Saab Grintek, the largest supplier of telecommunication power supplies in South Africa, has introduced a new generation of products that feature improved efficiency through digitalisation and greatly enhanced capacity versus space utilisation.
"The launch of the fourth generation range, Saab Grintek FlatPack 2, at the GSM show in Cape Town last year has generated a tremendous interest among the cellular companies," says Kevin Simpson, business development manager of Saab Grintek Power Technology Division. "Cell C, which has entrusted Saab Grintek with all its power supply requirements, has switched over to the new product and is now standardised on FlatPack 2."
FlatPack 2 is fully digitally controlled with 40% fewer components with an efficiency greater than 92%. Many of the functions are software controlled and can be accessed remotely.
Full digitalisation has greatly enhanced the mean-time-between-failure (MTBF) to greater than 250 000 hours. MTBF is the "average" time between failures.
Hold-up time, which is the amount of time a power supply's output remains within the specified voltage ranges after its input ceases, is better than 20 ms.
Saab Grintek partnered with Eltek Energy, a company that specialises in power technology and focuses all its research and development on power products for the telecommunications industry.
"Space versus power output has become an important consideration. The roll-out of 3G by the cellular companies has placed more demand on space and additional power," Simpson said. "Our new Flatpack 2 power unit delivers 21 watts per 16.4ml (cubic inch) compared to previous modules delivering only 13 watt per 16.4ml."
Saab Grintek power suites are fitted with state of the art North Star batteries that complement the efficiency and reliability of the power and control units.
Through partnerships with cutting-edge technology partners and a team of experienced engineers, Saab Grintek is able to provide customised solutions to meet stringent local requirements, both in South Africa and on the African continent.
"Our manufacturing expertise and facilities add considerable local content and value to our power products. This combination ensures that our customers receive the best of both worlds - international cutting-edge technology and expertly added local value," Simpson said. FlatPack 2 is manufactured at Saab Grintek's facilities in Centurion.
Since the launch of the fourth generation products, the company has exported its products to Zambia, Tanzania and Nigeria and via turnkey suppliers to a number of other African countries.
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