Advanced Materials Today Nov/Dec 10 

 Advanced Materials Today Nov/Dec 2010

 Nov/Dec 2010

Contents
Cover Story Fabrication
Retecon 4 A Match Made in Heaven 33 Great Place to Work
Tel: (011) 976 8600
Fax: (011) 394 2471 Machining Industry News
Email: neth@retecon.co.za 7 Positive Future 34 SAIW News
Web: www.retecon.co.za 35 Industry News
10 Machine Tool Survey 36 International News

TDM Today Endorsing Bodies

(Tool, Die & Mould Making) • SAIMechE (SA Institution of Mechanical
17 CEO’s Comments Engineering)
18 Expensive Versus Cheap • AFSA (Aluminium Federation of SA)
23 Financial Benefits for Members • CorriSA
New KZN CEO • NTIP
• TASA (Toolmakers Association of South
Corrosion Africa)
25 Thin Hard Coatings • Intsimbi

The Softer Side

29 Sell Your Body This Holiday

Copyright
All rights reserved. No edi-
torial matter published in
“Advanced Materials 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 The monthly circulation is 6 034
shall not be responsible or in
any way liable for any errors,
omissions or inaccuracies Proprietor and Publisher:
PROMECH PUBLISHING DTP: Zinobia Docrat and
in the publication whether Sean Bacher
Tel: (011) 781-1401
arising from negligence or
Fax: (011) 781-1403 Disclaimer
otherwise or for any conse-
E-mail: editorial@promech.co.za Neither PROMECH Publishing
quences arising therefrom. Website: www.promech.co.za
The inclusion or exclusion of nor its endorsing bodies are
Managing Editor: responsible for the opinions
any product does not mean Susan Custers expressed by individuals.
that the publisher or editorial Editor:
board advocates or rejects its Raymond Campling Printed by:
use either generally or in any Advertising Sales: Typo Colour Printing
particular field or fields. Di Bluck Tel: (011) 402-3468

Advanced Materials Today Nov/Dec 10 

COVER STORY
A Match Made in
Heaven
Local manufacturers deserve to get the right technical advice on manufacturing techniques that are suitable
for their applications.
The DMG DMU 50 Eco represents excellent
value and 5-axis functionallity
T
hat’s why Hans-Peter Neth, managing
director of Retecon, continues to invest
heavily in training and employing the best
technical skills available in South Africa.
With the right technical skills in place it enables
the company to match machine tool requirements
to get the job done right first time.
“We sell the world’s most advanced and reliable
machines with our range of DMG CNC machines,
Agie Charmilles electrical discharge machining
(EDM) and Trumpf sheet metal machines among
others.
Even with the best machinery in the world it means
nothing without skilled people
“In order to make sure that our clients get the most
out of these machines we have always invested in
 Advanced Materials Today Nov/Dec 2010
the right skills to advise and
support our clients with their
machine tool needs.”
World’s best
He says that the combination
of some of the best machines
available in the world and local
expertise, combined with com-
prehensive support from overseas
parent companies makes it
possible to achieve world-class
manufacturing results here in
South Africa.
In industries such as tool, die
and mould making (TDM) and
other precision engineering
disciplines Retecon has become
synonymous with quality. Their
reputation spans more than
40 years during which time
the company has earned many
accolades and its supplied ma-
chines have manufactured many
South African icons across all
industries.
When “Advanced Materials
Today” visits the company and
our eye falls on the boardroom
wall, it’s quite striking to see the many framed let-
ters from the “who’s who” of local manufacturers
thanking the company for providing technical service
excellence to them over the years.
DMG precision
It is a common misconception that by owning argu-
ably the world’s best range of milling and turning
machines, DMG is out of the reach of ordinary
machine shops and tool rooms. We were surprised
to hear that the entry level DMG Ecoline range of
milling and turning machines competes squarely
with American and Asian offerings.
“The difference is in the manufacture of the machines,”
says Hans-Peter. He adds that even the entry level
DMG machine is engineered with superior frame
rigidity and quality components. This allows the
machine to maintain tight tolerances and remain
 COVER STORY

reliable even with the heaviest usage. dynamic HSC series machines for applications where
The Ecoline machines are ideal for smaller tool high speed and precision cutting is a requirement.
rooms where high volumes of complex work are Like a Swiss watch its accuracy and tolerances are
not a requirement. A good example is the Ecoline so close that it can easily be used to manufacture
CTX510 that is currently being used on the world’s the legendary timepieces in a fraction of the time
most advanced scientific experiment, the CERN, taken by the original master-craftsmen.
where 10 000 scientists are trying to unlock the The machines make use of high speed spindles with
secrets of the “big bang” theory. Here the machine a tool rotation of up to 42 000 rpm and incorporate
is used to make parts for the massive particle ultrasonic oscillation to ensure the fastest most
accelerator and its flexibility is preferable to high precise cutting speeds. The slick tool changing
production rates. and predictive nature of the controllers give the
Real 5-axis machining Used on the world’s most advanced scientific
The accolades continue to roll-in for DMG machines experiment, the CERN
and one of the latest is The Centre of Excellence
Aerospace awarding the DMC 5-axis machining
DMG machines unmatched production speed in
centre the “Best in Class” for machining turbine
addition to precision.
parts. The DMC and DMU range of machines en-
able the highest possible productivity and produc- In the pedigree
tion rates. Hans-Peter is a perfectionist when it comes to
The range offers a num- business matters and it is no surprise that he has
ber of highlights with
advanced measuring
capabilities, excellent
balance to achieve tight
tolerances and a host
of other features that
are easily accessible
through its advanced
controls.
Powerful high-speed
spindles and solid con-
struction mean that the
machines can turn out
hundreds of machined
items without the need
to set or reset the con-
trols. The machines are
also able to maintain
tolerances of microns
under controlled climatic
conditions.
Toolmaker’s delight
Since Deckel and Maho
began making machines
more than 70 years
ago, they struck a chord
with toolmakers who re-
quired strong machines
that were capable of
fashioning precise tools
for manufacture out of
exotic materials. Deckel
Maho has since been
synonymous with the
precision craft and the
legacy lives on through
its HSC series.
Retecon’s technical ex-
perts recommend the The class leading CTX-gamma 2000tc full 5-axis turn mill

Advanced Materials Today Nov/Dec 10 

 COVER STORY
EDM wire cutting to the highest accuracy and quality with the world-leading Agie
Charmilles EDM machine
selected agencies from the best manufacturers
in the world. DMG machines are engineered and
manufactured in Germany to strict quality standards
and Retecon’s other agencies are no different.
Agie Charmilles wire and die sinking machines are
manufactured in various plants around the world
to Swiss specifications and quality and are the
 Advanced Materials Today Nov/Dec 2010
world leader in Electric Discharge Machines (EDM).
These machines complement Retecon’s offering to
toolmakers and other precision engineering disci-
plines and can dramatically improve throughput of
production facilities.
The company also represents sheet metal machining
and cutting powerhouse, Trumpf an acknowledged
world-leader in its field of laser cutting, punching
and bending machines. Other agencies include Fi-
cep of Italy, Kasto, Kapp-Niles, Schleifring-Studer,
Hexagon and other world leaders in manufacturing
of quality machine tools.
Match-making
Hans-Peter points out that even with the best
machinery in the world it means nothing without
skilled people to sell the right machines, install
them correctly and then ensure that they are
maintained to work at their optimum throughout
the machines’ lifecycle.
“More than 40 years ago the name Retecon was
chosen to represent the most important pillars of the
company namely Re – Reliable, Te – Technical and
Con – Consultant. As a service company this remains
our motto and goal,” concludes Hans-Peter.
Retecon, Hans-Peter Neth, Tel: (011) 976 8600, Fax:
(011) 394 2471, Email: neth@retecon.co.za, Web: www.
retecon.co.za

Positive Future
Fears of recession are slowly receeding and being replaced by anticipation of things getting better. While
manning our stand at Electra Mining 2010 we managed to speak to some of the well-known faces in the
manufacturing industry to get an insight of what the market ahead holds in store.
O
verall impression was that the show
was big and well attended with many
exhibitors selling goods straight off
the stand.
Although this is not unusual for an exhibition like
this, some of the stand-holders were somewhat
taken aback at the volume of sales done. In some
instances, products that didn’t move during the
year were snatched up at the show.
Some of the stand-holders were somewhat taken aback
at the volume of sales done
Small tool and accessory suppliers were especially
doing a roaring trade. And the quality of visitors was
said to be good for capital equipment purchases as
well, especially where deals are self-financed and
not impeded by non-willing banks.
Machine tool suppliers
Multi-million rand machine tools such as those that
were on offer at the Retecon and Hitech Machine
Tools stands have not been severely affected by
the downturn in the market for the simple reason
that the institutions that buy these machines have
not been as badly affected and have continued to
finance machines from their own pockets.
Retecon’s, Franz Studer, indicates that machine
sales are on par with previous years and that despite
Rijva Quality Machines Custom Fabrication
MACHINING
hardships in the industry, sales of DMG machine
tools have been less affected.
Peter Killian of HiTech also reports that sales of the
company’s high-end Mazak machines are normal
comparable to previous years. “We are selling the
same number of machines, but it is a little harder
than previous years.”
No bank blues
He reiterates that the vast majority of his clients
are unaffected by banks’ unwillingness to finance
machines as they generally self fund their purchases.
“It seems that the availability of finance has ham-
pered sales of small or less expensive machines,
but this does not affect our client base.”
WD Hearne Machine Tools is experiencing one
of its best years according to Graeme Cooper. He
says a lot of machines were sold this year with a
highlight being the sale of more than 30 machines
for the Ford Puma project.
The company’s broad product offering has stood
it in good stead and provided many options for
potential buyers.
Mid-range machines
Those machine tool vendors who have reported lower
than expected machine sales are the ones who are
most reliant on banks to finance machines on behalf
of their clients. This is by far the largest portion of
CML Macine Tools
Advanced Materials Today Nov/Dec 10 
MACHINING

the market and is important to the well-being of

the manufacturing industry as a whole.
For many, the worldwide recession has been a
brutal affair that has stretched their resources
to the very limits. For financial reasons many
could not attend the show or have chosen other
more immediate marketing strategies to uphold
their sales.
Many of the machine tool suppliers who sell
machines in the range of between a few thousand
rand to R1 or R2 million were severely affected. Hi-Tech Machine Tools
But, for them the tide is turning and availability
of finance less of an issue.
Toughing it out
In hard times there are always exceptions who
do extremely well while others are battling.
Luis Torres of CML Machine Tools is positively
gleaming. He says business is booming and
his Euromac and Safan range of machines are
moving quickly.
“If anything we are experiencing better sales
than before the so-called recession,” Luis com-
ments.

If anything we are experiencing better

sales than before the so-called
Hurco
recession

Another supplier of machines for the sheet metal

industry, Rijva Quality Machines, is also upbeat
about sales and fielded many quotations at their
stand. “Buyers are looking for quality, service
and reliability to ensure their production contin-
ues without problems and they are going to the
brands that they know and trust,” says Robbert
van Rijssen. “We are looking forward to doing
good business in the next few months.”
Second-hand
In instances where obtaining finance is problem-
atic, many of the buyers with immediate machine
requirements have turned to the second-hand
market to find bargains that can either be self-
Hellermann Tyton
funded or that banks deem less risky to finance.
For this reason the used machine tool market is
doing very well - thank you.
Some suppliers like PBS Machine Tools have
deemed this as an unexpected windfall with a
much higher volume of second hand machines
to bolster new machine sales’ contribution. While
new machine sales have continued - the company
has moved many times the usual volume of used
machine tools.
Father and son team, Paul and Alroy Savides
of PBS Machine Tools, say that good used ma-
chines do not stand for long as a result. “While
our new Tongtai machine tool sales are good,
the used market was an unexpected surprise,”
says Alroy.
Uretech

 Advanced Materials Today Nov/Dec 2010

 MACHINING

Lots of stock
Harp Machine Tools’ massive stand at
the show reflected a company that is
confident that the tide has turned and
that machine sales are on the up. Ac-
cording to managing director, Seamus
Thompson, the company has shown
great resilience throughout the recent
slowdown and continued to bring in
stock from all its suppliers.
“We banked on the market turning
and have kept our stock levels high to
ensure that customers find what they
need without having to wait for it to be
shipped. Our stand was designed to
show the industry our wide variety of
products and judging from the amount
of quotations we put forward, it has
been successful.”
Many of the buyers with immediate machine
requirements have turned to the second-hand
market
With its SMTCL, King Rich, Tumac,
Webster Bennett and Sahindler brands
of machines the company has tradition-
ally filled a wide range of requirements
from mills and lathes to metal form-
ing machines. The ranges are from
basic manual controlled machines to
large CNCs.
Altogether, it seems Electra Mining
was a definite success this year!
First Cut

Advanced Materials Today Nov/Dec 10 

 Machine Tool Survey
Assembly,
Automation & Metal Cutting Machine Tools
Robots

This is the second Machine Tool

Survey put together by “Advanced
Materials Today”. It’s designed to
give readers a quick snapshot of
the industry and to be used as a
reference guide throughout
the year.

CNC Flexible Manufacturing Systems

Assembling Machines & Equipment

CNC Horizontal Machining Centres

Gear Cutting & Finishing Machines

CNC Special Purposes Machines

Deburring & Finishing Machines

Please contact Di Bluck on

CNC Plasma Cutting Machines

Factory Management Software

CNC Vertical Machine Centres

CNC Multi Tasking Machines
Tel: (011) 781-1401
Fax: (011) 781-1403

CNC Turning Machines

Email:

Broaching Machines
editorial@promech.co.za

Grinding Machines
Cutting Machines

Drilling Machines
Boring Machines

Filing Machines
EDM Machines
Special Robots
Automation

Robots

Company

600 SA Machine Tools • • • • •

Amada (UK) JHB Branch • • • • •
CML Machine Tools
Coastal Engineering Supplies • • • • • • • • • • •
Craft Machine Tools • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Efamatic Machine Tools • • • • • • • • • • •
Elcomp • • • • • • • •
Enterprise Machine Tools • • • • • • •
Erin Machine Tools • • • •
Fanuc SA • • • • • •
Forest Engineering & Holmach Machine Tools • • • • • • • • • • • •
Haas Factory Outlet • • • • • • •
Harp Machine Tool • • • • • • • •
Hi Tech Machine Tools • • • • • • •
Hurco Sout Africa (Pty) Ltd •
Knuth SA • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Libcor Industrial Machinery • • • • • • • • • • • •
Magnum Machine Tools • • • • • • • • •
MJH Machine Tools • • • • • • • •
PBS Machine Tools • • • • • • • •
Puma Machine Tools • • • • • • • • • • • •
Redman Engineering Supplies • • • • • • • • •
Retecon • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Rijva Quality Machines • •
Rosslyn Machine Tools • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Norcast SA •
Toolquip & Allied • • • • • • • • •
Victor Fortune • • • • • •
WD Hearn & Co • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

10 10 Advanced
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Materials Today
Today Nov/Dec
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Plastics,

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Resistance Welding Machines

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Welding Accessories

11 11
Brand Names
You know the brand name but you can’t remember the machine tool company who manufactures or markets
it? Start by looking below.

Accuway Efamatic Machine Tools

Adira Forest Engineering & Holmach Machine Tools
Aeroturn Redman Engineering Supplies
Ajan Magnum Machine Tools
Akira Seiki MJH Machine Tools
Almi Rijva Quality Machines
Amada Amada
Amob Rijva Quality Machines
Annway MJH Machine Tools
Annway WD Hearn & co
Arboga Rosslyn Machine Tools
Argo Redman Engineering Supplies
Auto Strong PBS Machine Tools
Balliu Knuth SA
Baoji Libcor Industrial Machinery
Bemato Craft Machine Tools
Bermaq WD Hearn & Co
Boschert Libcor Industrial Machinery
Bridgeport 600 SA Machine Tools
Bystronic Forest Engineering & Holmach Machine Tools
Caxton Rosslyn Machine Tools
Chaih Chyun WD Hearn & Co
Chin Fong Puma Machine Tools
Chmer Enterprise Machine Tools
Colchester Rosslyn Machine Tools
Colchester-Harrison 600 SA Machine Tools
Cone Forest Engineering & Holmach Machine Tools
Contour Libcor Industrial Machinery
Cosen MJH Machine Tools
Costa Rijva Quality Machines
Crown Erin Machine Tools
CSM Retecon
C-Tek MJH Machine Tools
Dahlih Retecon
Dalian Craft Machine Tools
Davi Promau Forest Engineering & Holmach Machine Tools
Darley Rijva Quality Machines
Deckel Maho Gildenmeister Retecon
Dener Makina Rijva Quality Machines
Dimeco Rijva Quality Machines

12 Advanced Materials Today Nov/Dec 2010

Brand Names
Doosan Infracore Puma Machine Tools
Durmazlar Rijva Quality Machines
Easson Vertex Harp Machine Tools
Ecoca PBS Machine Tools
Efamatic Efamatic Machine Tools
Electronica WD Hearn & Co
Emco Maier Elcomp
Erlo Libcor Industrial Machinery
Eumega Libcor Industrial Machinery
Euromac CML Machine Tools
Exact PBS Machine Tools
Excetek MJH Machine Tools
Fanuc Fanuc SA
Faspar Rijva Quality Machines
Feeler Craft Machine Tools
Ficep Retecon
Fintek Libcor Industrial Machinery
Forstner Rijva Quality Machines
Freeport Enterprise Machine Tools
Gamet Bearings 600SA Machine Tools
GE Fong Elcomp
Gleason Forest Engineering & Holmach Machine Tools
Haas Haas Factory Outlet / CNC Machine Tools SA
Haco Craft Machine Tools
Haixing MJH Machine Tools
Hardinge 600 SA Machine Tools
Hartford Redman Engineering Supplies
HDCNC Libcor Industrial Machinery
Heller Retecon
Herrblitz Rijva Quality Machines
HGG Rijva Quality Machines
Holdwell Redman Engineering Supplies
Honor PBS Machine Tools
Hurco Hurco SA
Hypertherm Rijva Quality Machines
IMV Rijva Quality Machines
Jesco 600 SA Machine Tools
Joemars 600 SA Machine Tools
Jones & Shipman WD Hearn & Co
Kao Ming Victor Fortune
Kapp-Niles Retecon
Kasto Retecon

Advanced Materials Today Nov/Dec 10 13

Brand Names
Kingrich Industries Harp Machine Tools
Kingsland Craft Machine Tools
KMT Knuth SA
Knuth Knuth SA
Koike Retecon
Kuraki Victor Fortune
La Rocca Magnum Machine Tools
Leadwell WD Hearn & Co
Litz Enterprise Machine Tools
LVD Norcast SA
M.A.C. Bridgeport Rosslyn Machine Tools
Mag Industrial Automation Systems WD Hearn & Co
Manford Magnum Machine Tools
Manford PBS Machine Tools
Mascut Libcor Industrial Machinery
Matech MJH Machine Tools
Maximart Enterprise Machine Tools
Mazak Hi Tech Machine Tools
Mello Libcor Industrial Machinery
Metris WD Hearn & Co
Microcut MJH Machine Tools
Microstep Knuth SA
Okuma Forest Engineering & Holmach Machine Tools
OneCNC CAD/CAM Redman Engineering Supplies
Oto Mills Retecon
P/A Industries Rijva Quality Machines
Partmaker PBS Machine Tools
Perfect MJH Machine Tools
Polygim PBS Machine Tools
Pratt Burnerd 600SA Machine Tools
Pro Machinery PBS Machine Tools
Promecam Rosslyn Machine Tools
Quaser Forest Engineering & Holmach Machine Tools
RHTC Rijva Quality Machines
Romi Libcor Industrial Machinery
Rong Fu Libcor Industrial Machinery
Safan CML Machine Tools
Sahinler Metals Harp Machine Tools
Shen Yang Harp Machine Tools
Sanco WD Hearn & Co
SMTCL Craft Machine Tools
Spark Libcor Industrial Machinery

14 Advanced Materials Today Nov/Dec 2010

Brand Names
Supertec PBS Machine Tools
Takang Elcomp
Takisawa Forest Engineering & Holmach Machine Tools
Takumi 600 SA Machine Tools
Tekna Knuth SA
Ter Hart Rijva Quality Machines
TMT Libcor Industrial Machinery
Toolcraft Rijva Quality Machines
Topper PBS Machine Tools
Topwork PBS Machine Tools
Tos Lipnick Forest Engineering & Holmach Machine Tools
Tos Varnsdorf Forest Engineering & Holmach Machine Tools
Trens a.s. Forest Engineering & Holmach Machine Tools
Trumpf Retecon
Tumac Harp Machine Tools
Victor CNC Machines Victor Fortune
Voortman Automation Rijva Quality Machines
Waytrain Bandsaw Harp Machine Tools
Webster & Bennett Harp Machine Tools
WINHO PBS Machine Tools
Yangli Libcor Industrial Machinery

Advanced Materials Today Nov/Dec 10 15

The National Tooling Initiative Programme (NTIP) is an initiative that has been developed as a
national, multi-stakeholder initiative and structured as a Public Private Partnership (PPP).

NTIP (Pty) Ltd was founded and established by Toolmaking Association of South Africa
(TASA).

The National objective of the NTIP is to rehabilitate the South African Tool, Die and Mould
Making (TDM) Industry and thereby contributing to a strategic growth stimulator for
Manufacturing and Technical Skills Development.

The Launch of the NTI's new Skills Development Initiative: The TDM Powered
Apprenticeship Programme.
The TDM Powered Apprenticeship Programme will be piloted in January 2011. Recruitment
started in October 2010. Companies interested in registering their candidates can apply.

For more information on NTIP please visit our website:

www.ntipweb.co.za email: info@ntipweb.co.za tel: 012 643 9360
TDM Powered Programme
www.tdmpowered.co.za email: info@tdmpowered.co.za tel: 078 816 3970

16 Advanced Materials Today Nov/Dec 2010

Produced by:
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Editor: Raymond Campling
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editorial board advocates or
rejects its use either gener-
ally or in any particular field
or fields.
CEO’S Comments
The TDM sector’s Skills development intervention programme, branded the
TDM-Powered Programme, developed and rolled out through the National
Tooling Initiative (NTI), is nearing completion of the pilot Pre-apprenticeship
programme.
T
his pro-
gramme
w a s
initially
developed as
a standalone,
front-end pro-
gramme to de-
velop higher
quality entr y
Dirk van Dyk level students
for the new Com-
petency based apprenticeship system to be
launched by the NTI in January 2011.
The programme is proving to be so suc-
cessful that it will now be incorporated
from 2011 as an integral part of the new
TDM Powered apprenticeship. It will form
the Foundation level of the programme for
entry level students that require upgrading
of gaps identified in the requirements for
successful entry and completion of a com-
petency based apprenticeship.
Countrywide recruitment started in October
for a pilot student intake of 490 students
at 12 pilot institutions in six provinces that
will launch the TDM sector’s Apprenticeship
Phase of the TDM Powered Programme. The
NTIP office is overwhelmed with applications
for entry to the programme.
Local accreditation
Another exciting development under way
is the partnership under development with
Merseta and the new QCTO (Quality Coun-
cil for Trades and Occupations). The TDM
Powered Programme is being tailored to
the system requirements of the QCTO and
will be one of the first pilot projects to be
rolled out under the new QCTO framework.
The curriculum and courseware developed
as part of the TDM Powered programme
is also being integrated into the Merseta
courseware development project in progress
to ensure compliance for local accreditation
of the programme.
Advanced Materials Today Nov/Dec 10
TDM sector profiling and
benchmarking
Another NTI programme gaining momen-
tum is the profiling and benchmarking
programme, where partnerships with
UNIDO (United Nations Industry Devel-
opment Organisation) and the Fraunhofer
Institute in Germany, has produced access
to advanced tools to profile and benchmark
TDM sector companies at several levels.
This will benefit participating companies to
position their business against international
benchmarks, enabling GAP analysis, for
which companies can be coupled to sup-
plier development programmes to bridge
these competitiveness GAPS.
The UNIDO benchmarking and supplier
development process will give local compa-
nies access to projects for all state-owned
enterprises, locally and internationally.
The Fraunhofer benchmark (Tooling sector
specific) will give participating companies
access to the NTI’s supplier development,
cluster development and access assistance
mechanisms.
The TDM Powered Programme is
being tailored to the system
requirements of the QCTO
Localisation project
During a NTI project team visit to Automotive
OEM’s, specialist toolmaking companies
and the Fraunhofer Intstitute in Germany,
the team received very positive feedback
and keen interest in the Tooling Localisation
project under development by the NTI. At
the Euromold Exhibition in Germany in early
December 2010, a joint NTI/DTI team will
meet with interested parties for a second
round of negotiations to set up agreements
to start the first pilot localisation projects
early in 2011. Watch this space”
17
TDM PROFILE
Part 1 of 3: This is the first of 3 parts. Part 2 will be published in the Jan/Feb 2011 issue and part 3 will
be published in the Mar/Apr 2011 issue.
Expensive Versus Cheap
A universal problem facing the tool, die and mould making
industry is the procurement of tools and what defines a qual-
ity “expensive” tool or a “cheap” inferior tool.
W
hether you are a buyer from
the motor, packaging, medi-
cal industry or a converter of
plastics, how do you decide
where to purchase the tool and what per-
formance you can expect from it?
Mr Mould
One person in South Africa who has spent
years first learning the lessons and later
studying this effect, is Bevan Davies,
chairman of the Toolmakers Association
of South Africa (TASA) Gauteng and a
director of the National Tooling Initiative
Bevan Davis
Programme (NTIP).
Bevan shares his experiences with “Advanced Ma-
terials Today” in the first of a three-part series that
examines the true and hidden costs involved when
buying tooling for injection moulding machines.
Ongoing rust and repairs to cooling cores necessary
Stainless Steel insert for cooling. No rust build up or damage
to cooling inserts
18 Advanced Materials Today Nov/Dec 2010
Bevan says, “You need to understand our history,
which for more than 30 years has driven our policy
for only using “expensive” quality tooling. Hopefully
you will all benefit from this information, which at
the end of the day is determined by some basic
research and common sense.
35 year history
“Our company started in about 1970 with an Aus-
trian, Manfred Hammerle, who emigrated with many
toolmakers from Europe to South Africa to join the
large corporate plastics converting companies like
Litemaster, TMSA, Consol Plastics etc.
I’ll make you any tool to support your
“cheap” budget, but you pay extra for
the down-time and repairs
“He saw an opportunity and was encouraged to
open a small tool-room in Jeppestown, Johan-
nesburg in 1975.
“In this period he met Ferdi Chauvier, a business
refugee from the Congo who patented and devel-
oped the Kreepy Krauly soon after his arrival in SA.
This as you know revolutionised the pool cleaning
industry. We, together with the Chauvier’s, were
responsible for the design, toolmaking and produc-
tion of Kreepy Krauly for twenty five years. The
company is now American owned and most, if not
all of these tools are still running today. We have
been contacted by various production companies,
each one complimenting us on our quality tools.
Small tricky parts
“After my army training and studying irrigation
engineering design with Stewarts and Lloyds group
I moved on to the design and development of the
then revolutionary concept of micro-irrigation jets
to compete with the drip irrigation products from
Israel. After about 5 years we opened our busi-
ness in 1980 to develop new micro-irrigation water
saving ideas.
“These products and concepts are sold worldwide
and are now copied and produced in China, Israel,
US and Europe. We remain focussed on water re-
ticulation, water meter innovations and products
and today have many unique designs and patents
in this field.
“Ferdi Chauvier and myself spent many hours on
water related Kreepy Krauly and Micro Irrigation
design issues. This is when I was introduced by
Kreepy Krauly to Manfred Hammerle on tooling.
I soon learnt the difference between “cheap” and
“expensive” tools. The reality of the actual cost of
“cheap” tools, downtime in production, quality is-
sues, product failures and the hidden or real cost
 TDM PROFILE

of scrap hit me like a juggernaut.

Pay for scrap
“Manfred always said, “I’ll make you any tool to support
your “cheap” budget, but you must pay extra for the
scrap production, downtime, repairs etc. Rather build
a quality “expensive” tool whereby you and I benefit
financially from minimum costs, quality products
and no product failures.” Too many toolmakers cut
corners to suit the client’s budget rather than build
a tool priced for the project needs.
“The micro-irrigation products demanded consistent
quality, close tolerance and small components in
high volumes (± 100 000 units at a time). The
sheer volumes and accuracy needed for micro irriga-
tion components with friction fit parts and nozzles,
demanded minimum quality inspection which had
to rely on good quality tools and repeatable quality
processes in production. The conclusion was that the
quality of the mould, steel, design, cooling, match- Notice no rust and condition of plate after +100,000,000 mouldings.
ing of the shot weight, and mould size to a machine
the customer. It seems a contradiction
would determine the success or failure of our business. After
in terms but some of the real facts,
an intense short expensive learning curve, it left us no option
savings and answers will be presented
but to invest in high quality tooling.
in the following issues. We will prove
“Kreepy Krauly and Davis & Deale jointly bought the company how a perceived very “expensive” well-
from Hammerle. After previously paying expensive ‘school designed tool has actually saved R35
fees’ on “cheap” tools, we agreed to then only build the best million over a 17- year period.”
quality tools and designs fit for the purpose. This was driven Bevan Davis, Tel: (011) 827 2460, Fax: (011)
by business decisions to avoid the crippling repercussions of 827 2498, Email: bevan@convertek.co.za
failures of products in the local and international irrigation and
pool market.

We should add a premium to the cost of the “ex-

pensive” mould for the cost savings received by
the customer

Tight control
“This principle applies to any plastics products developed or
produced that require low cost, high volume and tight engineering
controls. Kreepy subsequently guaranteed their products for 10
years. We guaranteed our products for 3 years because of our
confidence in the quality of our tooling. At the time, this was
unheard of in the plastics industry for these products.
“Conver-Tek has subsequently developed products, designed
and built tools for the medical, motor, armaments, electronics,
lighting, packaging, water reticulation and pump industry and
has had some world first innovations, patents and recognition for
various brand name products from international companies.
“As technical designers, product developers and toolmakers
we have many times been accused of being “too expensive”
on our moulds? Some converters or clients have decided on
“cheaper” alternatives that have sadly resulted in complete
project failures of good ideas.
Convincing customers
“When and what does it take to get the customer to under-
stand that the initial and perceived “very expensive” moulds
that performed to spec were actually “dirt cheap?” As mould
makers, we should add a huge premium to the cost of the
“expensive” mould for the vast actual cost savings received by

Advanced Materials Today Nov/Dec 10 19

20 Advanced Materials Today Nov/Dec 2010
 OW! 011
B O OK N ARY 2
E T & A N U
BUDG DS 31
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D PR r plac il:
A R LY BIR s e r v e you early: Ema 1-1401
E t o r e g u e ) 78
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Advanced Materials Today Nov/Dec 10 21

22 Advanced Materials Today Nov/Dec 2010
 TDM NEWS

Financial Benefits for

MembersTwo companies that recently joined TASA both benefited financially from their TASA membership.

T
he company Machine Simulation SA has agreed with TASA to give a discount of
5% on the cost of the software purchased from MSSA. The first TASA member
to take up this offer is Tugwell Engineering. They recently purchased Catia, a
fully integrated design and manufacturing solution.
At an event at Tugwell Engineering, Henk Snyman, the secretary of TASA Gauteng,
handed over the TASA membership certificates to MSSA and Tugwell Engineering. This
was the trigger for Tugwell Engineering to get the discount on the software.
Geoff Tugwell gave some background on his organisation. He said that he specialises
in blow moulding tools with a focus on the automotive industry. He has supplied major
first tier suppliers such as Faurecia with blow moulded components.
TASA is in the process of negotiating similar deals with other suppliers. Please contact
the TASA Gauteng secretary, Henk Snyman, to share and propose other suppliers to
be approached to give the same preference to TASA members.
TASA, Priscilla Smith, Tel: (012) 644 1581, Fax: 086 600 8467, Email: priscillas@tasaweb.co.za

New KZN Promech Publishing has a BEE

rating of 97.2%

CEO
The National Tooling Initiative Programme received a
strong boost last month with the appointment of Ash-
ley Bhugwandin as CEO of the Kwazulu Natal Tooling
Initiative (KZNTI).

A
s the newly elected
KZNTI CEO, Ashley
will be responsible for
growing the capacity
and capability of the TDM sector
in KZN, with the express objec-
tive of promoting confidence
in the area’s manufacturing
industry.
According to Ashley, the pro-
grammes he plans to institute
will be in line with the five main
intervention plans, namely TDM
sector skills & expertise develop-
ment, SMME capacity expansion,
Ashley Bhugwandin is the new BBBEE structuring, TDM sector
CEO of the Kwazulu Natal Tooling technology recapitalization,
Initiative (KZNTI) Competitiveness improvement,
Export development and PPP
governance structure development that have been identified
nationally.
National Tooling Initiative Programme, Dirk van Dyk, Tel: (012) 643
9360, Email: dirkvd@ntipweb.co.za

Advanced Materials Today Nov/Dec 10 23

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24 Advanced Materials Today Nov/Dec 2010 Advanced Materials Today September 2007 39
 CORROSION

Thin, Hard Coatings

Coatings are often used to improve either the corrosion resistance or wear resistance of parts. However, it is
often necessary that a coating fulfils the function of both wear and corrosion resistance.

D
r Jeff Ferreira and Alex
Banach of TD Coating
Centre looked deep into
the company archives
and referenced several sources
to explain to “Advanced Materials
Today” how thin, hard coatings
have successfully been used to
combat both wear and corrosion
in South Africa.
Coatings for corrosion protection
basically fall into two categories. The
first are sacrificial coatings which
corrode relative to the base material, Figure 1: Hardness of various common carbides, nitrides
therefore protecting the underlying and coatings
material. A typical example is zinc
plating. Sacrificial coatings offer
medium to good corrosion protection. the particles are transferred to the opposing part.
In both cases, metal is removed from a part.
Barrier coating
The second class are barrier coatings of which a High hardness is very effective at combating abra-
common example is a tin plated can. In this case, sive and adhesive wear. Adhesive wear is further
tin is a corrosion resistant barrier to prevent the combated by creating non-reactive surfaces which
underlying steel from corroding. Barrier coatings resist cold welding. For example, ceramics gener-
can offer the best corrosion resistance by far. ally have a low tendency to bind to steel due to the
different electron bonding mechanisms, covalent
Ceramics generally have a low tendency to bind to steel vs metallic. Hence if a dense, hard coating can
due to the different electron bonding mechanisms be created on the surface of a part, it can provide
excellent corrosion resistance, combined with excel-
lent wear resistance.
“Wear” presents itself in many forms but of inter-
est for this article, is abrasive and adhesive wear. High temperature
Abrasive wear is analogous to rubbing a part with Many medium to high temperature engineering
sandpaper, and progressively the part is abraded coatings are ceramics, nitrides or carbides. These
away. In adhesive wear, surface contact results in ceramics exhibit the highest hardness of many
localised cold welding and either the cold weld compounds as shown in figure 1, with the carbides
particles have to be broken to allow movement, or typically being of higher hardness.

Advanced Materials Today Nov/Dec 10 25

 Other hard coatings include
plated and diffused coat-
ings. Plated coatings that
display good hardness and
wear resistance typically
include chrome plating and
electroless nickel. Diffused
coatings enter into the ma-
terial surface and alter the
surface chemistry.
These are not true coat-
ings, but more a process
of surface modification.
An example is nitriding,
whereby new layers are
created in the surface of
Figure 2: A tin coating provides good sliding a component, resulting in
properties and corrosion resistance high hardness and good
corrosion resistance.
Ceramics, nitrides and carbides
Typically thin nitride coating applied by a PVD
process such as titanium nitride (TiN) and titanium
aluminium nitride (TiAlN) are thin (2–5 µm), but
The hardness of the surface layer may be as hard as 72
HRc, offering very good wear resistance and resistance
to scuffing
26 Advanced Materials Today Nov/Dec 2010
are very hard (85–90 HRc) and therefore have very
good abrasion and adhesion resistance. However
pinholes and pores are present in the coating which
allows a corrosive environment to reach the base
metal and hence exceptional corrosion resistance
is not achieved. However, under general corrosive
conditions, the bright yellow TiN can be used for
decorative, corrosion and wear resistant purposes as
shown on the motorcycle stanchions in figure 2.
Nitriding and tuftriding has been around for many
years. During these processes, nitrogen is diffused
into the surface of a steel, and when well-controlled,
a diffusion case is formed in the steel, but impor-
tantly a hard, dense “white layer” is also formed.
Figure 3 shows the thin white layer (WL) on the
steel, and underneath, a darker, nitrogen rich, dif-
fusion case (DC).
The white layer is a combination of Fe, C, N and
alloying elements. When this white layer is sealed or
oxidised, a very attractive black surface is obtained
and the corrosion resistance is greatly enhanced.
Salt spray testing in excess of 300 hours has been
achieved and is a significant improvement over
traditional hard chrome.
Oxidised tuftriding
Figure 4 shows the much improved performance
of oxidised tuftriding (QPQ) vs traditional chrome
 CORROSION

and nickel. The hardness of the surface layer may In electroless nickel, a smooth, bright nickel coating
be as hard as 72 HRc, offering very good wear (figure 9) plates out of the solution without apply-
resistance and resistance to scuffing. Prominent ing an electric current. A better contour shape is
fire-arm manufactures, for example, use this process maintained and the plating can be aged to achieve
to treat the slides and barrels (figure 5). a high hardness of up to almost 70 HRc, rivalling
One of the hardest ceramics is vanadium carbide at that of hard chrome. Electroless nickel contains
about 90 HRc. This carbide coating is applied by phosphorous which has a direct influence over
the TD process and the coating is mainly used on
tooling (figure 6) due to its extreme abrasive and
adhesive wear resistance, and very high bonding
strength. However, the TD coating can be used in
many applications requiring corrosion and wear
resistance.

One of the hardest ceramics is vanadium

carbide at about 90 HRc

The method of coating is modified to minimise the

formation of pores or pin holes and thus corrosion
resistance is greatly improved. TD coating is, for
example, used on plungers in jet skis to pressurise
the propulsion water, and to prevent seal wear while
providing corrosion resistance.
Furthermore, TD is used in components in the min-
ing industry in South Africa to resist the abrasive
cutting action of mineral particles found in mining
Figure 3: White layer and diffusion case on a nitrided sample
water, and also to resist the highly corrosive effect
of the water.
Plated coatings
Chrome plating has always been a great standby
with numerous parts operating in general corrosive
conditions and which require wear resistance.
However, hard chrome contains a fine network of
cracks (figure 7) that allow a corrosive environment
to reach the base metal.
Once the base metal is reached through these
cracks, corrosion products will tend to lift off the
remainder of the chrome plating. In order to improve
the corrosion resistance, a layer of nickel and/or
copper is first deposited, then chrome is plated on.
Thereby, the increased hardness (up to 70 HRc)
and low friction coating is maintained, but corro- Figure 4: Salt spray results for treated steel automotive steering columns
sion resistance is greatly increased.
An improvement on wear resistant chrome is in
the form of a new technology called Armoloy. This
chrome plating process deposits a thin (2–7.5 µm)
dense layer of micro-nodular chrome which is of
high hardness (up to 78 HRc), that provides good
corrosion resistance and has improved bonding
over conventional chrome.
Armoloy
The coating will tend to wear off, rather than flake
off like conventional chrome. The advantage of
Armoloy is that it is a low temperature process and
can be applied without influencing the underlying
steel properties.
Nickel can be applied by plating but electroless
nickel provides better corrosion resistance. Figure 5: QPQ treated firearms

Advanced Materials Today Nov/Dec 10 27

CORROSION

the coating’s corrosion resistance and ability to age
harden.
The P content has to be carefully selected to provide
optimum properties. Also, once a critical coating thick-
ness is achieved, the corrosion resistance dramatically
improves. Since the coating is a low temperature
process, the mechanical properties of the base are
not affected.
should be consulted on the part development
to provide an optimised solution.
TD Coating Centre, Alex Benach, Tel: (011) 908 5396,
Fax: (011) 908 5305, Email: alex@td.co.za, Web:
www.td.co.za

The advantage of Armoloy is that it is a low temperature

process and can be applied without influencing the under-
lying steel properties

Summary
Several coatings are currently available in South Africa
to combat both wear resistance and corrosion resis-
tance. The high hardness ceramics and nitrides offer
medium to excellent corrosion resistance. Figure 6: A TD coated part

Plating coatings will still be used extensively for many

parts and new developments are showing improved
corrosion resistance. However, each of these processes
have their own particular characteristics and are ap-
plied at different temperatures.
Correct base metal selection is often important to ex-
tract maximum performance from the coatings. Some
coating compositions also need to be optimised to
suit the particular application. In all cases, the coater

Figure 7: Fine network of cracks found in

hard chrome

Figure 8: Small module of Armoloy thin dense

chrome

Figure 9: Electroless nickel plating

28 Advanced Materials Today Nov/Dec 2010

 THE SOFTER SIDE

Sell Your
Body This
Holiday
“From his neck down a man is worth a
couple of dollars a day, from his neck up
he is worth anything that his brain can
produce,” - Thomas Edison.

S
o, if you have run out of business ideas and what it should be you’d likely have to sell for scrap.
need some money for the family this coming Then buyers will be looking at your basic building
holiday season then it might be an idea to blocks that can be melted down or recycled to
consider selling your body – either in its el- make something else.
ementary form or piece-by-piece. According to various Internet websites
According to various Internet you have a value of between R31,70
websites you have and millions of Rands
a value of be-
tween R31,70 According to the Web the value of your body is subject
and millions of to market fluctuations so it is advisable to check
Rands depend- the prices on the JSE before you sell yourself.
ing on the route It is said that the US Bureau of Chemistry and Soils
you choose to invested many a hard-earned tax dollar in calculat-
sell your earthly ing the chemical and mineral composition of the
vehicle. human body, which breaks down as follows:
Washed • 65% Oxygen
up
• 18% Carbon
Apart from
your worth • 10% Hydrogen
as a busi-
• 3% Nitrogen
ness per-
son or en- • 1.5% Calcium
gineer and
• 1% Phosphorous
the many
ideas that • 0.35% Potassium
may flow
• 0.25% Sulphur
from your
trustworthy • 0.15% Sodium
old head, you
• 0.15% Chlorine
do have a value
as either scrap or • 0.05% Magnesium
replacement parts to
• 0.0004% Iron
refurbish other human be-
ings. • 0.00004% Iodine
If you have lived-it-up and your body is not It was also discovered that our bodies contain trace

Advanced Materials Today Nov/Dec 10 29

THE SOFTER SIDE

A lung is worth R814 800, a kidney R639 800 and a heart R399 000

quantities of fluorine, silicon, manganese, zinc,
copper, aluminium, and arsenic. Together, all of
the above amounts to less than R10!
Fat or thin
Unless you are into piercings or sadomasoch-
istic rituals our most valuable asset is said to
be our skin, which the Japanese invested their time
and money in measuring. The method the Imperial
State Institute for Nutrition at Tokyo developed for
measuring the amount of a person’s skin is to take
a naked person, and to apply a thin paper to every
surface of his body.

30 Advanced Materials Today Nov/Dec 2010

 Eyes are valuable commodities

After the paper dries, they carefully remove it, cut it into small
pieces, and painstakingly total the person’s measurements.
Cut and dried, the average person is the proud owner of
fourteen to eighteen square feet of skin, with the variables
in this figure being height, weight, and breast size.
Basing the skin’s value on the selling price of cowhide,
which is approximately R1.75 per square foot, the value
of an average person’s skin is about R24.50.
If we believe the wisdom of the Internet then the grand
total of your worth as scrap is about R31.70.

Medical advances mean that almost every part

of your body has a value

Spare parts
If you have lived a clean wholesome life and your organs
aren’t packing up, then you have a far higher value. Nowa-
days medical advances mean that almost every part of your
body has a value to refurbish other needy people around
the world. Even your most recognisable asset – your face
- can now be transplanted onto another patient.
According to a survey published in Wired Magazine in the
United States, when broken down into fluids, tissues and
germ fighting our bodies are worth more than R315 million.
Rather than concentrating on the price-tag on vital organs it
concentrated on rarer and more expensive commodities.
Bone marrow is the most expensive at R161 million based
on selling 1kg at R161 000 per gram. DNA can fetch R67
million and antibodies can bring R51 million. A lung is worth
R814 800, a kidney R639 800 and a heart R399 000.
The price of the parts was based on hospital and insurance
companies projected prices in the United States.
Last resort
If all else fails it is possible to sell your body to medical
science. Although not as lucrative, it will still fetch your
family a healthy sum. Apart from moral and legal issues
surrounding the sale of your own body, it is important to
point out that you won’t be able to enjoy the money yourself.
So, if you were suddenly harbouring thoughts - shelve them
for when your time truly is up.

Advanced Materials Today Nov/Dec 10 31

32 Advanced Materials Today Nov/Dec 2010

Great Place to Work
For the second year in a row, steel tube and pipe manufacturer, Robor has been named a winner in the
Deloitte Best Company to Work For Survey in the Manufacturing Industry category, improving its overall posi-
tion to eighth place.
T
alent management and development are
ongoing focus areas across the company,
which ensures employees are optimally
positioned to fulfil their potential. “When
things are going well economically, it is easier for
employees to feel motivated and enthusiastic. The
real challenge, however, is retaining talent in the
downturn – that’s when a committed, skilled and
innovative team contribution is required,” says
Sundrie Naidoo, Group HR Executive, Robor.
With the shortage of skills in the marketplace, the
company has found that developing existing employ-
ees offers numerous benefits, as they already fit in
with the company culture, have an understanding
of the company’s goals and vision, and are highly
committed to a common cause.
All employees are given the opportunity to attend a
breakfast with the CEO at least once a year
Employees are shareholders
“The fact that all our employees own shares in Robor
has definitely made a difference,” says Sundrie.
“They work together more cohesively, creatively and
Robor CEO, Gordon Gilmer and Group HR Executive, Sundrie Naidoo (middle) accept the company’s 1600, Email: sundrien@robor.co.za
Deloitte Best Company to Work For Award from Deloitte Board Member and Associate, Lot Ndlovu
(right) and survey Consultant, Samantha Shivuri (left)
FABRICATION
with a mission to succeed. Times may be tough,
but our employees have demonstrated remarkable
resilience in supporting the future growth of the
company.”
Leadership development, education and mentor-
ing are at the core of Robor’s holistic approach to
transformation. Part of this approach is a middle
management development initiative entitled the
Young Leaders Forum, which identifies and encour-
ages employees on that level to grow into senior
management over time.
The Young Leaders Forum is currently in its third year
and essentially offers 44 employees – the majority
from previously disadvantaged backgrounds – the
opportunity to experience Robor from the viewpoint
of Robor CEO, Gordon Gilmer.
Young leaders
Once nominated by senior management, the Young
Leaders attend one of two forums held annually.
Facilitated by Gilmer, the sessions expose the future
leaders to the more strategic side of Robor and
present them with the opportunity to have a candid
discussion with the CEO, garnering insights into
the company’s future plans.
Recognition is another vital aspect of
Robor culture and employee engage-
ment is encouraged through monthly
innovation awards. Furthermore,
communication to the workforce is
maintained through team forums,
newsletters, quarterly feedback
sessions to all staff, biannual road
shows and a thrice yearly Robor
DVD wherein the CEO and Chairman
share pertinent information.
“In addition, all employees – from
the factory floor to the office – are
given the opportunity to attend a
breakfast with the CEO at least once
a year, where they are recognised for
their efforts and their views on the
company are canvassed,” concludes
Sundrie.
Robor, Sundrie Naidoo, Tel: (011) 971
Advanced Materials Today Nov/Dec 10 33
SAIW News
Swapping guns for welding rods
In the troubled oil-rich Niger Delta region in southern Nigeria many former militias, having rejected militancy, are now ready
to swap their guns for welding rods. The first group of trainers who will help train both them and the youths of the Niger
Delta region, recently graduated as International Welding Practitioners (IWP) at the Southern African institute of Welding
(SAIW).
“The need for welders in
Nigeria and particularly in
the Niger Delta is dire, and
it is pleasing that for many
militants who have been
involved in the conflict and
who have decided to return
to civilian life, there is a
group of qualified weld-
ing trainers who will help
them with this transition,”
says Nigerian Institute of
Welding (NIW) President,
Solomon Edibiri.
“The numbers are quite
staggering, surveys have
revealed that Nigeria will
need to train 10 000 weld-
ers by 2012, other West
African countries 25 000
in the same period and
Africa more than 200 000
by 2020.”
Jim Guild SAIW execu- SAIW and Nigerian dignitaries standing with the IWP graduates from the Niger Delta region. Willie Williams, senior
tive director says he was SAIW trainer is third from the left, Nigerian Welding Institute (NWI) President, Soloman Edibiri is 6th from left and
delighted at the progress NDDC managing director, Chibuzor Ugwoha is 7th from left.
being made with the Nige-
rian ‘train the trainer’ initiative and pays tribute to the NIW and its sponsors like the NDDC. “These are unusually committed
people making a palpable difference to the welding industry in Nigeria and to that country as a whole,” Jim says.
He also makes special mention of Willie Williams, senior SAIW trainer responsible for the Niger Delta group. “This is one
of the best groups we’ve ever had and much of the credit must go to Willie who created an environment conducive to dis-
ciplined and fruitful learning.
Southern African Institute of Welding, Tel: (011) 298.2100, Email: guildj@saiw.co.za, Web: www.saiw.co.za

SANS 347 will boost

scheme
The Southern African Institute of
Welding (SAIW) Certification’s Weld-
ing Fabricators Certification Scheme,
which accredits welding fabricators
will be boosted by the fact that SANS
347:2010, which is due to be published
later this year, affirms that fabricators
who design and construct Pressure
Equipment (PE) in South Africa to the
ASME code, will, require SANS 3834
accreditation. This is according to SAIW
Certification’s John McLeish.
“We have marketed the Welder Fabrica-
tion Certification scheme successfully
on the basis that it gives fabricators
an internationally recognised quality
‘stamp’ both locally and abroad,” says SAIW’s
John McLeish.
“However, SANS 347:2010, which deals
with the categorisation and conformity as-
sessment criteria for all PE, confirms that
SANS 3834 accreditation for the PE industry
is obligatory.”
John says that this can only be a positive thing
for PE fabricators as SANS 3834 accreditation
is proving to be a major marketing tool for
many of the fabricators who have achieved
it through the SAIW
Southern African Institute of Welding, Jim Guild, Tel:
(011) 298 2100, Email: guildj@saiw.co.za
SAIW Certification’s John McLeish.

34 Advanced Materials Today Nov/Dec 2010

 Industry News
World’s fastest band saw ease of use of the KBS 1051: “The retractable verticle clamp
The new Kaltenbach KBS 1051 structural band saw has enables a fast saw blade change, while the electronics,
joined the First Cut stable of leading cutting machinery. hydraulics and the spray oil-mist cooing system are eaily
The KBS 1051 has a wide range of revolutionary band accessable to the operator.”
saw technology, including the first-time use of a ball screw First Cut, Andrew Poole, Tel: (011) 614-1112, Email: andrewp@
spindle, an automatic variable adjustment of the saw blade firstcut.co.za
inclination at varying structural cross-sections, as well as a
powerful blade drive.
The band saw has been designed to have a mitre range of KMG’s New agency
-300 / 900/ +450. However, this is dependent on the mate- To further improve KMG’s mild steel product range, the
rial width at a maximum of 1030 x 50mm and a minimum company has become an agency for Universal Eisen und
of 20 x 10mm. Stahl in Southern Africa.
Andrew Poole, Director of First Cut, explains: “This product The new agency agreement enables KMG to offer special
sets new standard for structural band saws in the industry, steel grades and sizes with a very short lead-time.
with the use of the most advanced carbide tooling technology.
The combination of a 12.9kW blade drive and the auto-feed This includes grades such as P355NH, 16Mo3, 13CrMo4-
control results in the economic applications of carbide saw 5 and many more, with widths up to 4000mm wide and
blades on structural saws.” thicknesses of up to 300 mm in certain grades.
The KBS 1051 meets the structural fabrication and steel The first two shipments of steel imported from Universal
stockholding indus- have already been delivered to KMG’s customers.
tries’ requirments “Universal Eisen und Stahl from Germany is part of the
by producing a high Salzgiiter Group and therefore has access to the steel mill
throughput, the best resources throughout the world within the group” says Marius
cutting quality and Smith, KMG’s in-house metallurgist.
a longer saw blade
“As such Universal stocks approximately 60 000 tonnes of
life. Perhaps most
steel plate of various grades at any time thereby ensuring
importantly, the
quick lead-times” continues Marius.
band saw cuts down
on set-up as well KMG Steel service centres are one of South Africa’s largest
as non-productive suppliers of steel, stainless steel and aluminium and has
times. branches nationwide.
Kaltenbach KBS 1051 band saw Andrew explains the KMG, Melody Barber, Tel: (011) 929-5000, Fax: (011) 929-5062

Wishing all our readers a good break and a great New Year from the crew at Promech who pulled out all the stops for our annual
fancy-dress. The theme was “C” and Kowie arrived as Caspar the semi-friendly looking ghost. Cleopatra and Cinderella added
glamour while Surita the cricket captain is next to the construction crew. On the left, Sean - the politically incorrect cripple. A
cowboy, a chef, a colourful clown with bad eyesight and a mix of culture revved up by the cheerleader, completed the line-up.

Advanced Materials Today Nov/Dec 10 35

International News
Vehicle parts press reborn
Tectra Automation and Hytec joined forces
in a project to upgrade an old and out-of-use
vehicle parts press in the production line for
MA Automation, a motor parts manufacturer
in Rosslyn, Pretoria.
The old 201 press needed improved functional-
ity, with more user friendly electrical controls
and increased capacity.
“The automotive industry is one of the largest
that Tectra Automation is involved in, and it
has a longstanding relationship with the cli-
ent. We were awarded the contract due to this
ongoing relationship and the high standard
of our service and solutions,” explains Georg
Venter, Divisional Manager - Electric Drives
and Controls, Tectra Automation.
Contracted by MA Automation, Hytec upgraded the hydraulics, the pumps, valves and
Hytec upgraded the hydraulics, the pumps, electronic control valves for the vehicle press upgrade
valves and electronic control valves, while
Tectra Automation was responsible for the new control The client was very happy with the user friendliness of the
components. “The machine used to be a hard-wired relay interface,” enthuses Georg.
and contactor control system that required a lot of cabling Benefits of this system are stepless programming with
and was difficult to reconfigure. no mechanical components to maintain; and programme
A Profibus system has been used to minimise cabling be- changes that can be made on site.
tween machines and control. The new system includes a Hytec Holdings, Willem Gijzelaar, Tel: (011) 979 4630, Fax: (011)
Bosch Rexroth L40 PLC with VEP40 colour touch screen. 979 4635, Email: willemg@hyhold.co.za

Paper Dams
United Kingdom based Weldwide Solutions is offering water
soluble paper products for customers who need to purge
pipework with a dam that can be dissolved with water after
welding.
short distance away from where welding takes place. Wa-
ter Soluble Paper is easy to cut and fabricators can simply
design their own templates to make cones or flat end dams
that secure and seal quickly inside the pipes.
The dams can be dissolved in water after welding to remove
all traces of the dam and the water soluble adhesive paper
tape used to secure the dams inside the pipes.
Weldwide Solutions, Darren Sewell, Email: darren@weldwidesolu-
tions.com, Web: www.weldwidesolutions.com

Halogen free preforms

Water soluble paper cones
Water soluble paper can be used for any purging application
but is particularly valuable as a viable alternative to posi-
tion dams close to the pipe ends for applications where a
customer has a tie-in weld that won’t allow the fabricator
to pass a purge hose through the pipe to where the dams
are positioned. Purge gas can then be introduced through
the root gap so a weld can remain purged.
Water Soluble Dams will save the customer money on purge
gas costs since the dams can be placed at the pipe ends a
A flexible preform adhesive that meets the International
Electrochemical Commission’s halogen-free requirements
(IEC 61249-2-21) has recently been introduced by Multi-
Seals.
The F08 Poly-form supports electronics manufacturing efforts
to reduce chlorine and bromine levels in component assem-
blies to address environmental concerns about potentially
hazardous halogens.
Multi-Seals F08 Poly-forms are flexible pre-shaped adhesives
designed for bonding diverse materials, including metals,
plastics, and glass. The pre-shaped copolymer prevents drips
and dispensing inconsistencies typical of liquid adhesives.
Adhesive placement is highly consistent from bond to bond.
The durability and flexibility of F08 Poly-forms facilitates
manual and automated handling and increases production

36 Advanced Materials Today Nov/Dec 2010

International News
rates. F08 can be pre-shaped makes recovery a worthwhile
in multiform configurations to activity. For this reason, the
accommodate a broad range stainless steel scrap market
of applications. works autonomously. It re-
Multi-Seals, Ken Harvill, ken@ quires neither recycling-goal
multi-seals.com legislation nor subsidies or
tax incentives.
In Europe, most mills re-melt
stainless steel essentially from
scrap, in electric arc furnaces.
On average worldwide, the
Industrial Wood recycled content of stainless
Coating steel in new steel production
Senior technical experts and is above 60% (ISSF, 2009).
business leaders from Dow Technically, this figure could
Coating Materials attended even be higher, but the avail-
the PRA 7th International ability of stainless steel scrap
Halogen free preforms is not unlimited.
Woodcoatings Congress held
at the Mercure Hotel Amster- The four-minute video explains
dam recently. in an informative and entertaining way what stainless steel
With the theme of this year’s event on reducing the environ- recycling is about. It can be viewed on the Euro Inox website
mental impact of coatings and treatments for interior and (www.euro-inox.org/fla_170_EN.html)
exterior wood applications, Dow Coating Materials – the
largest global supplier of raw materials for the coatings in-
dustry – took participants through two distinct technologies,
which enable environmentally advanced wood coatings for
industrial and architectural application.
As the industrial wood coatings market responds to increased
governmental regulation, as well as consumer demand for
end products and manufacturing processes with an improved
environmental profile, coatings manufacturers continue to
seek new ways of reducing hazardous air pollutants and
volatile organic compounds (VOC).
Dow Coating Materials, which introduced water-based coating
ingredients to the market nearly 50 years ago, has developed
a new one-component waterborne technology which lowers
VOC content, therefore contributing to a reduction in the level
of VOC emission of the manufactured wood products. “Stainless Steel – Recycled for Lasting Value” receives the “Silver
Guillaume Reverchon, marketing director for Dow Coating Dolphin” at the Cannes Corporate Media & TV Awards 2010.
Materials, EMEA, explains, “We believe that this acrylic/ure-
thane hybrid technology represents a major step forward in
developing environmentally advanced coatings, because it
not only addresses VOC content, but helps to control where
and when the VOCs are released.”
Better exhausts
An all-electric tube bending machine from Unison has been
Dow Coating Materials, Rachel Redshaw, rredshaw@dow.com ordered by Philadelphia-based Fabspeed Motorsports, to
enhance the manufacturing flexibility of advanced exhaust
systems for performance cars.
The machine will allow Fabspeed to bring a lot of its tube
Stainless video wins silver medal at Cannes bending processes in-house. This will provide numerous
The video “Stainless Steel – Recycled for Lasting Value” has benefits including reducing the cost of building an exhaust,
been awarded a “Silver Dolphin” at the prestigious Cannes shortening lead times, and extending the flexibility of the
Corporate Media & TV Awards 2010. The video was produced company’s custom design services.
jointly by organisations of the stainless steel and the alloying Fabspeed builds high performance exhausts and air intakes
element industries members of “Team Stainless”. for a wide range of prestige vehicle makes including Fer-
Recyclability is one of the key elements of sustainability. rari, Lamborghini and Porsche. Over almost 20 years the
While many materials are recyclable in theory, it has been company has built a unique reputation for creating exhausts
common practice for decades to separately collect, prepare that increase an engine’s usable power output and deliver a
and re-melt stainless steels. Re-using valuable raw materials unique sound - and the brand now sells globally.

Advanced Materials Today Nov/Dec 10 37

International News
system, instead of requiring that VBZ purchase an entirely
new machine. By turning the tram wheels on a lathe prior
to grinding them, the tyre re-profiling operation could be
accelerated significantly.
The demands placed on the control unit of a machine capable
of handling both form grinding and lathing are considerable,
so Emotec worked closely with NUM to develop a high per-
formance replacement for the existing unit.
Emotec and NUM have clearly demonstrated that the retro-
fitting of an existing machine using novel ideas can indeed
compete with the purchase of a new machine.
www.emotec.de.

The new Unison bending machine will allow Fabspeed to

simplify the production process for the more complex exhaust Subscription
shapes it manufactures. Parts of exhaust systems that used
to be TIG-welded from two or three component shapes, will
Please fax us if you wish to subscribe to “Advanced Materials Today”
now be fabricated in a single stage - and without making
at R375,00 (incl postage and VAT) per year; R875,00 per year for Af-
any cut-off waste. rica/Overseas. We will post you an invoice on receipt of your fax.
Material purchasing costs will be reduced because Fabspeed PROMECH PUBLISHING Fax No: (011) 781-1403
will now be able to make parts to demand from tube lengths,
rather than ordering and stocking much larger batches of From:.........................................................................................
shapes. The machine additionally provides Fabspeed with
much greater flexibility to customize - allowing it to employ (insert your name)
exotic lightweight materials such as titanium, or to vary the
shape and sound of designs, to meet the needs of individual Title: ..........................................................................................
clients.
Company: .................................................................................
The machine selected is an all-electric, servomotor-controlled
bender from Unison’s Breeze range for tube diameters up to Address: ...................................................................................
76 mm, fitted with a multi-stack tooling head.
....................................................................................................
Unison, Email: enquiries@unisonltd.com, Web: www.unisonltd.com
......................................................................Code: ..................

Telephone: (.......) ....................................................................

Smoother ride Fax: (.......) ...............................................................................

Swiss engineering company Emotec has significantly enhanced
Email:........................................................................................
the performance of a tram wheel profiling machine used by
the Zurich public transport organisation VBZ, by retrofitting
it with an innovative lathing capability and an advanced
CNC system from NUM. Index to Advertisers
The upgraded machine can re-profile all four wheels on a AFSA Inside Back Cover
bogie within a couple of hours – a task which previously Afzelia 32
took up to a day. Chemserve 28
Nearly all tram wheels are fitted with flanged metal tyres, CML Machine Tools Inside Front Cover
which require regular re-profiling to compensate for wear CNC Training Centre 23
– failure to do this would lead to impaired performance and EPNS 30
a less comfortable ride. VBZ performs wheel re-profiling FirstPro Tooling 19
operations at its maintenance hangar adjacent to the Zurich- Forest Engineering 16
Oerlikon station, using a machine that was originally supplied Innov-X 6
by the Kellenberger company back in 1991. NTIP 22
When VBZ decided to bring several new types of tram into Opticore 31
service in Zurich, it sought the advice of Emotec AG, a Orlik Metal Chemicals 26
company which specialises in surface finishing technology Retecon Outside Front Cover
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After thoroughly investigating the process, Emotec determined SAID 24
that it would be possible to adapt the existing re-profiling Urethane Moulded Products 25
machine by adding a lathing capability and a modern CNC Universal 15

38 Advanced Materials Today Nov/Dec 2010

Advanced Materials Today Nov/Dec 10 39
40 Advanced Materials Today Nov/Dec 2010