PneuDrive Challenge 2013 Engineering Design Winners Announced

After two intensive days of judging the panel, made up of a range of local engineering experts, concluded and agreed that the "Waste Granite to Cobble Machine" from the Cape Peninsula University of Technology was the winning design entry.

The student engineering design competition, which has run annually since 2008, provides a learning platform that brings together engineering theory, the latest technology in drive engineering, pneumatics, and business relevance. Sponsors of this year’s competition, SEW-EURODRIVE and Pneumax, required students to explore a "Greener Mining” theme for 2013.

The top three places for engineering design went to:

1^st– Cape Peninsula University of Technology – Waste Granite to Cobblestone Machine.

2^nd – Tshwane University of Technology – The Dust Buster (Winners of the Innovation Prize).

3^rd– WITS University – Water Solar Still

An additional entry from WITS University – The Dust Emission Filtration System – was selected as the Autodesk Design Prize winner.

Cape Peninsula University of Technology - Waste Granite to Cobble Machine

Students Christian Mpiana and Gareth Hardman submitted a design that proposes the rehabilitation of abandoned granite mines by turning surplus "waste” granite blocks into usable cobblestones. These can then in turn be used to develop access roads and walkways in rural areas. Apart from the direct benefit paved roads and paths will bring to these areas, they proposed that other possible business interventions around the system could generate job creation. Lecturer Francois Hoffman expressed that his students winning the competition was the highlight of his year.

The Judging Team

This year’s judging panel were made up of Brian Paxton (Sales Manager for Mixtec), John Menasce (Lead Mechanical Engineering Consultant from HATCH), Raymond Obermeyer (General Manager Operations for SEW-EURODRIVE), Brandon Skinner (E&I Engineer from DRA Mining), Russell Gill (SAFPA Council Member), Heathcliff Barnard (Technical Manager at Pneumax SA) and Daneel Ballaram who judged the Autodesk entries (Applications Engineer at WorldsView Technologies).

The winners receive a ten day all expenses paid trip to Germany and Italy where they will be hosted by the head offices of the sponsor companies. Furthermore the winning university receives R 100 000 worth of products from SEW-EURODRIVE and Pneumax, while each participating is entitled to R 40 000 worth of products for completing the competition. 

Visit www.pneudrive.co.za for more information.