After fifteen years as editor of Motion Control, the time has come for me to hand over to Andrew Seldon. It has been a privilege to be part of this publication and to witness not only the remarkable advances in motion control, fluid power and automation, but also the enormous changes in the world around us. Looking back, the pace of technological development has been extraordinary, and it has been fascinating to document these changes and share them with our readers.
One of the most rewarding aspects of editing Motion Control has been following the activities of SAFPA, learning about the organisation’s unique history, and the important role it has played in supporting the fluid power industry in South Africa. It has given me a high regard for the expertise, innovation and dedication of the people who make up this industry.
I also have happy memories of attending SAFPA technical evenings where I had the opportunity to meet members in person. These events were always informative, and they reinforced the sense of community that is one of SAFPA’s greatest strengths. Over the years, I have seen SAFPA presidents come and go, each bringing their own vision and leadership while continuing to build on the organisation’s strong foundations.
I leave knowing that the magazine is in capable hands. I want to thank everyone who has contributed articles, shared their knowledge and supported the magazine over the years. I wish Andrew every success as he takes Motion Control forward. I know he will continue to serve both the publication and its readers with enthusiasm and professionalism.
Welcome to the Q3 issue of Motion Control. As you read above, I have been given the task of filling Kim’s shoes for the publication going forward, and it is with no small amount of trepidation that I assume the task. Kim has held the fort for many years, and I can only hope to match her skill and dedication to Motion Control.
I have edited technical publications in South Africa (and Germany) for many years, from pure IT when it was still the ‘in’ thing, through to security. I’ve had the interesting privilege of seeing how markets evolve and how some companies evolve alongside changes while others maintain the status quo and slowly (or sometimes, rapidly) fade away.
The engineering world is no stranger to change and evolving technology; look at how AI is worming its way into factories, machinery and traditional design. I suspect the change in the motion control, fluid power and automation world will be slower than the AI frenzy we see happening elsewhere, simply because the systems and solutions – and the software – involved can’t be rebooted or updated every day.
In engineering, change happens at a slower pace. This is not due to people not keeping up, but changes are far more complex than throwing out a couple of PCs and buying new ones. Everything must be planned and designed carefully, and of course, budgets must also be aligned to cater for heavy lifting and moving, not to mention training staff on new systems.
If some voices in the market are to be believed, retraining won’t be an issue for much longer as AI will be doing all the work. How soon that happens, if it happens, remains to be seen. Perhaps Motion Control will chronicle the path to ‘AI everything’ over the next few issues, although, despite the benefits of the technology, I’m not expecting anything miraculous just yet.
Maybe I’m too old, and your editor will soon be one of the Chinese humanoid robots America recently banned, or a bit of software sitting somewhere in the cloud?
In the meantime, please feel free to keep me updated on what’s happening in the world of motion control, and send any comments or criticisms to [email protected]. Also, feel free to keep in touch on LinkedIn (www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-seldon/).
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