AMT: May / Jun 2010

Advanced Materials Today May/Jun 2010

May/Jun 2010
Contents
Uretech Cover Story Manufacturing
Tel: (011) 268-8860 4 No Small Sacrifice 30 Funtastic Balls
Fax: (011) 447-2212
Email:george.hoffmann@ Tool & Die Making Castings, Forgings, Furnaces and
uretech.co.za 7 Tooling; A Dying Trade Refractories
Web: www.uretech.co.za 33 Piping Hot Performance
Machine Tools
10 Selling by Education Industry News
13 Investing in Machines 35 Industry News
Corrosion Endorsing Bodies

15 Corrosion Testing Stainless Steel • SAIMechE (SA Institution of Mechanical
19 New Technology, New Problems? Engineering)
Stockists & Service Centres • AFSA (Aluminium Federation of SA)
23 Mixed Fortunes for Stockists
Non-Ferrous and Ferrous

25 Use It, Don’t Lose it
Copyright
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“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 5 840
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 Sanette Lehanie
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
No Small Sacrifice
Costs of linings and sacrificial linings for industry have escalated to a point where they can no longer be
regarded as a consumable commodity that can be replaced at the drop-of-a-hat.
F
ortunately technology has also advanced In most instances, the surfaces are protected at
rapidly and solutions that were appropriate the expense of the lining - that will take the brunt
just a few years ago are being superseded of the abuse and deteriorate with time. Like the
by new longer lasting technologies that can proverbial sacrificial lamb, it is sacrificed for the
reduce total cost of ownership dramatically. good of the overall process.
In light of the changing technologies wear, corrosion Industries such as mining rely on liners to protect
and insulation specialist, Uretech, is on a drive infrastructure from corrosive or abrasive environ-
to take the guess-work out of specifying the right ments. Pipes and ore chutes are commonly lined
lining for the right application. Through applying with materials ranging from steel to polyurethane,
knowledge gained over decades, the company’s rubber and ceramics. Linings are also used as heat
philosophy is one of establishing and understanding shields in processing plants and a myriad of other
the influences that affect the performance of linings applications.
against corrosion, wear and heat and providing “This important field is often poorly understood
customers with solutions that work. due to the many outside influences that can affect
It is true that sacrificial rituals have been practiced a linings performance and the complex analysis
thereof. Our aim is to use our experience to specify
throughout the ages in one form or another in the belief
the right lining whether it be rubber, plastic, steel
that higher powers would rain benefits on those or ceramic,” George Hoffmann, managing director
responsible for the sacrifice of Uretech, tells :Advanced Materials Today.”
Protecting assets Material selection

Liners are used in processing and manufacturing Strategically, the recent merger with Dot Steel and
plants to protect surfaces against heat, wear or Insulcon, allows Uretech to offer solutions in steel,
corrosion. If correctly specified, they can elimi- ceramic, plastics and rubber composites. They of-
nate damage to the underlying surface material. fer 99% of the different linings used in industry.

COVER STORY
George adds, “The merger puts to the application at hand.

us in a unique position to study Problems can be avoided if plants
applications and supply the appro- are designed correctly and al-
priate liner from our vast product lowance made for suitable liner
range. materials. Ideally operators and
“One of the reasons for the merger owners of plants should specify
was that we realised that we had to the use of liners before designing
broaden our offering to ensure we and building. This will avoid over-
have products that are best suited or under-engineering structures
to the application. All too often in where unnecessarily heavy liners
our industry, lining experts “sell” are not called for, or vice versa.
unsuitable solutions because they In reality the weight of the liner
have to support their own technolo- has little bearing on its ability to
gies of single product offering. resist wear, corrosion or heat and
“This is compounded by the fact civil or structural engineers should
that customers regard linings as be made aware of the choices that
consumables and pay less atten- George Hoffmann are suitable.
tion to technological advancements Ahead of the game
than perhaps they should. As a result, procure- Whether designing for new projects or refurbishing
ment decisions are based on “tried and trusted” old processes, George suggests that close attention
technologies that may no longer provide the best be paid to the process in its entirety and that lin-
solution,” George says. ings are carefully selected with the assistance of
According to George, the solution is simply to bench- professionals. “The right lining means the process
mark materials and to document the performance will work optimally and endure less downtime in
of materials, either on a trail basis or in actual ap- the long run.”
plications, and then base buying decisions on fact.
All too often in our industry, lining experts “sell”
In order to assist with accurate benchmarking, the
company has specially-trained technical staff around unsuitable solutions because they have to support their
the country to undertake any tests required. own technologies of a single product offering
Errors of judgement
Although the specification of liners is not an exact It is true that sacrificial rituals have been practiced
science, the use of historical data from around the throughout the ages in one form or another in the
world provides findings that can be used as the basis belief that higher powers would rain benefits on
for similar installations in South Africa. Uretech those responsible for the sacrifice. The correct use
continually gathers this data, as well as data from of linings and sacrificial linings will also rain ben-
the field in order to make informed decisions. efits on its users and ensure that loss of production
due to downtime does not sacrifice a company’s
George says their technical staff does encounter hard-earned money.
instances where poorly-specified linings have failed
Uretech, George Hoffmann, Tel: (011) 268 8860, Fax: (011)
prematurely leading to the damage of the very
447 2212, Email: george.hoffmann@uretech.co.za, Web:
equipment they were meant to protect. In these
www.uretech.co.za
instances, Uretech is able to collect physical data
and recommend alternatives that are more suited

TOOL & DIE-MAKING
Tooling; A Dying Trade

Tool and die making skills are in dire straits in South Africa Global scale
and if the situation is not addressed immediately the In a global village and against the backdrop of
industry will collapse taking the country’s manufacturing fierce competition among traditional manufactur-
abilities with it. ing economies and new-comers from the East, it
T
is important to maintain and grow the tool and
his is according to findings of a study un- die making industries. A lack of skills at this level
dertaken for the National Tooling Initiative means that the entire manufacturing sector is at
Programme (NTIP) by the University of risk and will become uncompetitive. It also ham-
Aachen in conjunction with the University pers innovation locally as prototyping, research
of Stellenbosch. It found the industry to be in and development of home-grown products will
crisis due to massive skills shortages, as well as not be possible.
uncompetitive practices that continue to be used
“Probably the main cause of the skills shortage
in an industry that is already under threat from
was the downscaling and subsequent abolition of
cheap imports from China and India.
apprenticeship programmes that were run by gov-
Already the country’s manufacturing sector uses only ernment entities such as Spoornet, Eskom, Iscor
20% local tools, dies and moulds and Sasol among others. The closing of national
trade testing and apprentice
training centres and subse-
quent unreadiness of tertiary
institutions to fill the void,
resulted in very few trades-
men entering the market,”
adds Dirk.
He continues that South Afri-
ca’s woes should be seen in
context against countries like
China that produces in excess of
500 000 technically trained
graduates per year. Although
small compared with China,
countries like Germany still
produce about 5 000 qualified
artisans per year and are put-
ting in place urgent measures
to increase this number in order
to remain competitive.
Mission possible
Despite the findings, the situ-
ation can be saved and steps
to turn the situation around by
The wheels of industry in South Africa will grind slowly to a halt if we don’t produce enough toolmakers the NTIP in partnership with
the Department of Trade and
“Already the country’s manufacturing sector uses Industry (DTI) and the Toolmakers Association of
only 20% local tools, dies and moulds (TDM). The South Africa (TASA), are being implemented already.
problem is that certain manufacturing processes The initiative is guiding 175 candidates through
require local tooling and, at the very least, skilful a pre-apprenticeship programme at seven sites
toolmakers who can support increasingly complex around the country. The programme is designed to
tooling from abroad. orientate learners and polish-up their skills in order
to ready them for apprenticeships. They will join
“At the moment the country relies on an ageing 245 other apprentices when the full programme
force of toolmakers who are still able to produce kicks off with a pilot programme next year. These
and support manufacturing, but the study has found figures will swell in following years as more training
that these skilled artisans are on average over 50 institutions adopt the curriculae.
years old and will be lost to the economy within
the next few years,” says Dirk van Dyk, NTIP chief “Locally only about 15% of candidates who start
executive. training for a career in manufacturing complete

TOOL & DIE-MAKING
Importance of benchmarking
Since the inception of the NTIP in 2004,
issues were identified and a roadmap
for the future put in place. The interven-
tion started with analysis of the main
problems facing the industry and formal
planning of the steps to be taken in order
to rescue the situation. The next step
was the formulation of the up-to-date
curriculum to be implemented at further
education and training authorities. The
study mentioned in this article was the
third step and included the benchmarking
of the industry against European, South
American and other countries’ tool mak-
ing industries.
With the knowledge gained through the
European comparisons Aachen University, it is possible to look
at the state of the local industry and
compare practices with other developing
Benchmark findings reveal that on average South African tool, die and mould countries as well as developed countries
making operations are inefficient compared to a sample of equivalent sized Eu- like Germany and Europe.
ropean and South American companies. The following findings were made: South Africa, like Germany a
The level of technology usage is lower with 50% of programming done at the few years ago, still clings to the
machine as opposed to CAD / CAM stations. belief that a toolmaker is an
Lack of CAD / CAM usage means sophisticated designs cannot be effectively artist
programmed.
The benchmarking studies uncovered a
Automation levels are low. number of potentially serious flaws that
Average skill levels are lower with far fewer engineers and master artisans contribute to the state of the industry in
on site. South Africa. The benchmark revealed
Manufacturing capacity is low. South African operations run one shift on aver- that the main cause for concern was lack
age opposed to two overseas. of skills development. Other serious is-
sues highlighted were the uncompetitive
Average age of toolmaker is 55 in South Africa and in Europe is 30’s. nature of business in South Africa, lack of
Local operations have fixed remuneration structures as opposed to performance focus on exports, lack of automation and
related packages elsewhere a lack of recapitalisation of equipment and
skills following the closure of the nuclear
On average the local operations service two main customers opposed to seven
project and downscaling of the arms and
overseas.
aerospace industries that fed the precision
Poor marketing contributes to lack of new business in South Africa. manufacturing industry.
Not art
“South Africa, like Germany a few years
ago, still clings to the belief that a tool-
maker is an artist and that handcrafted
tools are the way to go. As a result, tool
rooms are mostly set up to support this
type of manufacture, when they should
rather be geared to industrialised products
that are manufactured in a quick and
efficient manner.
the course. This is often due to unreadiness of “We found most tool, die and mould
the candidate for the courses often as a result of making operations to be quite inefficient and, on
factors such as poor education foundations, lan- average, served only two main customers. This is a
guage difficulties or attraction of the wrong profile problem as reliance breeds an environment where
of candidate who has a poor understanding of the the customer has the ability to squeeze margins and
work involved. The pre-apprenticeship programme as a result the companies are subject to dwindling
will iron out these issues and ensure candidates are turnover, low profits and tight cash flows.
properly prepared when training starts next year,” “The customer bases locally cannot and will not

TOOL & DIE-MAKING
provide sufficient business to sustain the sector

and businesses are not set-up to compete globally The local automotive industry
with exports. Perhaps the biggest concern is the will suffer as a result of the tool
and die maker skills shortage
unparalleled lack of urgency in South African tool in the country
rooms and this can only start being addressed
through the creation of an environment that is
geared to competing on a global scale,” says Aachen
University scientist, Stefan Kozielski.
Future projects
The NTIP is not sitting on its laurels though. It is
mobilising support from industry and government to
seek ways of competing on the global stage through
specialisation in certain fields where expertise does
already exist and expanding on that.
It makes sense to become a country
known for “jack of all trades, but master
of none
Tools, dies and moulds shape modern society
“It makes sense to become a country known

for certain specialities rather than being a “jack
of all trades, but master of none, says Dirk.
“For this reason we are working with the DTI
to identify niches that we can serve and to
form business clusters specialising in providing
services to certain industries.”
He puts forward the notion that TDM’s can be
competitive if they work together as specialist
serving industries like, for example, mining,
packaging and automotive industries. The
pooled skills and resources of companies that
would normally compete can create globally
competitive offerings.
In some instances possible areas of coopera-
tion have already been identified and the NTIP
and DTI are already undertaking feasibility
studies.
National Tooling Initiative Programme, Dirk van Dyk,
Tel: (012) 643-9360, Fax: (012) 663-9418, Email:
dirkvd@ntipweb.co.za
Local tool rooms need to be modernised

MACHINE TOOLS
Selling by
More than 30 years in the business of selling
machine tools has taught Peter Killian that the
quickest route for his customers to make money
from their machines is to have the raw material
Education
to finished machined product, complete with
invoice, delivered to their customer in the fastest
time possible.
T
he longer this “work in progress” takes, the are linked to actual Mazak CNC machines and the
more you eat into your profit. raw material is physically machined. The training
Acting on these wise words is not always easy is aimed at operators and programmers who are
when one considers that a skills shortage already employed in the machining industry and
is gripping the metalworking industry worldwide. includes training on the operation of Mazatrol and
That is why Peter tells “Advanced Materials Today” ISO controlled CNC machines, best practices,
that he and his team have built Hi-Tech around his techniques and maintenance of machines.
proposition to “sell by education”. Excellent
A skills shortage is gripping the metalworking industry “I believe that our training equips learners with the
know-how to effectively operate a CNC machine.
worldwide It should turn a mediocre operator into a good one
He has set up a state-of-the-art, Merseta accredited and a good operator into an excellent one. As long
training facility at his Modderfontein warehouse to as they have learned the fundamentals at technical
do just that. “Since the abolishment of the state’s school or college, they can be equipped with the
apprenticeship programs and trade tests, the level of skills to operate a machine and later undertake
skills available for both CNC operators and program- basic programming,” Peter adds.
mers is low. We believe in upskilling our customer’s His effective training program helps him sell more
workforces to ensure they are competitive locally machines. “As soon as the customer sees what
and internationally. can be achieved when our machines are operated
Centre for excellence effectively by a competent operator, they generally
Hi-Tech’s training centre lecture rooms are equipped remain loyal. Operators too become loyal to our
with12 desk top computers installed with Mazatrol Mazak brand because it never lets them down and
(Turning) and (Milling) and (MT Mill-Turn) software despite its high-tech abilities, it is so easy to use.
to replicate actual programs and jobs. The trainee Educating Mazak users is a rewarding job and helps
first needs to master the simulator before moving me to sell machines to an audience who understands
to the next level where the Mazatrol CNC controls the value of buying quality equipment.
Saleable solutions
And sell he does. Hi-Tech
Machine Tools has sold
many hundreds of CNC
machines into the local
market in the 20 years that
it has been in existence.
Peter’s relationship with
Yamazaki Mazak goes back
even further to 1978.
He has nothing but ad-
miration for the Japanese
company and its way, of
doing business. “I feel I
am lucky to stand on the
shoulders of this giant.
Wherever they can see a
way they have a vision and
Hi-Tech has always been
part of their plans.
Despite this Peter has
maintained his indepen-
dence and adapted his
10 Advanced Materials Today May/Jun 2010

MACHINE TOOLS
unique techniques and understanding of the local

market to sell more product. His no-nonsense and
enthusiastic approach to introducing his machines
to new clients is often seen as a forceful approach,
but nothing could be further from the truth.
“After 30 years in the market I still get excited when
I go and see a client and if I have solutions for them
I like to show them hands-on,” says Peter.
Peter and his loyal team of Technicians and Product
Support Engineers have gained many new customers
by guiding them to buy the right machine for the
right job. At his charismatic best he can be quite
persuasive and his firm belief in assisting customers
to optimise productivity rather than save a few rands
on the purchase price is a hard proposition to beat
when a customer watches a live demonstration of
their own product being made.
Right or wrong
Peter’s stance is black or white, its right or its
wrong. He believes businesses should buy the
right machine to do the job cost effectively rather
than substituting machines that are not capable
of quick set-ups.
Peter’s stern belief in his products comes from his
background where he started as an apprentice fitter
Peter Killian
and turner and a lifelong career spent in service
in the machine tool industry. “I back my products
and readily put my neck on the line by inviting Sell machines to an audience who understands the value
clients to see how we make their work-pieces on of buying quality equipment
Advanced Materials Today May/Jun 2010 11

MACHINE TOOLS
our Mazak CNC machines. If they like what they At least once
see they buy it and in the unlikely event they don’t, If ever there was a man that is cut out to be in
then I’ll acknowledge that somebody else’s machine the job, it’s Peter. His true character comes to the
is more suited,” laughs Peter. fore when he is talking machine tools and produc-
tion. An ever-present desire to get involved and
find out more contributes
to his already massive
knowledge of production
and his ability to relay
real-life scenarios makes
him an effective agent for
the Mazak range of CNC
machine tools.
Many people in the steel
working and manufacturing
industry would recommend
that users of machine
tools speak to Peter at
least once in their career.
“If you don’t buy his ma-
chines you certainly will
learn a few things about
manufacturing,”
Hi-Tech Machine Tools, Peter
Killian, Tel: (011) 608 0088,
Fax: (011) 608 0148, Email:
67542 KEW Foundry Ad.fh11 5/3/10 9:17 AM Page 1 info@hitech.co.za, Web: www.
C M Y CM MY CY CMY K
hitech.co.za
12 Advanced Materials Today

Composite May/Jun 2010
MACHINE TOOLS
Investing in Machines
Driving world class manufacturing practices among local busi- Mitutoyo and Gom measuring equipment to the
nesses should be one of the prime objectives of engineering industry. These machines are not cheap, but they
industry role-players and government. offer excellent return on investment when they are
employed at 90% or more of their capacity.
T
“The problem in South Africa is finding enough
hat is why Aurelio Grech- work to keep machines productive. The only solu-
Cumbo of RGC Engineering tion is for our manufacturers to uphold world-class
is somewhat of an activist production standards and compete for business
to stop slow but
steady demise of our
manufacturing output.
The opening of markets
in recent years could
have spelt boom-time
for local companies able
to capitalise on broader
market penetration, but
instead the culmination
of skills shortages and
inward thinking has led
to a situation where locals
have seen their market
share eroded or vanish
Aurelio Grech-Cumbo 03 in the face of cheaper or
superior imports.
RGC Engineering has traditionally served
the top end of the market supplying
products like Hermle machine tools and Clamping fixture for grinding application
abroad. We really have to

look towards industrialis-
ing products for export,”
Aurelio tells “Advanced
Materials Today”.
Industry development
RGC Engineering is a ma-
jor supplier of machines,
accessories and tooling
for the metalworking and
manufacturing industries
in South Africa. In order
to secure its position as
a leading player in the
market, it has developed
a customer centric ap-
proach to customers and
the market it serves.
“We want to promote high
quality production and
global competitiveness and
in order to achieve this we
have placed a strong focus
on providing solutions that
are suited to the local
Gauging and control system for checking disk brakes

MACHINE TOOLS
Machines available from RGC

Engineering
Machine tools
• Agents for JOBS, Hermle and ELB-Schliff.
• Range includes CNC Milling, CNC Turning,
CNC Grinding
Metal forming, punching and pressing
Agents for Schuler Pressen.
Measuring systems and equipment
Agents for Marposs, Mitutoyo and GOM.
Marking and engraving systems
Including industrial marking systems laser
marking, engraving systems and micro-impact
indent marking.
Other products and services include:
Tool presetters, industrial polishing and washing
Plastic injection moulding tool core for safety helmet systems, tooling and accessories.
Turnkey project offerings
• Integrated manufacturing systems for metal
removing industry
• Customised integrated measuring systems
Software
• Statistical process control
• Customised software for CAD, CAM measur-
ing
• Applications & Integration of Systems
Machining of helmet core
market and its unique requirements.

“Through active involvements in initiatives like the
National Tooling Initiative Programme (NTIP), we
are not only committed to supplying high quality
equipment to the industry, but also want to ensure
that skills are developed to operate the machinery
effectively and ultimately strengthen our customers
and the country’s position as world-class manu-
facturers,” says Aurelio.
Turn the tide and emerge as a global manufacturing

Crysta-Apex co-ordinate measuring machine
power
“If we are going to turn the tide and emerge as a
global manufacturing power, then we have to start
Promoting performance
now by investing in world-class machines, adopt-
“Local machine shops must work smarter in order
ing international best-practices and training for the
to compete in a market that is either dominated by
future,” concludes Aurelio.
cheap imports from the East or that is threathened
by perceived superior quality from traditional global RGC Engineering, Aurelio Grech-Cumbo, Tel: (011) 887
manufacturing centres such as Europe and the 0800, Fax: (011) 887 7833, Email: aurelio.grech-cumbo@
United States. rgcengineering.co.za

CORROSION
Corrosion Testing
Stainless Steels
Few engineers and designers seem to be aware of the range of stainless steels that are available to
fulfill a multitude of roles in the fabrication and manufacture of equipment for the process industry
and food industries.
A
ccording to Simon Norton, principal consul- carried out a pilot trial of a newly-designed and
tant of Chemical Investigation Services, the manufactured food processing machine, only to
company was approached late last year by discover that the process fluid caused severe pitting
an internationally-renowned food industry corrosion on the upper machine surfaces.
supplier to assist with the development of a food
Corrosion strikes
processing machine. The company concerned had
“The machine had been manufactured using AISI
316 stainless steel and the designers and manufac-
% element C Mn Cr Ni Mo N Other turers had expected that the stainless steel would
AISI 316 0,08 2,00 17,0 12,0 2,5 0,07 - have withstood the process fluid environment. So
Austenitic just what caused these corrosion problems is what
AISI 904L 0,017 1,43 20,05 24,13 4,40 0,06 Cu 1,46% we had to find out,” says Simon.
Super Austenitic
“Which advanced materials, ie, stainless steels
AISI 2205 0,021 1,52 22,38 5,75 3,14 0,18 Cu 0,21% should have been considered for application in
Duplex
their new food machinery? What corrosion testing
SAF 2507 0,02 0,83 25,07 6,91 3,82 0,27 Cu 0,22% should they have carried out to ensure that the cor-
Super Duplex rect stainless steel was selected before completing
254 SMO 0,02 - 20,0 18,0 6,1 0,20 Cu 0,7% the final design, begged the question.”
Super Austenitic
The table below shows the chemical composition of the 5 different stainless steels
Local chemical variations in the
used in the corrosion testing to be described in this article stainless can trigger off the formation of
pits
He says at the root of the problem is the need for
designers and engineers to know the properties of
various stainless steels as well as their capabilities
and limitations.
Corrosion causes
Simons continues that it is a well known fact that
chloride ions in solution will attack the passive
oxide layer formed on the surface of stainless
steels. Steels need > 13% chromium to make them
stainless steels or else at lower Cr concentrations
the material behaves much like iron. It is less well
known that sulphide inclusions in the stainless
steel and the possible presence of manganese in
the stainless act to enhance the pitting of stainless
steels by forming manganese sulphide inclusions.
These local chemical variations in the stainless
can trigger off the formation of pits.
In addition to the presence of chloride ions, if a
solution has a low pH ( pH < 5 ) it will further
enhance corrosion and pitting. Add to this elevated
temperature in a system, and corrosion takes place
very much quicker.
Figure1 - Pitted AISI 316 stainless steel exposed to chloride ions at elevated tem-
perature under wet/dry conditions during a cyclic corrosion test
Chemical kinetic theory (how fast chemical reac-

CORROSION
tions proceed) demonstrates that if the

temperature of a chemical reaction
system is increased by 10 degrees cen-
tigrade, then the speed of the reaction
will double.
The cooking fluid used to prepare the
food products that would be processed
in the newly-designed machine contained
6400 mg/l of chloride ions, had a pH
~ 3,5 and the process fluid had to be
heated to over 80 oC to ensure proper
cooking of the product.
The pitting corrosion of the machine ap-
peared to occur only on the top surfaces
and covering lid of the entire machine,
which was consistent with areas of the
machine that were wet by hot process fluid
and then dried out later thus depositing
chloride ions on the stainless steel.
Thus all the conditions necessary for
attacking the “magic” chromium oxide
layer on stainless steel were met and
Figure 2 - Corrosion test chamber with stainless steel panels – hot mist gets fed into the sealed
the stainless steel surface became cor- chamber during the wet cycle – the chamber is surrounded by a heating jacket
roded.
Bring on advanced materials cubic crystal structure. The nickel content
“It was now necessary to take a whole new look increases the size of the austenite field in the
at the material selection for this food processing microstructure and eliminates all ferrite from
application and start to examine other stainless the iron chromium alloy. The molybdenum
steels and their suitability for the application. content provides some form of corrosion re-
“To start the process off, a literature review was sistance to chloride ions but not sufficient for
initiated looking at stainless steel and the impact this extreme application.
of elevated temperature, high chloride ion content • The Duplex stainless steels namely SAF 2507
and low pH ( acidity ) on the performance of vari- and AISI 2205 are made up of 50 % ferrite
ous types and grades of stainless. Also, test work and 50 % austenite and offer the designer and
done to examine the impact of surface finish on fabricator the best of both worlds in terms of
pitting corrosion was reviewed. mechanical properties and excellent corrosion
“The test work that was described in the published resistance under tougher conditions.
technical papers gave us the clues to selecting a Where conventional AISI 304 and AISI 316 stainless
range of stainless steels which could be tested to see steel just won’t work
if they could withstand the tough process conditions
imposed by the food processing application.” • AISI 904 L and 254 SMO are specialised stain-
less steels that offer outstanding performance
Four types tested under severe environmental and operating
Simon explains that one could say that these are the
conditions.
advanced materials necessary to fabricate equip-
ment where environmental and process conditions • AISI 904 L is a low carbon non-stabilized
are difficult and where conventional AISI 304 and austenitic stainless steel and is resistant to
AISI 316 stainless steel just won’t work. chloride attack, pitting and crevice corrosion
and stress corrosion cracking.
The challenge to engineers and designers is to
open their minds to the range of stainless steels
Stainless steel type Critical pitting temperature by Relative cost
and advanced materials that are available while ASTM G 150 in oC @April 2010
making sure to consider material selection at the
316 Austenitic 18 1
design stage. If the food equipment manufacturer
had considered the material selection and fluid 2205 Duplex 50 1,2
composition initially, a different outcome would 2507 Super Duplex 82 2,0
have been achieved,” Simon says. 904L Super Austenitic 52 2,6
• AISI 316 stainless steel which was originally 254 SMO Super Austenitic 83 3,0
used to fabricate the food machine, is an aus- The table illustrates the relative costs of the 5 different stainless steels and shows
tenitic stainless steel and has a face centred their relative ranking with regard to critical pitting temperatures

CORROSION
• 254 SMO is a high molybdenum and high could withstand the severe conditions imposed by
strength stainless steel with excellent corrosion the process fluid?
resistance due to its higher alloying element
First corrosion test
composition.
“First we attempted to test the 5 different stain-
The selection process used to find stainless steels less steels in the brushed finish condition using a
that may withstand the very corrosive conditions CYCLIC wet + dry test pattern for a 28-day period.
created by the hot cooking fluid were: The actual fluid used in the food cooking process
• Critical pitting corrosion performance was misted hot into the corrosion chamber, which
was set at an elevated temperature matching the
• Suitable mechanical properties actual food process conditions.
• Ease of welding and fabrication “The stainless steels all failed after just 9 days
• Cost testing showing extensive pitting corrosion. Clearly
it was back to the drawing board.
“From our literature review we knew that
surface finish can increase the critical
pitting temperature and improve the cor-
rosive resistance of stainless, but we had
to find out whether the stainless steels
could withstand the high chloride and
elevated fluid temperatures
Second corrosion test
The samples of stainless steel were cut
into suitably-sized test pieces and sur-
face prepared to a 600 grit mirror finish,
detergent washed, rinsed in distilled
water and dried.
They were then placed in a test chamber
and subjected to a wet and dry cycle for
28 days. During the wet cycle they were
exposed to a hot mist of the process fluid
with the chamber temperature between
65-69 oC. During the drying cycle they
were at ambient temperature and left
to dry with the wet misting system
Figure 3 - Corrosion test chamber with heated perspex inner chamber where the stainless steel switched off.
samples seen in Figure 2 are located
This time it was clear that discrimination
Advanced materials to the test could be obtained between the pitting corrosion
The next step in the process was to design a cor- performance of the various stainless steels. While
rosion test pattern that would subject the chosen 316 failed early in the test, the remaining stainless
stainless steels to an environment that would allow steels only started to fail towards the very end of
discrimination between the steels performance and, the severe 28-day cyclic wet and dry test.
at the same time, mimic the wet and dry environ-
ment they would experience.
Rethinking design
This process of corrosion testing has lead the food
The stainless steels all failed after just 9 days testing equipment supplier to re-examine the process fluid
showing extensive pitting corrosion. Clearly it was back composition and to try to eliminate the chloride
to the drawing board and raise the pH. At the same time the choice of
stainless has become clearer and a new round of
Furthermore, the stainless steel would be subjected testing with a modified fluid composition and duplex
to elevated temperature >80 oC and a high chloride stainless steels will soon be undertaken.
containing process fluid. The evaporation of the
The moral of the story is that design is key and
process fluid on the stainless steel would lead to
material selection is critical at the design stage
a concentration of chlorides on the surface of the
taking all environmental and process conditions
steel and so exacerbate the corrosive impact.
into consideration.
It was known from the literature reviewed that when
Chemical Investigation Services, Simon Norton, Tel: (021)
chloride containing solutions evaporate and dry on
788 9980, Email: chemdetect@iafrica.com, Email: www.
the surface of stainless steels they speed up cor-
chemdetect.co.za
rosive attack and pitting. The question now to be
answered was whether the selected stainless steels

CORROSION
New
Technology,
New
Problems?
Neil Webb of ICP
Effective cathodic protection (CP) works with the flow of relatively low current to the surface of the steel
structure that needs to be protected. With protective coatings becoming increasingly effective, this current
has been reduced to less than ever before. Although this is an energy saving feature, the result is that even
the slightest ‘leakage’ of current through faulty grounding of ancillary equipment in the system can render the
entire CP system useless, because the electrical power has been drained off to earth.
A
dvanced Materials Today” learnt about per rectifier, compared with the earlier systems
this ‘new’ problem in the installation of of fifty-plus amps for a pipeline coated in the old
corrosion protection systems while talking bitumen-fibreglass coatings,” he says. “This means
to Neil Webb, director of Isinyithi Cathodic that just one four-millimetre cable inside an actua-
Protection (ICP), about the latest developments tor which is wrongly connected can flatten the CP
in cathodic protection systems. “Steel pipeline system completely.”
coatings have become so good that the CP system
Faults
of today only delivers in the region of five amps
This is just one example of how a seemingly simple
aspect of a pipeline protection system can create a
Just one four-millimetre cable inside an actuator which
problem that could be avoided, thus saving on the
is wrongly connected can flatten the CP system significant retrofit costs that can be incurred if the
completely problem is only discovered after the pipeline has
been installed. “In terms of pipelines, we
are increasingly picking up problems related
to the interfacing between the mechanical
design of the pump station and the CP
system’s operation,” explains Neil. “This
is mainly due to the mechanical side not
paying enough attention to the detailing
of the design.
“Basically it boils down to the fact that,
when you have a cathodically protected
pipeline, it needs to be isolated electrically
from the pump station so that the current
for the CP system does not get drained
off to earth,” he explains. “This is usually
achieved by using insulating flange kits that
are installed in specific places. Typically
however, someone comes along to install a
pipe to draw cooling water for a pump and
Special flange seals and bolts with a sleeve for poper insulation

CORROSION
The AC threat
A further spin-off problem resulting from the
improvement in pipeline coatings is the fact
that HVAC overhead power lines are now
causing interference currents in the pipeline,
which are more than just a light electrical
shock.Induced AC volages can become life
threatening, if not controlled properly.
Neil Webb, of Isinyithi Cathodic Protection,
explains. “Improved pipe coatings provide
better insulation of the pipeline. Less cur-
rent is needed for a Cathodic Protection (CP)
system, but there is an interesting side-ef-
fect which is a relatively new phenomenon
that we have to deal with today,” he says.
“As the insulation properties of the coat-
ings have improved, so has the pipeline’s
susceptibility to electrical interference. The
Even the slightest ‘leakage’ of current through faulty grounding of ancillary equipment
in the system can render the entire CP system useless
older pipelines were relatively well earthed,
because bitumen/fibreglass is a fairly conduc-
tive coating, compared to the wide range of
new coatings including fusion bonded epoxy,
Remote controlled valves have been installed on the
liquid applied polyurethane and extruded or
‘live’ side of the system and the actuators on the valve sintered polyethylene which are all extremely
system therefore earth the pipeline back to the electrical good insulators.”
sub-station Apart from that, South Africa is fast running
out of space in certain areas and services are
increasingly being directed down servitude
corridors, where they run parallel to each
other in close proximity for long distances.
“Where a well- insulated pipeline is now be-
ing laid in parallel to a power line, we have
started picking up AC interference and this
has increased since the loads on power lines
have been increased in general,” explains
Neil. “Primarily this is a concern in terms of
personnel safety, because the induction from
the power line into the pipeline represents
an electrical shock hazard to anyone who
may come into physical contact with the
pipe or valve attached to the pipeline. In
extreme cases, we’re now also experienc-
ing corrosion due to AC interference, where
traditionally it had only been DC current that
posed a threat.”
“Now it has become a whole new ball-game.
We’ve gone to these lengths to protect a
pipeline by insulating it and now we have to
earth the pipe again to get rid of the danger
of the AC.,” explains Neil. “To solve the two
contradictory requirements, we now use
what is called a de-coupled earthing unit,
which works like a glorified capacitor. The
unit conducts AC but blocks DC , in order
to provide safety earthing whilst maintain-
ing the pipeline’s isolation from earth from
a DC perspective.”

CORROSION
been the case previously. Once

we’d done all that and all the
actuators had been isolated
from the pipeline, we then had
to deal with a new problem
which involves surge protection:
installing spark gaps to avoid
damage to the equipment in
the systems.”
Flow meters
Over and above all this, flow
meters that work on a mag-
netic principle are extensively
used on pipelines and have to
be isolated from the pipeline
to avoid interfering with its
functioning. “Inevitably the
installation contractor does not
fit this flow meter one hundred
The wrong way of doing things. The pipeline is earthed to the steel in the structure percent correctly and they’re
and renders the CP system useless not isolated properly. Then the
meters have to be retrofitted
in an working pipeline, which is a very expensive
they fit this pipe on the wrong side of the insulating
operation,” says Neil.
flange, effectively earthing the whole system that
has just been painstakingly insulated.” Recurring problem
“In spite of warning project engineers and design
Examples
This is when Neil’s company is called in to try and They all know the pipeline has cathodic protection
solve the problem. “Once we’ve identified and fixed because it is on the bill of materials, but it lacks the
a typical problem like this, you may very well find
that the system still does not work. On further in-
detail to specify that the actuators used have be isolated
vestigation, we might find that actuators
remote controlled valves have
been installed, but they’ve been
fitted on the ‘live’ side of the
system and the actuators on the
valve system therefore earth the
pipeline back to the electrical
sub-station,” he says.
“Once we’ve fixed that, we may
find that the system still does
not work and, delving deeper,
discover that the client used
actuators from two different
manufacturers. In one case, we
were familiar with the actuators
from one but not the other, so
we first fixed the earth on the
unfamiliar actuators, but still
the system did not work.”
“We’d been working with the
actuators from the ‘familiar’
manufacturer for many years
and assumed that they would
be the same as always, but
soon discovered that they had
changed the design to a sys-
tem that now has an earth to
the casing, requiring a special
insulating link which had not
An actuator on a pipeline

CORROSION
of the five large projects we’ve done recently, we’ve

had to go back to go and fix insulation problems
after the pipeline had been commissioned.”
Solutions
The solution to the problem is twofold and should
be addressed by equipment suppliers as much as
the installation contractor. “The supplier should
ask the contractor whether the equipment will be
used on a cathodically protected pipeline, just as
the contractor should ask the supplier whether his
equipment is suitable for a CP installation, in terms
of it being isolated, or whether it can be isolated
A nut and bolt with insulation sleeve
and what would be needed to isolate it properly,”
engineers time and again, project after project, suggests Neil.
about all of these problems, we get called back “Over and above that, the installation contractor
to deal with the same faults and problems almost would need to have a certain amount of training as
every time,” adds Neil. “It all boils down to a lack far as correct procedures are concerned for install-
of awareness on the part of the mechanical design ing insulating flange kits, because these kits can
engineer, the mechanical installation contractor and easily be damaged if not handled correctly. As far
sometimes even the pipeline contractor. They all as the mechanical design engineer is concerned, I
know the pipeline has cathodic protection because would suggest that they get expert opinion when
it is on the bill of materials, but it lacks the detail it comes a speciality like CP. Don’t hold back; as-
to specify that the actuators used have be isolated sistance is as far away as a call to the Corrosion
actuators. Institute, who will direct you to a specialist in the
“If this is picked up while the contractor is still area you need assistance.”
on site, the problem can be rectified fairly easily, Neil Webb, ICP, Tel: (011) 465-1807, Email: neil@isinyithi.
without huge costs. However, on every single one co.za

STOCKISTS & SERVICE CENTRES
Mixed Fortunes for

Stockists
Aftershocks from the world-wide recession continue to reverberate through South Africa’s manufacturing
industry and are having a dramatic effect on metals stockists and service providers. Although resilience is
the name of the game some companies have not given any ground and
remain profitable, while others have had to take drastic action to avoid
becoming a victim of the down-turn in manufacturing.
I
n sectors like aluminium service centres by “Advanced Materials Today”
and stainless steel, where reveals that a recovery is underway albeit slow
commodity prices were and less than spectacular. The vast majority of
driven lower by the un- company leaders indicate that business is getting
derperforming global market, better slowly, but that turnovers are lagging way
our local stockists have had behind 2008 figures.
to hang in there, work extra- As the first line in manufacturing processes this
hard and run lean operations sector is a good indicator for the manufacturing
in order to continue trading. sector and these findings would seem to indicate
Stockists of other metals can that manufacturing volumes are ticking up equally
take small consolation from slowly.
pricing stability as they still
have to deal with thin order Overwhelmingly respondents say the main reasons
books and more erratic order- for the slow recovery is that the market stills lacks
ing from their customers. confidence and stock levels are being kept low.
With little pressure on supply, manufacturers are
Lack of confidence confident enough to order materials only when
Ross Teichmann A snap survey of stockist and they are required.

STOCKISTS & SERVICE CENTRES
Business is out there Aluminium Traders, is realistic about the company’s

“Business is not in your office, it is not in the pub, current position. “With aluminium prices at lows
nor is it on the golf course, if you want to maintain that were last experienced in the late 1980’s we
your business in the same condition as it was before have to work much harder to make the same
the recession you have to get out there and go find amount of money.”
it,” says Alex Russell, director of Pegasus Steel. He adds that volumes are 120% higher than
This reinforces the sentiments of most business pre-recession in 2008, but that the low price of
leaders within the industry, who have adopted a aluminium means that turnover in money value is
never say die attitude to seeing through the reces- nowhere near that period. Likewise, despite dismal
sion. Andrew Broekhuizen, managing director of times the company is trading its way out of tough
times and he foresees good revenues made in the
mining industry, as well as in the rest of Africa.
“We are just putting our shoulders to the wheel
and working hard, that’s all we can do right now
while prices are low.”
Tide is turning
Ross Teichmann, chief executive of BSI Steel (SA
Stockists), says that the company has noticed a
significant upturn in the market since the beginning
of the year. “Last year a number of our customers
were working four-day weeks and some even had to
lay off staff. Now our clients are going full-steam-
ahead and production is back in full-swing.”
“Although we are not yet at 2008 levels it is getting
much better. Recent steel price increases and talk
of another in July has led to some stocking-up from
our clients, but they are not going to be too bullish
in the current climate,” he says.
Ross adds that segments of the manufacturing in-
dustry that were hardest hit by recessionary woes,
have bounced back the quickest and strongest.
As is always the case in a crisis, some businesses
were able to adapt their approach and actually gain
ground. According to Alex, Pegasus Steel managed
to maintain its position during the recession and has
gained business as the recession drew to an end.
“Last year the outlook was bleak, but we managed
to pull it off and the year ended as one of the better
years we have had in a while – it was a good year
for us. We invested in new machines that enables
us to work smarter and gain business from new
quarters so as they come on line we are seeing a
good upturn in our business,” he says.
Headed up
Despite current fears of a bounce or market cor-
rection downwards, and with fears over Greece’s
liquidity growing, the resilient manufacturing sec-
tor is recovering slowly, but surely. Stockists and
value-adding service centres are recording increased
sales and when the recessionary bubble finally
bursts and confidence returns the stalwarts of the
industry are standing ready to supply whatever is
needed wherever it is needed and whenever is is
needed.

NON-FERROUS AND FERROUS
Use It, Don’t Lose It

You wouldn’t take your hard earned Rands solutions that are tailor-made to the industrial re-
and Cents and bury them in the garden, quirements of their clients. These range from simple
under the bed and in the neighbours markings to highly sophisticated computerised
property in the hope that one day you will systems that log, track and trace goods through the
find all your money and use it when you use of high tech 2 dimensional (2D) codes.
next need it. Effective markings
“In the past it used to be about marking goods for
identification and ownership purposes, but today
markings are used for a far greater number of pur-
poses. Industrial clients nowadays not only want
to locate and identify their products, but also want
to use the marking to reflect a number of other
criteria such as time and date of manufacture,
batches, descriptions and details,” says Kyle Parker
of Traceability Solutions.
These systems had shortcomings in the

field and even the trusted ever prevalent
barcoding system is not sufficient
He continues by saying that markings have gone

from the use of readable digits or letters in years
gone by, to barcodes more recently. These systems
had shortcomings in the field and even the trusted
ever prevalent barcoding system is not sufficient
Kyle Parker of Traeability Solutions for today’s requirements.
The latest 2D marking technology available from
Traceability Solutions allows users to enter more
data per mark than previous methods. It is also less
susceptible to the type of reader errors that plague
barcoding systems and for security purposes can
be miniaturised or hidden to avoid detection.
Coding
Just like other markings, it uses a mark and se-
quence to form a code that identifies the product.
The main difference is that it is read vertically and
horizontally as opposed to older techniques.
“Both person-readable codes and barcodes are read
horizontally from one side to the other. If a digit or
line is damaged, obscured or removed, the code
is rendered useless and all the information associ-
ated with that item cannot be obtained. In heavy
industrial applications, like the steel industry, this
Examples of 2D markings
is a problem and, as a result, a smarter technique
has been developed and adopted by industry role-
players,” says Kyle.
N
either should businesses with valuable The main advantage of using a 2D code is the
items lose track of their assets. Identifica- ability to store more information. This allows more
tion and tracking of items is big business efficient usage of information for storage, tracking
in the industrial sector where anything and tracing. It also allows up to 25% of the code
from raw materials to tools and capital equipment to be obscured without affecting readability.
are registered and tracked using technology.
Direct code marking
“Advanced Materials Today” pops in at Traceability Direct Part marking (DPM) allows users to put mark-
Solutions in Honeydew has a number of innovative

feather can be marked without the need

for consumables such as paint, ink or
labels.
Where specialised markings or colour
codes are required, laser markers use the
thermal properties of the item to change
the colour of the materials as required.
It is possible to mark stainless steel in
almost any colour of the rainbow without
the addition of paints or inks.
“When the electronic marking device
is used, it is possible to store informa-
tion relating to the item directly to an
enterprise resource planning (ERP)
Miniaturised markings on a bearing housing
ings directly onto items thereby reducing

manpower requirements and cost.
Most materials can be marked directly
by means of pinstamp or laser marking
techniques. This means that materials
as diverse as metal, steel or even a bird
A hand help pinstamp marker

system which can be made available

across a network to users anywhere in
the world. When the item needs to be
identified, a user will scan the code in
much the same manner as a barcode
reader,” Kyle adds.
Industrial suppliers
Traceability Solutions provides marking
hardware such as marking devices, read-
ers and consumables for the marking
and tracing of items. Solutions range
from high-tech 2D markings to barcod-
ing and specialised labelling systems.
These include heat resistant and abrasion
resistant labels for the steel industry,
indestructible labels for military, and
specialised retail labels that cannot be
removed and placed onto other items. Close-up of a pinstamp in operation
The company is also involved in research
and development of suitable markings
for a number of unique applications
within the manufacturing industry. One
of the most noticeable developments is
its application of 2D technology to mark
strands of cable before it is wound to
identify stolen telecommunication and
electrical cables.
Indestructible labels for mili-

tary and specialised retail la-
bels that cannot be removed
and placed onto other items
A number of innovative uses have already

appeared in the metals and manufacturing
environment. As the technology develops
and becomes more widely used in our
industry, it is likely that 2D coding and
marking will supersede barcoding and An example of the versatility of 2D marking equipment is the permanent laser mark-
ing of a car manifold
other methods of marking within an
industry that requires rugged, reliable
technology.
“We are eager to work with manufacturers
and anyone involved in the metals and
other advanced materials industries to
develop technologies and solutions for
the marking, tracking and tracing of ma-
terials within this specialised industry,”
concludes Kyle.
Traceability Solutions, Kyle Parker, Tel: (011)
794 5299, Fax: (011) 794 2844, Email: kyle@
tracesol.co.za, Web: www.tracesol.co.za

MANUFACTURING
Funtastic Balls
Had mankind not advanced to become more civilised and
genteel the game of football may as easily have been called
“headball” in honour of the beautiful game’s early origins. In
those early days, in South America, for example, you were
more likely to pluck your enemy’s head off and kick it about
the village than to use anything that resembles the modern
soccer ball.
S
occer emerged from its many different forms
around the globe using balls as exotic as
human and animal heads, animal skins,
bladders and almost anything that was re-
motely round and rolled. Not so today, the modern
ball is a masterpiece.
Modern balls by contrast are made from advanced
materials using precise manufacturing techniques to
provide players with an even bounce and perfectly
weighted glide through the air. The official ball of
the 2010 Fifa World Cup, the Jabulani, is a perfect
example of a ball engineered for the sort of preci-
sion required by modern footballers. Who knows where the next shooting star will come from. It
may be a child that grew up kicking a Plastic Bag Ball
A goat’s bladder just won’t do in the modern game.
The technology put into producing a football is as- It is true that it’s bounce is less even than a Jabulani,
tonishing – and, to some people, is pricey beyond its flight – Mmmm lets say, is not perfect - but it
their means. works. Considering the popularity of both balls we
decided to look at how they are made.
A goat’s bladder just won’t do in the modern game
The Adidas Jabulani
That is why in poor areas around the globe, imagi- It is hard to believe that “a mere soccer ball” can
native techniques are used to keep the “beautiful generate such excitement, with glitzy launch events
game” alive and flourishing. They are cheap and across the globe and throngs of soccer-mad fans
cheerful and don’t cost an arm and a leg. One of clamouring to add the official World Cup ball to their
the better examples of an improvised ball is the collections. Playgrounds across the world have tags
“Plastic Packet Ball” that is easy to make, rugged of crazed 10-year olds chasing Jabulani’s around the
and reliable. park and dreaming of one day becoming the next
Wayne Rooney or Christiano Ronaldo. With notice-
ably thinner wallets, parents too
proclaim the “quality and
feel” of the ball is worth
every penny they spent
on it.
The story of the Jabu-
lani is an interesting
one. The name originates
from isiZulu and means “to
celebrate”. As such, it pays
tribute to the passionate football
celebration international fans will
enjoy in South Africa. Eleven different
colours are used in Adidas’ eleventh World
South Africa 2010 World
Cup Ball in front and Cup ball. These 11 colours represent the 11
predecessors players in every team, the 11 official languages
of South Africa and the 11 South African tribes that
make the country one of the most ethnologically
diverse countries on the African continent.

MANUFACTURING
The evolution of the soccer ball

Charles Goodyear revolutionised soccer ball manufacture when he patented
vulcanised rubber back in 1836. In 1855 he introduced rubber bladders to
replace animal bladders and this enabled balls to be manufactured round with
a predictable bounce. In 1872 the English Football Association laid down the
rules regarding size and weight of the ball and since then little has remained
almost unchanged. A ball
used in
(Photo www.soccerballworld.com)
the 1950s
Match Ball used in the FA Cup Fi-

A Charles Goodyear ball on display at the nal of 1893 the score was Wolves The official 1930 World Cup ball
National Soccer Hall of Fame in New York 1, Everton 0
Cheerleaders stand straight and proud for their countries

MANUFACTURING
Techno-speak
Materials used to make the Adidas Jabulani ball include:
Thermoplastic polyurethane-elastomer (TPU)
These are versatile materials that behave as cross-linked
elastomers at room temperature but, unlike conventional
elastomers, they can be processed, shaped, and formed when
heated in an industrial process. They form the outer surface
of the ball.
Latex bladder
Natural rubber is the most important product obtained from latex;
more than 12,000 plant species yield latex containing rubber,
though in the vast majority of those species the rubber is not
suitable for commercial use. The latex bladder in the ball gives
it bounce and lightweight characteristics. This latex is used to
make many other products as well, including gloves, swim caps,
condoms, catheters and balloons.
Ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) is a polymer that approaches
elastomeric materials in softness and flexibility, yet can be
processed like other thermoplastics. The material has good
clarity and gloss, barrier properties, low-temperature tough-
ness, stress-crack resistance, hot-melt adhesive water proof
properties, and resistance to UV radiation. EVA has little or
no odour and is competitive with rubber and vinyl products
in many electrical applications.
Isotropic polyester/cotton fabric, glue and ink (11 colours) are
also used and despite the vast number of materials the balls still
adhere to football rules regarding size and weight.
All official match balls for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, CAF,
FIFA and UEFA competitions and local leagues have the same
weight and the same circumference and are therefore always
Soccer is the most popular sport in the world because it can
the same size. Jabulani is manufactured to Fifa requirements
be played anywhere, anytime and all you need is a ball
for the between 420 – 445 g category. The circumference is
69 cm.
the inner carcass using a 0,3 mm layer of Ther-
moplastic polyurethane-elastomer (TPU) and 3.5
mm Ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA). The surface has
Stable flight a pattern texture, called aero grooves, that creates
According to Adidas, the ball uses a South African a clearly visible profile on the ball’s surface.
inspired design and radically new technology with
a newly developed “Grip’n’Groove” profile that Since the introduction of the “goose bumps” surface
provides the best players in the world with an for the last European Championship ball, the micro-
exceptionally stable flight and perfect grip under texture of the new ball’s outer skin has also been
all conditions. given a visible facelift. The Jabulani has a futuristic
texture with high grip, giving players full control
over the ball under all weather conditions.
The “quality and feel” of the ball is worth every penny
they spent on it The ball is shaped and manufactured in Adidas’
plants and factories in Asia using the latest ma-
Under the skin, the ball has a specially-designed chinery and materials.
inner bladder that provides spring and cushion- Plastic bag ball
ing for kickers. Its outer is thermally bonded and Never mind the fancy balls. Just watching a game
comprises eight, 3-dimensional panels. These are, played with the Plastic Bag Ball gives you goose
for the first time, spherically moulded to ensure bumps, for this is a ball dreamed up by children
the ball is perfectly round and more accurate than without the means to afford a ball and no access
ever before. In fact, each ball undergoes rigorous to a convenient sports shop around the corner. Far
testing to ensure it is perfectly round and will stay from hi-tech factories, it is crafted at home. All
so before it is released onto the market. that is needed is an inner made from a condom,
Goose bumps balloon or even crumpled-up plastic bags or paper
The eight panels are moulded together to envelope which is then wrapped in packets.

MANUFACTURING
The construction of the Adidas Jabulani ball
The technique is really quite simple. Create a shape

that is roughly round and put this inside the bag. Wrap
the bag tightly around and twist the handles around to
secure it. Keep doing so with more bags until the ball
is about the size of a soccer ball. Then, using tape,
string or even the individual strands from a mielie
bag, wrap it evenly and tighly around the ball.
This forms the outer skin and should provide enough

grip and wear resistance to provide many hours
of soccer. By comparison to the Jabulani, it is not
perfectly round, nor does it have aerodynamic grip
and groove technology to ensure it flies straight and
true. In weight it ranges between very light and very
heavy. But, it does provide less fortunate children
with a ball and the ability to play soccer.
A beautiful game
Soccer is a game for the masses and across the globe
more people play and watch this sport than any other.
Its popularity is due largely to its simplicity - all that
is needed to play is a ball - whether it be a home-
made plastic ball or the fabulous Jabulani.

The beat goes on
The 2010 Soccer World Cup will offer many
challenges for the operations management
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Supply Chain and Operations Management
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CASTINGS, FORGINGS, FURNACES AND REFRACTORIES
Piping Hot Performance

Bad news travels fast, but burns well in an industry that has Foundry consumables
been shaken by the world-wide recession. Whether the day’s Procor has established a solid reputation for provid-
headline screams of economic gloom, some crazy chap named ing solutions to our foundries. It manufactures and
Julius or the death of ET, it all lands up serving a valuable supplies a wide range of products and consumables
purpose in the country’s foundries. to this ever-changing industry and as new require-
ments come to the fore it is quick to seize the
E
xothermic foundry sleeves are manufactured initiative to meet demands.
from a mixture of newspaper and specialised Its products include sleeves, mould dressings,
compounds to keep metal molten for as ceramic fibres and insulation products that are sup-
long as possible to feed the casting. The plied in standard sizes and shapes or customised
riser serves as an outlet for gasses when molten to requirements.
materials are poured into the casting and the use of “Having a manufacturing plant locally stands us in
exothermic sleeves prevents the metal cooling too good stead because we are able to respond quickly
fast and shrinking beyond the level of the cast. to clients requirements and really get involved in
working with them to find solutions that are tailor
made to the requirements.
“Importing completed products may be a tempting
proposition at face value, but it really excludes the
possibility of customising products to exact require-
ments,” says Derick Elliott of Procor.
Best-of-breed
By sourcing and, where necessary, importing raw
materials and compounds for the manufacture of
its products it is possible to keep a tight control
of the quality of manufactured goods. Despite
recent declines in manufacturing outputs locally
Derick Elliott of Procor and abroad, Procor has maintained its standards
and although sales volumes have fallen its market
share has not been affected.
“We strive to maintain consistently high quality
standards so that each product that leaves our
gates performs as it should time after time. “This
is not the time to save costs by experimenting with
unknown suppliers and products.
“Procor maintains records of all raw materials and
tests the performance of each batch to ensure it
meets specification. Likewise, we test end products
and maintain batch records for each production
cycle, which means we have full traceability of our
products in the marketplace,” comments Derick.
Simple yet effective
Procor Foundry and Steel Supplies factory Man has been casting metals for millennia and has
perfected techniques to the extent that precision
Wastage has been almost eliminated thanks to these casting is now possible. Wastage has been almost
techniques eliminated thanks to these techniques and if the
right materials and equipment are used, casting is
Vacuum formed or blown sleeves are produced in a straight forward process.
their hundreds by Procor Steel and Foundry Supplies
So too is the manufacture of foundry consumables.
on a daily basis. The consumption of sleeves by the
The somewhat old-fashioned and labour intensive
country’s foundries is therefore a good indicator of
factory belies a specialised yet simple manufactur-
state of the industry and if sales in the first two
ing process. Sleeve manufacture, for example, uses
months of the year are anything to go by – then
paper pulp as a basis and is blended with various
somebody has switched the light at the end of the
compounds to ensure hot and even-burning prop-
tunnel back on.

CASTINGS, FORGINGS, FURNACES AND REFRACTORIES
available at any time.

Mould dressings, paints and powders and addi-
tives are also blended by the company to provide
foundries with a one-stop solutions for consumables
and insulation products.
Trick up the sleeve
Unless you have worked in a foundry you can’t
help being impressed by the properties of foundry
products. Thanks to a breath-taking impromptu
display by Derick it is impressive to see the enor-
mous heat resistance properties (beyond 1600°
C) of the insulation products. More impressive is
the heat generated through the burning of a sleeve
that easily melts glass and metal.
More impressive is the heat

generated through the burning of a
sleeve
“In instances where a steel casting requires more

metal the addition of metal producing powders can
Metal producing powder ignites to convert to a molten form
supplement the casting and is an impressive site,”
motions Derick as he ignites the powder in a shower
of sparks. Just like the other products the display
of producing metal from powder gives a realisa-
tion that there is more to casting than meets the
eye and the addition of the right consumables at
the right place and time can makes the difference
between a good casting or scrap.
Procor Foundry and Steel Supplies, Derick Elliott, Tel:
(011) 740 1450, Fax: (011) 740 1503, Email: procor@
megaweb.co.za
Ceramic insulation products
erties. The slurry is vacuum formed with

hand-tools and moulded products left to
dry for several hours on simple racks before
being fired in a furnace.
Likewise, ceramic products such as insulat-
ing sleeves, taper seals, botting cones, and
ceramic fibre tubes are hand formed using
vacuum moulds. More complex or thick walled
product are made using vacuum forms and
can be made of rigid, semi-rigid or flexible
materials to suit the requirement of the user.
Blankets and fibre insulation products such
as insulation boards (1260 C, 1400 C, and
1600 C) are always a stocked product and
A foundry sleeve burns hot to ensure molten materials cool evenly

Industry News
New sheeting
Transvaal Rubber Company (Truco) has
announced the addition of compressed
non asbestos fibre (CNAF) sheeting to
its product range. This complementary
range is being offered by the company
predominantly for use in the manufacture
of gaskets.
Truco is offering five variants in the range
to address a wide range of applications.
The variants on offer include CNAF sheet-
ing for low, medium and high pressure
applications, oil resistant and steel wire
mesh blend sheeting.
The low, medium and high pressure
CNAF sheeting is manufactured from
Aramid fibres blended with NR/NBR
rubber, making the products ideal for
use in a diverse range of applications.
The oil resistant medium pressure vari-
Amada AC 255 ant is also manufactured using Aramid
fibres but is blended with oil-resistant
A cute solution rubber to make it resistant to oil-based material contact.
For those in the business of profiling and fabrication the The steel mesh variant is made from Aramid fibres blended
Amada Acute (AC) series is a lightweight electric servodrive with NR/NBR rubber and reinforced with 304 stainless
punching machine with a big punch. steel. This sheeting is ideal for use in high pressure, high
In European markets it has found a niche. It builds on the temperature applications.
success of the company’s existing (EM) range of energy ef-
ficient, ecological, electric servodrive punching machines,
but is essentially an ‘entry level’ machine. The Acute is
pitched at small-to-medium sized subcontract profiling and
fabrication shops. However, this isn’t to say it lacks many
of the features found on Amada’s EM range.
In fact, little could be further from the truth. For example,
the drive system employs Amada’s innovative electric servo-
drive technology, giving a healthy reduction (50%) in power
consumption without any compromise in performance or
component quality: a combination of factors that deliver
maximum productivity at the lowest cost per part.
The all-electric drive system not only helps manufacturers
counter the pinch of ever increasing energy bills, but also
lessens the effect that engineering operations have on the
environment in tandem with reduced maintenance require-
ments: the cost of oil or filter changes, along with recycling Truco has added compressed non asbestos fibre (CNAF) sheeting
to its product range
or disposal is eliminated.
The secret of this revolutionary innovation lies in the load According to Pierre Morgenrood, a divisional director of
levelling power circuit. This mechanism collects and stores Truco, the company has found that with the ban on the use
in a capacitor the energy generated while brake is applied of asbestos fibre products, the demand from customers for
to the ram, enabling the stored energy to be re-used to ac- alternative products has grown. “We identified the appro-
celerate the ram. priate alternative and have introduced CNAF to replace the
It’s an industry development that has generated exceptional traditional asbestos sheeting that has been used for many
levels of acclaim as it combines the best qualities of con- years. The CNAF sheeting is used to complement rubber in
ventional mechanical and hydraulic machines. the manufacture of gaskets when high temperature or pres-
sure resistance is required.”
With no fabrication shop too small for the Acute, the machine
offers efficient use of valuable floor space while still having a The CNAF sheeting is imported and the company has a
full sheet capacity of up to 2500 by 1250mm (AC2510NT) significant stockholding to ensure that customer demand
or 1250 by 1250mm (AC255NT) without repositioning. can be supplied.
Amada, Tel: (011) 453 5459, Fax: (011) 453 5442, Email: sales@ Truco, Pierre Morgenrood, Tel: (011) 839-2370, Fax: (011) 830-1629,
amadajhb.co.za Email: sales@truco.co.za

animals in distress
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36 Advanced Materials Today May/Jun 2010 Advanced Materials Today September 2007 39
Industry News
Trusted name, new distributors
Durma, one of the world’s largest builders of
metal fabricating machinery will be distributed
Rijva Quality Machines and GB Machine Tools
in South Africa.
Durma manufactures CNC press brakes, shears,
rolls, saws, turret presses, punching machines,
laser and plasma cutters, notchers and ironwork-
ers. Durma’s ISO certified manufacturing facilities
encompass nearly 1,000,000 sq. ft.
Rijva Quality Machines has a reputation of sup-
plying good quality new and used engineering
equipment to the manufacturing industry with a
firm emphasis on service and customer satisfac-
tion. It carries the largest amount of new and
used machines in Southern Africa at its 2400m²
craned warehouse in Wadeville.
GB Machine Tool Services will work closely with
Rijva in support of sales and after sales services.
The company has a long history of sales and
services of machine tools particularly for sheet
metal machinery. All stock will be held at Rijva’s Rijva Quality Machines used its in-house exhibition to re-launch Durma products in South
Wadeville warehouse. Africa. At the launch were Rijva’s Robert van Rijssen and Paul Wilson, accompanied by
Őzgűr Eratli of Durma and Giovanni Barecchia of GB Machine Tool Services
Rijva Quality Machines, Byron Gueffroy, Tel: (011)
827 0639, Fax: (011) 827 0643, Email: byron@rijva-
sa.co.za iron, gray cast iron with nodular graphite, and certain high-
GB Machine Tool Services, Giovanni Barecchia, Tel: (011) 827 7512, temperature alloys.
Fax: (011) 827 6692, email: Johnny@gbmachinetoolservices.co.za
“In both grades, we’ve seen significantly increased part pro-
duction in field tests across a variety of work materials,” says
Nick Gaten, manager, global milling team, Kennametal.
All the new milling insert grades share the breakthrough
performance characteristics of the entire Beyond line - mi-
cro-polished edges that improve edge toughness, proprietary
post-coat treatment that reduces depth-of-cut notching, and
a fine-grained alumina layer that enhances coating integrity
More parts per edge at higher cutting speeds.
Meeting with enthusiastic response from metalworking
companies due to improved productivity and longer tool life, Nick Gaten, Kennametal, Tel: (011) 397-3540 Fax: (011) 397-3222
the new Beyond line of high-performance turning products
from Kennametal is now being extended to indexable mill-
ing inserts.
Kennametal, a leading global supplier of tooling, engineered
components and advanced materials for production processes
has released two new grades for machining steel, cast iron,
and stainless steel workpiece materials:
KC915M (KCK15) - This
CNC walk about
Customer recently had an opportunity to view the latest
dry-milling grade is suit-
machines from Haas at the company’s recent open day
able for all applications
and exhibition.
in gray cast iron and gray
cast iron with nodular The specialist CNC machine tool supplier is a leading sup-
graphite. It can also be plier of machines tools from Haas Automation, the largest
used to finish-mill low- machine tool builder in North America. With an extensive
alloyed steel. range of machines that include rotary tables, vertical and
horizontal machining centers, lathes and mills, the display
KC935M (KCPK30) - A
featured something for everyone from small low volume
dry milling grade suitable
machines to machining centers capable of mass producing
for all applications in
machined parts quickly and precisely.
plain and alloyed steel,
Indexable insert grades are designed As a leading role-player in the market the company has hun-
for dry milling
stainless steel, gray cast

Industry News
longer times in cut at higher cutting speeds.
S40T is developed for difficult conditions. It combines high
toughness cemented carbide with a thin CVD coating. The
result is a grade that withstands vibrations and other dif-
ficult cutting conditions for longer times in cut. The wear
is predictable, making the cutting edge gradually duller
without breaking.
Sandvik Coromant is a world-leading supplier of cutting tools
and tooling systems for the metalworking industry and is
represented in 130 countries.
Sandvik Coromant, Tel: 0860 101 008, Fax: 0860 101 006
Subscription
Johann Nel of Haas South Africa and Terry Nel of Iscar give a demon-
stration of the capabilities of the Haas machine when using Iscar’s latest
Please fax us if you wish to subscribe to “Advanced Materials Today”
chatter free tools during Haas South Africa’s recent open-day
at R375,00 (incl postage and VAT) per year; R875,00 per year for Af-
dreds of customers in South Africa and sub-Saharan Africa rica/Overseas. We will post you an invoice on receipt of your fax.
and aims to expand its customer base still further.
PROMECH PUBLISHING Fax No: (011) 781-1403
Haas South Africa, Johann Nel, Tel: (011) 974 2301, Fax: (011) 974
2319, Email: jnel@haassa.com From:.........................................................................................
(insert your name)
Title: ..........................................................................................
Company: .................................................................................
Address: ...................................................................................
High performance titanium ....................................................................................................

milling ......................................................................Code: ..................
Not one but two new grades have
been introduced to the market by Telephone: (.......) ....................................................................
Sandvik Coromant, a lead-
ing supplier of cutting tools Fax: (.......) ...............................................................................
and tooling systems for the
Email:........................................................................................
metalworking industry, to
tackle the extreme demands
of titanium milling.
Index to Advertisers
Together these grades amount
to a new level of reliable long AFSA Inside Back Cover
lasting performance. Grades Afzelia 16
S30T and S40T are available
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for a variety of CoroMill cutters
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S30T has been developed with
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Uretech Outside Front Cover
that are preserved for Titanium cutting solutions


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Advanced Materials Today May/Jun 2010 

 Advanced Materials Today May/Jun 2010

Corrosion Endorsing Bodies

Non-Ferrous and Ferrous

Advanced Materials Today May/Jun 2010 

Protecting assets Material selection

 Advanced Materials Today May/Jun 2010

George adds, “The merger puts to the application at hand.

Advanced Materials Today May/Jun 2010 

Tooling; A Dying Trade

Advanced Materials Today May/Jun 2010 

 Advanced Materials Today May/Jun 2010

provide sufficient business to sustain the sector

Tools, dies and moulds shape modern society

“It makes sense to become a country known

Local tool rooms need to be modernised

Advanced Materials Today May/Jun 2010 

10 Advanced Materials Today May/Jun 2010

unique techniques and understanding of the local

Advanced Materials Today May/Jun 2010 11

12 Advanced Materials Today

abroad. We really have to

Advanced Materials Today May/Jun 2010 13

Machines available from RGC

Machining of helmet core

market and its unique requirements.

Turn the tide and emerge as a global manufacturing

14 Advanced Materials Today May/Jun 2010

Advanced Materials Today May/Jun 2010 15

tions proceed) demonstrates that if the

Advanced Materials Today May/Jun 2010 17

18 Advanced Materials Today May/Jun 2010

Advanced Materials Today May/Jun 2010 19

20 Advanced Materials Today May/Jun 2010

been the case previously. Once

Advanced Materials Today May/Jun 2010 21

of the five large projects we’ve done recently, we’ve

22 Advanced Materials Today May/Jun 2010

Mixed Fortunes for

Advanced Materials Today May/Jun 2010 23

Business is out there Aluminium Traders, is realistic about the company’s

24 Advanced Materials Today May/Jun 2010

Use It, Don’t Lose It

These systems had shortcomings in the

He continues by saying that markings have gone

Advanced Materials Today May/Jun 2010 25

feather can be marked without the need

Miniaturised markings on a bearing housing

ings directly onto items thereby reducing

26 Advanced Materials Today May/Jun 2010

system which can be made available

Indestructible labels for mili-

A number of innovative uses have already

Advanced Materials Today May/Jun 2010 27

28 Advanced Materials Today May/Jun 2010

The evolution of the soccer ball

Match Ball used in the FA Cup Fi-

Cheerleaders stand straight and proud for their countries

Advanced Materials Today May/Jun 2010 29

30 Advanced Materials Today May/Jun 2010

The construction of the Adidas Jabulani ball

The technique is really quite simple. Create a shape

This forms the outer skin and should provide enough

Advanced Materials Today May/Jun 2010 31

Advanced Materials Today May/Jun 2010

Advanced Materials Today May/Jun 2010

Advanced Materials Today May/Jun 2010

Advanced Materials Today May/Jun 2010

Advanced Materials Today May/Jun 2010

Advanced Materials Today May/Jun 2010

Advanced Materials Today May/Jun 2010

Advanced Materials Today May/Jun 2010

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