Completed - 2000 to 2009
Welkom Industrial Controls have completed projects since 1988. Never has a project not been completed from our
side. We are a committed team. The following is a list of high-lighted projects that we have done over the last 10 years.
This project consisted of new PLC programs for the plant on surface and the storage areas underground. Modicon TSX
Quantum PLC’s were used with Magelis HMI’s. New DFB’s for the electrical motors (drives) and valves were developed
to control the process and to create a standard for control devices for concept programming software.
Bambanani Mine Backfilling Plant - April 2006
There are 20 pumps at the mine that are distributed on the three shafts of the mine, main, sub and a 3rd shaft. Most of the
pumps have synchronized electrical motors. Only on the bottom pump station, there are induction motor pumps. The
old electrical control was removed and a new PLC control was implemented. A new control panel, field junction boxes
and instrumentation were supplied. The excising Wonderware SCADA was upgraded and all the pump information was
added on the SCADA. The pre-start, current and historical information was added to the SCADA, by implementing a
Wonderware Industrial Server on the system.
DSM Pumping Project for Tau Tona Mine - April 2006
This was an upgrade from multiple Wonderware Intouch SCADA nodes to an ArchestrA system. Objects and standards
were developed for the new way of thinking. These were the building blocks of the ArchestrA system. All the graphics were
re-linked to the new objects. TOP server drivers with OPC were used to communicate to the Allen-Bradley PLC’s. At that
point of time the mine had +- 30 PLC underground and on surface. These PLC’s were used to control ore-loading,
compressors, fridge plants, bulk air coolers, pump stations, 3-pipe systems, monitor and control water and air usage. We
decided to use the old reporting system. This system was developed in 1995 with Excel to connect to the InSQL server,
retrieve information and publish information on a web server every morning at 05h00. This was before Wonderware
had developed Active Factory. Wonderware was very interested in this design. Not long after that, the first
Active Factory was launched.
Tshepong Wonderware Upgrade - August 2006
We were asked to upgrade the generator system on synchronous motors to a static excitation system. These 11kV
motors were used on water pumps. Some of them were still on manual excitation. The pump attendant started the motor
with a closed valve and then manually adjusted the generator field current. The generator current was changed and fed into
the synchronous motors to get the power factor to unity. The other pumps have field controllers on the generator to
control the power factor. Welkom Industrial Controls has decided on a Siemens DC Drive, the Simoreg for the control
The internal PID controller of the Simoreg was used. We decided to use a reactive energy transducer
and not a power factor transducer. The electrical motors were more then a megawatt big and there was potential to save by
controlling the reactive energy in the motor, from starting, opening the delivery valve, pumping and shutting of
the pump. These controls were interfaced into the existing PLC’s, that WIC had already installed during a previous
project.
Static Excitation - October 2006
A new level was added on the mine and we won the tender to add PLC controls on the new pumps. We used
our existing design for pumps and built new pump panels for the mine. The size was 1.5 MW induction
motors. Automatic delivery valve control with start and stop sequence. We used Momentum PLC’s with Magelis
HMI’s. The information was added to the mine exciting SCADA system.
97 Level Pump Station - December 2006
This project consists of seven compressors from +- 2MW to 4.5MV that needed to be upgraded from very old controls
to new. Quantum PLC’s were used for the logic controllers with Magelis HMI’s. The LT motor controllers used were
TeSysU with modbus communication. Multiple EGX’s modbus TCP/IP gateway were used to improve communication
between the PLC and the motor controllers. All the compressor motors were synchronous motors. A BR-1000 controller
was used to control the excitation on the motor. The PLC was interfaced to a reactive transducer. The pressure control
was done by a master controller (Momentum PLC). Moore Controller was used to protect the compressor against
anti-surge. Five compressors sited on one mine and the other two on a mine +- 5km further away. An ArchestrA SCADA
system was implemented to control and monitor the whole system.
DSM Compressor Upgrade Wes-Wits - March 2007
This is a mine situated close the Stilfontein. This shaft pumps water out of the mines to control underground water
levels. A DSM project was launched to save electricity. Welkom Industrial Controls was asked to do the project.
Momentum PLC’s with Magelis HMI’s were used to control the pumps on the two levels. A Wonderware Intouch
SCADA was added to the system. The MV motor starters, fibre communication and control on the pumps were all
new equipment on the protect. New instrumentation, control valves and junction boxes were installed.
DSM Pumping Maragret Shaft - April 2007
A project was launched to do energy savings on Tsepong Mine Fridge Plants. The controls and piping of the plants
were modified to improve cooling down of water in the off-peak times. Allen-Bradley PLC’s were used and the new
PLC information was added to the existing SCADA system. From the SCADA, the control valves set-point can be
manipulated for the best cooling down of water, before the water goes down the mine shaft.
DSM Fridge Plants - June 2007
This project consisted of five compressors on three different mines. The sizes of the compressors vary from 2 MW to
4.5MW. Quantum PLC’s were used with Magelis HMI’s. Welkom Industrial Controls has a very robust compressor
design that works. The same designs and equipment were used for these upgrades. Air stations, with mass flow
equipment, were added to the system for billing purposes. These air stations were on a remote radio telemetry system.
PID controllers in momentum PLC’s were used to control the down-stream air pressures. All the information of the
compressors and remote air stations was brought back to a control room, via fibre fibre optics, radio-LAN and
remote telemetry.
DSM Compressor Upgrade Vaal River - October 2007
An air optimization project was awarded to Welkom Industrial Controls to help with a DSM energy project. Air control
valves were installed underground to reduce air flow and pressures. The result was that the usage of compressed air
was reduced and the compressors started to cut-back and save electrical energy. Momentum PLC’s were used exclusively to
control these valves. The system was connected to an ArchestrA SCADA system. The ArchestrA system was installed
on a previous project on these mines. The air flows, pressures and control position were added to the SCADA.
Beatrix Air System - November 2007
Welkom Industrial Control has proven that we are knowledgeable on big water pumps and this project was awarded to us to
do the instrumentation and control on the new pump station. Again we have standardised on a well proven design. Schneider
Electric PLC’s and HMI’s were used for the project. The pump information was later added to the excising SCADA of
the mine. The complete project which included, instrumentation supply, installation, all cable work, software and commissioning,
was done by us.
Pump Station 116 Level - March 2008
This is the biggest air compressor that Welkom Industrial has worked on. Thanks goes to the company that awarded
this job to us. It was a privilege. This compressor motor was an induction motor, thus no excitation control was needed.
The TeSysT motor starters were used in the design. WIC developed a very comprehensive design around the TeSysT
motor starters from Schneider Electric. This model was implemented. The anti-surge protection was done with a Moore
Controller. The information was also added to the existing ArchestrA system, which was originally done by Welkom
Industrial Controls.
DEMAG 10.3 MW Compressor - March 2009
Old pump controls have been upgraded to new static excitation control. Again we used the Siemens Simoreg drives
for the job. New Momentum PLC’s, instrumentation, delivery valve and junction boxes were installed. The MV
protection used Micom P241 relays.
Savuka Pumps 83 Level - August 2009
The surface fridge plant was upgraded from elect-mechanical controls to PLC’s. S7 Siemens PLC’s were used for the
controls. All the instrumentation, cables and control panels were replaced. New S7 software was develop for the
control of the plants. The plant was stopped between 18h00 and 20h00 to save electrical energy.
DSM Kopanang Gold Mine Fridge Plant Upgrade - June 2005
Welkom Industrial Controls has developed a lamp room system can record CO and methane test from various
instrument suppliers. These test results, issuing of equipment, repair and maintenance are stored in a Microsoft SQL
database. The information can be viewed via web interface pages.
Lamproom System Tshepong Mine - August 2003
This project was a DSM saving project. Pump stations at Beatrix 1,2 and 3 shaft were upgraded with PLC controls. New
instrumentation, cables, control panels were supplied and installed. A fibre backbone was also installed in some of the
mine shafts. All of the pump information was added on the mine existing Wonderware SCADA system.
DSM Beatrix Pumping System - March 2003
A Sulzer compressor was upgraded from electro mechanical controls to a PLC system. A Quantum PLC with
Concept programming software was used. The HMI was a Wonderware Intouch computer system. The existing
instrumentation and junction boxes were used. All the instrument loops were re-checked and commissioned.
Sulzer RIK 56 Compressor Upgrade - April 2000
The supply, installation and programming of Control Logix 5550 processors, as well as setting up of communications
to the existing PLC network underground and SCADA.
Tshepong Control Room PLC Upgrade - January 2001
The development of Lamproom CO and methane test stations. This system was part of the asset management and
tracking system and was streamlined for mine Lamproom management. The system uses ActiveX web technology to
assign and allocate equipment to users. Faulty equipment can be de-allocated and a spare unit can be assigned to the
user. The hart of the system is Microsoft SQL database. Reports can be retrieved via web ASP technology.
Lamproom Test Stations - January 2002
Welkom Industrial Controls has supplied and installed a big CCTV camera system for the mine. All cameras
were recorded with DVR technology.
Hotazel Manganese Mines (Samamcor) - January 2004
Supply, delivery, installation and commissioning of a total control system for 70 level locomotive (Big Mama). This project
consisted of two electrical loco’s with an overhead 500VAC line. This loco is used to tram ore from loading areas to the
trips. Electrical rail switches, robots and a tracking system was Welkom Industrials’ responsibility. A MRS leaky feeder
system was installed to retrieve information from the train. This system was later upgraded to a radio-LAN system for
better and faster communication, Siemens access points were used.
Project Katleho - March 2004
Welkom Industrial Controls has developed a SQL database for asset management. The main database components
are employees, equipment and tags. Multiple pieces of equipment can be allocated to employees. This equipment can
be assigned, de-assigned, repaired, calibrated, etc. Each piece of equipment can be allocated to multiple types of tags,
active, passive or bar-coded. These equipment can then be tracked with various types of tag readers across the company. All the
information is data/time stamped and stored in ethernet buffers and then uploaded into the SQL database with a positive
acknowledge system. The information from the database can be queried via web or in SCADA systems with custom
ActiveX objects. Live graphic animation objects were also available.
Asset Management & Tracking System - June 2003
Welkom Industrial Controls was asked to re-do the MTS system that was original developed by a Norwegian
company. The complete SQL database tables, store procedures, views and triggers were re-written. The user
interface software was developed in VB6. The interface between the plant Quantum PLC and the SQL database
was a Wonderware InControl soft PLC. This project was done in the area between Richards Bay and Welkom,
in the Drakensberg region. Every month, for a year, some of the software guys of Bayside and us worked two weeks
at a time, to back engineer and re-code everything. This project was a huge success and implementation was
done in a two week stretch.
Material Tracking System (MTS) Bayside Smelter - August 2003
Welkom Industrial Controls was contacted to develop a new winder simulator from an old design. The
old system was a computer based system written in Pastel for Dos. We back engineered the system and with
the help of personnel from Anglo Gold and Platinum training centres, we developed a new system and added a lot
of new functionality to it. We used VB6 software with new electronic hardware cards, developed by us, to
do the job. Afterwards Anglo Platinum asked us to add additional functionality to the system for them.
Winder Simulator - November 2006
