MAN Energy Solutions SA is the local arm of the global engineering entity MAN Energy Solutions responsible for converting energy into sustainable progress and prosperity. Manufacturing and servicing energy equipment, and providing industry-leading technical support, has always been at the forefront of the local arm but this was heightened when the company acquired local rotating equipment manufacturer Elca Engineering, in 2014.
MAN Energy Solutions SA, the local arm of the global engineering entity MAN Energy Solutions, manufactures blades working in situations of up to 12 000 RPMs, all of them are machined from solid blocks. The blades manufactured locally are up to 700mm in length
MAN Energy Solutions, based in Augsburg, Germany and one of the world’s leading providers of large-bore diesel engines and turbo-machinery for use in marine and power station applications, has had a presence in South Africa since 2004. At the time the company was known as MAN Turbo AG and it opened up a South African subsidiary, in a deal facilitated by Ferrostaal. The investment in the manufacturing facility was linked to the industrial participation and offset investment commitments of the local defence procurement programme. At the time Ferrostaal was an industrial services company in the MAN Group, and was the commercial partner in the German submarine consortium that supplied three U-209 submarines to the South African navy.
The company, which operated under the name of MAN Diesel & Turbo South Africa, was setup in Elandsfontein, Gauteng and the focus was on being a complete machining facility for blade production, service and repair, which included sandblast, shotblast and spray painting facilities. Only later the company would explore other areas of generation and expand its capabilities.
Blades manufactured are used on new or refurbished compressors and turbines. Included on the machining side are spacers, which are used when there is no foot machined on a blade
The company initially invested in Deckel Maho CNC machining centers, Heller CNC machining centers, Dah Li CNC machining centers and a Leadwell CNC machining center, all equipment you would associate with the manufacture of high-quality blades used in axial and centrifugal compressors and for gas and steam turbines used in the power generation, refinery, blow furnace and sugar mill industries. Investment in the quality department included acquiring a 7-axis Romer measuring arm and DEA 3D Global coordinate measuring machine and other state-of-the-art inspection equipment.
Later a high-end Swiss made Liechti Turbomill 1400g CNC turning/milling machine would be installed and this would be followed by two StarragHeckert LX 151 mills that are purpose built for blade manufacture. Two DN Solutions (Doosan Machine Tools) Puma lathes would also be acquired and laser-based refurbishment, based on laser cladding technology, would also be introduced. This is a joint venture agreement with the CSIR and it now gives the company the ability to laser weld tip extensions of blades.
The company has two StarragHeckert LX 151 mills that are purpose built for blade manufacture
Blades manufactured are used on new or refurbished compressors and turbines. Included on the machining side are spacers, which are used when there is no foot machined on a blade.
With the blades working in situations of up to 12 000 RPMs, all of them are machined from solid blocks. The blades manufactured locally are up to 700mm in length.
The process starts off in the blocking department where imported material (high chromium nickel base) is cut to size and then rough machined for squareness on conventional milling machines. The block weighs about 16 kilograms when it starts off in the process and with the removal of shavings it is reduced to three kilograms. From there it moves to the high-tech equipment where each individual blade has to be machined to 20µ tolerance, before moving through inspection and polishing.
The company now has 23 CNC machines at its disposal and a further investment in another high-end Swiss manufactured Liechti Turbomill CNC turning/milling machine has been earmarked. Liechti is a GF Machining Solutions company and a market leader for 5-axis airfoil machining solutions for the turbine industry in aerospace and power generation. This time the machine can accommodate blade lengths up to 1 200mm as compared to 1 400mm for the other Liechti machine
The blades are then either exported back to the parent company in Germany, or used locally in the assembly of axial and centrifugal compressors and gas and steam turbines used in the power generation, refinery, blow furnace and sugar mill industries.
The company now has 23 CNC machines at its disposal and a further investment in another high-end Swiss manufactured Liechti Turbomill CNC turning/milling machine has been earmarked. Liechti is a GF Machining Solutions company and a market leader for 5-axis airfoil machining solutions for the turbine industry in aerospace and power generation. This time the machine can accommodate blade lengths up to 1 200mm as compared to 1 400mm for the other Liechti machine.
The Liechti Turbomills are single spindle 5-axis machining centers for high precision machining at high feed rates. The machine is used for rough and finish machining of complex shapes as needed in the blade manufacturing environment.
Two DN Solutions (Doosan Machine Tools) Puma lathes have also been acquired
The Liechti Turbomill 1400g machine allows the company to machine blades up to 1 350mm in length, which is a big advantage. To give you a comparison, the blades used on the turbines at the Koeberg nuclear plant in the Western Cape are only 1 280mm in length.
Blades are also made to order and MAN Energy Solutions SA can offer manufacturing according to supplied drawings or reverse engineering from any sample component. Strip and re-blading services on any casing or rotor are uniquely supported entirely in-house.
This department, which is the largest blade manufacturing facility in Africa, accounts for about 10% of the company’s capabilities in South Africa today.
Blades moving through the production stages
Where previously the company had to contract out for the dressing of shrouds and labyrinth seals when refurbishing large compressors and turbines, the arrival on the floor of a refurbished Heyligenstaedt CNC lathe from the parent company, allowed them to perform this operation inhouse.
This allowed the company to machine components on a range of 3, 4 and 5-axis CNCs.
In 2015 the company moved to a new 3 500m² manufacturing facility, also in Elandsfontein, which was referred to as the Centre of Excellence.
When Elca Engineering was acquired, no changes would take place and the two companies would run parallel to each other.
Service and reverse engineering – these two disciplines have become major factors in this side of the business. Between the machine shop and the service building, where services that support the lifespan of the company’s installations and also include selected third-party products, now occupy 7 500m2
Elca Engineering, an ISO 9001 and OHSAS 18001 certified turbomachinery company, specialised in full after sales service capabilities for rotating equipment and was based in Vanderbijlpark. The company was established in 1965 and its turbomachinery products and integrated solutions are used in the energy and other industrial segments.
Rebranding to MAN Energy Solutions
In 2018 the parent company was rebranded to MAN Energy Solutions which, according to the company represents a new vision. “The new branding embodies a strategic and technological transformation, a process the company had already begun back in 2017 by implementing its new strategy for the future: To expand its business with sustainable technologies and solutions such that they become its main source of revenue by 2030. This strategic realignment is supported by the expansion of MAN Energy Solutions’ product range to include hybrid, storage and digital service technologies.”
The company also reverse engineers, designs and manufactures new steam turbine and compressor diaphragms. Their innovative design and manufacturing concepts allow for improved performance, reliability and ease of maintenance
The local operation’s name was changed to MAN Energy Solutions SA and the next significant change came when it was decided to merge the two South African companies and also move the blade manufacturing plant to Elca Engineering’s site in Vanderbijlpark. This began happening early in 2021 and has now been fully bedded down.
The amalgamation of the two companies resulted in changes that would benefit both companies. In the new setup the blade section has continued to operate as it was doing before, but in a much smaller facility (1 000m²).
Rotating – a specialsed business
The product portfolio includes a wide range of highly efficient reciprocating engines that run on gases or oils, as well as compressors (axial and centrifugal), screw compressors, gas and steam turbines and chemical reactors, all of which are suitable for a wide variety of applications and industries.
New steam turbines and compressor diaphragms are stored vertically so as not to cause damage to the blades
Key product applications include remote power generation for mining and utilities, marine propulsion and compression solutions for the oil and gas, petrochemical and process industries such as sugar, cement, fertiliser, steel and paper. Other products are fans and blowers and clients include Afrox, Air Liquide, Air Products and Sasol, to name a few.
Service and reverse engineering
These two disciplines have become major factors in this side of the business. Between the machine shop and the service building, where services that support the lifespan of the company’s installations and also include selected third-party products, now occupy 7 500m².
The product portfolio includes a wide range of highly efficient reciprocating engines that run on gases or oils, as well as compressors (axial and centrifugal), screw compressors, gas and steam turbines and chemical reactors, all of which are suitable for a wide variety of applications and industries. Key product applications include remote power generation for mining and utilities, marine propulsion and compression solutions for the oil and gas, petrochemical and process industries such as sugar, cement, fertiliser, steel and paper. Other products are fans and blowers
Expertise in reverse engineering and manufacturing is supported by several technologies; Laser scanning, photogrammetry, CMM inspection, blade resonant frequency analysis and surface roughness testing and polishing.
Diaphragm manufacturing
The company also reverse engineers, designs and manufactures new steam turbine and compressor diaphragms. Their innovative design and manufacturing concepts allow for improved performance, reliability and ease of maintenance.
For further details contact MAN Energy Solutions SA on TEL: 016 910 7300 or visit www.man-es.com
