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Process control company hones in on Africa

INSTRUMENTS FOR AFRICA Instrotech is increasing sales in African countries such as Zambia Mozambique, Botswana and Kenya
OPTRIS PI INFRARED CAMERA The camera, once connected to a personal computer with a 2.0 universal serial bus, or USB, can be used immediately after connection

Instrotech sales director Scott Hunter discusses the importance of instrumentation and control in the mining industry.

INSTRUMENTS FOR AFRICA Instrotech is increasing sales in African countries such as Zambia Mozambique, Botswana and Kenya

OPTRIS PI INFRARED CAMERA The camera, once connected to a personal computer with a 2.0 universal serial bus, or USB, can be used immediately after connection

31st October 2014

By: Ilan Solomons

Creamer Media Staff Writer

  

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The African mining industry is becoming an increasingly important market for process control instrumentation and industrial electronics supplier Instrotech, a member of local technology group Comtest, with the company expanding its footprint on the continent, particularly in Zambia, says Instrotech sales director Scott Hunter.

“In the past two years, we have supplied a number of products to several mines in Zambia, such as copper and cobalt producers Mopani Copper Mines, Konkola Copper Mines and Lubambe Copper Mines,” he points outs.

Hunter adds that Instrotech has a distribution agreement with Kitwe-based equipment supply company Dynatac Technical Services, which will supply its product offerings to the local market.

“We are also considering oil, gas and mining opportunities in other African countries, such as Mozambique, Botswana and Kenya, where we have distribution partners,” he says.

Instrotech is recording growth figures of 20% to 30% year-on-year; however, Hunter explains that these figures come off a relatively low base and are likely to slow to between 10% and 15% over the next five to ten years.

He further notes that aftermarket support is equally important to the company’s offering.

New Product Offerings
Instrotech introduced the Optris range of thermal-imaging and infrared equipment, which includes infrared sensors, pyrometers and infrared cameras, in October 2013, says Hunter.

He explains that the Optris range was introduced because of the increased use of infrared monitoring systems in the mining industry, particularly at smelters.

In May, Hunter attended Optris’s sales and marketing conference in Berlin, Germany, which he says taught Instrotech more about the products and how to better market the range.

Instrotech is in discussions with several mining companies, including diversified major Anglo American and platinum miner Impala Platinum, about introducing the company’s products to their mining operations.

Hunter highlights the high quality of the Optris range as one of its major advantages, adding that the product is also cost effective and up to 50% cheaper than other infrared thermometers in the market.

Technical Specifications
The Optris PI infrared camera, featuring online thermal-imaging systems, was developed to automatically detect objects’ hot or cold spots thermally. Typical applications of the system are for research and development purposes, at testing stations and for process automation and portable measurement tasks.

The Optris PI covers between –20 ºC and 1 500 ºC.

Hunter explains that the camera, once connected to a personal computer (PC) with a 2.0 universal serial bus, or USB, can be used immediately.

The Optris PI connects software displays to the captured temperature data as a thermal image while remotely controlling the camera. The system is based on a small, uncooled bolometer with a 160 × 120 pixel or 382 × 288 pixel display.

“The Optris PI delivers thermal images in real time, with a frequency of up to 128 Hz. Fast processes can be captured and stored as snapshots or video sequences. Further, it is possible to detect the smallest temperature differences of an object, owing to the unit’s high thermal-sensitivity range,” he says.

Hunter notes that the Optris PI 200 thermal imager uses bispectral technology to combine a visual image with a thermal image, which can be captured simultaneously.

“Moreover, in a ready-to-use mode, the camera’s weight is not more than 320 grams, including lens and cable, which makes it the smallest thermal imager in the world, with dimensions of 46 mm × 56 mm × 90 mm.”

Hunter adds that, in combination with a tablet or PC, the camera can be used as a mobile solution for preventive maintenance or construction thermography, bridging the existing gap between portable infrared snapshot cameras and pure fixed devices.

Industrial Protection and Cooling
The Optris PI thermal imager has an international Ingress Protection 67 rating, as it is protected against dust and water and can be installed in environments with temperatures of up to 50 ºC.

For applications in environments of up to 100 ºC, the Optris PI, together with an air-cooling system, such as its Vortex cooler’s air-purge collar, protects the lens from dirt.

“The optional cooling housing allows for the installation of the camera in rough, industrial surroundings, such as at mining plants. “It can be used for ambient temperatures of up to 240 ºC in combination with water-cooling systems,” concludes Hunter.

Edited by Samantha Herbst
Creamer Media Deputy Editor

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