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SA R&D Catalogue » Safety » WITS
Wits has established itself at the industrial and commercial heart of South Africa as a centre for
education and research of the highest quality. Wits' mission is to build on this foundation in a way
that takes account of its responsibilities within South Africa today; and to maintain and enhance
its position as a leading university in South Africa, in Africa, and in the world by sustaining globally
competitive standards of excellence in learning, teaching and research.
One of the major developments in departmental activities was the introduction in 1962 of a part-time
postgraduate course work programme in Industrial Engineering leading to the Graduate
Diploma in Engineering degree. In 1971, an Aeronautical Engineering degree was offered for
the first time as an alternative to the Mechanical Engineering degree, with sponsorship from the
aeronautical industry.
The School of Mechanical, Industrial and Aeronautical Engineering is also host to the National
Aerospace Centre (NAC) (formerly the National Aerospace Centre of Excellence (NACoE)), and the
Aerospace Manufacturing Processes and Materials group (AMPM).
Founded in 2005 under the Aerospace Industry Support Initiative (AISI) of the Department of
Trade and Industry (DTI), the National Aerospace Centre is in a special class of centres (centres
of excellence) which aim to further the interests of a particular industry at the highest levels
by leveraging government funding in research initiatives further to the government's goal of
creating a knowledge-based economy in South Africa. This includes promoting participation
by South African universities, universities of technology and companies in contract research and
development for industry giants such as Airbus Industrie and Boeing, as well as partnerships with
various European universities and companies.
Originally a focus area within the NAC, the Aerospace Manufacturing Processes and Materials
group is now an semi-autonomous entity under the directorship of Mr Philip Haupt AMPM
primarily engages in promoting development within the South African aerospace manufacturing
sector.
| Capabilities/Skills/Expertise |
- Aerodynamic and structural design
- Control systems
- Fundamental research into flow phenomena with a focus on unsteady and compressible
flows
- Experimental and analytical modelling of composites
- Modelling of metallurgy and materials
- Programme for development of aerospace materials and manufacturing processes, with local
and international partners
- Flight physics, propulsion, design systems and tools
- Development of an ultralight aircraft
- Flexible wing tips
- Maching optimisation
- Materials modelling (turbine and process modelling, life assessment)
- Research in aeronautics and aerodynamics
- Residual stresses in composites, environmental degradation, dynamic stress concentration
- Shock wave dynamics (supersonic flight)
- Titanium beneficiation (alloy development, processing, characterisation)
- UAV in-flight refuelling
Contact person: Professor Ted Moss, Head of School
Tel: +27 (0)11 717 7332
Email: Edward.moss@wits.ac.za
Website: www.wits.ac.za
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