One can barely write a column without touching on the drastic events and changes that beset the world these days. The war in Ukraine demonstrates this perfectly: tanks, armoured personnel carriers and other armoured vehicles have long served as clear displays of strength for any army.
Johan Maartens.
Then, a Turkish Master’s graduate from the University of Pennsylvania and MIT answers his country’s call for crewless aerial weapons, after an embargo imposed by the USA, and changes everything. Autonomous cars are one thing; crewless aerial assault vehicles are quite another. One individual by the name of Selçuk Bayraktar started a trend that disrupted the status quo. His Bayraktar TB2 drone is changing the face of the battlefield, based on a design and construction that allow it to be loaded with 95 kg of weaponry.
The Bayraktar drone is one example of how new technologies are changing the world – and a Master’s degree is not a requirement. We must focus on the development of entrepreneurs as part of the curricula of academic institutions. We cannot afford to have separate entrepreneurial centres that are not integrated into the typical curriculum.
On 4 May 2022, during a meeting of the MESA Africa executive committee, a lengthy and open discussion took place on the possible integration of MESA Africa into the SAIMC. The Automation Federation and more than 130 countries worked on an Automation Competency Model that includes integration with enterprise manufacturing execution systems (MES) and manufacturing operations management (MOM).
After the meeting, a vote took place in which nine people voted for the integration of MESA Africa into the SAIMC, three against and one abstained. MESA Africa will retain its name as a group within the SAIMC and will continue to be responsible for all MES/MOM activities, but now with the added advantages that a body like the SAIMC can bring.
While many items are still open for discussion before the final transition takes place, I would like to use this opportunity to welcome MESA Africa into the SAIMC fold. MESA Africa brings skills and programmes that will assist the SAIMC in building on its successes to the benefit of our industry.
To those individuals doing the work described in the ‘Identification of Engineering Work’ regulations, please note: If your surname starts between A and K and you have not yet rendered your registration documents to ECSA, I suggest you start with that immediately or start looking for a person who can sign off your work from 1 January 2025.
Read more...SAIMC: Durban branch SAIMC
SAIMC
The Durban branch of the SAIMC was pleased to welcome Vusi Sithole, managing member of Hybrid Control Corporation in Richards Bay, who presented\on the very pertinent topic of ‘Infrastructure monitoring and control for water loss management’.
Read more...SAIMC: Sunshine, swings and smiles: Durban Golf Day hits a high note Technews Publishing (SA Instrumentation & Control)
SAIMC
We say it every year, and we’ll say it again: May in Durban is hard to beat; but 9 May, when the Durban Golf Day teed off at Kloof Country Club, was something else. With sunny skies and temperatures in the upper 20s, it was a fantastic day, full of fun and great energy.
Read more...SAIMC User Advisory Council KS4I event: Bridging the industry/education divide
SAIMC
Horst Weinert, head of Didactic at Festo Southern/Eastern Africa, will be sharing some of Festo’s Didactic experiences of working across industry and education. He will cover training for productivity and employability in the public and private sectors, discussing especially the potential for inter-company training centres.
Read more...SAIMC: Johannesburg branch SAIMC
SAIMC
The local Johannesburg Branch of the SAIMC recently hosted a Technology Evening at Bryanston Sports Club on 9 April 2025.
Read more...SAIMC: Durban branch SAIMC
SAIMC
The April technology meeting for the Durban branch of the SAIMC was kindly sponsored by ProRisk, a subsidiary company of the Proconics Group of Companies. Process safety engineer, Guillaume de Swardt gave a fascinating presentation on the power of operational risk control by utilising CFD software.
Read more...SAIMC User Advisory Council KS4I event SAIMC Supplier Advisory Council
SAIMC
The SAIMC User Advisory Council started 2025 with its first event in the ‘Knowlege Sharing 4 Industry’ event series on the 19th of March.
Read more...Knowledge Sharing 4 Industry
SAIMC
In proud partnership with Innomotics, SAIMC will be hosting the first Knowledge Sharing 4 Industry event for 2025.
Read more...Getting your OT data into the cloud – the why and the how
SAIMC
As users recognise the benefits of a digital transformation strategy for their industrial plants and systems and start to adopt it, they soon face the challenge of getting operational technology data securely and reliably to a cloud service provider of their choice.
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