News


Cyber junkyard: new competition taps into young minds

March 2003 News Infrastructure

Siemens Southern Africa has launched a competition featuring 10 South African tertiary institutions called the Cyber Junkyard that will give the company direct interaction with the leading young minds in the country.

The competition will present each of the tertiary institutions with a fixed project that they must execute to the best of their ability with the help of a Siemens technical specialist. According to Craig Hudson, Siemens Southern Africa's Automation Systems product manager, the nature of the project is still being finalised, but it is most likely to involve a container hoist application.

Dr Roy Marcus, technical advisor to the National Council for Innovation and the Department of Arts, Culture, Science and Technology, and Siemens Automation Systems product manager, Craig Hudson, at the Press launch of the Siemens Cyber Junkyard
Dr Roy Marcus, technical advisor to the National Council for Innovation and the Department of Arts, Culture, Science and Technology, and Siemens Automation Systems product manager, Craig Hudson, at the Press launch of the Siemens Cyber Junkyard

"The idea is that the competing teams will have to build a model according to certain specifications and demonstrate how well it can achieve the pre-determined task. We are looking at projects that are relevant to the current industry. Siemens is currently involved in the upgrade of the national ports, so it seems likely that the project will be centred upon this," Hudson said.

Each team will be given an opportunity to purchase R25 000 worth of control equipment from Siemens Southern Africa in order to execute the project. The teams will be limited to using Siemens equipment on the control side, but the mechanical equipment they use will be up to their own discretion.

The registering of the teams as well as their purchasing of equipment and the flow of information will all be performed online through the Siemens Internet portal, hence the name Cyber Junkyard. Siemens will appoint a technical specialist to assist each team with their project and offer them free training on the products they use.

There will be an external launch of the competition, which has the official backing of the National Council for Innovation and the Department of Arts, Culture, Science and Technology, in May at the Process Show in Kyalami.

The final will take place in Gauteng in October, where the projects will be adjudicated by an independent panel of judges. Thereafter, the winners will be announced at a gala event and will be presented with a further R100 000 worth of equipment donated by Siemens to the tertiary institution. Two of the team members will also win a trip to the Hanover Trade and Technical Fair in Germany.

For more information contact Keshin Govender, Siemens Southern Africa, +27 (0)11 652 2412, [email protected], www.siemens.co.za



Credit(s)



Share this article:
Share via emailShare via LinkedInPrint this page

Further reading:

4Sight OT Automation achieves prestigious AVEVA Endorsed Partner status
News
4Sight OT Automation, a leading industrial software solutions provider, has achieved Endorsed Partner status within the AVEVA Partner Network.

Read more...
Generative AI for immersive real-time visualisation
Siemens South Africa IT in Manufacturing
Siemens will deepen its collaboration with NVIDIA to help build the industrial metaverse.

Read more...
Schneider Electric announces 2023 Global Alliance Partner Programme award winners
Schneider Electric South Africa News
Schneider Electric has announced the winners of the 2023 Global Alliance Excellence Awards. Throughout 2023, Schneider Electric’s Alliance Partners supported customers in the digitalisation of industrial automation, delivering value with innovative initiatives, solutions and services.

Read more...
Custom containerised lubrication dispensing system
News
Bosch Rexroth Africa recently supplied and installed a customised environmentally friendly and dust-proof lubrication dispensing system for a leading earth-moving equipment supplier.

Read more...
Siemens to acquire industrial drive technology business of ebm-papst
Siemens South Africa News
Siemens has signed an agreement to acquire the industrial drive technology business of ebm-papst. The business includes intelligent, integrated mechatronic systems in the protective extra-low voltage range and innovative motion control systems.

Read more...
Bearings International fosters a segment strategy
Bearings International News
Bearings International has a segment approach to the market, which places an intentional focus on key industries in South and sub-Saharan Africa in a bid to optimise operations, enhance uptime, and drive business sustainability and increased profitability outcomes for customers.

Read more...
Local robotics team’s journey to the world stage
News
In the heart of Cape Town, a group of young visionaries aged 12 to 17 is making waves in the world of robotics. Known as Texpand, this team from Pinelands has not only dominated the First Tech Challenge (FTC) in South Africa, but has also earned international acclaim for its innovative approach to engineering and problem solving.

Read more...
Safe, sustainable cycling helmet technology
Siemens South Africa IT in Manufacturing
Lazer Sport, one of Europe’s leading cycling helmet manufacturers, has adopted the Siemens Xcelerator portfolio of industry software to bring to market KinetiCore, its new proprietary rotational impact protection technology.

Read more...
RS Group expands by 10 000 products
RS South Africa News
RS South Africa has announced its Better World Claims Based Framework, enabling customers to select verified sustainable product alternatives. This provides suppliers with a standardised framework to accelerate the development and manufacture of more sustainable and responsible products.

Read more...
IRP 2023 could reset SA’s social and economic problems
News
ACTOM recently held a webinar on the ‘Draft IRP2023 Impact on the Manufacturing Sector’. South Africa’s Draft Integrated Resource Plan 2023 is a key document that outlines a comprehensive strategy for addressing the country’s energy security challenges, while also setting out its transition to a diversified energy mix, including renewables.

Read more...