AMT Janfeb 2011

Advanced Materials Today Jan/Feb 2011 1
THE CUTTING EDGE OF CUTTING TECHNOLOGY...

at South Africa’s longest established independent steel and stainless steel service centre.
For a reliable and full service in ferrous and non-ferrous metal, contact us on (011) 839 2917, email sales@generalprofiling.co.za, fax to email 086 676 6905
or visit our website: www.generalprofiling.co.za. Please call us to discuss your specific ferrous and non-ferrous metal requirements.
SERVICES INCLUDE:
LASER CUTTING • HIGH DEFINITION PLASMA CUTTING • WATERJET CUTTING • PLASMA CUTTING • FLAME CUTTING
• GUILLOTINE CUTTING • ROLLING • CNC BENDING • FABRICATION • POWDER COATING • ROBOT WELDING
• CNC TURNING • CNC MILLING.
GENERAL PROFILING (Pty) Ltd

THE COMPLETE STEEL AND STAINLESS STEEL SERVICES HUB
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2 Advanced Materials Today Jan/Feb 2011

Jan/Feb 2011
Contents
Cover Story Joining
Puma Machine Tools 4 Cat Among the Pigeons 29 Revolutionary Welding System
Tel: (011) 976 8600
Fax: (011) 394 2471 Software and Design
Email: 8 Reduction to Ridiculous Technology
31 A Taste for Sight
mikel@pumamachines.co.za
Composite Materials
10 Perfectly Composed Composites 34 SAIW News
Tribology Industry News

12 Polyurethane Wear Protection 35 International News
36 Industry News
TDM Today
(Tool, Die & Mould Making) Endorsing Bodies
17 CEO’s Comments • SAIMechE (SA Institution of Mechanical
18 The Myth of “Expensive” Moulds Engineering)
20 Put on a Coat • AFSA (Aluminium Federation of SA)
23 TDM Powered Students • CorriSA
24 TDM News
• NTIP
Castings, Forgings, Furnaces & • TASA (Toolmakers Association of South
Refractories Africa)
25 The Heat is On • Intsimbi
Copyright
All rights reserved. No edi-
torial matter published in
“Advanced Materials Today”
may be reproduced in any form
or language without written
permission of the publishers.
While every effort is made to
ensure accurate reproduction
the editor, authors, publishers
and their employees or agents The monthly circulation is 6 034
shall not be responsible or in
any way liable for any errors,
omissions or inaccuracies Proprietor and Publisher:
PROMECH PUBLISHING DTP: Zinobia Docrat and
in the publication whether Sean Bacher
Tel: (011) 781-1401
arising from negligence or
Fax: (011) 781-1403 Disclaimer
otherwise or for any conse-
E-mail: editorial@promech.co.za Neither PROMECH Publishing
quences arising therefrom. Website: www.promech.co.za
The inclusion or exclusion of nor its endorsing bodies are
Managing Editor: responsible for the opinions
any product does not mean Susan Custers expressed by individuals.
that the publisher or editorial Editor:
board advocates or rejects its Raymond Campling Printed by:
use either generally or in any Advertising Sales: Typo Colour Printing
particular field or fields. Di Bluck Tel: (011) 402-3468

COVER STORY
Cat Among
Within the space of a decade the range of turning
and milling machines has proven itself and when
the Korean parent company underwent a merger to
become Doosan Infracore the market eagerly awaited
the arrival of a wider range of machines.
the Pigeons
Puma power
Taking its name from probably the most successful
range of turning machines the country has seen
in recent times, Puma, the new distributors lever-
aged from an existing base. To date more than
600 machines are doing service in the country’s
production houses and engineering rooms.
Some years ago when Puma Machine Tools took over the
agency for Doosan Infracore it set the cat among the pi- Mike Lee, of Puma Machine Tools lets us in on
geons by selling high quality, technologically advanced some of the secrets of success regarding Doosan
Infracore’s fast rise to the top of the sales charts
machines at affordable prices backed up by a professional
locally.
organisation.
“Although the brand was built on its value for money
offering some years ago, it is no longer the main
I
motivation for buying machines from the Doosan
n similar fashion to the motor car industry in Infracore stable. In most cases the decisions are
South Africa, the machine tool industry was based on careful buying decisions where money
introduced to Korean built machines about 15 is well spent on good quality, reliable machines,”
years ago when Daewoo Machine Tools hit lo- says Mike.
cal shores at budget prices with promises of good
quality and good production rates. Wide range
Puma Machine Tools leverages from the Korean
Decisions are based on careful buying decisions where company’s large product offering and is able to
money is well spent hold stock of a wide range of machines. This
enables them to service
clients requirements quickly
without lengthy lead times
and gives the company a
definite advantage in the
South African market.
Doosan Infracore’s
DNM range is a top
seller in South Africa
COVER STORY
The legendary range

of Puma turning
centres established
Doosan Infracore as
a leading supplier
of machine tools in
South Africa. The MX
series provides multi-
tasking abilities and
milling and
turning abili-
ties on a
single
machine
“Our complete range of machines is impressive,

with certain machines in-stock ready to be in-
stalled by our team of service technicians. The
complete range includes vertical and horizontal
turning machines and machining centres, as well
as horizontal boring mills and Swiss type (sliding
head) turning centres. Doosan also has specialised
production machines in the turning and machining
fields to accomodate the customer’s needs. Each
machine comprises of various options so you can
order a machine to suit your requirements from the
factory,” says Mike.
In the world of high-volume production,

time is money
He adds that the Puma turning machines still ac-

count for a major share of the machines sold by
Puma Machine Tools, but the DNM range of verti-
cal machining centres has in recent times become
the star of the show and captivated the market.
It is currently one of the top selling machines in
the country. DNM machines are considered to be
standard machines for everyday production type
applications and have found favour locally for their
exceptional reliability and accuracy.
Advanced beyond price
Despite the affordable price-tag the DNM range has
advanced features that give it a definite advantage
over its rivals. “The features that set it apart from
the competition are its rapid tool changing, linear
motion guide way and the rigidity of the bed that
gives maximum stiffness for precision work. This
rigidity leads to better surface finishing and improved
contour definition. It allows more accurate work
in less time as well. In the world of high-volume
production, time is money,” he says.
High speed spindles are an option and offer the
added benefit of effectively cutting hard metals or
Puma V550 vertical turning machine

COVER STORY
specialised materials. More advanced machines Local solutions

with capabilities for almost any requirement are “Doosan Infracore in Korea has invested heavily
also kept in stock and include turning centres for in establishing an Optimal Solutions Centre (OSC)
general engineering to advanced 4-axis turning where technologies required in different fields are
centres for high production workshops. researched and developed. This centre includes the
Die and Mould Technology Centre, Multi-processing
Worldwide expertise Technology Centre, Reliability Research Centre and
Doosan Infracore machines are manufactured with System Engineering,” Mike says.
high productivity, reliability and ease of operation
in mind. Together with high performance and the Able to offer the complete solution to our customer’s
broad product range offered it has contributed to needs
their local popularity.
“We stock a wide range of Doosan Infracore ma- Over and above the research and development
chines to suit any application from small workshop carried out by their Korean counterparts, Puma
environments requiring the bare basics, to large Machine Tools sales and service staff are able to
volume production lines in factories producing motor offer the complete solution to our customer’s needs
vehicles, aerospace parts and heavy engineering. from standard machines to a complete turnkey
project solution.
“Our machines are currently used extensively in
production plants, tool, die and mould making, “Whatever the application we have the machines,
precision engineering and general engineering works expertise and solutions to match the requirement,”
around the country. Where different or specialised concludes Mike.
applications are required the company readily calls Puma Machine Tools, Mike Lee, Tel: (011) 976 8600, Fax:
on the global expertise of Doosan Infracore. (011) 394 2471, Email: mikel@pumamachines.co.za
Lynx 220L: Designed to produce small parts with unsurpassed accuracy

SOFTWARE AND DESIGN
Reduction
To
Look at cost savings achieved when using
effective nesting system software and the
initial price tag can become ridiculously af-
fordable. An effective system not only saves
money on reducing material wastage when
Ridiculous
cutting sheet or plates, but reduces lifecycle
costs and improves effectiveness from the
start of the process to delivery.
A
ccording to Hannes This strategy has paid
Pretorius, product off for Mecad Systems
manager for Sig- who rank nearly all
maNest software at the country’s top
computer aided engineering service centres and
specialists, Mecad Systems fabricators as their
(Pty) Ltd, fabricators and ser- clients on SigmaNest
vice centres stand to save software.
as much as 10% on overall
Accuracy
costs. He is even prepared to
“In tough times ef-
go “on record” with “Advanced
fective nesting soft-
Materials Today” to guarantee
ware is not a nice to
significant savings no matter
have it is an absolute
what other software package Hannes Pretorius
necessity. It is not
they are already using.
uncommon for our
He explains that companies clients to recoup the outlay for the purchase of our
using manual techniques or systems within 3 months due to time and material
OEM software bundled with savings.
machine tools often initially
object to paying a premium for Fabricators and service centres stand to
software. “This is where we like save as much as 10% on overall costs
Nesting software minimised waste when cutting to reduce to ridiculous the price
of our software when compared
“Beyond that it allows more accurate quotations to
to savings,” he chuckles.
be delivered quickly which means the client can be
All-round package confident that they are not over or under quoting for
In fact it is the main strategy a job, while getting the quotation on the desk of the
that is used by the company decision maker quicker than through conventional
to drive the software into the means.
market. The team from Mecad “It is a fact SigmaNest integrates with:
Systems systematically go about that buy- • Plasma
showing – and proving – how ing is often
reduction in material alone will done on the • Laser
pay off the capital outlayed to principal of • Oxyfuel
buy their system. the buyer
• Waterjet
But, according to Hannes, the taking the
real coup comes when they “first most • Router
show would-be clients how the s u i t a b l e ” • Punch/combo
system can be used to auto- quote, rath-
matically generate quotations er than the • Knife
that are 99% accurate within best quote
minutes, or how it speeds the overall. With
operation of the machines SigmaNest the client’s quote will probably arrive
through more effective routing well before competitive quotes anyway and it will
SigmaNest provides optimal cutting patterns of cuttings paths. be realistic,” explains Hannes.

SOFTWARE AND DESIGN
What is nesting
In its basic form nesting software is a CAD/CAM
designed to numerically control cutting machines to
work out the most efficient layout when cutting steel or
other materials. It will group the shapes required into
the smallest possible area to minimise wastage.
Nesting software is a CAD/CAM designed

to numerically control cutting machines
SigmaNest and oth-

er advanced nesting International users
software suites on • 1 Caterpillar
the other hand do
this and a whole • 2 Winnebago
lot more. Mecad’s • 3 Boeing
offering will not • 4 AM Castle An operator’s view of SigmaNest software
only nest or group
the shapes, but will • 5 Chicago Bridge and Iron
route the cutter to
the quickest path. It
will automatically assess off-cuts and if suitable, will
recode them and book them back into stock.
Then, the clever package can automatically batch
different jobs to sheets of the same material to
ensure every last piece is used effectively. It keeps
track of the stock and can be used to generate highly
accurate quotations using the materials available or
in stock.
Software history
SigmaNest has its origins in South Africa when Ben
TerreBlanche started SigmaTEK Systems International
here in South Africa before moving to the United
States.
Worldwide the company has gone from strength-to-
strength and supplies several manufacturing optimisa-
tion suites to blue chip companies including design
CAD/CAM systems nesting and efficiency software.
Local agent, Mecad
Systems (Pty) Ltd
shares similar origins, Local users
having also been start- • Macsteel VRN
ed by Ben to represent • Trident Steel
the parent company
• Kulungile Metals Group
locally. Today Mecad
Systems employs a • VR Laser Services
highly skilled team of • Laser Sprint
mechanical engineers
with vast experience
in manufacturing process optimisation.
Home and dry
So, while some production managers slave over draw-
ing, quotations and hot machines after hours, others
are relaxing at home safe in the knowledge that their
nesting software has production efficiency covered.
Mecad Systems (Pty) Ltd, Hannes Pretorius, Tel: 086 111
2236, Fax: 086 509 3329, Email: Hannes@Mecad.co.za,
Web: www.Mecad.co.za Cutting efficiency is improved with SigmaNest

COMPOSITE MATERIALS
Perfectly Composed
Composites Composite materials are becoming increasingly
commonplace in our modern society with uses as
diverse as aircraft manufacture, ladders and large
scale chemical process structures.
T
his is because the properties of the mate- we decided to take it as a challenge to improve
rial can be formulated to achieve different our products way beyond overseas competitors
desired characteristics such as corrosion and at the same time reduce our price in order to
resistance, non-conductivity of electricity still compete.
or high strength and weight benefits. “We bought, built, customised and designed software
Developed new techniques that enable us to save systems that give us a tremendous edge and in
the process developed new techniques that enable
considerable amounts of weight
us to save considerable amounts of weight while
producing products that are up to 30% stronger
Pultrusion than the commonly available equivalents.”
“Advanced Materials Today” speaks to Pierre Naudé,
director of Opticore and investigates the many uses New pultrusion techniques pioneered by Opticore
of the company’s pultruded products. Pultrusion are for obvious reasons trade secrets, but although
is the process of pulling composite fibres through Pierre will not be drawn on exactly how the weight
a thermoset resin bath and die-forming it to the savings and strength improvements have been
desired shape and dimension. achieved, he does concede that the new technology
enables them to use far greater precision throughout
Opticore produces and markets an extensive range
of profiles such as rods, strips and tubes, as well
Industries served by Opticore:
as channels, angles and profiles in different shapes
• Construction industry
and sizes as required. Colour pigments can be added
and is often specified in order to denote certain • Corrosion resistant equipment
uses or property grades for different manufactur- • Decking
ing processes.
• Electrical environment
The Pretoria based company is one of few suppliers
in the country, but doesn’t have the easiest of times • Marine / coastal applications
competing with imports from around the globe. • Military
The South African product is in many instances • Mining
of superior quality, but cheap options are freely
available and often find their way into the local • Road marking
manufacturing industry stock shelves. • Trucking industry
Bull by the horns
“We are not phased and rather than bemoaning the
fact that cheap imports are flooding the market,

COMPOSITE MATERIALS
the process and more accurately assess requirements and

predict outcomes.
Lighter and stronger
“We have developed techniques that allow us to use less
material to achieve desired results. In fact, if we compare
standard products, our new lighter products are still con-
siderably stronger,” he adds.
Quick turnaround times can be specified and

development and prototyping is possible using
the latest technology
Composites can be structured using various different fibre

types and resins to achieve desired characteristics for a
wide range of applications. Opticore products have found
favour in the mining, energy, chemical industries as well
as coastal applications where the benefits of composites
overcome challenges posed by environmental or other fac-
tors that preclude traditional materials.
It is the ability to compose differing fibres and bond those
using different types of thermoset resins that make the
product unique. It enables designers, manufacturers and
builders to be the master of their own ingenuity because
there is always a composite solution suitable to meet the
challenge.
Some of the outstanding properties achievable include:
• Electrically non-conductive
• Chemical and corrosion resistance
• Impact resistant
• UV radiation resistance
• Transparent to radio frequency
• High thermal insulation ability
• Flame retardant if required
• Versatility
Home advantage
An advantage of South African manufacture of the product is
that quick turnaround times can be specified and develop-
ment and prototyping is possible using the latest technology.
Opticore has also extended its service to include design, as
well as the virtual modelling to determine products charac-
teristics before they are physically manufactured.
The company also has resin transfer, dough, sheet and
injection moulding, as well as filament winding processes
to supplement its pultrusion business.
Opticore, Pierre Naudé, Tel: (012) 804 3036, Fax: (012) 804 2806,
Email: opticore@global.co.za, Web: www.opticore.co.za

TRIBOLOGY
Polyurethane Wear
Protection Plant developers seeking the shortest possible time to a
return on investment would do well to factor into their
calculations the probability of premature plant wear.
P
remature abrasion is regarded by Protection Today
many plant managers as the Number The properties of polyurethane, its chemical compo-
One problem facing plant operation sition and its suitability to an array of applications
today, causing unpredictable down- are often misunderstood.
time and delayed return on investment.
It is often perceived as a plastic, which it is not.
Rather, it is an organic polymer containing the “ure-
thane” group that is core to the chemical structure
and normally grouped with rubbers, as both are
elastomers and made from reacting a polyol with
a di-isocyanate. Chain extenders are added to
increase the molecular weight of the pre-polymer
Santosh Gunpath of Urethane in order to form a usable elastic polymer.
Moulded Products
To realise the full benefits of this
material, plant managers need to work
closely with a reputable polyurethane
supplier
Figure 1: urethane group
Variations of its composition make it suitable as a
Materials that can protect against asset wear should tough, abrasion resistant and load bearing material
therefore be carefully considered. Polyurethane wear for the mining industry and, due to its chemical
solutions are among the most effective of these, resistance, as a versatile material for the chemical
helping not only to meet the plant’s projected time industry. Its advantages include:
to break-even, but also substantially reducing the • Good physical properties
expenditure required to operate the plant.
• Tensile and tear strength elongation
• Rebound, chemical and solvent resistance (most
important for the minerals industry)
Abrasion resistance
The polymer backbone chemistry influences these
properties and it is the expertise and responsibility
of the urethane supplier to select the most appropri-
ate one for the customer.
For example, polyether based polyurethanes with
a polytetramethylene glycol polyol backbone have
superior physical and mechanical properties over
a polypropylene glycol polyol, delivering superior
performance in applica-
tions that require high
wear resistance.
The organic structure of
these polyols is shown in
Figure 2.
Polyester based polyure-
thanes, on the other hand,
result in strong, tough oil
resistant materials, but
Figure 2: polytetramethylene glycol (below) and polypropylene glycol (above)

TRIBOLOGY
lack hydrolysis resistance when compared with documented and well known. In applications not
polyether. The three main isocyanates, these suited to polyurethane, all of them are usually
being toluene (TDI), diphenylmethane (MDI) and able to recommend and supply suitable alterna-
1,5 naphthalene (NDI) diisocyanate, form the rigid tive products.
phase of the polyurethane. Different isocyanates The question is often asked as to what the tempera-
result in materials with differing properties with ture limitations of polyurethanes may be. Graph
regard to hydrolysis, temperature and abrasion 1 illustrates the properties of polyurethane from
resistance. -80 to +130 deg C.
To realise the full benefits of this material, plant
managers need to work closely with a reputable Premature abrasion is regarded by many plant managers
polyurethane supplier during both the design and as the number one problem facing plant operation today
operational phases of plant development, to de-
velop wear solutions using urethanes with proven When production chemistry is scientifically matched
performance characteristics. to the application, polyurethanes can play a key
This is because if not selected correctly, a polyure- role in helping plant managers, foremen and boil-
thane will not perform to the standard promised. ermakers protect plant from downtime due to either
In the recent past, for example, inexperienced erosive or abrasive wear. It is the latter which is
vendors lacking an understanding of the complex of primary concern to the metals industry.
nature, chemistry and production methods of this Graph 3 illustrates the comparisons (Böhm 1990)
product have made unrealistic promises that have of abrasive wear of three common materials often
not been fulfilled. considered instead of polyurethane:
However, reputable vendors in the market are well Impact angle has a major effect on erosive wear.
Graph 1: Effect of
temperature on
Polyurethane
Graph 2: Abrasive
wear comparisons

TRIBOLOGY
Graph 3: Effect of
impingment angle
on erosive view
Graph 4: Pipe ling

wear test -16mm
ore @3m/s
At 30 degrees, the wear on polyurethane is about Pipeline Protection

10 times greater than at 75 degrees (Hutchings With process plants today being designed for higher
and Deuchar 1987). This effect is illustrated in throughput, the life expectancy of modern mining
graph 2 and shows the importance of proper poly- plant is tending towards brevity, depending on the
urethane selection. size of the ore body and level of development.

TRIBOLOGY
Equipment is being designed for a certain life expec- General Protection

tancy and no more. For this reason, engineers are Polyurethane wear protection also plays a role in
moving away from traditional steel pipes towards chutes and other steel channels of rectangular or
more cost effective alternatives. multi-angular section.
However, steel pipes still have a place in plant sec- Wear protection for these shapes is achieved by
tors subjected to very high abrasion, for example Armadillo, which delivers a life-cycle cost advantage
tailings lines in mining, and ash removal lines in of 30 percent and more. Product characteristics
the energy sector. include impact resistance, abrasion resistance,
Pipe-lining is an aspect of wear protection that excellent tear and cut properties, and a low coef-
has been proven to be cost effective in terms of ficient of friction that substantially assists in chutes
proofing the pipe against wear, so that the pipeline and bins.
can have a durability correlating with the projected For small chutes, bins and launders, Armadillo
life of the plant. sheets are cut to size and either installed as a
The most cost effective lining material on the market permanent liner or fabricated as a drop-in design
today is polyurethane, but for the lining to meet for ease of replacement.
expectation, its composition and the actual lining With downtime and lost production, asset protection is
of the pipe must be undertaken by a competent
critical to maximize plant availability
company.
Competing products in the market include basalt Conclusion
and high density polyethylene (HDPE) but, applied Pipe lining, or wear protection in general, has
correctly, a polyurethane lined pipe can outperform benefits in addition to the protection of specific
these rivals by a factor of three when conveying air, assets. With downtime and lost production leading
water, reagent, mine tailings and other process media. to major loss of revenue, asset protection is critical
to maximize plant availability.
Graph 4 shows a test conducted at a phosphate
plant in South America for a pipe lining applica- The myriad wear protection materials on the market
tion yielded the following results with <16mm ore all promise to be the latest and greatest. Plant en-
pumped at 3m/s. gineers can therefore be forgiven for their reluctance
to change, not knowing which new innovation will
The results indicate that polyurethane, in this
be the answer to their wear problems or which will
application, outlasted HDPE by a factor of 24.
result in costly wasted effort.
Conservatively, if a steel polyurethane lined pipe
commands a 41% premium over its closest rival, Working with an experienced wear protection company
HDPE, the total life cycle cost (LCA) over a given that acts as a consultant rather than a “seller”, the
period works out to approximately 47% that of customer can benefit substantially by applying the
HDPE. This assumes polyurethane is a minimum best solution for its particular application.
of 3x more wear resistant and does not take into Users must remain alert to the fact that polyurethane
account polyurethane’s superior performance with is a chemical with numerous variants, and that the
high velocity, large particle sizes and on bends. incorrect grade of material will have disastrous
Redline polyurethane, in particular, allows a thinner consequences. They should also work to narrow
lining, or a range of thicknesses to suit either the down the choice set of possible polyurethanes, and
internal pipe diameter or the specific wear protec- then undertake field tests to determine which one
tion required, and delivers benefits that include a will deliver optimum results.
very low coefficient of friction, shatterproofing and Urethane Moulded Products, Santosh Gunpath, Tel: (011)
immunity to thermal and external shocks. 452-1000, (011) 609 6477, Email: trevor@ump.co.za

Produced by:
PROMECH PUBLISHING,
CEO’S Comments
The TDM sector’s Skills development intervention programme, branded the
P O Box 373, Pinegowrie, 2123 TDM-Powered Programme, developed and rolled out through the National
Republic of South Africa Tooling Initiative (NTI),is proving to be successful in the preparation of stu-
Tel: (011) 781-1401 dents for the new Competency based Apprenticeship pilot programme launch-
Fax: (011) 781-1403 ing in January 2011.
Email: editorial@promech.co.za
O
Website: www.promech.co.za f the 175 students on the nership in-
Managing Editor Susan Custers pre-apprenticeship pilot, 32 vestment in
students (18%) dropped out to the tool-
Editor: Raymond Campling of the course mainly as a result ing sector
Advertising Di Bluck of finding jobs or due to personal financial more than
problems. Of the remaining 143 students 25 years
Circulation Catherine Macdiva
only one student failed to qualify on the ago, as a key
DTP Zinobia Docrat/Sean Bacher course, giving a 99% pass rate. strategy to
Disclaimer developing
This is very positive indications of the ef-
PROMECH Publishing does not its manu-
take responsibility for the
fectiveness of the programme, taking into
facturing
opinions expressed by individuals. account that the students did international
sector.
standard examinations and work pieces from
Printed by: Dirk van Dyk
the National Institute for Metalworking Skills The NTI and
Typo Colour Printing (NIMS) in the USA. In the process they also TASA show-
Tel: (011) 402-3468/9
successfully completed 3 modular units of cased South Africa as a new destination for
their Apprenticeship. tooling sector investment, outlining TASA
and the NTI’s key programmes, aimed at
Copyright 15 of the students achieved an average
All rights reserved. No editorial
achieving the same result that Portugal
score in excess of 90%. 13 of these students
matter published in “TDM To- can boast with.
are from disadvantaged communities that
day (Tool, Die & Mould Making)” include 3 female students. 15 of the students achieved an
may be reproduced in any form
or language without written All these students will progress onto the Ap- average score in excess of 90%
permission of the publishers. prenticeship Programme starting in 2011.
While every effort is made to Students on the new apprenticeship can Several international (EU based) tooling
ensure accurate reproduction, first qualify as Metal Machinists where after companies are embarking on a business
the editor, authors, publishers they can continue to qualify as Tool, Die and case analysis with the NTI targeting the
and their employees or agents Mouldmakers and move onto specialization launch of pilot projects early in 2011.
shall not be responsible or in
qualifications towards becoming technicians, TASA and the NTI also attended the
any way liable for any errors,
master artisans and engineers in the Tool, ISTMA (International Specialised Tooling
omissions or inaccuracies in
the publication, whether arising Die and Mould manufacturing sector. and Machining Association) Europe board
from negligence or otherwise Euromold 2010 meeting, as well as the ISTMA World
or for any consequences aris- The Localisation Project of the NTI, focusing Assembly, where international business
ing therefrom. The inclusion or conditions and key strategies for the sector
on the localization of high level tooling sup-
exclusion of any product does are developed.
not mean that the publisher or pliers to the Automotive sector, exhibited at
editorial board advocates or the Euromold 2010 exhibition in Frankfort From these meetings it was clear that EU
rejects its use either gener- Germany. The show featured 1384 exhibi- based tooling companies are experiencing
ally or in any particular field tors from 38 countries, with Turkey as the order book growth with Germany leading
or fields. Partner Country for 2010. the pack with full order books, especially
The Portuguese Prime Minister José Sócrates for the automotive sector.
visited EuroMold on Thursday, Dec. 2nd, All the EU based countries are however
2010. He confirmed his support for the experiencing price and payment term pres-
Portuguese moldmaking and tooling indus- sure, requiring focused attention on more
try. Portugal has been a leader in cluster specialization, leaner manufacturing and
development and started public private part- investment in technology.

TDM PROFILE TDM PROFILE
Part 2 of 3: This is the second of 3 parts. Part 3 will be published in the Mar/Apr 2011 issue.
The Myth of “Expensive”

Moulds
In the last issue Bevan Davies, chairman of the Toolmakers Associa-
tion of South Africa (TASA) Gauteng and a director of the National
Tooling Initiative Programme (NTIP) shared his experience on the
debate of “cheap” tooling versus “expensive” tooling using experience
gained over 30 years as the owner of Conver-Tek.
I
n this issue he uncovers the truth and cost of some of their new “Expensive” 96 cavity
presents documented costs and cost hot runner syringe component moulds that I had
savings over a 17-year period. the privilege to see running, the CEO said that the
“When in USA some years back I brief to their long standing, respected, and trusted
was fortunate to be invited under strict mould maker was simple:
security to visit a large medical company
that was producing precise medical plastic
There is no such phenomena as an
components against an emerging cheaper upfront “Cheap” priced tool to handle
Chinese medical supply market. these requirements
“This factory had the best built and designed
tooling, production processes, production “To compete against the pricing pressure from China
machines, quality control, and packaging we need to build the best quality, design, fastest
which was untouched by hand. To remain running low maintenance moulds to suit the most
Bevan Davis
competitive they simply had no option but cost effective machines with quick inter changeable
to do it better, smarter, cheaper and faster with new inserts and spares to the tolerances needed and
ideas and innovations. When enquiring about the we’ll pay whatever is fair and reasonable”. His
philosophy like ours was that a quality high spec
“Expensive” mould that works to the highest effi-
ciency was actually “Very Cheap” in the long term
when analysed against cheap upfront mould costs
out of China. They were and still are competing
directly with China on cost with superior quality.
We adapted to this quality tooling philosophy from
as early as 1985 and remain convinced of this
strategy.
Compared upfront, the “Cheap” versus “Expensive”
Mould:
• Doesn’t give the volumes needed to fulfil peak
demands
• Has fluctuations in quality
• Has varying sizing and tolerance because of
CAD/CAM design and development, prior to toolmaking process using rapid proto-
varying process conditions which change due to
typing
cooling and internal mould dimension changes
during production
• Needs ongoing mould repairs after repeatable
production
• Results in field or functional product failures
which are very expensive with huge added cost
implications
• Results in excess downtime and costs to repair
and fix out-of-spec moulds. Wear and tear is an
increasing ongoing cost
• Require standby moulds and machines to com-
pensate for the above
• Require fitting in bigger machines than is neces-
View of Toolroom with CNC milling and spark erosion machines sary because of mould design and build

TDM PROFILE
• Guarantees ongoing scrap production

• Creates runner wastage resulting in ongoing
added cost to handle, separate, regrind and re
introduce
• Adds labour cost for handling, regrind, admin,
storage etc as a hidden variable cost
• Causes colour contamination and varying mechanical
product problems due to added regrind of scrap
• Causes persistent product failure due to sizing
and out of spec melt flow indexes when using
regrind, which change mould settings and product
quality
• Results in financial officers being given the run
around by production management writing off real
hidden costs and not accounting for real losses on Finished grown product in rapid prototyping machine. Product grown in
down time, extra machine time, spare tools, bigger two halves
machines and extra labour which are added costs
to the final product moulded cost • Expected guarantee on tool with projected repair and
maintenance bills against volumes anticipated
• Causes real added costs that become more prob-
lematic when a few critical components are as- Given the above and assuming the product demands
sembled as a unit and tight tolerances and quality large volumes of quality product then there is no
is demanded such phenomena as an upfront “Cheap” priced tool
to handle these requirements.
• Real costs are disguised because either the budget
for “Expensive” tools was not motivated, or the How “Expensive” is a Good Quality Tool versus an
procurement department were part of the “Cheap” initial “Cheaply” purchased Tool with ongoing repairs,
tool process. Either way the costs are real, which downtime, scrap issues etc?
determines the success or failure of a project Bevan Davis, Tel: (011) 827 2460, Fax: (011) 827 2498,
Email: bevan@convertek.co.za
“Cheap” OR “Expensive” Tool?
Developing trusting relationships are critical with
competent Toolmakers that have a confirmed track
history of moulds produced for a similar scope. Always
check the credentials and speak to clients that can
confirm the success of tools built by the toolmaker.
A full understanding, assessment and careful analysis
of the product design is paramount
1. Functions needed or expected from the product
2. Cosmetic requirements versus function. Can com-
promises be made
3. Building or growing of prototypes to qualify the
design and or function
4. Quality features needed in categories from critical,
important, nice to have not important
5. Best material fit for purpose versus cost and
performance
6. Tolerances needed, and fit for use requirements
7. Life span of the product and possible changes
needed during the process
8. Immediate, middle and long term market volume
needs
9. Cost price pitch expected by client and his
expectations of his selling price versus market
acceptance
• Realistic delivery time needed to design, build and
prove a quality mould

TDM MACHINING
Put on a Coat
Extending the life of cutting tools can have a positive effect on the profitability of an operation and save a
fortune over time.
I
n the current trying economic times “Advanced application of coatings to new or reground tools
Materials Today” speaks to David Risk of Somta speeds up metal removal and as a result improves
Tools to find out how companies can squeeze production.
more life out of the tools while maintaining
Investment
high quality finishes.
“We invested a lot of time and money into finding
SOMTA products are available with Balzers Balinit coating systems for our range of production tools.
coatings The criteria was to find a system that not only
protects the cutting edge, but enhances overall
The initial question seems trivial when David starts performance.
explaining some of the options and processes involved
“Oerlikon Balzers PVD Rapid Coating System, was
in applying coatings. More astonishing is that the
chosen as it met all our needs. Today, several years
later the technology is used far more widely and
we offer regrinding and coating services to machine
tools users around the country, regardless of whether
they are using Somta tooling or not.
They can be used on all high speed steel (HSS) and
solid carbide cutting tools,” says David.
Tooling manufacturer
The company is a leading manufacturer supplier of
drills, reamers, milling cutters, end mills, taps &
dies, toolbits, custom tools and the regrinding and
surface coating side of the business has added a
new dimension to help meet clients needs.
“As manufacturers of tools we know that the principle
behind cutting edge material design is to combine
the highest fracture resistance in the bulk substrate
and the best wear resistance in the coating.
“For this reason the full SOMTA product range is
available with Balzers Balinit coatings to extend
cutting tool life,” explains David.
He continues that in the coating process, the cut-
ting tool is covered by a very hard thin surface film,
usually built up from metallic ceramics. These ce-
ramics are typically much harder than the substrate
material of HSS or Solid Tungsten Carbide.
Benefits
Typically, one can expect longer tool life in the
order of 2-10 times compared to uncoated tools,
depending on the application, coating type, oper-
ating speeds, feeds and work materials. For best
results, it is important to match the surface coating
to the tool substrate and the work piece material.
Main benefits of coating include:
Increased hardness and residual compressive
stress ratio
• Improved fidelity of edge geometry
• Excellent coating adhesion
Oerlikon Balzers PVD Rapid Coating System • Uniform wear behaviour

TDM MACHINING
• Greater thermal and chemical resistance

• Dry machining
• Higher cutting speeds and feeds
• Less cratering
• Better sliding properties due to higher surface
quality
• Improved chip flow
• Lower susceptibility to cold welding
• Enhanced work piece surface quality
• Greater wear resistance
• Lower tooling costs
• Increased tool service life
• Fewer tool changes
• Extra regrinding cycles
Description BALINIT A (TiN) –
A thin film coating is applied A general all-purpose
under vacuum conditions. coating widely used for
cutting and forming in
The tooling is given a
a variety of industrial
negative bias, and an applications. Excellent
ionised gas with posi- for drilling and tapping on
tive charge at high tem- most material types
perature is introduced
into the vacuum. The
positively charged ions are attracted to the negatively
biased cutting tool, and a strong mechanical bond
is formed on the surface of the tooling. The PVD
coating process is generally carried out at relatively
low temperatures of between 450-500˚C. At this
low temperature, there is no reduction in hardness
of the HSS or solid carbide substrate.
Effectiveness
When enough heat is generated at the cutting
edge, the Al in TiAlN reacts with oxygen in
the air to create a thin layer of Al2O3
at the cutting surface. As this layer
is created and worn away during
the cutting process, it acts as a
BALINIT FUTURA
heatsink which protects the
NANO (TiAlN) –
cutting tool during the A universal high per-
cutting operation, and formance coating for
extends tool life. drilling, milling, ream-
ing and turning. Also
suited to dry machining.
Coatings
Excellent for the most
description demanding machining
Somta primarily applications
offers two main
types of Oerlikon Balzers Balinit coatings in its
range of cutting tools: BalinitA (TiN) and Balinit increased metal removal rates with extended life
Futura Nano (TiAlN). under critical machining applications.
BalinitA (TiN) is a general all-purpose coating The PVD coating process is generally carried out at
widely used for cutting and forming in a variety of temperatures of between 450-500˚C
industrial applications. It is good for drilling and
tapping on most material types. Coated speeds
Balinit Futura Nano (TiAlN) is a universal high Generally, operating speeds will be higher for coated
performance coating for drilling, milling, reaming tools, with feed rates kept constant. Speed increases
and turning. It is also suited to dry machining and gained with coated tooling compared to uncoated
performs well on the most demanding machining tooling for the different coatings of 50% higher
applications. It features a remarkably tough mul- speeds at a similar feed rate as uncoated for BalinitA
tilayer structure and as a result, coated tools have (TiN), while Balinit Futura Nano (TiAlN) delivers

TDM MACHINING
Go get it
PVD (Physical Vapour Deposition) coatings are
applied using a vacuum coating chamber. This
increases the life and productivity of produc-
tion tools saving companies a fortune. The
use of PVD coatings saves companies money
in three ways.
Firstly, PVD coated tools can be run faster, re-
ducing cycle times and enabling the production
of more components in less time.
Secondly, PVD coatings reduce wear and pickup
reducing downtime due to tool replacement.
Finally, PVD coatings reduce the need for cut-
ting fluid. Cutting fluids cost companies today
up to 15% of their total production costs. PVD
coatings can be run dry or with very limited
amount of fluid.
75% higher speeds at the same feed rate.

Reground and recoated tools offer the same perfor-
mance as coated new tools, which is a major benefit The Balzers coating facility is also available as a value
if service life and cycle time are to be maintained added service for those applications in which coated parts
in production lines. can offer the user extended life, lower wear and reduced
operating costs
Typically, one can expect longer tool life in the order of
2-10 times compared to uncoated tools Other applications
The coatings can also be used on applications with
Resharpened Somta tools recoated with Balzers wear parts, sheet metal work, cold forming pressure
coatings have a longer aggregate service life. The die casting and plastic processing.
coatings reduce tool costs, resharpening costs, tool Somta Tools, Tel: 0800-331-339, E-mail: tech@somta.
changes and scrap. co.za, Web: www.somta.co.za
Coating - Technical Parameters

Product Coating Microhardness Friction Coeff Max Appl. Coating
Name Material HV* against steel (dry)* Temp. ˚C Detail
BALINIT® A TiN 2300 0.4 600 Gold-yellow monolayer
BALINIT® FUTURA NANO TiAlN 3300 0.30-0.35 900 Violet-grey nanostructure
Before Regrinding After Regrinding
BALINIT coatings used on cutting tools are also used for other applications with wear parts, sheet metal work, cold forming
pressure die casting and plastic processing

TDM TRAINING
TDM Powered Students

Overcoming hardship is nothing new to many of the students undertaking the pre-apprenticeship programme
of the National Tooling Initiative (NTIP) at training centres around the country.
A
fter all the programme was initiated to get ested in engineering and I am taking this as an
students, especially those from rural or opportunity to fulfil my dream. That’s why I am
disadvantaged areas, to a level where their adamant to finish the entire apprenticeship and
English communications and Mathematics become a toolmaker.
skills is at least on par
with fellow students “Being a girl in man’s world comes with some
when entering the challenges, but as soon as the men see that I can
NTIP’s apprenticeship do anything they can they respect me for who I am
programme. and accept me as an equal,” she laughs.
But in the case of Letitia’s long-term goal is to gain experience as a
two students at the toolmaker and one day open her own toolmaking
South West Gauteng business. “My lecturer, Roger Skidow, initially
College it is a case of inspired me to join the programme and with his
following their dreams assistance I am confident I will go all the way to
no matter what ob- reaching my goals.”
stacles come in their
way. Letitia Adams Programme was initiated to get
(20) of Eldorado Park students to a level where their English
and George Rensburg and Mathematics skills is on par with
(24) of Ennerdale, are
fellow students
making the most of the
opportunities afforded
to them. Designer student
“Advanced Materi- Information Technology specialist, George, decided
als Today” caught to change his career focus and become a toolmaker.
up with them on a Despite running his own IT repair and installation
recent visit to the col- business he put it on the backburner to study as
Letitia Adams lege where we found a toolmaker. Although the lack of income from
out a little more about the business is a hindrance it is a sacrifice he is
what makes these two prepared to make in order to meet his goals.
remarkable students This creative-minded student has planned his path
“tick”. to success and he has it already mapped out.
Girl power “First I want to qualify as a toolmaker and then use
Letitia’s father was my IT skills to study design. In that way I will - one
laid-off some time day - be able to open a business and get involved
ago and she needs in both design and conception of products and be
to supplement her able to make it to specification using my toolmak-
family’s income in or- ing skills,” he says.
der to keep the family “I have an enquiring mind. Even as a child I would
afloat. As a result she always take things apart to see how they worked.
works evenings at a Later I started designing and building things so the
call centre - after a full career path that I am taking now would be ideal
day of studies at the for me to live out my dreams,” he adds.
college. Yet, despite
George says he has found the pre-apprenticeship
long hours with little
programme to be challenging. He plans to stick
rest, she has become
to the task and is confident that he will go on to
one the college’s top
finish the three year apprenticeship pilot and go
students and one of
on to fulfil his dreams.
the programmes shin-
ing lights. National Tooling Initiative Programme, Carlos Barbosa,
Tel: (012) 643 9360, Fax: (012) 663 9418, Email: carlosb@
George Rensburg “I was always inter- ntipweb.co.za

TDM NEWS TDM NEWS
Bigger, better Afrimold 2011 Reverse Job Fair

The AfriMold tool, die and mould-making exhibition which The National Tooling Initiatives Programme (NTIP) gave
made its debut in Sandton last year is posed to triple in size students that are part of its pre-apprenticeship programme
in 2011. The organisers have already confirmed sales of the opportunity to “interview” prospective employers and
more space than the total for the inaugural show in August find out more about the type of work they will be doing in
2010. future.
Exhibition director Ron MacLarty is looking forward to a highly Ten companies made presentations to the 41 students at a
successful event at the Sandton Convention centre from 27- Reverse Job Fair that was designed to find the most likely
29 September 2011. Following a visit in December to sister fit for the students to ensure they get experiential training in
exhibition EuroMold in Frankfurt, Germany - the AfriMold the line of work they are planning to pursue. This allowed
team received high numbers of international enquiries. companies to share their Mission, Vision, Values, Working
Methods and product ranges with the students.
“The global tool, die and mould-making industry is focused
on new and innovative trends in part design and manufacture, After this the students were prepared for the interviews as
with specialist companies actively looking for significant they had done extensive research on the companies using
growth in niche applications,” says Ron. the internet and other sources. They all had a good idea of
what each company was doing.
The 41 students eventually were offered 51 positions - this
oversupply of opportunities is rather unique for persons
who have no work experience. Both the employers and the
students were extremely happy with the outcome and all
the parties are satisfied with the outcome.
The NTIP Project Management, teaching and support staff
expressed their thanks to the companies that are participat-
ing. Reports from the other provinces indicates the same
placement successes have been achieved. All the South
African students are now in OTJ positions until the end of
the year.
Monday 20th September was the first working day for the
students. It can be reported with pride that all the student
arrived at work on time properly kitted with safety gear.
Toolmakers Association of South Africa, Priscilla Smith, Tel: (012)
Retecon at the show
644 1581, Email: priscillas@tasaweb.co.za, Web: www.tasaweb.co.za
Customisation
“Today it is all about customisation and limited production
runs of specialist hi-tech parts. Greater design freedom has
been created with the revolutionary introduction of three-
dimensional printing units to make both prototypes and
finished parts more quickly and effectively.”
Universities in Europe are turning out great designers and
excellent engineers as was clearly visible at EuroMold. Ron
adds, “A significant Chinese contingent was at the show, the
Chinese Government is clearly actively encouraging the full
development of their tooling industry, which is exactly what
the South African government should be doing locally.”
AfriMold 2011 will be placing additional emphasis on the
local motor and packaging industries. Tooling and design
play a critical role in these important industries. The venue
will again be the Sandton Convention Centre and Ron says
the addition of a second floor to triple the size of AfriMold
2011 will be strongly considered.
TASA involvement
“We are also delighted that the Toolmakers Association of
South Africa (TASA) will be increasing its involvement in
AfriMold. Many of the inaugural exhibitors from last year are
doubling the size of their stands for the 2011 event.
“Additional exhibitors who adopted a “look and see” approach
in 2010 have now signed up to participate in 2011 following
the “buzz” created in the industry by the show’s debut.
AfriMold, Ron MacLarty, Tel: 072 353 6699, Email: ron@afrimold.
com, Web: www.afrimold.com

CASTINGS, FORGINGS, FURNACES & REFRACTORIES
The Heat Critical processes in foundries can rely on

precise temperature control and mainte-
nance of critical temperature where it is
needed. In instances like these, when the
is On
heat is on, it pays to have heat containment
systems that perform to specification every
time.
I
nternational manufacturer of foundry supplies Specialist field
and heat containment and insulation products “Thermal Ceramics products are used in a variety
and systems, Thermal Ceramics, supplies prod- of applications across different industries in critical
uct to local foundries in the local industry. It’s processes where quality is vital. We sell high qual-
clients range from foundries, mines and steel mills ity products at a competitive price,” says Michelle
to petrochemical plants and general industry. Botha, Thermal Ceramics sales manager.
Thermal Ceramics products are used across different She explains that heavy products are not viable
industries in critical processes where quality is vital to import due to the low cost relative to weight
which makes it uneconomical. In addition many of
the products are specialised with a high degree of
“Advanced Materials Today” visited its manufac-
customisation to clients’ process requirements.
turing facility in Springs to find the factory is bur-
geoning with business from all forms of industries Due to specific material compositions or shapes
- especially mines and the energy sector - at this and sizes it makes the local supply from Thermal
moment in time. It is the broad spread of industries Ceramics a more viable solution than supplying
making use of thermal products that makes the from abroad. That is why the Springs factory of
company resilient and able to weather downturns the giant multi-national company plays a pivotal
67542 KEW Foundry in
Ad.fh11 5/3/10 9:17 AM Page 1
the market. role in keeping local industry running.
C M Y CM MY CY CMY K
Composite Advanced Materials Today Jan/Feb 2011 25

LIFT TRUCK
COMPANY

TDM MACHINING
CASTINGS, FORGINGS, FURNACES & REFRACTORIES
Constant improvement carbide based refractories using silicate, alumina

Thermal Ceramics is headquartered in France with silica, silicon oxynitride and beta silicon carbide
manufacturing facilities around the globe. It invests bond systems.
considerable effort into its research and develop-
ment operations both internationally and locally. As with silicon carbide refractories, the base grain
A result of this in South Africa is that it enables for Morsil nitride bonded is refractory grade alpha
the company to constantly improve its offerings to silicon carbide. The alpha silicon carbide crystals
customers and stay ahead of the game. impart high thermal conductivity and refractoriness,
low thermal expansion and outstanding abrasion/
Thermal Ceramics provides insulation and refractory erosion resistance.
technology including fibre, insulating firebricks and
others. Each product line has a number of well- Many of the products are specialised with a high degree
known global brands. of customisation to clients’ process requirements
These include fibre brands like Superwool, Kao-
wool, Cera, Pyro-Bloc and FireMaster. Insulating Manufacture
firebrick in straight, slab or custom shapes include To manufacture Morsil nitride bonded, graded alpha
K, JM and TJM. General purpose and special duty or electric furnace silicon carbide crystals and fine
dense castables include Tri-Mor, Kaolite, Firelite, silicon are formed into shape, and fired in a pure
Kaocrete and Firecrete. nitrogen atmosphere at approximately 1420ºC.
The result is a refractory consisting of a mixture
Silicon Carbide of alpha silicon carbide grain in a matrix of alpha
In South Africa the company is well known for its and beta silicon nitride, with minor amounts of
Silicon Carbide. The local silica operation is the residual silicon and silicon oxynitride.
only one of its kind on the African continent and
fulfils a large majority of the requirements for the Due to the fact that the bond phase grows within
local market. It produces two main forms of Silicon existing porosity, there is little dimensional change
Carbide, self bonded and nitride bonded. upon firing and a net weight gain occurs. This
bond is mainly responsible for the extremely high
Many bonding systems are available that inter- modulus of rupture and outstanding oxidation and
connect the alpha silicon carbide grains and in corrosion resistance of Morsil nitride bonded silicon
the case of self bonded refractories, it is mainly carbide.
in a matrix of silicon and aluminium-silicon glass.
The bonds in self bonded refractories have been With easy access to Properties of Nitride bonded Silicon
carefully formulated to give specific properties and cheaper imports the Carbide:
subsequent performance criteria in any specific company differenti- • High strength, even at high temperatures,
application. ates its offerings
by upholding strict • High wear resistance,
Nitride Bonded quality controls. • High decomposition temperature,
The silicon nitride bond phase in these refractories Thermal Ceramics,
is the key to their superior performance in demand- • Oxidation resistance even at very high
Michelle Botha, Tel:
ing applications. temperatures,
(011) 815 6820, (011)
The Morsil nitride bonding system allows nitride 365 8513, michelle@ • Corrosion resistance,
tcsa.co.za
bonded refractories to out-perform other silicon • Thermal shock resistance due to the strength
of the Silicon Nitride bond and the low
thermal expansion coefficient,
• Very low thermal expansion,
• High thermal conductivity, and
• Good tribological properties.

JOINING
Revolutionary Welding
System One of the most innovative recent developments to take
place in the South African welding and cutting industry has
been released into the local market.
T
he Lindoflamm special torches and burners An increasing number of fine-grained structural
from Afrox’s parent company, The Linde steels are being used for construction of structures,
Group, is a first for South Africa. The special apparatus, and equipment increasing the importance
torches and burners provide optimal heat of pre-heating prior to welding.
transfer to the work piece, reducing gas consump-
Technology
tion, improving productivity, quality and therefore
Lindoflamm technology offers the fabricator a number
total cost, as well as enhancing safety on the fac-
of advantages that improve quality, productivity,
tory floor.
safety and reduced process costs. An important
Afrox’s Johan Pieterse, Business Manager, Process characteristic of acetylene is the high heat intensity
Development explains: “Our parent company’s re- in the primary flame.
search and development activities focus not only
This results in a focused flame, pre-heating only in
on improving existing customer processes, but also
the weld area, increasing the speed at which the
on completely new technologies.
weld area is heated as much as two thirds faster
than other fuel gases, and could save as much as
An important characteristic of acetylene is the high heat
32% on total process cost.
intensity in the primary flame
Working conditions are also improved, since less
heat is reflected, improving operator comfort. Due
Pre-heating to this reduction in heat reflection, gas consump-
Lindoflamm is a perfect example of this, offering tion is much lower.
pre-heating, flame straightening and heat treatment Water content
solutions for manufacturers and fabricators working Another important characteristic is lower water
to the highest industry standards.” content (4%), compared to as much as 30% in
Johan says pre-heating is a critical requirement in other fuel gases, which reduces the risk of induc-
the fabrication industry and plays a very important ing hydrogen in the weld area and is an important
role in the integrity of the weld. It prevents failures factor in quality enhancement.
such as hydrogen-induced cracking, as well as The mixture of compressed air and acetylene,
common failures in the heat-affected zone. coupled with the focused flame, reduces the risk of
surface damage. Acetylene
is also less dense than
air, compared to other
fuel gases that are denser
than air, reducing the risk
of accidents and incidents
when working in confined
spaces.
“This is the safest solution,”
concludes Johan. “Lindo-
flamm torches, burners and
nozzles are all application-
specific designs, ensuring
that particular needs are
met.”
Flame straightening
The heat of the welding
in the heat affected zone
causes steel structures to
distort during the cooling
period of the weld. This is

JOINING
a common defect in welding and although the

weld sequence can be designed to minimise the
effect of distortion, it still has an effect.
The Lindoflamm flame straightening process
uses oxygen and acetylene to heat localised
areas of the work piece rapidly into the plastic
temperature range. A restriction of heat expan-
sion results in an upsetting in the heated zone.
During the cooling down period, a shortening
results around the heated zone, resulting in
straightening of the work piece.
“The correct torch must always be used for
flame straightening,” he says. “Work involving
thick wall components can only be carried out
successfully if high output torches are available.
This often means special designs.
Pre-heating is a critical requirement

Pre-heating of fine-grained structural steels is vitally important
in the fabrication industry
“The use of manually guided special high output

torches is a standard application in steel con-
struction and heavy machinery building.
“For mass production, mechanised flame-
straightening torches have been developed.
These torches are employed, for example, in the
fully automated manufacture of thick-walled,
longitudinal seam welded pipes for offshore oil
drilling and production. Distortions in T and
double T members, caused by longitudinal
shrinking of fillet welds, can also be removed
with mechanised torches during the welding
Distortion can be minimised when using Lindoflamm processes process.”
Flame hardening
In flame hardening, localised portions of the
work piece are quickly heated to a temperature
above the GOS line in the iron-carbon diagram.
The heated region is immediately quenched,
undergoing a transition to the structure present
in hardened steel. The base material remains
unaffected and unchanged in form.
Torch designs of proven value for flame hard-
ening have a water spray integrated into the
nozzle immediately behind the flame front in
the direction of motion.
Afrox is the leading supplier of welding consum-
ables in southern Africa, offering an extensive
product range covering most material that can
be welded, from normal carbon steel to the more
specialised type of material such as stainless steel,
nickel based alloys and hardfacing alloys.
Support service
A team of local and global experts supports the
Lindoflamm processes including trials, burner
designs, installation and commissioning as well
as training.
Afrox, Linde Group, Johan Pieterse, Tel: (011) 255
The correct flame must always be used for flame straightening to avoid distortion 5771, Email: johan.pieterse@afrox.linde.com

TECHNOLOGY
When a person’s world turns

to darkness and they lose the
ability to see or if they were
born blind it spells a lifetime of
A Taste for Sight

dependency on others. Now a
new invention is casting a glim-
mer of hope for the unsighted
with new technology that al-
lows blind people to “see” with
their tongue.
A
n invention by one of the world’s most
respected scientists in the field of medical
rehabilitation, the BrainPort, relays images
from an “ordinary” miniature video camera
to a probe that relays impulses to the extra-sensitive
surface of the users tongue. Dr Paul Bach-y-Rita
had worked on the project in many guises since
the 1960s and the years of work culminated in
the BrainPort that was produced just three years
before his death in 2007.
He worked tirelessly on providing a better quality
of life for people that had lost certain functionality
and pioneered devices that could assist people that
had lost their sense of hearing, touch and even the
sense of balance.
BrainPort relays im-
ages from a mini cam- Relays sensory messages from the
era to a electrodes on
tongue that are processed by the visual
the tongue
cortex of the brain
Train the brain

His belief that the brain could be retrained to use
different paths to provide the same outcome was
often met with scepticism from other learned quar-
ters, but despite this he soldiered on to develop
numerous devices that proved otherwise.
He was of the opinion that you see with your brain,
not your eyes, and that the eyes merely deliver im-
pulses that are decoded and delivered by your brain.
This led to research and ongoing development by
himself and others at the University of Wisconsin
in the United States.
Among his first developments, in the early days
in the 1960s, was a grid of touch sensitive pins
that relayed images from a camera and pressed
BrainPort will help the blind to get around without a white
the shape of an object onto the users back. Later
cane

TECHNOLOGY
that are processed by the

visual cortex of the brain.
In theory, his followers
believe, that the brain will
reproduce images in the
mind of the user.
This is done by electri-
cal stimulus delivered to
individual electrodes to
form the pattern viewed
by the camera. According
to users it feels similar to
soda bubbles from a fizzy
drink on the tongue when
first used. But, after a few
minutes of use the brain
learns to interpret the
patterns and intensity to
reveal images and, for the
first time, unlock the dark
world of the blind.
Reading braille
Construction of the unit is
sound devices were used in a similar
unremarkable in terms of materials used, the complexity of the
way relaying a series of sounds to form
device comes in the electronics and programmes that it oper-
a visual image.
ates on. The electronics convert images to impulses through
Brain vision an array of electrodes on a small grid that is also known as
The BrainPort was the culmination and the tongue display.
relays sensory messages from the tongue
The device makes use of a small video camera
with a 3 - 90° field of view
Sensory display
The tongue display itself is often referred to as the lollipop and
is a flat, square plastic mouthpiece about 2,5 cm in width. It
is inserted into the mouth and placed on top of the tongue,
where the moist surface provides perfect conductivity for the
electrodes.
The device makes use of a small video camera with a 3 - 90°
field of view. In the same way as a television interprets the
signals from the camera and displays the image by lighting-up
individual pixels, the BrainPort stimulates individual electrodes
to varying degrees.
Test for yourself
To imagine how effective it can be close your eyes. Now take
the point of your pencil and trace the outline of your computer
screen or desk or whatever is in front of you. Obviously the
visual imagery is still in your mind’s eye, but you get a sense
of how the technology can be effective.
If for example you were blindfolded in an area that you were
not familiar with and someone or something else traced the
images on your tongue you would find it vaguely useful.
The high-tech tongue display unit used by BrainPort goes be-
yond merely the outlines and delivers between 150 and 600
pixels or individual points of stimulation to your tongue. And
your tongue can distinguish far more that that.
Colour images
These test units are effectively the equivalent of a very low
resolution black and white image and development of higher

TECHNOLOGY
resolution tongue devices are already in progress, before, even reported being able to watch the traf-
there is even talk of delivering colour images via fic go by and although he could only make out the
the tongue. occasional bumper or wheel, he claimed to have
It is said that the brain’s ability to interpret input is images in his mind that closely resembled real eye-
not necessarily linked to the organs that deliver the sight. This was after using the device for 10 hours
stimulus. For example, the ears, eyes, nose, tongue, and considering human beings take months and
and skin are just inputs that provide information. years to coordinate their senses, the users “sight”
When the brain processes this data, we experience will get better the longer they use it.
the five senses, but where the data come from may
not be so important. There is even talk of delivering colour images via the
At the moment the BrainPort device is worn on tongue
the belt or around the waist with wires connecting
the tongue display to the control unit. The camera
is housed in a pair of sunglasses and is no more Changing lives
obtrusive than a user wearing an Ipod and listen- Science fiction may have dreamed up seeing de-
ing to music. vices many decades ago, but the BrainPort is an
actual working unit that has potential to changes
Infinity and beyond the lives of blind people around the world in the
In future, plans for a wireless unit are being developed near future. In fact its effectiveness has also been
and even with current technology the whole device noted by other agencies such as military and fire
could be completely concealed with the wireless departments that have identified its potential for
tongue display held discreetly in the mouth. seeing through smoke or at night using infrared
In the US it has received a lot of media attention cameras.
and test results indicate that the blind test sub- For the blind there is hope though and its developers,
jects are, at the least, able to distinguish shapes, Wicab, plan to have the device tested and brought
numbers and letters. Others report a real sense of to market in the next few years following testing by
sight and have a perception of depth and distance the country’s Food and Drug Administration.
that allows them to reach out and accurately touch
Wicab, Email: info@wicab.co.za, Web: www.wicab.com,
objects seen through the device.
South African National Council for the Blind, Tel: (012)
One individual who had lost his sight forty years 452 3811, Web: www.sancb.org.za
The South African National Council for the Blind

has a number of other hi-tech devices that can
assist blind people. They offer installation and
training on these devices:
Computers
• Screen readers
• Enlargement software
• Braille Embossers
• LV Keyboards and keyboard stickers
• Braille translation software
• OCR (Optical Character Recognition)
programs
• Scanners
• Large Screens
• Notebooks
Fact about blindness
Did you know?
• Electronic Enlargement devices
Unlike sighted people, it has
• Head sets and other accessories been found that when the blind
• Mainstream, software read braille their visual cortex of
the brain is active. This is said
• Note takers
to prove that senses are inter-
changeable.

SAIW NEWS
Young Welder Winner

East Cape Midlands FET College International High standards
Welder in training, Chris van Zijl has won the Young SAIW training manager, Etienne Nell, says that the standard
Welder of the Year 2010 competition and will was exceptionally high this year compared to previous com-
represent South Africa at the 41st WorldSkills petitions. “We made some changes to the entry conditions
Competition to be held in London from which resulted in a record number of entries from almost
05 – 09 October 2011. all regions in the country. After a careful selection process,
17 competitors, including two young women, took part in
the finals. I am pleased to say that we witnessed the high-
H
est quality of welding in the history of the competition,”
e also won the Etienne says.
Carbon Steel
The chairperson of the judging panel, Eskom’s Morris Ma-
Category by
roga, concurred. “I was very pleased by the excellent overall
achieving the
standard, which, I believe, augurs well for the future of South
most marks on the pres-
African welding. I encourage our youth to take advantage
sure vessel and was the
of the wonderful career opportunities that welding offers,”
only competitor whose
he said.
vessel was able to with-
stand the required pres- I encourage our youth to take advantage of the
sure test. wonderful career opportunities that welding
West Coast FET College’s offers
Houston Isaacs, who
The competitors had to show mastery in four welding pro-
came second in the pres-
cesses – shielded metal arc welding (SMAW), gas tungsten
sure vessel section and
arc welding (GTAW), gas metal arc welding (GMAW) and
won both the Stainless
flux-cored arc welding (FCAW) – on carbon steel, stainless
Steel and Aluminium cat-
steel and aluminium.
egories, was the overall
runner-up. The competi- World-class
Chris van Zijl from the Eastcape Mid- tion is run biennially by The fact that both the winner and runner-up came from
lands FET College won the Carbon Steel the Southern African In- FETs, as in many previous years, is significant, says Nell,
category and was the overall winner stitute of Welding (SAIW) because these FET institutions are accredited by the SAIW as
of the 2010 Young Welder of the Year at their headquarters in authorized training bodies and use internationally approved
Competition
Johannesburg. training methods.
“I grew up on a farm and helped
my father weld from when I was
very young. He taught me to do
everything in life to the best of
my ability and I am extremely
proud to be the top young welder
in the country,” says Chris.
The sponsors of the 2010 com-
petition were: Abicor Binzel,
Afrox, Aluminium Federation
of Southern Africa, Air Products
South Africa, Arcelor Mittal,
Bohler welding, ESAB, Goscor
Arc Welding Solutions, Hulamin,
Lincoln Electric Company, Mac-
steel VRN Steel, Sassda, S.A.
Welding and Welding Alloys
South Africa. The main prize
sponsor was merSETA.
Southern African Institute of Weld-
ing, Jim Guild, Tel: (011) 298 2100,
Fax: (011) 836 4132, Email: guildj@
SAIW’s young welders saiw.co.za, Web: www.saiw.co.za

International News
Plastics industry upbeat
The positive market trend felt in the immediate run-up to the
world’s biggest trade fairs for the plastics and rubber indus-
tries also characterised the course of K 2010 Düsseldorf and
made for an excellent mood amongst the 3,102 exhibitors.
Companies reported an overwhelming volume of contacts, a
marked willingness amongst trade visitors to invest, promis-
ing new customer contacts and many, also sometimes quite
spontaneous, business deals.
place in January at the Moscow exhibition centre Krasnaja

Presnja gave a representative cross section of the range on
offer, encompassing the areas of machinery and equipment
for the plastics and rubber industry, processing and recycling
machines, tools and peripherals, measurement, control and
testing equipment, raw materials and auxiliary materials,
rubber and plastic products, logistics, storage technology
and services.
It was clear that although most Russian companies are still
cautious when it comes to predicting how business will de-
A rubber robot seen at the k 2010 velop in future, they are planning investments and gradually
modernising and increasing capacity.
The verdict from Ulrich Reifenhäuser, Chairman of the Ex- Some sectors of the plastics industry, such as the market
hibitor Council for K 2010, was positive about the outlook. for plastic film, are already experiencing strong growth, with
“K 2010 was held at the right point in time and has provided new production facilities being built, which are expected to
all areas of our industry with new impetus. The many and increasingly displace imports.
sometimes quite unexpectedly specific contract negotiations Web: www.interplastica.de
entered into at the trade fair speak for themselves!”
Delighted by the good results Werner Matthias Dornscheidt,
CEO & President of Messe Düsseldorf, said: “Registering
222,000 trade visitors K 2010 has clearly exceeded ex-
pectations in the sector and it seems a given that the crisis
now finally is drawing to an end!
The next K Düsseldorf will be held from 16 to 23 October
2013. Future aluminium technology
www.k-online.de The 7th International Congress on aluminium technologies
“Aluminium Two Thousand” to be held in Bologna, Italy, this
year from May 17-21 is already obtaining a great response
from speakers with a record number of 100 papers around the
world. Emerging countries will be prominent where the use
Russian bears take cover of aluminium is increasing at a rate of two-digits every year.
Following a serious slump, the Russian economy is gradually Ecology, efficiency, energy saving, productivity, automation
becoming more bullish sending the bears for cover. and quality are the six key factors that will determine the
The production volume of the manufacturing sector saw a competitiveness and the future of all the companies in the
year-on-year increase of over 14% in the first half of 2010, aluminium field in the coming years. It is not possible to
with especially strong growth in the chemicals, rubber and survive in the industry in the 3rd millennium in a strongly
plastics industry. competitive environment without improving these six key
factors.
This was good news for the exhibitors at Interplastica 2011,
the international trade fair for the plastics and rubber industry, The technical program is available on-line at www.alumin-
with their confidence reflected in the number of registrations ium2000.com and a full schedule of plant tours (manufac-
and visitors. turing plants for aluminium extrusion, casting and finishing,
motorcar and motorcycle factories) and the social programs
With vendors from about 30 countries, the fair, which took are available.

Industry News
Moving machines
Tough economic times call for innovative ways of moving
machines. Last year, Craft Machine Tools decided to forego
the traditional ElectraMining exhibition and host its own in-
ternal trade show to introduce customers to the range of new
and used machine tools available from its group companies.
After the event it was clear that the amount of qualified
leads generated was similar to big national and international
events, but without the financial outlay for the stands, ma-
chine transport and staff.
The Aluminium Two Thousand Congress is promoted by the

most important European organizations in the aluminium field
and also by the engineering department of the University of
Bologna, specialised in extrusion research.
There will be two special events – the Extrusion Workshop
(by the Engineering Department of Bologna University and
New Products Exhibition.
Aluminium 2000, Interall, Email: info@interall.it, Web: www.alu-
minium2000.com
Danny Thompson of Thompson Machine Tool Group displays a machine at the

annual open day
“We like to try different things and find new ways of reach-
ing out to our customers. We have always fared very well
at the major exhibitions, but this year thought we would
bring the event closer to home and invite our customers
on a one-on-one basis,” says Danny Thompson, director
of Thompson Machine Tool Group.
“With less manufacturing activity in the market the call
for machine tools is far lower than pre-recession and the
market is very competitive. By hosting our own exhibition
we were able to meet customers and potential customers
in a relaxed environment and spend the amount of time
necessary to help them make an informed decision,”
Danny says.
Thompson Machine Tool Group, Danny Thompson, Tel: (011) 845
2030, Fax: (011) 845 2041, Email: info@thompsongroup.co.za,
Web: www.craftmachinetools.co.za
Precision tooling
First Cut, a supplier of cutting consumables and capital
equipment to the southern African market, is introducing
a broader range of precision measuring tools to the market
through its long-standing agency for Moore and Wright.

Industry News
Moore and Wright manufactures a range of high-end preci-
sion tooling, including calipers, micrometers, dial gauges and
three-point bore gauges for the industrial, automotive, min-
ing, aerospace and general mechanical engineering sectors.
“The company is currently launching a new line of precision
entry-level tooling for the market, which is in line with indi-
vidual or small business budgets. As with the professional
range the new tools are accurate and user-friendly, thereby
allowing a wider market to benefit from the products,” ex-
plains Steve White, Chief Executive of Moore and Wright UK.
According to White, the three-point digital bore gauge range
is capable of measuring from 6-100 mm, with diameters
above 100 mm available on request. The ergonomically The extruder that was built by CFAM at the Potchefstroom Campus
designed pistol grip body and LCD display unit with rotat- of the North-West University for R2.3 million. It would have cost R12
ing display for easy reading at any angle, make the gauge million to import
extremely user friendly.
velopment that started in 1998 as a research proj-
ect,” says Prof LJ Grobler, head of the CFAM on the
Potchefstroom Campus of the North-West University.
“Over the years CFAM has built up the knowledge
and experience to locally manufacture twin-screw
extruders that compete with the best in the world.”
An extruder is the heart of a manufacturing process
as through it raw materials result in a final product.
It therefore creates jobs upstream and downstream
in many industries such as the food, feed, polymer,
compounding and powder coating markets, to name but
a few. It is the ideal opportunity for women empower-
White adds: “Moore and Wright has recently updated

and improved on the entire range of products in
the precision tool range in order to bring higher
quality technology to the South African market
while maintaining extremely competitive pricing. “
First Cut stocks the entire Moore and Wright preci-
sion tool range nationally, and has a trained and
experienced sales staff to assist customers with
the choice of the product most suited to their ap-
plication and requirements.
First Cut, Andrew Poole, Tel: (011) 614 1112, Email:
andrewp@firstcut.co.za
Largest twin-screw extruder for Africa

The largest twin-screw extruder, built and developed
in South Africa, was unveiled on the Potchefstroom
Campus of the North-West University (NWU)
recently. The Centre for Advanced Manufacturing
(CFAM) Technologies, developed and built the ex-
truder on the Potchefstroom Campus at the NWU
for Feedpro. The extruder can be used across a
number of industries including the plastics and
chemical industries.
“This extruder is the product of 13 years of de-

Industry News
ment and the creation of sustainable BBBEE manufacturing
plants using a locally manufactured extruder.
CFAM, Prof LJ Grobler, Email: LJ.Grobler@nwu.ac.za, Danie Vorster:
Email: Danie.Vorster@nwu.ac.za, Web: www.cfam.co.za Subscription
Please fax us if you wish to subscribe to “Advanced Materials Today”

at R375,00 (incl postage and VAT) per year; R875,00 per year for Af-
rica/Overseas. We will post you an invoice on receipt of your fax.
PROMECH PUBLISHING Fax No: (011) 781-1403
Cutting-edge technology
Advanced diamond-based technology that ensures pinpoint From:.........................................................................................
accuracy in industrial cutting, was recently introduced to
the South African market by Diamond Products. (insert your name)
The new technology introduced to the South African industrial
Title: ..........................................................................................
market by Diamond Products can significantly improve the
lifespan and speed of cut. Company: .................................................................................
Diamond Products, a specialist in the manufacture, assem-
Address: ...................................................................................
bly and sales of diamond tools and equipment for heavy
industries, has acquired exclusive local distribution rights to ....................................................................................................
world-renowned ARIX Technology - a process of controlled
deposition of diamonds onto a substrate, at predetermined ......................................................................Code: ..................
positions.
Telephone: (.......) ....................................................................
ARIX Technology places diamond grits with precision into
three-dimensional patterns on blades and drills, in order to Fax: (.......) ...............................................................................
ensure the maximum performance of tools, in applications
ranging from mining to construction. Email:........................................................................................
Diamond Products director Brian Clark points out that ARIX

Technology is only applied to the higher-end of Diamond
Products’ range of equipment, which is custom-built for
the most challenging tasks. What’s more, he notes that
ARIX Technology has been proven to increase the lifespan
of diamond tools by 400%, while achieving cutting speeds Index to Advertisers
of twice the industry-standard - making it perfectly-suited
to the harsh South African conditions.
Diamond Products, Tel: (011) 552 8310, Fax: (011) 552 8312, Email: Afrimold Outside Back Cover
info@diamondpc.co.za, Web: www.diamondpc.co.za Afrox 28
Afzelia 6
Barpro 24
Chemserve 37
CNC Training Centre 19
FirstPro Tooling 32
General Profiling Inside Front Cover
Goscor 26
Hi-Tech Machine Tools 14
ILS Inside Back Cover
KEW Foundries 25
Opticore 11
Puma Machine Tools Outside Front Cover
Rely IntraCast 36
Toyota 16
Urethane Moulded Products 15
ARIX discs

afrimold
International Trade Fair for Moldmaking and
Tooling, Design and Application Development
27 - 29 September 2011, Sandton Convention Centre
AfriMold – the ONLY event in Africa showcasing technology
and solutions for the tool, die and mould-making industries
AfriMold exhibition Plus 3 day technical conference Simulation

Materials Visualisation
Design Engineering
Virtual Reality
If you operate within Processing & AfriMold CAD & CAM
any of these sectors Finishing

Product Range
you need to exhibit at Quality Assurance
Rapid Prototyping
& Tooling
AfriMold!!!! & Automation

Patternmaking
Machine Tools & Prototyping
Moldmaking
Tools
& Tooling
The organisers of AfriMold are pleased to announce that the exhibition is

poised to triple in size in 2011.
The 2010 inaugural exhibition attracted more than 2 100 quality trade visitors.
R6.5-million worth of business was concluded AT THE SHOW!!
Don’t miss out. Space is limited and selling FAST!!!

Plastics Institute of Media Partner -
Endorsements - Southern Africa (PISA)
Our partners -
Secure your stand today by contacting: Ann Evans Debbie Rodney Ron MacLarty
+27 (0) 82 336 6791 +27 (0) 83 616 0491 +27 (0) 72 353 6699
www.afrimold.co.za ann@afrimold.co.za debbie@afrimold.co.za ron@afrimold.co.za

AMT Janfeb 2011

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Advanced Materials Today Jan/Feb 2011 1

THE CUTTING EDGE OF CUTTING TECHNOLOGY...

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The South African National Council for the Blind