 Job creation for electronics contract manufacturingby Dr. Shawn Cunningham, Mesopartner
The current debate emphasises entry-level job creation and overlooks the multiplier effects of training and retaining high level engineering, management and technical skills. Even the hi-tech sector absorbs low skilled workers... ( more) |
 In conversation with... Dr. James Truchard, CEO of NI by Hans van de Groenendaal
Success is all about good vision. Dr. James Truchard, founder and CEO of National Instruments shares his philosophy with EngineerIT. Annually, NI hosts NIWeek in Austin, USA... (more) |
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The future of control systems
by Ralph Hauselmann, Bühler
As real-time information is increasingly a deciding factor for successful businesses, programmable logic controllers (PLCs) designed to process logical equations present substantial limitations when used to provide information... (more)
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How to insure your business against internet outages
by Réan van Niekerk, Metacom
How badly would your business be affected if your internet connection went down for a week? Five or ten years ago, the answer might have been "not that badly"; it would be annoying to lose email, but you'd have been able to cope by reverting to faxes or maybe using dialup... ( more) |
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Going into deep sleep
by Jason Tollefson, Microchip Technology, US
New techniques are pushing embedded power management beyond sleep mode. With sleep modes no longer able to deliver the energy economies which can support a new generation of products with decade-long battery life-times, microcontroller manufacturers are turning to new techniques... (more) |
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Security and mobility - some serious questions
by Hans van de Groenendaal, EngineerIT
Laptops, netbooks, tablet PCs and now smart phones are rocking the world of cyber security. Not long ago companies would only allow their own desktops on their networks. Now anything goes, as companies virtualise, and, worse still, allow employees to bring their own devices to connect to the corporate network... (more) |
Scalable video coding integrates video and voice
Information from Vidyo
Communications companies have been experimenting with video conferencing since the late 1950s, but only with the advent of broadband internet and affordable web cameras did the notion really take off. Video conferencing took an even greater step into mass use with the release of Microsoft Netmeeting 3.0 in 1999... (more) |
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Complete systems protection
by Andi Haa, Surge Suppression
According to the IEEE Standard 1100 (2005) Emerald Book, "transient" or "surge" is defined as "a sub-cycle disturbance in the AC waveform that is evidenced by a sharp, brief discontinuity of the waveform." Transients or surges occur as a result of external and/or internal events... (more)
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Photovoltaic systems - the questions you should ask
by Jacques Steyn, African Horizon Technologiess
As PV technology has gained wider acceptance, volumes have increased and the cost has steadily decreased. Only in the last few years have solar PV technologies evolved for specific applications, such as small sloped residential rooftops, large flat rooftops, and desert ground-mounted installations... (more) |
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Increasing equipment life through predictive health monitoring
by Alberto Pontiggia, Bytes Systems Integration
With the maintenance skills shortage and high cost of dedicated equipment-health instrumentation, a number of big corporations are looking at intelligent technology to assist in keeping maintenance costs down... (more)
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Automating diesel and oil distribution for mining applications
by Marius van der Walt PrEng, Systems Automation and Management
Diesel and electricity are the lifeblood of a mine. Ensuring that diesel is as close as possible to where it is needed for underground machinery, in the shortest timespan and in the most efficient way, can greatly improve the overall performance of a mine... (more)
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From garage to hi-tech PCB manufacture by Hans van de Groenendaal, EE Publishers This story has its origin in a garage, where in 1975 Andy Chisholm started making printed circuit boards (PCBs) at his home in Cape Town. He formed a company called Renak and moved from his garage to premises in Plumstead and later to a larger factory in Diep River... ( more) |
The hidden art of manufacturing multi-layered PCBs
by Stephen Sher, Cirtech ElectronicsThe demand for smaller electronic devices has led to a challenge for the PCB manufacturing community to fit more circuitry onto smaller PCB surface areas. The challenge has been met by the introduction of multilayer PCBs, a natural progression from the standard double-sided, through-hole plated type of PCB... ( more) |
| Accelerate debugging of FPGA-based systems using oscilloscopes
Information from Agilent Technologies
A large percentage of today's embedded designs contain FPGAs as well as a wide variety of technologies that interface with the FPGA, including devices with analogue, parallel, and serial circuits... (more) |
Telecoms developments in Africa
Compiled by Matthew White, Iona Press Services
- Mobile numbers for poor people without phones
- Cameroon forges ahead with regional backbone project
- Uganda prepares for digital migration
- Mswati interferes in Swaziland's cell phone business
- Kenya plans rapid broadband rollout throughout country
- Govt plans to sell 7% stake in Maroc Telecom
- Nigerian mobile operations get big boost from broadband
- Angola signs training agreement with Huawei
- UK broadband firm to enter Rwanda, Tanzania
- Africell launches 3G service in Sierra Leone... (more)
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Amateur radio: CPUT satellite HF beacon - a new tool for radio amateurs
The two satellites being built by students of the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) include a beacon operating in the 20 m amateur band. The first of the two is a single CubeSat 10 x 10 x 10 cm with a mass of one kilogramme... (more)
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The impact of digital oscilloscope blind time on measurements
Information from Protea ElectronicsAll digital oscilloscopes are temporarily blind. During this blind time the user may miss critical signal events at the device under test. It is therefore necessary to understand the impact of blind time on measurement... (more) |
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Industry and institute news
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