About_us

Welcome to The SA-CNC-Club / Welkom by Die SA-CNC-Klub

We are a group of enthusiasts that build machines, and are known as The South African Computer Numerically Control Club (SA-CNC-Club).  Many of our projects are to acquire old industrial machines and to replace the outdated computer systems with new open source technology.  The nature of this work is multi-disciplinary.  This necessitates a working knowledge from the following engineering disciplines: mechanical, electrical, electronic, computer, material, metallurgical and chemical.  The end goal is to have an integrated product of automation to perform work for humans.

Our members are of diverse backgrounds, but are drawn to the same topic of the machine building context.  Many members are in related careers e.g.: machine programmers, mechanical engineers, knife makers, jewellers, medicine, gunsmith, electronic engineering, physics, woodwork, water treatment, machine retrofitting, pharmaceutical, heavy engineering, etc.  Other members from non-related careers form part from the viewpoint of a hobby interest.

Professor Rudy du Preez is the founder and chairman of the SA-CNC-Club and is a civil engineer.  He started more than 30 years ago to acquire and rebuild quality Swiss and German metal working machinery.  His interest branched off into the computer control and automation of machines.  Prof Rudy is a visionary and integrator of ideas, people and mechanical systems.  The club is a natural continuation of his enthusiasm.

We meet once a month in Centurion, South Africa.  Meetings are structured per selected topics, and take on an informal collaborative nature.  Regular practical demonstrations provide members with an in depth knowledge of how they can approach their own challenges.  At the SA-CNC-Club you can expect to obtain knowledge of how to operationalise robot kinematics, up to how to clean and de rust your machine parts in an effective way.  Prominent club knowledge includes; the use of the machine controller called Linux CNC and the Fusion 360 draw-and-coding software.

Ons is ‘n groep entoesiaste wat masjiene bou en noem onsself Die Suid Afrikaanse Rekenaar Numeriese Beheer Klub (SA-CNC-Klub).  Heelparty van ons projekte is om ou industriële masjiene aan te koop en die uitgediende rekenaarstelsels te vervang met hedendaagse oopbron tegnologie.  Die aard van hierdie werk is multi-dissiplinêr.  Dit verg kennis vanuit ingenieursdisiplines, onder andere: meganies, elektries, elektronies, rekenaar, materiaal, metalurgies en chemies.  Die einddoel is om ‘n geïntegreerde produk van outomatisasie daar te stel om werk vir die mens te kan verrig.

Ons lede is van diverse agtergrond, maar word bymekaar gebring in die masjienboukonteks.  Baie lede staan in verwante beroepe soos: masjienprogrammerders, meganiese ingenieurs, mesmakers, juweliers, geneeskunde, geweersmede, elektroniese ingenieurs, ficisi, houtbewerking, waterverwerking, masjienombouers, farmakologie, swaar ingenieurswese, ens.  Ander lede wat in nie-verwante beroepe staan, is lid van die klub vanuit ‘n stokperdjie perspektief.

Professor Rudy du Preez is die stigter en voorsitter van die SA-CNC-Klub en staan in die beroep as siviele ingenieur.  Hy het meer as 30 jaar gelede begin om kwaliteit Switsers- en Duitse staalverwerkingsmasjiene aan te koop en te restoureer.  Sy belangstelling het vertak in die rekenaarbeheer van masjiene.  Prof Rudy is ‘n visioenêr en integreeder van, idees, mense en meganiese stelsels.  Die klub is dan ‘n natuurlike voortsetting van sy entoesiasme.

Ons ontmoet een keer per maand in Centurion, Suid-Afrika.  Byeenkomste word vooraf gestruktureer met gekose besprekingsonderwerpe, en neem dan ‘n informele samewerkingsaard aan.  Gereelde demonstrasies gee lede ‘n in diepte kennis van hoe om hulle eie uitdagings aan te pak.  By die SA-CNC-Klub kan jy verwag om kennis in te win oor hoe om robotkinematika te operasionaliseer, asook hoe om masjienparte effektief skoon en roesvry te kry.  Prominente klubkennis sluit in; die gebruik van die masjienbeheerder LinuxCNC en die Fusion 360 teken-en-kodering sagteware.