Page 9 - KZN Business Sense 9.2

SHOWCASING NEXT-GEN

MANUFACTURING

stablished by the Toyota of TWIMS, Andrew Kirby potential risks and challenges
SA Education Trust, (President and CEO at Toyota early on and develop strategies
ETWIMS is a not-for- South Africa). The event also to mitigate them. This can help
profit initiative dedicated to included several CEOs and reduce the risk of failure when
developing manufacturing executive managers from the implementing new initiatives in
executives in Africa. TWIMS is broader manufacturing sector. the real world.
an open institution, welcoming ■ INNOVATION: A sandbox
The Sandbox aims to introduce
students from all industries students and delegates from encourages innovation by
and backgrounds. allowing businesses to explore
visiting firms to some of
The future of manufacturing the future manufacturing new ideas and approaches
will likely be characterised technologies presently reshaping without fear of failure or
by significant disruptions the manufacturing sector. negative consequences. This Demonstration of VR headset with touch controllers which transport user’s
driven by new technologies, The Sandbox has a fully IOT- can help drive organisational movements directly into VR with intuitive controls
rapidly changing customer enabled assembly line, including creativity and innovation,
preferences, and shifting market Augmented Reality, Virtual leading to new products,
dynamics. Some key trends Reality, Artificial Intelligence, services, and processes.
likely to impact manufacturing Visual Recognition Technology, ■ LEARNING: A sandbox
in the coming years include and Radio Frequency can also be a valuable learning
increasing digitalisation and Identification demonstrations. tool for managers and
automation, sustainability In addition, the components employees, allowing them to
pressures, personalisation and assembled on the line can be learn new skills and techniques
customisation of products 3D printed in the Sandbox in a safe and supportive
and services, and new using Additive Manufacturing environment. This can help
manufacturing models driven equipment. build organisational capacity
by the Internet of Things, and enhance overall business
artificial intelligence (AI), Prof Theuns Pelser, the performance.
Virtual and Augmented Reality, executive director of TWIMS,
Additive Manufacturing, and emphasises that TWIMS’ We believe that the
smart materials. To succeed in Management Sandbox Management Sandbox at
this rapidly evolving landscape, is designed to support TWIMS will do precisely
manufacturers will need to experimentation and the what sandboxes have done for
develop effective business exploration of emerging digital the development of children
strategies that enable them to technologies presently reshaping over the years. By giving
respond to emerging trends manufacturing.The Sandbox is a management a safe space to The formal opening of the Management Sandbox
and challenges. Manufacturers unique Industry 4.0 “playpen”. experiment, innovate and learn
will have to use technologies Established in partnership about the various Industry
to optimise their existing with Jendamark and Rapid 3D, 4.0 technologies that will
processes and products, while two of South Africa’s leading reshape their organisations,
simultaneously exploring more technology providers in the we anticipate that using the
fundamental product and Industry 4.0 space, the Sandbox Sandbox will improve the
process changes. For example, is intended to support digital competitiveness of the local
manufacturers need to use AI to transformation in the South industry.
improve their quality assurance African and broader regional As the TFG Research Head
processes while exploring how manufacturing sector. of Future Manufacturing at
to use Virtual Reality and TWIMS’ Management TWIMS, Dr Malika Khodja
Augmented Reality to change Sandbox is intended to be Möller is directly responsible
their production and product a valuable tool for future for the Sandbox. As a Doctor
development processes. manufacturing exploration in of Engineering, Dr Khodja
The manufacturing industry is South Africa, as it provides a understands the challenges of
likely to experience significant controlled environment for engaging with and making sense
disruptions in the coming years, testing and implementing of Industry 4.0 technologies,
and companies that are able new management strategies, arguing that: “By demonstrating
to adapt to these changes and processes, and technologies. a number of future technologies
develop effective digital business Key Reasons within the management Left to right: Prof Justin Barnes, Mr Andrew Kirby, Dr Malika Khodja- Möller
strategies will be best positioned sandbox, we essentially provide and Prof Theuns Pelser
to compete. Some of the key reasons why the students and visitors with a
TWIMS management sandbox practical engagement with the
Demonstration Space is so essential: Future Manufacturing today. In
TWIMS has had the ■ EXPERIMENTATION: A doing so, we make the abstract
benefit of research in these management sandbox allows more real and encourage
manufacturing disruptors businesses to test new ideas appropriate technology adoption
over the last few years and and approaches in a controlled and future innovation”. 
has identified the need for environment without the risk
a demonstration space in of negatively impacting their For more information: Dr Malika
KwaZulu-Natal where the current operations. This enables Khodja-Möller, TFG Head of Future
various technologies can them to experiment with Manufacturing
be showcased and directly new management strategies, T: +27 31 767 5202
experienced. Consequently, processes, and technologies and E: malika.khodja@twimsafrica.com
TWIMS has invested in to evaluate their effectiveness W: www.twimsafrica.com
a Future Manufacturing before implementing them on a
Management Sandbox at its larger scale.
Campus in Kloof. ■ RISK MITIGATION: By
The Management Sandbox testing new manufacturing
was launched in September strategies and processes in a
2022 by the chairperson sandbox, businesses can identify TWIMS’ Industrial IOT production line demonstrating a car assembly line in
the automotive manufacturing sector

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