Moving on
Something of a sudden move to many - I will be leaving Technews Publishing shortly (officially at the end of May) - so my last contributions to SA Instrumentation and Control will likely be in the June 2006 issue. My overall experience at Technews Publishing has been overwhelmingly positive and I look forward to shaking the hand of my replacement. I am very fortunate to find myself in the position to be able to go off on my own and pursue my ideas and passions. The job as editor of this publication (and Motion Control in Southern Africa) has been fascinating, stimulating and challenging. Technews Publishing is a vibrant and solid company and the person who takes on this opportunity is going to be fortunate indeed!
Calibration issues
Further to the recent letters on this matter, Roy MacGregor of Radiant Lighting writes:
"It is interesting that Steve Sydney points out that Testo is not an accredited body, and that Dieter replies that Testo, an ISO17025 lab in the DKD Germany region, is tasked to assist subsidiaries and distributors in the establishment of new calibration facilities. It seems Dieter does not clearly state what he means by his ISO9001 certification in his laboratory and may be trying to establish German standards in South Africa as I think they talk about PTB, DKD and ISO9000 labs.
Admittedly, results seem to be produced at this lab but so to are temperature results produced at Eskom Brakenfel labs, Good Hope Metrology in Belville, and there are probably more in this region. As a previous head of a SANAS temperature lab in Gauteng I was naturally interested to visit these facilities but found none in the Western Cape, SANAS accredited even though they have adequate equipment.
Some express a desire to get SANAS accreditation but complain it is too involved and not a good standard. However, I am sure that the managements are not well informed and reluctant to commit to good laboratory practices, or have political agendas. Steve also says this sort of accreditation is not doing any favours to those in industry who worked so hard to establish a South African standard and international recognition, and I might add to those, like myself, who slogged through the local training methods but are now sent outside the industry."
Thank you Roy
For those interested in understanding more on this matter, Maurice McDowell's calibration article ('Accreditation and certification: not the same' - February 2005) is quite thorough. Get onto the Internet and visit www.instrumentation.co.za. At the top left of the web page (under 'search site') select the drop-down option 'all words in' and enter: Maurice calibration.
This online version of the magazine features a goldmine of I&C related articles. Next time you are looking for a solution - try searching the online publication, it may save you a great deal of legwork.
John Gibbs - editor
Editor's position
A cursory glance at the advert on page 7 in our print version, and you will see that Technews Publishing has an opening, and is scouting for new talent. This is a rare opening, but we require a rare bird. For starters, the incumbent is expected to be a flowing writer, a naturally good story-teller. On top of that, they will need to be passionate about the goings on in the instrumentation, process control and automation industry.
So who are we looking for? We are not merely looking for a talented individual. Rather, we are hunting for a special human being, someone who hates being pigeonholed or labelled. Someone who needs their intelligence and ideas to be valued in the workplace. And yes, even in this day and age, we are looking for someone committed to growing themselves, as well as the business they are tasked with.
These gems are not easy to uncover. Because they are high achievers, most are already doing well in whatever career they have landed up in. At times they might even really enjoy parts of what they do at work. But as much as we are looking for those special individuals, they too will be feeling that they are missing something. It is that passion we seek.
Simply put, passion drives our business, and it is passionate people we are hungry for.
You might find the position appealing to you personally. Or perhaps you know someone who would do brilliantly in the role. If you or someone you know find this opportunity irresistible, please e-mail Darren Smith at darren@technews.co.za. Apart from a comprehensive CV, we would also value a short motivation (up to 500 words) on why the position is perfect.
Looking forward to hearing from you.
In anticipation,
Darren Smith - editorial director
Graeme Bell - managing editor
On-line business directories from Technews Publishing:
Instrumentation and control: www.ibg.co.za
Hydraulics, pneumatics, electrical drives, etc: www.mcbg.co.za
Electronic components: www.ebg.co.za
IT (information technology): www.itd.co.za
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