News


UCT lauds partnership with Concilium

14 October 2015 News

The University of Cape Town, recently ranked as the best on the African continent, is committed to staying at the forefront of research and teaching, and to embrace its mission to produce world class graduates with a love of lifelong learning instilled through an intellectually stimulating environment.

The University’s Department of Electrical Engineering’s desire to implant the seeds for this love to grow is evident in the commitment to encompass a stimulating, real-world application environment where students will graduate with a lifelong enthusiasm for engineering.

An important facet of this approach is to provide students with the latest measurement tools that will motivate and inspire the students, and expose them to industry standard instruments they will encounter when they transition to industry. Having access to world class technology is one thing, but ease of use is critical to minimise learning curves, thus freeing up more time to complete projects.

The department’s 3rd and 4th year general-purpose laboratory is the largest in the faculty, and caters for power electronics, mechatronics, telecoms and general electronics. The lab sees upwards of 200 students a year, is open 24/7 and is also used by post graduate students. The university has established over 25 benches with Keysight (formerly Agilent Electronics Measurement group) oscilloscopes, waveform generators, digital multimeters and power supplies.

Justin Pead, the department’s chief technical officer and an MSc graduate himself, understands the need to inspire the students, and with Stephen Schrire – his predecessor, now retired, and the driving force behind the creation of the modern facility – cites a number of reasons why UCT has partnered with Concilium Technologies, Keysight’s authorised technology representative in southern Africa.

“The equipment is easy to learn with very intuitive user interfaces and, combined with its high specifications, builds confidence in the students while developing, debugging and troubleshooting their projects,” he explains. “The oscilloscopes have hardware flexibility with a built in waveform generator, DMM, logic timing analyser and protocol analyser that all can be added or upgraded through software, rather than hardware, ensuring excellent price/performance. Having the ability to save screenshots to memory sticks is also valuable for the students.

“Their test equipment is robust and reliable, and we have an excellent relationship with Concilium. The local support is responsive to any technical enquiries, and should any failures occur, there is an accredited service partner in South Africa who can repair and calibrate the equipment to the same standards as Keysight.”



Credit(s)



Share this article:
Share via emailShare via LinkedInPrint this page

Further reading:

Fro the editor's desk: AI – a double-edged sword
Technews Publishing News
As with any powerful tool, AI presents challenges, some of which, if not carefully managed, threaten to undo the potential that it can offer.

Read more...
Global semiconductor sales increase
News
The Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) has announced global semiconductor sales were $57,0 billion during the month of April 2025, an increase of 2,5% compared to the March 2025.

Read more...
Avnet Abacus announced new president
Avnet Abacus News
Avnet Abacus has announced that Mario Merino will succeed Rudy Van Parijs as president of Avnet Abacus, effective 1 July 2025.

Read more...
Avnet Abacus wins multiple prestigious awards
Avnet Abacus News
The awards from Molex recognise outstanding performance, collaboration, and significant growth in the challenging market conditions of 2024.

Read more...
Components distribution slowdown Q1 2025
News
European components distribution (DMASS) experienced a continued slowdown in the first quarter 2025.

Read more...
Semiconductor sales increase 17% YoY
News
The Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) recently announced global semiconductor sales were $54,9 billion during the month of February 2025, an increase of 17,1% compared to the February 2024 total.

Read more...
Silicon Labs – Q1 results
News
Silicon Labs, a leading innovator in low-power wireless, recently reported financial results for the first quarter, which ended April 5, 2025.

Read more...
Strengthening industry through strategic partnerships at KITE 2025
Specialised Exhibitions News
The KwaZulu-Natal Industrial Technology Exhibition is not just an exhibition, it is a powerhouse of industry collaboration where visitors and exhibitors gain access to authoritative insights, technical expertise, and high-impact networking opportunities.

Read more...
Solar Youth Project calls on industry to step up
News
With the second cohort completed training and the first cohort returning for their final module, host companies are urgently needed to turn the training into a long-term opportunity.

Read more...
Conlog powers SA’s future with national smart meter rollout
News
Conlog recently secured the RT29-2024 contract from National Treasury, which is seen to be a major milestone towards modernising SA’s utility infrastructure.

Read more...









While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained herein, the publisher and its agents cannot be held responsible for any errors contained, or any loss incurred as a result. Articles published do not necessarily reflect the views of the publishers. The editor reserves the right to alter or cut copy. Articles submitted are deemed to have been cleared for publication. Advertisements and company contact details are published as provided by the advertiser. Technews Publishing (Pty) Ltd cannot be held responsible for the accuracy or veracity of supplied material.




© Technews Publishing (Pty) Ltd | All Rights Reserved