SAIMC: From the President’s desk
January 2019, SAIMC

As we all prepare for 2019 and what it holds, we are standing in front of an open door with access to new opportunities. I would like to take this opportunity to urge you to consider becoming more actively involved in the SAIMC. If you can see that there is an opportunity that you would like to explore, and you have a passion that aligns with the activities we have available within the SAIMC, please consider using this year to get involved.

In order to grow, we need diversity in our thinking. New team members with their own unique skillsets and ideas will add value to the current working groups. And, if you feel that you want to be a part of it, I invite you to make yourself known to the branch that is relevant to you

As a start you need to be a member of the SAIMC and go to the branch AGM to become part of the team. Committee activities include:

• Arranging technology evenings for our members to learn about technology and to network with their peers.

• Going to tertiary institutions and high schools to talk to students about career opportunities within automation.

• Coordinating the publication of technical papers.

• Arranging site visits to interesting facilities.

• Arranging social events that includes a golf day and year end functions.

• And more…

In 2018 we saw much development in the Industry 4.0 arena and also the NTIP study initiative: teams working tirelessly behind the scenes to take the SAIMC and our strategic initiatives forward. I am looking forward to see what ground-breaking achievements we will see this year.

Vision for the future

In cementing the voice of automation in various economic sectors, governmental institutions and decision making bodies, the following imperatives will always remain core to our operating envelope:

1. Automation engineering accreditation in partnership with ECSA.

2. Drive the discourse on Industry 4.0 with specific focus on governance and policy making in South Africa.

3. Contribute to training and development in partnership with the NTIP and refocusing our collaboration efforts with SETAs.

4. Strengthen relationships with the private sector by means of advisory committee development and implementation.

5. Continue to mobilise and partner with media houses and automation conference bodies (AAF, manufacturing Indaba, etc.) with the aim to sensitise the South African economic sectors to emerging technological developments.

Good luck for 2019 and thank you for being a part of the SAIMC journey, may you achieve all the goals you set out for yourself and live the life that you dream of this year.

Yours in automation

Annemarie van Coller.

Further reading:

• SAIMC: Zambia branch
  January 2019, SAIMC, SAIMC
  Year-end function It was a cool and pensive night on the Copper Belt in the Zambias. At a quiet well-established lodge, lush with natural flora and fauna, as well as exotic orchid and cycad landscape ...
  
• SAIMC: Durban branch
  January 2019, SAIMC, SAIMC
  The monthly technology evening was held on 7 November at the Durban Country Club. Verlan Govender of Swagelok gave an interesting presentation on the basics and principles of hoses, to an audience which ...
  
• SAIMC: Secunda branch
  January 2019, SAIMC, SAIMC
  Site visit The branch had visited the Metso Secunda valve shop on Friday 2 November. Johan van den Heever and the Metso Secunda team gave members a detailed tour of their site and the equipment they ...
  
• SAIMC: From the President’s desk
  December 2018, SAIMC, SAIMC
  As we enter the final days of 2018, I would like to take a moment to reflect and thank those who contributed to an amazing year of achievement for the SAIMC. This year was about action, and it is my honour ...
  
• SAIMC: Vaal branch
  December 2018, SAIMC, SAIMC
  At the last technology evening, Yokogawa’s Bruce Bonte presented “An Introduction to ISA100.11a Wireless Technology”. Bruce has served the instrumentation industry for 30 years, having worked at Tongaat ...
  
• SAIMC: Tshwane branch
  December 2018, SAIMC, SAIMC
  At the October technology evening, Reino Janse from Swagelok presented on ‘Regulator Issues’. The presentation, which is available to interested members, touched on topics such as main types of pressure ...
  
• SAIMC: Secunda branch
  December 2018, SAIMC, SAIMC
  The technology evening for August was presented by Lourens du Plessis, principal specialist for functional safety at Sasol. As defined in the IEC standards, there are four safety integrity levels (SIL ...
  
• SAIMC: Johannesburg branch
  December 2018, SAIMC, SAIMC
  At the last technology evening Dave Wibberley, managing director of Adroit Technologies, presented on ‘New perspective on smart factories in the context of Industry 4.0 and IOT’ with regards to sustainability, ...
  
• SAIMC: Durban branch
  December 2018, SAIMC, SAIMC
  2018 was a busy and successful year for the branch culminating in us receiving the Platinum Award at the annual gala dinner. We will undoubtedly, as the SAIMC, do everything possible to increase our ...
  
• SAIMC: An evening to remember
  December 2018, SAIMC, SAIMC
  SAIMC’s prestigious annual dinner was once again held at the Montecasino Ballroom. In addition to senior council members, also present were VIP guests from the DTI and the National Technologies Implementation ...
  
• SAIMC: From the President’s desk
  November 2018, SAIMC, SAIMC
  Earlier this year, I enquired in one of my letters, that you ask yourself if you know where we are heading in the future with respect to the fields of Industry 4.0, automation, digitalisation and education ...
  
• SAIMC: Durban branch
  November 2018, SAIMC, SAIMC
  Despite the arctic weather conditions, an impressive number of people came out to listen to Dr. Mathew Moodley (Senior lecturer at the School for Chemistry and Physics, Westville University of KZN) gave ...