December 2007

PP328727/00073
[ISSUE 52­­] DECEMBER 07
NEWSROOM
I N D U S T RIA L SWITCHGEAR & AUTOMATION SPECIALIST S
FEATURES
NHP wins coveted Chairman’s
Choice Conference Award
Hands on demonstrations and interactive
displays catch the judging panel’s attention
at the recent Victorian Water Industry
Conference.
P2
State-of-the-art mining
One of Australia’s most ambitious mining
construction projects is taking shape with the
help of NHP-supplied power distribution products. P 3
Safety Seminar – raises the standard
With NHP being at the forefront of Safety
standards it was only fitting that NHP be the first
to highlight new standards soon to be
implemented here in Australia.
P4
NHP explodes into the HAE market
200 plus attendees were treated to a launch
spectacular when NHP showcased the
NHP-Stahl range of hazardous area products.
P5
Canberra ­– ‘mini-HQ’
Over 100 customers, wholesalers, switchboard
builders and contractors attended the opening of
NHP’s Canberra office.
P5
Product reviews
Building for a
bigger boom
Latest additions to the extensive NHP range of
automation and switchgear solutions.
Competitive solutions for bending machines
With integrated solutions from NHP, local business
implements their own ideas, increasing system
flexibility and reliability, while reducing costs.
P7
Super Search online
Embedded within NHP’s corporate website,
Super Search allows customers to launch an
extensive search for all relevant product
information no matter where it resides.
PROUDLY SUPPORTING
AUSTRALIAN MADE
AND OWNED
NHP NEWSLETTER
P6
P8
INDUSTRIAL SWITCHGEAR & AUTOMATION SPECIALISTS
EDITORIAL
Christmas message 2007
When we look more closely at our industry environment, we see
within the Electrical Industry an opportunity to increase our share
It’s been particularly busy of late at NHP with the very successful
of the economy. As an Industry, I believe we do not gain our
NHP STAHL launch at our Laverton facility recently as well
‘fair share of the cake’ and a lot of work remains to be done in
as dealing with the opportunities that present themselves in
order to market our industry collectively in a way which has the
a strong economy such as that which prevails, particularly in
broader community value what the Electrical Industry provides.
Australia, at the moment.
I suspect we undersell ourselves as an Industry group to the
broader community and I believe we need to develop forums
The Australian economic environment, as part of the global
which provide the wider community with a better understanding
community is driven very much by the Mining sector. I think
of what we do and how we do it.
there are 6 big issues which are and will continue to influence
our lives and our businesses:
Within our business at NHP, to come even closer to home,
we continue to make good progress. People remain the key
1. Generational change is having a significant impact with the
to our future and we continue to be focused on recruiting and
challenges of different ages working together with differing
developing strong young talented people who are empowered
objectives in part. The sharing of knowledge and experience
and feel confident to develop initiatives in order that we can
between generations is both beneficial and essential for
prosper in the future.
businesses who want to remain at the cutting edge.
As we always say at this time of the year, “hasn’t time flown”!
2. The emerging markets
are impacting the global
economy and particularly
the Australian economy
as China, India, Russia
and South America are
having a global impact.
This is particularly
evident in the mining
sector and so very relevant to us in Australia. The 19th century
could perhaps be described as belonging to Europe, the 20th
century to the U.S.A. and perhaps the 21st century will be
driven by Asia.
I would like to wish everyone
a happy and safe Christmas
and a prosperous 2008.
Lloyd Thomas - Managing Director, CEO
3. Infrastructure development in both developed and developing
countries is in need of major upgrade. The business
opportunities arising from this are enormous and the projects
will be very challenging.
4. The environment has moved from something of cult status
to mainstream in the recent past. Most thinking people are
concerned about global warming and the effect greenhouse
gas emissions are having on our ecosystem, an issue that will
only become more relevant in our society.
5. We live in a ‘real time’ world where connectivity is at a level
many of us could not believe possible. The flow on effect of
instant connectivity on decision making, both good and bad,
is impacting on all aspects of our lives as we move, I suspect,
into a zone of virtual reality.
6. Ultra liquidity has emerged as a significant influence on our
lives and it is affecting global investment markets, property
and business activities.
NEWSROOM
Managing Director CEO, NHP
Lloyd Thomas
Editor
Nicola Culham
Design and Layout
Digital Prepress
Print Production
Mark Rosser
Contributors
Nicholas Burley
Mark Fenton
Spiro Fkiaras
Richard Harrison
Ben Hooft
Christian James
Hafiz Rahman
Mark Reidy
Peter Southam
Andrew Theodore­­­­
For further product
information please email
[email protected]
[2]
NEWSROOM NEWSLETTER
ISSUE #52 DECEMBER 2007
NHP wins coveted
Chairman’s Choice
Conference Award
NHP recently attended the 2007 Victorian Water Industry
Engineers & Operators Conference in Bendigo, Victoria.
Competing against 160 companies, who were demonstrating
throughout the three day event, NHP had the honour of being
presented the Chairman’s Choice Conference Award for best
stand.
We foster an environment
where our older staff are
mentoring younger staff
and the younger staff are
reverse mentoring the more
experienced.
NHP continues to push the
boundaries and encourage a
dynamic environment in order to develop new initiatives with the
view to benefit our customers.
As I mentioned at the outset, our product range develops as does
our ability to ‘value add’. The market continually requires more of
us and we must be able to respond in an ‘easy to do business
with’ fashion. We continue to upgrade and expand our facilities
to provide further support and market reach for our customers.
The year just past saw us with a new office in Campbelltown, on
the outer reaches of Sydney, as well as a new office in Canberra.
Another new office in Albury is due to open next April.
Clearly NHP is a great company to partner with for the future!
Just recently, Nigel Peck, NHP’s Founder, celebrated his 80th
birthday. We all congratulate him on achieving that milestone
and wish him the best of health and happiness for the future.
What remains now I think is for me to thank all of our staff for
their commitment and support during the past year.
Importantly, I would like to thank all of our Customers and our
Supply Partners for their support during the past year and to
wish everyone a happy and safe Christmas and a prosperous
2008, as we look forward with confidence to the future.
Lloyd Thomas
can all be run at the lowest level to ensure
the lowest energy usage level. As a result
the operation of a variable speed system
provides the same energy savings of a
single pump, multiplied across all of the
pumps. The master will determine which
drives are required in order to maintain the
demand based on user defined minimum
and maximum operation levels. A complete
variable speed system has the added benefit of providing a
faster response to changing load conditions and is able to
maintain a more stable system,” says Geoff.
A great idea that worked well with those in attendance was
NHP’s competition that required delegates to answer questions
about the products in our display. Some of the questions asked
Our focus throughout the Conference was to be more substantial were, how many branches does NHP have (answer: 18) and
what are the names of the Elettronica Santerno VSD ranges
with our products having more interactive displays to interest
(answer: Sinus ‘Nano’, Sinus ‘Micro’ and Sinus ‘Penta’).
customers.
All Water Boards attendees who visited NHP’s displays were
provided with product information and an informative Drive/
Pumping industry CD that would benefit their future water
The solution centre and the multi-pumping display were fantastic
projects.
drawcards to our stand as it demonstrated the full force of NHP
“This was NHP’s second year exhibiting at Bendigo and with
in the water industry.
the interest generated in the first year we made the decision
“We utilised the Solutions Centre at the Water Conference
to double the size of our stand. With our focus being the
as it is a great hands-on demonstration that illustrates NHP’s
Water Industry, our stand needed to exhibit new products and
capabilities for all water pumping applications. It demonstrates
demonstrate engineered solutions that would create further
the products suitable for water pumping applications which
interest and enquiries throughout the Water Boards. Acceptance
are primarily Variable Speed Drives and soft starters as well as
within the Water Boards is our major focus and winning the Best
the automation system that controls them,” said Wes Cassidy,
Exhibitors Award has certainly given NHP a significant profile
NHP’s National Application Engineering Manager.
to build on,” said Leigh Heath, NHP’s Sales Manager in North
Geoff Thorp, NHP’s Product Manager for Variable Speed Drives, Western Victoria.
describes the benefits of VSD’s in any multi-pump set up.
For more information on NHP’s entire product and
“Variable speed operation allows for the most efficient and
solution range visit www.nhp.com.au or for information
energy saving option for a pump system. By using Variable
on Elettronica Santerno Variable Speed Drives visit
Speed Drives on all pumps and varying their speed, the pumps
www.nhp.com.au/santerno
The judging panel’s criterion was based on engagement with
delegates, innovation, presentation, product range and novelty.
Building for a bigger boom
One of Australia’s most ambitious mining construction
projects is taking shape at a scorching pace in the Pilbara
Region of Western Australia with the help of NHP-supplied
power distribution products and services.
The $2.8 billion Fortescue Metals Group (FMG) iron ore project
is a massive undertaking by any standards. It not only includes
the construction of a mining operation capable of initially
producing 45 million tonnes per annum at Cloud Break, but
also the required infrastructure to get the product to port
including a 260 kilometre open-access rail line to Port Hedland,
a single loop train unloading facility, a ship loader and two port
berths.
Cover story
• Terasaki Moulded Case Circuit
Breakers (MCCBs) and Sprecher
+ Schuh Contactors – were
selected because a project
requirement was for Type 2
co-ordination (meaning that
under short-circuit conditions the starter would not be
dangerous to personnel or damage the installation, and that
the starter would be suitable for future service).
• Sprecher + Schuh CEP7-C2 Electronic Overloads –
were chosen because compatibility with a DeviceNetTM
communication system was a project requirement.
• Socomec Din Fuse Isolators – were selected for their high
performance, reliability and safety characteristics for use on
690 V Variable Speed Drives.
According to Leighton Brunn, “NHP was able to provide
products that not only met the operational requirements, but
were also tough and dependable enough to work in the harsh
climatic conditions of northern Western Australia”.
Built from the ground up
With preferred power distribution products selected, FMG’s
next step was to call for tenders for the supply of the Motor
Control Centres. Many Western Australian and interstate
switchboard suppliers pitched for the work with the successful
tenderer being Plummers Industries in Perth.
State-of-the-art mining
To produce such a state-of-the-art iron ore mining operation,
and in time to meet the unprecedented demands of a global
market, world-class suppliers were chosen by FMG across all
areas of the construction project. Not only did FMG require the
most effective operation to be built, but also one that led the
way in safety, reliability and efficiency.
At the outset, WorleyParsons was appointed as FMG’s
electrical consultant with Mr Leighton Brunn appointed as the
Team 45 Lead Electrical and Instrument Engineer to take the
job from the front end engineering design phase through to
implementation. Leighton had worked with NHP on previous
projects and was familiar with NHP operations, products and
service delivery.
NHP therefore welcomed an invitation, very early in the
planning phase, to participate in discussions regarding the
requirements of the project so that technical specifications
and quality benchmarks could be set, and products could be
nominated.
Plummers Industries is one of the largest switchboard supply
companies in Perth, if not Australia and was very familiar with
NHP having used NHP product extensively in numerous large
projects including Telfer, West Angelas, Area C, BHP RGP 3/4,
and Rio Tinto’s recent upgrades.
‘Cloud Break’ crushing facility
Meetings were held with Plummers Industries’ Operations
Manager, Mr Alan Reeves, to discuss a time-line for the
various stages of the project. With at least 40 Terasaki Air
Circuit Breakers required, as well as hundreds of Sprecher
+ Schuh Contactors, Sprecher + Schuh CEP 7-C2 Electronic
Overloads and Terasaki Moulded Case Circuit Breakers, it was
agreed that a proactive approach to pre-ordering product was
needed. This was to ensure that the supplies from NHP were
always at the ready for Plummers Industries to assemble.
According to Alan, “As a result of our thorough planning,
product was supplied with barely a hitch and without
inconveniencing the production process. Both FMG and
Plummers Industries were delighted with the service provided
by NHP including having the right product available on time
and in full – and if there were any minor hiccups, NHP was
very prompt to attend”.
Further products supplied by NHP for the Motor Control
Centres included D7 Indicators, Finder Relays, Terasaki
Miniature Circuit Breakers and CCA DeviceNetTM Modules.
To date some 30 Motor Control Centres have been supplied to
FMG with about 20 more still to come.
Construction of the conveyor overpass and the
new FMG Dash 9 locomotive
The overland ‘iron ore’ express
An electrical switchroom being placed at Fortescues
port facility
NHP products preferred
NHP presented a range of samples to the FMG team. After
due and careful consideration the team decided to put
the following NHP-supplied products on FMG’s preferred
equipment list for installation in the Motor Control Centres
located at both the mine and port operations:
• Terasaki Air Circuit Breakers (ACBs) – were chosen for their
high levels of security and reliability to maintain, isolate and
protect the power distribution network.
Part of the FMG project includes the construction of many
kilometres of overland conveyors to carry product to the
port facility. For this task, NHP was also able to supply many
products. These included the N100 range of Heavy Duty
Pushbuttons fitted in stainless steel enclosures. Conveyor
lanyard switches were also needed and the NHP range was
selected. In addition, NHP was also able to supply a new kind
of lanyard rope. Traditionally, a PVC covered stainless steel
type rope has been used in the region, however, NHP offered
a revolutionary fibre lanyard rope called Tufflex. Some of the
many outstanding features of Tufflex include its incredible
strength (five times stronger than steel) and its low co-efficient
of thermal expansion (zero stretch) – features which virtually
eliminate nuisance tripping.
Railway track laid on the East Turner bridge
Getting ready to roll
So, with just six months until the first shipment of iron ore
leaves the shores of Port Hedland, Fortescue Metals Group
has certainly got their work cut out for them in making sure
that everything is ready to roll. Fortunately, with suppliers
like NHP, WorleyParsons, and Plummers Industries working
tirelessly to help them meet the deadline, FMG is confident
that the first ship will depart on schedule.
For more information, contact:
NHP Switchboard Manufacturers Representative,
Peter Southam
Telephone: +61 8 9277 1777
Email: [email protected]
[3]
NEWSROOM NEWSLETTER
ISSUE #52 DECEMBER 2007
INDUSTRIAL SWITCHGEAR & AUTOMATION SPECIALISTS
NHP safety seminar raises the standard
The much anticipated NHP safety seminar, Passport to Safety, Michael Sanderson from Standards Australia complemented Mr.
Adams’ presentation by linking the Australian perspective on
recently held in Sydney and Melbourne has been lauded a
current standards and requirements for the future. He discussed
resounding success.
the current standard AS4024.1 - 2006 which many found familiar
Key industry leaders were invited to meet safety industry
and revised standards AS4024.2 and AS4024.3 which will be
experts and key speakers Friedrich Adams (Head of Training)
implemented in the future.
from Schmersal in Germany, and Michael Sanderson (Projects
Manager - Industrial and Safety Standards Development and
Solutions) from Standards Australia in Sydney.
“There was a requirement in the industry to enhance the level
of understanding in relation to safety standards and information
available in the marketplace; with NHP being at the forefront of
safety standards we decided to come forward with the
Passport to Safety,” said Mark Reidy, NHP’s Product Manager
for Control & Switching.
The seminar began with Mr. Adams presenting the new Machine
Safety standards being implemented in Europe, in particular
the new Performance Levels (PL) found in ISO13849.1-2006
replacing ISO13849.1-1999.
This change may have a direct impact on Australia as our main
Machine Guarding standard AS4024.1-2006 is based upon
EN954-1 & ISO13849.1-1999, both of which will be replaced in
Europe by ISO13849.1-2006.
Also introduced were the Safety Integrity Levels (SIL) that are
found in AS62061-2006 (IEC 62061) which is a newer standard
currently in use in Australia and particularly the relationship
between PL and SIL categories.
“The new safety standards in Europe will soon be very relevant
here in Australia. The customers and industry leaders who
attended NHP’s Passport to Safety received information on what
was new about these standards and the philosophy behind them.
NHP is the first company in Australia to highlight these standards
that may be adopted in the not too distant future and the
response of the customers was very positive,” said Mr. Adams.
The Safety Seminar showcased the NHP’s
range of safety products and solutions.
AUSTRALIAN
STANDARDS
AS4024.1 - 2006
Safety Cat. selection via
deterministic approach
(structure)
AS62061 - 2006
(Safety Integrity Levels SIL)
BASED ON
EN 954-1 - 1996
ISO 13849 - 1999
IEC 62061 - 2005
BEING REPLACED
IN EUROPE BY
ISO 13849 - 2006
Safety Cat. selection via
deterministic and probabilistic
(Performance Levels PL)
ISO 13849 - 2006
Still current (under review)
Mr. Sanderson also showed the relationship between the current
standards and the new European standards and the likelihood of
the European changes being implemented in Australia.
It was noted that the newer standards in Europe that Mr. Adams
discussed are yet to be adopted in Australia and Standards
Australia is always open to public comment during their review
processes.
NHP showcased their extensive range of safety products
through impressive displays and information that featured
heavily on the plasma screens. NHP’s new safety website,
which contains up to the minute product and safety information,
was unveiled as well as new printed material that included the
2007 Safety Catalogue and the Passport to Safety application
examples brochure.
“NHP has always regarded safety as one of the strongest
industries to be involved in and from the very beginning NHP
has put a lot of time and effort into educating people in safety
machine guarding. By having this safety seminar we are
reinforcing to the public and the industry that we are still a force
to be reckoned with when it comes to safety. Testament to that
is our 2007 Safety Catalogue which has 27 pages dedicated to
educating people about safety standards and regulations,”
said Hafiz Rahman, NHP’s Senior Product Manager for
Safety & Sensing.
Mr. Friedrich Adams also showed off some of the new
technology which Schmersal will have to offer in 2008. This also
highlighted the vision NHP has to provide new technologies into
the market place.
The Passport to Safety showed yet again NHP has the solutions,
products and expertise to cater for our customers. Customers
may be a little overawed when confronted by the possibility of
dealing with new safety standards but they can be reassured
that NHP will provide them with all the support they need when
it comes to providing the products and information for safety
applications.
For more information, contact:
NHP Product Manager - Control & Switching, Mark Reidy
Telephone: +61 3 9420 4533
Email: [email protected]
Table of Standards Relationships as at 1 November 2007
AuCom EMX3 advanced soft starter –
complete motor management
As advanced soft starters become increasingly
sophisticated, the latest release from AuCom Electronics
and NHP, the EMX3, will change the way the electrical
industry throughout Australia views and uses soft starters
into the future.
1
2
The EMX3 is a smart, dependable and easy to use product
offering the most advanced motor control and protection
strategies. New design features make it the perfect solution for
quick set-up and more customised control.
The EMX3 introduces a new generation in soft start technology;
XLR-8 Adaptive Acceleration Control technology. Using XLR-8,
the EMX3 is able to learn the characteristics of the motor and
load and use that to provide an unprecedented level of control
over the motor’s acceleration and deceleration profiles (image 1).
3
5
[4]
NEWSROOM NEWSLETTER
ISSUE #52 DECEMBER 2007
4
6
flexibility in cabling options. An Internal bypass contactor in
EMX3 starters to 220 A (and larger in future) further reduces
install cost and panel space requirements.
Smarter control - EMX3 puts the user truly in control of
motor starting. Depending on application requirements,
select between the two best soft start control methods. For
applications requiring precise control of motor start current
EMX3 offers a choice of Constant Current or Current Ramp
start modes. Or for superior control over acceleration or
deceleration choose XLR-8 Adaptive Acceleration Control.
XLR-8 also provides precise control over soft stopping and is
ideal for applications requiring a smoother soft stop (image 4).
Other feature benefits include:
Super helpful keypad - The EMX3 provides real-language
feedback via it’s graphical keypad. With real-time status, faults
and metering displays and a 99 position event log recording
time-stamped details, it is easy to track the behaviour of your
motor and system (image 5).
Ease of install and use - AuCom’s specialist design means
that commissioning, operation and fault finding are still quick
and easy. Through a variety of preprogrammed application
macros e.g. centrifugal pump, quick setup mode gets
machinery running in next to no time.
The keypad also provides an upload/download facility which
makes programming of multiple EMX3 starters quick and easy
and as it is removable it can easily be mounted on the exterior
of an enclosure to provide local control and metering from a
single location (image 6).
The design of the EMX3 is also remarkable. Large removable
control terminals, innovative cable ducts, gateways and tie
points make installation a breeze (images 2 and 3).
AuCom’s EMX3 offers a range of advanced features for
applications such as pumps, fans, conveyors, compressors,
and crushers.
Compact size - EMX3 starters are amongst the smallest in
their class, and so save installation costs by minimising panel
space requirements. The design allows for multiple units to
be mounted side by side, or in a bank of starters due to the
For more information, contact:
NHP Product Manager Soft Starters, Spiro Fkiaras
Telephone: +61 3 9429 2999
Email: [email protected]
Nhp explodes into the hazardous area market
Helicopters, skywriters and massive plumes of fire
welcomed the 200 plus attendees from all over Australia
to NHP’s latest product launch spectacular, showcasing
arguably the most comprehensive hazardous area range in
the Australian industry.
NHP hosted the launch on Tuesday November 13th, 2007,
at their National Distribution and Manufacturing Centre in
Laverton. The purpose of the launch was to exhibit NHP’s
extensive hazardous area solutions, which now includes
the STAHL HAE range, in addition to the Steute and Wago
hazardous ranges. NHP is the sole distributor of STAHL
products in Australia.
Electrical Designer for Direct Engineering Services
Marine & Offshore WA, Graham Taylor who attended the
launch said “I will be talking about this for a very long time.
It’s about time someone recognised the need for quality
HAE products in Australia and brought them across to the
Australian market knowing what they are doing and talking
about”.
International guests from both STAHL and Steute joined
forces with NHP’s technical experts to present attendees
with informative technical seminars and interactive product
displays, all showcasing the latest IEC Ex certified STAHL
range. Customers also had the opportunity to discuss with
these specialists their specific hazardous area requirements.
Touring the NHP-STAHL accredited assembly workshop and
National Distribution and Manufacturing Centre, attendees
were impressed with the size of the operation, sizeable
stockholding and flexibility that gives NHP the unique ability
to locally manufacture expeditious and effective customer
specific solutions to IEC Ex certification. Customers were also
introduced to the NHP-STAHL online dossier support with a
live demonstration.
The evening concluded in an authentic German beer hall,
paying homage to the German origin of STAHL and Steute,
including traditional German entertainment and German feast.
NHP Managing Director and CEO, Lloyd Thomas concludes
“It was an outstanding event that was a significant step
forward for NHP in the hazardous market, the magnitude of
which is representative of our ongoing commitment to this
industry”.
STAHL CEO Dr. Peter Volker with Managing
Director, CEO of NHP, Lloyd Thomas
For more information, contact:
NHP Product Manager – HAE Products, Ben Hooft
Telephone: +61 3 9429 2999
Email: [email protected]
If it’s Ex it’s ...
Attendees at the STAHL launch
STAHL HAE range on display
Customers touring NHP’s accredited
assembly workshop
NHP in Australia’s
capital
“Although NHP Sydney has been
meeting the requirements of our
Canberra customers for years; it
made sense to provide an optimal
mix of products and solutions in
Canberra with local sales, service
and stock holdings“.
In early November NHP marked the opening of its newest
branch office in Canberra. Over 100 customers, wholesalers,
switchboard builders and contractors attended the all day
event.
NSW State Manager,
Craig Farmer.
A ‘mini-HQ’ in profile, the Canberra branch has a team of
regional representatives and sales support. The new NHP
branch is approximately 1000 m2 in size and has over $1 million
dollars worth of stock warehousing, providing everything that is
required to support our customer’s immediate requirements.
NHP saw the need to support local business and invest in the
future. With exciting new initiatives NHP will continue to grow
the business where its customers require it most.
In early November NHP opened its newest branch in Canberra
[5]
NEWSROOM NEWSLETTER
ISSUE #52 DECEMBER 2007
product reviewS
A new look for
Terasaki ACB
overcurrent
protection relays
From early 2008 NHP will be officially releasing a
new range of overcurrent relays (OCRs) for the popular
Terasaki AR air circuit breaker (ACB). The new range
of OCRs are divided into two performance ranges;
the TEMPro PLUS and TEMPro PREMIER.
The TEMPro PLUS is the introductory model that features
a backlit liquid crystal display (LCD) for easy visual
identification, which is of great benefit to users who
operate in low light conditions such as the mining or
marine sectors.
Furthermore the TEMPro PLUS has an inbuilt amp meter
that displays the available phase currents I1, I2, I3 and
fault tripping information.
INDUSTRIAL SWITCHGEAR & AUTOMATION SPECIALISTS
measurements already stated
the TEMPro PREMIER has
an inbuilt power meter which
indicates line voltages (V)
V12, V23, V31, power supply
data and a range of power
measurements.
A MODBUS communications
facility for data monitoring
is a standard feature with
both the TEMPro PLUS and
TEMPro PREMIER OCRs.
This new feature allows for
remote data monitoring which
is a highly sort after safety
feature where personnel and
switchgear separation must
be maintained.
®
For further information
contact:
Your local NHP
representative or the
NHP Power Distribution
Business Unit
Telephone: +61 3 9429 2999
The TEMPro PREMIER is an advanced OCR that offers
the same LCD appearance and protective functions
as the TEMPro PLUS. In addition to the current meter
Proconect – ISO
Connect now at NHP
Steute - ‘big bang’
containment
NHP is pleased to announce it has secured the sole
distributing rights of the Proconect brand of plugs
and sockets.
Switchgear products in potentially explosive
environments have to fulfill special requirements.
Steute has been pioneering in this field for many
years and has acquired comprehensive expertise on
explosion protection.
Proconect is a world leader in the manufacture of
industrial plugs and sockets for the mining, food
processing, commercial, rail and marine industries.
The 3PS isolating plugs from Proconect are available
in five sizes: 16 A, 32 A, 63 A, 125 A and 200 A. The
benefits of an isolating plug is that it eliminates the
need for a switch and ensures that power is available
where and when it is required with complete safety to
the operator. The socket outlet and appliance inlet are
interlocked and then switched when engaged, making
the connection and disconnection under load, safe
and reliable.
Steute explosion protection portfolio includes:
The connector also discriminates so connection of the
same voltage, amperage and number of poles can only
be mated; making the 3PS isolating plugs the complete
answer for industrial safety, without the need for
specialised personnel when operating portable tools and
equipment.
For more information, contact:
NHP Product Supervisor, Christian James
Telephone: +61 3 9429 2999
Email: [email protected]
•
•
•
•
•
•
ExExExExExEx-
Position switches (with positive break)
Foot switches
Pull-wire switches
Safety interlock switches
Safety solenoid interlock switches
Magnetic reed switches
This large product range means machine manufacturers/
operators can reliably prepare for all eventualities and
contingencies while having the satisfaction of knowing
that the safety interlocks and other products provide full
protection for areas potentially at risk due to explosive
atmospheres.
For more information, contact:
NHP Senior Product Manager Safety & Sensing
(Technical) - Hafiz Rahman
Telephone: +61 3 9429 2999
Email: [email protected]
[6]
NEWSROOM NEWSLETTER
ISSUE #52 DECEMBER 2007
The Eldon Group has announced they will be changing
the colour of their industrial range of enclosures from
RAL 7032 to ‘light grey’ RAL 7035. This is due to
pressure from the industry to unify colours.
Although Eldon have continued to
maintain RAL 7032 as their standard
for industrial enclosures, it is
becoming apparent that the market
would prefer some unification,
therefore Eldon will be changing their
standard industrial range to ‘light
grey’ RAL 7035 (R5 for short) as from 1 March 2008.
In preparation for the launch of R5 on 1 March 2008, NHP
is building stock levels of the Eldon range of enclosures
to make sure the transition is as seamless as possible.
Although the impact of changing the colour of floor
standing enclosures is likely to cause less disruption
than that of wall mounted enclosures, because they are
more project driven, and therefore usually known about
in advance of the project beginning, both colours will be
available from stock in March 2008.
RAL 7032
The Steute product range was quick to adhere to the
EC guideline 94/9/EG (ATEX) and in recent times IECEX.
Since then it has continually expanded – with the result
that today Steute offers the most comprehensive
range of switchgear products for the field of explosion
protection worldwide.
Wherever machines and plants present the risk of
exposure to dangerous explosions, safety interlocks are
used to not only monitor the position of guard doors
but also to interlock the doors securely in potentially
explosive atmospheres. Steute has responded to this
need by introducing a range of safety interlocks, which
comes with ATEX and IECEX certification for gas and
dust potentially explosive areas (Ex-Zones 1 and 21,
as well as 2 and 22).
The Proconect range of plugs and sockets
Our enclosures are
changing colour!
RAL 7035
Representation of colour only.
Those products affected by this change are MultiMount wall mount enclosures, Multi-Flex floor standing
enclosures, consoles and terminal boxes. To identify the
new colour, we will add R5 to the end of the existing part
number (including accessories). The part number of those
products already supplied in RAL 7035 (i.e. computer
cabinets) will not change. The outer packaging of all MultiMount wall mounting enclosures will carry a separate
sticker with the R5 logo, which will also appear on the part
number label of all Multi-Flex floor standing products.
We will continue to use the same high quality painting
process as before. All Eldon mild steel enclosures are
uniquely painted inside and out, using a structured
powder coating of up to 80 microns, to ensure
maximum protection against corrosion.
For more information, contact:
NHP Product Manager – Enclosures & Termination,
Mark Fenton
Telephone: +61 3 9429 2999
Email: [email protected]
Integrated visualisation
Competitive solutions for bending machines
Machine Makers, based in Mitcham in Melbourne,
produces bending machines for the production of sheet
metal products used extensively in roofing and building
cladding.
Founded in 1950, the company has advanced to become a
leading manufacturer in the Australian and Asian markets.
The newest product in the bending machine family is the fully
automatic ‘Slitter Folder’ with an up to 12 metre longitudinal
bending and cutting edge, configurable bending sequences,
and automatic material positioning.
Together with NHP’s supply partner B&R, a new control
concept was created and successfully implemented for the
new product. The concept overcomes the limitations of the
previous PC-based control solution and externally developed
visualisation application which did not give Machine Makers
the ability to implement their own ideas and make desired
changes as and when required. With the new integrated
solution from NHP and B&R, that’s now a thing of the past.
The new open and transparent software running on an
industrial hardware platform considerably increases system
flexibility and reliability – and reduces costs by eliminating
recurring software licensing renewals.
Folding technology
makes sweeping changes
- new developments in
200-year-old technology
Sample screens from Slitter Folder operator interface.
Simple operating concepts with
visual components
An important advantage of NHP’s B&R visualisation solution
is the extended HMI programming environment – VISAPI
(Visualisation Application Programming Interface). It allows
the user to generate graphic objects dynamically during
runtime. VISAPI includes a library of standard functions, which
reduces programming work considerably. The Power Panel,
which is designed for industrial use, also provides improved
long-term availability and reliability in the field. The results are
evident: Graphic editing of the profile via touch screen, graphic
simulation and validation of the bending program, and userfriendly recipe management.
“The power and flexibility of the B&R control system has
enabled us to provide functionality typically only possible
with proprietary software running on a PC-based control
system. The end result is a more reliable and compact
hardware solution and the elimination of proprietary software
and ongoing license costs,” said NHP’s National Manager –
Automation and Safety, Richard Harrison.
With this new automation solution and consultation from
NHP, Machine Makers is now better equipped to meet the
increasingly high demands of its bending machine customers
well into the future.
For more information, contact:
National Manager - Automation & Safety,
Richard Harrison
Telephone: +61 3 9420 4787
Email: [email protected]
Schwenkbiegemachinen, or swing bending
machines, have been in use for more than
200 years. European manufacturers began to
power them with electrical or hydraulic power
after World War II, when an enormous amount
of sheet metal was used in the reconstruction
of Europe.
In particular, sheet metal was used extensively
for roofing and building cladding. These
applications were well suited to the swing
bending machine’s geometry, and the modern
metal folding industry was born.
A number of German manufacturers began
adding powered backgauges with rudimentary
numerical controls in the 1960s. By the
1980s, fully multiaxis computer numerical
controllers (CNCs) were applied, and automatic
backgauges were added. Folding technology
continued to dominate architectural metal
fabricating in Europe.
Growing popularity
As folding technology developed, it was found
to be useful for bending large parts, because
whip up, sometimes associated with press
brakes, was not a problem.
The backgauge is integrated into a sheet
support system so that operators don’t have to
support the weight of a large part. Also, the
whole part is gauged, not just the flange, so
blank intolerances are folded into the first
flange. This is useful for secondary process
assembly.
Furthermore, development of the capability to
change positions of the three tool sets (upper
beam, lower beam, and folding beam) relative
to the material thickness allowed for the use
of universal tool sets. This eliminated most of
the setup usually associated with changing
material thicknesses. As a result, the machines
started to be used for short-run production.
The advent of modern motion control
technology to control the folding beam swing
made it possible to bend parts to an accuracy
of ±1/3 degree, even on parts as long as 10
feet (3 metres) or more.
The technology only began to gain widespread
use in North America in 1990. Since then,
thousands of machines have been put into
service, mostly for the roofing and building
construction industries.
The ‘Slitter Folder’ is an impressive machine that can bend sheet metal up to 12 metres in length (above) to configurable bending
sequences (inset, left).
NHP’s Alastair Dwyer, Richard Harrison and Craig Imrie with Machine Maker’s David Taylor and Dwayne Taurnier (inset, right).
[7]
NEWSROOM NEWSLETTER
ISSUE #52 DECEMBER 2007
INDUSTRIAL SWITCHGEAR & AUTOMATION SPECIALISTS
innovations
NHP continues to expand its ‘online’
customer support resources
Other NHP
online resources
The addition of the new NHP ‘Super Search’
to our extensive online resource base helps
complete the steadily growing raft of resources
available to customers. These can be broken
down into four main areas:
1.Specific product information on dedicated
product micro sites, e.g. Santerno Variable
Speed Drives nhp.com.au/santerno
NHP’s commitment to providing information to our
customers in an easy to use and comprehensive format has
been recognised by the Australian market for almost forty
years. In recent years this has expanded to encompass the
online world with many significant new initiatives being
launched to assist our customers in this area.
In support of this, NHP has recently launched a new website
search tool called ‘Super Search’.
Embedded within our corporate website but hooking into all
available published data, ‘Super Search’ allows customers
to launch an extensive and complete search for all relevant
product information, technical data and software from the one
place, no matter where it resides. In addition other materials
are also made available to the user based on their online
membership of our Online Resource Centre (ORC)
www.nhp-online.com.au. This includes training material,
product CAD blocks and technical specification documents.
In the last two years many NHP customers and their customers
have asked us to expand our resources in this area. So with
over 30 % of our customers (and rapidly growing) using the
web as their primary information tool, NHP will continue to
invest in this area in parallel with our hard copy production.
There are many new micro sites under construction and other
exciting electronic initiatives being planned that will enable
NHP to continue to go from strength to strength in offering its
online customers the support and access they need.
For further information contact:
NHP National Marketing Communication Manager,
Andrew Theodore
Telephone: +61 3 9429 2999
Email: [email protected]
NHP Super Search
Accessible directly from the home page under the Quick links heading or via the top menu under
the Products heading, Super Search is simple and easy to use via coloured navigation ‘tabs’.
2.Specific application information on
dedicated application micro sites,
e.g. Safety nhp.com.au/safety
Product Matches
Website
Matches
The ‘Product Matches’ tab, searches across all ‘eCat’ product catalogue content and
presents the user with a summary of results including a simple drill down to any
relevant accessories. By clicking on the displayed link the user is presented with all
available technical data, a product image and can turn the information into a catalogue
page by clicking on the ‘PDF Me’ product data symbol on each page. In addition
by clicking on the ‘email this page’ symbol, the users email client is opened and a
shortcut to the presented page is automatically made available for forwarding to a
friend or colleague.
The ‘Website Matches’ tab,
searches across all NHP
corporate website pages
and product micro websites
and presents the user with a
summary of results.
3.eCommerce trading portals allowing pricing
and purchases to be done, e.g. Online
Promotion Centre nhp.com.au/opc
4.General company and industry news,
e.g. NHP Corporate home page nhp.com.au
Downloads
Other
NHP Quick Search
The ‘Downloads’ tab, is specifically for NHP Online
Resource Centre (ORC) users looking for software
or technical data not available from the general eCat
product catalogue. After logging in, it allows easy and
intuitive searches to be carried out across all ORC
content. Using new ‘Web2’ search techniques, this
tab allows for filtered and dynamic search parameters
to be entered, returning fast accurate results.
The ‘Other’ tab is
also specific to NHP
Online Resource
Centre (ORC) users
and allows access
to PDF copies of all
NHP main catalogue
sections.
The ‘NHP Quick Search’ tab is our
classic search for experienced
NHP customers who know exactly
what they are looking for. Designed
for speed, this tab requires the
user to input the part number to
quickly access the information
they need.
NHP electrical engineering
products pty ltd
nhp.com.au nhp-nz.com
MELBOURNE
+61 3 9429 2999
ROCKHAMPTON
+61 7 4927 2277
LAVERTON
+61 3 9368 2901
TOOWOOMBA
+61 7 4634 4799
SYDNEY
+61 2 9748 3444
CAIRNS
+61 7 4035 6888
CAMPBELLTOWN
+61 2 9748 3444
ADELAIDE
+61 8 8297 9055
EWCASTLE
N
+61 2 4960 2220
PERTH
+61 8 9277 1777
CANBERRA
+61 2 6280 9888
DARWIN
+61 8 8947 2666
ALBURY
+61 2 6056 4318
HOBART
+61 3 6228 9575
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+61 7 3909 4999
AUCKLAND
+64 9 276 196
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+61 7 4779 0700
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+64 3 377 4407
NEWS-52 07-280 11/07 © Copyright NHP 2007