C-AIM CONSULT · - Boiler pipe dynamic characterisation. ... - Eulerian measurements with continuous microwave sensors on an axial-flow induced draught fans. ... Our capabilities

1 | C-AIM Consult

C-AIM CONSULTSPECIALIST ENGINEERING CONSULTING SERVICES IN:

| STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY

| VIBRATION

| ACOUSTICS

Shifting knowledge to insight

enterprises.up.ac.za

Reduce life cycle cost

www.C-AIMconsult.co.za

2 | C-AIM Consult

About Us

Engineering assets are increasingly being used beyond their originally intended design lives. This is happening in the context of growing safety and environmental concerns, as well as continuous financial pressures. Managing physical assets over their entire life cycles has thus become a complex multidisciplinary process which requires thorough understanding of the technical aspects and business processes related to the structural integrity of such assets.

Towards this goal, C-AIM Consult provides specialist engineering consulting services in structural analysis, design, testing, certification, monitoring, diagnostics, prognostics and decision support.

Our origin goes back to the structural mechanics activities of the Laboratory for Advanced Engineering (LGI) which was established at the University of Pretoria in the mid-1980s. We have since steadily expanded our analysis and testing capabilities. Recently we broadened our scope of services to provide industry with the specialist support required to optimally manage the structural integrity of physical assets over their entire life cycles, from design through to decommissioning.

Expertise

• Design, manufacture and commission specialist equipment.• Structural analysis.• Field testing and data analysis.• Machine and structural health monitoring.

Core services

• Specialist development and application of technologies related to the structural integrity of mechanical assets and its management over the entire asset life cycle.

• Specific expertise in structural and machine dynamics, vibration and noise and its impact on the durability (fatigue) of these assets.

• This expertise is supported by our prowess in execution of tests, structural analysis and data analysis, with an emphasis on signal processing and machine learning.

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What We DoTechnology services related to the structural integrity of mechanical assets

• Finite element analysis of complex assets for design and troubleshooting purposes. This includes non-linear and dynamic analysis as well as noise and acoustic simulations.

• Field testing on large machinery and processing equipment such as mills, screens and plant support structures through strain and vibration response measurement.

• Structural integrity assessment based on inputs received from field measurements and/or finite element analysis, for vibration and fatigue mitigation and remaining useful life estimation.

• Component fatigue testing in the aerospace, automotive, mining, petro-chemical and railway industries.

• Full-scale system structural fatigue testing including trucks and railway bogies.

• Accurate reconstruction of complex dynamic field-measured responses in lab test specimens (also referred to as time waveform replication).

• Structural testing and assessment of mining related systems and components with special emphasis on rollover protective structures (ROPS) and falling object protective structures (FOPS).

• Optical and non-contact structural response measurement including laser Doppler vibrometry, optical acoustics (by means of an acoustic camera) and photogrammetry (3D point tracking, digital image correlation, geometry measurement).

• Experimental modal testing and analysis.• Shock and vibration testing.• Rotating machinery and turbomachinery vibration

analysis in power generation.• Condition monitoring and development of diagnostic

and signal processing techniques and approaches for fluctuating operating conditions.

• Technical acoustics measurement, analysis and assessment including noise and vibration characterisation of plant and machinery.

• Measurement and analysis of human exposure to whole body vibrations.

• Automotive noise, vibration and harshness (NVH).• Environmental impact of vibration and noise.• Life cycle decision support (artificial intelligence,

condition assessment and diagnostics, remaining useful life, maintenance, etc.).

Table of Contents Page Number

What We Do 3

Structural Integrity and Dynamics Assessment 4

Durability Testing and Response Reconstruction 6

Optical and Non-Contact Measurements 8

Rotating Machinery 10

Technical Acoustics 12

Vibration and Noise Impact Assessment 13

ROPS and FOPS Testing 14

Our Team 15

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Structural Integrity and Dynamics Assessment

We have extensive experience and expertise in the field of structural mechanics and dynamics, from both an analysis and measurement perspective. Our finite element expertise in conjunction with our strain and vibration measurement capabilitiesideally position us to conduct structural strength, fatigue and dynamics investigations (notably rail, transportation and mineralprocessing) to develop mitigation solutions.

Expertise

• Finite element analysis of structures and components: - Linear static. - Dynamic (staedy state and transient) via direct integration or modal superposition. - Implicit non-linear static and dynamic (large displacements, plasticity, contact). - Buckling analysis.• Structural design audits and intregrity assessment.• Strain measurement and associated stress and fatigue analysis.• Structural dynamics/vibration measurements and surveys.

Equipment and Software

Activities are supported by the following infrastructure:• Full suite of MSC software for linear and non-linear static and dynamic finite element analysis.• Full suite of commercial and purpose-developed software for performing data processing as well as vibration, strain and

fatigue analysis software, as well as advanced coding capabilities.• Wide range of piezo–electric accelerometers, tilt sensors and displacement transducers.• Range of telemetry systems.• Wide range of load cells up to 500kN.• Comprehensive strain gauge application and cabling expertise.• Range of HBM as well as eDAC and QuantumX data acquisitioning systems.

Relevant Standards

AA 114001, BS 7608, BS EN 13749, ISO 2631, SANS 10162 etc.

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Clients and Typical Projects

Finite element analysis and structural design audits:• FEA and structural assessment 49000 litre semi fuel tanker in accordance with: ADR Volume 2: 2013 (road transportation, South Africa).• Non-linear finite element analysis and structural audit of a 1500 filter press side beam connection and end plate according

to SANS 10162 and BS 7608 (processing equipment, South Africa).• Fatigue assessment and rollover certification of a troop carrier structure according to BS 7608 and ISO 3471.• Development of finite element analysis procedure for transformer winding dynamic response (power generation, South

Africa).• Structural and fatigue assessment of a 3-axle locomotive bogie according to BS EN 13749 (freight rail, South Africa, China).

Structural dynamics/vibration surveys on large scale processing equipment:• Extensive vibration investigation and stress survey on a diamond processing vessel according to ISO 2631-2 and AA 114001 (offshore diamond mining, Namibia).• Hydro power station shaft misalignment and stress assessment by means of strain and inductive displacement

measurements (power generation, South Africa).• Forced draft cooling tower fan vibration investigation and problem mitigation (petrochemical industry, South Africa).• Continuous miner cutter frame input load determination via strain measurement and system identification (underground coal mining, South Africa).• Fatigue assessment of a 100t haul truck (opencast coal mining, South Africa).• Mission profile measurements and input load determination on a refuse removal truck (USA).• Strain and stress assessment on a large acid tank (minerals processing, Namibia).• Extensive vibration assessment and investigation of a crusher complex (minerals processing, Zambia).• Load path and roller load testing on a 1570-W dragline (opencast coal mining, South Africa).• Strain investigation and fatigue assessment on a large rope shovel excavator (open cast precious metals mining, South Africa).

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Durability Testing and Response Reconstruction

Our advanced capabilities with regard to the reconstruction of dynamic multi-axis responses in laboratory test rigs, fatigue analysis and field measurements in combination with our extensive hydraulic and electrodynamic test infrastructure uniquely positions us to serve industry with key capabilities such as accelerated full-scale fatigue testing, component fatigue testing, static testing, shock and vibration testing.

Expertise

• Durability testing (dynamic or quasi-static), of:- Full-scale structures (e.g. road simulators).- Sub-systems.- Components (e.g. springs, shaft steelwork).

• Static strength testing.• Vibration tests: sine, sine-on-random, random, etc.• Shock tests: half-sine, terminal saw tooth, SRS, complex pulses, etc.• Automotive noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) testing.• Response reconstruction (time waveform replication): Reconstruction of dynamic, multi-axial responses in laboratory test

rigs.• Field measurements of normal operation fatigue analysis and spectral analysis to characterise the mission profile from field

measurements.• Design of a laboratory test routine to be as representative as possible of the mission profile.


• Universal testing machines: 40 kN, 100 kN and 630 kN (Instron).• Approximately 20 servo-hydraulic actuators, ranging from 6 kN to 250 kN.• Large hydraulic servo-valves for high speed testing.• Approximately 20 PID servo-controllers (Kelsey K7500, Zwick-Roell Cubus, Instron Labtronic 8800, Moog).• 280 bar hydraulic supply, approximately 500 lpm maximum flow.• Variable pressure and flow rate hydraulic test bench (up to 90 lpm).• Electrodynamic shaker (100 kN peak load, 50 kN RMS load).• Slip table: ETS GT1000M (1000 x 1000mm).• 8m x 9m isolated test floor with slotted base.• Various smaller test tables.• Sophisticated dynamic test software (StrucTEST i3): dynamic modelling and reconstruction, fatigue, data compression, shock and vibration.

Relevant Standards

MIL-STD-810, MIL-STD-167-1A, BS EN 61373, BS EN 13749, etc.

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Our typical clients include companies that design, develop and manufacture aeronautical components, automotive companies and parts suppliers, rail equipment manufacturers, defence equipment manufacturers, mining companies and mining-related equipment manufacturers.

Full-scale structural integrity tests:• Class 8 heavy vehicle accelerated road simulator fatigue test.• Shock and vibration tests.Component structural integrity testing:• Class 7 heavy vehicle accelerated cab road simulator fatigue test.• Train locomotive bogie fatigue tests.• Helicopter rotor tension member fatigue tests.• Helicopter nose structure vibration simulation test.Component vibration and shock tests:• Ship-borne electronic components.• Periscope components.• Lining panels of new cargo aircraft.• Helicopter-based observation and targeting systems.

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Optical and Non-Contact Measurements

The optical and non-contact measurement capabilities in the centre allow us to perform dynamic and static measurements on a wide variety of test objects encompassing very light structures, small and large structures as well as fluids. Combinedwith our modal testing and analysis capabilities, we can automate tests using our scanning laser vibrometers while ourphotogrammetry capabilities allow us to perform 3D full field strain and motion measurements. We also have four IDT Vision NX 8-S2 high speed cameras which allow us to do motion analysis at high frame rates.

Expertise

• Modal testing and analysis.• Laser Doppler vibrometry.• Stereo photogrammetry: - Digital image correlation. - Sloshing fluid flow visualisation. - Motion analysis.• Non-contact geometry measurements: - Structure from motion. - Digital image correlation. - LiDAR.• Eulerian video magnification.


Activities are supported by the following infrastructure:• Four IDT Vision NX8-S2 monochrome high speed cameras: - 1.9 megapixel resolution at 4000 frames per second.• Image Systems TEMA software: - Digital image correlation. - Motion analysis.• GOM stereo photogrammetry system: - 4 megapixel resolution at 60 frames per second. - Digital image correlation. - Motion analysis.• Polytec laser vibrometers: - Scanning vibrometers (PSV300, PSV400). - Single point (PDV100).

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• Modal testing and analysis: - Boiler pipe dynamic characterisation. - Nuclear reactor grid plate dynamic characterisation.• Motion analysis: - Sloshing fluid flow visualisation.• Geometry measurement: - Online freight rail geometry measurement for macro and micro scale condition assessment.

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Rotating Machinery

The expertise in rotating machinery condition monitoring, combined with world class laboratory facilities, enable us to developadvanced signal processing techniques capable of online condition monitoring under constant and fluctuating operating conditions.

Expertise

• Online condition monitoring under fluctuating operational conditions: - Gearboxes. - Generator end windings. - Haul roads. - Turbomachinery blades.• Online turbomachinery blade vibration measurements: - Blade tip time of arrival. - Photogrammetry. - Laser vibrometry.• Torsional vibration measurements: - Shaft encoders. - Zebra strip encoders.


Activities are supported by the following infrastructure:• Bently Nevada rotor dynamic kit.• Turbomachinery blade vibration test bench.• Wind turbine experimental structure: - Realistic blade loads. - Variable speeds and loads. - Gearbox testing.• Gear fatigue test bench: - Variable speeds and loads.

Current focus research areas include blade tip timing, rotor dynamics and condition monitoring of machines under fluctuatingoperational conditions. Typical clients include power utilities and power plant engineering companies, research councils andinnovation agencies.


• Online turbomachinery blade vibration measurements. - Eulerian measurements with continuous microwave sensors on an axial-flow induced draught fans. - Blade tip time of arrival measurements on a 20 MW compressor.• Online condition monitoring of machines under fluctuating operational conditions: - Air cooled condenser fan gearboxes. - Large horisontal mill gearboxes.• Online condition monitoring of large generator end windings.

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Technical Acoustics

Our capabilities allow us to analyse a large variety of acoustic problems in the industrial, automotive and mining industries. This is achieved by means of a range of instrumentation – from portable Sound Level Meters, to 3-dimensional sound intensityprobes. This instrumentation is complemented by a range of proprietary- and internally developed software, including acousticfinite element analysis as well as a comprehensive software library for assessments according to ISO/SANS standards.

Expertise

• Unwanted noise root-cause analysis and mitigation development.• Noise-vibration interactions.• ISO 3744 assessments.• Acoustic field mapping.• Acoustic FEA.• Noise source removal simulation.


• Larson Davis real time analyser and sound level meter.• Kormann 3-dimensional sound intensity probes.• Acoustic and thermal FEA solvers to model acoustic environments in closed or open spaces. A Siemens LMS Acoustic camera

utilising an array of microphones, a video camera and advanced post-processing software (test Lab) to yield a visual overlay of the acoustic field:

- Create a visual overlay of the sound field on video images. - Compute the sound of a power source. - Isolate or reject specific sources to noise. - Integrate test.Lab software with FEA software to create acoustic simulation.

Relevant Standards and GuidelinesISO 3744, ISO 9614.


We are typically approached by clients operating industrial plants, defense contractors, automotive companies, railwayoperators, mining equipment OEMs, mining houses.

• Technical acoustics significant projects: - Root cause analysis of noise on a village near a mine. - Noise characterisation of a scrubber in an underground mine. - FEA noise prediction of a scrubber in an underground mine. - Airflow pattern testing of a scrubber in an enclosed space. - Acoustic and vibration analysis of an armoured personnel carrier. - Noise and vibration impact studies for mining activities. - Excessive noise root cause analysis at an auxiliary diesel power station. - Root cause analysis of excessive noise in a scientific laboratory.

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Vibration and Noise Impact Assessment

We possess significant expertise in the fields of human vibrations, as well as environmental vibrations (particularly relating to environmental impact assessment). The backbone of this effort is our array of particularly sensitive seismic accelerometers, seat-pad accelerometers and multi-channel data loggers. Once the data has been gathered, the assessments are performed using internally developed software routines.

Expertise

• Tri-axial ground vibration measurement and assessment.• Whole-body vibration exposure measurement and assessment.• Hand-arm vibration exposure measurement and assessment.• Blasting-induced ground vibration estimation.• Machinery-induced ground vibration estimation.• Fly-rock and air overpressure estimation.• Vibration impact assessments (typically as part of an environmental impact assessment undertaken by EAPs).


• Sensitive seismic accelerometers.• Tri-axial industrial accelerometers.• Tri-axial seat-pad accelerometers.• Range of HBM data acquisitioning systems including the eDAC and QuantumX field computers.• Software routines used for post-processing and analysis of data.• Software routines for ground vibration propagation visualisation.

Relevant Standards and Guidelines

ISO 2631, ISO 4866, US Bureau of Mines RI 8507, US Bureau of Mines RI 8485, FRA 2012.


These projects, typically performed on behalf of environmental assessment practitioners (EAPs), scientific institutions and advanced engineering firms, rely on the following resources:• Comparative occupant vibration survey on railway locomotives.• Occupant vibration survey on a range of mining machines.• Blasting vibration assessment on a number of mines.• Fly-rock and air overpressure assessment on a number of mines.• Construction vibration estimation and impact assessment on water resource development project.• Ambient ground vibration audit in an optics manufacturing facility.• Ground vibration assessment on a building near a laboratory shaker.

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ROPS and FOPS Testing

At the Sasol Laboratory for Structureal Mechanics, we possess the infrastructure to perform Roll-over Protective Structure (ROPS) testing as well as Falling Object Protective Structure (FOPS) testing. At the centre of our capabilities is our pneumatically susupended testing floor, which allows us to securely bolt any structure down for testing. Complementing this is a wide range of fixtures, a 5 tonne overhead crane, an array of load cells as well as a 70 tonne jack, with which the tesing loads are applied. FOPS tests are perfomed using our quick release mechanism, and 275kg weight and a 2.5 tonne forklift. This weight is dropped using our forklift. If neccesarry, these tests can also be performed at the premises of the client if the infrastructure is sufficient.

Expertise

• ISO 3471 assessment: Roll-over protective structures – laboratory testing.• ISO 3449 assessment: Falling-object protective structures — laboratory testing.• Supplementary FEA assessment: - Strength indication before assessment. - Design assistance if retest is required.• Full-scale vehicle testing (depending on vehicle size).• Partial vehicle testing.• Guidance on test fitting design.• On-site tests (depending on available infrastructure).


• Slotted and pneumatically suspended test floor.• Wide array of fixtures, including large overhead frame.• Large array of loadcells with which to measure the applied loads.• A 5 tonne overhead crane.• Quick release mechanism and 275kg weight for FOPS tests.• A 25 tonne forklift used to perform the FOPS tests.• ISO 3164 DLV dummy.• Software graphing routines to visualise structure deformation with reference to DLV.

Relevant Standards and Guidelines

SANS ISO 3449, SANS ISO 3471, Anglo American 264073.


We are typically approached by clients developing new protective structures for mining applications or clients which have made extensive modifications to existing protective structures. Typical structures that are evaluated include:

- LHDs. - Personnel carriers.- Drill rigs. - Graders.- LPDs. - Light commercial vehicles etc.- Utility vehicles etc.

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Principal Consultant

Prof Stephan Heyns+27 (0)12 420 2432+27 (0)82 447 [email protected]

Professor and Director of the Centre for Asset Integrity Management at the University of Pretoria. Stephan has more than 38 years of experience in structural mechanics, dynamics, vibration analysis and testing as well as condition monitoring. His current interests also include management of structural integrity of mechanical assets over their entire life cycles. He is a registered professional engineer.BSc (Eng) (Mech Eng) cum laude 1977MEng (Mech Eng) cum laude 1982PhD 1988

Engineer: Data Analysis and Acoustic Measurement

Sibonelo Dube+27 (0)12 420 5950+27 (0)83 723 4632 [email protected]

Sibonelo is a graduated mechanical engineer with three years’ experience in laboratory testing and field noise and vibration measurements. Experience also includes modelling and manufacturing drawings.B ENG (Mech) 2016

Technician: Testing, Measurement and Instrumentation

Johann Clarke+27 (0)12 420 3207+27 (0)82 797 [email protected]

Johann has 13 years’ experience in strain and vibration measurements electrical instrumentation, design and commissioning of servo-hydraulics setups and associated control systems.

Lead Consultant: Structural Integrity and Dynamics Assessment

Alewyn Grove+27 (0)12 420 4382+27 (0)82 309 [email protected]

Alewyn has 13 years’ experience in structural mechanics and dynamics, field testing (strain and vibration) and finite element analysis. Alewyn is a registered professional engineer.B Eng (Mech) 2003B Eng (Hons)(Mech Eng) 2004M Eng 2006

Lead Consultant: Rotating Machinery – Optical and Non-Contact Measurements

Dr Abrie Oberholster+27 (0)12 420 3288+27 (0)83 651 [email protected]

Abrie has 17 years’ experience in advance signal processing, condition monitoring, modal testing and analysis, photogrammetry and laser Doppler vibrometry. Abrie is a registered professional engineer.B Eng (Mech) 2001M Eng (Mech) 2004PhD (Mech Eng) 2010

Lab assistant: Test Setup and Commissioning

Khulu Lucas Mnguni+27 (0)72 217 [email protected]

Khulu has five years’ experience in the installation and commissioning of test fixtures and provides general assistance in maintenance and upkeep of laboratory infrastructure.

Our Team

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Tel: +27 (0)12 420 2096Email: [email protected]



www.C-AIMconsult.co.za

We are based in Pretoria in South Africa, but have the capacity to render

services internationally.

C-AIM Consult is a business unit of Enterprises University of Pretoria

(Pty) Ltd.

We provide a number of core services:

• Structural integrity and dynamics assessment.• Structural integrity testing and response reconstruction.• Optical and non-contact measurements.• Rotating machinery.• Technical acoustics.• Vibration and noise impact assessments which we integrate as required to provide a comprehensive asset integrity

management service.

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Shifting knowledge to insight

www.enterprises.up.ac.zaTo download our free app visit enterprises.up.ac.za/mobile-app

Enterprise Building, 140 Lunnon Road, Hillcrest

Private Bag X41, Hatfield, 0028

+27 (0)12 434 2500

+27 (0)12 434 2505

[email protected]

Documents

C-AIM CONSULT · - Boiler pipe dynamic characterisation. ... - Eulerian measurements with continuous microwave sensors on an axial-flow induced draught fans. ... Our capabilities