Materials science and manufacturing

High pressure die casting R&D cell installed at the CSIR The CSIR has installed an industrial scale experimental production plant to test and improve semi-solid metal casting technologies.

South Africa well positioned to lead hydrogen research South Africa is in a promising position to turn the world's energy problems around. This is because it possesses more than 75% of known world reserves of platinum, the catalytic material that is used in hydrogen and fuel cells.

Oeko-Tex® Association meets in South Africa for the first time The association responsible for, among others, the certification of textiles tested for harmful substances worldwide, recently gathered in Cape Town. The CSIR, as co-opted member and coordinator of the Oeko Tex® certification activities in southern and South Africa, attended the gathering.

CSIR to host 26th ISPE conference in 2010 The promising and fast-growing field of research and technology for application of advanced robotics and mechatronics is gaining momentum in South Africa. On the 11th of November this year the 2nd Symposium on Robotics and Mechatronics Systems will be held in Bloemfontein.

Paving a career in textiles The CSIR's fibres and textiles research area in Port Elizabeth hosted two groups of students from the Walter Sisulu University (WSU) as a follow-up to their joint visit to Hong Kong Polytechnic University in July. The students learnt more about the apparel research under-way in this area and the state-of-the-art technology used.