The Africa Automation and Technology Fair proved to be another successful event – and that is before any formal figures have been released. The SAIMC held workshops to assist technicians, technologists and engineers to register with the Engineering Council of South Africa, and Pepper the friendly robot played a huge role, thanks to Jane van der Spuy and Pepper’s owner, Scott. Their contribution is much appreciated. Jane Collett played her usual role, arranging everything perfectly and timeously, while RX set the stage for a wonderful experience for our members.
October 2025 will mark the beginning of a new phase for the SAIMC when the well-known MESA Summit will have a makeover and become the first SAIMC User Summit. We are expecting users from many disciplines to contribute their experiences so that we can learn from one another. Regular planning meetings are ensuring that this will be an outstanding event. For more information, please visit our website at saimc.co.za
The SAIMC recently had the privilege of sponsoring the awards for the top third-year Mechatronics and Computer Engineering students at North-West University. This event was a revelation for Ina and myself as it provided insight into the distribution of high-achieving students across different engineering fields. Interestingly, female students excelled in Chemical Engineering, while male students were more prevalent in Mechanical Engineering. This challenges the notion that equality can be reduced to mere numbers. It highlights the fact that true equality should address biases against certain races or genders, as opposed to considering how many of each we have in South Africa. Despite this, some individuals continue to focus on percentages, creating a facade of fairness through numerical manipulation.
It is essential to prioritise the identification and removal of genuine barriers that prevent certain races and genders from entering engineering, rather than relying on superficial mathematical exercises that only give the appearance of progress. Real efforts should be made to understand and dismantle the systemic obstacles that impede diversity and inclusion in engineering. This approach is far more meaningful than the rhetoric often used by political figures seeking votes or media outlets aiming to increase sales. By focusing on substantive change rather than numerical illusions, we can strive towards a truly equitable environment where everyone has the opportunity to succeed in engineering disciplines.
SAIMC: Durban branch SAIMC
SAIMC
The Durban branch of the SAIMC was pleased to welcome Vusi Sithole, managing member of Hybrid Control Corporation in Richards Bay, who presented\on the very pertinent topic of ‘Infrastructure monitoring and control for water loss management’.
Read more...SAIMC: Sunshine, swings and smiles: Durban Golf Day hits a high note Technews Publishing (SA Instrumentation & Control)
SAIMC
We say it every year, and we’ll say it again: May in Durban is hard to beat; but 9 May, when the Durban Golf Day teed off at Kloof Country Club, was something else. With sunny skies and temperatures in the upper 20s, it was a fantastic day, full of fun and great energy.
Read more...SAIMC User Advisory Council KS4I event: Bridging the industry/education divide
SAIMC
Horst Weinert, head of Didactic at Festo Southern/Eastern Africa, will be sharing some of Festo’s Didactic experiences of working across industry and education. He will cover training for productivity and employability in the public and private sectors, discussing especially the potential for inter-company training centres.
Read more...SAIMC: Johannesburg branch SAIMC
SAIMC
The local Johannesburg Branch of the SAIMC recently hosted a Technology Evening at Bryanston Sports Club on 9 April 2025.
Read more...SAIMC: Durban branch SAIMC
SAIMC
The April technology meeting for the Durban branch of the SAIMC was kindly sponsored by ProRisk, a subsidiary company of the Proconics Group of Companies. Process safety engineer, Guillaume de Swardt gave a fascinating presentation on the power of operational risk control by utilising CFD software.
Read more...SAIMC User Advisory Council KS4I event SAIMC Supplier Advisory Council
SAIMC
The SAIMC User Advisory Council started 2025 with its first event in the ‘Knowlege Sharing 4 Industry’ event series on the 19th of March.
Read more...Knowledge Sharing 4 Industry
SAIMC
In proud partnership with Innomotics, SAIMC will be hosting the first Knowledge Sharing 4 Industry event for 2025.
Read more...Getting your OT data into the cloud – the why and the how
SAIMC
As users recognise the benefits of a digital transformation strategy for their industrial plants and systems and start to adopt it, they soon face the challenge of getting operational technology data securely and reliably to a cloud service provider of their choice.
Read more...SAIMC training at AATF 2025 empowers engineers to register, comply and advance SAIMC Supplier Advisory Council
SAIMC
The Society for Automation, Instrumentation, Mechatronics and Computer Engineering (SAIMC) will deliver a powerful series of training sessions and technical workshops during the Africa Automation Technology Fair (AATF) 2025, providing engineers, technologists and technicians with the tools they need to register professionally, stay compliant, and lead industrial innovation.
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