Future engineers get the full picture

ALRODE – A group of young and aspiring engineers were given a behind-the-scenes tour of Rio-Carb’s R9-million state-of-the-art 3 000 square meter manufacturing facility in Alrode, as part of an open day hosted by the company.

A group of 36 pupils from Jeppe Boys and Girls High attended Rio Carb’s open day on Thursday, March 27 to gain greater insight into the workings behind mining equipment technology. Jeppe civil technology teacher Robert Faltermeier notes that the visit was an overwhelming success.

“Feedback from the pupils was exceptionally positive, as they were keen to gain exposure to a factory environment. Experts from Rio-Carb were very accommodating, and provided the group with valuable exposure, especially from a practical and hands-on perspective,” he explains.

According to Faltermeier, the pupils received exposure to the importance of workshop housekeeping and cleanliness, as well as employee health and safety. “This real-life exposure is important for the pupils to learn how an actual operation is safely, efficiently and profitably run. It also gives them a far better idea of what is expected of them when they leave school and enter the working world, in a technical environment.”

Rio-Carb directors Martin and Colin Maine, former Jeppe High School pupils themselves, add: “Aspiring young engineers also had a taste of the requirements and standards they could expect when they eventually graduate to a first-world working environment.”

In addition to the pupils, Rio-Carb clients and selected media representatives also attended the open day to celebrate the company’s new flagship facility, which was developed as a result of a significant rise in demand for the company’s innovative range of Chromium Carbide (CrC) abrasion resistant liner plates, pipes and welding wire, which are proven to be highly effective in mining applications.

“Our new 3 000 square meter factory is located on a 4 000 square meter stand, and has been specifically redesigned with new facilities to provide customers with the excellent quality of product that they have come to expect from Rio-Carb, in substantially reduced turnaround times,” Martin continues.

Among the new additions is a computer aided design (CAD) plasma control centre, which is able to streamline the productivity of the company’s plasma cutting machines, by ensuring extremely accurate sizing and nesting of components. Another major benefit of the new Rio-Carb factory is the fact that it has been designed with environmental sustainability in mind.

“Great attention has been paid to reducing CO2 emissions, with over 80 high-bay lights formerly with 400 W globes being replaced with LED equivalents, which consume just one eighth of the original power. Our CrC liner plates last eight to ten times longer than conventional liners, making Rio-Carb an eco-friendly option. We have taken this one step further by following internationally recognised ISO 14000 certification for waste disposal and resource conservation,” Colin concludes.