Is computer-aided design (CAD) still the new kid on the block, or are hand drawn designs still relevant in the modern age? This article discusses the developments in CAD since the early days, and addresses whether there is still room for the pencil-and-paper method of design. CAD has been around since the early 1960s, but those early […]
A recent poll has revealed that the South African facilities management, manufacturing and fleet management industries face four distinct pain points: work orders, asset registers, downtime and contractors. The challenges within these areas include value and visibility. Technology, used correctly, can offer reliable solutions and turn pain points into profit areas. The poll was conducted […]
The Manufacturing Circle has launched its “Map to a million new jobs in a decade”, a plan containing constructive, actionable steps to create an environment in which manufacturing in South Africa can thrive and jobs can be created. According to Manufacturing Circle chairman André de Ruyter, with unemployment at a 14-year high at 27,7% and […]
The Manufacturing Enterprise Solutions Association (MESA) Africa recently hosted its 9th annual conference in Ruimsig, Johannesburg. Held under the theme “Big manufacturing operations management (MOM,) big data, big results: Manufacturing solutions for the digital revolution”, the conference comprised 17 presentations over two days which addressed challenges faced by the manufacturing industry today, and the solutions […]
South African companies have an opportunity manufacture electrical components in Kenya. Kenya Power aims to increase its purchasing of locally manufactured or produced goods, services or works in support of the Buy Kenyan Build Kenya initiative. The strategic intent is to reduce procurement of imported goods so as to attain, in the medium term, a […]
The South African Pump Manufacturers Association (SAPMA) was established 54 years ago and was registered as an employers’ organisation in 1981. It is federated to the Steel and Engineering Industries Federation of Southern Africa (SEIFSA). One of the primary objectives is to look after the interests of pump manufacturing companies in South Africa. The primary membership […]
Manufacturing, job losses and the shortage of skills in all sectors of the economy are debated more and more at industry conferences but, if we break it down, the one thing impacting South Africa’s economy most is deindustrialisation. In the 1980s, manufacturing’s contribution to GDP was around 27%. By 2015, this had fallen to below […]
On 29 June 2017, EE Publishers’ Chris Yelland interviewed Ralf Leinen, head of Digital Factory, Process Industries and Drives, Siemens South Africa. They discussed automation in the South African manufacturing and mining sectors and touched on the education system required to produce talent for the automation and digitalisation industry. Leinen comes from Germany and […]
With the aim of increasing digitalisation in the machine tools manufacturing industry, Siemens took part in the recent Machine Tools Expo at the Expo Centre, Nasrec, in May 2017. The company invited its partners in machine tools to exhibit at its 200 m2 exhibition stand to showcase the products, services and support offered through […]
ABB South Africa opened a new transformer factory near its Longmeadow headquarters, east of Johannesburg, recently. The 2450 m2 factory will produce specially designed traction transformers for Bombardier which has been awarded a contract to supply new locomotives to Transnet for its freight trains. The company’s group CEO, Ulrich Spiesshofer, and Lionel October, the director-general […]
