Industry leaders, innovators to congregate at Machine Tools Africa

Visitors attending Machine Tools Africa 2017

Industry leaders, innovators and industry stakeholders will be heading to this year’s Machine Tools Africa exhibition to meet with local industry suppliers and their international manufacturing partners. There will be a wide range of products on show, from machine tools and CNC machinery to 3D printing, control systems, robotics, design, accessories and more. The latest advanced technology, software, automation, and industry 5.0, will be making a strong appearance at the show.

Machine Tools Africa is an event by the Machine Tool Merchants’ Association of South Africa (MTMA) in partnership with Specialised Exhibitions, organisers of the event.

Mike Lee, chairperson of MTMA, says that the industry is really excited about this year’s Machine Tools Africa exhibition with exhibitors looking forward to showcasing their latest innovations and cutting-edge developments across the machine tool and related industries. “Over the past couple of years, imports have gone from strength to strength and we’ll have the very latest in machine tool technology on display from all over the world for our customers to see. Live demonstrations of the machinery will highlight the advantages of this new technology and customers can benefit from the expert advice available from the technical specialists on the stands.”

Charlene Hefer, portfolio director at Specialised Exhibitions, is also excited about the show, stating: “We’re thrilled to have such strong industry support for Machine Tools Africa, a show which embraces innovation, collaboration and opportunity in the world of engineering and manufacturing. The event is putting the spotlight on leading industry suppliers’ groundbreaking innovation and technology and we’re expecting thousands of visitors from across South Africa and neighbouring African countries to converge at the exhibition.”

Education, learning and World Skills competition

With education and skills development remaining central to industry, Sol-Tech will be forming part of the Machine Tools Africa exhibition for the first time. Sol-Tech is a private registered vocational training college that offers world-class training in all of the most important trades. More than 3,500 students have acquired their Red Seal qualifications.

“Sol-Tech is extremely proud of its students. Hard work, dedication and discipline forms part of their student journey. We aim to not only equip them with an excellent qualification, but to also create an opportunity to acquire soft skills while they study at Sol-Tech,” says Paul van Deventer, managing director of Sol-Tech. According to Chantal Swart, marketing manager of Sol-Tech, visitors of Machine Tools Africa can look forward to an exciting Sol-Tech stand filled with activities and some of Sol-Tech’s own students showcasing their skills on various equipment.

WorldSkills South Africa is hosting a local competition at Machine Tools Africa. Showcasing the skills and excellence of the competitors during the four days, the overall winners will be announced on the final show day. A team of local and international judges will be adjudicating the competition.

Expertise shared at free-to-attend seminars

Visitors to the show can also increase their own industry knowledge by attending the free-to-attend seminars, hosted by the South African Institution of Mechanical Engineering (SAIMechE). During the four show days, industry professionals will be sharing their expertise across a wide range of topics aligned with the show’s theme days: Safety, Sustainability, Skills, and South African Day.

Amongst the speakers at the event, Chris Coetzee, director and owner of OHSS Consulting, will be looking into the world of a systems approach to occupational health and safety procedures with a focus on developing safe behaviours, working environments, and monitoring strategies, that become the frontline of risk management.

Stephan du Toit, technical director at Water Solutions and Innovations, will be talking about evaporator technology. One of the key sustainability challenges of various machining processes is the treatment of the coolant/water waste. Water Solutions and Innovations has successfully researched and developed the evaporator technology in South Africa. The locally produced evaporator has already been successfully implemented at various EOMs and Tier 1 suppliers both in South Africa and globally.

The talk presented by Dr Devon Hagedorn-Hansen, managing director of HH Industries and Multitrade 3D Systems, will highlight the transformative role of additive manufacturing (AM) in Africa and introducing the different AM technologies and how the various technologies are reshaping the continent's industrial landscape, driving innovation, and propelling economic development.

Machine Tools Africa is supported by the South African Capital Equipment Export Council (SACEEC), the South African Institution of Mechanical Engineering (SAIMechE), and the Southern Africa Stainless Steel Development Association (SASSDA).

Specialised Exhibitions is a division of Montgomery Group. For more information, visit the Machine Tools Africa website - www.machinetoolsafrica.co.za.