News


From the editor's desk: The day we interviewed the future

October 2015 News

A ray of hope cut through the fog of bad news that afternoon at Wits University. Motion Control editor Kim Roberts and I were on campus to interview three teams of third-year engineering students, all in the final stages of preparation of their entries for this year’s Pneudrive Challenge. We wanted a different perspective on things, but we never expected the way a few hours spent in the company of youthful enthusiasm would lift our spirits above the constant barrage of gloom that dominates global headlines these days.

Sponsored again by SEW-Eurodrive and Pneumax, this year’s challenge requires young engineers to think outside the box in their quest to design a game changing solution for the food and beverage industry. What is unique about this contest is the way participants are forced to think as marketers as well as design engineers. The winning idea not only has to be blueprinted according to good engineering practice, but it must also be backed by a solid business plan which shows the judges exactly how it could be used to add value as a solution to an industry problem.

The depth of understanding captured my attention, as did the excitement these young engineers brought to their subject. What we wanted was to understand the problems such a competition poses from the student perspective, and how they respond to the challenges. What we found was an abundance of talent and variety in the team approaches, but all with a notable level of organisational cohesion and maturity. In some cases natural leaders had emerged, while in others, the group structure remained flat with division of labour defined purely by the individual strengths of the different team members.

The common benefit is perceived as the chance to apply classroom theory to a real-world engineering problem. This is exactly in line with the sponsors’ objective of introducing student engineers to the practicalities of the latest mechatronic technology as a solution to a modern manufacturing conundrum. What I don’t think anyone anticipated though is just exactly how much enthusiasm this would generate in the process.

Of course you would expect a bit of it when there is a 10-day all expenses paid trip to Europe up for grabs, but this went beyond the excitement usually associated with winning first prize in a competition of this nature. We got a sense of how it must have felt in the garage that day in California when Jobs and Wozniak founded Apple Inc. What is unique and exciting about the Pneudrive Challenge is the way it encourages young engineering students to think like entrepreneurs – a commodity that Africa (and the world) needs by the bucketful right now.

Getting an engineer to think like an entrepreneur is only half the battle though, because to succeed, said entrepreneur also needs access to capital and business acumen. This is pure speculation on my part, but wouldn’t it be exciting if there was a way to get the business schools and the venture capitalists interested? Or maybe it’s the powers that be in government who should look more closely at the impact a 'Students to start-ups' approach could have on job creation.

Maybe that last bit is a touch too fanciful, but the abundance of talent at our universities is real and believable – in a positive way for once. And what the Pneudrive Challenge shows is that if you have the vision to combine young academic excellence with practical exposure to the latest in technology innovation, you create a potent melting-pot for new ideas. If you’d like a closer look behind the scenes, check out our article 'Hope for the future'.

Steven Meyer

Editor: SA Instrumentation & Control

[email protected]



Credit(s)



Share this article:
Share via emailShare via LinkedInPrint this page

Further reading:

Reinstatement opportunity for ECSA registration
News
In 2023 the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA) announced a special opportunity for engineers in South Africa to reinstate their registration status if it had been cancelled. This exclusive offer is available until the end of August 2024.

Read more...
Groundbreaking renewable energy skills platform
News
South Africa’s renewable energy sector has taken a significant leap forward with the launch of PowerUp. A South African first, this online platform is designed to equip the country’s workforce with the skills required to meet industry demands.

Read more...
Innomotics wins Platinum TITAN Brand Award for Best Corporate Rebranding
News
Innomotics has been awarded with the Platinum TITAN Brand Award for Best Corporate Rebranding. The international jury honoured Innomotics’ efforts to develop a powerful and recognisable brand after the carve-out of Innomotics from the Siemens Group in 2023.

Read more...
Unlocking Africa’s hydrogen potential
News
Africa is positioning itself as a frontrunner in the global green energy revolution, with hydrogen emerging as a critical commodity of strategic and national importance across the continent. Namibia is putting ambition into action by having already reached a number of key milestones towards final investment decision on up to five projects.

Read more...
Fuchs doubles sales volume
News
An aggressive growth strategy in South Africa and sub-Saharan Africa over the last decade has resulted in Fuchs Lubricants South Africa achieving a CAGR of 6% in volume sold since 2015. The result of this is that sales volume has nearly doubled in this time.

Read more...
High-quality sensing and automation equipment
News
The Turck Banner Demo Van is showcasing the company’s latest products and solutions.Turck Banner sells directly to end users and OEMs in a broad range of industries and applications.

Read more...
SA company uses AI to break the language barrier
News
Helm has a unique approach to AI that allows it to automate customer communication in any of South Africa’s 11 official spoken languages.

Read more...
From ground to compound: the journey of crude oil
Wearcheck News
You’re in for a ‘crude awakening’ when you download WearCheck’s latest Technical Bulletin. You will be treated to an in-depth explanation of the processes of producing oil, fuel and other petrochemical wonders that power our modern lifestyle.

Read more...
2025 – a year for growth, amid industry challenges
News
Automation is rapidly emerging as a catalyst for industrial transformation, enabling businesses to meet sustainability targets, enhance productivity and drive economic efficiency.

Read more...
Come and meet Pepper, the friendly humanoid robot
SAIMC News
Pepper, the friendly humanoid robot, is ready to welcome visitors at the SAIMC/SA Instrumentation & Control stand for an interactive glimpse into the future of robotics.

Read more...