Having made significant strides in the South African railway market, Metric Automotive Engineering is ready to introduce its premium diesel engine and component remanufacturing service to the marine industry.

Metric Automotive Engineering is known in the arduous mining industry for its ability to repair to exact original equipment manufacturers’ (OEM) specifications, or even exceed these standards. These diesel engines and components operate in severe environments, ranging from very high altitudes to applications subjected to high dust levels.

Andrew Yorke, operations director of Metric Automotive Engineering, believes the company has the opportunity to introduce the shipping industry to the latest technologies and methods available in the international engine and components remanufacturing sector, while restoring faith in South Africa’s own salvaging capabilities.

Yorke says a major differentiator for the company is its ongoing investment in the dedicated equipment that is needed to provide a thorough and quality remanufacturing service. This is complemented by 45 years of refining its remanufacturing services as well as ongoing research and development which has kept its practices in line with the latest developments from OEMs.

“Years of experience in this industry have seen us refine component remanufacture without compromising quality, and we have been able to extend their life at a fraction of the cost of new items,” says Yorke.

A sound example of this is the company’s line bore remanufacturing process that negates the need for any welding on the engine block’s main bearing housings, thereby removing the additional stresses introduced into the block through the conventional welding process. All line bore remanufacturing work is certified with laser alignment certificates.

Metric Automotive Engineering’s facility in Johannesburg, Gauteng, also features a three axis computer numerical controlled machining centre. This unit, one of only 11 operating worldwide, provides consistent accuracy levels and has the capacity to handle 6,5 metre long blocks with ease.

The company’s facility is also home to several specialised machines that are able to remanufacture surfaces and bores of large blocks; this complements its dedicated comprehensive block remanufacturing operations.

Metric Automotive Engineering also owns several dedicated crankshaft grinding machines, of which the most recently acquired offers the newest technology to be introduced to the local remanufacturing industry in many years. It is seated on an isolated foundation, eliminating any exposure to vibrations from inside the factory ensuring a quality remanufactured end product. The machine can handle crankshafts of up to 4,8 metres in length and weighing as much as 5 t.

Yorke says that it is operated together with process critical compensators. These compensate for the rotational deflection found when grinding large crankshafts, resulting in improved surface finishes and dimensional tolerances.

The South African government has placed increased emphasis on growing South Africa’s oceans economy, and Yorke believes that Metric Automotive Engineering’s local diesel engine and remanufacturing capabilities will add value.