vol 17 no 1 - Castings SA SA...4 castings sa vol 17 no 1 June 2016 cover story “Giving you the...

castings sa vol 17 no 1 June 2016 1

Castings SAvol 17 no 1ISSN 1605-7589

Publishing EditorBruce Crawford

Online EditorDamon Crawford

Editorial BoardMarc Hindle

Production ManagerWendy Crawford

ReproductionJericho Graphic Design

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Advertising Bruce Crawford/Wendy CrawfordTel: +27 11 463 0489Cell: + 27 83 628 7654E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.castingssa.co.za

castings sa is published by BA Crawford Specialised Publications (Pty) Ltd. PO Box 69 299, Bryanston, South Africa, 2021

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Tel: + 27 11 463 0489E-mail: [email protected]

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CopyrightAll rights reserved. No editorial matter published in Castings SA 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 consequences 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.

castings sa, published every second month, is the official journal of the South African Institute of Foundrymen (SAIF). The information and ideas presented in castings sa do not necessarily reflect the position of the SAIF staff, executive, advisors, sponsors or members.

4 cover story“Giving you the edge” — ChemSystems’ Foundry and Timber Board

6 industry newsAtlantis Foundries; SA sculptor's epic lion; Western Cape foundry; Taylor establishes SpecTech; Knights Sales diversifies; Eighth Ipap; Section 24G of NEMA; Celebrating the life of Glen Tillett; RAPDASA; Sacrificing the steel industry to save Mittal;Weir Minerals pumping into Africa;

34 international newsHigh quality cast impellers; Oscar returns to bronze; Data to track, Predict corrosion in aircraft parts; Endress+Hauser; SI Group ranks high;Globe Specialty Metals and Grupo FerroAtlántica; Caterpillar uses AM

44 product review New Spectro xSort handheld XRF analyser; Proceq launch Equotip 550® UCI; Challenge of cooling castings; Oxford Instruments; New Morgan stopper rods

castings saA specialised journal covering the technology,

processors and materials field for castings

volume 17 number 1June 2016

2 castings sa vol 17 no 1 June 2016

EditOR’S COMMEntIs it called power interruption these days?

I despair!!! While out visiting clients in the Meadowvale/Meadowbrook/Wilbart/Edenvale/Germiston suburbs

of Gauteng recently the whole area was abuzz with the sound, or should I say annoying noise, of generators humming away and the crisp winter air was permeated with the smell of diesel.

“Load shedding?” I asked one client. “Not sure,” he said “but it happens at least once a week and has been the situation for a number of months, so this is why we eventually invested in a generator. We were

experiencing too many disruptions and staff were becoming very frustrated,” he continued.

When I returned to my office and my trusty computer, I was greeted with the following headline report in the Daily Maverick newsletter:

Loadshedding, never againPresident Zuma has assured South Africans that load shedding

is history. During a visit to Eskom's Megawatt Park, Zuma stated "Now I am going to tell people there will never be any load shedding, I have been here, I have seen it…”

Zuma just happened to be uttering these words while at Megawatt Park at exactly the same time as the aforementioned suburbs, less than 15 kilometres away, were without power.

Zuma’s confident utterings are backed up by Brian Molefe, Eskom’s CEO, and Lynne Brown, the minister of public enterprises, who have both repeatedly stated that loadshedding is unlikely this winter, while interruptions in the supply of electricity to consumers might still occur. These interruptions may be caused by equipment failure, cable theft or insufficient generation.

According to a recent press release from Eskom, the power utility reports that it has a total installed generation capacity of 45 GW. This excludes the two GW from renewable sources, which the Independent Power Producers (IPP) office says is already operational. Khulu Phasiwe, the power utility’s spokesperson, says that Eskom generates according to demand plus a bit more to provide a reserve margin. Demand is now slightly over 31 GW and generation, excluding the OCGTs (the expensive-to-run open cycle gas turbines), is 34,8 GW.

These figures tend to reassure us that loadshedding is unlikely this winter.

But here’s the catch: Although there may be plenty of electricity generation, is the transmission and distribution infrastructure in good enough shape to cope with the additional demands that can be anticipated in winter?

Many of South Africa’s suburbs have experienced power interruptions in recent weeks. The reason for these interruptions is always the same - distribution transformers and/or cabling faults. It seems that many metros and municipalities have not increased the capacity of their electrical distribution equipment in line with the increasing demand caused by an influx of people, additional electrification and the ever-increasing number of shopping malls and housing estates.

So yes, Mr Zuma it is correct to say that loadshedding will never happen again in South Africa – at least not in the short term and not in the manner many of us have become accustomed to in recent years. This is purely as a result of the fact that current demand is down because many of the high end users in industry, such as the mines, are not running at full capacity. Many South Africans have also been proactive and are now adhering to saving consumption wherever possible. We have no choice in the matter because the cost of electricity has risen rapidly and is also extremely high.

But now we have to contend with power interruptions, which in my opinion are far worse because they are more regular, could last longer than loadshedding, and could have been avoided if better maintenance plans had been addressed.

The aim of the SAIF is to promote and develop within Southern Africa the science, technology and application of founding for individuals and involved industries.

Membership Fees for 2016Junior MemberR100.00 per annum

Individual MemberR750.00 per annum

Small Company Member – 1 to 20 employees R3 300.00 per annum

Medium Company Member – 21 to 75 employees R5 000.00 per annum

Large Company Member – 76 and above employees R6 600.00 per annum

Retired Member R350.00 per annum

International Member – on application

All prices include VAT

Council Appointments for 2015/2016President - Takalani Madzivhandila Vice President - Janley Kotze Treasurer - Justin de Beer Constitutional Members

Immediate Past President - Enno Krueger

Elected MembersAndrew McFarlane Adrie El Mohamadi David Mertens Colin Smit Bruce Crawford Cyprian KyaluJohn Davies Dalmari McQueenKevin van Niekerk Joshua van FlymanNigel Pardoe

Address detailsUniversity of Johannesburg Metal Casting Technology Station - Metallurgy Room G101, John Orr Building, Corner Siemert and Beit Street, Doornfontein, Johannesburg, Gauteng. Postal Address: P.O. Box 14863, Wadeville, 1422.

John Davies - Tel: +27 (11) 559 6468; Cell: 083 630 2809; email: [email protected]

Executive Secretary - Tel: +27 (11) 559 6455; Fax: +27 (11) 559 6526; email: [email protected]

Website: www.foundries.org.za

Dates for future SAIF activities03 June 2016 – SAIF Annual Awards Dinner: Emperors Palace10 November 2016 – SAIF Annual Golf Day: Reading Country Club14 – 17 March 2017 – Metal Casting Conference/WFO 2017 Technical Forum/BRICS Foundry Forum 2017: Emperors Palace

south african institute of foundrymen


cover story

“Giving you the edge” — ChemSystems’ Foundry and Timber Board

Late 2015 saw industry stalwart Applied Casting Solutions gain momentum under the ChemSystems banner. The restructure brought together a diverse range of speciality

business units under a single powerful brand. Its already well-respected foundry business emerged stronger than ever to deliver turnkey solutions to multiple customer challenges.

Behind the world-class technology and expertise however, is a network of influential partnerships that drive the business forward. Director of ChemSystems and Business Unit Manager for Foundry and Timber Board, Deon Smit explains how fostering strategic relationships between ChemSystems’ parent company AECI, technology partners, and customers continues to be a touchstone for the business.

Bold, innovative and responsible — values driven from the top

“ChemSystems is an integral part of AECI’s chemical cluster with16 unique businesses providing innovative solutions to its customer’s diverse and specialised chemistry-driven requirements. As a result, many of our core business and operational values — the DNA of our business so to speak — filter from AECI and we are extremely proud of that association,” said Deon Smit.

“Registered back in 1924 and listed on the JSE since 1966, AECI is truly a ‘World in One Company’. ChemSystems and our customers benefit significantly from its diversity, its bold and innovative approach, and its commitment to accountability and operating greener, more sustainable business.”

“Cutting edge technologies, full-service package business models, and collaborative relationships with our customers remain key differentiators. Assuming control over ChemSystems’ local labs has been part of a strategic and natural progression towards gearing our business for improved service and support, enabling greater operational efficiencies, access to resources, and all round tighter control. This is widening the gap between ChemSystems and our competition.”

“As knowledge and understanding around the changing global environment grows, green issues are becoming top of mind for many of our customers. Thus our ability to manage environmental issues is increasingly important.”

“ChemSystems is basing more and more business practices on environmental values and targets.

Conscientious monitoring and benchmarking against these green goals ensures sound environmental management for our business - and our customers.”

Deeper, more strategic partnerships “Extended engagement with partners such as German-

based ASK Chemicals, with whom we have collaborated with for more than 40 years, allows us to explore custom solutions for the local market. One of the world’s largest providers of comprehensive solutions and tailored consulting services in

the foundry industry, ASK Chemicals is renowned for exceptionally engineered products, world-class R&D and unparalleled technical support.”

“Its portfolio of products encompasses a broad and innovative range of foundry resources including binders, coatings, feeders, filters and release agents, as well as metallurgical products such as inoculants, cord wires and master alloys.”

“ASK Chemicals are consistently at the forefront of environmentally friendly technology. One such example is its breakthrough ‘cold box’ binder system. The original developer and first to market with the very first cold box process back in the 1960s, ASK Chemicals has been refining and developing cold box technology ever since and currently sets the benchmark in ecology and economy globally.”

“This high efficiency system uses significantly fewer solvents and thus lowers emissions considerably. For us, it’s the ideal response to the

Automotive core package

Core and mould assembly line

current and future requirements of aluminium and iron foundries, and satisfies the growing demand for high-performance yet eco-friendly cold-box solutions.”

“With continuous improvement an integral part of who we are, ASK Chemicals is an excellent fit for our business and vice versa. We are able to tap into their global expertise to deliver equally compelling solutions for the local industry, leveraging the latest foundry technology, a complete basket of products, faster response times and greater reliability.”

“The weight of the AECI Group combined with partnerships such as these, as well as many others with the likes of Vemek and Heneways, position the business to deliver innovative technical and commercial solutions.”

Partnering with customers for success“We see ourselves as partners in our customer’s success.

Their challenges drive our development, and addressing profitability and sustainability in the long term is a team effort.”

“Every one of our customers is unique and keeping them at the top of their game means catering to this uniqueness.

We leverage available expertise and skills to ensure solutions are not only innovative, but cost efficient and best fit for the business. Customised formulations are processed locally, from one of our two labs (Chloorkop and Durban). Our application technologists, who have more than 120 years worth of experience collectively, assist with testing and sand analysis to help create the ideal formulations, while monitoring and ensuring consistent performance of existing applications.”

“Finally, our technical support has become an essential relationship tool for our business. Locally-based experts in resin systems and metallurgical products continually engage with our customers to troubleshoot problems and ensure optimised application of products. Our customers get to ensure consistent quality and service, while acquiring skills and knowledge to better deliver to their own customers. The communication and collaboration this has fostered is helping us do business better, and gives our customers ‘the edge’ that they have come to expect from us.”

For further details contact ChemSystems on TEL: 011 922 1600 or visit www.chemsystems.co.za

ChemSystems’ dedicated fleet of delivery vehicles ensure on time supply of materials


industry news

Atlantis Foundries continues to invest for the future

German metal casting group Neue Halberg-Guss GmbH, which acquired Atlantis Foundries in June 2015,

has subsequently invested significantly in the South African foundry. As a result the Western Cape based foundry in Atlantis has undergone some significant changes in terms of technological advancements. Recent projects at Atlantis Foundries include the installation of a second 12t ABP Induction Systems pressure pour furnace, an additional 6.1 MW ABP Induction Systems power pack for the four ABP Induction Systems induction furnaces that Atlantis Foundries uses in its melting department, the installation of a new sand drying plant, as well as the installation of a new core drying oven.

The new pressure pour furnace, installed by ABP Induction Systems, aims to limit the impact of metal specification changes and product changeovers. Additional benefits of this second furnace will also permit regular refractory work to be performed on either furnace whilst the other furnace continues with production, thus creating efficiencies and capacity in the production process. The second pressure pour furnace also enables Atlantis Foundries to produce other grades of metal such as SG and CGI.

The second pressure pour furnace will also allow Atlantis Foundries to carry out trials with new metal specifications without impacting on ‘normal production’, thus enabling the company to continuously improve on their product quality.

The investment in an additional ABP Induction Systems power pack has given Atlantis Foundries the ability to now operate four furnaces simultaneously, particularly when the bulk energy supply is available, consequently increasing the overall melting capacity of the foundry.

The installation of a new 27t/hr LPG sand dryer is not only a more cost effective and efficient method of drying the sand than the existing two old kiln type dryers, buat significantly reduces the electricity consumption at Atlantis Foundries, something that all businesses and foundries need to consider when electricity demand exceeds availability, the company says.

The sand drying plant was designed and manufactured by UK based Orthos Projects, and the sand conveying system (full pipe pneumatic) was supplied by Endeco Omega.

Alcohol to water-based coatingsAnother new development has seen the installation of a

new core drying oven. This has prompted Atlantis Foundries to change from alcohol to water-based coatings that will bring safety, health and environmental enhancements, as well as quality improvements.

New core drying ovenThe new core drying oven, designed and manufactured

by Italy based ProService s.r.l., uses a combination of heat radiation and convection. As a result of this combination, a lower drying temperature is required when drying the cores.

The new pressure pour furnace, installed by ABP Induction Systems

Since the sale of Atlantis Foundries to Neue Halberg-Guss GmbH in June last year, the company has continued to invest in the South African operation’s future in terms of technology, efficiency and environmental impact.

The installation of a new 27t/hr LPG sand dryer is not only a more cost effective and efficient method of drying the sand than the existing two old kiln type dryers, but significantly reduces the

electricity consumption at Atlantis Foundries


This improves the quality of cores and requires less drying time compared to conventional technologies. This all adds to Atlantis Foundries vision to reduce energy consumption and costs in the foundry, while at the same time improving quality.

The drying oven that was installed earlier this year, has been custom designed according to Atlantis Foundries specifications. The drying oven can process approximately 80 core blocks per hour (single weight up to 350 Kg). The scope of the installation includes the drying oven, a conveying system for pallets, drilling and inspection stations, a cleaning station for the pallets and intelligent database for process control related to the single core. The data includes coating density, viscosity and temperature coming from the Coating Preparation Plant™, dipping time, drying time and temperature, gas and power consumption.

Heat for the drying oven is generated using efficient gas burners or electrical heaters, depending on the required specification.

Coating Preparation Plant and ITACA™ thermo-chemical analysis system

The drying oven completes the line that was first started in 2013 with the installation of a Coating Preparation Plant (CPP™) and a dip tank, also manufactured by ProService s.r.l.,

the first step taken by Atlantis Foundries to improve the consistency of its coating applications.

Working closely with Foseco South Africa, Atlantis Foundries invested in an ITACA™ thermo-chemical analysis system. This was introduced at the same time as the Coating Preparation Plant. This system has since been upgraded in 2015 and is now one of the most comprehensive systems for metallurgical process control available globally. The iron

quality is continually evaluated, so that the final metallurgical behaviour and properties of the casting produced is available in real time on the shop floor. This has resulted in significant cost savings from yield and efficiency improvements, and a reduction in the amount of scrap castings.

“The health and safety of our employees is always at the forefront of our minds. With the switch to water-based coatings, our employees are no longer exposed to the inhalation of vapours given off from alcohol-based paint. In addition, the

risk of fire is significantly reduced as the water-based coatings are non-flammable, versus the high flammability of alcohol-based coatings previously used,” says Atlantis Foundries Chief Executive Officer Pieter du Plessis.

“Investment in our future is critical to survival. The foundry business is extremely competitive with only a handful of major foundries across the globe able to produce high quality heavy duty truck blocks castings for the OEM’s. We have to keep

up-to-date with technological advancements and efficiency improvements to remain ahead of the game. The use of water-based paint is also a more cost effective method of coating the core packages and helps us to remain cost competitive. In addition, with the change to water-based coatings, we have noticed an improvement in the casting surface that has improved the overall quality of our products, and helped to reduce our finishing costs,” added Chief Commercial Officer Sally Redshaw.

Atlantis Foundries manufactures and sells automotive castings for the commercial vehicle industry including block castings for use in long distance trucks, V-block castings for use in heavy industrial, marine, agricultural and power generation applications, and medium duty castings for use in light industrial, material handling equipment.

For further details contact Atlantis Foundries on TEL: 021 573 7200 or visit www.atlantisfoundries.com

Working closely with Foseco South Africa, Atlantis Foundries invested in an ITACA™ thermo-chemical analysis system. This was introduced at the same time as the Coating

Preparation Plant and a dip tank, also manufactured by ProService s.r.l.

Atlantis Foundries have installed a new core drying oven, designed and manufactured by Italy based ProService s.r.l., that uses a

combination of heat radiation and convection

Working closely with Foseco South Africa, Atlantis Foundries invested in an ITACA™ thermo-chemical analysis system. This was introduced

at the same time as the Coating Preparation Plant. This system has since been upgraded in 2015 and is now one of the most comprehensive systems for

metallurgical process control available globally


A magnificent bronze monumental lion sculpture standing

almost five metres high in the English countryside of western Wiltshire has resulted in extraordinary international focus on unassuming Grahamstown-based wildlife artist Bruce Little.

The passionate conservationist and self-taught sculptor produced the eight metres long, 4.3 metres high African lion to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Longleat Safari and Adventure Park in England.

After a 10 000 kilometre sea and road trip from Cape Town to Wiltshire, the three-ton bronze gargantuan now loftily surveys the breathtakingly beautiful 436-year-old stately Longleat House, home to the fabulously wealthy and somewhat eccentric seventh Marquess of Bath, Alexander Thynn.

On his way over by road and by sea, photos of the colossal striding lion began to trend on social media. By the time it arrived at Longleat, the intense public relations programme put in motion by the United Kingdom’s most popular safari and adventure park was hardly necessary.

The magnificent lion had the world’s attention firmly focused

on it days before the official unveiling.Little has sculpted several larger than life-size pieces, but

this one — which he calls Dawn Patrol — is by far his biggest sculpture.

It was certainly not something he could have imagined when, as a tiny child, his inspirational artist grandmother Constance Little first thrust a ball of plasticine into his hands and told him to “make something” with it. Little was hooked. The entirely self-taught artist says he was a practical farm boy who could turn his hand to anything.

“So when it came to expressing myself artistically, becoming a sculptor was a natural fit.”

While Little has exhibited internationally and his bronzes are collected across the world, his exposure hasn’t translated into great renown.

When the idea of the enormous lion was floated between him, Ceawlin Thynn — the Viscount of Weymouth and chairman of Longleat Enterprises — and a mutual friend, Little quickly recognised it as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

“As an artist, you never know when the next pay cheque is coming. One just hopes that something like this not only ignites awareness of the plight of lions, but that it grows my brand and gets to the stage where I am recognised for honouring animals in bronze.”

Conservation and wildlife are his other great passions and it is his ability to capture the movement, attitude and spirit of the animals that has earned him his reputation. Having spent much

South African sculptor's epic lion arrives in UK

South African wildlife sculptor Bruce Little has created his largest work for the 50th anniversary of Longleat Safari Park in the UK.

Meeting the patron: Bruce Little, left, with the Viscount of Weymouth, Ceawlin Thynn, chairman of Longleat Enterprises

Home at last: Bruce Little’s 3-ton statue arrives at Longleat Safari and Adventure Park for installation


of his life as a conservationist and a professional game ranger, he has an intimate knowledge of his many subjects.

The lion population has over the last 21 years dropped by over 41%

“I sculpt to honour the animal for what it is, not for what it was. The lion population has over the last 21 years dropped by over 41%. If this sculpture can act as a catalyst to develop awareness, it would be fantastic,” Little points out.

Much goes into the creation of a piece like Dawn Patrol. The casting of it was facilitated by the Strand branch of Sculpture Casting Services, in the Western Cape, reportedly the largest, highly specialised fine art foundry in Africa.

But before it gets there, Little starts by crafting a small version, perfecting finer detail on pose and proportion. This was dramatically scaled up to an intermediate 2.4 metre version. Then, with the aid of the foundry, an armature or frame is built. A team of people then work on it. Some 500 kilograms of a wax-based clay is applied to slowly create the detail and character of the piece. A mould is then made from this.

The current model now in place at Longleat is not the one that will stand there for centuries. It is a fibreglass, bronze-infused one produced over six months of intense work just for the celebrations. The final model will be identical but will be cast entirely in bronze.

“This takes longer, weighs even more and costs millions of rands. The transport alone for the current model cost over R300 000.00. But the result is worth it. Dawn Patrol

captures the essence of a young male lion in his prime, patrolling his territory with intent,” says Little.

Ceawlin Thynn says the sculpture exceeded all expectations.“When we first considered the concept we could not have

envisaged such a fantastic sculpture that is so in keeping with Longleat’s heritage.”

He said the final bronze piece would become a permanent resident on the estate, alongside the real lions of Longleat.

Little said he was thrilled with the way people had received the lion, both in transit and at its final destination.

Longleat's 50th anniversary celebrations will also include the launch of a lion-shaped hot air balloon and a concert by Sir Elton John.

“It has been an honour and a privilege to do a lion sculpture of this scale with Longleat as its home. The bronze sculpture will be on this earth for thousands of years. Let us all help ensure that lions will exist as long.”

The eight metre long, 4.3 metre high African lion (Dawn Patrol) to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Longleat Safari and

Adventure Park in England in production

The sculpture

“As an artist, you never know when the next pay cheque is coming. One just hopes that something like this not only ignites awareness

of the plight of lions, but that it grows my brand and gets to the stage where I am recognised for honouring animals in bronze.”


Past President of the Western Cape Institute of Foundrymen (WCIF) and champion of many of the well attended training courses and the annual dinner/dance held by the

WCIF, Alan Wood has agreed to support the industry body, the South African Institute of Foundrymen (SAIF), in its efforts to have someone on the ground in the area and take control of promoting and enhancing the foundry industry in this important region of the country.

“I will be representing the SAIF on a number of fronts, as well aiming to get back to the levels of full participation in institute activities by all interested parties that we used to enjoy. However, one of my prime tasks will be to establish the needs of the Western Cape foundries, suppliers and others, and to try to establish a member base, without which any other initiatives may not be sustainable,” said Alan Wood, who has been involved in the foundry industry all of his adult life.

“This will include visiting foundries and suppliers in order to promote the SAIF in respect of what we can offer via membership and technical meetings, and to introduce new technology and assist with technical and industry requirements.”

“The overall goal will be to increase individual foundry communication, promote training of personnel in all aspects of manufacturing, quality, productivity and, complete understanding of the processes and procedures of foundry practice.”

“Additionally, I will be promoting an understanding of the foundry industry via the local technical colleges and universities.”

“I will also be organising technical presentations, workshops and training programmes that will benefit foundries and their employees in and around the Western Cape.”

“During the 1990’s the SAIF branch in the Western Cape developed and implemented an eight module training course for industry workers and was accredited by MERSETA. I was involved in the development of these training courses and they now form the basis of the short course training programmes that the SAIF has been rolling out to the wider industry since 2010.”

“These training courses have gained great traction in the foundry industry, and I believe the SAIF had close to 500 students enrolled for the various modules last year, bringing the total to over 2,200 students in five years. It certainly affirms that industry has bought into this training programme presented by the SAIF, as was the case in the Western Cape when we introduced them.”

“The training courses have continued to be presented since the passing in 2013 of Tony O’Brein, through the assistance of Sean Stadler and the continued support of particularly Atlantis Foundries, as well as a few of the smaller foundries in the region.”

“The eight modules consist of important foundry topics such as quality, health and safety, productivity, melting, finishing, pattern and die design, sand and moulding sands, cores and core making and other manufacturing principles.”

“Learners who successfully complete at least six of the eight modules are presented with a diploma.”

“I will be facilitating and presenting these courses, along with other colleagues from the industry, in the Western Cape. I have just completed the assessor and moderator training

courses, and will be registering with the relevant Education and Training Quality Assurance (ETQA) body in terms of the SAQA requirements.”

“An assessor is someone registered to measure competence against specified National Qualifications Framework (NQF) unit standards and qualifications. A moderator is employed to umpire these assessments, and to ensure that the results are fair, valid and reliable. In essence, the moderator is responsible for ensuring that the principles of quality assurance are applied and maintained during the assessment, and that the learning outcomes are achieved.”

Annual dinner dance“Finally, I am going to revive the annual dinner dance which

had been a highlight of the Western Cape industry for many years. We had our first WCIF dinner dance back in November 1982, the year that the WCIF was founded on the principles of the Institute of British Foundrymen.”

“The current CEO of the SAIF, John Davies, was the WCIF President for the first three years of its existence, and he was followed by Andre Knoop who has just recently retired.”

“The Western Cape is steeped in history, and the earliest commercial foundry recorded was in 1876 when an engineering business known as Cunningham and Gearing was established. The company had premises in Ebenezer Road, which runs off Somerset Road near the V&A Waterfront complex. The company operated as general engineers and iron founders. Remains of the foundry can be seen in the building housing the Beluga restaurant, which aptly forms part of The Foundry office, hotel and retail complex.”

“I have in excess of 35 years in the manufacturing Industry, of which 28 were in higher management and possess excellent management skills, including personnel, operations, finance, marketing and project management.”

“I qualified after completing a five year mechanical engineering apprenticeship including city & guilds, specialising in metallurgy. My first position in South Africa was with Atlantis Diesel Engines, where I was Production Manager, before I moved to Atlantis Aluminium. I then spent 15 years with Ajax Manufacturing.”

“During this period I was the WCIF President on two occasions and also the body’s secretary for a number of years.”

“From 2007 to 2010 I worked in the UAE and gained enormous exposure to the international market.”

“I am looking forward to the challenge. My main objective is to advance the service and technology related to the manufacture and use of metal castings through education and training, skills development and the dissemination of information and research in the Western Cape, as well as facilitating the meeting of stakeholders engaged in the foundry and allied industries.”

Alan Wood can be contacted on TEL: 021 5572868 (Home), Cell: 072 351 1391 or via email on [email protected]

Western Cape foundry participation to be revivedAfter a few years of inactivity within the foundry community in theWestern Cape area, a concerted effort is now being made to revive the once vibrant institute activities that were ably supported by industry,both suppliers and foundries alike.

Alan Wood


Recent developments in the industry have led to John Taylor establishing his own company to market a range of analytical instruments and sample

preparation equipment. Taylor is well known in the foundry industry and has been associated with it for the last 30 years.

“I studied part time at Wits Technikon (now UJ) while working and qualified as a metallurgist. That was back in the late 70’s and early 80’s. Although I did spend a few years in a foundry most of my working career has been on the supplier side, marketing the company’s products to those companies involved in the metals processing industry, with an emphasis on the foundries and steelworks,” explained Taylor.

“For the last nine years I have been with Spectro Analytical marketing their instruments, and I have signed an agreement with the company to continue to do so going forward. This includes the Spectro range of Arc/Spark OES Spectrometers, as well as the hand held XRF instruments that include the SpectroMaxx, SpectroCheck, SpectroLab, SpectroTest, Spectro iSort and Spectro xSort.”

“I am very familiar with these instruments and have been on numerous courses and factory training visits to the company’s head office in Kleve, Germany while I was employed with the South African branch. I have been given an intricate insight into the manufacture and operation of all the machines and instruments, and can offer a solution for elemental analysis in a broad range of applications for a variety of materials.”

“It should be noted that I will only be doing the sales and demonstrations with the Spectro instruments. After the sale I will hand over to Spectro and everything will carry on as normal from there on in terms of servicing and repairs. Spectro will also be supporting the guarantee.”

Spectrometer calibration check and verification“A new option that I will be offering existing and

potential clients is a calibration check service for their instruments. This will include checking that the operator maintenance has been carried out as specified, checking the calibration of the instrument and make any adjustments if required. I will also check that the appropriate standards are available and make recommendations if any additional standards are required. I will also be evaluating the operational procedures and operator competence on the actual use of the spectrometer. In addition, I will be evaluating the sample taking and sample preparation procedures, as this is an area that is highly neglected. It is pointless spending a few hundred thousand rand on a spectrometer, and then try to analyse samples that are incorrectly prepared.”

“Clients must please note that this service does not

replace the biannual service agreement of the instrument. This will still need to be carried out by a Spectro service engineer.”

“Also included in this service will be the training of new staff on how to use the equipment, sample taking and preparation. Too often I find there is a lack of knowledge in this area due to staff turnover, where hand me down training is all that the new operator has been given. I would like to offer my skills to companies where this is applicable.”

“Additionally, I can offer an independent third party verification service which is necessary in some instances. Again I give a recent example where a foundry’s client claimed the castings were not in specification and I was able to prove that they were.”

Other equipmentIncluded in the SpecTech’s portfolio is a range of

laboratory equipment and accessories required for sample taking, preparation and testing.

These include:• Cup wheel grinders specifically for the preparation

of cast iron and high chrome cast iron samples. Please note that this grinder is also ideally suited for preparation of all ferrous samples. The advantage of this type of preparation is that total repeatability is ensured.

• Purpose built engineering type bench top milling machine for the preparation of non-ferrous samples, also ensuring excellent repeatability of sample preparation.

• Sample moulds for ferrous as well as nonferrous samples.

• Sample holders used during preparation.

“All of the above are South African manufactured,” said Taylor.

“I will shortly be including in the portfolio a range of basic and functional yet very affordable metallographic equipment, including microscopes, sample preparation and polishing machines.”

“SpecTech also has access to a range of other consumables commonly used for materialographic sample preparation of solid materials. These include cup wheels, sanding belts and discs and polishing cloths.”

“Certified Reference Materials (CRMs) are ‘controls’ or standards used to validate and calibrate analytical instruments. I will offer these for all grades of metals as well.”

For further information contact John Taylor of SpecTech (Pty) Ltd on cellphone 082 904 8142 or email [email protected]

Taylor establishes SpecTech to market analytical instruments and

preparation equipment and consumables

Company will also offer spectrometer maintenance and service plan.


“Like most foundries in South Africa, we cannot deny it, the beginning of the year was one of

the toughest starts to a year that we have ever experienced. Fortunately business has subsequently turned around for us and, even with the increased staff compliment, we are currently still operating overtime shifts,” said Louis Miller, one of six family members that run the 10 year old foundry that was established in 2006.

“We have been on a quality drive at the company for some time. That started approximately four years ago when we introduced a new one and half ton furnace in our heavy bay area of the foundry.”

“This was complimented with a new no-bake moulding system that is fed with a 10 ton an hour continuous mixer, 2 x 2 metre, 10 ton an hour shakeout as well as a 10 ton an hour reclamation plant and cooler classifier. All this equipment has been manufactured and installed by Endeco Omega. They also supplied the two 60 ton silos, with one being used for new sand and the other for the reclaimed sand.”

“In addition, we added a 1 x 1 metre gassing station that was manufactured and supplied by RC Systems, a hanger type shotblasting machine that has a height of 6.5 metres and can accommodate castings up to two metres in diameter that was installed in our fettling department, and one kilometer of roller track has been setup in the foundry to easily transport boxes and castings. Each roller has half-a-ton loading capacity and each unit, of which there are plenty, has a five-ton load capacity.”

“At the same time that these installations were taking place we re-arranged the foundry to isolate the stainless steel melting and casting, added a 10 ton an hour continuous mixer

that was manufactured by Endeco Omega, as well as a gassing unit manufactured by Lauds Foundry Equipment that can accommodate boxes up to 1.8 metres, and installed a 2.4 x 2.4 metre, two pallet top-hat heat treatment unit.”

“Another significant change was that we converted completely to a no bake/alkaline phenolic moulding system and eliminated any CO2 moulding.”

“In between these installations we have also installed a dust extraction system supplied by Endeco Omega, and a 350 kilogram furnace with two 350 kilogram bodies and a powerpack, supplied by MUR Industries, in the light line bay.”

Implementation of ISO 9001, OHSAS 18001 and ISO 14001

“It is no good having all this wonderful equipment to

Knights Sales diversifies, upgrades furnaces and introduces an outsourced inhouse core blowing facility

The company has also implemented ISO 9001, OHSAS 18001 and ISO 14001 to enforce its quality drive.

The heavy bay area

A 350 kilogram induction furnace with two 350 kilogram bodies and a powerpack was installed recently in the light bay area

A view of the medium line area


work with without backing it up with a quality management system. When all these new equipment purchases took place we promised that we would implement and become accredited for ISO 9001, OHSAS 18001 and ISO 14001.”

“The outward focus of an organisation comes from defining the context, mission, vision, policies, and interested-party expectations. A company’s goals and objectives provide the lens through which this outward focus can be seen. The goals and objectives are translated by top management to key performance indicators, and quality was one of our goals.”

“This has now been vindicated with Knights Sales being accredited with ISO 9001, OHSAS 18001 and ISO 14001 just over a year ago. It took us over two years to reach this goal, but now that we have reached it we can see the results.”

“Additionally, we appointed a full time Quality Manager who is responsible for all these aspects of the company.”

Diversification“The resultant upshot of this is that we have been able to

diversify our product mix. Certain areas of industry that we were not able to penetrate previously, particularly in the local procurement sectors such as power generation and rail transport, are now willing to talk to us because of our quality adherence standards. Naturally all our existing clients also benefit.”

Outsourced inhouse core blowing development“Another recent development has been to outsource

most of our core blowing requirements, although with a slight twist. From the beginning of 2014 RC Systems introduced a service whereby they would supply us with most of our cores, particularly the bigger cores and the larger quantities of the same core.”

“We do have two existing coreshop areas but they handle only the short runs of the smaller cores.”

“We then came to an agreement with RC Systems that they make our cores onsite rather than deliver. This resulted in RC Systems renting floor space from us and setting up their own

coreshop. In other words it is an outsourced inhouse core blowing department.”

“This decision suited our company as well,” said Byron van Niekerk of RC Systems.

“There are numerous advantages gained because of this arrangement that we have with Knights Sales. One of them is a reduction in transport costs and the ability to deliver cores on demand.”

“We have our own staff manning the operation that includes a 25 litre core blower, a 12 litre core blower, three amine gasing stations, two CO2 stations and a 100 kilogram batch mixer.”

“All of this equipment has been manufactured by our fabrication department and remains the property of RC Systems. This has relieved Knights Sales of any further capital expenditure, and furthermore we maintain and develop the equipment, also another cost that our client does not have to budget for.”

“Equally, our dedicated team are experts in their field and that takes another headache away from Knights Sales.”

“All in all it is a very satisfactory agreement and a win win situation for both companies. We have now been operating since the beginning of 2015. We have a reference point now, and will be looking to develop this concept with other foundries soon.”

New induction furnace for medium lineCurrently being installed in the medium line section of

Currently being installed in the medium line section of Knights Sales is a new 650 kilogram 300 kilowatt one body induction furnace

The outsourced inhouse core blowing department at Knights Sales that has been installed and run by RC Systems

Cores that were manufactured in the outsourced inhouse core blowing department

run by RC Systems

A view of the light line area


Knights Sales is a new 650 kilogram 300 kilowatt one body induction furnace, also manufactured by MUR Industries.

“Some of our older furnaces were getting very tired and we needed to upgrade,” said Louis Miller.

Further developments“There are further developments that will be taking place

in the company. One of these, still very much in its infancy stage, is the implementation of a 3D printer. We are on a learning curve but hope to offer this as an additional service to our clients in the future,” Louis Miller explained.

Family businessThe Van der Walt family involvement in Knights Sales

includes the younger generation of Vincent, brother Cobus, sister Belinda and brother-in-law Louis Miller. Father Johann, who was one of three brothers who started the company, is still very much involved with the company, and wife and mother Letitia has been the mainstay of the admin side of the business since the beginning.

Knights Sales currently has 110 staff and operates in a 18 600m² facility in Wadeville, Gauteng.

For further details contact Knights Foundry on TEL: 011 827 2517

Knights Sales have also installed a dust extraction system manufactured and supplied by Endeco Omega

Castings ready for delivery


Ipap 2016, considered a "higher impact Ipap", envisages nothing less than a massive, concerted and focused national industrial effort, intimately involving all the key stakeholders

and economic partners.The eighth iteration of the Industrial Policy Action Plan

(Ipap 2016/17 – 2018/19) was launched by Trade and Industry Minister Rob Davies on 9 May at Guestro Naledi Inhlanganiso Group Foundry (NI-Forge), in Benoni, Gauteng.

“We launch IPAP here today because this venue is important for a number of reasons. These include:

• The fact that Guestro NI Forge is a black-owned manufacturing company competing successfully as a foundry in a very competitive market.

• Guestro NI has benefitted from the dti support measures and is a supplier to Transnet’s locomotive and rolling stock programme designed to support local manufacturers and advance black economic empowerment.

• Guestro NI is therefore a very good company example of what can be done to build strong links between a state-owned company like Transnet, global OEMs supplying into government’s rail procurement programme and local manufacturers coming into the supply chain.”

“These are exactly the kinds of connections we have to foster in order to carry on making steady progress in rebuilding South Africa’s industrial rail capabilities.”

“So let me take this opportunity to congratulate Mr Maphathiane (Executive Chairman) and Mr Du Plessis (CEO), the management and workers at Guestro for their efforts and for the lead they have taken in showing that the emergence and growth of black-owned manufacturing companies is not a pipe dream.”

The higher impact Ipap is expected to build on achievements to date. Davies said there was an even more pressing need for structural change in the economy, to break out of commodity dependence and move to a more diversified base in which increasing manufacturing-based value addition, employment creation and export-intensity came to define South Africa's growth trajectory.

Economic growth should not be based on unsustainable models and industrial policy was key to inclusive growth, he said.

"Inclusive growth cannot be achieved by sticking to an imbalanced and unsustainable economic model based on the service sectors growing at twice the rate of the productive sectors, on the back of credit-fuelled consumption and import-intensity. Especially in tough times, there can be no retreat from industrial policy. It must be strengthened, deepened and embraced by all the social partners."

The national industrial effort envisaged in the latest Ipap must be built on four pillars

• Policy coherence and policy certainty across the government;

• A close collaborative effort between the government, business and labour;

• A commitment to ensure that the linkages between the primary and secondary productive sectors of the economy are maximised; and

• A combined and constructive drive to overcome the key constraints to manufacturing-led, value-adding growth and labour-intensive manufacturing.

Ipap 2016/17 – 2108/19: Key focus areas• Public procurement — greatly enhanced and

enforced compliance with localisation targets set for government departments and state-owned companies.

• A strong focus on spill-over and labour-intensive sectors — in particular agro-processing; the clothing, textiles, leather and footwear sector; the component manufacturing and sub-assembly sub-sectors in automotives; rail, light manufacturing and engineering in the metals sector; plastics and associated sub-sectors; electro-technical assembly, sub-assembly and component manufacturing; and, downstream timber and pulp products, including furniture and boat-building.

• Carefully targeted industrial financing and incentives — including much stronger export credit and export credit insurance support, in combination with a wide range of sector-specific incentives; and energetic implementation of the recently launched Black Industrialists Incentive.

• Leveraging the devaluation of the rand to make South African manufactured products more globally competitive and to create opportunities for the expansion and further development of South Africa's domestic manufacturing capabilities.

Growing exports: There are four main pillars to the IPAP export strategy

• Building partnerships with global original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) focused on transferring technologies and growing South African exports in OEM value chains;

• Partnering with national export champions to catalyse increased national technology absorption for the development of high value exports;

• Strengthening existing industry associations and export councils; including establishing a dedicated Export Council for Africa; and,

• Developing export-orientated production hubs in special economic zones and regional clusters, and fostering industrial decentralisation.

Automotive The Department of Trade and Industry (dti) has

established a team of technical experts to develop a post-2020 Automotives Master Plan. It will create a framework to secure even higher levels of investment and

Eighth Ipap requires break from the pastThere is an "even more pressing need for structural change in the economy", to break out of commodity dependence and move to a more diversified base,

said Minister Davies in launching the latest Industrial Policy Action Plan.


production, higher exports, deepening localisation and expanding employment.

Gas-based industrialisation Ipap 2016 introduces a

medium-term programme to ensure that gas-based industrialisation increasingly develops into one of the spines of our industrial strategy, leveraging natural gas as both a source of power generation and a driver of industrial diversification.

Minimising red tape To open up space for much more streamlined and

business-friendly governance processes.

Ipap 2016 renews efforts to overcome lingering structural obstacles to development and industrialisation, focusing on:

• Working to stabilise electricity supply constraints, while creating an enabling environment for own- and co-generation and fuel cell technology development;

• Continuing efforts to secure port and rail network reforms in order to overcome inefficiencies and associated high costs and robustly support exports; and

• Concerted intra-governmental efforts to address deep-seated and serious skills deficits and mismatches that impact on the capacity of the economy to grow faster and diversify more effectively.

In launching the new iteration of Ipap, Davies listed some of the achievements of 2015/16

Across the dti's main incentive schemes, some of which are administered by the Industrial Development Corporation, such as the Manufacturing Competitiveness Enhancement Programme, R57.1 billion in private-sector investment was leveraged in financial year 2015-16, on the back of R10 billion in incentives (on-budget R4 billion plus R6 billion in 12i tax allowances).

Support is being provided to 1 770 local companies — i.e. at a rate of seven new or established firms every working day in 2015/16.

Public procurement of locally produced clothing and textile products recorded by the National Treasury increased from R264 million in 2013/14 to R479 million in 2015/16 — an increase of 82%.

Designation of bus bodies has led to the local manufacture and assembly of more than 700 bus bodies. Alongside the rejuvenation of the bus industry for the various bus rapid transit systems, there has been a substantial increase in medium and heavy commercial vehicle exports. In 2012, South Africa exported just R1.3 billion worth of these vehicles. By 2014, this had almost tripled to R3.7 billion. Performance is expected to improve even further in 2015/16.

Rob Davies


“In terms of the Bill of Rights included in the Constitution of South Africa, the citizens of South Africa have the right to have the environment protected and to live in an

environment that is not harmful to human health or well-being.”The result of this is The National Environmental

Management: Air Quality Act, the law aimed at managing air quality in South Africa. It is concerned with regulating both point source emissions and ambient air quality. One of the tools it provides for controlling air pollution is the atmospheric emission licence, a licence that must be held by anyone who carries out a process listed under the Act (a listed activity).

There are a number of amendments listed for this Act, too numerous to list.

One of the legal instruments developed to ensure that this right is given effect to, is the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) regulations promulgated in terms of the Environment Conservation Act in 1997 that is in the hands of the Department of Environmental Affairs.

And then there is the National Environmental Management Act of 2004, the Waste Act and many others.

In light of these Acts, the Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) has established the South African Air Quality Information System (SAAQIS), which is hosted by the South African Weather Service (SAWS) and in-line with regulatory requirements, the National Air Quality Officer has established an internet-based National Atmospheric Emission Inventory System (NAEIS).

On 12 June 2015 in Government Gazette 38863 Notice Number 551 the Minister of Environmental Affairs amended the list of activities which result in

atmospheric emissions, and which require a license published under GN 893 of 22 November 2013 in terms of section 21(1)(b) of the National Environmental Management: Air Quality Act 39 of 2004 (NEM: AQA).

Then there is the Atmospheric Emissions Licence (AEL).You get where I am going? There is a ‘mine field’ of Acts

to follow, and licences to apply for, before you can even start operating, especially if you are in the field of polluting, which many foundries are, by the very nature of the industry. We all understand that we must protect our environment and offenders should be prosecuted if they do not comply. But there is a limit.

On the upside, a whole industry has been created to deal with the environment, creating employment opportunities and, of course, the ambiguous expensive consultants.

Atmospheric Emissions Licence

In accordance to the National Environmental Management Act of 2004, all Foundry Operators were required to apply for their AEL's with the local authority or municipality by 31st March 2014. Failure to do so would mean that the Foundry is operating illegally and the result could lead to extreme penalties, even closure of the business.

Air pollution affects everyone and normally occurs when there is a change in the composition of the ambient air. This can be caused by smoke, dust, gases, fumes, aerosols and odorous substances.

The scope of this licence includes such things as stack emission sampling and, of course, air quality monitoring.

Dutifully most foundry concerns applied for the

Section 24G of NEMA continues to be a thorn in the flesh of a wide group of different stakeholders — is it another money making racket?

Foundries cannot get Atmospheric Emissions Licence without admitting that they broke the law and face either closure or a heavy fine.


licence. But here comes the curve ball.

Applications for rectification of unlawful commencement or continuation of listed activities under NEMA and the Waste Act

Since its first incorporation into NEMA, s.24G has been a thorn in the flesh of a wide group of different stakeholders, from authorities to civil society organisations to innocent and aggrieved violators of NEMA.

It provided the Minister or MEC with the power, on application by a party who has committed an offence under s.24F of NEMA (i.e. commenced listed activity without an environmental authorisation), to direct that party to prepare what is essentially an environmental impact report (including public participation) and an environmental management plan (EMP). On receipt of such a report and EMP, the Minister or MEC could either grant an after-the-fact environmental authorisation subject to conditions, or direct the applicant to rehabilitate the harm caused.

In May 2011, based on inputs from the Centre for Environmental Rights (CER), stakeholders and members of its expert panel, the CER made a submission to the Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) that proposed a revised s.24G.

In September 2011, the CER made a submission to the DEA on the National Environmental Management Laws Amendment Bill, 2011, published for comment on 26 August 2011. The Amendment Bill included amendments proposed to s.24G.

Following public comment, the Draft Bill was submitted to the Parliament of the Republic of South Africa in February 2012. On 10 February 2012, the Bill was referred to the Portfolio Committee on Water and Environmental Affairs (PCWEA) and the Select

Committee on Land and Environmental Affairs in terms of Joint Rule 159 for processing.

On 4 May 2012, the National Environmental Management Laws Amendment Bill [B13-2012] (2012 Bill) was introduced in Parliament. The PCWEA invited interested stakeholders to submit written comments on the 2012 Bill by 18 July 2012 (although comments were invited on 19 March 2012, this was before the latest version of the draft Bill was available for comment).

Among other things, the 2012 Bill proposed an increase of the s.24G administrative fine from R1 million to R5 million.


Even more damming was the threat of: ‘A person guilty of an offence in terms of regulation section 49A (1) (a) read with section 24F of NEMA of these Regulations is liable in the case of a first conviction to a fine not exceeding R5 million or to imprisonment of a period not exceeding five years, and in the case of a second or subsequent conviction to a fine not exceeding R10 million or imprisonment for a period not exceeding 10 years and in respect of both instances to both such fine and such imprisonment.’

In other words…An application for an Atmospheric Emissions Licence

suddenly, or was more than likely construed, triggered an investigation into whether the company had an s.24G clearance or environmental authorisation. I say construed because the foundry owners I spoke to were unaware that they had to have an s.24G.

The dreaded notice then arrives: Mr Lourens Badenhorst (Environmental Management Inspector, Gauteng Province Agriculture and Rural Development) has issued a Notice of Intention to Issue a Compliance Notice in respect of the unlawful construction/commenced activities at XYZ address … in terms of this ACT and that Act. Activities according to GNR 387, GNR 984, GNRetc, etc. were commenced on XYZ date and were at all relevant times pursuant to s24G of Nema as activities that require prior environmental authorisation (EA) or licences.

Continuing: The Directive I am issuing regarding your application and instruct you to do is… — then there are a number of environmental impact studies and actions that are listed according to each company’s application and business activities.

You are also instructed to appoint an environmental assessment practitioner (more money to fork out) who has to provide a comprehensive environmental impact report, without influence from the owners. This report must include public participation, scientific study reports and the report must be submitted within four months of receiving the directive.

A huge amount of administrative instructions are directed as well. In my opinion most companies in South Africa don’t have the staff or time to affect these requirements or reports as stipulated.

While this is happening you are not allowed to expand your business in terms of where there could be further environmental impact or air quality pollution or environmental degradation. Additionally, you would have to cease all activities relating to the ones just mentioned if you are not meeting the minimum requirements as stipulated per the act. In terms of a foundry operation you would more than likely have to close the business.

Furthermore, at any time during this period of four months, our trusty Grade 1 environmental management inspector Mr Lourens Badenhorst or a duly authorised person can arrive at your company unannounced to see if you are complying. If not, criminal proceedings could be implemented - that is a first conviction to a fine not exceeding R5 million or to imprisonment of a period not exceeding five years.

While compiling this story a report was published that Ekurhuleni’s Member of the Mayoral Committee on Environmental Resource Management Ndosi Shongwe called on “industries producing carbon emissions to adhere to strict environment laws in order to assist the municipality achieve clean air.” Shongwe said the 2014 findings by the National Air Quality indicated that Ekurhuleni was the city with the “worst air pollution”.

I might just mention here that most of the foundries targeted for the offence under s.24F of NEMA fall within Ekurhuleni.

Local procurementAt the same time, Trade and Industry Minister Rob Davies

was launching the latest Industrial Policy Action Plan - Ipap 2016 (the eighth iteration of the plan) — at one of the larger foundries within the Ekurhuleni area. Amongst others, Davies said key focal areas would be public procurement, a strong focus on spill-over and labour-intensive sectors such as the automotive, rail and light manufacturing and engineering in the metals sectors, leveraging the devaluation of the rand, growing exports, gas-based industrialisation and minimising red tape to make South African manufactured products more globally competitive, and to create opportunities for the expansion and further development of South Africa's domestic manufacturing capabilities, as well as growing exports by involving all the key stakeholders and economic partners.

The government has also designated a significant number of products for local procurement.

The policy aims to build on its successes since it was introduced in 2007. In the original plan areas such as capital/transport equipment, the metals industries and the automotive and components areas were designated as high priority for “The design and implementation of an Industrial Upgrading Programme to deepen manufacturing capabilities,” to stimulate local manufacturing through reducing import leakage by supplying into government’s SOE procurement programme and local manufacturers coming into the supply chain.

Through this plan government set out a broad approach to industrialisation in the context of the Accelerated and Shared Growth Initiative for South Africa (ASGI-SA) and its targets of halving unemployment and poverty by 2014 through accelerated growth of at least six per cent from 2010. Remember this was in 2007 and the plan was very ambitious as we reflect on it now.

Minimising red tape One of the key statements in IPAP 2016 is to “To open

up space for much more streamlined and business-friendly governance processes”, in other words minimising red tape.

Ipap 2016 also renews efforts to overcome lingering structural obstacles to development and industrialisation, focusing on:

• Working to stabilise electricity supply constraints, while creating an enabling environment for own- and co-generation and fuel cell technology development;

• Continuing efforts to secure port and rail network reforms in order to overcome inefficiencies and associated high costs and robustly support exports; and

• Concerted intra-governmental efforts to address deep-seated and serious skills deficits and mismatches that impact on the capacity of the economy to grow faster and diversify more effectively.

Now, I ask myself, why on the one hand Trade and Industry Minister Rob Davies can deliver a government policy that will help manufacturing and industry go a long way to alleviating many social problems such as unemployment and skills development within this country, while his colleagues in other departments are putting up all sorts of obstacles to destroy manufacturing and industry in this country? It is just my opinion — you tell me!


It is with regret and great sadness that we learned of the sudden passing of Glen Tillett last month. Glen succumbed to injuries he sustained after a freak accident at home.

“Glen was so looking forward to enjoying some travelling and relaxation in the coming months as he was beginning to wind down to retirement,” said Glen’s business partner and son-in-law Allan Bruggeman.

“But sadly it was not to be. He would have turned 74 on the 22nd of May. After spending many years of his working career in the foundry industry, his retirement would have been richly deserved, although his life-work ethos was ‘The day I die, is the day I retire’.”

Glen was the first of five children (his younger brother Mike’s twin was to die during childbirth) born to Cyril and Antoinette Tillett in Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu Natal. They decided to name their first born Anthony Glen Tillett, having the honour of being named after his mother Antoinette. It was a name that he was taunted with during his childhood, and soon discarded! And because his mother’s nickname was Tony, he opted to use his second name Glen, which is the name we are all familiar with.

On the death of his grandfather, Frederick, Glen’s father used his inheritance money to purchase a farm in Northern Rhodesia (now known as Zambia). As a young boy on the remote farm, Glen developed a deep love for the bushveld and wild animals, where he would spend days in the bush sleeping beneath the stars. In an attempt to turn this colonial ruffian into a gentleman, he was sent to Kingswood College, a boarding school in Grahamstown, Eastern Cape.

However, a three-day train trip with fellow Kingswoodians allowed for much adventure and mischief. And it was at Kingswood College that Glen founded the extramural society that the Headmaster named the “Guinea Fowl Gang”, because whenever the headmaster would take his dog for a walk on a Sunday afternoon up Sugarloaf, a small sandstone koppie behind the school, he would witness the college boys scurrying in all directions, keeping low to the ground trying their best to not be identified and thus avoid receiving six of the best for smoking. It would be another 20 years before Glen kicked the habit, only to become a vociferous anti-smoking evangelist.

“It was in Northern Rhodesia on the 25th April 1964 that Glen married the love of his life and his soul mate, our mother Cynthia. Their devotion to each other for 52 glorious years together has been an inspiration to us, their children and has taught us much about unconditional love and selflessness. Their first three children, Marlene, Brian and I were born in Kitwe, Zambia,” said Malcolm Tillett, Glen’s third born, while delivering the Eulogy for his father at Glen’s Memorial Service.

The nationalisation of the mines in Zambia meant the family moved to Salisbury in Rhodesia (now known as Zimbabwe) where their fourth child, Natasha was born. Prior to moving to Salisbury Glen had worked with Scaw Metals and Rio Tinto in Zambia.

This proved to be a turbulent period for Glen and his family as it was the time of the Rhodesian Bush War. Glen was called up to serve as a Lieutenant in the Rhodesian Army, having done his national service in the Rhodesia and Nyasaland Federation with the Royal Rhodesian Regiment.

“This was the time of six weeks in and six weeks out of the military, petrol coupons and rationing. The running of the household and raising of the family fell fully onto my mother’s shoulders. However, there was much joy as my father came home for weekend passes in a camouflaged Land Rover - with doors removed! He would reminisce later with me on the difficult

terrain they would have to pass through in the Landies, and how much admiration he had for the vehicle. Later on in life Dad would rebuild Land Rovers as a hobby. Other hobbies of Dad’s included breeding and selling tropical fish,” said Malcolm Tillett.

“Not too long after Zimbabwean independence, the shadow of gloom and retribution began to stretch across the country. The family departed for South Africa and ended up back in KwaZulu Natal.”

After a brief stint selling foundry products for Foseco, Glen joined HA Falchem, also selling foundry products, with whom he stayed with for 18 years.

From hobby to full time businessThe need by a pump manufacturer to get castings out

quicker and ultimately the final product delivered to the client in a shorter time, led Glen Tillett and his son-in-law Allan Bruggeman, who had married Glen’s eldest child Marlene, to start their own full production foundry — Matt Cast Supplies — back in September 1999. Both Glen and Allan, who is a metallurgist, had been in the foundry industry for a number of years and had been dabbling very successfully in the manufacture of brass sundials. It was mainly a hobby that Glen had been pursuing.

“We were running a small foundry on the weekends to make the sundials. We supply the majority of these to nurseries in the Gauteng area. I had the experience from the manufacturing side and Glen the know how on the supply side so the transition to a bigger, full time foundry was very easy,” said Allan.

“When I say a bigger, full time foundry it is relative.”Matt Cast Supplies started its operations in a small rented

factory in Germiston, Gauteng with a total employee compliment of four people, producing four tons of castings per month. Matt Cast was established to manufacture components almost exclusively for the well-known pump manufacturer APE Pumps, but has since diversified into other industrial sectors.

Glen and Allan remained as business partners, friends and family until Glen’s untimely passing. During this period the company and foundry achieved many milestones and today employs 42 staff. Keeping it in the family, Glen’s youngest daughter Natasha joined the company in 2001 and her husband, Murray Speed, joined in 2004.

Glen was also a loyal member of the South African Institute of Foundrymen, having joined in February 1981.

“My Dad could fix almost anything. From cars, washing machines, video cassette recorders, and televisions through to computers and laptops. Put anything in front of him, and he would soon have it figured out. My Dad rebuilt my brother Brian and my two sisters first cars. Mine was rebuilt from two VW Golf I’s that had been written off.”

“I, along with my siblings, would describe my Dad as remarkable, amazing, and our superhero. His grandchildren remember him for his gentleness, warmth and encouragement. His friends have told me that he was both a gentle man and a gentleman. And whatever your memories are of Anthony Glen Tillett, hold them tight, for they are precious.”

Glen is survived by his wife Cynthia, four children and eight grandchildren. We express our sincere condolences and thank the family for allowing us to use extracts from the eulogy.

Celebrating the life of Glen Tillett

The Rapid Product Development Association of South Africa (RAPDASA) will hold its 17th Annual International Conference from 2 to 4 November 2016

at the Vaal University of Technology, VUT Southern Gauteng Science and Technology Park, Vanderbijlpark, South Africa.

The theme for this year's conference is: "Building on the foundations - consolidating impact into products to enhance quality of life for all South Africans".

In support of this theme, the first day of the conference will build on the success created during RAPDASA 2015 and again be dedicated to a special event entitled the “South African Additive Manufacturing Innovation Showcase”. This event will bring together the leading innovators / entrepreneurs in Additive Manufacturing (3D printing) in South Africa, allowing them to share their ideas on innovation and product development using additive manufacturing. As the conference will be presented at the VUT Southern Gauteng Science and Technology Park, daily visits to the Advanced Manufacturing Precinct, hosting one of the largest AM installations in South Africa, will be conducted.

With respect to the conference theme, papers can be submitted under any of the following topics:

• AM business development• New AM applications• Impact of AM on the intellectual property

environment• Design for Additive Manufacturing• Reverse engineering• Simulation and modelling

• Process monitoring and control• Material evaluation and selection• Post processing and qualification• Material / Process development

• Product development

Conference packageThe conference will be held at the VUT Southern

Gauteng Science and Technology Park, located in Sebokeng, just north of Vanderbijlpark in the Gauteng province. The conference fee will be R4,100 for delegates and R2,750 for students** which will include:

• 3 days full conference participation• Lunch and refreshments

(tea/coffee breaks)• Cocktail function• Gala dinner• Advanced Manufacturing Precinct tour

The organising committee would like to extend a special invitation to SMMEs, entrepreneurs, inventors, engineers, product designers, toolmakers, production staff, technical directors and managers from industries involved in the design, development and manufacturing of products and components. You are welcome to participate and share experience and learning in the field of AM, or simply attend the conference and gain a better understanding of AM’s possible impact on your business.

Pre-conference workshopPre-conference workshops will be presented on

31 October 2016 and 1 November 2016. The workshops will include “Additive Manufacturing of Titanium Parts”, hosted by the Central University of Technology, and “Idea 2 Product” hosted by the Vaal University of Technology (VUT). Further information and cost will be given in future communications. For more information regarding the pre-conference workshop, contact: Jenny van Rensburg [email protected] Tel: 051-507 3456

Online registration has opened on the RAPDASA website and there are calls for papers, and an early bird registration fee discount will apply.

For further information, please contact Sarah Tlale on TEL: 016 930 5023 or email [email protected]

RAPDASA 17th Annual International Conference



I do not claim to fully understand what's currently happening in this space and the reasons for it.

The Steel Industry is in troubled waters. There are many indicators to this effect, but job losses are an important one. According to the MEIBC, the Steel Industry has lost 150,000 jobs over the last 10 years, of which 40,000 jobs were lost in 2015 and 9,000 in the month of November 2015 alone. The MEIBC is predicting a further 30,000 job losses in the Steel Industry this year.

There is more than one reason for this job-bloodbath. There is of course the effect of the global economy and certain factors over which we have little control. The MEIBC and its continuous unconstitutional and unlawful actions have exacerbated the situation in that it has deprived business of the flexibility to counter the global challenge. The MEIBC and those who benefit by this system, and those opting to sit on the fence, must take a huge amount of blame for the state of the Steel Industry.

For many years there was the impact of the senseless 'import parity pricing' arrangement - when that arrangement suited Mittal - and when it no longer suited them, they arranged for the introduction of the current, similarly devastating, protectionist duties and safeguarding measures, all aimed at protecting Mittal. They somehow always find a way to convince government that they deserve some extraordinary

arrangement which either benefits or protects them. How they manage to do that only they will know, especially since protecting old, outdated, expensive liquid steel manufacturing facilities, the Industry's demise will continue and millions of South Africans will suffer under inflated prices of downstream steel products.

Nobody can deny the challenge posed by China. But Mittal, at least for now, is posing a much bigger threat to downstream manufacturers. Since the introduction of protectionist duties in September 2015, and further looming safeguard duties, Mittal has increased its prices on 5 (five) occasions; the cumulative effect thereof is an increase of approximately 25 percent in the price of steel since September 2015, all the while denying local manufacturers the benefit of imported high quality, but cheaper steel. The effect in the market is severe.

Mittal is not a South African asset; it is foreign owned. There is nothing to suggest that it is doing anything other than pursuing its own short term interests. In this sense its objectives are not dissimilar to that of China. Thus far they have done nothing of concrete significance to improve their operations in order to serve downstream manufacturing better and cheaper.

These repeated Mittal-special arrangements affect all South Africans, either directly or indirectly. Employers and workers are affected immediately. But there will inevitably be a much wider ripple effect. When an industry as important as

this one is dying, nobody will escape unscathed.

So, whereto from here? The answer isn't obvious, but there must be a better solution than the one Mittal and the Department of Trade and Industry is pursuing. That, however, can only be the result of honest consultation and solution seeking, not the farce that took place until now.

We urge government to appoint a judicial commission of enquiry to determine the state of the Steel Industry: What the real causes are of the alleged situation Mittal finds itself in, the effect of various very unique arrangements with government, the suitability of current protectionist measures, the effect thereof on downstream manufacturing and to advise government on appropriate measures.

The Minister of Trade and Industry is called upon to take the initiative in this regard.

This opinion piece is written by Gerhard Papenfus, writing in his personal capacity, as the Chief Executive of the National Employers’ Association

of South Africa (NEASA).

Sacrificing the steel industry to save Mittal


While many companies thrive during an upturn, downturns are what separate the serious players from the rest in any industry. It is times like this when

customers become more demanding looking for critical supply-chain partners that can help optimise their processes.

This is exactly how Weir Minerals Africa has managed to retain its leading position as a one-stop point for providing slurry solutions to mining as well as other industries. As Rene Calitz, head of strategy and marketing for Weir Minerals Africa points out a host of industries, including large blue-chip mining houses and their smaller counterparts are entering into long-term partnerships with companies that can help them lower their total cost of ownership.

“It is our ability to lower their total cost of ownership that has seen mines return to us, after a short period of experimentation with other products. The industry knows that we offer this solid value proposition,” she says.

Bucking a trend One of the cornerstones of Weir Minerals Africa’s success

in sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East is the credence it places on research and development (R&D). The international group spend on R&D has been increased by 17%. Its focus is not only on continuously improving the overall performance of its solutions, ranging from pumps and hydrocyclones all the way through to screen media and wear resistant linings, but also on its critical after-sales service system.

In addition to improving the overall performance traits of its products, such as making them more energy efficient, Calitz says attention is also given to the materials used to make wear parts to improve longevity.

While the replacement cycles of wear items has been significantly reduced, she notes that this approach to business forms the basis of Weir Minerals Africa’s long-term business relationship with its customers.

“Our focus on lowering the total cost of ownership of our products over their entire lifecycle means we have established a sustainable business where mines keep coming back to us,” she says.

Longevity and durability of its offering is also ensured by its manufacturing ethos, which is to always keep close control over the entire production process. All critical and proprietary components are manufactured in-house.

This same mindset has also been carried over to the OEM’s very important after-sales support system. Calitz says that Weir Minerals Africa prefers to distribute its own products and support them directly in the field, as opposed to relying on distribution agreements with external players.

Bear in mind that a sizeable portion of Weir Minerals Africa’s R&D initiative is also ploughed into market development. By taking this approach, the company ensures responsive and open communication between the design and manufacturing arm, as well as the sales and after-market support functions at all times. As Calitz points out, critical information is fed from operations level to the engineering department. Improvements are constantly being made to existing and new product lines.

Not only is this approach in line with optimising and lowering operating costs on site, but it also helps industrial companies plan by being able to “offer them predictability”.

Into Africa One of Weir Minerals Africa’s strengths is its strong African

footprint, from which it has been able to service all the main mining destinations on the continent. It supports the gold mines in West Africa from its premises in Ghana, while also boasting a presence in the gold-mining regions in East Africa, which it supports from its facilities in Tanzania. Central Africa remains a key growth area for Weir Minerals Africa where it services a sizeable share of the copper mining sector from Zambia.

“This is definitely another big competitive edge for us. We are able to provide an extensive back-up service in-country as we are literally on customers’ doorsteps,” says Calitz.

And, while many other OEMs and suppliers may be scaling back, she says Weir Minerals Africa has retained high levels of parts and spares stockholding to ensure it can minimise downtime. This also bolsters its abilities when entering into full service level agreements with both large and small mining houses.

For further details contact Weir Minerals Africa on TEL: 011 929 2622 or visit www.weirminerals.com

Weir Minerals pumping into Africa

WMA has supplied screens, cyclones, hoses andpumps in a quarrying application

Dewatering pumps mounted to custom built pontoons offer customer flexibility in water applications


Increasing pressure to improve the performance of critical pumping equipment and reduce costly down time is creating opportunities for a novel method for making one of a pump’s

key components.Impellers play a crucial part in a pump’s overall efficiency,

but ensuring their blades are perfectly balanced and of a suitable surface quality, thickness and geometry to ensure a long service life, delivering maximum flow rates, is difficult to achieve using traditional casting processes.

It is not unusual for blade thicknesses to vary when impellers are made using sand moulds and, although they can be dynamically balanced in air that does not mean they will remain balanced during operation when pumping a fluid. Improving the surface quality of the impeller’s blades is also difficult and expensive because protective shrouds severely restrict access.

Castings Technology International, based in the Advanced Manufacturing Park at Catcliffe, near Sheffield, realised its Replicast® process could offer an alternative solution. The organisation, which specialises in helping castings companies to solve problems and improve production, has now further developed the process so that it can produce impellers that have inherently challenging narrow passageways.

As a result, Replicast® can now be used to produce correctly balanced impellers up to a metre in diameter with high dimensional accuracy and superior surface finish. At first it seemed that the lower cost of impellers made using traditional processes limited demand for Replicast® impellers. However, that is changing following optimisation of the Replicast® process, which has reduced the cost of impellers by around 30 per cent, and a shift of focus among pump users and manufacturers towards the total cost of pump ownership and ‘up time’.

At least one manufacturer has moved from focusing on a casting’s ticket price to how much it costs them to buy the raw casting, process it and install it in a pump. The switch makes Cti’s impellers far more attractive since they have significantly lower, to zero, non-conformance costs, require little or no "detailing" and far less finish machining, thanks to the company’s near-net-shape process.

Replicast® uses ceramic shells formed around sacrificial replica patterns, made directly from

CAD designs using additive manufacturing technologies or machined from polystyrene.

Tests have shown that pumps using Replicast® impellers are 10 per cent more efficient than impellers made by traditional methods, which means pumps can be smaller, further reducing material and manufacturing costs.

New designs can be produced in half the time it would take if a conventional wooden pattern had to be made, modifications can be made just as rapidly, and it is far easier to reverse engineer a product, using a Coordinate Measuring Machine to collect the data to produce a CAD design from which the sacrificial pattern can be made.

“The oil and gas, chemical process, power and water purification industries are all beginning to focus

on total cost, and realising how financially damaging it can be to suffer any down time because of pump failures,” says Cti’s Richard Gould.

“We are also responding to demands for greener, more efficient pumps and rapid maintenance solutions by being prepared to hold stock and provide a replacement service that will exchange new and refurbished impellers for routine maintenance.”

Cti Ltd specialises in helping castings companies to solve problems and improve production. The organisation also supplies the high value manufacturing sector with low volume, precision steel, superalloy and titanium castings that would otherwise be difficult to source.

For further information contact Castings Technology International on TEL: +44 (0) 114 2541144 or visit www.castingstechnology.com

international news

High quality cast impellers made using Cti's advanced technology Replicast® process

Demand for novel casting process fuelled by drive for improved performance and total cost focus.


The original Oscar statuette was sculpted

in 1928 by Los Angeles artist George Stanley. The first statuettes were cast in bronze by Guido Nelli at the California Bronze Foundry. For the past 33 years the statuettes have been manufactured at a Chicago trophy company where they were cast in britannia metal and gold plated. The statuette’s base was made of black, nickel-plated spun brass.

In 2015 the Academy sought to return to the original process of lost wax cast bronze for reasons of tradition and quality. They chose Polich Tallix as the place to start anew. While the essence of the sculpture has never changed, over the years small changes had crept in. Of particular importance was the subtle softening of the statuette’s features. After review and much conversation between the Academy and the foundry, it was decided to start by scanning a classic Oscar from 1928 as well as the modern Oscar used in 2015. These two scans were then blended to make the 2016 design closer to George Stanley’s original Art Deco sculpture. The new 2016 Oscar marries the best features of the classic Oscar to the contemporary form of the modern Oscar through 3-D modelling.

This new design was then 3-D printed in wax. A mould of the wax print was made and used to make the modern wax version for each statuette. The waxes are each dipped in a ceramic shell slurry for ten coats. Once the shell is cured, it is fired in an oven at 870° C. Bronze at 1015° C is then poured into the hot ceramic shell and allowed to cool overnight. The next morning, the bronze castings are broken out of the ceramic shell and the plumbing system that guides the metal into the body of the casting is cut off.

The castings are then sanded to a mirror polish finish and electroplated with 24 karat gold. The statuette’s base, also cast in bronze, is given a smooth, black finish. After the

presentation, a mirror polished engraved bronze plate with each winner’s name and category is attached in the center of the base.

Epner Technology, founded in 1910, originally developed Laser Gold for Xerox® and later modified the process for NASA Spacecraft. Deposited by electroplating, Laser Gold is a pure 24 kt gold that is also three times harder than ordinary pure gold.

The statuette’s base, also cast in bronze, is given a smooth, black finish.

Oscar returns to bronzeThis year's Oscars® coated with same Laser Gold® plating process

used in NASA spacecraft.


After the presentation, a mirror polished engraved bronze plate with each winner’s name and category is attached in the center of the base.

Production time for 57 statuettes is about three months. The completed gold plated statuette on its base is 343mm tall and weighs about 3.85 kilograms. The foundry is excited to be continuing this highly esteemed, long-established tradition of honoring accomplishment with a cast object created by an artist.

“Polich Tallix has made many of such awards honoring all manners of accomplishment but never before,” says founder Dick Polich, “an object of such renowned and instant recognition.”

Polich Tallix also created statuette nameplates for every Oscar nominee. Two colleagues from Polich Tallix were on hand at the Governors Ball, the Academy’s official post-Oscars celebration, with screwdrivers, affixing nameplates of winners onto the coveted Oscar statuettes.

The Oscar winners are a secret even to Polich Tallix. The artisans engraved 218 nameplates, also in different material than years prior.


Previous LIFT programmes have focused on ductile iron casting, aluminium diecasting, aluminium-lithium alloys,

and modeling titanium products design and development.

Project seeks data to track, predict corrosion in aircraft parts

The Lightweight Innovations for Tomorrow (LIFT) programme initiated a fifth research programme, this one dedicated to developing a database and computer models

that will predict corrosion in aluminium alloys, in airplanes and other transport applications. LIFT is a public-private partnership launched in 2014 under the aegis of the U.S. Department of Defense to coordinate industrial and academic interests to develop and deploy manufacturing technologies for lightweight metal products.

Previous LIFT programmes have focused on ductile iron casting, aluminium diecasting, aluminium-lithium alloys, and modeling titanium products design and development.

The latest project will draw together researchers at The Ohio State University and United Technologies Research Center, working with Lockheed Martin, DNV GL (an international certification body), and the University of Michigan.

“Our role is identifying innovations that are ready to make the jump from the lab to production, then leveraging the right expertise and resources to deliver results,” stated LIFT’s chief technology officer Alan Taub. “It’s exciting to see all the potential we have to transform lightweight metal manufacturing, and to help move those technologies into production.”

Taub noted that presently engineers working to combat corrosion are forced to use experience and expensive, labour-intensive testing to identify how manufacturing processes (heating, forming), and actual use affect the corrosion-resistance of a specific part.

“Identifying a new database and models will improve the ability of laboratory computer simulations to predict corrosion based on the microstructure of every area of a finished component,” according to Taub.

Rudy Buchheit, OSU associate dean and professor of Materials Science and Engineering, and a project investigator, explained a two-phase plan to building predictive computer models. “First, we will use a well-characterised system to ensure all the essential components are included,” he said.

“We will then extend our work to test one of these newer

alloys after they have been shaped in various ways,” he continued. Those results will allow us to build a new materials properties database with very precise information about metal microstructure and corrosion.”

Taub explained that that the research will concentrate on classes of alloys of aluminium widely used in aircraft parts manufacturing, including alloys with copper, lithium, magnesium, manganese, and zinc. “There is a potential for weight reduction if parts can be made thinner without compromising performance due to corrosion after significant time in service,” he added.

“We’ve come a long way from applying a coat of paint to prevent steel from rusting, but there is still a lot to learn about the way shaping a part from one of the new aluminium alloys affects the way it corrodes once it is put to use,” according to Kenneth Smith, the project’s principal investigator and a staff engineer for Materials Chemistry, at UTRC. “Using sophisticated computer simulations provided by LIFT will save design time and weight as we incorporate more of these metals into aircraft and other forms of transportation.”

John Allison, professor of Materials Science and Engineering at the University of Michigan, and one of the project investigators, said, “What we already know and what we will learn during the course of this project will be captured in advanced computer models that can be used by our industry partners to take into account everything from the original microstructure of the alloy to the very localised effects of every bend, squeeze or stretch of the manufacturing processes that create a finished part.”

Current efforts to combat corrosion rely on experience and expensive, labour-intensive testing to identify

how manufacturing processes (heating, forming) and actual use affect the corrosion-resistance of a specific part


Swiss measurement and automation engineering specialist Endress+Hauser has completed the takeover of German analytical instrumentation

provider Analytik Jena. The remaining minority shares of Analytik Jena were legally transferred to Endress+Hauser on 30 March 2016 following the entry of the transfer resolution in the commercial registry that was previously adopted at the extraordinary general meeting in February. The process will now be finalised with the agreed-upon cash payout to the minority shareholders.

In the run up to the completed takeover, as majority shareholder Endress+Hauser owned all but 3.4 percent of the Analytik Jena shares. The demand for the remaining shares was delivered to Analytik Jena in September 2015.This set the final part of the takeover process in motion, during which an independent appraiser fixed the value of the company at 13.68 euros per share.

Endress+Hauser gained control of publicly-traded

Analytik Jena AG in 2013, most recently holding 96.6 percent of the shares. The goal of the acquisition is to eventually be at the side of both companies’ customers from the lab to the process, giving support from product development to production. Analytik Jena employs nearly 1 000 staff worldwide in its core businesses, analytical instrumentation and life sciences.

The Endress+Hauser GroupEndress+Hauser is a leader in measurement

instrumentation, services and solutions for industrial process engineering. Endress+Hauser provides sensors, instruments, systems and services for level, flow, pressure and temperature measurement as well as analytics and data acquisition for the chemical, petrochemical, food and beverage, oil and gas, water and wastewater, power and energy, life science, primaries and metal, renewable energies, pulp & paper and shipbuilding industries.

Endress+Hauser completes takeover of Analytik Jena

Remaining minority shareholders receive cash compensation.


SI Group, a leading global developer and manufacturer of chemical intermediates, speciality resins, and solutions, has received a silver award for Corporate Social

Responsibility by EcoVadis, an international organisation that provides sustainability ratings for global supply chains. SI Group was ranked among the top 13 percent of more than 25,000 worldwide companies assessed by EcoVadis.

EcoVadis' Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) scorecards rate suppliers' environmental, ethical, and social practices across 150 purchasing categories and 110 countries. The EcoVadis methodology covers 21 individual criteria across four themes, including environment, fair labour practices, ethics and fair business practices, and supply chain.

The methodology is built on international corporate social responsibility standards, including the Global Reporting Initiative, the United National Global Compact, and the ISO 26000, covering 150 spend categories and 140 countries. For more information, visit www.ecovadis.com.

"Operating a sustainable and socially responsible organisation is a long-term commitment," said Frank Bozich, President & CEO at SI Group. "Our collaboration with EcoVadis represents a vital component of our broader global sustainability efforts. We're honored to have received this

rating, as this achievement both recognises the investments we have made in systems that support our sustainability efforts, and also establishes a new baseline from which we will continue."

In addition to the EcoVadis rating, SI Group has been a member of the American Chemistry Council's Responsible Care® program for over 25 years. Responsible Care® is a world-class environmental, health, safety and security

performance initiative aimed at improving the health and safety of employees, communities and the

environment as a whole, moving the industry toward a safer and more sustainable future.

About SI GroupSI Group is a leading global developer

and manufacturer of chemical intermediates, speciality resins, and solutions that are critical to the quality and performance of countless

industrial and consumer goods. Founded in 1906 and headquartered in Schenectady, New York,

SI Group is a family-owned company with over 2,700 employees worldwide. SI Group operates 20 manufacturing facilities on five continents with $1.6 billion in annual sales. For more information visit www.siigroup.com.

For further details contact SI Group SA on TEL: 011 389 8200 or visit www.siigroup.com or www.huettenes-albertus.com

SI Group ranks high in global corporate social responsibility


Globe Specialty Metals has recently announced it has completed its amalgamation with Grupo FerroAtlántica, finalising the creation of the new company Ferroglobe

PLC. The business amalgamation, which was first announced on February 23 2015, was completed following receipt of all required regulatory clearances and approvals.

Ferroglobe will be among the world's leading suppliers of silicon metal, silicon-based specialty alloys, and ferroalloys serving a customer base across the globe in dynamic and fast-growing end-markets such as solar, automotive, consumer products, construction, and energy.

"We are pleased to have successfully completed our business amalgamation with FerroAtlántica. As Ferroglobe, we believe we will have a broader production base and increased access to new markets and products, allowing us to accelerate our growth strategies. We intend to manage our business to maximise free cash flow generation and return on investment. We expect that this, along with our uniquely conservative balance sheet, will position us to continue to deliver on exceptional growth opportunities for our shareholders," said Alan Kestenbaum, Executive Chairman of Ferroglobe and founder of Globe Specialty Metals, Inc.

Javier López Madrid, Executive Vice Chairman of Ferroglobe and Managing Director of Grupo Villar Mir, said: "We are thrilled to have completed this business amalgamation with Globe Specialty Metals. Combined we will be well-positioned to better serve our business in existing markets as well as develop into new, attractive downstream markets such as solar energy. In addition, we will continue to reduce our cost base and execute on synergies, allowing us to unlock significant future value for our shareholders."

Ferroglobe will be listed on NASDAQ under the symbol "GSM." The newly combined business will be headquartered in London.

About Globe Specialty MetalsGlobe Specialty Metals, Inc. is among the world's leading

producers of silicon metal and silicon-based specialty alloys, critical ingredients in a host of industrial and consumer

products with growing markets. Customers include major silicone chemical, aluminium and steel manufacturers, auto companies and their suppliers, ductile iron foundries, manufacturers of photovoltaic solar cells and computer chips, and concrete producers. The Company is headquartered in Miami, Florida. For further information visit www.glbsm.com

About Grupo FerroAtlánticaGrupo FerroAtlántica, S.A.U., is the parent company

of a group of businesses in the following four areas: electrometallurgy, energy, mining and photovoltaic solar technology. The Group currently operates fifteen production centres, working in the field of electrometallurgy: five in Spain, six in France, one in Venezuela, two in South Africa and one in China. Currently, the Group is a world-leader in the production

of silicon metal, a leading producer of ferroalloys in the European Union and a leading independent Spanish producer of hydroelectric energy. For more information visit www.ferroatlantica.es

South AfricaSilicon Technology

(Pty.), Ltd., (“Siltech”), a wholly owned subsidiary of Globe Specialty Metals, is a silicon alloy producer in South Africa with an annual production capacity of 45 000 metric tons. Siltech was founded in 1991 and is located in

northern Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa. The two furnace (27MW and 31MW) facility was idle at the time GSM acquired Siltech in 2014, and has since been restarted.

Silicon Smelters is the holding company for FerroAtlantica operations in South Africa. It operates two metallurgical plants in Polokwane and eMalahleni (Witbank), which produce silicon metal, ferrosilicon, inoculants, microsilica and electrode paste.

The company also owns a plant in Sasolburg. It also operates various quartz mines under the Thaba Chueu Mining Company label, in the Limpopo and Mpumalanga Provinces.

Its other areas of business include wood plantations in the forests of Limpopo and Mpumalanga Provinces, as well as charcoal production in all the provinces of South Africa.

Silicon Smelters is a subsidiary of FerroAtlántica.

Globe Specialty Metals and Grupo FerroAtlántica clear regulatory process and complete

business amalgamation

New company to be called Ferroglobe.

Silicon Smelters operates two metallurgical plants in South Africa, one in Polokwane and the other in eMalahleni (Witbank)


Much of additive manufacturing’s appeal comes from the long-term

promise of new products, new designs and new ways of thinking about production. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t practical, effective ways to put additive manufacturing to work right now, today. While additive manufacturing for large-scale production is a way off for almost every manufacturer, current 3D printers are well-suited for many shopfloor applications, including creating tools, gauges and other manufacturing aids.

This is the approach that heavy equipment manufacturer Caterpillar has taken in its Rapid Prototyping lab, founded in 1990. Though the company has a long-term interest in using additive to produce at least some parts for its dozers, excavators and other equipment, it is taking advantage of the technology right now to make practical shopfloor tools for its own employees. The lab, now a part of the newly formed Caterpillar Additive Manufacturing Group, uses additive processes such as FDM, stereolithography and SLS to produce

gages, display and scale models, assembly fixtures, hand tools, and other functional pieces for use in its own facilities. Though these aren’t end-use products, the parts the lab produces offer returns in the form of decreased costs and reduced development time due to quicker iteration turnaround.

The 3D-printed part shown was created to speed up setup tasks for a production line. The part is a model of a forged track link, a component of the chain-like assembly found on dozers and other track-type equipment.

In the past, workers would have used heavy models made from wood when creating fixturing and programming CMMs. Or, they would have waited for the parts themselves to arrive from the foundry. With 3D printing, Caterpillar made 36 ABS polycarbonate models of the track link. The lightweight models were much easier to handle and allowed employees to complete setup more quickly. The company estimates that making this change saved $160,000 in time and labour.

Caterpillar uses AM to shorten lead times and save costs

The 3D-printed part shown was created to speed up setup tasks for a production line. The part is a model of a forged track link, a component of the chain-like assembly found

on dozers and other track-type equipment


Spectro Analytical Instruments has announced a major new upgrade of the Spectro xSort handheld X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectrometer that is said to

deliver improved speed and precision in the analysis of light elements.

The design, performance, and simple operation of the Spectro xSort handheld spectrometer make it ideal for performing positive material identification (PMI) for infrastructure integrity testing at refineries, power plants, and petrochemical complexes, as well as scrap metal analysis and sorting in the recycling industry.

The Spectro xSort Alloy model delivers grade identification in seconds. The even more powerful Spectro xSort AlloyPlus analyses most alloys in two seconds, and identifies alloys based on light elements such as aluminium, magnesium, silicon, phosphorus, and sulfur in seven seconds.

Advantages includeEase of use: With Spectro xSort, operators don’t have

to switch methods between samples, or bother with helium flushes or vacuum systems. Its compact, one-piece 1.64 kilogram design is optimised for easy use in the field, even in tight or less accessible spots.

Built-In protection and calibration: A shutter that

automatically closes the measurement window between analyses to protect internal components also functions as the sample material for unique, automatic iCAL standardisation. All calibrations loaded into Spectro xSort are always ready for use.

Additional features include an X-ray safety gasket to prevent backscatter radiation from light element matrix samples; wireless LAN; quick-change

battery; interface bezel with operator-defined hot keys; “live” analysis results; simplified software with touchscreen; and the Spectro iCAL one-sample, one-time easy automated calibration system. Options include an integrated GPS receiver and integrated video

camera.The new Spectro xSort analyser

is available in different models. The Spectro xSort Alloy employs an innovative silicon PIN (Si-PIN) detector and delivers grade identification of metals in seconds without extensive analysis. The Spectro xSort AlloyPlus (Combi) features a top-of-the-line silicon drift detector (SDD) and provides reliable, high-productivity measurement and analysis.

The optional Spectro Metal Database helps extend prepackaged libraries or create customised grade libraries.

For further information contact Spectro Analytical Instruments on TEL: 011 979 4241, email [email protected] or visit www.spectro.com

product review

New Spectro xSort handheld XRF analyser delivers improved speed, precision

in analysis of light elements

The Spectro xSort Alloy model delivers grade identification in seconds. The even more powerful Spectro xSort AlloyPlus analyses most alloys

in two seconds, and identifies alloys based on light elements such as aluminium, magnesium, silicon, phosphorus, and sulfur in seven seconds


Proceq launch Equotip 550® UCI — a UCI probe with adjustable test load

One of the world leaders in portable measurement solutions for non-destructive testing, Proceq, has announced the first in a series of upcoming product

launches with the introduction of the new Equotip® UCI, an ultrasonic contact impedance hardness testing probe with adjustable test load. For the first time, this will allow users to set five different test loads (HV1 to HV5) — eliminating the need to purchase more than one probe to conduct UCI tests as well as permitting finding and selecting the ideal load for a specific application.

The Equotip® 550 UCI is a truly all-in-one portable hardness solution integrating the Leeb, Portable Rockwell and UCI methods.

With the innovation of the dynamic portable Leeb method, Proceq revolutionised the hardness testing that followed the same static principles for over a century. Later this led to the establishment of worldwide Leeb standards such as ASTM A956 and ISO 16859 with traceability to national institutes. Proceq’s goals have always been focused on extending its capabilities in key areas of hardness testing across various industries. The demand to overcome specific applications such as weld and heat affected zone inspection has paved the way for the Ultrasonic Contact Impedance method.

World’s first UCI probe with adjustable test loadProceq’s brand-new Equotip® UCI probe comes with

a globally unique feature — the adjustable test load. This allows the user to set five different test loads from HV1 to HV5. This makes it redundant to purchase more than one probe for this load range, and it permits finding and selecting the ideal load for a specific application. A patent for this groundbreaking technology is pending. In addition, this technology provides a novel user guidance to make measurements much more stable and user independent. Equotip® 550 UCI complies with ASTM 1038-2013 and DIN 50159-2015.

With Leeb, Portable Rockwell and UCI, Equotip® 550 now combines three of the most widely used portable hardness test methods in a single instrument. Furthermore, the combination of Portable Rockwell with either Leeb or UCI can now be utilised to overcome material and geometrical limitations while staying completely portable.

The advanced user interface, unique touchscreen features and personalised screens further improve usability for smooth on-site testing. Fully customisable test reports can be generated right on the instrument.

Covering broad hardness testing applicationsEquotip 550 comes loaded with interactive wizards

handpicked for specific industry applications such as oil and gas, automotive, aerospace and manufacturing in order to increase reliability and to assure precise measurements.

Leeb rebound hardness testing is mainly used for on-site testing of large forgings and cast components but is also applied for testing composites, rubber and rock. The Portable Rockwell test method is particularly suited for thin and light objects and scratch-sensitive polished components. UCI is used for objects with any shape and heat-treated surfaces (weld inspection, heat affected zones). A detailed table with recommended test methods is available on the Equotip website.

For more information, contact your nearest IMP Branch, Gauteng TEL: 011 916 5000, KwaZulu Natal TEL: 031 764 2821, Western Cape TEL: 021 852 6133, Eastern Cape TEL: 041 364 2544, Free State TEL: 018 293 3333 or email: [email protected], website: www.imp.co.za

Does your foundry have the available space needed to cool finished castings effectively using conveyors? How about

the proper ventilation for such an installation? Are there elevation restrictions?

General Kinematics has a process available to handle the problem, and a single machine that will address the design dilemma. The Spira-Cool® vibratory conveyor can replace up to 120 metres or more of a traditional vibratory system installed to cool and convey castings. This saves costs for metalcasters in the initial installation (i.e., the foundation) and in the maintenance requirements.

Capable of handling heavy, fragile castings, the Spira-Cool’s patented air-chamber design cools castings efficiently and quietly, and the vibratory design shuffles castings in an oriented path with no damage to the products. The Spira-Cool design

incorporates abrasion-resistant 400 Brinell steel troughs, Syncro-Cushion® drives and GK motors.

In addition to all of this, sand collection is built into the deck and sand is returned to a single vibratory sand-removal conveyor.

GK’s Spira-Cool is able to operate with one-fifth of the horsepower

that competitive designs require. And, the patented two-mass design of GK’s Spira-Cool means no vibration will be transmitted into surrounding areas of the operation.

In addition to the design advantages, once in operation the system maintains travel rates that are simple to control with a Velocitrol control and frequency invertor.

In process … performanceRecently one foundry approached General Kinematics with

the following dilemma: they needed to process and cool their castings, but could not accommodate any re-design to the existing plant layout. Also, they needed to reduce excessive environmental issues related to vibration transmission they were experiencing with a vibratory unit of an alternative design.

GK engineered and designed a Spira-Cool that, on analysis, reduced the previous footprint requirements by a factor of eight. The casting cooling spiral vibrator produced very efficient heat transfer by containing ventilation to the work area, instead of redirecting it across the entire plant.

In addition to the design advantages, GK delivered the new Spira-Cool within six months of the order.

In summary, the new conveyor design completely dampened the environmental impact of the cooling process, and reduced re-work requirements — and therefore product costs.

For further details contact Lauds Foundry Equipment on TEL: 011 8241238 or email [email protected] or visit www.laudsfe.com or www.generalkinematics.com

The challenge of cooling castings without 120 metres of conveyors


Oxford Instruments has launched a new high performance benchtop metals analyser for the metal production industry. The Foundry-Master Optimum has been

designed to meet the demands of seamless quality control required by the industry and offers an excellent price-performance ratio. Based on optical emission spectroscopy (OES), it is the ideal instrument to analyse the majority of metals and their alloys.

Small yet powerfulWith a footprint of only 415 x 665mm, and 2/3 smaller than

standard size benchtop analysers, the Foundry-Master Optimum easily fits on any desk and provides an analytical performance comparable with larger units. Weighing only 35 kilograms, transportation and handling are easy. It is the unique design of the optics that allows its compact dimensions, meaning that

neither difficult manoeuvring nor a transportation lock is necessary. Simply place the Foundry-Master Optimum on a desk, connect to an Argon gas supply and plug in to the PC (included with the instrument) via the USB port.

Relocating the instrument is easily done by wheeling the analyser to the required site in its optional transportation box. A very fast start-up and measuring time contribute to higher productivity.

Integrated self-diagnostics and Grade databaseThe sample stand is accessible from three sides

making it suitable for samples with complex and irregular shapes and sizes. In addition, adapters for wires and very small samples are available.

Foundry-Master Optimum has been designed with ease of use in mind, the user interface software is Windows based, the system includes an integrated self-diagnostics function and the Oxford Instruments Grade Database is preinstalled, allowing the user to identify grades fast and easily with only a few mouse clicks. Analytical results can be printed and transmitted to remote devices and saved in various formats.

For more information contact United Scientific on TEL: 011 795 1900 or [email protected]

This latest innovation from Morgan’s Molten Metal Systems business, designed specifically for auto-pour applications such as unheated tundish systems as well as press pour

systems, is based on alumina-graphite compositions which are primarily for grey and ductile iron applications.

Following substantial research and development, and testing Morgan has created a product that offers optimal performance through its superior physical properties. Drawing on a wealth of expertise dating back more than a century and a half, Morgan’s advanced material processing technology results in a uniform structure and therefore, exceptional performance in demanding applications. In addition, Morgan’s ceramic-bonded rods have a refractory capability of 1600-1700°C, with unrivalled strength and erosion resistance.

As further evidence of their prowess in melting solutions, Morgan’s stopper rods have fared extremely well in tests alongside equivalent products. These showed that Morgan products performed consistently for 40 casting hours, compared with 35 and 12 hours for other products. This level of performance means shortened changeover times and therefore, reduced labour costs, production downtime and metal loss.

Morgan also solicited customer feedback and a key finding was that strength was the main requisite for this type of product, due to its high stress application. The pouring application is controlled by the continuous lifting and dropping

of the stopper rod, where the nose (curved region) is repeatedly striking against the nozzle. Accordingly, Morgan carried out Cold Compression Strength (CCS) tests to determine the right mix and subsequently, to achieve a level of strength that was consistent with market requirements. Once again, Morgan demonstrated superior quality, with its rods exhibiting a 14-24 per cent advantage in strength compared with other stopper rods. This is indicative of less damage to the stopper rod and therefore, consistent metal flow during casting.

Mirco Pavoni, Global Technology Director for Morgan’s Molten Metal Systems business, commented: “We go to considerable lengths to ensure the quality and performance of our products, carrying out extensive research and development. Manufacturing products that are simply ‘good enough’ is not our goal; we constantly strive to out-perform our competitors and push the boundaries of excellence for the benefit of our customers. That is our mission and as the results suggest, we are succeeding.”

Morgan Molten Metal Systems is a business within Morgan Advanced Materials specialising in the provision of melting solutions to foundries, die-casters and metal melting facilities covering applications.

For further details contact Morgan Advanced Materials on TEL: 011 296 0000

Oxford Instruments launches Foundry-Master Optimum, a high performance compact benchtop metals analyser

New Morgan stopper rods for ferrous applications

vol 17 no 1 - Castings SA SA...4 castings sa vol 17 no 1 June 2016 cover story “Giving you the...

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Transcript of vol 17 no 1 - Castings SA SA...4 castings sa vol 17 no 1 June 2016 cover story “Giving you the...