The countdown to the year-end has begun ... and I am sure most of you will agree that 2014 has sped by even faster than 2013.
Our 2014 Gala Dinner was an even bigger success than last year and can truly be regarded as ‘The Premier C&I event of the Year’. We really appreciate the support we received from the industry, our Patron members, sponsors and partners such IIG and ECSA. Such an event would have not been possible without the hard work and dedication of Jane van der Spuy of our PRe committee, Ina Maartens from our secretariat and of course our ever reliable events partner élancommunications led by Hanli Kritzinger.
On the education front, I would like to report that the SAIMC participated in the inaugural UNESCO African Engineering Week, held at the University of Johannesburg from 1 to 4 September 2014. This event was a resounding success, with busloads of learners attending each day. The SAIMC stand was particularly popular due to us having the FIRST Technology Challenge team present with their robot. The school kids were fascinated that this system was built by 13-year-olds and more impressively most of them girls! Due to this initiative many of the scholars are seriously considering a career in engineering, especially the girls. I would like to thank our secretariat Ina Maartens to putting this fantastic stand together and arranging for the manning thereof and robots etc. Well done Ina! Michael Garnham helped with stand duty after which he penned a rather interesting blog. Read it here: http://blog.idxonline.com/2014/09/promoting-engineering-disciplines-in.html
And there is even more good news… We have a massive breakthrough to announce this month. I am extremely proud to announce that after much hard work, the SAIMC Standards sub-committee, led by Gary Friend, has succeeded in the establishment of an SABS Technical Committee (TC) dedicated to Control & Instrumentation. It will be known as SABS TC 165, Industrial – Process Measurement, Control and Automation and will mirror the IEC TC 65. Congratulations and thanks to all whom assisted Gary in making this happen. The following are excerpts from the official documentation of this brand TC 165.
Benefits expected from the technical committee and subcommittees are to identify standards that would be relevant for use in the country and which standards need to be reviewed, identify experts that may serve on the working groups and to give a mandate to South African representatives on an international level.
It will also prepare international standards for systems and elements used for industrial process measurement, control and automation and coordinate standardisation activities which affect integration of components and functions into such systems including the safety and security aspects. This work of standardisation is to be carried out internationally for equipment and systems.
The sub-committees will be as follows, in line with the IEC TC65 sub-committees (SC):
SC65A: System Aspects
To prepare international standards regarding the generic aspects of systems used in industrial process measurement, control and manufacturing automation. This includes operational conditions (including EMC), methodology for the assessment of systems, functional safety, etc. It also has a safety pilot function to prepare standards dealing with functional safety of electrical/electronic/programmable electronic systems.
SC65B: Measurement and control devices
To prepare international standards in the field of specific aspects of devices (hardware and software) used in industrial process measurement and control, such as measurement devices, analysing equipment, actuators, and programmable logic controllers, and covering such aspects as interchangeability, performance evaluation and functionality definition.
SC65C: Industrial networks
To prepare international standards on wired, optical and wireless industrial networks for industrial-process measurement, control and manufacturing automation, as well as for instrumentation systems used for research, development and testing purposes. The scope includes cabling, interoperability, coexistence and performance evaluation.
SC65E: Devices and integration in enterprise systems
To prepare international standards specifying:
1. Device integration with industrial automation systems. The models developed in these standards address device properties, classification, selection, configuration, commissioning, monitoring and basic diagnostics.
2. Industrial automation systems integration with enterprise systems. This includes transactions between business and manufacturing activities which may be jointly developed with ISO TC184.
As you will conclude from the above, this will be a very influential TC and we would like full representation of all industry players in its SCs and working groups. If any of you are interested in joining, please email [email protected] with your details and area of interest.
On that note, I sign off this one of my proudest president’s columns.
Working together, achieving more, Vinesh Maharaj, President.
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