President's desk

June 2006 SAIMC

Well all, it has been a long road that I have travelled with the SAIMC. From being a student member when an apprentice at African Explosives and Chemical Industries as it was then known, to the president of the organisation. It all started around about the middle of the twentieth century when things were done very differently. The transistor had not yet been accepted as a reliable component in instrumentation. There have been many 'revolutionary new ideas', but guess what; the basic principles are the same!

For those of you entering this field of engineering, my advice is to become well grounded in the basic principles of measurement, and use the latest technology as purely a tool to convert physical phenomena into engineering units that can be used to evaluate or control the process that you are measuring.

The tools change, when I started, we used pneumatic signals to transmit and control (spring and wind instruments using 3 to 15 psi). This worked extremely well, and we achieved some exciting goals. Today, we use bus systems transmitting enormous amounts of information on two wires. Combine this with microprocessors and we can once again transmit and control. This too works extremely well, and again we have achieved some exciting goals. The only difference is that the equipment has got smaller and faster.

We are in an industry that changes faster than any other. Revel in the new developments; but remember the basics. If you want to stay in this exciting profession, become an expert at using new tools but be prepared for change because it will happen sooner than you can imagine. This occupation is exhilarating and challenging; enjoy the experience, get the latest tools, but do not discard the old ones. If you do not get excited about change, or fear it, then go and count something, you could earn more 1, 2, 3, 4...

Vivian MacFadyen

[email protected]

Further reading:

SAIMC: From the office of the CEO
SAIMC SAIMC
We are writing to share exciting developments regarding the evolution of the SAIMC that will come into effect on 1 January 2025.

Read more...

---

SAIMC: MESA Africa 2024 summit
TransLution Software SAIMC
The SAIMC Computer Engineering Council, also known as MESA Africa, recently held its annual summit. The two days were jam-packed, with an excellent balance between theory, thought leadership, and practical case studies. The general consensus among the delegates was that the insights gained were incredibly valuable.

Read more...

---

SAIMC: Secunda branch
SAIMC SAIMC
The SAIMC Secunda branch recently celebrated 25 incredible years at its year-end function and birthday bash, held on 1 November at The Glasshouse in Secunda.

Read more...

---

SAIMC: Johannesburg branch
SAIMC SAIMC
The Johannesburg SAIMC Branch held its annual year-end function at Northcliff Country Club on 13 October.

Read more...

---

SAIMC: Gqeberha branch
SAIMC SAIMC
The Didactic Branch of the SAIMC, in collaboration with the Automotive Industry Development Centre Eastern Cape, recently hosted an insightful talk on postgraduate opportunities. The event aimed to inspire and guide students about the paths and possibilities available to them through postgraduate studies, and to introduce them to some exciting projects.

Read more...

---

SAIMC: Durban Branch Annual Dinner
SAIMC
The Durban branch of the SAIMC held their popular and well-supported annual year-end dinner at the Mount Edgecombe Country Club on 23 November 2024.

Read more...

---

MESA Africa Summit has been expanded and rebranded
SAIMC Supplier Advisory Council SAIMC
We are writing to share some exciting developments regarding the evolution of the MESA Africa Summit, which has been a cornerstone event in industrial automation and manufacturing excellence.

Read more...

---

How to claim CPD points
SAIMC Supplier Advisory Council SAIMC
SAIMC makes it possible for you to claim CPD points for attending courses and technical meetings, or completing an online quiz on a SA Instrumentation & Control magazine.

Read more...

---

SAIMC: From the office of the CEO:Slaughtering AI holy cows
SAIMC SAIMC
A couple of sessions at various dealers, a wrong delivery, a failed holiday plan, a two-week unplanned vacation and 32 kg of steel on the back seat awaited us as we left South Africa on a dream holiday. But let me start at the beginning.

Read more...

---

SAIMC: Secunda branch
SAIMC SAIMC
At the most recent SAIMC Secunda technical evening, Jenine Jansen van Vuuren, sales account manager from Comtest Technologies, gave a presentation on the calibration of process instruments.

Read more...

---