A more recent artist ’ s impression of how the technology hub at Pietermaritzburg Airport may look .
What can DUT bring to the tech hub ?
The Durban University of Technology has its own in-house Reinforced and Moulded Technology Station ( RMTS ) that will make a direct contribution to the research and development aspects of the aviation industry . The RMTS ’ s main function is to provide companies with research and development facilities , including product design and prototype development and — importantly — tooling design , development and manufacture . This represents a major resource to help companies within the tech hub become more competitive by giving them access to this research and technology transfer infrastructure . Subsidized services include Advanced Manufacturing Laboratory ( AML ), design , and prototyping and testing . The following operating units exist at the RMTS .
Advanced Manufacturing Laboratory ( AML )
In the moulded plastics arena , the AML is equipped with CNC machine tools and focuses on :
• product design
• tooling design and tooling manufacture
• general machining . Four highly qualified and experienced professors of mechanical engineering interact with industry via the RMTS in the use of :
• a CNC turning centre
• a three-axis CNC machining centre
• universal and turret mills
• a large lathe
• a spark eroder
• a surface grinder
• software packages such as the Gibbs CNC software , and Mouldflow software
• a 200T injection machine
• a blow-moulding machine
• a new coordinate measuring machine
• PC DMIS software .
Industrial Design Unit
The RMTS Industrial Design Unit specialises in conceptual design and design verification of metallic and nonmetallic fabrication and makes use of some of the most sophisticated design analysis software and techniques , such as finite element analysis ( FEA ). The Unit focuses on conceptual design , design analysis , optimization , and verification of non-metallic and metallic fabrication , such as :
• Aerospace and other advanced structures
• Customised fabrications
• Pressure and vacuum vessels
• Process tanks and vessels
• Specialised process equipment
• SolidEdge ( CAD )
• MSC Nastran ( FEA )
• Caesar II ( pipeline flexibility analysis )
• FibreSim ( laminate analysis ).
Prototyping and Testing Unit
The PPT Unit specialises in the fabrication of prototypes and tooling for the composites sector . Materials and structural testing can also be undertaken . The unit ’ s capabilities include :
• Closed mould
• Wet lay-up
• Vacuum bagging
• A 1 x 0.5 metre oven
• Autoclave ( 1.5 m diameter , 3m length )
• Cold-storage ( for prepreg materials )
• Computer-controlled Lloyds universal testing machine ( 30 kN capacity )
• Test grips for ASTM testing of composite materials ( in-Plane properties )
• Real-time strain capture and monitoring capability
• Acoustic emissions unit
• Digital ultrasound unit
• Radiographic unit
• Microscopy capability ( including SEM )
• Ignition loss testing .
See www . dut . ac . za for further information on the Technology Station .
Capital | Issue 2 | 29