Detecting particulates in liquid pharmaceutical products
Energy and EnviroFiciency
S
ix months after breaking ground, the construction of the Coega
Industrial Development Zone’s (IDZ) first wind turbine manufac-
turing facility is on track to be completed in record time thanks to
innovative and advanced engineering techniques used to fast track
the process.The wind turbine factory is more than 60% complete and
the ambitious task undertaken by lead construction firmNMC to build
the 23 000 m² facility is nearing realisation, the
Coega
Development
Corporation (CDC) said today.The project is joint initiative between
the DCD Group, the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) and
the CDC.
“The aim is to have the facility up-and-running in under 11 months
after construction started in March, so that the DCD Group is able to
supply its first two customers by February 2014,” said Bruno Ponzo,
CDC infrastructure project manager.The facility is located in Zone 3
of the Coega IDZ and will be a first of its kind for the Eastern Cape.
According to Frans Namuhuya of Worley Parsons – provider of
professional services to the resources and energy sectors and com-
plex process industries – the next few months will 'be tight' as they
review the timeline to gain ground on time lost due to the construc-
tion industry strike.
“We have had to revise our schedule and increase the man hours
and labour force to achieve our targets. We faced some challenges,
but we also realised some noteworthy engineering feats that allowed
us to fast track the project – such as the design, creation of shop draw-
ings and manufacturing of steel that was cardinal to the successful
delivery of the factory,” said Namuhuya.
“The galvanised steel lattice column design used also allowed
for a quick construction time considering the high speed nature of
the project.”
Economic impact
While work on site is moving at a rapid pace, the economic injection
into the regional economy has also been escalating.
So far, the materials used in the construction process amount to
236 tonnes of reinforcement, 1 896 tonnes of structural steel and 8
440 m
3
of concrete.The project has also created 250 temporary jobs,
with more than 90% of the workers coming from the Nelson Mandela
Bay region. Coega is responsible for the construction of the facility.
Although construction is moving rapidly, safety, health, environ-
mental and quality standards remain a top priority.
The factory promotes the green objectives of the renewable energy
sector with its green building features. An example of such is the
introduction of natural light shafts in the façade walls and the use of
passive natural ventilation elements.The on-site offices will alsomake
use of solar control devices and performance glazing to reinforce the
aesthetic aspects of the structure.
In the past fewmonths a number of wind farm components have ar-
rived at the Port of Ngqura and made its way in a convoy of abnormal
load vehicles to its destination of wind farms across the Eastern Cape.
Once complete the DCD Wind Tower manufacturing facility will
produce complete tubular steel towers, which entails the manufacture
of the round steel tower sections from flat steel, welding flanges and
assembling the inner parts of the towers. The wind turbine towers
will vary in sizes ranging between 80 and 120 metres, with individual
sections weighing between 40 to 60 tons.
Enquiries: AyandaVilakazi.Tel. 041 403 0464 or email ayanda.vilakazi@
coega.co.za.
F
or companies that produce liquid pharmaceutical products, such as those used in syringes
and IV bags, it is critical to identify particulates or foreign substances of any size before
the products are released for distribution. A global provider of healthcare products had been
using vision machines to detect particulates in their pharmaceuticals. When the machines
were no longer able to detect contaminants to the required percentage level, the company
began using human visual inspections. Since many of the particulates are extremely minute,
the company needed to install bright and highly uniform illumination in their work stations
so operators could effectively verify the quality of the products.
Banner Engineering
intro-
duced the customer to theWLAWork Light Series, a perfect fit for their application. First, the
bright LEDs provide stable, durable and uniform lighting for quality inspection. Compared
to fluorescent lighting, Banner’sWork Lights use less energy and have a significantly longer
lifespan (over 50 thousand hours of continuous light). In addition, LEDs are more ergonomic
for operator use than fluorescents, which tend to flicker from changes in intensity. Second,
the durable IP69K thermoplastic housing is ideal for the customer’s facility. As cleanliness is
vital, the lights are easy to wipe down and keep free of dust. With different size, mounting
and lens options, the Banner lights fit easily into the customers various work cells.
Enquiries: RET Automation Controls.Tel. 011 453 2468.Visit
.
Wind tower factory on track
45
December ‘13
Electricity+Control
