial leader, Neil Ferguson.

The company’s experience over the past 30 years has led to procedures and techniques that are now incorporated in

A technician uses a measurement unit to check a bolt’s integrity.

Bad joints cause stress As we head into the annual shutdown period, the spotlight is being turned on joint integrity and to ensure bolted and welded pipes are not prone to leaking or cracking.

safe-working procedures and industry documentation in use around the world – and that are fundamental to the construction and operation of resources facilities large or small.

Among the products and services offered by the firm include the JDMS joint data management system. It is designed to aid planning,

enhance safety, ensure joint integrity, and help in reducing construction and maintenance schedules and costs.

“It provides managers and technicians with essential information about joint components used in assembly, plus it specifies the tools and the torque or tension values to deliver a leak-free joint,” says Ferguson.

Prevention of problems is far better than cure, and considerably cheaper when it prevents shutdowns or delays.

“Software solutions can provide full accountability and measure, if records are properly maintained. A full record helps those responsible for the system to learn and improve by allowing painless auditing and performance measurement,” says Ferguson.

“As an example, Hydratight undertook a project in which several vendors were involved in construction and, as the plant’s first phase opened, without a joint integrity assurance system, 518 joints out of almost 8700 leaked – 5.9 percent.

“By phase three a joint integrity system had brought that down to only 129 (1.49 percent). Since then it has been possible to push several projects to complete freedom from leaks on start up.

“Joint integrity assurance can save millions of dollars and many lives. It is no surprise that more companies are being convinced of its value every year.”


36 November 2012

Leaders in Strategic Asset Management

Is the management and maintenance of your assets critical to your business objectives? Do you need to drive down asset related costs and improve performance?

Do you need to control safety and operational risk?

Your Partners in Excellence The Asset Partnership NZ is amongst New Zealand’s leading Maintenance and Operations Management consulting organisations. We specialise in helping our clients make efficient and effective use of their investments in physical assets.

What We Do We work with our clients to improve Asset Management, Maintenance, Production, Engineering and Supply Chain processes. We achieve rapid results by working with people in positions of influence within such processes and instil skills and transform organisational culture to create ongoing value. So, whether you require up-skilling through one of our world class training courses, or your organisation is embarking on a significant process improvement programme, The Asset Partnership NZ can help you leverage best practice using our vast experience.

[email protected] M: 021-543605 www.assetpartnership.com

MAINTENANCE MATTERS

Soft option for preventative maintenancePreventative maintenance is about saving money and increasing profits. In any business, downtime means lost income.

Investing in good maintenance practices not only reduces downtime and ensures a more reliable operation, it also extends the life of plant equipment. Preventative maintenance is an investment that brings a return to any business.

But how can a business owner ensure that all the required maintenance is done on time? How can a production manager take control of their maintenance schedules? To answer these questions, New Zealand based tech company Simply Synergy created an online maintenance software program called Maintain It.

Designed by maintenance engineers, the program blends simplicity, power, functionality and f lexibility. It allows any business to organise its assets and create maintenance schedules to build a complete maintenance profile of the

business operation. It automatically creates external

work orders and internal tasks from asset schedules then emails service contractors and tracks overdue jobs to make sure that all plant maintenance is covered, on time, every time.

Leading the way in New Zealand, the Yealands Estate Winery in Marlborough is designed to handle around 11,000 tonnes of estate grown wine at full production.

At the core of the winery are the assets; the winepresses, conveyors, tanks and support systems that produce the wine. So with more than 900 assets to run and maintain, Yealands chose the Maintain It system.

Peter Mann of Yellands says: “Yealands Estate has been using the Maintain It system since the winery’s completion in 2007.

“We have found it easy to keep track of workflow with its management of external work orders and internal tasks.

“It is also reassuring to know that you will be reminded of when scheduled tasks are due so that critical maintenance doesn’t get missed.

“It was easy to set up and found that our staff picked it up intuitively so we were up and running in a matter of days. It has certainly made the managing of the maintenance schedules and daily tasks a lot easier.”

Not only does the Maintain It system take the stress out of plant maintenance, it also allows Yealands to identify, control and reduce their asset maintenance costs. It tracks cost centres, identifies maintenance trends and reveals areas of potential savings.

For every business owner that wants to effectively measure and manage their maintenance investment, the Maintain It online maintenance software is an obvious and rewarding solution.


37

Modern plant testing saves you time and money

Make motor failures a thing of the past by adding Baker testing to your existing Predictive Maintenance Program.

Baker’s dynamic and static testers are used around the world to detect problems prior to failure, saving you money by avoiding unplanned downtime. The static tester finds insulation weaknesses, whereas, the dynamic tester identifies problems in the load, motor and power.

Add together Baker and SKF’s knowledge of predictive maintenance technologies and you have a powerful partner-ship to keep your machinery working efficiently.

To learn more about SKF and Baker, contact your local SKF Authorised Distributor or email us at: [email protected]

www.skf.co.nz

MAINTENANCE MATTERS

Society network evenings take off By Craig Carlyle, secretary MESNZ

With the 2012 SKF National Maintenance Engineering Conference in the bag, the opportunity arises to focus on some of the other activities of the Maintenance Engineering Society of NZ (MESNZ).

The society, a technical interest group of IPENZ, is totally focused on returning value to its members and maintenance engineers in general. This value is delivered by connecting, informing, inspiring and representing engineers regardless of their industry or location.

While the high-profile National Maintenance Engineering Conference absorbs significant effort, the volunteer staffed society is at pains to not become a slave to a single event and invests a lot of time into studying, developing and refining its various initiatives.

One such development in 2012 is the Network Evening Series. While the concept has taken some time to get off the ground, it is simplistic in content and proving hugely popular for attendees and host companies.

In a nutshell, pre-registered attendees gather at a host premises after hours. The group is given a guided tour around the host operation and relaxes with light refreshments and relevant discussion afterwards.

There is no charge to attend. The evenings provide the opportunity for attendees to learn something about the host company, its technologies and capabilities, but more importantly to network, discuss common issues and discover local industry depth.

It is this last benefit that was plainly evident at an evening host AH Gears in Auckland on 27 September. Most attendees had little idea that Andy Horsfall and his team were based in Penrose, let alone some of the experience, technologies and world

standard respect they command.I mean, these guys are heart surgeons!

They talked in languages and details about gears and gearboxes that had me wondering if they were still speaking English. With my humble engineering hat on, the big lesson for me was; if you have a problem with gear trains lying in the bottom of the box instead of going round in circles, Andy, Dave and the boys will not only fix your woes, they will be able to tell you exactly what went wrong in terms of load, manufacture, service or maintenance.

All from a company that has been around as long as myself, yet I was blissfully unaware of its existence.

The response from attendees and hosts is enthusiastic and the concept is rapidly becoming oversubscribed.

The goal of MESNZ is to spread these evenings across every region, providing the management systems and assistance to allow local areas to run their own evenings.

While the Auckland region is well supported with a busy calendar, evenings have already been held in Christchurch and Te Awamutu and plans are afoot for Taranaki.

The society is keen to hear from prospective hosts and attendees in any area and will provide full support to initiate the evenings.

Society members Glenn Pepper and Larry Wiechern are the go-to guys for the event; their contact details and the full current network evening calendar are provided on the society website.

See: www.mesnz.org.nz/network-evening

Craig Carlyle

More than 45 people attended the MESNZ network evening at AH Gears in September.

38 November 2012

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MAINTENANCE MATTERS

Kitchen maker dust off

Egmont-Modular-Filter.jpg

Belt up and feel the tensionAn Egmont Air dust extraction system has been installed at Heirloom Kitchens, a maker of kitchen

Optibelt has introduced a range of what it calls ‘maintenance free-belts’. Once installed the belts require no maintenance or retensioning throughout their life.

The firm says its Red Power 3 wedge belts produce up to 97 percent efficiency with up to 50 percent higher power ratings when compared to the Optibelt standard V-belt.

The new belts are available in lengths from 1,200mm to 12,065mm in a range of V-belt and Kraftband profiles.

Red Power wedge belts have been developed for applications such as compressors, pumps, presses, fans and heavy duty drives for industries such as mining, timber, quarrying and recycling.

They are less sensitive to shock loads and able to operate successfully in heavily contaminated environments.

All belts in the range are heat resistant to 100°C, oil resistant and anti-static in accordance with ISO 1813. They are compatible with ATEX and dust protected as standard.


units based in Tauranga. Heirloom installed a CNC

router and upgraded its edge-bander, this required a review of its dust extraction system.

A design consideration was the need for a compact unit and a user-friendly method of collecting and discharging the dust. Egmont Air designed a system with a rotary-valve discharge into a typical waste bin that can be quickly removed and emptied

The system had to be installed in tandem with machinery installers, compressed air and other services.

Egmont Air systems are frequently found in woodworking factories such as timber processors, boat builders, solid-timber and MDF manufacturers.


39

Belt up and feel the tension

New Futek displayFutek has launched the IPM650 panel mount display that can be integrated with the firm’s load cells, torque sensors, and pressure sensors.

It has an accuracy of 0.001percent, as well as an internal resolution of 24 bits. Capable of gathering up to 4,800 samples a second, this display is a fast and precise processor. And it’s coupled with three different input and output options.

The IPM650 is a reliable tool

for continuous automation applications, yet precise enough for delicate medical testing.

The unit has an input range of up to +/-500 mV/V. Beside the mV/V input, the device accepts amplified output sensors in range of ± 12 VDC or up to 30 mA.

It also has two individual relays and two Analogue voltage and Analogue current output. It also provides additional 24 VDC / 5VDC as power supply for sensors with built-in amplifier. The IPM650 supports Teds, which makes it easy to switch between different sensors.

A high speed/ low noise/ high resolution (24 bits) ADC is integrated in the device to make it suitable for high accuracy measurements.

This particular panel meter can display values onto a computer through a USB link.


The weakest linkA communication network is only as reliable as its weakest link. Belden understand that in designing and implementing industrial networks for critical infrastructure, the entire signal transmission path must be robust and reliable.

The firm is able to offer end-to-end signal transmission solutions from the switches, routers and firewalls, connector technologies, down to the copper and fibre optic cables.

It achieves this by using its family of Belden cables, Lumberg connectors, Hirschmann, Garretcom and Tofino active equipment.

As a specialist in automation and networking technology, Hirschmann develops solutions geared towards its customers’ requirements in terms of performance, efficiency and investment reliability.

Its portfolio enables it to deliver industrial networks for legacy serial-based communications, media convertors, ethernet and wireless.

Solutions are flexible and fit for purpose – providing options to address form factor (Din rail, modular, 19" rackmount, IP67), physical characteristics (port type and density, temperature options, conformal coating, power supplies), software features (layer 2, 3 or 4 functionality), certifications and standards.


Beat dust and water

HMS Industrial Networks has a series of Anybus CompactCom modules equipped with M12 connectors. This enables network connectivity for machinery that operate in wet, dusty, and other demanding industrial environments.

The M12s will be available with and without housing. The M12 without housing makes it possible to achieve a protection rating of IP67 (IP =Ingress Protection). This means the product is completely sealed from dust and can resist water.

The CompactCom M12 versions with housing are IP20 rated, just as the standard CompactCom modules with the default fieldbus connectors.

The Anybus CompactCom modules with M12 connectors offer the same functionality as standard CompactCom modules, including complete interchangeability between modules.


40 November 2012

The Singer Group, which has built up a substantial reputation in the ‘outage’ maintenance sector, is to broaden its services to the benefit of industrial

companies, individuals and the communities (from which they source contracted labour).

A growing demand for its services has seen the company employ

an experienced professional in the sector, Tracy

Thomas, with strong links into communities which share her vision for changing the short-term contracting of skilled and unskilled labour from the proverbial ‘mixed blessing’ to one of higher-and-growing-competence, leading to more stable careers.

It is set to deliver increased productivity benefits for industry in general – particularly the booming agricultural, metal processing and oil exploration sectors – and, thereby to communities which tend to be away from major centres and dependent on nearby industry.

“When you look at it, as we did, from the perspective of plant managers entrusting their costly and essential machinery to an outsourced organisation, their anxiety levels drop in step with the knowledge that the individuals coming on site are experienced and competent in terms of health and safety rules and regulations; how to operate the necessary equipment and how to go about their tasks competently,” says Jeff Mclaren, group CEO of the company, which will shortly celebrate its 60th anniversary.

“Motivated people, with the right attitude throughout the contract, always remove the last vestige of a frown from any plant manager’s face. And it is that particular skill, and over-and-above that, essential passion to inculcate this into every

individual that joins-up, that Thomas has in superabundance.

“I must emphasise that she knows that her primary focus remains the service we deliver to existing clients, which she has undertaken to improve through her coordination and motivational skills, as well as growing our skills base for their benefit,” he says.

Brothers agrees it has frustrated both of them over many years to have highly-skilled contractors come on board for a month or two, deliver at the highest level and know that they might not get many – or even any – further opportunities to use those skills and earn a better living for the rest of the year.

“Needless to say that impacts on their morale and that of the broader community, especially in the tough times we’ve been enduring recently,” he says.

Which is where Thomas, a resident of Hamilton East and a mother of three, comes in with her wide-ranging qualifications – including a diploma in information systems and a certificate in adult teaching, to name but two – and experience in project coordination across a range of organisations from Wintec to Fonterra, with companies like high-tech Alcatel-Lucent (a global communications solutions provider,

offering end-to-end solutions and services for Telecom, Transpower, and other Telco service-providers like Chorus, Transfield, Vodafone, and Telstra Clear etc.), or institutions like Auckland Regional Public Health Service, in the mix.

As you’d expect with that background, she is familiar with the likes of SAP, Oracle, Project, Enterprise Project Server, Primavera, CA, Digital Workf low, Novell and too many others to mention.

She delivers at the top-end and on the bottom-line as demonstrated by a contract she coordinated in ‘infrastructural projects’ for HP Enterprise Services, which ‘provides end-to-end IT services’. Here, 18 new project managers were engaged and inducted in less than a month, and significantly, operational costs were reduced by 10 percent at the same time.

“Prior to joining Singer earlier this year I was at the WaikatoLink which plays a key role in developing and growing New Zealand’s innovation system by transforming early-stage research and technologies into valuable products and services.

“I too am familiar with the challenges of contracting, and obviously that goes back to the times when I was having and bringing up young children years ago.

Engineers, Project Managers, Planners, Resource Coordinators, Health and Safety Management, Administrators

Turbine / Generator Overhaul Supervisors,Quality Control Monitors, Plant Auditors

Team Leaders, Mechanical Fitters, Electrical Fitters, Instrument Technicians, Electrical Protection Technicians

Mechanical Fitters, Workshop Machinists, Welders, Electrical Fitters, Electrical and Mechanical Trainees

Scaffolders, Coal Plant Assistant Operators, Mobile Plant Operators, Overhead Crane Operators, Riggers, Laggers, Lube Technicians, Trade Assistants, Labourers,

Management

Technical Services

Generation Experience

Trades

Site Services

Our Resource Solution

Help to build people’s careersSinger Group mobilises ‘outage’ maintenance to provide coordination, competence and continuity for industry, people and their communities.

Tracy Thomas is coordinating the Singer component of the next Genesis Energy Huntly Power Station.

41

0800 474 643www.singergroup.co.nz

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Magazine Articles Banner.pdf 1 11/01/11 12:52 PM

“Again, because of my experience then, I’m looking to encourage more women to break into the industrial contracting arena to improve themselves with skills, added confidence through their earnings and bring a ‘woman’s touch’ to the industrial environment.

“I’d regard that as a great achievement and a benefit to all,” says Thomas, who is the first senior female manager of Maori-descent in Singer.

She has already earned her spurs coordinating non-trade contractors for Singer’s major data Project Kapua in Hamilton. But she faces a big test of her talents in coordinating the Singer component of the next Genesis Energy Huntly Power Station’s Unit 5 planned maintenance shutdown shortly. New Zealand’s major thermal power station is one of the biggest industrial sites in the country.

On the previous occasion, a Genesis-led team of members of staff plus a Singer squad which included six under-graduate engineers completed the first 8,000-hour service of the company’s e3p Unit 5 in six-and-a-half days. The international Mitsubishi standard for completion of the project at the time was eight days, with the normal expectation sitting at the 10 day mark.

Brothers picks up the story: “Basically what Singer will do as a company is invest in the selection, training and motivation of potential staff, which is part of our own ongoing commitment to improved standards in the industry and ensuring that we continue to have the best possible employees to meet our customers’ needs.

“If we have selected, trained and employed them, we will stand by their competence as long as they are under our supervision.”

“Importantly, they all have the opportunity to become multi-disciplined through on-the-job training/practical skills at Singer Electrical Hamilton, Contact Energy Central Plateau plants and Genesis Energy Huntly Power Station. They will start Level 3 Qualifications in 2013.

“As you will note from what we refer to as Singer’s ‘resource solution’ – aka the pyramid – as they qualify they will have the opportunity to slot into level two on the pyramid in the ‘trades’ level. What Tracy will be focussing on developing is an entrepôt, if you like, for what we call, ‘site services’. This becomes a launching-pad, for a career, over time, in the ‘outage’, contracted maintenance niche,” Brothers says.

Categories include: scaffolders, coal plant assistant operators, mobile plant operators, overhead crane operators, riggers, laggers, lube technicians, trade assistants, labourers.

“But, I have to emphasise that working in industry always has the potential for danger. People entering it have to know that. We impose rigid rules for safety, without exception. Anyone who ignores that dictate, along with anyone who fails the initial and any random follow-up drug-and-alcohol test is immediately off the programme,” he says.

“Singer and our customers all subscribe to a ‘culture of safety’, built around good communication – if in doubt, stop and ask a team-member or supervisor for assistance. Hand-skills’ training is essential for the safety of the individual and team members,” Thomas says.

“A large part of what we do initially is to make selected applicants ‘site safe’. Once we have achieved competence, we find confidence follows, and then comes motivation/attitude.

“That,” she says, “includes first aid CPR; a full day of hazard ID, with selected applicants receiving the two-day ‘confined space’ training; generic tool handling (drills, grinders, cutters etc); and we have added work ethic and positive attitude.

“We do offer opportunities to selected WINZ trainees, especially if they have hand-skills. Because we see a big future for our ‘mobilising maintenance’ concept, supported by our investment to benefit customers, individuals, industry, communities and ourselves, we are going to be selective.”

42 November 2012

ElEctrical SafEty

Flame resistant reflectorsAn arc blast occurs when a high amperage electric current arcs through the air due to phase-to-phase or phase-to-earth contact.

While an arc may last for less than a second, it can cause localised temperatures of up to 20,000°C – hotter than the surface of the sun.

This heat can cause a high energy pressure wave, similar to an explosion, causing people to be thrown through the air and cause other heavy objects to become projectile hazards.

The heat and pressure wave can cause the melting of metallic components and spraying of molten metal droplets to

distances of three metres or more. Increasingly, workers at risk of an arc

flash are wearing garments made from flame resistant fabrics such as Nomex or Proban treated cotton.

In the US, the use of arc rated clothing and voltage rated gloves in electrical tasks has contributed to a 57 percent drop in electrical fatalities.

Among the options for reflective material to be added to these garments is 3M Scotchlite 8935 flame resistant fabric.

When exposed to flame or sufficient heat, these flame resistant materials will combust, but are certified to self-

Field signals can be connected to the process control system (PCS) via fieldbus, wireless, or conventional 4-20 mA technology. The choice of a technology must take into account the application and its particular requirements.

In the last several years, GHz-frequency bands have been allocated for such applications, leading to the development of a number of proprietary wireless systems such as Trusted Wireless by Phoenix Contact.

WirlessHart and ISA100 provide facility operators with further vendor-neutral wireless standards from which to choose.

The physics involved in both standards is the same: two-wire technology for the operating voltage with modulated data. However, they differ with respect to data communication, shielding design, and bus termination.

The required installation materials, cable, and connection technology are likewise identical, and may thus be used for both fieldbus systems. The advent of modularised active fieldbus distributors allows them to be expanded while in operation or replaced if faults occur.

The maximum current to the field device can be adjusted according to consumption, allowing the fieldbus to operate more efficiently and safely and also increasing facility availability.

Since process control engineering field

How to share field dataThe WirelessHart and ISA100 wireless standards provide facility operators with two additional communications solutions for transmitting field data. Many users are asking which wired or wireless protocol represents the best bet for efficient and safe production.

devices and interface components are not bus-compatible, the user must opt for a fieldbus system. The selection is often made on the basis of the process control system, as the various PCS vendors are currently capable of integrating both the Foundation Fieldbus FF-H1 and the Profibus PA.

However, they typically acquire more expertise with a system for which they provide better support in terms of tools, functionality, and integration. The process control system therefore determines the choice of the bus system.

Many facility operators continue to install the conventional 4-20 mA field signals. However, only one field variable can be transmitted per 4-20 mA signal, which is a drawback compared to the fieldbus technology.

The Foundation Fieldbus FF-H1 and Profibus PA allow multiple variables to be collected per field device, for example, flow rate and temperature. In addition, changing the parameters in the 4-20 mA field devices via Hart functions is time-consuming and limited.

This procedure is simpler and faster with fieldbus devices, and automation is an option. The price difference between 4-20 mA and fieldbus devices is nonetheless relatively small; in some projects, the costs are actually comparable.

The only advantage of 4-20 mA

technology is that the installation – the field distributors, cable, and I/O system – maintains the same familiar form. However, this poses a competitive challenge in the medium to long term, since the experience of end users of fieldbus technology shows that the production processes can be adjusted more efficiently and reconfigured more quickly.

Likewise, the argument that maintenance personnel are not familiar with bus systems no longer holds. Many young employees working in installation, maintenance, and production have grown up with cell phones and PCs. They therefore have no reservations about working with fieldbus technology and the associated software tools.

Both fieldbus and wireless technology have their advantages and drawbacks. Wireless communication is indeed more expensive to purchase and maintain, for example, when batteries have to be replaced.

However, a comparison of the WirelessHart and ISA100.11A standards shows that both systems promise the same performance.

Wireless technology will not supplant 4-20 mA field devices or fieldbus technology. Facilities that have evolved over a period of years most typically use a combination of all three solutions. New facilities will presumably use the fieldbus instead of 4-20 mA technology. Wireless systems find use in areas where it is not possible to install cabling.


extinguish within two seconds of the ignition source being removed. In addition, when burned the material must not yield molten or flaming debris.


43

ElEctrical SafEty

Avoid arc flash during inspections

Picture in picture thermal imager

The Fluke Ti105 and TiR105 thermal imagers are the latest

addition to the company’s range of lightweight, rugged, and easy to use hand-held imagers.

The TiR105 allows building inspection and energy audit professionals to evaluate and

report insulation problems, air leakage, moisture issues, or

construction defects.The imagers’ advanced features

include picture in picture, which helps users identify and document

problem areas by overlaying an infrared image over a digital picture of the scene.

The Ti105 helps plant technicians, HVAC/R professionals and electricians maintain and inspect electrical and mechanical equipment and components.


Flir, a maker of infrared and aerial broadcast cameras says opening electrical cabinets to perform infrared and visual inspections of live components is dangerous work, exposing technicians to the risk of a hazardous arc flash incident.

“Now you can put the added safety of a Flir IR window between you and energised equipment, and eliminate the need for opening enclosures,” says the firm.

Flir IR windows are compatible with all thermal cameras and feature a secure, permanently hinged cover that opens easily with one hand, which means there’s nothing to remove, drop or lose.

Flir’s broadband crystal lens allows cameras to capture visible light pictures as well as thermal images. It also allows LED and laser illumination to pass straight through for clearer visual assessments.


Data collection with more memoryWith a new concept in data logging convenience, Lutron has released a series of loggers and handheld logging instruments with data saved to an SD memory card.

The data can be transferred to a PC, read and analysed using a standard spread sheet program. This makes it unnecessary to learn (or buy) new software, and no need for cables.

In this case the logger is a three channel type K thermocouple input device with large display of all three channels, and standard mini plug input.

Logging intervals can be set from five to 600 seconds or on auto where samples are taken at default 60 seconds, or when values change by 1C.

There is a real time clock. Accuracy is 0.5% +/- 0.5C and resolution 0.1C. Measuring range is from -50 to 1300C in ambient zero to 50C.

For users who prefer specific software, there is a PC software package and USB cable available for more conventional handling of the data.

Other instruments of this type measure CO2, barometric pressure, relative humidity and temperature, while hand held meters with SD card measure, LUX, sound level, water quality – six parameters, air quality – five parameters, air velocity, UV and others.


Load resistors solve lighting problemsDrivers experiencing problems with load-sensitive flashers after upgrading their vehicle to LED lights can solve the issue with load resistors from Narva.

The firm says low current LEDs can cause problems resulting in system warning messages and rapid indicator flash patterns. Problems can also arise with ABS brakes and vehicle braking when cruise control is activated.

In these situations the electronic control mechanism may not recognise when the brakes have been applied because of the interference caused by the low current draw, says the firm.

Narva load resistors are designed to draw the same current as a typical 21W incandescent globe originally fitted to the vehicle, to overcome problems arising from replacing

old-technology bulbs with low current draw LEDs.

Each resistor is supplied with an aluminium heat sink, two wire tap connectors and 300mm of cable at each end, and are easily installed into a vehicle’s lighting system. They are available in 12V and 24V.

• Go to www.demm.co.nz/enquiry quote: D121143c

44 November 2012

LOOKING FOR NEW BUSINESS AND SALES ENQUIRIES?

Contact Frank Atkinson

Email / [email protected]

DDI / (09) 477 0362

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Manager’s appointment Council members of the NZEI have appointed Allan Hill as secretary manager of the institute. In addition to secretarial responsibilities he will be promoting and growing the organisation’s membership and benefits for members.

For the past nine months Hill has been the institute’s national secretary. He is a registered electrical inspector with experience in electrical, instrumentation and control systems.

He has provided EI & C expertise both nationally and internationally to many continuous process industries.

With his wife Evelyn he has been running their New Zealand based electrical consulting company since 1999. Previously they had run a company in Australia, but it was closed after a three-year contract with the engineered wood panel division of CSR ended.

Hill has a passion for safety, has performed machine safety assessments and undertaken the electrical engineering design to bring machinery up to the required electrical machine safety standards.

Hill has strong people and business management skills, which ensures that project programmes, irrespective of size or duration, are achieved and all stakeholder requirements met.

He is a systems person, having set up instrumentation documentation systems for ISO 9002 and several preventative and predictive maintenance systems.

StandardsAS 4024:2006: Safety of machinery, design of safety related parts of control systems, general principles for design.

The Department of Labour (DOL) recommends the use of AS4024 as the standard for machinery safety assessment and design, even though it is not an AS/NZS.

AS 4024 is currently being reviewed in Australia. This standard is a derivate of EN 954-1 and BS 5108, which are now obsolete.

This is one of the driving factors for the overdue revision. The institute believes Standards New Zealand and the DOL should be “driving” change and setting up a GWC so that AS 4024 becomes a joint AS/NZS Standard.

AS 1755 the conveyor safety standardAS 1755 is being scraped and will

become part 3610-3615 of AS 4024. It will have a general part and five specific conveyor type parts. This is well advanced and should be out for public comment in 2013.

Frank Schrever, who established Pilz subsidiary in Australia in 1998 and was CEO for 12 years, has been a member Special Functions Committee (SF) 041 for AS 4024 safety of machinery series since 1999, he is now chairman SF 041.

Schrever is the Standards Australia representative on the ISO/IEC joint working committee (JWG 1) for combining EN ISO 13849 and IEC 62061– functional safety of safety-related electrical, electronic and programmable electronic control systems.

The second meeting for JWG 1, combining ISO13849 and IEC 62061, was held in Paris in August. Work has only just begun, so not much to report yet.

The JWG has sent out a questionnaire to practitioners to get feedback and help steer the deliberations. This feedback will be considered at the next meeting and next steps decided.

Electricity (safety) regulations 2010 amendment No 2The electricity (safety) amendment regulations 2012 (which will become electricity (safety) regulations 2010 amendment No 2) have been issued and will apply from the 1 July 2013.

AS/NZS 3000 AS/NZS 3000 amendment No 2 has been approved for publication by the EL-001 drafting committee, and subject to final publication approvals is expected to available mid to late November 2012.

However, the full application of amendment No 2, will be delayed until amendment No 3 of the Electricity (Safety) Regulations 2010 is published in 2013.

The AS/NZS 5033 corrective amendment, and the final drafting of the AS/NZS 4777 series for public comment, is to be considered at a committee meeting in Sydney early November 2012.

Coming upThe 77th NZEI Inc’s annual conference will take place from 8 to 10 March 2013.

The conference is to be held in Auckland. Leading electrical and electronic firms will have stands presenting the latest products and innovations. There will be guest speakers from the EWRB, Energy Safety and the DOL.

Allan W HillNational secretary/manager

New Zealand Electrical Institute Inc.PO Box 64-258, Botany, Manukau 2163Phone: 09 271 1901, Mobile: 021 613 448.Email: [email protected]

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46 November 2012

Get up to speed with fan efficiencyFrom 2013, around one third of all fans will not meet the energy efficiency requirements of the Ecodesign Directive (2009/125/EC).

However, new developments in energy-efficient fan-and-filter units for climate control in enclosures show the coming guidelines are not only being met but can be easily exceeded by using EC (electronically commutated) DC motors.

The new Rittal TopTherm series of fan-and-filter units offers energy savings of over 60 percent in addition to intelligent control and monitoring functions.

One way to dissipate heat loads with the aid of ambient air from the enclosure is the use of fan-and-filter units – a combination of fan and dust filter.

By developing a new high-end variant of the TopTherm fan-and-filter series, which is now available as a complete EC version, Rittal offers even more opportunities for ventilating enclosures in an energy-saving way.

Its brushless DC motors have 2.5 times more motor efficiency than the conventional shaded-pole motors used in fan-and-filter units.

Due to the electronic conversion (commutation) of the AC into DC voltage, the speed of the fan can be controlled by voltage regulation. The EC solution permits energy savings of up to 63 percent compared to a standard AC fan-and-filter unit with a shaded pole motor.


On the air, safe and secure

Tait Communications has launched a mission-critical digital radio communications system.

The 9400-series represents the latest in radio communications for global public safety agencies, such as police and fire, who rely on resilient, interoperable communications.

It features the company’s smallest P25-capable hand-held radio to date, incorporating GPS, Bluetooth wireless and digital encryption.

The system features a complete end-to-end P25 system, including the core network, being entirely designed by the Christchurch firm.

With the TN9400 network at its heart, the P25 phase two solution uses a narrower radio spectrum and allows customers to future-proof their investment through non-proprietary P25 technology, which is interoperable with P25 equipment from other vendors.

P25 is an international open standard for the manufacturing of interoperable digital two-way wireless communications.

Frank Owen, managing director of Tait Communications in Christchurch, says the new communications solution would reinforce the manufacturer as a global leader in mission-critical communications for utilities and public safety organisations.


www.exportermagazine.co.nzSubscribe online

www.exportermagazine.co.nzDigital version available at: www.issuu.com

47

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Dytran has introduced the accelerometers 3225M36 and 3225M37, ultra-miniature teardrop IEPE’s that are designed to adhesively mount in spaces typically inaccessible to other types of accelerometers.

Available with choice of five or 10mV/g sensitivity, the sensors have an overall height of 5.5mm and weigh just 0.85 grams.

Featuring a quartz shear sensing element in a lightweight titanium housing, both the 3225M36 and 3225M37 use a 3-56 coaxial connector, mating with a field replaceable 6.09 metre (20ft) coaxial cable assembly terminating to a 10-32 plug with adhesive mounting capabilities.

Units incorporate transducer electronic data sheet (TEDS; per IEEE 1451.4) for larger channel count

applications.The unit can be used

in environmental stress screening, mechanical shock and PC board vibration response.

• Go to www.demm.co.nz/enquiry quote: D121147bMulti axis DC motor control unit

Maxon motor has developed a modular brushed and brushless multi axis motor controller.This will help solve a common problem faced by design engineers working in small to medium enterprises who can face being caught in between the need for a professional design and limited budget.

Whether it is tooling for a plastic mould, so you can avoid the cheap look of standard electronic enclosures, or the need for a new PCB layout for a true OEM design, the engineer can often see a solution – but just can’t make it happen.

This new modular motor control unit has been developed specifically for circumstances such as this.

For example; one engineer may need a six-axis control unit in a single enclosure and can’t find one within budget. Another might want a three-axis controller with decentralised intelligence, while someone else wants to build a 90 axis manufacturing line with nine-axis at 10 operator points.

Maxon says there is no economically viable single motion control product that can deliver all things to all customers. Its solution is snap apart technology.

This motion control product is stocked in 11 axis strips and can be supplied in any configuration of that number. For example; when the sales engineer receives a call from design engineer a) he simply separates six-axis in a single strip and the remaining five axis are put back into stock.

It is not only versatile in its modularity, it is also powerful. Features include 50kHz switching frequency, analogue and digital configurable I/O, Interpolated position mode, feed forward, electronic gearing and dual loop encoder control that eliminates traditional drivetrain backlash issues.


High temperature measurementsAbsolutely precise and quick measurement of media in high-temperature applications of up to 180 °C? No problem for the new mechatronic f low sensor from ifm. Characterised by its intuitive use, robustness and low maintenance requirements, the sensor can be used for f low ranges from 0.3 to 25 l/min at pressure ranges of up to 15 bar.

The new mechatronic f low sensor of the SBT series functions to the principle of the spring-supported piston: the piston, located in the valve seat in the housing, is lifted by the flowing medium against the spring resistance.

In contrast to other measuring methods, the mechatronic measuring principle enables fast response times of less than 10ms. At the same time the spring resistance forces the piston to return to its original position with decreasing flow. This ensures position-independent installation of the flow sensor preventing backflow.

At the same time, this principle offers very high measuring dynamics over the entire measuring range. Due to the temperature decoupling of the transducer from the electronics, certain versions of this sensor are especially suitable for media in high temperature applications of up to 180 degrees C.

Moreover, the sensors of this series can be set intuitively and quickly and provide an analogue output signal.


48 November 2012

Technology audits net big savings Rod Treder writes that improving the efficiency of pumps, fans and compressed air is paying dividends for New Zealand industry.

Two years ago EECA started rolling out a new type of energy audit funding – focusing on industrial technologies with the largest potential for energy savings.

We aimed to target EECA support where it will have maximum impact in boosting productivity (for example, 40 percent of all economic electricity savings opportunities in New Zealand industry, are in liquid pumping systems alone).

We started by prioritising compressed air, pumping and fan systems. As part of this drive, we accredited and signed up specialists as ‘programme partners’ with the right expertise to advise industry. We now have 16 expert programme partners across New Zealand who can deliver services to the required audit standards.

So two years on, how is it working for industry?

Energy savingsSince introducing the technology-specific

energy auditing programme, EECA has helped fund more than 330 energy audits, covering 217MW of motor capacity.

As a result of implementing recommended solutions, businesses are using an estimated 125 million kilowatt hours (0.45 petajoules) less electricity each year in these motorised systems.

At an average cost of 12 cents per kilowatt hour for delivered electricity, this represents an annual cost saving to industry of around $15 million each year. On average, the companies that have taken advantage of the audits and expert advice are therefore saving around $45,000 a year in electricity costs.

Systems audited through our programme vary in size from 75kW to 8000kW, and cover the whole spectrum of industries.

If you think your business could benefit from a technology-specific energy audit, visit the EECA website to find out more.

Provided certain criteria are met, we can help fund an audit, feasibility study on a system improvement, or an implementation project.

Case studies EECA has a range of examples from industry that show system improvements in action.

For example, Viscount Plastics implemented variable speed drive control

on the cooling water system for its injection moulding operation.

A $120,000 investment delivered annual electricity savings of around 325,000kWh, giving a simple payback of just over three years.

An Aggregate and Quarry Association project led to savings for several members. In one instance, eliminating double

pumping saved $25,000 a year (with a payback of 1.2 years).

Another quarry fitted a VSD control system on its process water pond pump (and a level sensor), to find annual energy savings worth $25,000, with a payback of just over a year.

These and other case studies can be read at www.eecabusiness.govt.nz.

Knowledge pumpOn 16 November, the University of Waikato Energy Research Centre will hold a one-day workshop on best practice in industrial pump systems – an excellent grounding for plant and engineering managers, engineers and other technical staff.

This is part of the industrial energy efficiency series, covering process heat, compressed air, pumping and fan systems.

The university also offers free one-hour webinars, highly recommended for managers who want to identify energy efficiency opportunities.

The next ones cover pumps, fans, heat exchange and steam systems. Find out more at: http://goo.gl/KjFfz

NZ Steel’s recycled water pumping system at its Waikato north head mine site is included in an energy efficiency project currently under way with Energy NZ.

Rod Treder is the industrial programme manager at the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority.

49

Give your engineering career a kick start with a Bachelor of Engineering Technology from Open Polytechnic.

This joint Open Polytechnic / University of Southern Queensland degree is designed for those wanting a career in engineering or for those already employed in engineering who want to upgrade their qualifications.

The degree has three majors, allowing you to specialise in:

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DeliveredbydistancetheBachelorofEngineeringTechnologyhasbeendesignedsoyoucanfityour study around your life, letting you choose when and where you study.

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Open Polytechnic also offers related qualifications including construction diplomas and trade certificates, as well as mathematics bridging courses.

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Open Polytechnic’s Bachelor of Engineering Technology degree (BEngTech) is ideal for people who want an engineering career in New Zealand or Australia.

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If you want to engineer your future please contact Open Polytechnic on 0508 650 200 or visit openpolytechnic.ac.nz/bengtech.

50 November 2012

Automatic gas processingLocated off the Taranaki coast, the Pohokura field is New Zealand’s largest natural gas resource. Its production station uses an integrated automation control system, meaning staff can operate it remotely.

The Pohokura field, offshore from Taranaki, is the country’s largest natural gas resource, owned by a joint venture between Shell, Todd Pohokura, and OMV New Zealand.

The first commercial gas flowed from three onshore ‘extended reach’ drilling wells in the Southern part of the field in September 2006. In March 2007, gas and condensate began to flow from the first of five offshore wells via an undersea pipeline back to an onshore production station at Motunui.

Developing an unmanned site – where operations are monitored from a control room in New Plymouth – required the combined expertise of engineers, consultants and systems integrators.

The Pohokura design contractor,

SafetyThis was achieved by hardwiring the switchgear to discrete I/O in the ControlLogix. Being able to operate the switchgear by remote is also a welcome safety feature.

The operational philosophy for the Pohokura production facility was to establish an unmanned site with zero normal operating presence (ZNOP); plant operation would be performed off-site from a remote control room in New Plymouth using a distributed control system (DCS).

Remote operation is an ideal way to help keep personnel safe and away from potentially hazardous equipment, but its operational success relies on excellent control, fault diagnostics and network capabilities.

Transfield Worley, appointed systems integrator partner Engineering Control (EC). One of the requirements for remote operation was that the motor control centres be integrated into the main plant control system on an intelligent network so that the information from the gas station could be fed back to the control room.

Transfield Worley based the new system on the DeviceNet network together with the Allen-Bradley ControlLogix platform from Rockwell Automation.

Another requirement was that the status of power switchgear at the 400V MCCs and the plant 11kV main switchboard had to be available in the control room and this switchgear had to be operable from the control room as well.

51

S�Water Treatment and Wastewater SystemsSPumps and ValvesSMaterials HandlingSAnti-Corrosion

SystemsSCable Management

Deadline editorial 25 November Deadline advertising 2 December

Coming up in the January 2013 issue

“DeviceNet provided a network solution that could help provide reliable communication and also had the added feature of automatic device replacement (ADR), allowing for reduced downtime with automatic download of device parameters,” says Prasad Nory, industry manager, Rockwell Automation.

ADR consists of configuration and auto-address recovery that effectively lowers maintenance requirements. Operating 24 hours a day, seven days a week, Pohokura has a scheduled proactive maintenance day every month to identify and deal with potential problems.

The Transfield Worley electrically engineered design was the basis for a completely integrated solution that required the capabilities of leading board builders, Switchbuild. The Pohokura solution evolved around the development of two low-voltage motor control centres (MCCs). Two 2.5MVA transformers feed into the first low-voltage MCC via 4000A Air Circuit Breakers (ACBs). Power from the first MCC is then fed through to the second low voltage MCC.

IntelligentThe intelligent MCC design used the DeviceNet network, communicating to the DOL start motor starters for control and monitoring. The E3 plus smart overloads provided motor protection

that closely matched the motor operating characteristics with the enhanced protection capabilities such as earth fault, stall, thermistor and loss of load that are normally provided by much more expensive motor protective relays.

An Allen Bradley ControlLogix programmable automation controller is used to provide the comprehensive monitoring and control of the MCCs and feeds back information to the distributed control system.

To avoid costly downtime at Pohokura, EC developed and incorporated switching controls in the PAC in the event that power is lost from one of the two 11kV incomers.

Peter Huitema, an engineer at EC says: “Normally when supplies switch over you lose power, even if it’s just a few milliseconds, the motors will shutdown.

“To avoid this, we determined how many seconds the motor can be with no power without causing any damage. We used inertia to keep motors running for up to 1.5 seconds, to allow time for the other supply to switch over. By programming this information into the control system we were able to avoid costly shutdowns.”

RemoteThe implementation of state-of-the-art engineering has enabled the Pohokura plant to be operated remotely. “Safety to personnel and the environment take an

even higher priority in a remote operation so plant and components must work reliably with minimal maintenance. All components chosen for the Pohokura project had to have proven reliability,” says Paul Brown, Pohokura operations engineer.


The Pohokura field production station is operated by Shell Exploration NZ. State-of-the-art engineering has enabled the gas plant to be operated remotely.

52 November 2012

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EA Technology has launched a hand-held instrument to locate internal Partial Discharge (PD) activity in high voltage open terminal switchyard equipment, used for power transmission and distribution.

The PD Hawk enables operators to identify PD emissions, which are characteristic of the breakdown of internal insulation that can lead to failure, from a safe distance. A whole switchyard can be scanned for potentially failing assets in minutes.

EA Technology Director Neil

Davies says: “The first sign of problems in switchyards is usually when an asset fails suddenly, causing expensive damage and outage. The unique design of the PD Hawk enables operators to locate PD activity in live assets, quickly and in safety.

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which is essential for planning maintenance and replacement programs.”

Available worldwide through EA Technology’s network of offices and distributors, the battery-powered unit can be used to locate PD emissions in assets including circuit breakers, isolators, disconnectors, surge arrestors, cable sealing ends and instrument transformers.

The PD Hawk can be tuned by the user to measure emissions in the 47 – 1000 MHz frequency range. Its factory default setting

of around 800MHz enables operators to tune out non-PD emissions including non-destructive corona activity, and eliminate false readings from wireless sources such as TV masts and mobile phones.

The operator can safely listen to emissions on the built-in speaker and/or over headphones. Signals can also be viewed on the instrument’s menu-driven screen, which displays them as magnitude, frequency and pulse timing.


Kontron has launched its first ultra low power, low profile ARM-based board that extends its computer-on-modules to those with ARM and SoC processors.

Designated by Kontron, the ULP-COM-sAT30, offers a low profile solution that measures 82mm x 50mm and integrates NVIDIA Tegra 3 Quad Core ARM 1.2 GHz technology.

The firm says the module delivers an advanced, rugged and scalable building block for industrial tablet and imaging-centric applications where power consumption must be extremely

low such as for those in the PoS/PoI, infotainment, digital signage, security, surveillance, medical and military markets.

The combination of the NVIDIA Tegra 3 ARM processor and ULP-COM’s optimized ARM/SoC pin-out definition enables designers to build fanless, passively cooled systems that dramatically reduce power consumption and costs of deployed systems.

Based on the new module standard ULP-COM, the specification has been submitted to the Standardization Group for

Embedded Technologies (SGET), and is expected to be officially released and available through SGET shortly.

Kontron led the development of the new ULP-COM standard, which has received global support from the embedded community.

The ULP-COM-sAT30 uses a 314-pin connector (MXM 3.0), which enables an extremely low profile solution with board-to-board separation as low as 1.5 mm and an overall height as low as 5.7 mm.

This connection method contributes to robust and cost-effective designs that have an extremely thin construction height. The new board also offers superior, high-end graphics support with dedicated interfaces for dual displays with HD video decode including MPEG2, HD video encode, ultra low-power NVIDIA GeForce GPU with dual display controllers, and 2D and 3D acceleration.

In addition, flexible display

support is provided for parallel LCD 18 / 24 bit, LVDS single channel 18 bit / 24 bit (18 bit compatible), as well as dual channel support for 24 bit LVDS (carrier board xmitter) and HDMI. Plus, Kontron’s new ARM-based module delivers camera support via its 2x (dual lane) CSI-2 camera ports.

“The Kontron ULP-COM-sAT30 brings a robust solution that solves many design issues. It reduces power costs and provides flexible display options and high-end graphics demanded by OEMs and end-users alike – all in a standardized form factor geared towards low-profile, low-power systems,” says Kevin Rhoads, vice president, embedded products business unit.

“It is an ideal building block for mobile and fixed low-power usage model applications that need to operate in harsh environments and require high-end graphics, flexible display and camera support.”



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exporters summit

countrys manufacturers

mairangi bay

manufacturers union