SAIMC


SAIMC: Cape Town branch

July 2012 SAIMC

The Cape Town branch held its May technology evening at the Eskom marketing centre in Edgemead. The presentation was well attended, with over 30 attendees on the register. This is a good indication for the branch, which has set itself a target of 40 attendees per meeting for this year.

Peter Underhill gave an interesting presentation on noise generation and attenuation in control valves. Peter is the engineering manager (control valves) at Automation & Control Solutions, local business partner of Emerson Process Management. Peter started by explaining the basics of noise, its components and how it is generated. He then explained the different types of noise such as hydro­dynamic, aerodynamic and mechanical; and how to deal with each type. One of the decisions that one has to make when dealing with control valve noise is the type of treatment. Peter discussed these in detail: source treatment (whisper devices) and path treatment (insulation, pipe schedule, silencers and diffusers).

New members (l to r) Caleb Jacobs; Alain Nkodia; Michael Wright and Ian Hart receive their certificates.
New members (l to r) Caleb Jacobs; Alain Nkodia; Michael Wright and Ian Hart receive their certificates.

There has been positive feedback from members with regards to Peter’s presentation. It was an eye opener, especially to most of us who thought ‘a valve is just a valve’. There is a lot of science and engineering that goes behind valve sizing and installation. The Cape Town branch would like to thank Automation & Control Solutions for sharing the evening with us. They can be reached at: http://www.avenggrinaker-lta.co.za

Membership certificates

As per SAIMC objectives, the branch is looking to bring new ways to recognise its members; one of these is to present all new membership certificates at the technology evenings. The branch believes that this will bring the SAIMC closer to its members and show appreciation. As a result, four members were presented with their membership at the technology evening on 31 May.

The branch congratulates the recipients and hopes that they will enjoy their interaction and knowledge sharing with fellow members. Le amogelegile, julle is welkom, you are welcome!

Branch activities

We are happy to inform our members that the South African Naval Base in Simon’s Town has approved our planned visit. The visit is scheduled for the second week of October and is going to be a worthwhile experience. The SA Navy has some of the latest submarine and surface vessel technology involving some advanced control and instrumentation systems. One of the interesting aspects of the military is their difficult to achieve ‘Mil-Spec’ system ratings. It is expected to be an informative visit indeed. Further details to follow.

Next meeting

The next Technology Evening is scheduled for Thursday, 26 July at the Eskom marketing centre, Edgemead, 18h00 for 18h30. Further details will be provided via e-mail, facebook, twitter and LinkedIn. Members are encouraged to join us on these platforms to ensure that they receive all branch communications. Any queries please contact Mothibi Thabeng: [email protected]



Credit(s)



Share this article:
Share via emailShare via LinkedInPrint this page

Further reading:

International robotics conference streams live to Africa
SAIMC
The SAIMC hosted five live-stream viewing events across South Africa for the IEEE International Conference of Robotics and Automation in Vienna, bringing global robotics research and technology directly to local industry and academia.

Read more...
From the office of the CEO: Introduction to GRIP
SAIMC SAIMC
Industry has long been concerned about graduates who have no understanding of the modern equipment they will face in industry. This has triggered an investigation into the possibility of creating a facility whereby graduates register with the SAIMC and rotate through all the vendors to obtain experience on modern equipment.

Read more...
SAIMC: Durban branch
SAIMC SAIMC
The SAIMC Durban Branch hosted a technology meeting featuring a presentation by Abacus Automation on the practical role of AI in industrial automation, drawing considerable interest from attendees.

Read more...
SAIMC: Johannesburg branch
SAIMC SAIMC
Instrotech recently hosted a technical presentation on load cell technology and applications at the SAIMC Johannesburg Technology Evening, presented by Trevor Salzwedel. The session covered load cell fundamentals, selection and installation, mechanical considerations and calibration methods.

Read more...
SAIMC: Johannesburg Golf Day
SAIMC SAIMC
The SAIMC Johannesburg Golf Day on 22 May 2026 brought together 16 four-balls for a day of golf, networking and fundraising, with generous support from sponsors across the instrumentation and control sector.

Read more...
SAIMC to exhibit at Electra Mining Africa 2026
SAIMC SAIMC
The SAIMC International INSPIRE Conference 2026 will be held on 14 and 15 October 2026

Read more...
SAIMC’s International INSPIRE Conference
SAIMC SAIMC
The SAIMC International INSPIRE Conference 2026 will be held on 14 and 15 October 2026.

Read more...
Knowledge Sharing for Industry: SAIMC’s June 2026 event
SAIMC SAIMC
SAIMC will host a technical presentation focused on an important challenge facing modern industry, tracking and tracing across increasingly complex supply chains.

Read more...
SAIMC: Johannesburg branch
SAIMC SAIMC
The Johannesburg Branch had the privilege of being hosted by Phoenix Contact for our technology event in May. Shamil Surbun, BU manager for Automation, presented a CPD-accredited session on ‘From Sensor to Cloud: How SPE and APL Are Transforming Industrial Connectivity’.

Read more...
From the office of the CEO: Power Hour goes national
SAIMC SAIMC
South Africa’s automation, control, mechatronics and computer engineering community is changing fast, and the SAIMC is changing with it. I am excited to announce a new national initiative that will reshape how we deliver technical knowledge, strengthen branch identity and bring our community together like never before.

Read more...









While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained herein, the publisher and its agents cannot be held responsible for any errors contained, or any loss incurred as a result. Articles published do not necessarily reflect the views of the publishers. The editor reserves the right to alter or cut copy. Articles submitted are deemed to have been cleared for publication. Advertisements and company contact details are published as provided by the advertiser. Technews Publishing (Pty) Ltd cannot be held responsible for the accuracy or veracity of supplied material.




© Technews Publishing (Pty) Ltd | All Rights Reserved