The South African Institute of Tribology (Sait) will be hosting its eleventh international tribology conference from March 10 to 12, 2015, in Pretoria, where its students will present their research papers and Sait will be promoting the professional status of tribology in Southern Africa.

Sait president Thomas Surmon notes that tribology is the science and technology of inter-acting surfaces in relative motion, including the associated practices. However, it is a science that is not professionally recognised in Southern Africa, compared with other engineering disciplines.

“Our conference will assist us in getting the recognition we are striving for as an institute. As a result, the conference will cover topics such as industrial tribology, lubricants testing and condition monitoring, wear processes and the tribology of materials, boundary and fluid film lubrication, biotribological applications, and tribology and the environment,” he states.

While the recognition of tribology remains a focus point for Sait, interaction and establishing business relationships with government are some of its key objectives.

“There is a lack of knowledge concerning tribol-ogy and the impact that this has on the South African economy. In conjunction with the Department of Science and Technology, we conducted a study in 2010 to determine the cost- and energy-saving potential of South Africa with regard to the country’s economy.

“The results showed that there is a need for government to develop the required curriculum from school to university level and from the general factory worker to the CEO, which will aid educational knowledge of tribology,” explains Surmon.

He adds that establishing a research and development (R&D) university can promote tribology, while it can also be used as a platform from which to conduct R&D that is specific to South African conditions.

To provide a solution for the lack of recognition of tribology as a standalone discipline, Sait train-ing courses – which are open to anyone who is interested in the science – are conducted on a regular basis in Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town.

Sait provides one-day introductory courses on lubrication engineering, wear and materials, and the basics of lubricating oils, as well as a more detailed five-day course on lubrication engineering.

The introduction to lubrication engineering is designed for apprentices, artisans, buyers and plant operators, while the wear and materials course covers wear mechanisms and materials selections to combat wear.

The course on the basics of lubricating oils is also a one-day introduction to lubrication basics, designed for lubricators, apprentices and artisans.

“Our more detailed lubrication engineering course provides a practical understanding of the principles and technology of lubrication. The course is suited to maintenance personnel and anyone concerned with the operation, maintenance or management of industrial plant machinery, transport and other lubricant-related disciplines,” says Surmon.

He points out that, through these courses, Sait aims to promote the transfer of information and technologies related to tribology in Southern Africa and, in turn, stimulate R&D in tribology.

Sait has invited international speakers such as Perth-based Curtin University head of the tribology laboratory Professor Gwidon Stachowiak and US-based University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee professor Wilfred Tysoe to give keynote addresses during the conference.

Surmon concludes that the institute hopes the conference will attract more professionals who are keen to learn more about tribology and also create dialogue that will raise awareness of the need to establish a standalone discipline for tribology at university level and also in industry in South Africa.