TOOLING MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY INVESTS MILLIONS IN CAD/CAM TRAINING

The private sector has announced that it is to invest millions of Rands in training  in the tool, die and mould making industry to enable the local industry to obtain a significant part of the tooling contracts  worth  billions currently outsourced overseas annually. This is due to a lack of capacity in South Africa. The Toolmaking Association of South Africa (TASA)’s implementation agency, the NTIP (National Tooling Initiative Program),  have signed an agreement with Machine Simulation SA, for the supply of advanced Dassault Systemes Europe training software to the tooling manufacturing industry.

The software supplied to NTIP for use in the apprenticeship program would have cost several million of Rands if it was bought on the open market. Thus Machine Tool Simulation’s supply of the software amounts to a private sector investment of millions in training in the SA tooling industry.

GTI CEO, Henk Snyman says the tooling manufacturing industry needs to have state of the art electronic and computer aided design content as part of the industry’s curriculum to meet global and international standards. “TASA’s National Tooling Initiative Programme (NTIP) chose Dassault Systemes Catia for the local training curriculum to equip students with skills in 2D and 3D drawings, solids, CNC CAD/CAM, core  and cavity design and functional moulded part design because of the comprehensive training suite offered by the Catia educational solution” Snyman says.

Dassault Systemes’ portfolio of products is rated as the global standard in industry, as it offers a full “end to end” product lifecycle management solution (PLM) - from concept to design and simulation to manufacturing. The software is supplied by Jim Plester of Machine Simulation SA and is supported by Dassault Systemes Europe. Plester says it is critically important for South Africa to develop a proper manufacturing base. “This agreement will enhance job creation as it will enable the industry to improve training and skills development. Local companies will benefit from the extended pool of trained artisans, proficient in the industry standard CAD/CAM solution. Machine Simulation SA as an industry partner is very keen to see this happening”, Plester says.

Snyman has expressed his sincere thanks to Machine Simulation SA for the company’s contribution to training in the tooling manufacturing industry and it’s commitment to the industry and TASA/GTI projects.

TASA members are offered a discount on Dassault Systemes & C G Tech software solutions. Please contact Henk Snyman of TASA at 012 663 9413 or Jim Plester of Machine Simulation SA on 011 021 0616.

The Toolmaking Association of South Africa (TASA)’s implementation agency, the NTIP (National Tooling Initiative Programme),  has signed an agreement with Machine Simulation SA, for the supply of advanced Dassault Systemes Europe training software to the tooling manufacturing industry.

At the handing-over ceremony of the training software were: Henk Snyman (CEO - Gauteng Tooling Initiative), Emma Whitehead (Channel Sales Manager -  Machine Simulation SA), Herman Pienaar (Programme Manager – Curriculum – National Tooling Initiative Programme (NTIP), Linda Coetzer (Curriculum Administrator - NTIP), Jim Plester (Machine Simulation SA) and Dirk van Dyk (CEO - NTIP)

Also see: Shortage of tool makers hits manufacturing sector - Business Day Article, 13 July 2011. http://www.businessday.co.za/articles/Content.aspx?id=148227