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BULK HANDLING TODAY Jan 2010 1

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BULK HANDLING TODAY Jan 2010 �

Jan 2010

ContentsCover Story5 Reducing Risks

Earthmoving7 Service is Key9 Beating the Crunch

Lifting Equipment11 Be Legal, be Safe15 How to Select a Crane

Trucking19 Future in Their Hands

Beltcon21 Conveyor Idlers

Harbours & Ports25 Open Top Containers in Materials Handling

29 Terminal with a Difference

33 Market Forum

Endorsing BodiesCMA (Conveyor Manufacturers Association)

HCASA (Hydraulic Conveying Association of SA)

LEEASA (Lifting Equipment Engineering Association of South Africa)

RFA (Road Freight Association)

SAIMechE (SA Institution of Mechanical Engineering)

SAIMH (SA Institute of Materials Handling)

Proprietor and Publisher:PROMECH PUBLISHINGTel: (011) 781-1401Fax: (011) 781-1403E-mail:[email protected] Website: www.promech.co.zaManaging Editor: Susan Custers

Advertising Sales: Surita MarxDTP: Zinobia Docrat and Sanette Lehanie

Printed by:Typo Colour PrintingTel: (011) 402-3468

Our e-mail address is [email protected]

Visit our website on www.promech.co.za

The monthly circulation is 4 016

CopyrightAll rights reserved. No edi-torial matter published in “Bulk Handling Today” may be reproduced in any form or language without written permission of the publishers. While every effort is made to ensure accurate reproduction, the editor, authors, publishers and their employees or agents shall not be responsible or in any way liable for any errors, omissions or inaccuracies in the publication, whether arising from negligence or otherwise or for any conse-quences arising therefrom. The inclusion or exclusion of any product does not mean that the publisher or editorial board advocates or rejects its use either generally or in any particular field or fields.

Featured on the cover:

Rema Tip Top

Tel: (011) 813-2222Email: [email protected]

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CONVEYOR MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION

CMA Members List as at January 2010

Happy New Year!

Member CompanyABB IndustryAfripp Projects ActomAtlanta ManufacturingBateman Engineered Technologies Bauer a Division of Hudaco TransmissionBMG (Bearing Man Group)Bearings InternationalBelt Reco RSABonfiglioli Power TransmissionsBosworth A Division of Hudaco TradingBrelko Conveyor ProductsCKIT Conveyor Engineers Continental Crushing & ConveyingConveyor Watch CMG Electric Motors South AfricaCPM Engineering CT SystemsDavid Brown Gear IndustriesDelras EngineeringDRA Mineral ProjectsDunlop Belting ProductsDymot Engineering Company ELB Engineering ServicesFacet Engineering Fenner Conveyor Belting (South Africa) Flexible Steel Lacing SAHansen Transmissions SAHosch - Fördertechnik (SA) M & J EngineeringMartin EngineeringMelco Conveyor EquipmentMoret MiningMS Conveyor Pulleys SANepean ConveyorsOE BearingsOsborn Engineered Products SARead Swartman & VoigtRema Tip Top South AfricaRenold CroftsRoymec RSV ENCO ConsultingSandvik Materials Handling SASchaeffler South AfricaSecrivest SenetSET AgenciesSEW EurodriveShaft EngineeringShaw Almex AfricaSiemens Southern AfricaSKF South AfricaTechnique Avant GardeThyssenKrupp Materials HandlingTransmission ComponentsUnitek EngineersVeyance Technologies AfricaVoith TurboZest Electric Motors

All members subscribe to the CMA Code of Ethics

Simon Curry

F irst of all, industry has gained another 40 graduates of the Diploma in the Design and Operation of Belt Convey-ors, thanks to the efforts of Graham

Shortt and the rest of the CMA Qualifications organising team, and of course, thanks to the candidates own hard work in achieving a successful result in the examination.

The CMA Belting and Belt Splicing Working Group completed its task when SABS published three new national standards in belt splicing: SANS 484 parts 1 and 2, SANS 485 and SANS 486 were all issued in 2009. With these standards now in place, belt splicing construction companies are able to apply for the SABS mark of accreditation and splice construction training may be regulated. This

is the next step in which the CMA intends to make a big impact in 2010.

In 2009, the CMA Handbook Working Group made great strides in gathering material for the CMA Handbook and when assigning tasks to everyone involved, made a firm resolution that 2010 is to be the year in which it is to be published. The Hand-book is being written specifically for South African conditions – another first for our industry!

EventsThe Calendar of CMA events in 2010 are as fol-lows:Members Meetings: 3 February, 14 April, 9 June, 13 October, all on Wednesdays at Bryanston Country Club.Annual Golf Day: Wednesday 17 February at Benoni Country Club.Annual Dinner: Wednesday 19 May at Bryanston Country Club.

Please check the website www.cmasa.co.za regularly for information on CMA activities.

All that remains is for me to wish each and every one of you a happy, healthy, successful and pros-perous New Year.

Simon CurryChairman

The focus of the whole world will be on South Africa for the World Cup and other sporting events this year, so what a marvellous opportunity to showcase all that is new in ad-vancing technology in our industry! Last January, I urged

that each and every opportunity that offers itself is grabbed with two hands and used to maximum advantage – so what

has been achieved during 2009?

This is the next step in which the CMA intends to make a big impact in 2010

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Reducing RisksThe concept of Total Cost of Ownership can be traced as far back as Napoleon’s time when engineers began to pay close attention to issues like the effectiveness of cannons, how easily they were moved and repaired, and how long they lasted in active service. In modern times, TCO (total cost of ownership) analysis was popularised by the IT industry to determine the financial impact of deploying information technology products over their lifecycle.

develop something specifically for service around the conveyor belt, rubber and corrosion industries of South Africa.”

Services“Over the past eight months, our TCO service model has been implemented at a local coal mine and it’s been a huge success,” adds Dries van Coller, General Manager Rema Tip Top South Africa. “We physically established a presence on site and our personnel took full control of the conveyor operations in terms of maintenance, repairs and continuous improvements.

Part and Parcel“Over the past four months, our staff has become part and parcel of the mine’s daily activities on a full-time basis to look after all conveyor operations. In an alliance relationship, Dunlop Belt-ing South Africa was part of the initial set-up, but since acquiring Dunlop, the full service offering now comes from

Rema Tip Top.

“We now supply the belting, splice it and install it together with our wide range of conveyor products that make up a conveyor system,” explains Dries. “When it comes to equipment we don’t manufacture ourselves, such as conveyor mechanicals, a number of equipment partners supply us so we can offer a full service. In terms of maintenance, however, we service all the equipment around the conveyor systems ourselves.”

ProductsRema manufactures a wide range of product in-cluding rubber linings, coatings, wear protection, corrosion protection, bonding systems, belt cleaning systems and vulcanising products. “Having such a wide range of products which now includes all belting products and associated services, the end-user wins all the way because nobody understands a conveyor systems and all the equipment around it better than us,” says Thorsten. “Also, we have worldwide resources to tap into within the group to solve any eventuality that may arise around a conveyor system.”

Rema Tip Top’s dedicated TCO model can be tailored to any of the various service applications,

Managing Director Rema Tip Top South Africa, Thorsten Wach (left) and (right) Dries van Coller, General Manager Rema Tip Top South Africa

COVER STORY

The end-user wins all the way because nobody understands a conveyor systems and all the equipment around it better than us

Today there are a number of methodolo-gies and software packages to apply TCO calculations to the business plan of vari-ous industry sectors. However, it basically

comes down to determining the additional costs that must be added to the initial purchase price of an item in order to calculate the total cost of ownership.

South Africa Rema Tip Top is an international company that has practiced TCO principles for many years across the world and they’re now rolling out a model in South Africa specifically developed for the con-veyor industry. “Bulk Handling Today” speaks to Managing Director Rema Tip Top South Africa, Thorsten Wach. “Although Rema Tip Top has been doing this in Europe for many years, it is a relatively new development for the local conveyor market,” he says.

“We tapped into many TCO models applicable to a diverse cross-section of industry to adapt and

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be it corrosion protection, wear protection, conveyor maintenance, conveyor servicing or

a combination of these. Dries elaborates, “We follow the same business model

and simply adapt it to each client’s specific requirements. However, the unique programme is very flexible, so we can tweak it to make each installation site specific, even within the same company.”

DataWeb-based software is used to control and communicate with the conveyor systems in order to build up a database of informa-tion on activities and actions on the site. Says Dries, “This allows

us full tracking in terms of asset management for each individual site.

What makes our offering unique is the way in which we have adapted the

programme for conveyor belt service and corrosion protection applications.”

“For example, the database contains a list of each and every idler, bearing, belt, scraper and

other component on the conveyor system,” adds Thorsten. “It will not only maintain a full history of every component replacement and the services carried out, but the system also plays a crucial role in warning and planning for future services and component replacements.”

AdvantagesThe advantages for the conveyor owner are numer-ous, the main one being a significant reduction in costly unexpected breakdowns due to poor or neglected maintenance. “Having service staff on site reduces the chances of an unexpected belt tear, for example, because they have the experience to notice fatigue in other components that may lead to a belt failure,” says Thorsten in conclusion.

“Unlike mining staff, we’re always in touch with new conveyor technology as it develops which is a major advantage for the owner. We constantly bring new technology, standards and freshly-trained staff right onto his doorstep as part of our service. Not only do the customers benefit but we also help to set standards and maintain quality service levels in the conveyor industry in general.”

Juan Slabbert, Tel: (011) 813-2222, Email: [email protected]

COVER STORY

Unlike mining staff, we’re always in touch with new conveyor technology as it develops which is a major advantage

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EARTHMOVING

“Bulk Handling Today” speaks to Vaughan Ellis, owner of Maximum Plant and Equipment. By way of background, Vaughan explains that Maximum started operations in 1997 with

the sales and marketing of quality used equipment. In 2005, they branched into the plant hire market specialising in excavators and attachments, most

Service is KeyEarthmoving equipment hire and the purchasing of

second-hand machines has picked up. In most instances, a good second-hand machine can save on capital and still get

the job done.

notably hydraulic hammers. Then in 2006, they secured the sole dealership for Southern Africa for the Komac brand of hydraulic hammers and attach-ments. Komac, based in Korea, is a manufacturer of hydraulic breakers and attachments.

Vaughan explains, “We’re particularly proud that we are a featured supplier of quality plant and ma-chinery to many blue chip South African organisa-tions in the earthmoving, mining and construction industry. Our team of qualified staff attends to any mechanical or servicing queries that customers may require. We are small enough to care, yet big

enough to deliver. And our service ethos is apparent throughout the company.

Much potential“We offer a full range of tracked excavators from 5 tonne through to 50 tonne with trenching buckets, ripper buckets, general purpose buckets and hammers. Backhoe loaders come with trenching buckets, stan-dard buckets and hammers. We believe that our rates, service, delivery and back up are second to none in the market which is why our clients return time and time again.

“On the attachment side we have been very successful in the scrap metal and timber industries with our brackets and grabs. Al-though we are still small in this field, there is a lot of potential in this market and because we have a quality product, we are sure to grow,” says Vaughan optimistically.

More lenientWe ask him if second-hand equipment sales have picked up in the current economic climate? “There is a marked increase in the rental side and the purchasing of second-hand machines. However, there are some challenges, for example, getting finance for the machines,” he says.

“This has been one of the biggest problems but it appears that the banks are getting a bit more lenient. To assist, we have put together quite a few hire to purchase con-tracts for customers.”

Having said that, the company has expe-rienced five years of growth even in these times. “Because we are so niche, especially in the attachment market but also because we have diversified, the economy has actu-ally been quite kind to us. I do think that

There are some challenges, for example, getting finance for the machines

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EARTHMOVING

2010 is going to be a lot better that 2009 which is something to look forward to,” Vaughan adds.

He goes on to says that they are still doing well mainly because they have a few blue chip clients who have supported them through the year.

“We have clients like Rumdel Cape, Quarry Cats (Group 5) and Fraser Alexander Bulk Mech. Another of our big clients is Protech Khuthele who has

placed a lot of business our way.”

Vaughan is a big believer in back up and service. “I believe this is where the men separate from the boys. On the second-hand equipment side we tend to stick to what we know and only sell machines that we know we can service. All the machines have warranties.”

For the futureVaughan concludes by saying that they have plans for expanding their rental fleet “We would like to gain a bigger market share on the attachment side and, otherwise, keep on doing what we have been doing so far. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!”

Vaughan Ellis, Owner, Maximum Plant and Equip-ment, Tel: (011) 464-0930/1, Fax: 086-504-7119, Email: [email protected], Website: www.maximumplant.co.za

I believe this is where the men separate from the boys. On the second-hand equipment side we tend to stick to what we know

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Beating the Crunch

We speak to Morné Booij-Liewes, Communications Officer for Babcock Equipment.

He explains that the past year has been a tough one but one with several highlights including the local launch of the Volvo Road Machinery line as well as the delivery of the first L350F wheeled loaders, the biggest in the Volvo product range.

“The current market conditions are the toughest we have yet seen, but in spite of many of our competitors suffering record losses, Babcock Equipment has, for the trading year to date, remained in positive figures. With the large population of Volvo machines, we have been able to harvest greater volumes of

aftermarket business, ensuring a stable base going forward. Extremely conservative lending criteria by banks has adversely impacted on equipment sales but this has buoyed our spares sales as clients extend the service life of their machines,” he explains.

Customer supportMorné ascribes the company’s success to its strong culture of

‘support first and sale second’. “You must ensure your clients receive the highest level of technical and aftermarket support, and only when this is achieved do we earn the right to sell them equipment.”

A hands-on team of skilled and experienced prod-uct specialists and technicians provide a 24 hour product support and technical information service. “We also have comprehensively equipped workshops throughout our branch network. Our product support services includes technical training, application analysis, operator training and warranty support. A centralised warehouse provides a personalised parts service and availability at first pick’s in excess of 90%. We also run a very successful in-house apprentice diesel earthmoving technician programme and currently have 54 apprentices undergoing training,” says Morné.“

Leading brands“The company represents some of the lead-ing brands in the industry including Volvo Construction Equipment, Winget and Ponsse. Babcock Equipment has sold more than 5000 Volvo CE units since being awarded the exclusive Volvo CE distributorship for South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zambia, Swaziland, Lesotho, and most recently, Mo-zambique. The company has also, during the almost 10 years it has represented the Volvo CE brand, been recognised as Top Dealer for the International Region on three occasions in addition to winning several awards for sales success and after-market service excellence.

Says Morné, “However we have definitely been affected by the economy. The contin-

Ending the year on a high note is not something that most earthmoving com-panies can lay claim to. Although 2009 has been hard for everyone, it looks like

things are starting to change.

EARTHMOVING

Extremely conservative lending criteria by banks has adversely impacted on equipment sales

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ued weakness in the world market for construction equipment was reflected in Volvo Construction Equipment’s third quarter 2009 financial results,” he adds.

Declining sales“Net sales declined by 38% during the period. How-ever, the operating loss was considerably below the SEK 1,259 M experienced in the second quarter of 2009. This improvement is the re-sult of effi-ciency mea-sures being

implemented at the company, inventory reductions and the adjustment of costs to current demand.”

Measured in units, the total world market for heavy, compact and road machinery equipment decreased by 42% in the third quarter of 2009 compared with the same period last year. In Europe the market was down by 54%, the North American market decreased by 50% and Asia declined by 11%. Other international markets decreased by 61%.

The rapid flow of stimulus funding into its construction industry meant that China was one of the few bright spots in the industry dur-ing the period, increasing by 45% compared with 2008. In fact Asia accounted for over a third of Volvo Construction Equipment’s net sales during Q3 – putting it on a par with Europe.

Positive signs“Tough market conditions continue in the sector, but there are some positive signs indicating that the decline in demand may have bottomed out and that we are now beginning a gradual recovery,” says Olof Persson, President & CEO of Volvo Construc-tion Equipment.

“But we are not relying on a substantial recovery and will therefore continue to improve efficiency and adjust our costs to

current demand. I am confident of improving our market position globally as we are well positioned for the new emission regulations that will soon come into force, with new products and services at the absolute forefront.”

The outlook for the full year is expected to see both the European and North American markets to have reduced by 50% during 2009 compared with 2008, while the rest of the world is forecast to see

a reduction in demand of between 40-50%.

Company structureMorné gives us a bit of background on the company and says that Babcock Equipment is one of five divisions of Babcock Brands which, in turn, is a division of Babcock Africa, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Babcock International Group, a London Stock Ex-change listed FTSE 200 Company.

“Founded in 1947, Babcock Equipment has generally shown steady growth, largely due to its acquisition of leading

brand names.” he adds.

Morne Booij-Liewes, Communications Officer, Babcock Equipment, Tel: (011) 230-7300, Fax: (011) 397-6614, [email protected]

EARTHMOVING

Measured in units, the total world market for heavy, compact and road machinery equipment decreased by 42%

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P iet Otto of Phakamisa Safety Consultants, a company that specialises in safety, training, plant audits, registers and codes of practice for the lifting industry, speaks to “Bulk

Handling Today.” “Firstly you have to select the correct lifting equipment and then use it correctly,” he says to outline what a safe lifting programme entails. “The records of lifting equipment on your premises must always be up to date. They should not only contain copies of the certificates from your suppliers, but also records of the inspections carried out on the equipment.

Be Legal, be Safe…Any company that lifts goods on its prem-ises should have a safe lifting programme in place, not only to comply with the ba-sic legal requirements, but also to ensure

control over the safety of the working environment of their people. In addition to lifting, lowering and stacking goods

properly, expensive lifting equipment and tackle will last that much longer if well

taken care of.

“One of the most neglected aspects concerning lift-ing equipment is storage,” adds Piet. “It is a legal requirement that equipment be stored properly when not in use. Lastly, companies must comply with the procedures, codes of practice and quality standards around lifting equipment. Safety is obviously the first concern but it is equally important to comply with the legal aspects concerning record keeping, a highly neglected aspect of lifting equipment.”

Tackle inspectorsA misconception in the lifting industry, spread by certain service providers who want to make easy money, is that a company’s LTI (lifting tackle inspector) has to be a registered LMI (lifting ma-chinery inspector). “The LTI does not have to be a registered ECSA LMI,” stresses Piet. “This is clearly stated in GNR 257, published in the Government Gazette on 7 March, 2008. Lifting tackle has to be inspected properly at intervals not exceeding three months by an LTI and these inspections can be done in-house or contracted out.

100% overload“Lifting tackle does not have to be proof load tested annually or at any given interval and only needs to be inspected visually. The practice of proof load testing used lifting tackle, which has been in use for some time now, is not a legal requirement and not recommended by lifting tackle manufacturers.

“The reason is straightforward,” Piet elaborates. “Why apply a test load to lifting tackle if it is obvi-ously damaged, worn or shows any defect during a visual inspection? Rather just scrap it. On the other hand, why apply a load test to lifting tackle if it does not show any sign of damage, abuse or deterioration, rather use it. A proof load test is in effect a 100% overload and, in fact, repetition can severely damage the lifting tackle or weaken it as a result of the overload applied thus reducing the working life of the sling.”

RegistersA while back Piet realised that keeping proper records is a serious shortcoming in industry in

LIFTING EQUIPMENT

A misconception in the lifting industry, spread by certain service providers who want to make easy money, is that a company’s LTI has to be a registered LMI

Piet Otto of Phakamisa

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general. Existing registers were outdated while some companies simply found a book somewhere to do the job. Piet set out to compile a new register that makes it easier for companies to comply with legal requirements in terms of both the OHS-Act as well as the Mine Health and Safety Act. “Although we are now bringing out the fourth edition of the register, it’s still a fairly new thing to the industry,” he says. “Those who are using the register swear by it and order new replacement registers as stock items every year.”

The register is a 108 page guide to lifting equipment inspections, contains product information, columns to record inventory, repairs, examinations as well as detailed inspection checklists for 30 items of 12 different types of lifting equipment, including harnesses, over a 12-month period. There is enough space in the register to note who the lifting tackle inspector of the company is, outline a lifting opera-tions plan, list legal requirements and standards as well as general safety requirements.

PersonalisedLifting equipment definitions are listed while there’s information on lifting tackle types, inspection meth-

Lifting tackle

LIFTING EQUIPMENT

One of the most neglected aspects concerning lifting equipment is storage

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ods and criteria and an inventory list. Piet has even gone as far as including an incident report form and there’s a special section to record repairs to chain blocks and lever hoists. It’s rounded off with sections for examination and test reports, check lists for inspections and a notes section for summaries and conclusions.

“For those who want it, we now can now also put the company name and logo on the cover of the register,” says Piet. “Keeping the register is the responsibility of the lifting tackle inspector (LTI) appointed from the company whose life is made much easier every three months when he has to update the register in which to record inspections.”

CertificatesPiet stresses the importance of buying lifting tackle from reputable suppliers who can meet all the documentation requirements. “All lifting tackle should be supplied with a Certificate of Test and Con-

LIFTING EQUIPMENT

The register

Existing registers were outdated while some companies simply found a book somewhere to do the job

formance, or at least a Certificate of Conformance,” he says. “A Certifi-cate of Test and Conformance must display the actual test load applied, as well as the standard to which the product conforms. This certificate must also include the date of test, manufacturer’s details, relevant sling or component markings or serial numbers and other information as required by the standards to which the item is manufactured.

“The Certificate of Conformance, on the other hand, simply specifies that an item was manufactured in compliance with a specific quality standard,” says Piet in conclusion.

Tracing the item“This certificate is normally issued after batch testing only and not individual load testing of compo-nents as is the case with shackles, eye bolts, wire ropes and webbing slings. Furthermore, all components used on a sling, such as hooks and connectors, must be marked with clearly recognisable and traceable brand names or other markings that can trace the item back to the original supplier or manufacturer.”

Piet Otto, Phakamisa, Tel: (011) 462-9620, Email: [email protected]

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LIFTING EQUIPMENT

To learn more about the art of manufacturing overhead cranes, “Bulk Handling Today” speaks to Frikkie Henning, Service Manager at East Rand Cranes. “It is crucial to first

ascertain the duty cycle of a crane before you decide on building a light, medium or heavy duty crane,” he says. “It is also important to consider future expansion of the business so that you don’t run out of capacity when the duty cycle of the crane increases due to heavier lifting more frequently.

“If, for example, you’re using the crane all day long to lift three tonnes and only lift ten tonnes once in a while, then a light duty crane will suffice because you’re not working at full load all the time,” Frikkie explains. “However, if this crane starts working at

How to Select a CraneThe selection of an overhead or gantry crane is not as straightforward as it may first appear mainly due to

each crane being built differently because no two buildings are alike. To add to the complexity, the duty cycle of the crane has to be determined accurately, not only to comply with regulations, but also to ensure that the

crane is manufactured to last its full lifecycle.

Final assembly of a gantry crane

Frikkie Henning, Service Manager at East Rand Cranes

A common mistake is to underestimate the forecast which means that clients run out of capacity very quickly

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A hoist in the workshop

of overloading, but because it is working hard more frequently and the duty cycle chosen was incorrectly calculated.”

Building a craneEast Rand Cranes manufactures crane systems

either to supplied specifications or they are designed to spec ac-cording to the customers forecast of the crane’s duties. “A common mistake is to underestimate the forecast which means that clients run out capacity very quickly,” Frikkie says. “Even if specifica-tions are supplied, we will always advise the customers to make sure his or her forecasting is realistic in terms of what he expects the crane to do now as well as in the future.

“The situation where the light duty crane starts doing the work of a medium duty crane before long should be prevented from the outset,” says Frikkie. “However, if medium duty work is introduced over a long period of time, it is possible to upgrade the hoist and the crane to a certain degree, but it can be costly because all

the components including the gearbox on a crane are designed to a specific duty cycle. On very rare occasions you can mix the components and use a 2M duty gearbox with a 1M duty motor, for example.”

StructuresIt is also important to assess the support structures that the crane will be mounted on because one ten tonne crane may weigh much more than another and therefore the structures have to be inspected beforehand as well. “Up to 3M duty the crane design is pretty standard, but when it reaches the 4M duty class cranes, the crane itself becomes much bulkier,” says Frikkie.

“For example, if you put a ten tonne 2M duty crane and a 4M duty ten tonne crane next to each other you’ll clearly see that the 4M class is of a much bulkier construction than the other in spite of hav-ing the same capacity. The girder and components are built specifically to withstand the high stresses associated with heavy duty craning. The class of crane therefore determines the type of support structures necessary for the rails.”

The workshopFrikkie takes us through their workshop where cranes of various sizes are in different stages of completion. Hoists, motors, electrical control panels and reels of steel rope are being fitted into place on small and large girders with huge Demag overhead cranes, for which East Rand Cranes are

LIFTING EQUIPMENT

For a long crane life, it is essential to service a crane frequently

full load all the time, the customer should have chosen a medium duty class from the beginning otherwise the crane simply won’t last, not because

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LIFTING EQUIPMENT

A large crane system ready for delivery

The control system for a crane

the agents in South Africa.

Behind welding screens, the flare of arc welding lights the place sporadically as we ask Frikkie about the actual construction procedures. “A completed crane has many of its sections hidden behind other components and therefore we have very specific holding points during construction,” he explains. “Our quality control procedure requires the inspec-tion of all welds to check whether penetration is correct, whether the stag-ger is correct and so on. Before any weld is covered with something else, it has to be inspected and signed off by our internal inspector.

“This is standard proce-dure, but if required, as in the case of refurbishing old cranes, we also carry out non destructive testing which is verified by an independent third party NDT inspector.”

New Workshop/ StoresEast Rand Cranes has recently built a new work-shop and stores. The new workshop will be utilised for the fabrication and assem-bly line for the fabrication of crane box girders and gantry’s. The workshop will be fitted with 4 over-head gantry cranes and 6 jib cranes as part of the fabrication and assembly line. The new spares store holds R4 million of stock for various overhead crane spares/components.

ServiceAnother of East Rand Crane’s services is to in-spect and service cranes for clients with a mandatory annual load test on their cranes and structures. “For a long crane life, it is es-sential to service a crane frequently. Unfortunately, this is an area that is often

neglected, especially when times are tough like now. But as we maintain service records for our customers, it’s one less thing for them to worry about because we’ll call them up to advise when a service or a load test is due.”

Linton Moodley, East Rand Cranes, Tel: (011) 817-3423, Email: [email protected]

We have very specific holding points during construction

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We speak to John Sprenger, Owner-Driver manager for Cargo Carriers about their successful driver-owner programme.

Due to the ongoing success of the Cargo Carriers’ Swaziland Empowerment scheme, which includes five Cargo Carriers Swaziland Truck drivers operating as owner drivers, a further 11 existing Swaziland drivers have been appointed as owner drivers.

The aim of the programme is to empower drivers who would otherwise never have an opportunity to become successful entrepreneurs. The most important aspect of the owner-driver programme is the identification and training of suitable candidates and the experience they receive.

Successful entrepreneursThe new owner-driver programme commenced at the start of the new 2009 Swaziland cane crop season. Five of the 11 drivers are based at the Swaziland Simunye branch, while the remaining six are based at the Swaziland Big Bend branch.

“In terms of the service agreement with each of the 11 new owner drivers, certain portions of two of the Cargo Carriers Swaziland contracts are out-sourced to the drivers. These include the hauling of infield cane from fields to the loading zone or field edge, and the hauling of cane from the fields to the mill,” explains John.

Future in Their HandsA trucking and transport company has to be built from the ground up. Getting your drivers involved and empowering

them, helps to grow the business exponentially.

Financial healthFHS Accountancy and Management Services has been appointed to assist the drivers with their finances ensuring their financial affairs are in or-der, submitting statutory returns, controlling high cost areas, and administering arrangements with insurance companies, financial institutions and other third parties.

Cargo Carriers assists the drivers by providing fuel and maintenance services, properly maintained trailers, infrastructure, systems, experience and back-up.

Working togetherOn the education front, the candidates receive inten-sive training through Cargo Carriers’ four-day train-ing programme. Two days are spent on contractual and service provider issues, operating parameters, accounting matters and budgeting principles, and is conducted by John Sprenger. The remaining two days cover entrepreneurship, business management, problem solving, and business communications and is conducted by LCC Capital.

The first task for each of the drivers is to employ a co-worker and two shared workers per branch to ensure that they can provide a double shift, 24/7 operation for the 8,5 month crop season. The owner-drivers must, therefore, strike a balance between both control and supervision measures.

“The success of the programme depends on the owner drivers rendering the outsourced transport work to the satisfaction of Cargo Carriers and its customers. Customer service cannot be compro-mised at any stage. It is vitally important that the drivers ensure that the correct product, of the right quality, is timeously delivered to the customers as per the daily delivery schedule,” adds John.

Grassroots level“This programme is all about a con-tinuing partnership; where the drivers are empowered to determine their own success and the direction of their own future. This is not boardroom empower-ment, instead it is aimed at a grassroots level because that is where true success lies!” concludes John.

Elmarie Ollewagen, Business Development & Communications Manager, Cargo Carriers, Tel: (011) 485-8700, Fax: (011) 485-8781, E-mail: [email protected]

TRUCKING

The success of the programme depends on the owner drivers rendering the outsourced transport work to the satisfaction of Cargo Carriers

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20 BULK HANDLING TODAY Jan 2010

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BULK HANDLING TODAY Jan 2010 21

Considering the possibility of damage re-sulting from a failed idler roll (increased friction, increased belt cover wear, pos-sibility of fire due to increased friction

and the possible catastrophic damage to the most costly piece of equipment, the belt) it is clear that a careful selection of the idler for a specific duty is required.

SelectionThe failure of an idler roll is dependant on a mul-titude of factors including the initial specification based on the selection of the roll to suit specific design criteria, the inherent product quality and the accuracy with which its components are manu-factured and assembled.

This paper reviews the development of SABS/SANS 1313, identifies in basic format the loads applicable to idlers and defines the criteria used to select the idlers based on the identified maximum load conditions. It then relates this to available selec-tion standards and introduces the latest revisions to SANS 1313, undertaken to ensure that the standard retains its relevance and high regard in the idler industry.

The available idler standards are: SANS 1313 PART 1, PART 2, PART 3 – 2009?

The first variation one notices is the change in nomenclature from SABS (South African Bureau of Standards) to SANS (South African National Stan-dards), this being due to a realignment and creation of different business units within the SABS.

Noticeable is the inclusion of a Part 3.The existing specifications and particularly SABS 1313 Part 1 incorporated only a ‘series’ in differ-entiating between idlers of different load carrying capacity. Part 2 followed the part 1 format, but for different styles of idlers (eg. fixed and linked sus-pended idlers). The idler series basically specifies the diameter of the shaft at its ends (implying that this equates to the bearing inner diameter).

Calculating the load on the idler and hence the most highly loaded roll carrying capacity within the idler set was left up to the conveyor system designer. The designer would typically select the roll shaft diameter and bearing type to suit the

required duty.

An investigation of existing idler standards showed that the idler load rating was specified in CEMA. This allowed the designer to specify a specific idler category to suit the required duty in accordance with the CEMA classification. One small problem was that the CEMA standard was not readily available in the old highly sanctioned South African market.

The idler committee was again called together, this time to update the standard to incorporate a method to allow for the selection of idlers to suit specific duties. The committee decided to amend the standard by creating a Part 3 which would in-clude the performance criteria and testing methods previously incorporated in Part 1 as well as a duty based selection method.

The development of Part 3 has been a continuing project since 2004 and it is hoped that it will be concluded in 2009.

The basis for idler designPrior to discussing the creation of SANS 1313 Part 3 it is worthwhile to review the factors affecting idler design as well as idler selection criteria.

Idler loadingThe total load on an idler is established from the following factors:

Burden or material loadMass of the beltSelf mass of the rollersSecondary loads such as misalignment loads (tension), loads due to dynamic effects (speed and material dependant) , loads due to belt geometry (curves)

The foregoing are well defined in most conveyor idler catalogues and in CEMA.

Selection criteriaOnce the total load on the idler has been calculated the idler may be specified and selected on the basis of the following criteria:

Roller diameter in terms of belt speedRoller bearing types and sizeShaft diameterIdler base materials

Selection criteria for idler rollsOnce the total load on the idler has been calculated the load applicable to individual loads can be cal-

••••

••••

Conveyor IdlersConveyor idlers are generally considered a consumable element of the conveyor. Their unit value is relatively

low when compared to the price of a pulley, plummer blocks or the conveyor belting. However, there are many idlers within a conveyor system. Consider a typical in-plant conveyor, say 250 m long – typically this would

comprise 5 pulleys, 250 trough idlers and 80 return idlers, further broken down into 750 trough rolls and 80 return rolls (160 if V return idlers are used).

The committee decided to amend the standard by creating a Part 3

BELTCON

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22 BULK HANDLING TODAY Jan 2010

culated by applying a Burden Factor (Burden Factor is the proportion carried by the most highly loaded roll) to the total load to obtain the individual roller loads. Typical burden factors on 3 roll trough idlers is 0.7, i.e. 70% of the total load is carried on the centre roll. The Burden Factor is dependant on the idler type, trough angle, the material characteristics and the belt fill ratio.

Having calculated the load on the most highly loaded roll, the roll is selected on the basis of three criteria

Bearing lifeShaft deflectionShaft bending stress

The bearing life and shaft deflection criteria are somewhat interdependent in that the formula for calculating bearing life is only applicable in cases where the alignment between the inner and outer cages (equivalent to the generically termed ‘shaft deflection’) remains within pre-defined limits.

Typical values for these selection criteria are:

Bearing life (as calculated using the L10 formula) between 30,000 hours and 60,000 hours.Shaft deflection dependant on bearing type. Typical values for deep groove ball bearings are between 6-15 minutes of arc, highly de-pendant on the type of cage material used. Typical values for taper roller bearings are between 2-6 minutes of arc dependant on the geometry of the rolling elements.Shaft bending stress of 110 MPa.

The values quoted for shaft deflection are the maximum allowable bearing value onto which it is practical to allow the idler manufacturer some leeway for manufacturing inaccuracies – hence typically the limits for deep groove ball bearings are set at between 5-10 minutes, again dependant largely on the bearing cage construction.

The foregoing illustrates one of the major disad-

•••

vantages of the use of taper roller bearings, in that under conditions of heavy load the significantly higher load rating (when compared to a deep groove bearing) is reduced exponentially by the effect of misalignment of the bearing components.

Selection criteria for idler basesHaving calculated the total load on the idler, the main load carrying member of the idler base (typi-cally a rolled steel angle section) is selected on the basis of the following typical criteria:

Maximum bending stress – dependant on type of construction – typically 100MPa – 165MPa.Maximum deflection at centre of 1/360 of the mounting centres but limited to 5mm maximum

SANS 1313 ratingsThe CEMA procedure gave the committee an indi-cation of the way forward.

The committee believes that it took the process further by including the shaft deflection criterion within the load rating.

The process followed is as follows:The bearing life criterion was selected as 40,000h to match the requirements of SANS 1313.

The maximum load to achieve the 40,000h bearing life was calculated for different types of bearings based on the individual bearing Dynamic Load Rating at a roll rotating speed of 750rpm (the limit set by SANS 1313).

The maximum load to limit the deflection to that specified by the bearing manufacturer (dependant on bearing type and with due cognisance given to manufacturing tolerances) was then calculated. This was applied to all the roll lengths defined in SANS 1313 using a generic roll seal to determine the ‘overhang’ dimension.

The lower of these two values (life and deflection dependant) was then selected as being the roll rating for a specific roll face length.

Using the standardized sealing system and the abridged data shown in the tables below a series of tables giving the maximum load carrying capacity of a specific roll were created.

Note that the life crite-rion is based purely on a maximum roll rotating speed and thus the need to replicate the tables for different roll diameters is not required.

The tables to be presented in SANS 1313 Part 3 will

include:

3 roll Trough and Impact5 roll Trough and Impact

Bearing detailsBearing reference: 420204 420205 6205 6206 6305 6306 6307 6308Static load rating: 5 11 7.8 11.2 11.6 16 19 24 kNDynamic load rating: 10.4 12.7 14 19.5 22.5 28.1 33.2 41 kNRevs per minute: 750 750 750 750 750 750 750 750 RPMRequired bearing life: 40000 40000 40000 40000 40000 40000 40000 40000 hrsMaximum bearing load in N: 855 1044 1151 1603 1850 2310 2729 3370 NMaximum bearing load in kg: 87 106 117 163 189 235 278 344 kgTable 1: Data Used for Life Criterion

Bearing ref: 420204 420205 6205 6305 6206 6306 6307 6308Allowable bearing deflection to DIN: 14.0 14.0 15.0 15.0 15.0 15.0 15.0 15.0 minBasic allowance for manufacturing inaccuracies 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 minAllowable deflection for calculation purposes: 8.0 8.0 9.0 9.0 9.0 9.0 9.0 9.0 min

Table 2: Data Used For Deflection Criterion

The committee believes that it took the process further by including the shaft deflection criterion within the load rating

BELTCON

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BULK HANDLING TODAY Jan 2010 2�

2 Roll V and Flat ReturnSeparate tables for 3 and 5 roll link suspended (garland) idlers. This is necessary to account for the larger dim. Normally encountered with this type of roller.

Two typical tables, for 3 roll Trough and Impact and for 2 roll Vee and Flat return are included below.

DiscussionIt is noted that the examples are merely a direct comparison of tabulated values not reflecting the full design process, however they give a clear indication of the basic difference in approach proposed by the two codes.

It is clear from the above that the major difference between CEMA and SANS 1313 is the non-adherence in the CEMA code to the shaft deflection criterion. This becomes increasingly significant as the roll length increases.

Utilising CEMA without taking note of shaft deflection can lead to significantly reduced roller life.

When considering SANS 1313 a note to the tables stipulates that ‘shafts are plain and not stepped’ i.e. the shaft diameter is the same throughout its length.

There is clearly an economical case for reducing the shaft diameter at its ends (depending on loading) and utilising a bearing of smaller diameter. This may however create problems when specifying replacement parts as the user can only readily see the shaft end and will use this as the selection dimension.

ConclusionIn conclusion, the idler committee of the CMA is constantly reviewing the idler standard SANS 1313 with the aim of maintaining it as the premier worldwide specification.

The soon to be issued revised specifica-tion comprising three sections

Part 1 – defining the dimensional requirements of all rolls and of ‘foot mounted’ idlersPart 2 - defining the specific require-ments for under-slung idlersPart 3 – defining the performance requirements and load ratings of idlers

••

It will continue to ensure that the South African idler manufacturing sector retains its good stand-ing amongst the worldwide materials handling fraternity.

This paper has been condensed due to space constraints. The author is Adriano Frittella. This paper was first presented at Beltcon 15 held in Johannesburg on Sep-tember 2 and 3, 2009 and copyright is vested with the IMHC. Enquiries can be made through the website; www.beltcon.org.za

3 Roll troughing and impactBelt width: Gauge: Allowable load on the centre roller in kg *

400 180 174 213 235 377 327 471 556 687450 200 174 213 235 377 327 471 556 687500 210 174 213 235 377 327 471 556 687600 250 174 213 235 377 327 471 556 687750 300 174 213 235 377 327 471 556 687900 350 164 213 235 370 327 471 556 687

1050 400 139 213 235 312 327 471 556 6871200 460 119 213 235 263 327 471 556 6871350 510 105 213 235 232 327 440 556 6871500 570 93 213 221 204 327 385 556 6871650 620 85 207 201 185 327 349 556 6871800 670 78 190 184 169 327 319 553 6872000 750 69 168 163 149 315 281 486 6872100 775 66 162 157 144 304 270 468 6872200 810 63 154 149 137 289 257 445 6872400 880 58 141 136 125 264 234 405 637

Allowable load on centre roller

1019 2243 1590 2365 2283 3262 3874 4893

Bearing ref: 420204 420205 6205 6305 6206 6306 6307 6308Series: 20 25 25 25 30 30 35 40

The above loads do not include the rotating mass of the roll.The rotating mass of the roll should be subtracted from the above roller load.

* shafts are plain and not stepped

Table 3: Roll Selection - 3 Roll Trough and Impact

2 Roll vee & flat returnBelt width: Gauge: Allowable load on one roller in kg *

600 310 174 213 235 377 327 471 556 687750 410 135 213 235 303 327 471 556 687900 485 112 213 235 247 327 468 556 687

1050 570 93 213 221 204 327 385 556 6871200 645 81 198 192 177 327 333 556 6871350 730 71 173 168 154 324 289 501 6871500 810 63 154 149 137 289 257 445 6871650 895 57 139 134 123 259 230 397 6251800 975 52 127 122 112 236 209 361 5672000 1085 46 113 109 99 210 186 321 5042100 1156 43 106 102 93 196 174 300 4702200 1195 42 102 98 90 190 168 289 4532400 1308 38 93 89 81 172 152 262 410

Allowable load on centre roller

1019 2243 1590 2365 2283 3262 3874 4893

Bearing ref: 420204 420205 6205 6305 6206 6306 6307 6308Series: 20 25 25 25 30 30 35 40

The above loads do not include the rotating mass of the roll.The rotating mass of the roll should be subtracted from the above roller load.

* shafts are plain and not stepped

Table 4: Roll Selection - 2 Roll Vee and Flat Return

Utilising CEMA without taking note of shaft deflection can lead to significantly reduced roller life

BELTCON

Page 24: BHT: Jan 2010

2� BULK HANDLING TODAY Jan 201030 Supply Chain Today Jan 2010

This prestigious award recognises people, projects and products that have gone above and be-

yond the call of duty to enhance the

environment in which they oper-ate.

The inaugural awards in 2009 enjoyed a wonderful response

from the supply chain community and everything is on track to make this year’s event one of the indus-try’s most prestigious accolades.

Come and see who walks away with the coveted trophies and

enter your product or project for this year’s event.

Entries for next year’s event open in February and the awards cer-

emony is being planned for 26 Au-gust 2010.

GreenSupplyChainAwards

Contact: Catherine Larkin on

Tel: (011) 789-7327/787-9127,

Cell: 083 300 0331, Fax: (011) 787-7865

Email: [email protected]

Are You Doing Your Bit?

Supply 2010 Jan.indd 30 2010/01/18 10:11:53 AM

Page 25: BHT: Jan 2010

BULK HANDLING TODAY Jan 2010 2�

Open Top Containers in Materials Handling

Containerisation has revolutionised cargo shipping since its introduction in the 1950’s. Today approximately 90% of non-bulk cargo worldwide is transported in containers, with 11.3 units handled every second in ports

around the world. Low cost and easy access to handling equip-

ment has helped to extend the use of containers to enter new fields. Among these new applications is the transport, storage and han-

dling of bulk materials.

During the 1980’s, the South African company Rocon intro-duced the concept of loading ships using a standard GP

container with a tipping device. Unfor-tunately information with regards to this pioneering development is scarce and it is unknown if any Rocon devices are still in operation at present.

20 years later the concept re-emerged when Bulk Connections, a bulk materials terminal in Durban South Africa, sought ways to optimise their port operations. After a developmental phase, the first container tippler was commissioned in 2003. Based on this earlier installation, ThyssenKrupp Materials Handling has further developed the concept culminat-ing in a second generation container tippler.

OperationThe uniqueness of this handling solu-tion may necessitate some explanation concerning the operation of such a system.

The tippler is a device suspended on ropes which may use diverse types of lifting equipment as platform. Bulk Connections employed a standard container crane for this purpose. The parent machine serves to maneuver the tippler and at-tached container from the quayside to a position above the ship’s hold.

The an open-top container system

Due to the universality of the system components and operation, it lends itself for use in diverse fields of application

HARBOURS & PORTS

The uniqueness of this handling solution may necessitate some explanation

30 Supply Chain Today Jan 2010

This prestigious award recognises people, projects and products that have gone above and be-

yond the call of duty to enhance the

environment in which they oper-ate.

The inaugural awards in 2009 enjoyed a wonderful response

from the supply chain community and everything is on track to make this year’s event one of the indus-try’s most prestigious accolades.

Come and see who walks away with the coveted trophies and

enter your product or project for this year’s event.

Entries for next year’s event open in February and the awards cer-

emony is being planned for 26 Au-gust 2010.

GreenSupplyChainAwards

Contact: Catherine Larkin on

Tel: (011) 789-7327/787-9127,

Cell: 083 300 0331, Fax: (011) 787-7865

Email: [email protected]

Are You Doing Your Bit?

Supply 2010 Jan.indd 30 2010/01/18 10:11:53 AM

Page 26: BHT: Jan 2010

2� BULK HANDLING TODAY Jan 2010

A container, filled with material, is transported to the quayside where the tippler is lowered onto it and attached by engaging the standard twistlocks. Once attached, the container is lifted and maneuvered towards the ship. At this stage the clamping beams are activated and clamping is completed by the time the tippler reaches its position above the cargo hold. Tipping commences with the inner frame rotating through 180° and discharging the cargo into the ship’s hold.

Once the material is discharged the in-ner frame, together with the container, returns to its original orientation and the whole unit travels back to the quay. The unit is lowered to the rail platform where the twistlocks are disengaged and the system is ready for the next cycle. The operating cycle is therefore similar to the handling of standard containers.

Container tippler (prototype) – 1st generationBulk Connections Terminal in Durban was the user of the first unit which was delivered in 2003. As it was a novel concept, the entire system was closely monitored for the duration of the first year of operation. During this period the system handled 580 000 tons of sized coal. The average load per cycle was 25 tons and a loading rate of 18-20 tips per hour was maintained. A daily output of 10 000 tons of the sized coal was achieved.

The introduction of the system proceeded

Containers are used as the primary medium for storage, transport and handling of bulk materials within a handling system of this type

Tipping the load

HARBOURS & PORTS

Some impact damage was found on the clamping beams which probably stems from rough operational practices

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BULK HANDLING TODAY Jan 2010 2�

Technical parameters of the 2nd generation of the tippler:- container type 20” open top or 20” GP (top removed)

- capacity 35.0 ton (excl. container mass),

- typical cycle time 120-150 seconds,

- clamping time 4 seconds,

- tilting time 15-19 seconds,

- twistlock lock/ unlock 1 second,

- twistlocks ISO universal,

- weight 12.0 tons excl. head block,

- material handled no limitation.

without any major technical problems. Some minor modifications were required to resolve teething is-sues, mainly the introduction of guards to protect the electrical and hydraulic equipment that was liable to be damaged during the operation of the unit. When the first unit was recently overhauled, no trace of fatigue cracking was recorded. Some impact damage was found on the clamping beams which probably stems from rough operational practices.

Container tippler - 2nd generationThe experience gained from monitoring the opera-tion of the first unit was employed to improve the design of the second generation device. The main objective of the design review was a mass reduc-tion. Originally the mass of the tipping unit was approximately 21 ton. As a result, the combined weight of the tippler, container and payload in some cases exceeded the loads normally encountered in container terminals. This limited the use of the device, as standard cranes required structural modifications.

A FEM based optimisation process, combined with the benefits of an improved control system, has helped to lower the mass of the design to 12 tons. This is close to the mass of a standard single–lift telescopic spreader, which is the basis on which most of the container handling equip-ment is rated.

Further attention was given to reducing power consumption. Torque requirements for various pay-loads throughout the tipping range were simulated to find the optimal geometry of rotation. Installed power and the size of the tilting cylinders could thereby be optimised.

Due to the impact damage which was observed on the clamping beams, the clamping procedure

has come under the spotlight. The entire clamping philosophy was reviewed and an improved clamp-ing concept was developed. This necessitated changes to the shape and guiding installation of the clamping beam, which have subsequently been introduced. The new clamping method will reduce the chances of impact when lowering the tipping device onto the container.

ContainersContainers are used as the primary medium for storage, transport and handling of bulk materials within a handling system of this type. The selection and design of these units is therefore an important aspect from a systems perspective. It should be noted that such containers are only used on land within the confines of the handling terminal and are therefore not subject to marine standards in terms of strength and rigidity.

When the original unit was commissioned, Bulk Connections decided to opt for modified secondhand containers to minimise the cost. The modifications

included the re-moval of the upper wall of the contain-ers and welding the doors closed. It was found that these secondhand containers had a service life of ap-proximately 5 000 cycles.

Four new contain-ers were also built and operated in parallel with the older units. These units exhibited no trace of fatigue damage after 12 months of opera-tion. Data collected during this period

HARBOURS & PORTS

The use of an open-top container system provides a terminal operator with great flexibility

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2� BULK HANDLING TODAY Jan 2010

gives an indication of the most economical container selection for specific operational philosophies, cycle times and duration of operation and storage. The capital invested for different container types can be weighed against each other considering the number of units in circulation and the lifespan of each.

Great flexibilityThe use of an open-top container system provides a terminal operator with great flexibility. There are no restrictions to the quantity and variety of materials

to be handled. Container terminals are no longer restricted to the handling of containerised cargo but are also able to deal with bulk materials. The process of stacking containers for bulk materials is not significantly different from stacking general purpose dry containers. Handling of containers carrying bulk materials can therefore be done using standard container infrastructure.

The material can also be stored in the containers, depending on the requirements of the port opera-tor. The need for capital outlay associated with conventional stockyards, stockyard equipment and rail tipplers is therefore eliminated.

Diverse fieldsDue to the universality of the system components and operation, it lends itself for use in diverse fields of ap-plication. For example, ThyssenKrupp is investigating the use of a derivative system for supplying coal to power stations during emergencies. A com-plete handling system can be set up in a few months based on standard container handling equipment such as reach stackers, straddle carri-ers, container cranes and overhead cranes.

Such machines are also readily available on the secondhand market. Because the entire system is based largely on the “off the shelf” equip-ment, it can be financed for long or short term operation on an equipment lease basis.

More information can be found on Thys-senKrupp, Website:www.thyssenkrupp-materialshandling.co.za

HARBOURS & PORTS

Due to the universality of the system components and operation, it lends itself for use in diverse fields of application

Page 29: BHT: Jan 2010

BULK HANDLING TODAY Jan 2010 2�

HARBOURS & PORTS

Iain Geldart, managing director of Bulk Connec-tions, a Bidvest company that owns this bulk operation in Durban’s port speaks to “Bulk Handling Today”.“During a privatisation initia-

tive in the late eighties, we took over this operation purely as a coal handling terminal but over the years the facility has been diversified to include a variety of dry bulk products,” he says.

Terminal with a Difference

When you talk about a bulk

coal terminal in KZN, most people as-sume you’re talking about the coal

handling operation in Richards Bay. In the meantime, the port of Durban has

a very active ‘boutique’ bulk terminal tucked away on the Bluff where dry

bulk is handled with kid gloves.“Our main prod-uct line now is sized coal, steam or unsized coal, copper concen-trates, manganese and metallurgical coke, but we also do other commod-ities in smaller quantities,” adds Iain. “We used to do grain un-til the facility in Durban port at Maiden Whar f was upgraded with ship loaders and unloaders spe-cifically to handle grain through this port.”

Unique equipmentAlthough Bulk Connections leases the 4-berth site from the National Port Authority, all the equipment, developed specially for the ‘soft’ handling of bulk commodities, belongs to them. “The ship loaders, for example, are quite unique in that we converted the old type 30 tonne container cranes to 50 tonne capacity specifically for our purposes,” Iain says.

“A thorough finite element analysis on these old cranes showed that by simply strengthening the front legs, they could be modernised with new motors, gearboxes and brakes. We also converted the drive system from DC to AC to accommodate variable speed drive control.”

Sized coalSoft handling literally entails handling the prod-uct very carefully so that it’s not broken down to smaller sized chunks which would happen if it were dropped from a certain height. This is crucial as sized coal, for instance, ends up as unsized coal which is an inferior grade.

“The handling process basically consists of loading the product from stockpile or other storage with a front-end loader into an open top container which is hauled by a special harbour-type tractor to the ship loader,” explains Iain. “The ship loader picks the container off the high capacity trailer, over Bottom discharging coal

Iain Geldart, managing director, Bulk Connections

Soft handling literally entails handling the product very carefully so that it’s not broken down to smaller sized chunks

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�0 BULK HANDLING TODAY Jan 2010

HARBOURS & PORTS

the hatch of the ship and then through doors at the bottom of the container which open up to let the product out softly. After trying various other methods, we’ve found that this unique container design lets the product out gently.”

An aerial view of the terminal in Durban port

Loading 14 000 tonnes a day

The systemIn their search for the best solution in soft handling worldwide, Bulk Connections sourced various bits and pieces of equipment from around the globe and had this unique design engineered and manufactured locally coming in lighter than the previous system they used. “The system works exceptionally well for sized coal, but it’s also very good for concentrates because concentrates tend

to stick to the vertical sides of chutes and transfer points, blocking everything up,” adds Iain.

“With our container system, however, the whole load simply slumps out, resulting in exceptionally good load rates with all the materials we handle. Another difficult material to handle in bulk is manganese ore, which is very lumpy and highly abrasive. The bottom-open-ing container system is very efficient in that we’re loading an average of 24 000 tonnes of manganese a day compared with a dedicated manganese loading system that averages 12 to 15 000 tonnes a day.

Grab“It’s a hybrid system in that the same crane is simply fitted with a 25 cubic metre grab mechanism in the place of

In the morning it may be loading coal at one of our three loading berths and by the afternoon it could very well be off-loading metallurgical coke

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BULK HANDLING TODAY Jan 2010 �1

The modified container crane used for bulk handling

Front-end loaders filling the containers

the container to turn the crane into an off-loader,” explains Iain. “In the morning it may be loading coal at one of our three loading berths and by the afternoon, it could very well be off-loading metallurgical coke from a ship in the next berth.

“On a typical day, we could be handling three ships simultane-ously where one is loading man-ganese with a conveyor system, the second one is at work loading coal while a third could be off-loading coke.”

PlanningAlthough space at the facility is limited in terms of stockpiling, careful logistics planning of the trains coming in to be loaded or off-loaded, goes some way to al-leviating the situation. “According to a weekly business plan, we liaise closely with Transnet and the mines on train movements so that they can come in and off-load straight away,” explains Iain. “Trains are off-loaded by several automated wagon off-load-ers which are similar to tipplers, but at ten wagons an hour it is a slow, much gentler off-load than the typical wagon tippler that just dumps the product into a pit.”

The product is then stacked in a stockpile yard where some blending can be done if required. “Most clients export around 40 000 tonnes at a time, so we make space accordingly plus about 10%,” explains Iain. “One of the reasons we had to find a unique handling solution is because the stockyards are almost a kilometre away from the berths. It is, there-fore, very difficult to transport the product with a conveyor system that has many transfer points. It would turn sized coal into much less valued steam coal by the time it got to the ship.”

ExpansionBulk Connections has come far in the last few years but they are not resting on their laurels. Iain says in conclusion, “We’re already working on an expansion programme, not only as far as capac-

HARBOURS & PORTS

It would turn sized coal into much less valued steam coal by the time it got to the ship

ity is concerned, but also to extend the range of products we handle to include the export of other materials such as woodchip pellets as fuel.”

Iain Geldart, managing director, Bulk Connections, Tel: (031) 466-1960, Fax: (031) 466-1935, Email: [email protected]

Page 32: BHT: Jan 2010

�2 BULK HANDLING TODAY Jan 2010 Advanced Materials Today September 2007 39

AMT Sept 07 zin.indd 39 2007/09/11 10:28:49 AM

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BULK HANDLING TODAY Jan 2010 ��Advanced Materials Today September 2007 39

AMT Sept 07 zin.indd 39 2007/09/11 10:28:49 AM

An iron gardenAlpha Sand and Klip continue to service local demand for sand and stone for a variety of construction projects in and around Polok-wane. This 36-year old business operates a mixed fleet, but owner Jannie van Warveren has thirteen Volvo trucks in his fleet.

“I’m married to machinery and I live in an iron garden,” are some of the first words said by Jannie as we sit across his boardroom table in his family run business in Annadale, Polokwane. His wife Cathy and his two sons Niekie and Jannie work alongside him.

“Vehicles are my life,” he adds as he ex-plains how he has been in the transport business since 1973. He started his fleet with a 1954 Albion which is still working as a water bowser on the current site he is processing for river sand and stone.

Jannie first operated Volvo’s in the 70’s and was very pleased to hear of their return to the market in 1994. “I went to find out what was available and I was even more of a fan when I began to experience the very high service standards offered by Volvo that just had no equal at the time.

“We are still happy with Volvo now and the service we get locally and I hope before I retire, I will be able to buy a Volvo 660hp unit. I already have the low-bed trailer in my yard,” he adds with a laugh.

Volvo (Southern Africa) (Pty) Ltd, Tel: (011) 842-5000, Fax: (011) 842-5037, www.volvo.co.za

Duff feedersBMG’s materials handling product portfolio includes duff feeders which accommodate the removal of dry or wet mate-rial from underneath belt scrapers down to collection points. These duff feeders also allow access for easy maintenance of conveyor rollers and belt scrapers.

Duff feeders convey light duff and wet or dry dribble, oper-ating efficiently for extended periods before maintenance is

Market Forum

Jannie’s 25 Volvo trucks transport sand, stone and concrete products to the construction and mining industries

Refurbishing bearingsBearing and rotating technology specialist, SKF South Africa, who has been managing the account of a local coastal steel giant since 1998, was approached by the steel plant to refurbish a set of six screw conveyor bearings.

The screw conveyors on the plant force coke, coal and directly reduced iron (DRI) down a shaft into the melter gassifier. SKF South Africa suggested that rather than replacing the screw bearings annually, as was current practice, the steel plant should consider refurbishment as an option to reduce costs. Inspection of bearings at the plant by SKF service technicians revealed that refurbishment presented the perfect solution for these large size screw conveyor bearings, saving cost and money for the customer.

SKF Saldanha sales manager, Martin Roode says that the steel plant representatives were most impressed when they visited SKF’s Remanufacturing Centre in Witfield, Johannesburg. “Our facility utilises SKF specific, custom-designed machines and equipment modeled on the SKF Steyr (Austria) benchmark facility to refurbish damaged bearings, restore old bearings

and even remanufacture some bearing components.

The bearing was refurbished within one month at 50% of the cost of new bearings and following installation and commis-sioning, SKF issued a vibration certificate to the customer.

Martin reports that the screw conveyors are operating trouble-free and that the customer has expressed satisfaction with both SKF products and service.

Samantha Joubert, SKF South Africa (Pty) Ltd, Tel: (011) 821-3500, Fax: (011) 821-3501, Email: [email protected], www.skf.co.za

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Good demandCondra has reported a good order intake for its hoist range, with an encouraging increase in the number of enquiries. While management admits that the company order book is slightly down on last year, it predicts a return to more normal order levels during the course of 2010.

Condra’s line of hoists comprises two main ranges: the veteran K-Series and the newer Titan range, the latter divided into

Market Forum

necessary. The feeders, which fit into confined spaces, can operate fully loaded or empty.

“An important benefit of this system is no labour is required at the transfer points because of the effective conveying of duff or any other spillage that may occur between the conveyor belt and transfer chute,” says Gavin Pelser, director, BMG. “Conventional equipment requires costly manual labour and static chute systems need regular cleaning. Another disad-vantage of traditional systems is that fine duff and dribble require the spraying of water, which necessitates additional

equipment, like pumps.”

The low friction co-efficient of OST liners, prevents the build-up of duff and dribble and ensures smooth conveying. These liners are available in HDPE 6 or Tivar 80.

These duff/dribble feeders are equipped with vibrator motors with an IP 65 index protection rating. Grease nipples are mounted inside the motor covers to protect the motor from dust and also ensures that no unau-thorised person has access to the system.

Gavin Pelser, BMG, Email: [email protected], Web: www.bmgworld.net

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Bormann commented that the company has made a natural progression towards employing

women. “It has been the outlook of SEW Eurodrive to employ people according to their skills and natural ability not focusing on race and sex. Women have a natural

attention to detail, something which is of extreme importance

in engineering, and probably in any business.”

Engineering is a largely male- dominated arena. SEW Euro-drive South Africa has made a

point of employing females in management positions. “We sometimes find our clients are taken aback by the fact that it is woman on the other end of the line, but it has had a positive effect in the industry. SEW Eurodrive is known as an unconventional engineering company and our marketing has been rated top in the industry. In fact we recently won the Frost and Sullivan Award for Market Leadership in our category” adds Ute.

The company has appointed women in senior positions such as General Manager: Sales and Marketing, General Manager: Operations, National Marketing Manager, Financial Manager, National Stock Controller, Exports Co-Ordinator, Head of Internal Sales and as a Non Executive Director.

SEW-Eurodrive Pty Ltd, Rene Rose, Tel: (011) 248-7000, Fax: (011) 248-7289, Email: [email protected], www.sew.co.za

Titan SH hoist; Titan compact

hoist

Top awardSEW Eurodrive South Africa was announced as the winner of the Top Gender Empowered Company award in the Min-ing, Engineering and Construction sector during a glamorous awards ceremony held in Johannesburg on 18 November 2009.

The awards form part of the Top Woman in Business and Government Awards which is held annually. This award goes to the company that demonstrates the most success in tack-ling and improving gender empowerment in their respective sector. Important factors are measurable and accountable leadership that is committed to developing women in the company and the per capita expenditure on training, educa-tion and development of women.

Accepting the award on behalf of the company, Ms Ute

Market Forum

the Titan Short Headroom (SH) and Titan Compact sub-ranges.

Titan-SH hoists are designed to make maximum use of expensive factory space – headroom as well as floor. Based on the proven K-Series, this newer design has reduced the size of many K-Series components to take height out of the final crane assembly. Hoist profile is some 20% less than the K-Series.

When carried through to the crane, the reduced height can deliver huge savings during factory construction by lowering the entire roof. Alternatively, the extra lift height delivers an ability to take on projects that other factories cannot.

The Titan-SH series has a maximum capacity of 16 tons, and incorporates refinements such as automatic rope tensioning, smoother travel, a built-in load limiter, standardised direct drive and universal carriage.

Condra (Pty) Ltd, Josef Kleiner, Tel: (011) 021-3712, Fax: 086 669-2372, E-mail: [email protected]

Ute Bormann, GM Sales and Marketing receiving the award on behalf of SEW Eurodrive, from Connie Nkosi - Non Executive Chairman: First Technology, Gauteng; Chief Executive Officer: Lidonga Invest-ment Holdings (Pty) Ltd

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Physical and mental staminaEskom recently gave its heavy-duty road transport division, Rotran, the go-ahead to purchase six Western Star road-train truck tractors to move new imported power transformers from

Market Forum

Box-container tipperAn all-new box-container tipper from Flexicon forms a dust-tight seal between the container and the equipment, tips the container, and discharges bulk material through a chute at

Richards Bay to power stations around the country.

According to Dennis Child, Rotran general manager, Multi-axle Division, “The transformers weigh 150-tons each and two

truck tractors are needed to move a single unit. After extensive research, we opted for the Western Star 6900XD. It is an 8x6 truck tractor pushing out 600 horse-power, giving it the edge over European rivals.”

The six new Western Star truck tractors were sold to Rotran by local Western Star distributor, Liebherr-Africa, which also spe-cialises in the supply and support of heavy earthmov-ing equipment.

“The trucks will move the transformers using an im-ported Nicolas abnormal-load, multi-axle draw-bar trailer,” explains Dennis. “These low-bed trailers are 15-metres long with 12 independent-steer axle

lines. The total tare mass of the two truck tractors and the trailer is 121- tons. As dedicated transformer transporters, each laden rig will have a gross-vehicle-mass (GVM) of 271 tons.”

With trip distances varying between a few hundred kilometres up to as much as 2 640 km and governed by a speed limit of 20 km/h, piloting one of these rigs is a highly specialised task, requiring both physical and mental stamina.

“The Western Star 6900XD is the perfect vehicle for the job in terms of power, safety and comfort,” says Duncan Prince, product manager, Western Star (a division of Mercedes-Benz South Africa). “The Cummins ISX engine powers a fully-automatic six-speed Allison RDS 4000 transmission and is equipped with both an engine brake and a hydraulic retarder. This allows the rig to safely maintain a constant speed of 20 km/h, uphill and downhill, without the driver having to change gears or apply the service brake.”

Shirle Greig, Tel: (012) 677-1904, Fax: (012) 677-1714, Email: [email protected]

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Market Forum

Tip-Tite Box-Container Tipper from Flexicon forms a gasketted, dust-tight connection be-tween the container and the equipment, tips the container to either 45, 60, or 90 degrees past horizontal, and discharges bulk material through a chute at controlled rates

controlled rates. Trademarked Tip-Tite, the tipper accommo-dates boxes including truncated corner boxes, from 915 mm to 1 220 mm on a side, and 990 mm to 1 117 mm overall height.

The container platform is raised by a single hydraulic cylinder, creating a dust-tight seal between the top edge of a box (or rim of a drum) and the underside of the containment hood. Twin hydraulic cylinders then pivot the platform-hood assembly, with container intact, to either 45, 60 or 90 degrees beyond horizontal, including a mo-tion-dampening feature at the termination of container rotation.

An optional, gasketted, top discharge gate actuated by twin pneumatic cylinders, provides a large opening

with chute for the passage of non-free-flowing bulk solids that may otherwise bridge across smaller openings, and allows control of the material discharge.

The tipper is available constructed of stainless steel to food, dairy, pharmaceuti-cal or industrial standards, and of mild steel with durable industrial coatings. It is available with optional receiving hoppers configured with the company’s mechanical or pneumatic conveyors to transport discharged material to any plant location.

The company also manufactures drum tippers, drum fillers, bulk bag discharg-ers, bulk bag conditioners, bulk bag fill-ers, bag dump stations, weigh batching and blending systems, and engineered plant-wide bulk handling systems with automated controls.

Flexicon Africa (Pty) Ltd, Tel: (041) 453-1871, [email protected], www.flexicon.co.za

CelebrationGIBB, one of Africa’s largest multi-dis-ciplined engineering and science con-sulting companies celebrates the 11th anniversary of its Rail Division this year,

and is right on track when it comes to handling the boom in

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Afzelia 14

Almex 20

AST Inside Front Cover

Barpro 6

Brelko 13

Dymot 26

East Rand Cranes Inside Back Cover

EMS 18

Engineer Placements 38

EPNS 12

Feel at Home 36

Green Supply Chain Awards 24

Innov-X 8

KMG 34

Linde 16

Rema Tip Top Outside Front Cover,

Outside Back Cover

SAID 32

Tega 28

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Market Forumthe rail transportation infrastructure in South Africa

GIBB recently completed a R53 million railway siding project for South African Coal Mine Holdings (SACMH) in a scant seven months from inception to completion. The scope of the project was the design and construction monitoring of the new Umlabu siding, situated approximately 3km from the Umlabu coal mine in Breyten, near Ermelo, Mpumalanga; as well as the earthworks, perway, electrical and signaling systems and an in-motion weighbridge. After an initial fea-sibility study in 2007, and the submission of GIBB’s design and tender documents in mid-April 2008, construction began on 19 May and the official handover of the project was 31 October 2008, with the first test-run being successfully implemented on 11 November 2008.

The earthworks for the construction of the loading area, including 3 000m2 of tar road and 250m of drainage struc-tures, required a staggering 180 000 cubic metres of soil and took four months and 81 000 accident-free work hours to complete. A total of 2.44km of railway line was constructed, including the installation of two turnouts on the mainline of Transnet Freight Rail (TFR), which can be operated remotely from 100m away, and a good lighting infrastructure to ac-commodate the 24-hour-a-day productivity levels.

To save costs on installing additional cables, each of the 66 luminairs mounted onto the 49 masts installed were fitted with a photocell to switch off the lights in the daytime, and the innovative, imported signal remote-system will boost worker safety levels as trains can now enter and exit the siding from the mainline without drivers having to disembark to change direction of the turnouts.

Additionally, the design of the in-motion weighbridge al-lows it to weigh wagons moving at a speed of up to 8km per hour, enabling the cross-referencing of shipping and haulage costs.

Says Johann Rauch, director of Gibb Rail Division, The siding was designed by GIBB to accommodate anticipated future expansion, which includes the installation of a rapid-loader, which will enable a 60-ton wagon to be loaded within 90 seconds while moving, translating to a 100-wagon train being loaded in less than three hours compared with the current six; and the electrification of the 22km railway line between Ermelo and Umlabu in order to reduce diesel-lo-comotive haulage costs.”

Gibb, Tel: (011) 519-4600, Fax: (011) 807-5670, www.gibb.co.za

Engineer PlacementsWhen the business world lights up again, and the

clarion call for skills is heard once more, will you be on our database for us to contact you?

www.engineerplacements.com or email us at:

[email protected]

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