I had the opportunity to visit some businesses operating in the hydraulic and pneumatic spheres a few weeks back. There is vibrancy and a 'busy-ness' in the sector that comes through: investment in infrastructure, full workshops, queues at cash sales counters, strong inventories and full order books. Managers spoke to me about double-digit real growth rates. And this in a country that has little by way of an original equipment manufacturing base. Much of this demand is coming from the growth in mining and construction. Long may it continue because the fluid power sector that Motion Control covers is really rocking!
Just imagine what the situation would be if the industry was not constrained by skills shortages. I look forward to seeing everyone in the fluid power industry building on the strong educational and training foundation that SAFPA has been wise enough to invest in so we remove this obstacle to growth.
The growth is echoed in this bumper issue of Motion Control. Thank you to everyone who has contributed editorial - especially for our 'Motion control in vehicles and their manufacture' feature.
The local situation is mirrored in overseas markets. Eaton in the US has just reported its second highest cash flow in a second quarter and has raised its full year earnings guidance by about 5%. In July, Sun Hydraulics Corporation announced an effective dividend increase of 35%. On the other side of the Atlantic, in March, Bosch Rexroth AG reported an increase in sales of 7,1% for the 2006 year. And there are the same issues regarding skills shortages being reported in the technical press in both the USA and Europe.
While I was researching this feature on the Internet I came across many fascinating technical developments and application stories. A while back our managing editor commented that if you want to attract engineers you need to make the profession glamorous. Elsewhere in this issue you can read about Eaton being awarded the hydraulic power generation systems for the Embraer Phenom 300 light jet. Or go to my blog and read about the contract it has been awarded for hydraulic systems on Sikorsky's new heavy lift military helicopter. Bosch Rexroth is working on the hydraulic drive for the largest ever Ferris wheel for the Beijing Olympics.
Who says there is no glamour in fluid power and motion control?
Adding to the fun, students at many universities in the USA are working long hours readying their autonomous guided vehicles (read: driverless robot driven vehicles) for the DARPA Urban Challenge. My bet is on past winners, Stanford University with its all-new entry - 'Junior', but we will have to wait for our fourth quarter edition to report on the November finals.
DARPA puts up good stake money for this event. Qualifying contenders are split into two groups. Group A teams, of which there are 11 this year, each receive up to $1m in seed funding from DARPA. The teams also make proposals to and receive funding from other sponsors. Currently the 53 teams that have reached this stage of the selection process are being visited and evaluated to decide on which 30 will progress to the next stage: the National Qualification Event.
Perhaps our own government and quasi-government organisations could look at a similar competitive model with seed funding to stimulate development in key technology areas that have been identified as growth opportunities for South Africa.
If you have some ideas on technology projects that could receive this treatment, please share them with your colleagues and me on my blog at techtalk.co.za/motioncontrol/.
Andrew Ashton
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