The winners of the Cyber Junkyard (CJY) competition, a partnership between Festo, Siemens and Lapp Kabel, have recently been announced. The theme was ‘Play the Game, Save the Planet’ – a high-tech soccer game using renewable energy to tie in with the 2010 Fifa World Cup.
The students had six months to build their machines. Many of them lived in their labs for weeks at a time. Entries varied from plain and simple boxes to glamorous and complex showpieces, but in the end the teams with the fastest goal speeds and best energy efficiencies lifted the trophies.
The worthy winners were:
* First place: Durban University of Technology.
* Second place: Northlink College, Cape Town.
* Third place: North West University, Potchefstroom.
* Most Innovative: Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, Port Elizabeth.
The three partners sponsored high-tech industrial automation equipment to a dozen universities and colleges across southern Africa, and supported them to produce working machines. Siemens supplied PLCs, touch panels, infrastructure and logistics. Lappcable contributed solar panels and power supplies. Festo provided both the technical details and the dual-axis electrical drives that moved the ball across the playing field using EGC belt drives, as well as KSK connecting shafts, EMMS-ST stepper motors and CMMS-ST motion controllers.
Schneider Electric’s next generation UPS Schneider Electric South Africa
News & events
Schneider Electric has launched the new Galaxy VXL – a highly efficient, compact, modular, scalable and redundant 500-1250 kW (400V) 3-phase uninterruptible power supply, complete with enhanced cybersecurity, software and safety features.
Read more...Fuchs Lubricants sails strong into 2025
News & events
The successful completion of a major investment programme has significantly increased the growth potential of Fuchs Lubricants South Africa.
Read more...WearCheck launches advanced thermography course
News & events
WearCheck recently launched a new training course, InfraFocus to upskill users of thermographic cameras. This highlights the best ways to capture thermographic imagery for use in a condition monitoring programme.
Read more...SKF empowers employees SKF South Africa
News & events
The cornerstone to SKF’s success as a global leader in premium bearing products and rotating technology is an unwavering commitment to investing in its valued employees. Tsholofelo Choma, who now proudly holds the position of quality environmental health and safety (QEHS) officer, exemplifies SKF’s employee-centricity ethos.
Read more...From the editor's desk: A new disruption Technews Publishing
News & events
Just when we thought we were getting to grips with ChatGPT, another large language model is causing havoc. This time it’s a Chinese one called DeepSeek, which was released on 20 January 2025 and on ...
Read more...Festo celebrates its centenary Festo
News & events
Creating added customer value through innovation has been the driving force behind the family-owned company from the beginning and remains the key to Festo’s success today. The company’s anniversary is being celebrated with employees, customers and partners worldwide throughout the year.
Read more...Motion technology for all types of automation Bearing Man Group T/A BMG
News & events Electrical switching & drive systems & components
BMG has been appointed by The Timken Company as a distributor in southern Africa for the Rollon linear motion guidance system.
Read more...Epiroc and ABB collaborate on underground trolley solutions
News & events
Epiroc and ABB have signed a MoU based on underground trolley equipment to collaborate on joint, comprehensive and integrated electrification solutions for the mining industry to increase productivity and achieve decarbonisation targets.
printer friendly version