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ContentsCover Story4 Tube Made Easy

Stainless Steel9 Local Spindles Speed up Production

Machining

13 Diversity is Strength

Joining16 An Explosive Marriage

19 Weld Stabilisation Using Vibration

Surface Finishing22 Plating Quality is a Team Effort

Industry Leaders Profile25 Rising From the Fire

Customising30 The Craft of Fly Fishing

International News34 International News

Industry News

36 Industry News

Endorsing Bodies

SAIMechE (SA Institution of Mechanical

Engineering)

AFSA (Aluminium Federation of SA)

Proprietor and Publisher:PROMECH PUBLISHING

Tel: (011) 781-1401

Fax: (011) 781-1403E-mail: [email protected]: www.promech.co.za

Managing Editor:Susan CustersEditor:

Raymond CamplingAdvertising Sales:

Di Bluck

DTP: Zinobia Docrat andSanette Lehanie

Disclaimer

Neither PROMECH Publishing

nor its endorsing bodies are

responsible for the opinionsexpressed by individuals.

Printed by:

Typo Colour PrintingTel: (011) 402-3468

The monthly circulation is 5 840

CopyrightAll rights reserved. No edi-torial matter published inAdvanced Materials Todaymay be reproduced in any formor language without writtenpermission of the publishers.While every effort is made toensure accurate reproductionthe editor, authors, publishersand their employees or agentsshall not be responsible or inany way liable for any errors,omissions or inaccuraciesin the publication whetherarising from negligence orotherwise or for any conse-quences arising therefrom.The inclusion or exclusion ofany product does not meanthat the publisher or editorialboard advocates or rejects itsuse either generally or in anyparticular field or fields.

Robor Steel ServicesTel: (011) 971-1700Fax: (011) 388-2949Email: [email protected]

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COVER STORY

The companys stroke of genius is the in-troduction of a value-adding centre that isable to profile cut, cut to size and bend itsstandard offering of tube. This move effec-

tively opens the way for fabricators and buildersto undertake complex projects without the need toinvest in machinery and expertise. Robors serviceoffering is simple tell them what parts you needand as long as its steel tube, they will make it tospecification.

While touring through the 20 000m factory, BobHarvey, the director of sales for the Steel Servicesdivision explains: This is one of the most excitingundertakings ever by the company. We believe thatit opens doors for our clients to shift their operationsup a gear and to get involved in work that requires

specialised prefabrications to be carried out.What it meansSteel tube is widely used in applications from carseats to construction sites.

But, when it comes to complex engineering projects

Tube Made EasyWhen specialised steel tube and pipe manufacturer Robor looked at ways of invigorating the market for tube

in South Africa they looked beyond the confines of pricing and distribution and have come up with an offering

that will see steel tube used in many more applications than before.

The introduction of a value-adding centre that is able to

profile cut, cut to size and bend its standard offering of

tube

Robors new value adding 20,000m facility - leading edge equipment and a host of value adding services under one roof

Bob Harvey

where tubing needs to be cut or profiled, many engi-neers and fabricators shy away and opt for differentmaterials or clumsy joining techniques.

A good example of what can be achieved is the

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roof of the Melrose Arch shopping centre that usedprofiles cut into the structural steel tubes to providea snug fitting joint. The steel is further shaped andformed to form a massive lattice work roof sup-

port. The precise fit of the end joints meant thatthe steel needed only to be supported briefly whilethe structure was aligned and welded.

The result is that the structure is clean with no visiblejoints and adds significant value to the appearanceand strength of the structure, says Bob.

He adds that by pre-bending and cutting customersrequirements, it is possible to have all the partsdelivered ready for final assembly or fabrication.

Value for manufacturingRobors R80-million value centre is situated amidthe giant Elandsfontein factory and sees all value-

added services grouped under one division withone management structure for improved efficiency.According to Andrew Winter, managing director ofRobor Steel Services, the value-added service of-fering has been used with much success in its pipesystems business unit and is being integratedinto the entire operation.

This move enables Robor to offer customersa more comprehensive service from one sup-plier, essentially backing our products fromstart to finish. We are taking advantage of ourestablished systems and logistics to roll out

these services, in effect becoming part of ourcustomers supply chain, says Andrew.

Ready to goIn addition to the conventional services, suchas cutting, ring rolling, bending, painting anddrilling, Robor is able to take a customersrequirements or drawings and convert theminto a solution that is transported to site readyto assemble.

We are supplying components for projects,ready to be installed once on site. The benefi tfor our customers is cost-effectiveness and im-proved efficiency. As the only supplier, we canensure better lead times, simplified logistics,less administration and better co-ordination.There are no delays on a project while waitingfor other components from other suppliers.

Andrew notes that further benefits include betteryield and fewer stock losses. While customerscan cut or bend our tube themselves, mistakesare often made and more items need to beordered. This obviously increases their costsand causes delays. We take that risk away fromthe customer by delivering precisely what theyorder, in the state in which they need it and,

most importantly, on time, he says.Improved efficiencyRobor has established solid relationships withsub-contractors that are able to offer comple-mentary equipment and skills should they be

required. If we dont have those specific resourceswe use our trusted sub-contractors while still man-aging the process to ensure that it is seamless.

The value added service facility is also available forfabricators and distributors to use. The companysresources, established systems and logistics ca-pabilities allow Robor to supply to a number ofprojects on a just-in-time (JIT) basis. This reducesa customers stock holding and assists in makingthe project more efficient.

We have established ourselves in the market asa reliable company that offers consistently goodquality products. The addition of these services

means that we are meeting customer demands for acomprehensive supplier and will be delivering themwith the same high standards, Andrew adds.

Factory tourWith his voice barely audible over the busy fac-

All value-added services grouped under one division with

one management structure for improved efficiency

The bending machine offers constant and variable radius, as well as 2D and 3D capa-bilities

COVER STORY

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Tube 7000 laser cutter. Its fast and precise cuttingability enables the company to meet tight deadlineson behalf of their customers without sacrificingquality. At the same time, it is flexible enough to

accept a wide range of tube sizes from 15 mm to250mm diameters. It can be used on round, square,oval or rectangular sections with wall thicknessesof up to 8mm.

With a maximum input length of 9.5 metres, thecutter is able to work with long sections. The termlike a hot knife through butter springs to mindwhen watching the machine in operation. Themachines laser accuracy ensures the best qualityfinishing can be achieved quickly and cleanly, andis highly suited when robotic welding is required

High definition plasmaIn industries where size matters, or where heaviermaterials need to be cut, Robor has installed aMicrostep HD Plasma Cutter. This impressive cutteris able to handle tube diameters up to 508mm withwall thicknesses up to 25mm. Its ability to handletube up to 13.5 metres long makes it ideal forstructural steel work, although its precision cutting

ability also enables finer work to be undertaken. Itsthree-dimensional head profiles tube so that it isready for the welding process and weld preparationand bevel ends are easily catered for.

In fact, the versatility of the machine makes it anideal addition to the factory because it is also ableto provide profiles on tube for tight jointing and easywelds, even on heavy materials. The Microstep isthe workhorse of the cutting room and is able tomaintain a high work rate on a continuous basis.

Bending the rulesWith the installation of its three dimensional bending

machine, the company has completed the loop andis able to meet any requirement of its customers.More importantly, the company has assembled anexperienced team of professionals for the opera-tion to ensure that practical solutions are found toassist customers with technical details, designs orconfigurations. There is no limit to what can beachieved with steel tube and open sections. Al-though it has been used in industry for hundreds ofyears, we plan to drive its use even further throughsolutions that make use of the best machinery andbest skills available in South Africa.

Robor Steel Services, Bob Harvey, Tel: (011) 971-1700,

Fax: (011) 388-2949, Email: [email protected]

We take that risk away from the

customer by delivering precisely what

they order, in the state in which they

need it and, most importantly, on time

Additional services on offer include bending

T r i e d

and test-ed technology

the laser cutting

machine is ideal for

projects that requirecustomised solu-

tions

tory noise,

Bob is keento show off the

companys invest-ment in a specialised

laser cutter, as well ashigh definition plasma for any

kind of cutting work includingdetailed and precise work. Complex

curves and bends too can be carriedout on the new three-dimensional bend-

ing machine that calculates precise bendpositions from CAD drawings.

The new machines are impressive and Bob takes

particular pride in showing the kind of work that isalready being turned out on behalf of a customerproviding structural steel for the Kusile Power Station.The precise cutting work and ready to weld jointswill mean that once on site, the sub-contractorsjob is purely an erect and join project.

Laser guided precisionRobor is the only company in the country that oper-ates the technologically advanced Trumpf TruLaser

COVER STORY

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8/40 Advanced Materials Today Mar/Apr 201034 BULK HANDLING TODAY March 2008

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C

olumbus Stainless contracted SKF in2001 to review the design of the existinggrease lubricated SG1 and SG2 spindlesused in its slab grinding stands. SKF was

also appointed as the preferred supplier for the as-sessment and reconditioning of its spindles. Thisincluded bearing replacements and other works.SKF Engineering Manager, Warren Walker, quotesSKFs reputation as an internationally recognisedbearing technology and rotating equipment expert,as one of the main reasons for Columbus Stainlessentering into a service agreement with SKF.

As a knowledge engineering company, we have

the specialised engineering knowledge, in-houseservice capability and specialised equipment re-quired to replace bearings as well as to measureand assess whether the dimensional and geometricform accuracy of the spindle components conforms

Local Spindles Speed up

ProductionSKF South Africa, in a joint initiative with

Columbus Stainless, locally redesigned, manufactured

and supplied new high-speed spindles that have yielded

improved reliability, performance and productivity for the

grinding of stainless-steel cast slabs at the Columbus

Stainless plant, in Middelburg, Mpumalanga.to specification.

Slab grindingIn 2005, Columbus Stainless approached SKF forassistance in designing a new spindle that wouldbe capable of operating at higher speeds and over-coming problems such as poor bearing service life,

shaft failures and short v-belt life that Columbuswas experiencing with the existing spindles. Theoperating environment for slab grinding spindlesthat remove a predetermined layer of materialfrom the cast slabs is arduous and demanding.Reliable spindle performance is important as theplant operates 24/7, says Walker.

The bearings inside the spindles are subjected tohigh loads and rotate at very high speeds duringthe grinding process. Apart from the heat generatedwithin the bearings during operation, the spindleis exposed to radiant heat from slabs of certaingrades of stainless steel that are ground at high

temperatures (slab temperatures up to 350C). Inaddition, the spindle bearings are often subjected tohigh vibration and impact loading from the grindingwheel during operation.

The SKF Project Engineer-ing department obtaineddetailed application dataand operational require-ments from Columbuswhich was used as in-put data to upgrade thedesign of the bearings,spindle shaft and seal-

ing arrangements to meetincreased performancerequirements, explainsWalker.

The rotational speed of thespindle operation plays acrucial role in determiningthe overall efficiency of thegrinding process. A higherspindle rotational speedresults in a more efficientgrinding process and facili-

tates replacement of theworn wheel at a smallerdiameter without adverselyaffecting the finish of theground slab. A redesigned

Overcoming problems such as poor bearing service life,

shaft failures and short v-belt life

STAINLESS STEEL

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spindle, capable of operating at increased speed,would significantly increase production efficiency andreduce the cost of replacement grinding wheels byreducing wastage associated with premature wheel

replacement at a larger wear diameter.

OverheatingAfter a thorough review of the existing spindledesigns and root cause analysis performed onfailed bearings, engineers established that greaselubrication of the bearings limited the maximumoperating speed of the original spindles. The highload dependent and load independent frictionalmoments generated within the bearings duringoperation, together with radiant heat during grindingof hot slabs, quickly resulted in overheating of thebearings if the recommended speed rating of thebearings for grease was exceeded.

Performance criteria for the new redesigned spindlesincluded higher speed capability, increased stiffness,longer bearing and belt service life, improved seal-ing efficiency and lower maintenance requirements.Dimensional compatibility with the existing spindlehousings was also important.

Walker discusses some of the local design featuresof the new spindle: The diameter of the spindle

shaft was increased to offer higher strength andreduced deflection during operation. The new bear-ing arrangement incorporated two SKF precisiondouble-row cylindrical roller bearings to accom-modate the radial loads from the grinding wheeland belt drive.

The design also incorporated a separate SKFprecision double-row angular contact thrust ball

bearing to support the axial loads generated duringgrinding. The new design, with a larger shaft andbigger bearings, allows for a high load carryingcapacity which extends the life under the same

loading conditions.

Higher speedsTo overcome the speed limitations associated withgrease lubrication, SKF proposed a change to oilmist lubrication for the new spindles. Due to thelower viscous friction and cooling effect from theoil mist system, the maximum bearing operatingspeed could be increased from the former limit of2500 rpm for grease lubrication to 3800 rpm (52%increase in speed rating).

An SKF automated oil mist lubrication system withthree feed lines per spindle was recommended to-

gether with a change to a synthetic oil which offersimproved performance at elevated temperatures.In addition, based on the results of extensive cal-culations, SKF provided guidelines for required oilflow to each of the precision bearings as precisemetering is necessary to prevent the increasedfriction and higher bearing operating temperaturesassociated with over-lubrication. Smaller quantitiesof oil offer numerous environmental and cost savingbenefits including smoother high speed operation,increased speed capability, lower oil consumptionand reduced temperatures.

We optimised the sealing capacity with a custom

designed labyrinth, v-ring seal combination. Av-ring seal manufactured from fluoro rubber wasselected due to its ability to withstand operatingtemperatures of up to 200C. The proposed newseal design has proved to be effective in preventingwater and contaminant ingress for similar high-speedapplications, says Walker.

The solutionThe SKF proposal includedthe complete supply of anassembled spindle thatincluded:

High precision SKF bear-ings with a speed ratingof up to 3800 rpm usingoil mist lubrication

New larger diameter, stifferspindle shaft with appropri-ate dimensional and geo-metric form tolerances

Cast steel housing preparedfor oil mist lubrication

New optimised sealingarrangement

Redesigned grinding wheelhub manufactured fromstronger En19 material

New poly v-belt pulley with

Grinding spindle in operation

In addition, the spindle bearings are often subjected to

high vibration and impact loading

STAINLESS STEEL

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STAINLESS STEEL

a tapered bore incorporating oil injection foreasier mounting and dismounting

Quality assurance checks on all manufacturedcomponents

Assembly in the service workshop at SKFWitfield

Walker says that the optimised spindle designis a complete local supply. With the exceptionof the bearings that are imported from the SKFPrecision Bearing Factory in Villarperosa, Italy, allother components for the redesigned spindles aremanufactured in South Africa.

SKF was confident that the characteristics of thenew spindle would meet Columbus Stainlesss designcriteria of higher speed capability, increased reliabilityand production efficiency, reduced maintenancecosts and extended life cycles of the bearings andassociated components.

PrototypingIn April 2006, two months after SKF presentedtheir design, Columbus Stainless placed an order

for the first prototype spindle, the first prototypeSKF high speed spindle SG 4-1 was fitted onto themoveable stand of SG2 and went into operationin April 2007.

The service life of 413 days ( 14 months) attainedfrom this spindle considerably exceeded all previ-ous performance records. Walker points out thatthis is a remarkable performance when taking intoaccount that the normal service life ofthe previous slab grinding spindles wasbetween 2 days and 6 months. Anotherof the new SKF high speed spindles, SG4-15, recently attained a service life of

330 days during operation on the SG1fixed stand.

Columbus Stainless has subsequentlystandardised on the SKF SG4 spindledesign for use on all three slab grindersat the plant. This is an ongoing projectand, to date, we have manufactured andsupplied 20 new SG4 spindles for thestainless steel plant and reconditioneda number of SG4 spindles that havebeen removed from service as part of theproactive maintenance programme thathas been implemented by the customer,states Walker.

According to Walker, Columbus Stainlessdeserves a lot of credit for their commit-ment to the successful performance of

the new spindle design. Maintenance personnelhave optimised the design of the water jacket

that shields the spindle from direct exposure tothe hot slabs during grinding and implemented ahighly effective proactive maintenance strategy thatincludes continuous monitoring of spindle bearingtemperatures during operation and regular collec-tion of oil samples that are analysed for excessivelevels of wear metals.

Warren Walker, SKF engineering manager

Grinding spindle repair centre team are Wendy Lolli, project engineering manager, Kenny God-frey, senior mechanical eld service technician, Warren Walker, engineering manager, and Jan

Labuschagne, mechanical eld service technical consultant

Higher speed capability, increased

stiffness, longer bearing and belt service

life, improved sealing efficiency and

lower maintenance requirements

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Longer lifeScheduled replacement of spindles prior to cata-strophic bearing failure when excessive axial play,high wear particle levels in the oil or sudden changes

in bearing operating temperatures are detected.Removed spindles are sent to SKF for assessmentand reconditioning.

Columbus Stainless has also constructed a testbench in their workshop that is used to performcommissioning tests on all spindles before theyare placed into storage or service. The test benchincludes a variable speed drive, an oil-mist lubrica-tion system, temperature monitoring and belts onboth sides of the spindle where the tension can beadjusted to apply the requisite minimum radial load-ing to the bearings during testing. Baseline vibrationmonitoring is also performed on the spindles duringtesting and the bearing operating temperatures atthe various test speeds as a function of time aremeasured and recorded.

SKFs reputation as a knowledge engineeringcompany is underpinned by expert knowledge andquality products in five specialised core technologies

and SKFs scope of supply for the redesigned SG4spindles cover four of the five technologies:

Bearings and units precision bearings used inspindle, design and manufacture of specialisedspindle components

Seals supply of v-rings, o-rings and customdesigned labyrinth seal components

Lubrication complete supply of oil-mist lu-brication system and recommendations for oiltype and dispense rates

Power transmission design and manufactureof specialised poly v-belt pulley

Services design of spindles, assessment andreconditioning of spindles, quality assurancechecks on manufactured components, assembly

of spindles at SKF Witfield.Based on experience gained from assessment ofthe components from spindles that are sent to SKFfor reconditioning and feedback from Columbus,SKF continues to refine the design of the spindleto further optimise performance.

Performance has improved to such a degree thatduring a planned shutdown at the end of Decem-ber 2008, Columbus Stainless had seven sparespindles. This is an industry first, as previously,limited quantities of spare spindles were availableduring shutdown due to the high failure rate dur-

ing service.Complete solutionSKF Solution Factory Africa, launched on 17 July2009, further differentiates SKF South Africa as asolutions provider by combining technology productsand advanced service capability with 100 years ofindustry and application knowledge. The facilityincludes a dedicated Spindle Repair Centre withadvanced new equipment that includes a variablespeed test bench, minimum quantity SKF lubrica-tion system and computerised on-line conditionmonitoring system.

Spindles that are reconditioned by SKF in the newfacility are subjected to thorough commissioningtests which include on-line temperature trendingas well as vibration data collection and analysis.From SKFs perspective, our locally designed SG4spindle is in line with our tradition of excellenceand delivers on all fronts better reliability, higherspeed capability, increased production efficiency andimproved cost effectiveness, concludes Walker.

SKF South Africa (Pty) Ltd, Samantha Joubert, Tel: (011)

821 3500, Fax: (011) 821 3501, Email: samantha.joubert@

skf.com, Web: www.skf.co.za

Smaller quantities of oil offer numerous environmental

and cost saving benefits

STAINLESS STEEL

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Marketing and sales director, Steve Turner,says the company took the decisionto diversify both its product rangeand supplier base in order to provide

customers with a one-stop shopping experience. Themove was a natural progression though, as at thetime customers were increasingly asking for a widerselection of industrial tools and consumables.

Product spread protectionSteve smiles wryly as he explains that the overalldownturn in the economy has had an impact onthe business, but because of the spread of prod-ucts ranging from gloves to lathes and glue to CNCmachines, it has been less debilitating.

The market for CNC machines, for example, is tough

Diversify both its product range and

supplier base in order to provide

customers with a one-stop shopping

experience

While machine tool

sales are reported to

be 40% down on 2008

figures due to ongoing

recessionary pressure, diverse

tool and industrial distributors,

Toolquip and Allied are breathing a

sigh of relief as the decision to

diversify lessens exposure to hard hit

industries.

Diversity is Strength

MACHINING

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sumables remain good. We alsorefurbish machines so that endof the market is naturally morebuoyant, says Steve.

He adds that conventional ma-chine tool sales are slightlydown since the recession began,but not significantly so. On theupside wear parts and serviceitems are good.

Wide rangeToolquip and Allied is a leadingsupplier of machines and tools forindustry in South Africa. A visitto the companys warehouse islike a child walking into a sweet

shop. Thousands of differentproducts line the shelves and if

you are involved in fabricating or working metalor other materials, you are sure to find tools andgadgets that will serve your purposes.

We have expert product managers that deal withdifferent product lines and offer customers adviceand technical assistance when buying equipment.They are also able to provide us with informationon trends and new machines required within theirdivisions.

It is as a result of the close interaction between

our people and our customers that we are ableto predict demand for products and find manu-facturers around the world that can supply localrequirements, he says.

Steve motions at the brimming stock levels in thewarehouse and continues that every product onthe shelves has a particular market or niche andthat stock levels are kept according to forecasteddemand. Every product has been selected andagencies sourced to enable us to give our custom-ers what they want.

AgenciesToolquip has almost too many distribution agenciesto count. In many instances, agencies are sought toprovide customers with a best of breed productand an opposing agency that provides them with anaffordable option. It alsohas a wide rangeof OEM

MACHINING

Stock levels are kept according to forecasted

demand

at the moment, but customers are keeping their oldmachines serviceable and as a result the marketfor parts and consumables is good.

With so many of our machinesoperating in the market, weare fortunate that consumablessupply and sales of fast-movinggoods such as hand tools and con-

Toolquip and Aliieds warehouse is a national heritage site

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branded products including a full range of handtools, as well as capital equipment such as lathes,milling, drilling and band-saw machines.

Some of the better known agencies include Baty,Beck, Carmex, Cosen, DC Taps, DoAll, Geka, Kinik,

Korloy, Marpol, Mitutoyo, Newall, Noga, Renishaw,Thomas, Yes Tools and YGI. New

agencies are sourced and addedregularly and either representedunder the name locally or

branded as a Toolquip andAllied (TA) product.

Our main warehousesupplies more than 90%

of catalogue productsex-stock and we are

able to deliver

the same dayto customersin many in-stances. Weare also ableto supply a

v a s t

range of prod-uct ex-stock

f r om ou rbranches inCape Town,Durban and

Port Elizabeth.In most cases, stock not held

Hand tools, as well as capital equipment such as lathes,milling, drilling and band-saw machines

MACHINING

Peace of history

Toolquip and Allied ranks among few companiesin the country that own a natural heritage site.Its tall warehouse in Crown Mines has come along way from its origins and has an interestingtale to tell.

The warehouse was built by the Nazis in SouthWest Africa (Namibia) during the Second WorldWar. It was one of the few facilities outsideGermany where U-boats were manufactured touphold wartime attacks on Allied shipping.

After the war is was reassembled at its currentlocation in Johannesburg and again used in warefforts as an armaments manufacturing facility.Later it was purchased by the mine and finally

finds itself serving peaceful purposes servingas Toolquip and Allieds warehouse. Althoughthe structure remains unchanged the buildinghas been completely renovated and the interiorupgraded to serve as a modern warehouse anddispatch centre.

by the branches is available from Johannesburgwithin 24 hours, Steve says.

Going forwardSteve suggests that the company is well positionedto grow business footprints in many of its divisionsas the country emerges from recession. Due tothe diverse product range and comparativelyhealthy sales the company is less vulnerablethan some other suppliers and is in a positionto maintain healthy stock levels as demandpicks up.

We arent expect-ing a quick recov-ery of the market,but the signs aregood and enquiriesare picking up nicely,he concludes.

Toolquip and Allied, Steve Turner,

Tel: (011) 370-2727, Fax: (011) 370-

2700, Email: [email protected], Web:

www.toolquip.co.za

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An Explosive MarriageIts loud, its messy and potentially dangerous, but explosive

bonding remains the only way to provide an absolute and

permanent bond of dissimilar metals. Using this technique it

is possible to provide solutions to industries that require com-

bined properties of different materials such as aluminium and

copper for aluminium smelting operations.

cilities to undertake the work - and the market atpresent will probably only sustain one such busi-ness in any event.

It is the aim of Exploclad management to popularisethe technique and show different industries thevalue of combining materials to obtain improvedefficiency.

Industrial applicationsIn some instances, such as aluminium smelting,the service is indispensible as large busbars arenecessary to supply the enormous current to the

smelters. These need to be converted at a junctionfrom aluminium to steel and these materials cannotbe welded or brazed conventionally.

Exploclads solution is toform a transition joint wherea block of aluminium has asteel plate explosively cladto it. The steel can then bewelded conventionally, as canthe aluminium. The joint ispermanent and has proved tobe stronger than the weaker ofthe two materials in destruc-

tive tests.

The company also commonlyprovides cladding and joiningservices for copper mineswhere starter plates made fromstainless steel and titanium areexplosively clad with copperin order to gather copper dur-ing the minerals processingprocess. In many applicationswhere hostile environmentswould destroy conventionalbonds formed during eitherroll-bonding or normal weld-ing, explosive bonding is theonly reliable method.

In addition to these processesa myriad of other applicationswhere dissimilar materialsneed to be permanently joinedcan be undertaken.

The processTechnical expert, LourensSchultz, explains that theprocess is more theoreticalthan it is high-tech. Throughthe careful application of vari-ous techniques it is possibleto clad or bond a wide varietyof materials including among

A copper clad starter plate used in the copper mining industry

After the explosion the bond is permanent and materials need only be cleaned and nished before use

T

his is a niche market and although manyindustries can benefit through the technol-ogy, not many engineers and fabricators areaware of it. Only one company in Africa,

Exploclad, has access to the technology and fa-Explosive bonding remains the only way to provide an

absolute and permanent bond of dissimilar metals

JOINING

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JOINING

others, copper, aluminium, steel, stainless steel,titanium or combinations of any of these materials.He continues that it is even possible to compactchemical powders like tungsten and ceramic mix-tures if the right technique is applied.

The process takes place at a designated blastingsite and entails the base material being placeddown with the cladding material placedon top. The required amount of com-mercial explosives is placed on top ofthe material.

Upon detonation the materials areaccelerated to a hydrodynamic statewhere the materials are briefly at melt-ing point, deformed and reformed in asplit second.

This causes some molecular disruptionand when viewed under a microscopeit is possible to see that molecules ofthe dissimilar materials actually maketheir way into the opposing materialand form an instantaneous weld, saysLourens.

Hard act to followIt is also possible to harden metals,especially those alloyed with manga-nese - typically those used in crusherjaws. In this instance, the deformingtakes place through the shockwave,which localises the molecules to a Small items can also be explosively bonded

higher density on the surface of metals. Thehigher the percentage of manganese (18%),

the harder the surface.Another application where explosives areused is for the forming of plates into complexshapes. Again the process is similar exceptthis time the plate will be placed over a mouldand explosives used to blast it to conform tothe shape of the mould. This technique iscommonly used when forming large platesfor pressure vessels and tanks.

Explosives for any of the processes vary andthe power is usually dictated by the amountof explosives used.

Although similar techniques are used for all theapplications, each job requires a different recipethat allows deformation and formation to takeplace in a controlled manner. Gas compression

A simplied diagram of explosive process

Through the careful application of various techniques itis possible to clad or bond a wide variety of materials

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An explosion is used to bond dissimilar metals

A microscopic view of molecular ingress in opposing materials

and escape needs to follow a specified

direction and rate in order to achievethe required results and this needs tobe carefully calculated and mapped outbefore any blasting takes place.

Growing the market

Exploclad has been in operation for morethan 16 years and during this time hasperfected many techniques for differentindustries. Pierre plans to introduceexplosive cladding to a number of newindustries that can benefit throughtechniques that have been perfected bythe company.

There are applications forexplosive cladding in thechemical, gas and oil indus-try for heat exchangers, tubesheets and pressure vessels,as well as in the boat build-ing and shipping industrythat can provide tailor-madesolutions.

We want to extend an invita-tion to anyone in the industrythat has an application thatrequires bonding of dissimilarmetals to work with our tech-nical experts to see whethersolutions can be offered,says Pierre.

Exploclad, Lourens Schultz, Tel:(012) 804- 3036, Fax: (012) 804-

2806, Email: exploclad@global.

co.za, Website: www.exploclad.

com

Where it startedThe bonding of dissimilar materials was nothing more than a pipedream for engineers that desired afusion of properties that were found in metals with characteristics too far removed for traditional joining

methods until war came along and changed everything.Although the techniques were pioneered and developed in those early years, it was only much later thatindustrial applications were sought and the techniques perfected.

Around the globe the technology was being developed. As technologies advanced so too did the materi-als and the challenge of bonding dissimilar metals turned into somewhat of an arms race as explosivetechniques were sought to fulfil requirements. South Africa was no different and it was left up to ahandful of explosives gurus at Armscor to push the cause.

Exploclad was born from the unbundling of the Armscor operation in 1994. The company has grownand currently ranks large industrial and process driven companies among its client base. In fact, thetechnology has proven to be vital to some of South Africas core manufacturing and service industries.

There are applications for

explosive cladding in the

chemical, gas and oil

industry for heat exchangers,

tube sheets and pressure

vessels

JOINING

8/7/2019 AMT: Mar / Apr 2010


JOINING

Weld Stabilisation Using

Vibration

tion. In addition PWHT often leads to oxidation

and scaling of the surface which needs subsequentcleaning and preparation before final use.

Vibratory stress reliefAn alternative process, to reduce distortion andalleviate residual stress, is by means of vibratorystress relief (VSR) in which the component isvibrated by a motor with an eccentric mass,at or near one of its resonant frequencies. Theprocess is reportedly generally not as good at

relieving the residual stresses, but sufficientlyadequate to reduce distortion so that subsequentmachining and manufacturing processes canbe continued without further additional move-ment. A closely related process is that of weldstabilisation in which VSR is undertaken dur-ing the welding process (VDW) in an attemptto minimise deformation and reduce residualstress. This final year engineering studentproject endeavoured to investigate the effectsof VDW on boiler plate.

Experimental detailsTwo 14mm thick, thermally stress relievedplates (one-metre square) were prepared bymachining two single 60o Vee preparations600mm apart in one side of the plate.

Welds were then run using a sub arc process (ACcurrent of 400Amps DC, voltage 25V, 2.4mmdiameter wire and feed rate of 4.2mm/sec).During welding the plates, mounted on rub-ber supports, were subject to various levels ofvibration while the plate temperature in theweld line was also monitored using numerousthermocouples. The electric VSR motor witheccentric mass and accelerometer was attached

midway along one side firstly, parallel to thewelds (plate 1) and then perpendicular toweld lines (plate 2). Nodal vibration lines wereidentified by the vibration and agglomeration(or not) of the granular flux particles. Plate 1

Various ways of overcoming such

residual stresses and distortion

Although welding is one of the most common and reliable methods of joining steel plate, it can lead to significant

residual stresses in the process, often with values as high as the material yield stress. Furthermore, welding

processes can lead to distortion through such stresses, caused by differential cooling, unless the most rigorous

processes are followed.

There are various ways of overcoming such

residual stresses and distortion, the most com-mon of which is by means of post weld heattreatment (PWHT). This process, although

effective, is generally expensive in both energy andtime, and not always suitable for cer tain alloys as itcan lead to metallurgical changes of microstructureand grain growth as well as altered temper condi-

VSR could have application in typical welding scenarios such as these

8/7/2019 AMT: Mar / Apr 2010


included welds A (vibration, at resonance (in thevicinity of 58 60Hz and also 84-88Hz) and B (novibration), while plate 2 included welds C (extremevibration) and D (sub resonance vibration).

Subsequent to the welding, the two plates and fourwelds were evaluated in various tests.

Sub resonance the best performerThe best performing welding/vibration procedureappeared to be the sub resonance case since thehigh vibration cases led to weld distortion and apoor finish to the weld itself, with a line down themiddle of the weld since the vibration was so ex-treme. For comparative purposes weld B (no vibra-tion) and weld D (sub resonance) were comparedas being most representative of the effect of weldstabilisation due to vibration.

Under sub resonance vibration (weld case D) theweld was smoother and flatter, and not as rounded,as might be expected (e.g. vibration of concreteduring placement and compaction) with the angleat the edge of the weld being slightly less (~8oinstead of ~12o). The deflection/distortion using aprotractor and straight edge was less for the VDWcase (weld D) by about 16% over the range 3.5 -

4mm (no vibration) to 2.5-2.8mm (vibration case)at comparable distances.

Reduced grain sizeHardness scans across the weld revealed a broaden-ing and increase of the Vickers hardness over theVDW weld by approximately 7-10% over the range

22010 VHN). The broadened VDW hardnessprofile exhibited a double hump, as opposed to onebroad peak, or hump, in the non VDW case, and theslight increase in hardness is attributed to smaller

grain sizes in the weld (and to an extent HAZ) asa result of vibration. This grain size reduction fac-tor due to VDW led to about 2 to 3 times smallergrains in the VDW case. The reduced grain size,and more grain boundaries, is consistent with theslight increase in Vickers hardness VHN.

The most pronounced effect was in Charpy impacttoughness in which six Charpy samples takenacross each weld and tested from liquid nitrogentemperatures to boiling water 100oC, exhibited a25oC decrease in the ductile to brittle transitiontemperature DBTT (to the left) with VDW weldtreatment. This is illustrated in Fig 1, for example,where the VDW treated weld D is above and to theleft of the non vibrated weld B, implying a tough-ness improvement and better performance at lowtemperature, due to the reduced DBTT. Again themechanism for this behaviour is consistent withreduced grain growth and more equi-axed grainswhich is typical of improved toughness in steel dueto comparable heat treatment.

High clamping residual stressesNo direct residual stress tests (by hole drilling forexample) were undertaken, however, it was worthnoting that during sectioning of the large plates for

subsequent examination, (microstructure, hardness,Charpy etc.) the band saw blade jammed in the weldB (no VDW) on three occasions and broke, almostcertainly due to the high clamping residual stresses,whereas weld D (subject to VDW) was readily andeasily cut with the same band saw system. There

is scope thereforeto conduct rigorouscentre hole drilling(foil strain gauge)residual stress testson the welds, to fur-ther investigate the

effect of vibrationon weld condition-ing and residualstress.

Improved weld

characteristicsA preliminary inves-tigation of the effectof VDW conditioningduring sub arc weld-ing of boiler platewelds was success-fully undertaken.Although the effectsare not large, therewas a clear indica-tion that vibrationduring welding:

Figure 1 Graph showing the Charpy V notch impact energy as a function of temperature for VSR treated weld condition-ing (upper curve B) compared to non VSR weld.

An alternative process, to reduce distortion and

alleviate residual stress, is by means of vibratory stress

relief (VSR)

JOINING

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JOINING

Reduces the ductile to brittle transition tem-perature (DBTT) the approximate 25oCreduction observed increases crack toleranceand improves the potential for the material to

be used in sub zero applications.Doubled the toughness at temperature belowzero degrees.

Produces smoother, flatter welds which wouldreduce the stress concentration ef-fects associated with the weld.

Reduced weld induced distortion ofthe plates (by about 16%)

Slightly increased hardening andtoughness which is consistent with(observed) reduced grain size andwould increase the fatigue resistanceof the material.

Although preliminary, this project showsthe effects of VDW are promising andare deserving of further study especiallyin order to on the quantitative effects ofresidual stress reduction and levels ofvibration required to achieve optimalresults.

Special thanks are due to Leigh Elvesof Allweld Marine and Industrial (Pty)

Ltd for providing the sub arc welding facility, KeithMcIntyre of Alstom John Thompson (Pty) Ltd formetallurgical advice and providing the boiler plate,and Origen Engineering Solutions for the loan of

the VSR equipment.R.B. Tait and P.D. Kwakwa, Department Of Mechanical

Engineering, University Of Cape Town

Our service has been specifcally designed to cater or our

customers needs.

Gas companies are not the same. Air Products provides

a level o support that can help you stay ahead. So oruninterrupted gas supply, trust Air Products to deliver.

I you are ready or a change and want to experience a

superior customer service, contact us today!

Contact Gavin Bryson

National Sales Manager Packaged Gases

Tel: 011 977 6400 Email: [email protected]

Think Coogar

In the heat o the moment

www.airproducts.co.za

GM370_AP Presslink

8/7/2019 AMT: Mar / Apr 2010


Tony has seen his fair share of these havingrun his business for more than thirty yearsand chairing the SA Electroplating IndustriesAssociation (SAEIA) for many years as well.

The approach he has adopted in order to counterfly-by-night operations is to use his accountingskills to keep margins tight and volumes high, while

never compromising on quality.

Electroplating has so many advantages over other

Plating Quality

is a Team Effort

techniques that there is a big market out there. Itsalso not rocket science and as a result the basic

techniques can be employed quite easily to start anoperation. But basics are just that, basic. Qualityis basic and materials are basic, so anyone makinguse of this type of operation must be prepared tosettle for less than the best.

Backyard operationsSpeaking as a long standing member of SAEIA, Tonysuggests that backyard plating is fine for backyardapplications, but when it come to large volume workor jobs where reasonable quality is required it isbetter to steer well clear of the part-timers.

Anyone can get their hands on a trough, electrodesand some solution, but not everyone understands thebasic of metallurgy, nor of corrosion or mechanicalmanufacturing processes. In order to get the bestout of electroplating, companies need to invest inquality equipment and solutions and have expert

know-how, he adds.

Backyard to forefrontTony started his business many yearsago as a backyarder. However, his long

term goals were set on building a bet-ter future for himself and his family.With that goal in mind, he immediatelyimplemented sustainable practices andworked hard at getting his output qualityto the highest level possible.

In time, by sticking to his guns, Tonybuilt up Team Plating Works, a successfulelectroplating business that ranks SouthAfricas top manufacturers among itscustomers. The company has a reputa-tion for quality and although he has longlost touch with accounting practices hisproducts are still well priced.

Currently, the Team Plating Works opera-tion runs out of a workshop in Germistonand uses a mix of old, but reliable, ma-

SURFACE FINISHING

It is a good thing that Tony Joseph

qualified as a Chartered Accountant

before opening his plating works inGermiston. That is because

electroplating is a numbers game that

takes a lot of planning to run profitably

while competing in a market that is

notorious for short-lived start-ups that

set up small operations in backyards

and undercut mainstream

market players.

Team Plating is a family affair with father Tony, son Gary and daughter Tracy at

the helm of the business

Garys home-grown efuent plant

Electroplating has so many advantages

over other techniques that there is a bigmarket out there

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SURFACE FINISHING

chinery as well as modern automated equipmentdepending on the size of the job and time-frameavailable. Solutions are still purchased from reli-able suppliers in the USA and, although cheaper

products have recently become available from theEast, he will not compromise on quality.

Tricks of the tradeThe main advantage of electroplating is that materi-als can be coated in an even and controlled manor.Plate thickness can be increased or decreased asrequired and for applications where precision isrequired can minimised to 8 microns in order not tointerfere with threads or finely machined parts.

The most commonly used plating in South Africaincludes megatin, blue, green, yellow and blackand each colour denotes different properties, mostnotably strength. Plating in exotic materialsfollows the same process, but is seldomused in industry in South Africa.

When his son, Gary, and daughter, Tracy,joined the company recently, it inspired thethinking and changed the operation for thebetter. Tony acknowledges that the injectionof new thinking has made a difference tothe companys efficiency and has set the

company on a new growth path.New bloodThe addition of a mechanical plating pro-cess has enabled the company to open newmarkets as well as provide existing clientswith fit-to-purpose solutions. One of thedownfalls of any hot or chemical process isthe potential to effect the tensile propertiesof metals. Heavy load bearing parts suchas the nuts and bolts used in bridges needto be plated through mechanical processesrather than electroplating or hot dip.

Another improvement brought on throughthe companys new mindset is a new wayof thinking about the environment andsustainable practices that are kinder tothe earth. Gary built an effluent plant fromscratch using parts sourced from overseasor improvised locally. Although the efflu-ent plant was not in the budget plan, hewas adamant and the end-result was thathis improvised effluent solutions releasesused water that meets the local authoritysminimum standards.

At the end of the day, the company has

been good to us over the years and mygoal of leaving a legacy for my children hasmaterialised. Tracy and Gary are involvedin every aspect of the business and haveimproved the business dramatically through

their innovative thinking, Tony says

Trouble in the WestElectroplating has lost its shine in many countries

where tough environmental legislation makes itnear impossible to operate a profitable operation.The use of sulphuric acids and especially hexava-lent chrome in the electroplating process has shutdown many operations in the West, especially inEurope and the USA.

This has provided an unexpected boon for TeamPlating Works, as parts suppliers in those partslook for alternative suppliers abroad. South Africasindustry is a preferred destination as quality is ofa consistently high standard and time zones inEurope, language and cultural similarities are inour favour.

We have picked up a lot of business destinedfor the automotive trade and the feedback we getis that our quality often exceeds what they were

Some of the products that have been electroplated

Not everyone understands the basics of

metallurgy

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SURFACE FINISHING

getting previously. China and other Eastern countriesmatch us for price, but have a reputation for fluctu-ating quality.

One mans meat is another mans poison as thesaying goes, but we are well aware of environmen-tal concerns and real dangers of using hexavalentchrome, Gary says.

Change is imminent

Gary wants to educate the local industry on thedangers posed by the substance, but at the momenthe says the market is too price sensitive and despitethe companys marketing of safer trivalent chromeplating the market remains hell-bent on using theold technology.

The reasons for this are two-fold as trivalent chromeis slightly pricier and initial offerings could not provide

the same quality plating.Our new Enviropas plating offers similar if not bet-ter properties to our clients and the cost is far closernow than it was before. If we could have our waywe would switch to trivalent chrome and Enviropasimmediately, but we have to give our customerswhat they want.

Gary adds that the newly aquired clients in Europeand the USA are conscious of the environment anddo insist on new plating technologies, as well asproper effluent treatment. It is good to know thatalthough we are gaining business from regions were

environmental controls make it impossible for plat-ers to operate, we are not gaining business at theexpense of our environment.

Team plating Works, Gary Joseph, Tel: (011) 825 6701, Fax:

(086) 503 0745, Email: [email protected]

Team Platings automated electroplating production line

South Africas industry is a preferred

destination as quality is of a consistently high

standard

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Its transition has taken the company full circlefrom its humble beginnings as a general fabrica-tor more than 20 years ago, to specialised workfor the furnace and smelting industry and back

to general fabrication. Only this t ime, the package

is formidable and the company has emerged as asupplier to varied industries. It offers full serviceengineering and fabrication services, as well asfitment or installation through its project divisionto blue-chip companies locally and abroad.

It is clear that Prodins chiefs have learned theirtrade and learned it well. Fabrication of furnacecomponents requires precision, adherence to strictstandards and an in-depth knowledge of materials

Rising From the Fire

in order to maximise operational abilities and ensureproducts last under extreme conditions. The kindof contracts that the company is gaining inevitablyrequires an element of this expertise and sets itapart from the many medium and heavy engineer-ing competitors in South Africa.

Power generationLike so many other engineering companies, thecompany has benefitted through Eskoms bold newpower station expansion programme. It counts oneof its most recent successes as its ability to under-take a R300-million contract to construct variouslarge plate work and structural components for theregenerative air pre-heaters, for the new Medupi andKusile power stations. This work requires advancedmaterials and entails the manufacture of two setsof pre-heaters, every six months, until all 24 units

required are completed.

Furnace roofs

Business is red hot and smoking at the Wadeville Premises of heavy engineering specialists, Prodin. The

company that built its reputation as a manufacturer of furnaces and parts for the smelting industry is using

the precision experience gained to good effect in order to secure contracts across different industries.

INDUSTRY LEADERS PROFILE

Fabrication of furnace components requires precision,

adherence to strict standards and an in-depth

knowledge of materials

8/7/2019 AMT: Mar / Apr 2010


components will fulfill the operational requirementsfor which they were designed.

The use of specialised and advanced materials isthe order of the day and together with our suppli-ers we are able to meet the most stringent designand quality demands placed on us by our clients,

says Prodin marketing manager,Morn van der Walt.

HistoryWhile the workshop is currentlya hive of activity with techniciansand machine operators swarmingover various projects in dedicatedwork berths, this was not alwaysthe case. Prodin started small asan owner-run enterprise in 1986

and eked out a living on smallfabrication projects. From thesehumble beginnings, it steadily grewto the point where it is a forceto be reckoned with in the localengineering industry. It currentlysupplies manufactured equipmentto a variety of clients, both locallyand internationally.

In 2006, the directors heededa call from clients to establisha mobile Projects Division toundertake mechanical project

Work underway on one of the regenerative air pre-heaters being fabricated by Prodin

An aerial view of the Prodin works in Wadeville

Our customers require their design to be translatedinto a product that meets with specification, iswithin the required tolerances, and is manufacturedto a tight schedule, ensuring that all manufactured


A growing call from the industry for turnkey solutions

surrounding new plants and plant upgrades

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management, as well as to operate a constructioncompany. This was in response to a growing callfrom the industry for turnkey solutions surroundingnew plants and plant upgrades.

It makes sense to fabricate, build and commissionthe entire plant making use of the expertise of thesame company and teamrather than outsourcecritical developments toa host of companies withpotentially different ethics,standards and expertise.

Working togetherAll divisions are housedat the head office inWadeville and make use of

a centralised office facilityand workshop complex. At25,000m, the workshopis large enough to under-take large projects andcontinues to be expandedand upgraded to meet therequirements of existingand future customers.

Up-to-date machineryincludes plasma and othercutting facilities, pressbrakes and world-class

welding facilities. It hasa well-appointed machineshop with lathes, milling,boring and CNC machinesto meet requirements forparts and tooling. Thisenables Prodins salesteam to confidently of-fer services to variousindustries.

Furnace IndustryProdin has claimed the

furnace industry as itsown and has providedservices to this industry formore than twenty years.Morn says this includessolutions for water cooledfurnace components, cop-per bus-tubes and bus-bars, electrode columns,furnace shells, furnaceroofs, furnace hearths anddrop-out boxes.

A variety of materials are

used in this industry toaccommodate the multi-tude of furnace industrycomponents designed anddeployed throughout the

world, such as copper, stainless steel, carbonsteel and aluminum (ferrous and non-ferrous) allof which require specialised skills and techniquesto be deployed during the manufacturing process,

he adds.

Prodin Projects plant erection

Ducts and elbows

Prodin has claimed the furnace industry as its own

8/7/2019 AMT: Mar / Apr 2010


Construction

Panels

Power IndustryBuoyed by its recent successes in the power industrywith the awarding of the contract to produce regen-erative air pre-heaters, Prodin is set on expanding its

footprint in this sector. The companys managementteam has its sights set on obtaining more contractslocally and abroad in future.

Our skills set is well suited to the power industryas the standards and types of materials used aresimilar to the furnace industry. There is a worldwideshortage of power generation capacity and Prodinwill certainly rise to the challenge if called upon

to assist with projects anywhere in the world,continues Morn.

Mining Industry

The mining industry is constantly changing andevolving and, as such, the development of newand more cost-effective mining equipment is aconstant challenge. Prodin has become a preferredmanufacturer for a number of specialised miningequipment suppliers to the industry.

Our large well-equipped facilities and land available(56,00m2) provides the perfect location for mining

equipment to be fully manufactured,assembled, trial erected and tested,including all services, prior to beingdispatched to the mine.

This approach allows for considerable

savings by being able to make all thenecessary changes, alterations andenhancements before the equipment orstructure leaves our works.

General FabricationWhile we have provided fabricationand manufacturing services to a numberof industries, some of which I alreadymentioned, we continue to provide ageneral fabrication capability to industryas a whole.

Prodin has had a long association with

the manufacturing of equipment for spe-cialised and custom applications for avariety of customers, both in South Africaand overseas. We have always pridedourselves on the ability to work closelywith our clients, being able to incorpo-

rate changes and modifications,throughout the manufacturingprocess, as the design progresses,says Morn.

Some examples of general fab-rication items that have beenmanufactured by Prodin are:hoppers, chutes, feeders, tanks,pressure vessel related compo-nents, scrubbers, shredders, heavystructural work, classifiers, millbodies and hoods. The machineshop is also able to undertake avariety of specialised and customfabrication projects.

TechnologyProdin owns and operates thelatest versions of Inventor andAuto-Cad in its technical design

department. Clients requirementscan be provided through electronicdrawings on placing an order. Thisallows the company to interactwith clients design department


8/7/2019 AMT: Mar / Apr 2010



directly, using the latest software available, therebyreducing the time spent during the detailing phaseand pre-production. Morn adds that the company isable to provide a specialised design service to clientsin-house or through outsourced specialists.

SuppliersWhile Prodin continues to re-invent and improve itsservice offerings to the industry, it is a company stillrooted to its core beliefs and values. The company

remains a privately owned concern, while its found-ers still manage all day-to-day operations.

This has led to many long standing relationshipsbeing formed with customers and suppliers alike.It is impossible to be in the industry as long as we Copper components

Shut down and plant maintenance undertaken by Prodin

Projects

have, and not form relationships,says Morn.

Most of the companys tight-knitsupplier base have long-standingagreements with the company andhave proven they are able to sup-ply the required quality productsand services at the right priceand on time. In our industry thisis the bare minimum requirementbecause without those fundamen-tals in place our customers willbear the brunt of failures or latedeliveries.

That does not mean that we areclosed to approaches from prospec-

tive suppliers, but rather, it setsthe bar at the point where we willbe prepared to kick-off negotia-tions, concludes Morn.

Prodin, Morn van der Walt, Tel:

(011) 824-1224, Fax: (011) 824-1224,

Email: [email protected], Web:

www.prodin.co.za

Prodins professional offerings

include:ISO9001:2008 Certified

Experienced with a wide variety of localand international standards

Fully qualified welders and boilermakers

Over 20 years experience

8/7/2019 AMT: Mar / Apr 2010


Mario Geldenhuys is manufacturing theparts that will eventually be assembled

and detailed to become a fly fish-ers answer to a dream. His lovingly

crafted fly rods are popular around the world andhis small rod customisation business, Custom FlyRods, is booming - with orders far outstripping his

capacity. In other words, if you want one you willhave to wait.

Few sports are as old as the art of fly fishing andfewer still evoke the sense of inner peace. Lately,it has become a past-time of townsfolk seekingoutdoor adventure and has become especiallyfashionable among the upper echelons of society.Equipment follows the market and although you canbuy supermarket brands, you run the risk of beingbranded cheap by your fishing friends.

Drawing a blankAt the other end of the scale, you find rods bycraftsmen like Mario. He buys ready made blanks(tapering fishing rods) from the worlds leadingmanufacturers such as Sage or one of the manyothers, and outfits it with the required grips, guidesand reel seats.

The blank has different properties according to thekind of fishing that it will be used for or the class offish that will be caught. Modern blanks are madefrom composite graphites and sometimes boron, butit is not unusual for clients to want old-fashionedsplit bamboo or even fibreglass rods to be adorned

and readied for the waters.

Blanks are specified in different classes or weights,with number designations according to the size andweight of the rod. This also decides the suitabilityfor fishing.

The blanks quality determines the underlyingexcellence of the finished rod, suggests Mario.He continues that prospective buyers should

therefore always specify the best blank that theycan afford.

Fit for purposeIn South Africa, a rough guide to suitability would belight rods between 0 to 5-weight would be suitable

The Craft ofFlyFishingHunched behind his workbench with the steady glow of his lamp as a companion, sits a man carefully

crafting metal and wood into the finest and most exquisitely crafted masterpieces, manufactured to serve a

sport almost as ancient as mankind itself.

CUSTOMISING

The blank has different properties

according to the kind of fishing that it

will be used for

8/7/2019 AMT: Mar / Apr 2010


CUSTOMISING

for stream trout and yellowfish and possibly somesport in the rockpools around our coastline.

Rods between 6 to 8-weight would be most suit-able for large trout and river fishing and tidal zonefishing for fish such as wave garrick. Heavy rodsbetween 9 to 12-weight have limited use for thebeginners and are most suited to large species orcoastal fishing were large predators are being sought.Due to their size and strength some inland speciessuch as barbel and tigerfish would also require aheavy rod to tame.

The rods serve a dual purpose. Firstly it is to castthe appropriate fly to the quarry and mostly thebigger and more aggressive the fish, the larger thefly and heavier the fishing line. The rod needs to beable to impart enough bend and whip action on thefly to propel it forward and a lightweight rod, forexample, will overload when a heavy fly is used.Likewise, a heavy rod with lightweight line and asmall fly will not load enough and will not propelthe line at a high enough speed to cast properly.

CraftsmanshipWith the functional niceties out of the way, theblank can then be adorned with fittings that can

contribute to the enjoyment of a days fishing. Inorder to become functional, it needs a reel seat,grips and eyelets, or guides, as well as coatingsand protective coatings.

This is where it gets interesting. Once you havechosen a blank, there is a huge amount of cus-tomisation options availableto you. From custom graphics,grips, custom reel seat spac-ers/inserts, feather inlays, rodbags and custom rod tubesto custom thread wraps. The

entire process of personalisingyour rod is in your hands.

Our rods are personal, verypersonal. Each rod that leavesour bench embeds the essenceof the owner. We do not massproduce custom rods, andonly accept builds when wehave the time to give your rodall the attention you, and it,deserves, reiterates Mario.

All parts are handmade andmachined to a perfect fit, from

the rod seats, to the spacersand the custom grips, usu-ally made from special corkmaterial.

The DrifterMario tells an interesting story of a wealthy Ameri-can who spends most of his time travelling from

Once you have chosen a blank, there is

a huge amount of customisation options

available to you

8/7/2019 AMT: Mar / Apr 2010


continent to continent and riverto river in search of the bigone. For him time andmoney are luxuries

that he is able toindulge and trulyenjoy fishing withoutthe pressures of a careerbeckoning him. And whenyou are in his position, themoney and timespent waitingfor a customizedrod is worth theinvestment in both.

He lets us in on the story as it unfolded. Asmentioned, my client is a wealthy man and a bit ofa drifter. His lifestyle is somewhat captivating andwas to become the inspiration for one of the bestrods I have ever built. His brief was fairly loose anddid not prescribe any materials or designs other thanthe carbon composite rod that I was to use.

I spent a lot of time thinking about it and as fatewould have it, soon thereafter, my brother-in-lawreturned from a trip to the Kei River mouth witha large piece of driftwood. Time and the elementshad weathered the wood in such a way that it wasimpossible to identify from which tree the woodhad come, nor did we have any idea where it came

from or how long it had taken to drift down to theriver mouth.

Piece of historyThe story of the piece of wood was untold and wasknown only to the wood itself. This captivated myimagination and instantly I knew that the story ofthe driftwood and my American drifter were closelyintertwined for they both shared such similar lifestories.

From strong roots both had broken free of the re-straints and had found themselves drifting in andout of wondrous and sometimes scary places. The

experiences along the way was etched into theirfeatures and each line, each scar probablyhad a long and colourful tale

if only they wouldtell.

Mario carefully machined the wood to form thebutt-and reel seat. Underneath the hardwoodsexterior a beautiful core was revealed - mellow andperfectly aged with no sign of the hardships thatthe wood had endured along the way. Although itwas not possible to tell what type of tree it wasfrom due to the aging process, it laid the perfectfoundation for the rest of the rod.

High quality, strong guides and parts were used tocomplete the finish and at the end of the processthe rod was inscribed with its name The Drifter.Marios client was briefed and was more than satis-fied with the rod on final delivery. United in there

ways the two drifters are now united to face theirfishing challenges around the world.

Age-old pastimeNot many sports can boast a history as long asthat of fly fishing. The sport of casting featheredlures that mimic life forms that are preyed upon bypredatory fish can be traced back to Macedonia (nowGreece, Bulgaria and the Republic of Macedonia)as early as 200 AD.

But, despite ancient mentions in text and a numberof illustrations, it is not until the 12th century thata documented history emerged, first in German in

the 14th century and later in Britain.In 1492, the first-ever book on fly-fishing waspublished. The Treatyse of Fysshynge with an Anglewas published as part of the second edition of TheBoke of St. Albans in 1496. Two manuscript ver-

sions exist, dated prior to 1450, but eventhe most complete copy lacks some of thetext of the printed version, in particular

the list of flies.

The Treatyse was published by Wynkyn de Worde,Caxtons apprentice and successor. But, the identityof the author is less certain, although believed tobe a certain Dame Juliana Berners.

A summary of the book published on-line by DrAndrew N Herd, Fly Fishing History reveals thestep-by-step development of the rod, flies andtechniques.

CUSTOMISING

8/7/2019 AMT: Mar / Apr 2010


CUSTOMISING

Early developmentTechniques used in the early days included rodscrafted from wood and hazel or flexible shoots orbranches. Lines tied to the end of the rods were

either the same length or, at most, double the lengthof the rod. The wood was soaked, fired, soaked etcand left to dry until straight. Like modern fishingrods, some were jointed and designed to come apartfor storage and transport purposes.

It is interesting to note that in the earlydays, the authors already spoke of wellbalanced rods that were light weight andeasy to carry. Fishing line too developedfrom line made from horse tail hair andboiled and tied before being twisted usingeither one strand for small fish, or ninehairs for trout and more for salmon.

Lines were dyed in various colours tomatch the season and the type of waterconfronted. Mostly, to match the watervegetation so green, yellow and brownswere the most commonly used colours.Like modern lines, the horse-hair lineswere made to taper and a typical troutline would taper from 9 3 hairs sothat the fish were not confronted with athick highly visible line. Reels, if used,were crude and were made of wood orbrass.

Fly tying was already being practiced at the timethe book was written and it seems that shops andstockists already existed for those that either didnot have the time or skill to tie their own. The flieswere apparently made in much the same way astoday, although far fewer fly patterns existed.

Fishing rulesThe book established the sport as a noble onemore importantly outlined the rules of fly-fishing,most of which still exist today. These rules relate totrespassing on others properties, taking as manyfish as you need and looking after the environment

and the fish stocks for future generations. Maybeit is this thoughtfulness and the fact that the bookwas taken to heart by serious anglers that we stillhave fish and can enjoy the sport of fly fishing.

It seems that the sport developed at a steady pacethereafter and by the eighteen hundreds somerefinements had taken place. The split bamboorod became the rod of choice for fly fishing. Thereels were refined and the stock and attachment(still used today) were invented and widely used.Silk replaced the horsehair line and in turn wasreplaced by silkworm gut woven into long lengths.Silk and gut fly enabled fly fisherman cast long

distances and the sport began to closely resemblethe sport we know today.

Although much has changed, and numerous ad-vanced materials are used for rods, reels, fittings,lines and flies, it is not unlike the sport outlined in

the Treatyse. All that remains is get familiar withthe sport, choose the tackle, choose the day, finda river and get out there.

Mario Geldenhuys, Custom Fly Rods, Tel: 082 870 6452,

Web: www.customyrods.co.za Reference: Dr Andrew N

Herd, Fly Fishing History www.yshinghistory.co.za

8/7/2019 AMT: Mar / Apr 2010


International NewsB e h i n d l o c k e d

doorsThe requirements for auto-mated finishing processesare many: reliability, lowdown times, little demandfor room space, high pro-duction speeds, easy ac-cessibility for repair andmaintenance. These areonly some of the demandsposed on increasingly auto-mated production. But, theprotection of the employ-ees is major requirementin production processeswhere the potential fordanger increases.

This means that productionprocesses must be able togo from full operation to acomplete halt in seconds.The RapidProtect 2000protection door, is oneof the fastest doors in itsclass. Despite its limited

Theres a new ceramic currency around. A currency

hard enough to beat the credit crunch. The Duro:

promising to pay the bearer in reduced

operational cost and true value for

money. If you are still paying for

your downtime in anything else,

contact CERadvance.

CERadvance produces ultrahard

and high temperature engineering

ceramics for a wide range of in-

dustries , adding value to your process

and reducing operational costs.

CERadvance. Not your average financial

service provider.

Theres a new ceramic currency around.A currency hard enough to beat the credit crunch.

Tel: 011 397 8933 Fax: 011 397 8938 www.ceradvance.co.za

8/7/2019 AMT: Mar / Apr 2010


space requirement it is effective and strong. The door hasmaintenance free operation.

It offers complete protection from flying sparks, dust andwelding spatter, keeping people or machines in the area safe.Microprocessor controls allow the door to be custom-fittedand integrated into individual automation concepts.

The doors follow EN ISO 13849-1 and IEC EN_62061standards. They can be installed anywhere, where highlyautomated production processes in small spaces meetoperating personnel. Areas for application include weldingmachines, cutting and dying systems, tool handling, presses,conveying systems and lift/ high storage systems.

The door is also available with a safety switch in line with thenew standards (EN ISO 13849-1 and IEC EN_62061).

Albany Door Systems, Frau Elke Scheel, www.albanydoors.com

International News

Valve ExpoFrom 30 November until 2 December 2010, Dsseldorf Fairwill open its gates for the world of fittings technologies.

Displays will feature innovative products from the fittings,drive and control sectors, as well as products associated

with fittings, gaskets, washers and related materials, tub-ing products as well as exhibits introducing engineering,associations and publishing houses.

Exhibits will take up fair halls 3 and 4 and the CongressCentre South bordering on these two halls. So far, registra-tions were received from420 companies from 35countries, to take up a netarea of more than 12,000square metres. Most ex-hibitors will come fromGermany (82), followedby Italy (62), Great Britain

(30), the Netherlands (19),Spain (15), and France(14).

The biggest non-Europeancontingent at the Dssel-dorf fair will come fromChina (77), followed byTaiwan (24), India (22),and South Korea (14).

The target groups of theoffers by exhibitors areexperts from the shipbuild-

ing, motor and vehicleconstruction sectors, aswell as from chemicalindustry, energy manage-ment, marine and offshore

Innovative tube bendingUnison has developed a novel bending cell for tube and pipemanufacturer RathGibson to serve the growing demand forU-shaped heat exchanger components. A version of Unisonsservomotor-based tube bending machine uses a roll-formingtool to create custom-radius tubular parts under softwarecontrol, eliminating much of the expensive tooling and set-up

time conventionally required for this application.The automatic bending cell is directly linked to the tubemanufacturing process at RathGibsons Janesville, Wiscon-sin facility.

The novel action of the tube bending cell allows RathGibsonto make the majority of parts for any heat exchanger usingjust a single software-controlled tool, and in a single rapidstage of less than 10 minutes including annealing. The veryinnermost elements of the heat exchanger bundle which havevery tight radii are bent on the Unison machine with the aidof conventional tube bending dies.

The bending cell has allowed RathGibson to offer a complete

range of tubing for heat exchanger applications in the powergeneration industry and processing sectors such as chemical,petrochemical, and food.

Unison Ltd, Email: [email protected], Web: http: www.

unisonltd.com

A Unison bending cell

industries, the food processing industries as well as frommachinery and equipment construction.

www.valveworldexpo.com

8/7/2019 AMT: Mar / Apr 2010


Industry NewsConfined spaces can kill, warns AfroxIndustrial gases are used in confined spaces throughoutthe world yet site accidents still occur far too often withpotentially fatal consequences, warns Afroxs Manufacturing

Industries Business Manager, Johan Pieterse.

Working in confined spaces for mainte-nance, repair or statutory inspections is acommon activity in industrial plants, saysPieterse. Employers and their personnelmust be fully informed about the serioushazards associated with working in thesesituations. Accidents happen becausepeople are either insufficiently trained orhave become over-confident as a result ofthe repetitiveness of the task.

Leading gases and welding products groupAfrox has a dedicated risk assessmentteam that offer a specific focus on workingsafely with gases in confined areas. Theseassessments result in recommendations toincrease safety levels.

These assessments identify, for instance,the properties of the gases being used, todetermine if they could potentially com-bine to form an explosive mixture, enrichthe environment with oxygen or act as an

asphyxiant.

As part of the global Linde Group, we have conducted ex-tensive research into developing oxyfuel processes that createsafer working environments and the latest technology arisingfrom these studies is available to our customers, he says.

Afrox, Johan Pieterse, Tel: (011) 255 5771, Email: johan.pieterse@

afrox.linde.com, Web: www.afrox.co.za

Industrial gasses used incorrectly can have catastrophic endings

New piper in townThe Cosira Group, one of the largest structural steel fabri-cators and construction companies in southern Africa, hasofficially introduced a piping business unit. This move co-

incides with the Groups drive to offer turnkey constructionsolutions to industry.

This is according to Nelo dos Santos, Cosiras piping businessunit manager. The introduction of the piping unit means thatthe Cosira Group will become more efficient in meeting allof our customers needs. We will offer the service in-house,alongside all the other divisions in the Group, effectivelydelivering a true turnkey service solution to the marketplace.This will, ultimately, ensure we are more competitive in themarketplace, says dos Santos.

He explains that the piping workshop will be fully automated,enhancing the business units efficiency and productivity.This means that the piping unit has the capacity to servicea number of industries.

Meanwhile, the piping business unit has already beeninvolved in a number of prestigious projects across Africa,

namely in mining projects in countries such as South Africa,Namibia, Sierra Leone, Zimbabwe, Zambia and Mozambique.All of these projects required piping on the process side,he comments.

It is in our greater commercialinterest to have established thepiping business unit. There isan experienced and passionateteam running this operation.It is in line with the CosiraGroups mission and vision ofpassion, enthusiasm, customerservice and an overall drive forexcellence and efficient turnkeysolutions in all that we do,concludes the Cosira GroupCEO John da Silva.

Cosira, Janine Badenhorst, Tel:

(011) 605-2777, Email: Janine.

[email protected]

Industry FirstIPD recently presented an industry first in the engine rebuildmarket by introducing one piece steel pistons for diesel af-termarket applications. Metric Automotive Engineering, localIPD distributor, says the first release in the new IPDSteelpiston line is for Caterpillar 3408 & 3412 applications.

The new product is made possible by IPDs patent pendingtechnology for manufacturing one piece steel pistons from ahigh alloy and heat treated steel casting. This developmentfollows a long line of first to market products for IPD, andthere is a range of practical applications for this technol-ogy in the aftermarket within Caterpillar, and other engine

brands worldwide.

The move to a one piece piston has been a natural progressionfor IPD as it has been successfully providing its distributorsworldwide with thousands of IPDSteel two piece steel pistonsfor other applications for several years. The one piece steel

8/7/2019 AMT: Mar / Apr 2010


Industry News

The IPD one piece steel piston was dyno-tested, laboratory tested and eld tested prior to its release to

market

piston was dyno-tested, laboratory tested and field testedby IPD prior to its release to market.

Andrew Yorke, of Metric Automotive Engineering, explainsthat manufacturing a one piece piston is a complicatedprocess with many quality assurance steps throughout.IPDs ISO9001:2000 processes have helped to document

and ensure that they take all the correct steps to providecustomers with the confidence they are accustomed to withIPD products

Metric Automotive Engineering, Andrew Yorke, Tel: (011) 873-2350

Allweld Marine invests R1,5m in new ma-chinery

The specialist engineeringservices company AllweldMarine & Industrial (Pty)Ltd of Cape Town has, fol-lowing a year of sustainedgrowth, invested R1,5min new machines for theirexpanding machine shopbusiness.

The nature of Allweldsservice offering to theircustomers has grown overthe past number of yearsand this growth has ne-cessitated the upgrade inmachinery. The frequency

First structural fabricators certifiedGauteng-based AGS Engineering, Tass Engineering and DSE

Structural Engineers and Contractors have become the firstSouth African structural steel fabricators to be certified

DSE Structural Engineers and Contractors was the joint overall winner of the 2009 Steel Awards for DurbansMoses Mabhida Stadium following fabrication of the 880 m stadium roof compression ring and faade columns,

located around the perimeter of the structure

according to ISO 3834 by theSouthern African Institute ofWelding (SAIW). ISO 3834 is thestandard demonstrating welding

fabrication excellence againstinternational benchmarks.

This increases the number ofSouth African companies certifiedsince ISO 3834 was introducedby SAIW about two years ago, tofifteen. The other companies thathave been certified are involved inthe fabrication and maintenanceof pressure vessels, boilers, heatexchangers, tank containers androad tankers.

Twenty-seven more companiesfrom both the structural steel andpressure vessel indus

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