Items filtered by date: November 2018

The role played by on-load tap changers (OLTCs) in power generation is a critical one, which requires that they perform at their peak output during operation and unscheduled failure is avoided at all costs.

Regular maintenance coupled with condition monitoring such as oil analysis is now recognised as essential to help avoid unplanned outages for OLTCs. One of the key predictive maintenance tests that is conducted is DGA (dissolved gas analysis).

Technical Bulletin 66 unpacks the fine points of DGA, discusses the interpretation of results and what action to take when different amounts and ratios of various gases are present.

Three interesting case studies are discussed, in order to demonstrate the effectiveness of DGA in OLTCs.

To learn more about this proven reliability improvement technique that is summarised clearly by WearCheck’s transformer division manager Ian Gray - please view Technical Bulletin 66: Condition-based assessment of on-load tap changers. Here’s the direct link: http://www.wearcheck.co.za/shared/TB66.pdf

WearCheck welcomes new faces

Accounting, Thabani…
Thabani Dlamini is WearCheck’s accounts assistant and holds a BTech degree in cost management accounting. He is currently studying for his certificate in CIMA.

Before joining the WearCheck family at the end of 2017, Thabani served as finance assistant at a medical company.

At WearCheck, he is responsible for many accounting processes, including processing invoices, controlling manual delivery notes, updating credit limits and more.

Thabani works in a slightly unusual situation, as he is currently the only man in a department of six ladies!

Capturing, Bianca…
Bianca Louw recently joined the WearCheck family as the data capturer at the WSL (WearCheck Specialty Lab). She is primarily responsible for uploading data from samples that have been tested in the lab onto Giza, the computer software that manages the database.

Bianca, who is currently in the process of completing her diploma in analytical chemistry, began her career as a junior quality technician for an international coffee processing company before joining WearCheck.

We welcome both to Team WearCheck.

Showcasing the very latest oil analysis and condition monitoring techniques at Windaba this month was WearCheck’s transformer maintenance division.

Burgeoning growth in Southern Africa’s renewable energy sector is a result of the universal need to develop alternative power sources, and WearCheck is well positioned to provide predictive monitoring for the industry.

WearCheck technicians highlighted how power-generating equipment can be transitioned into optimum performance with minimum maintenance costs by investing in condition monitoring.

The WearCheck team at Windaba (from left to right), Ian Gray, Des Rodel, Steven Lumley and Philip Schutte

Sello Patience Mokoena has been promoted to laboratory supervisor at WearCheck’s Specialty Laboratory (WSL) in Johannesburg.

Patience began her career at WearCheck in 2015 initially as a volunteer, just looking to gain work experience. After just two days of volunteer work, she was offered a temporary lab technician post, which soon became a permanent post.

With professionalism and dedication, Patience has worked her way up to become laboratory supervisor of the WSL.

Valvoline manufactures synthetic lubricants and additives, including motor oils, gear oils, greases, anti-freeze, automatic transmission and others. Valvoline is the approved supplier of engine oil to Cummins.

WearCheck is proud to announce that we have signed a partnership agreement with Valvoline to do their oil analysis in Africa and the Middle East.

Says Steven, ‘Condition monitoring training adds value to an operation in several ways. As well as aiding maintenance staff to keep machinery running at optimum output, thereby maximising their investment in the oil analysis programme, the training course give enhanced insight to product developers. For example, Cummins and Valvoline have indicated that they will use the information from the condition monitoring courses to fine-tune their engines and lubricants at the developmental stage, adapting design and composition to help minimise future wear.’

Lubrication specialists Valvoline sent a team for condition monitoring training with WearCheck’s technical manager Steven Lumley (fourth from left). Also on this course was a team from Fleetgard, a division of Cummins that supplies filtration for Valvoline.