Mechanical Technology May 2016

⎪ Special report ⎪

Advanced technology training upskills existing artisans with advanced technologies, such as mechatronics, PLCs and automation.

A robotic cell with a rotating jig in the MB Training Academy, designed to exactly mimic those used on MBSA’s East London production line.

A summary of MBSA 2015/2016 results • Total annualised revenue for the group at R65.8-billion – 45% up on the previous year – due to the expected increase in production volumes out of the East London plant and the increase in export volumes. • Earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) improving by 52% to end at R4.67-billion. • With total sales of 24 608 Mercedes-Benz cars, the company is more than 3 000 units ahead of its nearest competitor. • Daimler Trucks and Buses (DT&B) remained market leaders with unit sales of more than 5 300. • DT&B is first to market with compressed natural gas buses and opens a new Regional Centre Southern Africa. • Mercedes-Benz Financial Services, with acquisitions surpassing all records, secures 7% growth to end above R10-billion. • A further investment of R498-million was made in the East London C-Class plant. Mercedes-Benz South Africa’s East London plant manu- factured a record-number of its new W205 C-Class units from its plant in East London, most destined for export. In total 102 200 C-Class units rolled off the line in 2015.

A Festo Installation being used as an introduction to robot programming.

The MBLA will develop modules and a virtual commissioning lab, which will enable it to offer facilities and training to employees in industry and local assembly line builders and systems integrators. Benefits include: management of chang- es in production, reduced commissioning time and impact to production, as well as improved proof of concept and safety. “Being part of the group of learners who receive training at the Mercedes- Benz Learning Academy has been one of the best experiences of my life. I have been prepared for the work environment and have established values and morals that I can carry even beyond industry to my own life as well. In addition, our instructors always emphasise that there are many people who have been here before us that have gone on to achieve greater things in life and this is some- thing that inspires me to give my best,”

industry; apprenticeships for artisans focusing on qualified unemployed school/ college leavers; and advanced technology training, which upskills existing artisans with skills and advanced technologies, such as mechatronics, robotics and automation. The state of the art MBLA is equipped with cutting-edge advanced technology, ranging from robotics and plant automa- tion to metal joining technologies. There is also a variety of robot cells with some stand-alone robots as well as those equipped with other technologies such as grippers, weld guns, stud welders and more. In addition, the MBLA’s automa- tion laboratories feature programmable logic controllers (PLCs) and simulators together with the learning units. MBSA is also piloting digital transfor- mation, through virtual commissioning technology, which is being researched.

says 22-year old Jiovanni Bossr from King Williams Town, one of the current trainees at the academy. The MBLA aims to continue unlock- ing opportunities by providing the best possible people development initiatives in the region. q

Mechanical Technology — May 2016

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