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Date : 23/10/2006
Source: Department of Science and Technology
Title: Mangena: Opening of Free State Fabrication Laboratory


Keynote address by the honourable Minister of Science and Technology, Mr Mosibudi Mangena, at the opening of the Free State Fabrication Laboratory in Bloemfontein

The Vice Chancellor,
University leadership,
Members of the community,
Inventors, scientists and technologists,
Distinguished guests,
Students,
Ladies and gentlemen,

The establishment of the Free State Fabrication Laboratory (FabLab) represents a bold step trough which science and technology is utilised to meet the needs of both high and low-end manufacturing activities of our entrepreneurs.

From 24 to 27 September 2006, we hosted the second Biennial International Science Innovation and Technology Exhibition (INSITE). For those of you who were not able to join us, INSITE is one of my Department's premier events that provide ideal opportunities to showcase new ideas, innovations and technologies from South Africa and around the world.

During my visit to the INSITE, I was particularly impressed and so were many of the young visitors by the FabLab exhibitions of some of the wonderful innovations that have been developed by ordinary South Africans particularly our youth.

They used fabrication tools available in FabLabs to make many useful products that included an energy saving device having both domestic and industrial applications that greatly reduces electricity consumption, a Thin Client Remote Internet tool, which makes the internet accessible to communities by facilitating connectivity through a television instead of a computer and electronic pieces that join together like a puzzle to make different structures.

Manufacturing is a significant contributor to the economy of this province and this fact is recognised in the Free State Provincial Growth and Development Strategy (FSPGDS). Nationally manufactured goods now represent well over 50 percent of exports up from 25 percent in 1994. Any technology platform that affords ordinary people and non-scientists opportunities to learn how different products are made is important for economic growth. And FabLabs are tailor made to render such services to poorly resourced small medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs).

The launch of this FabLab was initially intended to coincide with an imbizo where we would have engaged with community members regarding the work of my Department. I am confident that this would have provided valuable insights into the needs, frustrations and aspirations of our people and enabled the officials to further refine our programmes, policies and interventions.

In fact the establishment of this FabLab arises directly from a different type of imbizo, held in 2004, where officials from my Department and experts in science and technology engaged with role players in this province. On that occasion approximately 100 people from government, business, the knowledge industry and technology suppliers gathered in this city to determine which technologies were most likely to impact positively on the social and economic goals of the province. My Department will continue to be guided by the outcomes of that technology workshop in building a long-term and sustainable partnership with the province.

South Africa needs a six percent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth rate to significantly improve the quality of life of her people and become competitive in a global environment. An increasingly accepted view which is underpinned by international experience, is that sustained economic growth at these levels requires significant investment in building capacity to generate new knowledge and diffuse technology. This capacity is directly related to national and provincial investments in science, technology and innovation.

Our current targets for investment in research and development (R&D) activities are one percent of GDP by 2008 and two percent of GDP by 2012. As government we are convinced that both private and public sector spending on R&D must grow to achieve the target of one percent by the set date. Already we are introducing very favourable tax incentives to encourage the private sector to increase its spending on R&D. If we are successful the major area of impact is going to be the manufacturing sector. These new developments force us to interrogate our readiness at all spheres of government to absorb more investments in the manufacturing sector.

By investing in the research and technology mission areas of the national R&D strategy, establishing research chairs and centres of excellence at universities as well as these FabLabs at the provincial level, my Department is providing the infrastructure that is capable of building in localities a high value-add focus to manufacturers, innovators, students, SMMEs, industry and entrepreneurs.

The FabLabs in particular can be implemented in such a way that they contribute to the province's efforts to create new entrepreneurs and indirectly contribute towards fighting poverty.

FabLabs are the brainchild of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Centre for Bits and Atoms. The goal of the FabLab is to bring prototyping capabilities to communities that have been out of the reach of conventional technology development and deployment. Fabrication laboratories belong to a group of off the shelf, industrial grade fabrication and electronics tools, wrapped in open source software and programmes written by researchers at the Centre for Bits and Atoms.

Currently the labs include a laser cutter that makes 2D and 3D structures, a sign cutter that plots in copper to make antennas and flex circuits, a high-resolution milling machine that makes circuit boards and precision parts and a suite of electronic components and programming tools for low-cost, high-speed microcontrollers.

Through the Advanced Manufacturing Technology Strategy (AMTS), a partnership was fostered between the Department of Science and Technology and MIT to roll out this innovative way of providing communities with fabrication capabilities that enable them to solve local problems. Since local communities themselves foster their own innovations, these solutions can be deployed to the consumers in a sustainable manner.

This is truly a novel way of making knowledge generated by years of investment in technology to develop information technology (IT) platforms available to persons who do not have science or engineering qualifications. Once access to the necessary tools of a FabLab has been achieved, turning ideas into products and services becomes a simple matter.

The broad aim of the AMTS is to strengthen the competitiveness of the manufacturing sector by encouraging the use of high tech processes and through the implementation of targeted, high-impact projects in innovation and research and development and to develop the required human capital. It is of no coincidence that within the FabLabs we find small scale but high tech machines such as laser cutters which encourage the use of high tech processes in micro-manufacturing.

My Department will be spending R16 million in the current financial cycle to roll out another five pilot FabLabs to the three that have already been established. Two of these are in Pretoria and one in Cape Town. In addition to the Free State, other FabLabs are planned for Limpopo, North West, Mpumalanga and Northern Cape. To realise the full impact of these investments it is important to make communities aware of the uses of FabLabs and the support and services that they offer.

We sincerely thank the Free State Provincial Department of Sport, Arts, Culture, Science and Technology for playing a leading role in promoting the Free State FabLab within the local community. Through this Department, information about the FabLabs will be available in local libraries. Furthermore, the provincial government has also undertaken to promote the fabricated products by exhibiting them in local libraries and youth centres. Investigations are also underway to establish a science centre through the collaboration of the provincial department and the Central University of Technology where the unique designs by local innovators will be displayed.

It is of no coincidence that the FabLab is located next to the Central University of Technology. The university already hosts other DST supported centres that include the Centre for Rapid Prototyping and Manufacturing as well as the Tshumisano Product Development Technology Station. We expect these centres to complement the community FabLab by facilitating the smooth transfer of technology skills so that miniature prototypes fabricated in the FabLab can be scaled up and further developed at these other facilities. Collectively these initiatives will work together to support the provincial objectives of building and diversifying its manufacturing capabilities.

May I, in closing, use this opportunity to issue a special call to women inventors and technologists in the province to take advantage of the possibilities that this FabLab offers. The active participation of women in high-tech environments is vital for our growth and development. I am confident that the management and partners involved in the FabLab will ensure that the necessary measures are in place.

Ladies and gentlemen, the opening of this FabLab symbolises my Department's commitment to reducing the technology and innovation divide that exists within our communities. We also expect our initial investment to provide a catalyst for further investments in FabLabs by the province, higher education institutions and business. We look forward to getting feedback on many success stories that this FabLab has the potential to create.

I thank you!

Issued by: Department of Science and Technology
23 October 2006
   

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