CPUT’s industrious Mechatronics students have scooped top honours in the Cyber Junkyard Challenge – an illustrious event where ten international tertiary institutions showcase their capacity for developing cutting-edge engineering designs. The 2011 competition saw colleges, Universities of Technology, and traditional universities from Central & Southern Africa, as well as the Siemens Technical Academy in Berlin, competing to build a small, self-driving, and air-powered “Bubbles & Brains Car”.

The competition was introduced in 2003 by key automation and control industries, Siemens, Festo and Lappkabel, and 2011’s focus arose from key research themes: ‘Alternative Energy’ and ‘Intelligent Vehicles’. The project served to implement the latest advances in motion technology in a user-friendly concept, with competitors demonstrating the automation, speed and endurance capabilities of their designs in a head-to-head “race day” challenge.

The CPUT Mechatronics 3rd year team, led by Geoffrey Piggott and Diethelm Rust, began work on the project in the beginning of this year, assisted initially by Niel Lambrechts and Johan Theron in the conceptual and construction phase. The build-up to the competition saw the two team leaders working feverish hours on precision control and refining their unique drive system, whilst logistical and hands-on support came in the form of 2nd year student George Broodryk and fellow 3rd year Tulani Mzayidume.All institutions were donated key structural, electrical and control components, and received one week’s free training in the necessary technologies. Entrants were required to drive their cars completely autonomously using line-following control on a tarred outdoor track, with a focus on speed and energy efficiency. The car had to be able to monitor its energy reserves, and divert and stop automatically in a pit-lane for refuelling.

The four young Mechatronics students travelled to Johannesburg for the fiercely contested event in early July. Completing an astonishing 22 laps, pipping Tshwane University of Technology’s 16 laps, and beating all competitors in the 30m drag races, the winning announcement at the superb gala evening came as no surprise!

The event, attended by top international industry specialists, saw the CPUT Mechatronics team rewarded with individual gifts and the generous prize of R95 000 worth of equipment of their own choice from the hosts, Siemens, Festo and Lappkabel.

Edited by Jan Weintrob

Written by CPUT News
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CPUT will defend its title at the Cyber Junkyard Challenge that takes place this week in Johannesburg.

Organised by Siemens, Festo and Lappcable, this annual inter-tertiary competition exposes students on a small scale to real-world, industry-related situations.

Last year’s competition explored alternative energy and saw the CPUT Mechatronics group walk off with first prize for their innovative design of a small, self-driving and air-powered car.

LIFT: The lift mechanism built by the students will carry crates to various levels in a stacking warehouse

This year’s challenge focuses on packaging solutions for warehouses, which would result in space and money savings for local companies.

All participating universities are given the same frame and parts to assemble the system, however, students have to use their ingenuity to upgrade the design.

Leader of the CPUT team, Michelle Mafoumba says they spent the last four months working on the design.

The system consists of a conveyor belt, which transports the packaged goods to an automated forklift. The forklift is programmed to place packages in a systematic order on various racks in the warehouse.

The competition will culminate in a test challenge, where students will demonstrate the automation, speed and mathematical capabilities of their designs.

Student Theo Koboyapudi says the project has been a challenge, but a learning experience.

Theo is positive that CPUT will remain the Cyber Junkyard champions.

By Candes Keating

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Mechatronics students Christian Mpiana and Gareth Hardman have made the institution proud.

The duo won the PneuDrive Challenge, an annual student engineering design competition, which provides a learning platform that brings together engineering theory, the latest technology in drive engineering and pneumatics.

This year students were tasked to explore a “green mining” theme.

The CPUT duo looked at the rehabilitation of abandoned granite mines and conceptualised a high-tech machine that can cut waste granite blocks into cobblestones.

Christian says the machine has two blades, each designed to cut the granite at different angles.

“We researched how best to cut granite and chose the best method with regards to efficiency and cost,” he says.

Gareth says they proposed that the cobblestones be used for paving of roads, walkways and other areas in rural towns. They also proposed that the machine could create business opportunities for communities in mining areas.

As part of the competition prizes, the duo will travel to Germany and Italy where they will be hosted by the companies that sponsored this year’s event.

CPUT will also receive R 100 000 worth of engineering machinery and products from the international companies SEW-EURODRIVE and Pneumax.

Written by Candes Keating
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Provides coverage for the Engineering and Applied Sciences Faculties; the Bellville and Wellington Campuses, and research and innovation news.

If you have no fear of heights or confined spaces you are encouraged to join the eight qualified wind turbine service technicians from the Eastern Cape who were trained and graduated at South African Renewable Energy Technology Centre (SARETEC) yesterday.

The graduates are from Bedford, Cookhouse, Adelaide and Somerset East local communities.   A wind turbine service technician plans, prepares and conducts installation, maintenance and component assembly for wind turbine processes, systems, facilities and equipment says Hendrik Volschenk, Operations Manager at SARETEC. The programme is sponsored by the Cookhouse Wind Farm in partnership with Suzlon Energy Limited, an Indian multinational wind turbine manufacturer.

Enthusiastic Operations Manager at SARETEC, Hendrik Volschenk said the qualification is a seven-month program at NQF level 5 and it amounts to 123 credits under the auspices of Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO). Volschenk said the qualification falls under the South African Wind Energy industry as the national accredited training centre under the auspices of CPUT for the QCTO Occupational certificate, SAQA ID 99559, Occupational Certificate: Wind Turbine Service Technician. 

“The purpose of this qualification is to prepare  learners to operate as  wind turbine service technicians, to them I would like to say welcome to the family and I would like to see them back here [at SARETEC] as trainers,” Volschenk remarked. He says the programme was in the value of

R 1,030,000 which includes, training, stipend, and Global Wind Organisation (GWO) certification. This includes five months theory and practical training at SARETEC and two months placement at various windfarms such as Klipheuwel, Cookhouse and Vestas wind farms. “We are the only QCTO-accredited institution in South Africa,” continued Volschenk.

“As we speak, they have employment contracts, I get emotional because they are like my children, I have become attached to them, this group was very disciplined.”

On her opening speech at the graduation ceremony, newly-appointed SARETEC director, Mokgadi Modise said: “To the graduates, I am informed that since the inception of this Wind Turbine Technician Programme that all the former students have been employed and none is idling or still looking for a job. This shows the quality of the programme you have done which will make you marketable nationally and internationally as these types of skills are within the scarce skills in the country. These are the type of skills that are sought after in the renewable sector at an international market. South Africa does not have enough of artisans, and it will still take a while before we could reach a concentration peak on those and say we have these skills in abundance,” Modise continued.

“Our experience has been that some trained in the country and end working outside the country farms internationally. However, we hope that you will stay in the country and contribute to our own skills pool. When we look at this training programme, we should not look at it only from the generation point of view, but we should see it as SARETEC and everyone here’s contribution towards the country’s Just Transition on moving towards low carbon economy. These skills are required.”

Volschenk added that a qualified wind turbine service technician will be able to prepare and plan for installation of components.

Inspect, diagnose malfunctioning, and conduct maintenance, replacement and repair of wind turbine components.

Assemble and install component parts and/or equipment.

“These individuals are able to work at heights in all weather conditions, including extreme cold and heat, for extended periods. Wind turbine technicians must be capable of working closely with other individuals as a team,” he added.

A graduate, Xabiso Mfamana said: “I would like to extend a word of gratitude on behalf of the students to our sponsors Suzlon and Cookhouse Wind Farm for the life-changing opportunity they have granted us, this also goes to SARETEC management, trainers for  equipping us and gave us an  exposure in depth in order for us to be competent… We are now qualified wind turbine service technicians, and this is the beginning of the new adventure,” Bafana continued.

“We have overcome the 1st phase and there's still more to complete. We all know that when climbing up the turbine, there are different platforms going up, when we reach the first floor, we are still at the bottom of second floor so let's keep climbing until we reach our desired destination, the nacelle as our honourable director,  Madam Modise emphasised growth.” 

Admission requirements for this course:

Artisan qualification in any of the following electrical/mechanical trades:

• NQF level 4 qualification Electrician
• NQF level 4 qualification Electro-Mechanics
• NQF level 4 qualification Mechanical Engineering Millwright
• NQF level 4 qualification Mechatronics
• NQF level 4 qualification Fitter and Turner

or

National Diploma in Mechanical Engineering, Mechatronics

or

National Diploma in Electrical Engineering subject to RPL

Eligibility criteria:

South African Citizen or Permanent Resident

• No criminal record
• Physically fit (Full medical would need to be undertaken before commencing)
• No fear of heights or confined spaces

Written by Aphiwe Boyce