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COEGA EIA Landmark Approval For ADZ

The Coega Development Corporation (CDC) recently received news on a landmark approval of an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for a 440 ha Land-based Aquaculture Development Zone (ADZ) and Desalination plant in Zone 10 of the Coega Special Economic Zone (SEZ).

“The approval of the EIA is a major leap towards fulfilling the Coega SEZ’s vision to locate one of the largest ADZ’s in South Africa on one geographical footprint, in the Coega SEZ and respond to the severe water shortages experienced by the Nelson Mandela Bay (NMB),” says Dr Keith Du Plessis CDC Manager: Project Development.

It has been found that failure by especially smaller companies to obtain EIA approval often result in projects never seeing the light of day. Because of this, the aquaculture sector in SA is largely untapped and underperforming.

“The approved EIA relieves the financial burden from the investor as it would ordinarily take up to two years for companies seeking to establish an aquaculture facility and or a desalination plant at the Coega SEZ. This is evident of the CDC’s value proposition as a plug and play environment, where investors have shortened timeframes from when they enquire about investing to when they have access to market,” adds Du Plessis.

The NMB Municipality, in this month announced that the water levels of the Metro supply dams have reached an all-time low of just above 24 percent. The CDC now has authorization to develop facilities for the desalination of water with a maximum capacity of 60 million litres (Ml) per day.

“This capacity, if tapped into, could provide for almost quarter of Nelson Mandela Metro’s current water consumption needs (currently at approximately 260 Ml/day). The CDC is a capable and potential solution to the water problems experienced in the Metro,” outlines Du Plessis.

Metals And Engineering Sector To Grow More In 2018

Speaking at the launch of its authoritative State of the Metals and Engineering Sector Report 2018 to 2019 in Johannesburg, SEIFSA Chief Economist Michael Ade said the metals and engineering sector is poised for 1,1% growth this year, following an impressive 2,7% growth in 2017.

Dr Michael Ade, Chief Economist of the Steel and Engineering Industries Federation of Southern Africa (SEIFSA).

Ade said this prognosis is supported by global economic growth, which remained fairly robust in 2017, aided by a rebound in investment and trade, against the backdrop of benign financing conditions, generally accommodative policies, improved confidence and the dissipating impact of the earlier commodity price collapse.

He said 2017 was a much better year for the metals and engineering sector, which rebounded from the recession in preceding years, registering a 2.7 percent growth “despite facing serious structural challenges”. He said the momentum was expected to continue in 2018.

“Despite the current potential to improve on margins in the M&E sector being fragile due to domestic headwinds, all indications are that the sector will record another increase in growth during 2018, barring any major disruptions to production,” Ade said.

Commodity prices recovered last year and are expected to gain momentum in 2018, thereby strengthening exports and improving growth prospects for commodity exporters in emerging markets commented Ade. “However, it is unclear how long the positive outlook will continue, given the volatility in commodity prices,” he said.

Ade said downside risks include disorderly financial market movements, negative effects of borrowing costs, as well as rising trade protectionism or geo-political risk which could also negatively affect confidence, trade and overall economic activity.

He said the prognosis also aligned with the outlook for an improving – but subdued – domestic growth underpinned by positive projections for fixed capital formation, better domestic trade conditions and reduced exchange rate volatility.

“Our position is also influenced by positive growth prospects for key industries which are important markets for the M&E sector’s intermediary products and are crucial in the sector’s value chain,” Ade said.

However, he cautioned that the recent downgrade of South Africa’s sovereign credit ratings to junk status by Fitch and Standard and Poor’s would have the propensity of increasing borrowing costs and the general cost of doing business, thus negatively affecting production and fixed investment into the sector and adding to its structural challenges.

Automation Industry To Help Fast Track Economic Growth

Speaking at the official launch of the Africa Automation Fair 2019 in Johannesburg recently, stakeholders noted that South Africa was emerging from turbulent times, but said that through collaboration to drive progress, the automation sector could help fast-track economic growth and development.

The automation sector, now moving toward a digital Industrie 4.0/IIoT era, is poised to drive greater efficiencies and make South African enterprises internationally competitive, which will ultimately benefit all South Africans, they said.

Oratile Sematle, President of the Society for Automation Instrumentation Measurement and Control (SAIMC), noted that the industry had already progressed to a point where its voice as a collective is now heard in government, institutions and various sectors. “But knowing that if we use automation in the right ways, we can ultimately change the landscape of the South African economy and improve the lives of all people, we need to continue to collaborate to drive further progress and make South Africa great again,” he said.

Marc Van Pelt, Chairman of the Industrial Instrumentation Group (IIG) and MD of Pepperl+Fuchs, noted: “as we seek to bring the country to new levels economically, we need to look to automation and smart manufacturing to make our industries competitive on a global basis. At the Connected Industries conference earlier this year, the sector started the Industrie 4.0/IIoT discussion, and the next question is: who is using it? Is the sector ready? As a country, we still have a long way to go.”

Sematle and Van Pelt encouraged industry stakeholders to step up collaborative efforts through forums such as the Africa Automation Fair and Connected Industries conference, where the sector is able to assess the automation industry’s challenges and seek solutions to support progress.

The Africa Automation Fair, which marks its 21st anniversary in 2019, and the Connected Industries conference, will expand its scope and reach in 2019, delivering Africa’s largest showcase of industrial automation and control technologies. The event, incorporating the Connected Industries conference (Industrie 4.0/IIoT), is a focused networking platform for the Automation and Control Industry and works closely with industry associations including the IIG and SAIMC.

Africa Automation Fair 2019 is organized by Reed Exhibitions.

Amada – Catering For Any Bending Requirements

The Amada EP panel bender has been developed to realize new levels of production with speed efficiency and versatility being key aspects.

With improved production versatility over a full range of material sizes and an extensive range of automation options, the EP will provide a blank – to – bending solution to meet any specific needs. The servo drive system employed, ensures 100% repeatability, exceptional high speed and very low maintenance costs. The automation options ensure continuous production flows at the desired speeds.

HS 1303 Brake Press

Key benefits of the EP panel bender are extended range of shape sizes, large range of material thicknesses, high possibility of complex shape production and simple visual programming. All these benefits will eliminate any limitations that are associated with conventional panel bending.

The addition of two press brake models, namely the HS and HG series assures that Amada has a press brake to cater for any bending requirements. The HS series press brakes are down-stroking machines, available with different backgauge options and bend lengths from 2 meters up to 4 meters. The simple touch screen control allows the operator to set all bending conditions according to tooling being used and material being bent. Various back gauge options provide for a simple 2 axis machine or the more sophisticated 4 or 6 axis versions.

With the larger open height of 470mm and stroke length of 200mm, deep bending can be realized with less interference. The Eco-Drive system behind this operation ensures significant energy saving, compared to conventional machinery.

The HG range of press brakes has been developed for high speed and accuracy in all production environments. The combination of the high rigidity frame and the new hybrid drive system allow for process range expansion. The newly developed NC unit has strengthened display functions which allow the operator to check the forming information, view 3D models, while bending the components correctly from the first part. The hybrid crowning system will ensure a bend angle accuracy of ±15′ anywhere along the bed length.

An option of the Bi-S or Bi-L angle measuring system together with the thickness detection system (TDS) will ensure repetitive accuracy through automatic compensations being made to the program.

For more information contact Amada – Tel: 011 453-5459

Manufacturing Indaba 2018 To Focus On Industry 4.0 And IOT

The Manufacturing Indaba 2018 will be hosted at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg, Africa’s economic hub, on the 19th and 20th of June 2018.

This year’s event will explore Industry 4.0, otherwise known as the 4th Industrial Revolution. Industry 4.0, together with IoT (Internet of Things), are fundamental to digital transformation in the manufacturing industry.

Industry 4.0 represents a breakthrough in manufacturing innovations, transforming product creation and company operations. The advent of smart devices enables manufacturers to communicate autonomously whereby machines communicate with each other via sensors to reduce defective products and waste. Companies can now gain access to critical, real time data by tracking the productivity and efficiency levels of employees, machinery and business operations. This ultimately allows a calculated evaluation of the entire manufacturing value chain.

In today’s globalized world, companies and their industrial practices in both developed and emerging markets are urged to stay abreast of these exponential changes to remain competitive and relevant in the marketplace.

Due to inadequate accessibility and connectivity, the African continent is unable to embrace Industry 4.0 at a rate equivalent to that of the developed world. However, emerging markets are unrestrained by infrastructure legacy issues and are more versatile in dealing with change than their developed counterparts. This poses a considerable advantage for developing Sub-Saharan African countries to adopt a more receptive outlook towards Industry 4.0.

Furthermore, the event will address an array of other pressing issues within the sector, such as: strategies dedicated to growth and competitive advantage in the sector; opportunities to provide industrial players with assistance and access to finance; international trends to support the development and maintenance of a skilled workforce; opportunities and challenges facing the South African manufacturing sector within the next five years; and Intra-African Trade in the SADC region.

This year’s Manufacturing Indaba, intends to raise the bar by delivering 67 influential speakers, attracting 473 conference delegates, 70 exhibition stands as well as 2283 expo visitors. In addition, 531 complimentary business matchmaking meetings will be facilitated to promote Intra-Africa trade to support Africa’s growth trend of 5,5% as forecasted by the International Monetary Fund.

With a bigger venue, this year’s event will see the launch of the Small Business Indaba Exhibition, aimed at small manufacturers that play a key role in the growth of Sub-Saharan Africa’s manufacturing industry.

Trumpf Acquires Manufacturer Of Ultrashort Pulsed Lasers

The high technology company TRUMPF recently acquired the laser manufacturer AMPHOS. This strengthens the TRUMPF portfolio of laser products and technologies.

A 200-watt ultrashort pulsed laser made by AMPHOS machines a carbon-fiber part.

AMPHOS was founded in 2010 as a spin-off of RWTH Aachen and the Fraunhofer Institute for Laser Technology ILT. AMPHOS develops and produces ultrashort pulsed lasers with high output power for manufacturing and research applications. Ultrashort pulsed lasers are especially important in electronics manufacturing, where they are used to produce items such as printed circuit boards, displays and cover glass.

The key to AMPHOS lasers is InnoSlab technology, which was co-developed by the company’s founders while still a part of ILT. InnoSlab will allow TRUMPF to open up an entire new range of parameters for its ultrashort pulsed lasers. InnoSlab technology allows us to consolidate the technological leadership of TRUMPF,” says Christian Schmitz, head of the Laser Technology division.

AMPHOS develops ultrashort pulsed lasers that feature output power between 200 and 400 watts. The company also offers high-power lasers for research applications that have an output as high as 1.5 kilowatts.

Aluminium 2018 – New Topics To Meet The Future

Global production of aluminium has reached a record high level; the energy transition and the transport sector are driving demand for light metals. The precise trajectory might vary from country to country, but all around the world, the industry is making new investments to gear up for an economy that continues to boom. This positive mood is felt as well at the ALUMINIUM World Trade Fair – even with ten months still to go before it opens its doors in Düsseldorf.

From 9 to 11 October 2018, the Exhibition Centre on the Rhine will again become the global marketplace of the aluminium industry. Spread across six exhibition halls, global players, specialists and young innovative companies will showcase the industry’s complete range – from aluminium production to machines and plants for processing to finished goods and recycling.

Special exhibits like the Innovation Areas and themed guided tours are aimed at providing better orientation for visitors from user segments such as automotive engineering, mechanical engineering, aerospace and the construction sector. The well-known theme pavilions will serve as points of contact to lead visitors through the structured exhibition halls.

In the new special exhibition area Digital Manufacturing, visitors will experience what Industry 4.0 means for the aluminium industry and what kinds of productivity benefits can already be achieved today by deploying high-performance IT solutions in production.

Another new exhibition area dubbed Environmental Engineering will cover water treatment, air filtration systems and oil/oil mist vacuuming systems – and show how the aluminium industry is leading the way when it comes to emerging topics such as energy and resource conservation in one’s own production chain.

Expert presenters from industry and science at the ALUMINIUM 2018 Conference and the ALUMINIUM Forum will discuss the trends and innovations of the aluminium sector. Organised by the GDA, the umbrella association of the German Aluminium industry, the ALUMINIUM 2018 Conference will focus on the material’s future prospects. Exhibitors at the ALUMINIUM Forum will present their latest solutions and technologies covering the areas of lightweight technologies, e-mobility and additive manufacturing, among others.

Wire 2018 And Tube 2018 – Bigger Than Ever

Nearly four months before the start of the metal trade fair summit in Düsseldorf the exhibition centre has received better bookings than ever before in the successful history of wire and Tube Düsseldorf, a history of over 30 years.

Never before have so many square metres been reserved by exhibitors. Taken together, wire and Tube already have a net floor space occupancy of 120,000 sqm, which is about 10,000 sqm more than the final figure for the two trade fairs in 2016.

The number of exhibitors who have so far registered for wire 2018 is currently 1,180, representing 50 countries. Over 65,000 sqm are occupied in Halls 9 to 18. The occupancy level for Tube in Halls 3 to 7.0, 7a and 16 to 18 is over 52,000 sqm, with 965 exhibitors from 53 countries.

Ongoing demand from China has made it possible to set up a Chinese Pavilion again. Chinese companies from the wire, cable and tube industries will be jointly represented in Hall 16 under the slogan “Meet China’s Expertise”.

Airbus Commercial Parcel Delivery Drone ‘Skyways’

This inaugural flight demonstration follows the launch of the experimental project with the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) in February 2016 to develop an urban unmanned air system to address the safety, efficiency and sustainability of the air delivery business in cities such as Singapore.

The collaboration was subsequently extended in April 2017 with Singapore Post (SingPost) becoming the local logistics partner to the project.

Airbus Helicopters is the overall Skyways system architect and provider, contributing its capabilities in drone platforms as well as its concept of future parcel delivery. This concept involves systems and structures that allow drones to land, dock with secure structures, discharge or take on payloads, and then fly off to other destinations. Airbus Helicopters is at an advanced stage of the Skyways project. The research and development phase is progressing well, with equipment and facilities installed at the NUS campus. Various tests are already underway and the unmanned air system will be demonstrated in the university when the trial service commences this year. Campus students and staff will be able to make use of Skyways to have small parcels between 2kg and 4kg delivered to designated parcel stations within the campus, which is the size of 150 football fields.

An experimental project aimed at developing a safe and economically viable aerial unmanned parcel delivery system for use in dense urban environments, Skyways is one of a number of innovative Urban Air Mobility projects currently being researched at Airbus. These also include the Racer high-speed helicopter demonstrator, as well as the Vahana and CityAirbus autonomous flying vehicle concepts.

Oerlikon And Boeing Partnering In Additive Manufacturing Work

Boeing, the world’s largest aerospace company and Oerlikon, a leading technology and engineering group, signed a five-year collaboration agreement to develop standard materials and processes for metal-based additive manufacturing.

Additive manufacturing, popularly known as 3D printing, is a controlled process in which material is joined or solidified to create a threedimensional part.

“This agreement is an important step toward fully unlocking the value of powder bed titanium additive manufacturing for the aerospace industry,” said Leo Christodoulou, Boeing Chief Technologist. “Boeing and Oerlikon will work together to standardize additive manufacturing operations from powder management to finished product and thus enable the development of a wide range of safe, reliable and cost-effective structural titanium aerospace components.”

Dr. Roland Fischer, CEO Oerlikon Group said, “this program will drive the faster adoption of additive manufacturing in the rapidly growing aerospace, space and defense markets. Working together with Boeing will define the path in producing airworthy additive manufacturing components for serial manufacturing. We see collaboration as a key enabler to unlocking the value that additive manufacturing can bring to aircraft platforms and look forward to partnering with the largest and most respected aerospace company in the world.”

Boeing and Oerlikon will use the data from this collaboration to support the qualification of additive manufacturing suppliers to produce metallic components using a variety of machines and materials. The research will initially focus on industrializing titanium powder bed fusion additive manufacturing and ensuring parts made with this process meet the flight requirements of the Federal Aviation Administration and Department of Defense. The strong collaboration between Boeing and Oerlikon will enable the companies to meet the current challenges to qualify materials and processes for aerospace and provide a route for the adoption of additive manufacturing with a qualified supply chain that achieves quality and cost targets.

Since 1997, Boeing has been a leader in researching and implementing additive manufacturing in the aerospace industry and currently has about 50,000 3D-printed parts flying on commercial, space and defense programs. In 2017, Boeing became the first aerospace manufacturer to design and install a Federal Aviation Administration-qualified 3D-printed structural titanium part on a commercial airplane, the 787 Dreamliner. With the creation of the Boeing Additive Manufacturing organization in 2017, Boeing is focused on using additive manufacturing to generate value for customers by enabling greater affordability, quality, customization and speed-to-market innovation.

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