At the technology evening of 22 January, Dewald Smit from Festo presented on the choice: ‘Pneumatic vs Electric Automation Energy Efficiency’.
Ann DeBeer (right) thanks Dewalt Smit for the presentation.
In these tough economic times, all of us would like to save money in our factories. In making the decision between pneumatic and electric actuators, there are some key questions to ask like: Are there more tasks than clamping and holding? Are there long strokes, high speed and shorter cycle times required? Is smooth motion required? If all the answers to the above questions are no, use pneumatic, if one answer is yes, use electric drives.
Both technologies have their strengths and weaknesses. Pneumatic is easy to install and cost efficient, yet there could be energy losses from leakages that cost money. Electric, on the other hand, requires higher initial investment, but is load dependent when it comes to use of energy, so a saving in the long run is possible.
SAIMC: From the office of the CEO SAIMC
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The INSPIRE Conference 2026 brought industry and academia together to explore advances in automation, AI, mechatronics and engineering. It also marked a new direction for the SAIMC as it works to build future-ready engineering talent and strengthen South Africa’s automation industry.
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SAIMC Durban members went behind the scenes at the ATNS facility at King Shaka International Airport. The visit offered a fascinating look at the sophisticated technology and highly trained people keeping South Africa’s skies safe.
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At the SAIMC Durban branch September 2026 technology meeting, Werner Das of SICK explored how deep learning is moving industrial machine vision beyond rule-based systems into practical, everyday quality control on the factory floor.
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The recognition of mechatronics and computer engineering has created both an opportunity and a responsibility. Recognition means little without participation, professional registration without professional conduct, and technical knowledge without the mentorship, implementation and measurable value that industry needs.
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Hendrik Spies of SICK Automation Southern Africa presented at the SAIMC Johannesburg Technology Evening on 12 August 2026, covering the digital journey from condition monitoring to predictive maintenance.
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The SAIMC Durban branch hosted S’yabonga Langa, systems performance engineer at eThekwini Electricity, who presented on applying substation automation to improve operational efficiency and service quality in modern power distribution networks.
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The inaugural SAIMC INSPIRE Conference will bring together the industrial automation, robotics and academic communities for two days of presentations, panel discussions and networking, and will explore developments in smart manufacturing, mining, robotics
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