President's desk

June 2006 SAIMC

Well all, it has been a long road that I have travelled with the SAIMC. From being a student member when an apprentice at African Explosives and Chemical Industries as it was then known, to the president of the organisation. It all started around about the middle of the twentieth century when things were done very differently. The transistor had not yet been accepted as a reliable component in instrumentation. There have been many 'revolutionary new ideas', but guess what; the basic principles are the same!

For those of you entering this field of engineering, my advice is to become well grounded in the basic principles of measurement, and use the latest technology as purely a tool to convert physical phenomena into engineering units that can be used to evaluate or control the process that you are measuring.

The tools change, when I started, we used pneumatic signals to transmit and control (spring and wind instruments using 3 to 15 psi). This worked extremely well, and we achieved some exciting goals. Today, we use bus systems transmitting enormous amounts of information on two wires. Combine this with microprocessors and we can once again transmit and control. This too works extremely well, and again we have achieved some exciting goals. The only difference is that the equipment has got smaller and faster.

We are in an industry that changes faster than any other. Revel in the new developments; but remember the basics. If you want to stay in this exciting profession, become an expert at using new tools but be prepared for change because it will happen sooner than you can imagine. This occupation is exhilarating and challenging; enjoy the experience, get the latest tools, but do not discard the old ones. If you do not get excited about change, or fear it, then go and count something, you could earn more 1, 2, 3, 4...

Vivian MacFadyen

[email protected]

Further reading:

SAIMC: Johannesburg
SAIMC
The Johannesburg Branch of the SAIMC hosted a successful Technology Evening on 10 September. The event was well attended and generously sponsored by Phoenix Contact.

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SAIMC: From the office of the COO: A call to action: Elevating our profession through ECSA registration
SAIMC SAIMC
The engineering landscape in South Africa is evolving rapidly, and with it, the expectations placed upon us as practitioners. At the heart of this evolution lies a critical imperative: registration with the Engineering Council of South Africa.

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SAIMC: Durban branch
SAIMC SAIMC
At SAIMC Durban’s October Technology Evening, Nico Erasmus delivered a thought-provoking presentation on a topic close to every automation professional’s heart: PLC and Drive Manufacturer Generational Hardware - UpGrades, UpGates or UpRates?

Read more...

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SAIMC: Johannesburg branch
SAIMC SAIMC
The Johannesburg Branch of the SAIMC hosted a successful Technology Evening on 10 September. The event was well attended and generously sponsored by Phoenix Contact.

Read more...

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Why ECSA matters
SAIMC SAIMC
I always knew I had to register as a Professional Engineer. Then I opened the registration guidelines.

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Knowledge Sharing 4 Industry event
SAIMC SAIMC
The last of SAIMC’s Knowledge Sharing 4 Industry (KS4I) events for 2025 will be held in September.

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SAIMC: From the office of the COO: Enabling AI-ready manufacturing in South Africa
SAIMC SAIMC
Last month, I wrote about the ethical use of AI in our daily lives. This month, I want to explore two concepts, backed by different architectures and technologies, that can assist our manufacturing facilities to exponentially increase the pace of their digital transformation.

Read more...

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SAIMC: Johannesburg branch
SAIMC SAIMC
The SAIMC Johannesburg branch hosted its June Technology Evening at the Bryanston Sports Club, where attendees explored a topic beyond the usual scope of process automation.

Read more...

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SAIMC: Zambia branch
SAIMC
SAIMC Zambia recently facilitated an industrial visit to the Zamefa Cable Manufacturing Company in Luanshya for twenty automation students from Sinozam. The visit gave students valuable exposure to the advanced technology used in copper and aluminium cable production.

Read more...

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SAIMC: Michael Brown named Honorary Senior Member of SAIMC
SAIMC SAIMC
Michael Brown, a recently retired specialist in control loop optimisation, has been named an Honorary Senior Member of the SAIMC, a rare distinction held by only a handful of individuals.

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