News


Empowering the next generation of engineers

September 2024 News

RS South Africa is excited to announce the winners of the inaugural Student Project Fund, an initiative aimed at empowering the next generation of engineers by supporting hands-on prototyping and experimentation. “The Student Project Fund is a product donation programme that supports students who want to advance their projects from just a concept to something physical, and to have the experience of building and testing their innovation,” explains education and social impact specialist, Wesley Hood.

The six selected winners will each receive R10 000 worth of RS products to assist in bringing their ambitious projects to life. These projects span a diverse range of fields, from environmental conservation to advanced healthcare solutions. “We are excited to help these young people advance their projects, as they bring new ideas that will help solve problems in various industries, regardless of how small or big the positive change might look,” says Hood.

Dylan Opperman, from Nelson Mandela University is developing an autonomous solar panel cleaning robot. This project addresses the critical issue of dust accumulation on solar panels, which can significantly impact their efficiency and performance.

Mishay Naidoo and team (Stephanie Paine, Ryan Jones and Tristyn Ferreiro), from the University of Cape Town are working on a project to enhance conservation efforts for the Southern Yellow-billed Hornbill, a species currently facing endangerment in the Kalahari.

Michael Awe, also from the University of Cape Town, aims to revolutionise preventive healthcare through early disease detection. His project involves developing a low-cost, high-accuracy sensor array to identify disease-specific VOC profiles, enabling early diagnosis of conditions like Parkinsons.

Annabelle Bester and Team TuksBaja, from the University of Pretoria are designing and building a small, single-seater offroad vehicle. Their project adheres to the rules set by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE), and demonstrates their commitment to automotive engineering.

Shamira Pillay, from the University of Witwatersrand is fabricating and optimising anaerobic biobatteries using banana waste. This research aims to achieve optimal power density, longevity, stability, thermal resistance, and biodegradability for industrial energy storage applications.

Lebogang Moloto from the University of Johannesburg is developing a real-time sensor-based monitoring system to detect and remediate heavy metal contamination in water, addressing a critical environmental and public health issue.

With the Student Project Fund, RS South Africa demonstrates its commitment to supporting students in engineering and technology-related courses. By providing essential resources for prototyping and experimentation, the company aims to equip students with the skills necessary for their future careers. “We strongly believe these innovations could transform our world for a better future,” concludes Hood.


Credit(s)



Share this article:
Share via emailShare via LinkedInPrint this page

Further reading:

Reinstatement opportunity for ECSA registration
News
In 2023 the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA) announced a special opportunity for engineers in South Africa to reinstate their registration status if it had been cancelled. This exclusive offer is available until the end of August 2024.

Read more...
Two weeks to go: AATF 2025 welcomes Africa’s industrial future
News
With less than two weeks to go, the countdown to Africa Automation Technology Fair 2025 is on - and there’s never been a better time to register.

Read more...
Groundbreaking renewable energy skills platform
News
South Africa’s renewable energy sector has taken a significant leap forward with the launch of PowerUp. A South African first, this online platform is designed to equip the country’s workforce with the skills required to meet industry demands.

Read more...
Innomotics wins Platinum TITAN Brand Award for Best Corporate Rebranding
News
Innomotics has been awarded with the Platinum TITAN Brand Award for Best Corporate Rebranding. The international jury honoured Innomotics’ efforts to develop a powerful and recognisable brand after the carve-out of Innomotics from the Siemens Group in 2023.

Read more...
Unlocking Africa’s hydrogen potential
News
Africa is positioning itself as a frontrunner in the global green energy revolution, with hydrogen emerging as a critical commodity of strategic and national importance across the continent. Namibia is putting ambition into action by having already reached a number of key milestones towards final investment decision on up to five projects.

Read more...
Fuchs doubles sales volume
News
An aggressive growth strategy in South Africa and sub-Saharan Africa over the last decade has resulted in Fuchs Lubricants South Africa achieving a CAGR of 6% in volume sold since 2015. The result of this is that sales volume has nearly doubled in this time.

Read more...
High-quality sensing and automation equipment
News
The Turck Banner Demo Van is showcasing the company’s latest products and solutions.Turck Banner sells directly to end users and OEMs in a broad range of industries and applications.

Read more...
SA company uses AI to break the language barrier
News
Helm has a unique approach to AI that allows it to automate customer communication in any of South Africa’s 11 official spoken languages.

Read more...
From ground to compound: the journey of crude oil
Wearcheck News
You’re in for a ‘crude awakening’ when you download WearCheck’s latest Technical Bulletin. You will be treated to an in-depth explanation of the processes of producing oil, fuel and other petrochemical wonders that power our modern lifestyle.

Read more...
2025 – a year for growth, amid industry challenges
News
Automation is rapidly emerging as a catalyst for industrial transformation, enabling businesses to meet sustainability targets, enhance productivity and drive economic efficiency.

Read more...