The industrial Flow-Viz system, an invention by CPUT and Swedish partner SP – Technical Research Institute of Sweden has been approved for a US patent, further paving the way for the formation of an international spin-off company.

This is another first for the university’s Technology Transfer Office (TTO), which plays a key role in promoting innovation at CPUT.

The news comes just a few months after the real-time industrial Flow-Viz system was granted a European Patent Office (EPO) approval, giving CPUT and SP the official rights to file national phase filings in numerous European countries. Patents in other countries have also been applied for.

Obtaining US and EPO patent approvals is no mean feat as this involves defending intricate technical and legal intellectual property office actions. Such applications are fully examined by leading international patent examiners and success proves the novelty, non-obviousness and applicability to industry of the invention. 

Flow-Viz technology is a highly specialised industrial fluids characterization system that improves process and quality control within a fluid production line.

CPUT inventors, Dr Reinhardt Kotzé and Prof Rainer Haldenwang, who are based at the Flow Process and Rheology Centre, along with Swedish co-inventor, Dr Johan Wiklund worked tirelessly over many months with the TTO to achieve these approvals, and have welcomed the news.

Haldenwang says the patents will stand them in good stead as they will open doors for commercialisation in regions where they have identified possible business links.

Research work leading to this invention began 15 years ago, with CPUT coming aboard in 2007. The device was first demonstrated in South Africa in 2011 at CPUT. Since then pilot tests have been conducted on a wide-range of products such as food products and even wastewater. 

Two systems have already been set up in pilot plants in America and Europe.

“Flow-Viz is unique, there is no similar product that currently exists in the world for opaque non-Newtonian fluids,” says Kotzé.

“Its aim is to replace time-consuming off-line measurements in the quality control laboratory with continuous real-time and non-invasive process monitoring of industrial fluids that takes place directly in the production line.”

Kotzé says that currently operators take fluid samples and conduct time-consuming lab tests to monitor product quality.

Director of Technology Transfer and Industrial Linkages at CPUT, Prof Gary Atkinson - Hope, says this is a major achievement for the University.

“These achievements place our forthcoming Flow- Viz company on a very sound footing and we can now with confidence move into the commercialisation space,” says Atkinson - Hope.

Written by Candes Keating
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Provides coverage for the Engineering and Applied Sciences Faculties; the Bellville and Wellington Campuses, and research and innovation news.

A group of academically-deserving Clothing Management students at CPUT are the latest recipients of bursaries, each valued at R50 000.

Thanks to the perseverance and assistance of staff members at the Clothing and Textile Department, 24 students have been awarded bursaries from the Fibre Processing and Manufacturing Seta (FP&M SETA).

Together the funding totals R3 million spanning the period 2016 -2018.

The bursaries form part of FP&M SETA’s Special Project Bursary Programme, which is aimed at supporting students with the goal of developing work-ready graduates for the various sectors it represents.

Head of the department, Dr Elspa Hovgaard, says in the past educational institutions were required to apply for the bursaries on behalf of the students; however, this year the call was made directly to students to apply.

Not wanting any student to miss out on a funding opportunity, Hovgaard says as a department they rallied together to ensure students applied.

“We pushed our students to apply. We went into every classroom and gave each student an application form,” she says.

The department then went the further mile and couriered all the applications to the FP&M SETA, which is based in Johannesburg.

The bursaries were allocated to students enrolled in the Extended Curriculum Programme, first-years and BTech students.

In addition to the FP&M SETA’s funding, Hovgaard says the department also received R100 000 from the CSIR to allocate to students.

These funds were allocated to 10 academically-deserving senior students, who were not on any funding programmes. Eight students were allocated R11 875, to cover their tuition whilst two BTech students had the balance of their outstanding fees covered.

Hovgaard says the much needed bursaries are welcomed by the department and students.

*Image courtesy of Mister GC at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Written by Candes Keating
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Provides coverage for the Engineering and Applied Sciences Faculties; the Bellville and Wellington Campuses, and research and innovation news.

Students living with disabilities have full access to a range of support services through the CPUT Disability Unit.

The unit’s services range from general support services, such as assisting students with registration and completing bursary forms to specialized support services, which includes adapting study material for use by learners with various needs.

Head of the Disability Unit, Dr Nina du Toit, encourages students to make use of the equipment and learning material, which is available at the Disability Unit.

The unit has a range of assistive devices which can be used by students who are blind, partially sighted, deaf, and hard of hearing and who have learning or mental disabilities.

The assistive devices range from large screen computer monitors for visually impaired students to a braille embosser that can be used by blind students to convert documents into Braille. The unit also has several software packages that cater for various needs.

Du Toit says the assistive devices, learning material and other resources available at the Disability Unit play a key role in ensuring students reach their academic goals.

The unit has offices at the Bellville and Cape Town Campuses. The services are available through the CPUT Libraries at the other campuses and satellite sites.

Students who need to make use of the Dsiabilty Unit’s services or would like to get in touch one of the staff members, can contact them at the following numbers:

Direct Student Support Assistant:  All campuses
Lillian Fortuin
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Dr Nina du Toit
Tel: +27 (0)21 959 6964
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Administrative assistant: Cape Town Campus
Delicia de Vos
Tel: +27 21 460 9071
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Written by Candes Keating
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Provides coverage for the Engineering and Applied Sciences Faculties; the Bellville and Wellington Campuses, and research and innovation news.

CPUT has a presence throughout the City Centre, with satellite campuses situated on the Foreshore and Roeland Street.

Media City is based on the Foreshore, directly opposite the well-known Media24 Building. Students have easy access to the campus, with various public transport points located near the satellite campus.

This satellite campus houses students and staff of the Architecture, Town and Regional Planning, and Interior Design schools.

At Media City, students have access to well-resourced teaching and learning spaces as well as a library which features an impressive collection of learning resources and materials that are specific to the courses on offer.

The Roeland Street Campus is home to the media savvy students and staff from Journalism, Photography, Public Relations and Multimedia.

Students based at the Roeland Street Campus have access to the facilities at the main Cape Town Campus, which is just a five minute walk away.

View Media City maps and contact details

View Roeland Street maps and contact details

Written by Candes Keating
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Provides coverage for the Engineering and Applied Sciences Faculties; the Bellville and Wellington Campuses, and research and innovation news.

To ensure students reach their goals, CPUT offers a comprehensive range of academic support services. These services, which are free to registered CPUT students, range from providing access to books to assisting students with improving their writing skills.

CPUT Libraries

With approximately 265 327 books, 27 025 e-books, as well as 25 platforms which provide access to a total of 83 databases across various disciplines, the CPUT Libraries have covered all their basis to ensure students have access to a wealth of resources.

Services:

• Borrowing of resources
• Access to e-books and databases
• Interlibrary loans
• Short loans
• Study spaces
• Postgraduate support via the Research Information Support Centre

Venues:

CPUT campuses and satellite sites

Opening times:

For library opening times, please see www.cput.ac.za/lib/about/opening-hours

Writing Centre

The Writing Centre provides students with assistance in the fields of writing, mathematics and physics.

Venues:

• Cape Town Campus: E-Learning Building
• Tygerberg Campus: Library
• Bellville Campus: IT Building
• Mowbray Campus: Education Building

Opening times:

Students are assisted by appointments only.

To make an appointment, please contact:

• Bellville and Tygeberg Campuses: +27 (0)21 959 6040
• Cape Town and Mowbray: +27 (0)21 460 3610

Disability Unit

Students living with disabilities have access to assistive devices and learning material, which will assist them in reaching their academic goals.  

Services:

• Adapting study material
• Software programmes, eg, The Dragon programme that converts the spoken word into written format.
• Large screen computer monitors for visually impaired students
• Scanners and magnifiers
• Braille embosser that converts documents into Braille
• Special large font keyboards
• Digital recorders to record lectures

Venues:

• Bellville and Cape Town Campuses
• The services are available through the CPUT Libraries at the other campuses and satellite sites.

Opening times:

For assistance, contact Lillian Fortuin at  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or +27 (0)21 959 6964 or Delicia de Vos at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or +27 21 460 9071

Written by Candes Keating
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Provides coverage for the Engineering and Applied Sciences Faculties; the Bellville and Wellington Campuses, and research and innovation news.