Last month I spoke about the new mechatronics engineering discipline. It has quite an impact on SAIMC members, as previously we had to register and be interviewed by electrical or mechanical professionals. Now, the interviews can be done by people in our own industry, once the approval has been given on the Discipline Specific Training Guidelines (DSTG).
Johan Maartens.
You might recall that we have put forward a proposal to divide mechatronics into three areas: factory automation (FA, which includes mechatronics), process automation (PA) and mechatronic devices (MD).
Industries in which mechatronic engineers practice may include – among others – the following:
The technologies they are involved in include any, or a combination of, the following:
• Computation systems.
• Software.
• Network technologies.
• The digital enterprise and information technology.
• Process control technologies.
• Power electronics and drives.
• Process technology.
• Mechanical design.
• Manufacturing.
• Mechanical technology.
• Other technologies.
Each of these will be discussed in more detail next month.
I hope you all had a wonderful end of year break, and that it was a time of joy, peace and rekindling of friendships and family ties. 2021 may well bring with it a few more unasked-for surprises, so it’s important that we as SAIMC members band together to ensure the survival of our industry, and let nobody who is struggling feel like they have to walk these troubled paths alone.
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