Displaying items by tag: WearCheck News

When the power, energy and water professionals of Africa gather at AUW from 15 -17 May in Cape Town, WearCheck will be there to showcase how condition monitoring saves money and boosts machine reliability.

Transformer Fleet Reliability:

Reliable energy flow is paramount in any Electrical system and power transformers are a critical, component. As an asset class, transformers constitute one of the largest investments in a utility’s system. For this reason, transformer condition assessment and management are a high priority.

WearCheck’s transformer condition monitoring programme includes regular transformer oil sample analysis, plus Furanic analysis, Polychlorinated Biphenyl (PCB) analysis, Dissolved gas analysis, (DGA), Corrosive sulphur, Moisture content, Total acid number (TAN), Dielectric strength, Stray Gassing Tendency and Inhibitor content.

WearCheck will share stand O2B with sister company Set Point Laboratories, which offers specialist water analysis services. They also offer testing services on platinum group metals, gold base metals including iron and manganese, general silicates, phosphates, limestone and uranium.

Both companies are part of Torre Industries.

We look forward to seeing you at AUW 2018.

When using oil additives, more is not always better. As more additive is blended into the oil, sometimes there isn’t any more benefit gained, and at times the performance actually deteriorates. In other cases, the performance of the additive doesn’t improve, but the duration of service does improve.

In addition, increasing the percentage of a certain additive may improve one property of an oil while at the same time degrade another. When the specified concentrations of additives become unbalanced, overall oil quality can also be affected. Some additives compete with each other for the same space on a metal surface. If a high concentration of an anti-wear agent is added to the oil, the corrosion inhibitor may become less effective. The result may be an increase in corrosion-related problems.

From: The Critical Role of Additives in Lubrication, by Pete Oviedo, Noria Corporation

Some of our larger customers are required to conduct regular audits of all their suppliers, to ensure that the service they are receiving is of the quality that they expect.

This means that every so often, WearCheck, as a supplier, is audited by a customer-appointed company to ensure that service quality remains excellent.

Recently, WearCheck was endorsed once again by Shell after they conducted an audit in which approximately 100 different aspects of the laboratory processes were assessed.

Aspects that were examined included general organisation, buildings, quality assurance procedures and management, sample management, document control, training, diagnostic capability, calibration, maintenance and statistical quality control.

Shell has been a loyal customer of WearCheck’s since 1986.

Tomorrow, cricket fans are in for a treat as the maiden ball is bowled in the action-packed, hard-hitting Indian Premiership League (IPL) cricket event in India.

The IPL, which  features the best cricketing superstars from all around the world, takes place annually over two months, and has been running for 10 years.

Eight teams will battle it out on the cricket pitches of India, with the finals taking place in Mumbai on the 27^th May.

WearCheck have made it easier for you to follow your favourite players and teams. 

Click here to download our handy 2018 IPL Fixtures Lists (5.1MB)

We would like to wish all the WearCheck staff at our branch in Chennai the best of luck as they support their local team, the Chennai Super Kings.

As WearCheck’s footprint extends across many African borders, we encounter countries where English is not the predominant business language, and as part of our good business practice ethic, we do what we can to facilitate effective communication with our customers.

To this end, we have recreated our oil sample test kits – originally only available in English – to be available in both Portuguese and French as well. This means that automotive/industrial oil, coolant, fuel, gas engine and aircraft sampling kits are now available in three languages.

The sampling kits look exactly the same as before, with the exception of the automotive/industrial sub-form, which now incorporates a tick-box section for component selection.

Language preference is set at the customer contact level, thereby allowing different contacts, within the same organisation, the option of receiving reports in each person’s preferred language of the three available.    

Reports are viewed on the WearCheck Online system which appears in English, French or Portuguese, depending on customer’s requirements. In fact, all WearCheck Online functions, such as emailing, label printing, severity reporting, problem type grouping and so forth, are available in English, French and Portuguese.

Cummins Angola, as well as being WearCheck agents, were also our first foreign language customer.

WearCheck’s revolutionary condition monitoring app - WearCheck Mobile - continues to be an increasingly popular choice among customers for communicating with WearCheck about sample results.

An updated version of the app was launched recently and offers several upgraded features, including better all-round usability and the ability to check the progress of a sample.

Once downloaded onto a mobile device, WearCheck Mobile gives customers highly enhanced access to critical information regarding machinery condition, allowing maintenance decisions to be made instantaneously, based on live data.

The app allows customers to access reports, view current samples list, and keep track of unread web/app reports. Notifications about items on this list are sent out as reminders. All data is highly secure, and is now even more nimbly accessible on the app with the “scroll to top” option.

One of the highlights and unique features of the app is the interactive key, where customers can ask a diagnostician about a specific sample, and receive an emailed reply on their mobile device.

Sample reports can be viewed on the mobile device as either one page (“concise”), or two page (“full”) pdf documents. Single or multiple pdf reports can be emailed to different recipients simultaneously. Sample reports can now be emailed from the equipment search tab.

Sample data can be submitted, either via the equipment/component search option (recommended), or via the “submit samples” option, where equipment/component verification is needed for currently-listed machinery. Where applicable, new equipment/components information is created in the WearCheck system. Customers can also view their five-day submission history.

Do you have questions or need help? Please contact WearCheck software support on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call (031) 700-5460.

Every year, WearCheck Pinetown staff members open up their hearts – and their wallets – to bring some Christmas joy into the lives of the company’s long-term charity partner, the kids at St Vincent's orphanage.

St Vincent’s is based near Mariannhill, Durban, and houses over 100 homeless children.

Project co-ordinator Marvin Narainsamy, WearCheck’s foreign operations accountant, decided to do things differently this year.  He outlines the plan, ‘’instead of giving the kids the usual gifts which can be short-lived, we decided to give the orphanage a gift that will entertain the children over a longer period of time.

‘We purchased them a 49" LED TV, a DVD player and a range of DVDs that will appeal to all age groups at the orphanage.

‘The house parents and children were so grateful and happy with this idea, as the orphanage did not have a TV up till now.’

In addition to this wonderful gift, the WearCheck team also provided the children with a delicious lunch, an ice cream treat and some groceries. 

Says Marvin, ‘This would have not been possible without the valuable contributions made by the staff and then WearCheck matching these contributions – what a positive difference we have made in the lives of these deserving youngsters – thank you everybody!’

The Windaba Expo in Cape Town never goes by without WearCheck being present at this well-attended annual wind technology event.  Globally, countries are actively engaging alternative power sources than the traditional oil and coal options in a move to harness abundant natural resources and to be more earth-friendly.

The theme for this year’s Windaba conference was asset management which focused on optimising wind turbine life cycle through the use of remote online monitoring and data analytics.

For this year’s event, WearCheck showcased their specialist reliability solutions and newly expanded transformer services divisions with vibration, thermography and transformer oil analysis just been some of the services on offer as part of WearCheck’s condition monitoring portfolio for South Africa’s burgeoning wind industry.

Through a good condition monitoring programme, wind turbines are kept operating reliably at their peak output, enabling them to generate an uninterrupted power supply.

Standing by to shoot the breeze with Windaba delegates were WearCheck staffers, from left: Phillip Schutte, Steven Lumley, Des Rodel, Ian Gray and Sam Sublal

As in years past WearCheck is committed to providing service and support during the traditional close down period at the end of the year.

Durban
23rd December - Open , 25th December - Closed, 26th December – Closed, 27th December - Open, 28th December - Open, 29th December - Open, 30th December - Open, 1st January - Closed, 2nd January - Open.

Johannesburg
Our driver will continue to do deliveries and collections where applicable.  Customer support and a sales representative will be available.  Any samples collected or delivered to this office will be sent to Pinetown for analysis. The fuel and transformer analysis laboratories (JHB, Durban and Cape Town) will be available for emergency samples only.

Middelburg
This laboratory will be closed, however there will be customer support available and any samples delivered before 12:00 will be sent to Pinetown for analysis.

All other offices will be closed, therefore should you require any assistance please contact customer support at our Durban and or Johannesburg offices. Samples can be sent to Pinetown via the usual Post Office Speed Services or via your own courier.

We would like to thank you for your support during the course of the year and wish you all the very best during the Festive Season.

Kind regards,

Team WearCheck

The following positions are now available in Isando, Gauteng.

Laboratory Assistant: WearCheck Specialty Laboratory, Isando, Gauteng.

Main Job Functions

• To ensure that all samples received at WSL are analysed accurately and timeously according to IS0 9001:2008 and ISO 17025 policies and procedures.
• Ability to utilize computer software programs, including database programs and spreadsheets.

Position Requirements

• Minimum Education – Preferably Mathematics and Science on Higher Grade at Matric level with a years work experience in a similar position
• Chromatography experience would be desirable
• Basic computer skills, knowledge MS Excel and Word would be an advantage
• Methodical, accurate, conscientious, energetic
• Technically minded
• Good organisational skills
• High attention to detail
• Good time management
• Ability to work under pressure
• Must be a team player

Please submit your CV’s to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Applications close on the 20 November 2017.

Nightshift Laboratory Assistant: WearCheck Specialty Laboratory, Isando, Gauteng.

Main Job Functions

• To ensure that all samples received at WSL are analysed accurately and timeously according to IS0 9001:2008 and ISO 17025 policies and procedures.
• Ability to utilize computer software programs, including database programs and spreadsheets.

Position Requirements:

• Minimum Education – Preferably Mathematics and Science on Higher Grade at Matric level with a years work experience in a similar position
• Basic computer skills, knowledge MS Excel and Word would be an advantage
• Methodical, accurate, conscientious, energetic
• Technically minded
• Good organisational skills
• High attention to detail
• Good time management
• Ability to work under pressure
• Must be a team player

Shift Details: 15h30-23h30 Monday – Thursday, 15h00 – 23h00 Friday

Please submit your CV’s to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Applications close on the 20 November 2017.

Technical Consultant & Trainer: WearCheck, Isando, Gauteng.

Responsibilities:

• Based in Isando, and reporting into the Sales Manager, the suitable candidate will join a dynamic team in a high-paced environment.
• Providing technical support and advice to customers with regards to their lubrication and oil analysis programmes, as well as assisting with the interpretation of their oil analysis reports with respect to their particular environments.
• Creating and presenting monthly management reports to selected customers
• Development and presentation of the WearCheck training courses in both public seminar and onsite environments.

Minimum Qualifications / Experience:

• Degree or diploma in mechanical engineering or qualified diesel fitter or recognised mechanical apprenticeship or government trade test.
• Physical science at Matric (Grade 12) level.
• Four years hands on in a mechanical workshop, some experience at supervisory level would be an advantage, and or
• At least two years full time experience either working with oil analysis or, ideally, having worked in the field of oil analysis diagnostics.
• Must be prepared to travel.

Desirable qualities: Excellent presentation skills, Good interpersonal and communication skills, team player, relaxed, inquiring and analytical mind, sense of humor, responsible, accurate, attention to detail, computer literate, decision maker, trouble-shooter.

Availability:

The successful candidate must be available to start in their position as soon as possible. Only CV’s sent to the following email will be considered This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Applications close on 24th November 2017.

If you have not received a reply regarding your application by 8th December 2017, please consider your application as being unsuccessful.