The June Technology Evening attracted a record attendance with everybody keen to learn more about the topic ‘Realising Industry 4.0’. The evening was kindly sponsored by Beckhoff Automation and MD Kenneth McPherson presented.
Chairman Hennie Prinsloo (left) seen thanking Kenneth McPherson.
Industry 4.0 is the German terminology for ‘Industrial Internet of things’, and the presentation included an overview of where this revolution came from and the aim of it. Kenneth said that a good and simplified explanation is the combining of information technology (IT) and automation technology to create a manufacturing process that is able to self-optimise, self-configure, self-diagnose and which gives intelligent support to workers. The purpose of ‘Realising Industry 4.0’ is to achieve flexible, efficient and sustainable manufacturing processes. It is interesting to note this process can not only be implemented on green fields projects, but that it is also very possible to implement this solution on brown fields projects as well.
Team Beckhoff (from left): Aimee Schumacher, (marketing and admin student), Mike van der Walt (sales engineer), Kenneth McPherson (managing director) and Brad Garside (technical engineer).
Kenneth received his National Diploma Cum Laude qualification as an Electrical Engineer (Power Engineering) in 1996 from PE Technikon and immediately afterwards fulfilled his bursary obligations to Siemens as an apprentice. He then worked for AEG Automation as a project technician. 1999 saw a move to Durban where he took on the position of branch manager for SA Power Services (Lenze SA agent). In 2003 he was appointed as sales engineer for the Beckhoff product range by Jendamark, which stood him in good stead when he assisted in opening Beckhoff Automation in Johannesburg in August 2006, becoming managing director six years later. Kenneth’s employers have always been German industrial automation companies (or their South African agents) and this also means that he understands their way of thinking and was eminently suitable to explain the reality of Industry 4.0.
SAIMC Zambia SAIMC
SAIMC News
SAIMC Zambia marked its 21st anniversary with the annual SAIMC Banquet, held on 29 November 2025 at Mukwa Lodge in Kitwe, Zambia.
Read more...SAIMC: Durban branch SAIMC
SAIMC
The SAIMC Durban Branch closed off its 2025 technology meetings with an exceptionally well-attended session on selecting and applying signal transducers.
Read more...SAIMC: Durban year-end dinner SAIMC
SAIMC
The SAIMC Durban branch hosted its much-anticipated annual year-end dinner at the Mount Edgecombe Country Club on 22 November 2025. Durban’s summer weather provided the perfect backdrop for a warm, ...
Read more...Durban branch
SAIMC
At the Durban branch of the SAIMC held in October, Mitch Naidoo took the attendees on an interesting journey on Asset Health Management: Tracking The Pulse Of Your Plant.
Read more...SAIMC: Durban branch SAIMC
SAIMC
At the Durban branch of the SAIMC held in October, Mitch Naidoo took the attendees on an interesting journey on Asset Health Management: Tracking The Pulse Of Your Plant.
Read more...SAIMC: Johannesburg branch SAIMC
SAIMC
The SAIMC Johannesburg Branch technical evening was hosted by Proconics Advanced Solutions. The topic of the session was ‘Turning Big 3D Data into Actionable Engineering Insights – Challenges and Smart Solutions’.
Read more...SAIMC User Advisory Council Annual Summit 2025 SAIMC
SAIMC
October 2025 marked a pivotal moment for the South African automation and manufacturing community as the SAIMC User Advisory Council hosted its first annual summit under the SAIMC banner.
Read more...SAIMC: Johannesburg
SAIMC
The Johannesburg Branch of the SAIMC hosted a successful Technology Evening on 10 September. The event was well attended and generously sponsored by Phoenix Contact.
While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained herein, the publisher and its agents cannot be held responsible for any errors contained, or any loss incurred as a result. Articles published do not necessarily reflect the views of the publishers. The editor reserves the right to alter or cut copy. Articles submitted are deemed to have been cleared for publication. Advertisements and company contact details are published as provided by the advertiser. Technews Publishing (Pty) Ltd cannot be held responsible for the accuracy or veracity of supplied material.
printer friendly version