Technology Transfer Impact on SMME Development - Perspectives from a Small/Micro Enterprise Point of View by Mr Alphons Du Toit

Technology Transfer Impact on SMME Development -

Perspectives from a Small/Micro Enterprise Point of View

Alphons du Toit:

Technimark

History in the making: 1995

• Alphons du Toit is an

employee of the CSIR on

newly acquired CAD and

FDM RP systems

• Deon de Beer (from the

then TFS) spends a

sabbatical at the CSIR to

study the significance of

RP on the manufacturing

industry

Funny co-incidence in 1995?• Alphons du Toit decides to resign and start an

own company in Cape Town

• Deon de Beer convince the TFS to start an RP centre, which resulted in one of the best organised research teams, as well as one of the best equipped centres in the world

• Prior experience creates a platform for research collaboration – almost similar to a spin-off company.

• TFS/CUT benefited from industrial inputs, whilst Technimark benefited from the R&D inputs/results

Some Product Development Examples:

Total Cost of Project R 112 000

SLA Masters R 8 500

Finishing + Spraying R 23 000

Silicone Moulds R 34 500

Castings of Parts R 38 000

Finishing + Spraying R 5 500

SLS Functional

Parts

R 3 500

Injection Mould R 1,3 M

Isuzu tail-light development

WIZCAM Q/A SYSTEM

The development team was approached during

December 1999 to design and develop a

complete line trimmer.

The time-scale set out by the client, implied

that all design development and tooling had to

be completed by mid-April 2000.

The deadline was crucial, as the client could

not obtain any orders for the upcoming

summer season, without the final

manufactured and tested product.

Concept Design: 6 - 10 December: Development

and presentation of 3 concept design options;

Final Design: 10 - 14 December: Presentation of

final design to the client. The concept sketches

were signed off.

Componentry design: 10 - 14 January: All

relevant componentry to be used were converted

into 3D models.

Detail design: 15 - 28 January: Detail handle

design started on 15 January with final evaluation

and approval given on 28 January.

Detail Base Design: 28 January - 18 February:

The detail base and guard section design

commenced on 28 January and final evaluation

and approval was given on 18 February 2000.

Conclusion: The following items directly contributed

towards the success of the project:

The team’s in-depth knowledge of the manufacturing processes

involved, as well as experience and know-how of all relevant

technologies to aid the design and development cycle;

The prototyping, which highlighted some improvements that could

be made prior to release of the design for tooling;

Modern RP and CAD technologies: Based on the RP parts and

modifications implemented, the final CAD data could be signed off

and implemented much more effectively and with minimum risk

with regard to form, fit and function of the final design solution.

Proper project planning and design- and manufacturing

management within the established network of facilities and

capabilities.

Finally, experience, dedication and commitment of all relevant

parties contributed towards the success of the project.

Body IQ

Some of the world’s first Rapid

manufacturing examples?

(before it even had a name,

Technimark/CUT has done it!)

Some of the world’s first architectural case studies – even

published in an accredited RP Journal

Injection Moulding is normally associated with:

Finalised designs

Economies of scale

Tight budgets

Long lead-times

Sometimes (rather often?) bad experiences

Material removal – Aluminum or Steel

Rapid Tooling?

EOS: Alumide case-study – another world first

through collaboration

Challenges:

4 Moulds needed

Less than 4 weeks

Tight budget – tendering purposes only

Results

23 hours of prototyping

4 days of finishing & fitting

R 23 000 as opposed to R 90 000

30 trial samples

Flame-retardant ABS

200 components done

No visible mould

damage

Initially air-cooled

Exhibition Products

Using Rapid Tooling (Direct Metal Sintering) to render a

cutting-edge tooling service

• Resulted in a text-book example of how an SMME can collaborate with a university through support programmes such as NRF, THRIP & Tshumisano

• Sincere thanks to the CUT’s CRPM & PDTS teams for the support and collaboration over approximately 15 years especially for – Deon de Beer and Gerrie Booysen for continuation what Deon de Beer has started.

Funny co-incidence in 1995?

Thank You