Van der Waals forces and other adhesive forces impose great challenges on micro-material handling... more Van der Waals forces and other adhesive forces impose great challenges on micro-material handling. Mechanical grippers fail to release micro-parts reliably because of them. This paper explores how the problematic Van der Waals forces may be used for micro-material handling purposes using surface roughnesses generated by e-beam coatings of copper and silver on silicon. An atomic force microscope, model Asylum MFP 3 D-Bio with version 6.22A software, was used to measure the forces exerted by the surfaces. A silver coating of 1.41 nm rms surface roughness value is found to exert the highest Van der Waals force, followed by a copper coating of 2.72 nm rms; a copper coating of 217 nm rms exerts the least force. This implies that, in a reliable micro-material handling system, these coatings are suitable for the interactive surfaces of the placement position, micro-gripper, and the pick-up position respectively.
Petroleum-based synthetic materials such as polypropylene are normally not environmentally friend... more Petroleum-based synthetic materials such as polypropylene are normally not environmentally friendly. There is renewed interest in natural fibre as replacement for these. Agave, a natural fibre material that is locally available in South Africa, can be tapped into as it has a variety of applications in the manufacturing of eco-friendly products. About 98% of the agave plant that was previously not deemed useful now has a potential economic value and can be used as a biomass feedstock, yielding renewable and carbon neutral energy. Car manufactures and green product designers are also currently interested in agave and this has given the agave industry new vigor. This paper gives results from interviews carried out with various people involved in the production and processing of agave. A description of the processing of the plant is included. The input and output parameters as well as their inter-relationships are determined. The paper finally presents an economic model highlighting the...
This paper focuses on the implementation of a labour performance measuring system at a confection... more This paper focuses on the implementation of a labour performance measuring system at a confectionery company. The computer vision based system is based on the work sampling methodology. It consists of four cameras linked to a central computer via USB extenders. The computer uses a random function in C++ in order to determine when measurements are to be taken. OpenCV is used to track the movement of a target worker's dominant hand at a given work station. Tracking is accomplished through the use of a bandwidth colour filter. The speed of the worker's hand is used to identify whether the worker is busy, idle or out of the frame over the course of the sampling period. Data collected by the system is written into a number of text files. The stored data is then exported to a Microsoft Excel 2007 spread sheet where it is analysed and a report on the labour utilisation is generated.
CITATION: Dewa, M. T., Matope, S. & Van Der Merwe, A. F. 2014. An empirical analysis of operation... more CITATION: Dewa, M. T., Matope, S. & Van Der Merwe, A. F. 2014. An empirical analysis of operational disturbances and their impact on business performance in manufacturing firms : case tooling industry South Africa. In SAIIE26 Proceedings, 14–16 July 2014, Muldersdrift, South Africa.
The paper focuses on the evolution of the South African iron and steel industry from the industri... more The paper focuses on the evolution of the South African iron and steel industry from the industrial engineering perspective. The earliest ironmaking in South Africa dates to the fifth century CE; but the major evolution of the industry began in 1882 and, by the year 1934, steel production from native ore was in full swing. The study highlights the major developments in South Africa’s iron and steel industry, and ends by exploring the extent of the application of industrial engineering techniques to published research into the steel industry.
Presented as part of the Proceedings of the 2nd Biennial Conference of the South African Society ... more Presented as part of the Proceedings of the 2nd Biennial Conference of the South African Society for Engineering Education, Cape Town. 11-12 June, 2013: Full Paper.,Higher education is the basic instrument of economic growth and technological advancement in any society. The economic meltdown in Zimbabwe which climaxed 2008 with an inflation level of 231million % exacerbated the brain drain. After the economic meltdown, Zimbabwe is in the process of rebuilding the quality of staff and the staffing levels in its higher education institutions. The challenge has been the decision on the mode of study: whether to go via taught masters or masters by research; where to allow the faculty members to study: in the region, or beyond; on a fulltime or on a part-time basis or on a split-site basis. These challenges have been due to the need to have a quick but quality programme of staff development, while maximising on the resources available for staff development. A survey was undertaken of the...
The handling of integrated circuit (IC) micro-parts is a great challenge in micro-assembly of ele... more The handling of integrated circuit (IC) micro-parts is a great challenge in micro-assembly of electronics micro-components. The micro-parts adhere to the two-fingered mechanical grippers commonly used, and in the event that they are released precision is comprised. In some cases the micro-parts are strained or broken during the handling operations. The paper presents a solution through the use of Van-der-Waals forces actuated polyurethane grippers. These grippers are advantageous in that they do not leave residual stresses, charges and strains on the handled IC micro-components. They afford precision position of micro-parts and provide the necessary working space for soldering operations. A motoman robot coupled with polyurethane micro-grippers was used to pick, transfer and place micro-parts ranging from 10 mm down to 500 µm in the micro-assembly of IC micro-components.
South African companies are generally labour intensive, especially confectionery companies specia... more South African companies are generally labour intensive, especially confectionery companies specialising in handmade products. Labour resources are not effectively and efficiently utilised because of inappropriate facility layout and lack of Lean, JIT and OPT principles, in some cases. This study highlights how a facility layout can be improved for a confectionery company so as to improve labour utilisation. Optimised Production Techniques (OPT), Lean and other production management methods are used to improve the facility layout by improving product flow and eliminating common waste that occur in manufacturing plants. Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system, time studies, observations on the facility floor, interviews with Subject Matter Experts (SME), production managers, shop-floor personnel and historic data in company reports were used to generate the information required in measuring the labour utilisation for an existing facility. A labour performance standard is identified ...
Background: Shared value creation in Base of the Pyramid (BoP) communities is a crucial process t... more Background: Shared value creation in Base of the Pyramid (BoP) communities is a crucial process towards building sustainable societies. BoP communities in developing countries represent more than four billion people who live on low incomes with limited access to basic products and services. Current or emerging technologies offer promising solutions for organisations pursuing manufacturing opportunities in BoP communities. This study seeks to explore the literature on how BoP communities may become active participants in sustainably manufacturing products using micro-manufacturing factories. The research question posed is: What are the core concepts that need to be taken into consideration for creating shared value through micro-manufacturing factories in BoP communities? Method: A Systematised Literature review (SLR) was completed following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) method for data selection criteria and analysis. The SLR is used...
Most industrial machinery and equipment used by the South African manufacturing sector is powered... more Most industrial machinery and equipment used by the South African manufacturing sector is powered by either a direct current or an alternating current electricity supply. With the recent frequent power cuts caused by load shedding, operations managers have a difficult time trying to satisfy demand. Power cuts are a supplier-related operational disturbance that leads to production halts, increased downtime, and a significant compromise in delivery due date conformance. The paper presents heuristic rules of thumb that can be applied during the process planning and scheduling of orders during cases of frequent load shedding to maintain high levels of system reliability and productivity. Different load shedding scenarios are characterised, and an appropriate strategy for production planning and scheduling is outlined for each scenario. A knowledge engineering approach is employed in the study, with expert opinions derived from surveys and the literature employed to generate the strategies. These strategies are validated through a simulation study conducted in a small manufacturing firm.
Selective laser melting scanning strategies influence the quality characteristics of parts, such ... more Selective laser melting scanning strategies influence the quality characteristics of parts, such as form accuracy and residual stresses. Previous research on the effect of laser scanning strategy parameters (such as scan vector length) demonstrates that residual stresses decrease with scan vector length reduction. However, most of these studies overlook the associated porosity and how this can contribute to stress relief. In this work, three scan vector lengths were compared to evaluate their impact on residual stresses, achievable part density, and scanning time. Reducing the scan vector length generally lowers residual stresses magnitudes, but introduces porosity as a result of localised overheating.
Digitalisation has been advocated as a possible strategy to improve the competitiveness of tool, ... more Digitalisation has been advocated as a possible strategy to improve the competitiveness of tool, die, and mould-making (TDM) companies in the 21 st century. The recent rise of digital technologies, such as Internet of Things devices, now makes digitalisation an achievable reality. This paper focuses on the digitalisation of shop-floor operations in the South African TDM industry through the development of a novel mobile data collection (MDC) tool known as a shop-floor management system (SMS). The developed SMS was deployed to, and validated in, a selected tooling company for various products. The developed system improved the shop-floor's real-time data collection. OPSOMMING Digitalisering is voorgestel as 'n moontlike strategie wat die mededingendheid van gereedskap-en gietvorming-maatskappye in die 21ste eeu kan verbeter. Die onlangse opkoms van digitale tegnologie, soos Internet of Things-toestelle, maak nou digitalisering 'n haalbare realiteit. Hierdie artikel fokus op die digitalisering van werkswinkelvloerbedrywighede in die Suid-Afrikaanse TDM-bedryf deur die ontwikkeling van 'n nuwe mobiele data versameling instrument vir werkswinkelvloerbestuur. Die ontwikkelde stelsel is ontplooi tot, en gevalideer in, 'n geselekteerde gereedskapmaatskappy vir verskillende produkte. Die ontwikkelde stelsel het die werkswinkel-vloer se reële-tyd datainsameling verbeter.
In this paper, a decision-making framework for implementing the concept of digitalisation within ... more In this paper, a decision-making framework for implementing the concept of digitalisation within the South African tool, die, and mould-making (TDM) industry context is developed and employed. The purpose of this framework is to answer the following question: "Which digital technologies currently available on the market can be employed to improve the efficiency of shop-floor operations in the South African TDM industry?" An exhaustive literature study of existing digital technologies is conducted. Thereafter, TDM processes requiring digitalisation are identified through knowledge engineering. Based on the system requirements analysis, digital technologies relevant to the South African TDM context are then proposed. OPSOMMING ʼn Besluitnemingsraamwerk vir implementering van die konsep van digitalisering binne die Suid-Afrikaanse matrysmaak industrie is ontwikkel en toegepas. Die doel van hierdie raamwerk is om die volgende vraag te beantwoord: "Watter digitale tegnologieë, wat nou beskikbaar is, kan gebruik word om die rendement van werkswinkel bedrywighede in die Suid-Afrikaanse matrysmaak industrie te verbeter?" ʼn Omvattende literatuurstudie van bestaande digitale tegnologieë is van stapel gestuur. Daarna is matrysmaak prosesse wat kan baat by digitalisering identifiseer. Op grond van die sisteemvereistes analise is digitale tegnologieë relevant tot die Suid-Afrikaanse matrysmaak konteks dan voorgestel.
South Africa is a developing country that invests billions of rands annually in the construction ... more South Africa is a developing country that invests billions of rands annually in the construction industry. This industry consumes resources and, inevitably, waste is generated during the process. Although numerous approaches have been developed to improve quality, efficiency, and effectiveness in this industry, lean principles offer the ability to minimise and/or eliminate non-value adding work, thus increasing value for the client. This paper highlights the lean construction tools currently used worldwide, and the benefits of adopting lean construction. The study surveyed publications on the application of lean principles in the construction industry, and identified tools yet to be implemented in the South African construction industry with specific reference to electrical and mechanical engineering services. The study used a systematic review methodology to identify different lean construction concepts, and developed a lean implementation framework. The framework was then evaluated using a local case focusing on electrical and mechanical engineering services in the construction industry. The improved framework after evaluation consists of eight steps.
Purpose The study presents an investigation of the asymmetries in normal gait associated with the... more Purpose The study presents an investigation of the asymmetries in normal gait associated with the use of prosthetic mechanical passive ankle devices when performing ambulatory-related activities for unilateral osteomyoplastic transtibial amputees. Asymmetries in gait may lead to low-back pain and other long-term effects associated with hip compensation and excessive energy consumption. Methods Unilateral transtibial osteomyoplastic amputees were tasked to perform normal gait. The Vicon Motion system and Myomotion System consisting of electromyography sensors and inertial measurement units were used to collect data. Quantitative gait analysis was used for the analysis of anatomical angles for the ankle, knee, hip and pelvis. The results were compared to normative data. Result It was hypothesized that the unilateral amputees would demonstrate high peaks on the hip, knee and ankle of the intact side so as to compensate for the lack of propulsive force on the passive ankle of the prosth...
South African industry faces immense global competition from developed countries such as Germany ... more South African industry faces immense global competition from developed countries such as Germany probably because of the adoption of lean manufacturing techniques by the latter. This study is a survey on publications concerning implementation and adoption of lean manufacturing in South Africa. To assess South Africa with regards to research publications on lean manufacturing, a benchmark exercise was conducted with Germany for the period 2014 to 2015. The study concludes by highlighting the gaps identified during this survey and recommendations. OPSOMMING Die Suid-Afrikaanse industrie staar hewige globale mededinging vanaf ontwikkelde lande soos Duitsland in die gesig, waarskynlik as gevolg van die aanneming van lenige vervaardigingstegnieke deur die laasgenoemde. Hierdie navorsing is ʼn beskouing van die publikasies oor die implementering en aanneming van lenige vervaardiging in Suid-Afrika. Om Suid-Afrika te beoordeel aan die hand van navorsingsuitsette met lenige vervaardiging as die onderwerp, is ʼn maatstaf oefening uitgevoer met soortgelyke publikasies in Duitsland in die periode van 2014 tot 2015. Die navorsing lig die gapings só geïdentifiseer uit en maak aanbevelings hieroor.
Many of the production costs for producing tea are attributable to the process of drying the tea.... more Many of the production costs for producing tea are attributable to the process of drying the tea. E-manufacturing can assist companies to reduce these production costs by making crucial information available to decision-makers so that they can make informed decisions. This paper presents an application of e-manufacturing to the design of an automatic tea drying control system. This control system will ensure that the multiple drying parameters such as temperature, dryer-exit tea moisture content, and fuel consumption are maintained at optimal states during the course of the drying of tea. The additional aim of this system is to balance the cost of production and the quality of the final product. Using the Guggenheim-Anderson-De Boer (GAB) model, the optimum drying temperature was found to be 100-110°C, while maintaining a dryer-exit tea moisture content of 3 to 3.12 per cent, at a drying rate of 3 per cent per minute. A Barix control application to control the system's activities, using the web user interface (WUI), was also developed. OPSOMMING 'n Groot gedeelte van die koste in die produksie van tee is as gevolg van die teedroogproses. E-vervaardiging kan die produksiekoste verminder deur kritiese inligting vir die besluitnemers beskikbaar te stel. Hierdie studie beskryf 'n toepassing van e-vervaardiging op die ontwerp van 'n outomatiese tee-droog beheerstelsel. Die beheerstelsel verseker dat al die droogparameters, soos temperatuur, voggehalte en brandstofverbruik, by optimum toestande beheer word deur die loop van die droogproses. Verder word daar deur die beheerstelsel 'n balans tussen die produksiekoste en die gehalte van die finale produk gehandhaaf. Deur van die Guggenheim-Anderson-De Boer (GAB) model gebruik te maak, is die optimale droogtemperatuur gevind om tussen 100 tot 110°C te lê, terwyl die droëruitlaatvoggehalte tussen 3 en 3.12% met 'n droogtempo van 3% per minuut te lê. 'n Barix beheer program is ontwikkel om die beheerstelsel se werksaamhede te monitor. 2 The paper was written in support of L. Nyanga's PhD research on the development of an emanufacturing model for the South African industry.
Van der Waals forces and other adhesive forces impose great challenges on micro-material handling... more Van der Waals forces and other adhesive forces impose great challenges on micro-material handling. Mechanical grippers fail to release micro-parts reliably because of them. This paper explores how the problematic Van der Waals forces may be used for micro-material handling purposes using surface roughnesses generated by e-beam coatings of copper and silver on silicon. An atomic force microscope, model Asylum MFP 3 D-Bio with version 6.22A software, was used to measure the forces exerted by the surfaces. A silver coating of 1.41 nm rms surface roughness value is found to exert the highest Van der Waals force, followed by a copper coating of 2.72 nm rms; a copper coating of 217 nm rms exerts the least force. This implies that, in a reliable micro-material handling system, these coatings are suitable for the interactive surfaces of the placement position, micro-gripper, and the pick-up position respectively.
Petroleum-based synthetic materials such as polypropylene are normally not environmentally friend... more Petroleum-based synthetic materials such as polypropylene are normally not environmentally friendly. There is renewed interest in natural fibre as replacement for these. Agave, a natural fibre material that is locally available in South Africa, can be tapped into as it has a variety of applications in the manufacturing of eco-friendly products. About 98% of the agave plant that was previously not deemed useful now has a potential economic value and can be used as a biomass feedstock, yielding renewable and carbon neutral energy. Car manufactures and green product designers are also currently interested in agave and this has given the agave industry new vigor. This paper gives results from interviews carried out with various people involved in the production and processing of agave. A description of the processing of the plant is included. The input and output parameters as well as their inter-relationships are determined. The paper finally presents an economic model highlighting the...
This paper focuses on the implementation of a labour performance measuring system at a confection... more This paper focuses on the implementation of a labour performance measuring system at a confectionery company. The computer vision based system is based on the work sampling methodology. It consists of four cameras linked to a central computer via USB extenders. The computer uses a random function in C++ in order to determine when measurements are to be taken. OpenCV is used to track the movement of a target worker's dominant hand at a given work station. Tracking is accomplished through the use of a bandwidth colour filter. The speed of the worker's hand is used to identify whether the worker is busy, idle or out of the frame over the course of the sampling period. Data collected by the system is written into a number of text files. The stored data is then exported to a Microsoft Excel 2007 spread sheet where it is analysed and a report on the labour utilisation is generated.
CITATION: Dewa, M. T., Matope, S. & Van Der Merwe, A. F. 2014. An empirical analysis of operation... more CITATION: Dewa, M. T., Matope, S. & Van Der Merwe, A. F. 2014. An empirical analysis of operational disturbances and their impact on business performance in manufacturing firms : case tooling industry South Africa. In SAIIE26 Proceedings, 14–16 July 2014, Muldersdrift, South Africa.
The paper focuses on the evolution of the South African iron and steel industry from the industri... more The paper focuses on the evolution of the South African iron and steel industry from the industrial engineering perspective. The earliest ironmaking in South Africa dates to the fifth century CE; but the major evolution of the industry began in 1882 and, by the year 1934, steel production from native ore was in full swing. The study highlights the major developments in South Africa’s iron and steel industry, and ends by exploring the extent of the application of industrial engineering techniques to published research into the steel industry.
Presented as part of the Proceedings of the 2nd Biennial Conference of the South African Society ... more Presented as part of the Proceedings of the 2nd Biennial Conference of the South African Society for Engineering Education, Cape Town. 11-12 June, 2013: Full Paper.,Higher education is the basic instrument of economic growth and technological advancement in any society. The economic meltdown in Zimbabwe which climaxed 2008 with an inflation level of 231million % exacerbated the brain drain. After the economic meltdown, Zimbabwe is in the process of rebuilding the quality of staff and the staffing levels in its higher education institutions. The challenge has been the decision on the mode of study: whether to go via taught masters or masters by research; where to allow the faculty members to study: in the region, or beyond; on a fulltime or on a part-time basis or on a split-site basis. These challenges have been due to the need to have a quick but quality programme of staff development, while maximising on the resources available for staff development. A survey was undertaken of the...
The handling of integrated circuit (IC) micro-parts is a great challenge in micro-assembly of ele... more The handling of integrated circuit (IC) micro-parts is a great challenge in micro-assembly of electronics micro-components. The micro-parts adhere to the two-fingered mechanical grippers commonly used, and in the event that they are released precision is comprised. In some cases the micro-parts are strained or broken during the handling operations. The paper presents a solution through the use of Van-der-Waals forces actuated polyurethane grippers. These grippers are advantageous in that they do not leave residual stresses, charges and strains on the handled IC micro-components. They afford precision position of micro-parts and provide the necessary working space for soldering operations. A motoman robot coupled with polyurethane micro-grippers was used to pick, transfer and place micro-parts ranging from 10 mm down to 500 µm in the micro-assembly of IC micro-components.
South African companies are generally labour intensive, especially confectionery companies specia... more South African companies are generally labour intensive, especially confectionery companies specialising in handmade products. Labour resources are not effectively and efficiently utilised because of inappropriate facility layout and lack of Lean, JIT and OPT principles, in some cases. This study highlights how a facility layout can be improved for a confectionery company so as to improve labour utilisation. Optimised Production Techniques (OPT), Lean and other production management methods are used to improve the facility layout by improving product flow and eliminating common waste that occur in manufacturing plants. Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system, time studies, observations on the facility floor, interviews with Subject Matter Experts (SME), production managers, shop-floor personnel and historic data in company reports were used to generate the information required in measuring the labour utilisation for an existing facility. A labour performance standard is identified ...
Background: Shared value creation in Base of the Pyramid (BoP) communities is a crucial process t... more Background: Shared value creation in Base of the Pyramid (BoP) communities is a crucial process towards building sustainable societies. BoP communities in developing countries represent more than four billion people who live on low incomes with limited access to basic products and services. Current or emerging technologies offer promising solutions for organisations pursuing manufacturing opportunities in BoP communities. This study seeks to explore the literature on how BoP communities may become active participants in sustainably manufacturing products using micro-manufacturing factories. The research question posed is: What are the core concepts that need to be taken into consideration for creating shared value through micro-manufacturing factories in BoP communities? Method: A Systematised Literature review (SLR) was completed following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) method for data selection criteria and analysis. The SLR is used...
Most industrial machinery and equipment used by the South African manufacturing sector is powered... more Most industrial machinery and equipment used by the South African manufacturing sector is powered by either a direct current or an alternating current electricity supply. With the recent frequent power cuts caused by load shedding, operations managers have a difficult time trying to satisfy demand. Power cuts are a supplier-related operational disturbance that leads to production halts, increased downtime, and a significant compromise in delivery due date conformance. The paper presents heuristic rules of thumb that can be applied during the process planning and scheduling of orders during cases of frequent load shedding to maintain high levels of system reliability and productivity. Different load shedding scenarios are characterised, and an appropriate strategy for production planning and scheduling is outlined for each scenario. A knowledge engineering approach is employed in the study, with expert opinions derived from surveys and the literature employed to generate the strategies. These strategies are validated through a simulation study conducted in a small manufacturing firm.
Selective laser melting scanning strategies influence the quality characteristics of parts, such ... more Selective laser melting scanning strategies influence the quality characteristics of parts, such as form accuracy and residual stresses. Previous research on the effect of laser scanning strategy parameters (such as scan vector length) demonstrates that residual stresses decrease with scan vector length reduction. However, most of these studies overlook the associated porosity and how this can contribute to stress relief. In this work, three scan vector lengths were compared to evaluate their impact on residual stresses, achievable part density, and scanning time. Reducing the scan vector length generally lowers residual stresses magnitudes, but introduces porosity as a result of localised overheating.
Digitalisation has been advocated as a possible strategy to improve the competitiveness of tool, ... more Digitalisation has been advocated as a possible strategy to improve the competitiveness of tool, die, and mould-making (TDM) companies in the 21 st century. The recent rise of digital technologies, such as Internet of Things devices, now makes digitalisation an achievable reality. This paper focuses on the digitalisation of shop-floor operations in the South African TDM industry through the development of a novel mobile data collection (MDC) tool known as a shop-floor management system (SMS). The developed SMS was deployed to, and validated in, a selected tooling company for various products. The developed system improved the shop-floor's real-time data collection. OPSOMMING Digitalisering is voorgestel as 'n moontlike strategie wat die mededingendheid van gereedskap-en gietvorming-maatskappye in die 21ste eeu kan verbeter. Die onlangse opkoms van digitale tegnologie, soos Internet of Things-toestelle, maak nou digitalisering 'n haalbare realiteit. Hierdie artikel fokus op die digitalisering van werkswinkelvloerbedrywighede in die Suid-Afrikaanse TDM-bedryf deur die ontwikkeling van 'n nuwe mobiele data versameling instrument vir werkswinkelvloerbestuur. Die ontwikkelde stelsel is ontplooi tot, en gevalideer in, 'n geselekteerde gereedskapmaatskappy vir verskillende produkte. Die ontwikkelde stelsel het die werkswinkel-vloer se reële-tyd datainsameling verbeter.
In this paper, a decision-making framework for implementing the concept of digitalisation within ... more In this paper, a decision-making framework for implementing the concept of digitalisation within the South African tool, die, and mould-making (TDM) industry context is developed and employed. The purpose of this framework is to answer the following question: "Which digital technologies currently available on the market can be employed to improve the efficiency of shop-floor operations in the South African TDM industry?" An exhaustive literature study of existing digital technologies is conducted. Thereafter, TDM processes requiring digitalisation are identified through knowledge engineering. Based on the system requirements analysis, digital technologies relevant to the South African TDM context are then proposed. OPSOMMING ʼn Besluitnemingsraamwerk vir implementering van die konsep van digitalisering binne die Suid-Afrikaanse matrysmaak industrie is ontwikkel en toegepas. Die doel van hierdie raamwerk is om die volgende vraag te beantwoord: "Watter digitale tegnologieë, wat nou beskikbaar is, kan gebruik word om die rendement van werkswinkel bedrywighede in die Suid-Afrikaanse matrysmaak industrie te verbeter?" ʼn Omvattende literatuurstudie van bestaande digitale tegnologieë is van stapel gestuur. Daarna is matrysmaak prosesse wat kan baat by digitalisering identifiseer. Op grond van die sisteemvereistes analise is digitale tegnologieë relevant tot die Suid-Afrikaanse matrysmaak konteks dan voorgestel.
South Africa is a developing country that invests billions of rands annually in the construction ... more South Africa is a developing country that invests billions of rands annually in the construction industry. This industry consumes resources and, inevitably, waste is generated during the process. Although numerous approaches have been developed to improve quality, efficiency, and effectiveness in this industry, lean principles offer the ability to minimise and/or eliminate non-value adding work, thus increasing value for the client. This paper highlights the lean construction tools currently used worldwide, and the benefits of adopting lean construction. The study surveyed publications on the application of lean principles in the construction industry, and identified tools yet to be implemented in the South African construction industry with specific reference to electrical and mechanical engineering services. The study used a systematic review methodology to identify different lean construction concepts, and developed a lean implementation framework. The framework was then evaluated using a local case focusing on electrical and mechanical engineering services in the construction industry. The improved framework after evaluation consists of eight steps.
Purpose The study presents an investigation of the asymmetries in normal gait associated with the... more Purpose The study presents an investigation of the asymmetries in normal gait associated with the use of prosthetic mechanical passive ankle devices when performing ambulatory-related activities for unilateral osteomyoplastic transtibial amputees. Asymmetries in gait may lead to low-back pain and other long-term effects associated with hip compensation and excessive energy consumption. Methods Unilateral transtibial osteomyoplastic amputees were tasked to perform normal gait. The Vicon Motion system and Myomotion System consisting of electromyography sensors and inertial measurement units were used to collect data. Quantitative gait analysis was used for the analysis of anatomical angles for the ankle, knee, hip and pelvis. The results were compared to normative data. Result It was hypothesized that the unilateral amputees would demonstrate high peaks on the hip, knee and ankle of the intact side so as to compensate for the lack of propulsive force on the passive ankle of the prosth...
South African industry faces immense global competition from developed countries such as Germany ... more South African industry faces immense global competition from developed countries such as Germany probably because of the adoption of lean manufacturing techniques by the latter. This study is a survey on publications concerning implementation and adoption of lean manufacturing in South Africa. To assess South Africa with regards to research publications on lean manufacturing, a benchmark exercise was conducted with Germany for the period 2014 to 2015. The study concludes by highlighting the gaps identified during this survey and recommendations. OPSOMMING Die Suid-Afrikaanse industrie staar hewige globale mededinging vanaf ontwikkelde lande soos Duitsland in die gesig, waarskynlik as gevolg van die aanneming van lenige vervaardigingstegnieke deur die laasgenoemde. Hierdie navorsing is ʼn beskouing van die publikasies oor die implementering en aanneming van lenige vervaardiging in Suid-Afrika. Om Suid-Afrika te beoordeel aan die hand van navorsingsuitsette met lenige vervaardiging as die onderwerp, is ʼn maatstaf oefening uitgevoer met soortgelyke publikasies in Duitsland in die periode van 2014 tot 2015. Die navorsing lig die gapings só geïdentifiseer uit en maak aanbevelings hieroor.
Many of the production costs for producing tea are attributable to the process of drying the tea.... more Many of the production costs for producing tea are attributable to the process of drying the tea. E-manufacturing can assist companies to reduce these production costs by making crucial information available to decision-makers so that they can make informed decisions. This paper presents an application of e-manufacturing to the design of an automatic tea drying control system. This control system will ensure that the multiple drying parameters such as temperature, dryer-exit tea moisture content, and fuel consumption are maintained at optimal states during the course of the drying of tea. The additional aim of this system is to balance the cost of production and the quality of the final product. Using the Guggenheim-Anderson-De Boer (GAB) model, the optimum drying temperature was found to be 100-110°C, while maintaining a dryer-exit tea moisture content of 3 to 3.12 per cent, at a drying rate of 3 per cent per minute. A Barix control application to control the system's activities, using the web user interface (WUI), was also developed. OPSOMMING 'n Groot gedeelte van die koste in die produksie van tee is as gevolg van die teedroogproses. E-vervaardiging kan die produksiekoste verminder deur kritiese inligting vir die besluitnemers beskikbaar te stel. Hierdie studie beskryf 'n toepassing van e-vervaardiging op die ontwerp van 'n outomatiese tee-droog beheerstelsel. Die beheerstelsel verseker dat al die droogparameters, soos temperatuur, voggehalte en brandstofverbruik, by optimum toestande beheer word deur die loop van die droogproses. Verder word daar deur die beheerstelsel 'n balans tussen die produksiekoste en die gehalte van die finale produk gehandhaaf. Deur van die Guggenheim-Anderson-De Boer (GAB) model gebruik te maak, is die optimale droogtemperatuur gevind om tussen 100 tot 110°C te lê, terwyl die droëruitlaatvoggehalte tussen 3 en 3.12% met 'n droogtempo van 3% per minuut te lê. 'n Barix beheer program is ontwikkel om die beheerstelsel se werksaamhede te monitor. 2 The paper was written in support of L. Nyanga's PhD research on the development of an emanufacturing model for the South African industry.
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Papers by Stephen Matope