South Africa’s specialist repairer of electrical rotating machines and transformers for industry – LH Marthinusen (LHM), is preparing to venture into a new market sector following a recent move to acquire a specialised state-of-the-art fan testing facility for its Denver, Johannesburg plant.
The new facility, presently undergoing installation is due to commence operation in August this year, and is dedicated to testing auxiliary ventilation fan assemblies deployed in underground mines.
According to Craig Johnston, General Manager of LHM’s Fan Service division, the facility will empower the company to provide a full-on reliable auxiliary fan repair-and-refurbishment service to the mining industry.
“It is a niche market for which dedicated testing equipment is needed to meet the mining industry’s specific requirements for these fans,” he said.
LH Marthinusen, a division of ACTOM (Pty) Ltd, is one of the largest global operations of its kind, offering a comprehensive suite of on and off-site Electro-Mechanical Repair and Manufacturing Services to all industry sectors.
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The new facility will have the capability of proving performance efficiency after repair by ensuring that the fans meet the set performance criteria in terms of volume, pressure and power as laid down in the international ISO 5801 code applicable to them, as required by the mining industry in South Africa.
The LHM’s new testing facility will offer testing of the sound levels of the fans with the aim of reducing the high noise levels most auxiliary fans produce, and testing their efficiency from an energy-saving point of view.
The advanced monitoring and testing system, being installed in the test area, is fully automated and includes an observation room in which customers can observe and follow the processing of test data and results in real-time.
Repairs and refurbishments of auxiliary fans will be undertaken in tandem by LHM’s Fan Service and Rotating Machines divisions.
ACTOM, the mother company, is also a major local supplier of electrical equipment, services and balance of plant to the renewable energy projects.