As we finalise this July 2024 edition of Electricity + Control to go live online and into print, the new Government of National Unity in South Africa is taking form, with re-elected President Cyril Ramaphosa having announced the new cabinet to take up their positions from 2 July 2024. We dare to hope that the new GNU will enable a more productive economy, allowing industry to grow and the country to prosper for the benefit of all.
In this issue, in the feature on Control systems + automation, a number of articles point to the value of automation in improving plant and operational efficiencies in diverse industrial sectors.
Stefan Ziegler of Beckhoff highlights how JSG, based in China and operating globally, and an established supplier of crystal growth technology for PV equipment, has switched to using a PC-based control platform to automate its single-crystal furnaces, gaining greater flexibility, scalability and saving costs.
Omron outlines how automation can make a significant difference in streamlining warehousing and intralogistics to support smoother production flows, safer working environments and traceability throughout product lifecycles.
Gerhard Greeff of Iritron sets out a helpful guide on the important steps to consider for successful system integration when introducing new technologies into existing control systems or setting up new systems.
Noting the problems South Arica is facing in the water sector, Peter Marumong of Schneider Electric explains some of the ways in which automation technologies can help bridge the skills gap and enable experienced water management engineers to share their skills with those new to the industry.
In Drives, motors + switchgear we learn that WEG Africa in now producing medium voltage soft starters in South Africa, in a move that offers customers significantly shorter lead times and more cost-effective delivery, with all the continuing benefits of WEG’s engineering design and world class standards.
And SEW-EURODRIVE in South Africa is stepping up to meet the market’s emerging preference to work with single source OEM suppliers. Well known for its geared motors, frequency inverters, controls and software, the company now also supplies electrical control panels, helping customers streamline their supply chains.
In Sensors + switches Ian Loudon of remote monitoring specialist, Omniflex, highlights the benefits of multifunctionality in plant signal conditioning, particularly where applications are complex and multiple specialised instruments are configured to measure a single physical property.
As Electricity + Control’s Editorial Technical Director, Professor Ian Jandrell emphasises in his Comment upfront in this issue, people are central to all that we do in industry, and the safety of people, plant and equipment should be integrated into the organisational culture of all industrial operations. In the feature on Safety of plant, equipment + people, we see how different systems, technologies and training approaches all contribute to building safety in the industrial environment.
In our regular column on Reskilling, upskilling + training, readers can find out about the NSTF’s newly updated and freshly launched virtual learning platform STEMulator – an invitation especially to South Africa’s youth to explore the possibilities of STEM subjects. And Mamiki Matlawa of ACTOM highlights the new skills needed for the energy transition.
In Engineering the future, we celebrate the winner of this year’s Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation – presented by the Royal Academy of Engineering – as well as the other finalists and leading innovators on the continent.
And Write at the back, VTT reports on the decommissioning of Finland’s oldest nuclear reactor, sharing some of the lessons learnt.
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