The Aluminium Federation of South Africa (Afsa) aims to introduce its recently-launched hardcover textbook, Aluminium Designs for the Commercial Vehicle Industry, into the University of Johannesburg.

Afsa executive director David Hughes tells Engineering News that it is currently in discussions with the university’s Department of Transport and Logistics Management, at the Kingsway Campus.

The department offers both a degree and diploma option in transportation and logistics management.

The university, formerly known as the Rand Afrikaans University (RAU), is the only institution in South Africa that specialises in logistics and transport.

“By offering the handbook at a university level we will be able to provide students with information that is not readily available, as there is no other com-parable text on aluminium design in South Africa,” says Hughes.

In fact, there is very little information on aluminium design worldwide, he adds.

One of the book’s strengths is the fact that it offers engineers the opportunity to create their own fundamental designs.

Afsa expects some finality on this issue by the end of April. Meanwhile it intends to donate two of the handbooks to the university’s library.

“Aluminium Designs for the Commercial Vehicle Industry identifies the current level of knowledge regarding design and production methods of aluminium bodies and components and gives commercial vehicle manufacturers and vehicle body builders many valuable illustrated suggestions in terms of design know-how,” reports Hughes.

This initiative took about three years to complete, and the federation is also receiving interest from international organisations.

The book is a translation of the German textbook Aluminium Konstruktionen Des Nutzfahrzeugbaus, which was published in the 1970s.

However, it is important to note that the book is not a direct translation of the German version, as it takes into account differences in aluminium terminology, chemical alloy-designation systems and the different temper systems.

Stricter enforcement of overloading legislation, the fact that aluminium provides better transport payload and the price difference between steel and aluminium are the three factors influencing the increased use of aluminium in the South African transport sector, says Afsa aluminium specialist Dr Tony Paterson.

In the past, South African transport manufacturers designed vehicles for heavy overload purposes, which prevented the use of aluminium.

However, due to the stricter overloading laws in South Africa, more and more transport manufacturers are considering the use of aluminium, as it provides better transport payload.

Historically, steel has been cheap in South Africa, and, as a result, manufacturers have only looked at the direct cost savings, rather than taking into con-sideration lifecycle costs.

Transport and Equipment Engineering (TEE) MD Peter Hoeben reported that the company manu- factures aluminium vehicles to world standards, and that it has taken joint licences with some European countries, such as Germany.

He says that the company’s designs do not even permit a 20% overload.

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