A re-fit methodology for electrical equipment on heavy industrial plant

The political and economic climate in South Africa has led to a severe reduction in capital available for large CAPE projects. As a result, many large producers of basic raw and semifinished materials have resorted to refitting or upgrading their existing production facilities from a mechanical and electrical point of view, thus conserving capital and utilizing valuable capital to the best effect. The authors discuss a methodology for handling such refits and refer to practical experiences gained by the authors on recent refit contracts. According to this methodology, the refit of a plant control system can be divided into three essential stages: (a) tender stage, (b) design and manufacture stage, and (c) commissioning stage. During each of these phases there are specific activities and feedback loops between client and supplier that must be taken care of. A few examples of these are given.