During November 2013, a panel of local engineering experts decided that the ‘Waste granite to cobblestone machine’ from the Cape Peninsula University of Technology was the winning design entry for PneuDrive Challenge 2013.
The waste granite to cobblestone machine.
The student engineering design competition, run annually since 2008, provides a learning platform that brings together engineering theory and the latest technology in drive engineering, pneumatics and business relevance. This year’s sponsors, SEW-Eurodrive and Pneumax, required students to explore a ‘Green mining’ theme and the top three places for engineering design went to:
1. Cape Peninsula University of Technology – Waste granite to cobblestone machine.
2. Tshwane University of Technology – The dust buster (winner of the innovation prize).
3. Wits University – Water solar still.
An additional entry from Wits, ‘The dust emission filtration system’, was selected as the Autodesk design prize winner.
Cape Peninsula University of Technology
Students Christian Mpiana and Gareth Hardman submitted a design that proposes the rehabilitation of abandoned granite mines by turning surplus waste granite blocks into usable cobblestones. These, in turn, can be used to develop access roads and walkways in rural areas. Apart from the direct benefit of paved roads and paths in these areas, it was also proposed that the venture could generate job creation. Lecturer Francois Hoffman expressed that his students winning the competition was the highlight of his year.
The judging team
This year’s judging panel were made up of Brian Paxton (sales manager for Mixtec), John Menasce (mechanical engineering consultant from HATCH), Raymond Obermeyer (general manager operations for SEW-Eurodrive), Brandon Skinner (E&I engineer from DRA Mining), Russell Gill (SAFPA council member), Heathcliff Barnard (technical manager at Pneumax SA) and Daneel Ballaram (applications engineer at WorldsView Technologies) who judged the Autodesk entries.
The winners receive a 10-day all expenses paid trip to Germany and Italy where they will be hosted by the head offices of the sponsor companies. Furthermore, the winning university receives R100 000 worth of products from SEW-Eurodrive and Pneumax, other participants are entitled to R40 000 worth of products for completing the competition.
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