‘IIoT Ecosystem – from sensors to digital services’ was the topic of the May technology evening. Held via zoom and open to all branches throughout the country, it attracted record attendance from an attentive audience, many of whom were students.
Dhiren Naidoo.
The evening’s presenter was Dhiren Naidoo, food and beverage industry manager at Endress+Hauser South Africa. His passion for his job and his fascination for the field of electrical engineering shone through his interesting and relevant presentation. Covering the topic he explained how interconnected systems can benefit industrial processes by using data from discrete devices to facilitate repairs and minimise downtime by pinpointing faults, which can be especially beneficial on callouts.
It was pointed out that such a system would not verify device calibration, but would provide information regarding the health of components in the system. Use of the cloud to process data from field devices can also be applied to optimise predictive maintenance without interfering with data being in use to monitor control the plant.
A lively Q&A; session followed, primarily focused on cybersecurity risks when the cloud is used to interpret device data from an operating plant and the possibility of that data being corrupted by external agencies, It became clear that more remains to be done to convince major companies that use of cloud-based systems can be made sufficiently secure, even if the information link is unidirectional. There are already examples where companies have taken the first steps. There is little doubt that huge benefits can be gained if the integrity of the information is well protected.
SAIMC: From the office of the CEO June 2021, SAIMC
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It was interesting to see the comments around Cuban engineers being imported to do engineering work in South Africa. This brings me to the Identification of Engineering Work and Professional Registration ...
Read more...SAIMC: Vaal branch June 2021, SAIMC
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Steam turbine control was the subject of the last technology evening presented by Moore Process Controls.
A steam turbine is a device that extracts thermal energy from pressurised steam and uses it ...
Read more...SAIMC: Zambia branch June 2021, SAIMC
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SAIMC Zambia held customer training sessions via Zoom with VEGA Controls of South Africa, presented by Chris Van den Heever. The sessions tackled were as follows: 1. Radar basics on Vegapuls 64: applications ...
Read more...SAIMC: Cape Town branch June 2021, SAIMC
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n integrated geared unit that combines the recently launched Nord IE5+ synchronous motor and a single-stage helical gear unit offers optimum system efficiency.
Read more...SAIMC: From the office of the CEO May 2021, SAIMC
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In my last letter, I discussed the lack of skills available to operate and maintain our infrastructure. This month, I present a more specific look at the critical skills required in manufacturing, which ...
Read more...SAIMC: Durban branch May 2021, SAIMC
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The branch held its April (virtual) technology evening on 7 April where SAIMC CEO, Johan Maartens, discussed the new skills trust fund initiative: how it works, how we will all benefit from it and how ...
Read more...SAIMC: Cape Town branch April 2021, SAIMC
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We had an interesting presentation last month given by Allan Pead from Microsoft on the open source platform from Microsoft Azure Sphere – a secure IoT platform.
Allan is currently an Xamarin ...
Read more...SAIMC: Johannesburg branch April 2021, SAIMC
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The technology evening was once again hosted virtually and this time it was the turn of Albert Louw from ifm electronic, presenting on the topic: Systems for mobile machinery.
One could ask the question, ...
Read more...SAIMC: Durban branch April 2021, SAIMC
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Members and visitors were treated to a Zoom presentation that had the understated title: Introduction to ultrasonic flow measurement, by Marco Lopes of NIC KZN. Marco was ably backed up by Howard Lister, ...
Read more...SAIMC: Durban branch March 2021, SAIMC
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The branch held its first virtual technology meeting of the year on 10 February, where John de Castro (a long-time friend of the Durban SAIMC) gave us some insight into his experiences working abroad. ...
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