M Mangena: Opening of Free State Fabrication Laboratory

23 October 2006

The Vice Chancellor,
University leadership,
Members of the community,
Inventors, scientists and technologists,
Distinguished guests,
Students,
Ladies and gentlemen,

The establishment of the Free State Fabrication Laboratory (FabLab)
represents a bold step trough which science and technology is utilised to meet
the needs of both high and low-end manufacturing activities of our
entrepreneurs.

From 24 to 27 September 2006, we hosted the second Biennial International
Science Innovation and Technology Exhibition (INSITE). For those of you who
were not able to join us, INSITE is one of my Department's premier events that
provide ideal opportunities to showcase new ideas, innovations and technologies
from South Africa and around the world.

During my visit to the INSITE, I was particularly impressed and so were many
of the young visitors by the FabLab exhibitions of some of the wonderful
innovations that have been developed by ordinary South Africans particularly
our youth.

They used fabrication tools available in FabLabs to make many useful
products that included an energy saving device having both domestic and
industrial applications that greatly reduces electricity consumption, a Thin
Client Remote Internet tool, which makes the internet accessible to communities
by facilitating connectivity through a television instead of a computer and
electronic pieces that join together like a puzzle to make different
structures.

Manufacturing is a significant contributor to the economy of this province
and this fact is recognised in the Free State Provincial Growth and Development
Strategy (FSPGDS). Nationally manufactured goods now represent well over 50
percent of exports up from 25 percent in 1994. Any technology platform that
affords ordinary people and non-scientists opportunities to learn how different
products are made is important for economic growth. And FabLabs are tailor made
to render such services to poorly resourced small medium and micro enterprises
(SMMEs).

The launch of this FabLab was initially intended to coincide with an imbizo
where we would have engaged with community members regarding the work of my
Department. I am confident that this would have provided valuable insights into
the needs, frustrations and aspirations of our people and enabled the officials
to further refine our programmes, policies and interventions.

In fact the establishment of this FabLab arises directly from a different
type of imbizo, held in 2004, where officials from my Department and experts in
science and technology engaged with role players in this province. On that
occasion approximately 100 people from government, business, the knowledge
industry and technology suppliers gathered in this city to determine which
technologies were most likely to impact positively on the social and economic
goals of the province. My Department will continue to be guided by the outcomes
of that technology workshop in building a long-term and sustainable partnership
with the province.

South Africa needs a six percent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth rate
to significantly improve the quality of life of her people and become
competitive in a global environment. An increasingly accepted view which is
underpinned by international experience, is that sustained economic growth at
these levels requires significant investment in building capacity to generate
new knowledge and diffuse technology. This capacity is directly related to
national and provincial investments in science, technology and innovation.

Our current targets for investment in research and development (R&D)
activities are one percent of GDP by 2008 and two percent of GDP by 2012. As
government we are convinced that both private and public sector spending on
R&D must grow to achieve the target of one percent by the set date. Already
we are introducing very favourable tax incentives to encourage the private
sector to increase its spending on R&D. If we are successful the major area
of impact is going to be the manufacturing sector. These new developments force
us to interrogate our readiness at all spheres of government to absorb more
investments in the manufacturing sector.

By investing in the research and technology mission areas of the national
R&D strategy, establishing research chairs and centres of excellence at
universities as well as these FabLabs at the provincial level, my Department is
providing the infrastructure that is capable of building in localities a high
value-add focus to manufacturers, innovators, students, SMMEs, industry and
entrepreneurs.

The FabLabs in particular can be implemented in such a way that they
contribute to the province's efforts to create new entrepreneurs and indirectly
contribute towards fighting poverty.

FabLabs are the brainchild of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
(MIT) Centre for Bits and Atoms. The goal of the FabLab is to bring prototyping
capabilities to communities that have been out of the reach of conventional
technology development and deployment. Fabrication laboratories belong to a
group of off the shelf, industrial grade fabrication and electronics tools,
wrapped in open source software and programmes written by researchers at the
Centre for Bits and Atoms.

Currently the labs include a laser cutter that makes 2D and 3D structures, a
sign cutter that plots in copper to make antennas and flex circuits, a
high-resolution milling machine that makes circuit boards and precision parts
and a suite of electronic components and programming tools for low-cost,
high-speed microcontrollers.

Through the Advanced Manufacturing Technology Strategy (AMTS), a partnership
was fostered between the Department of Science and Technology and MIT to roll
out this innovative way of providing communities with fabrication capabilities
that enable them to solve local problems. Since local communities themselves
foster their own innovations, these solutions can be deployed to the consumers
in a sustainable manner.

This is truly a novel way of making knowledge generated by years of
investment in technology to develop information technology (IT) platforms
available to persons who do not have science or engineering qualifications.
Once access to the necessary tools of a FabLab has been achieved, turning ideas
into products and services becomes a simple matter.

The broad aim of the AMTS is to strengthen the competitiveness of the
manufacturing sector by encouraging the use of high tech processes and through
the implementation of targeted, high-impact projects in innovation and research
and development and to develop the required human capital. It is of no
coincidence that within the FabLabs we find small scale but high tech machines
such as laser cutters which encourage the use of high tech processes in
micro-manufacturing.

My Department will be spending R16 million in the current financial cycle to
roll out another five pilot FabLabs to the three that have already been
established. Two of these are in Pretoria and one in Cape Town. In addition to
the Free State, other FabLabs are planned for Limpopo, North West, Mpumalanga
and Northern Cape. To realise the full impact of these investments it is
important to make communities aware of the uses of FabLabs and the support and
services that they offer.

We sincerely thank the Free State Provincial Department of Sport, Arts,
Culture, Science and Technology for playing a leading role in promoting the
Free State FabLab within the local community. Through this Department,
information about the FabLabs will be available in local libraries.
Furthermore, the provincial government has also undertaken to promote the
fabricated products by exhibiting them in local libraries and youth centres.
Investigations are also underway to establish a science centre through the
collaboration of the provincial department and the Central University of
Technology where the unique designs by local innovators will be displayed.

It is of no coincidence that the FabLab is located next to the Central
University of Technology. The university already hosts other DST supported
centres that include the Centre for Rapid Prototyping and Manufacturing as well
as the Tshumisano Product Development Technology Station. We expect these
centres to complement the community FabLab by facilitating the smooth transfer
of technology skills so that miniature prototypes fabricated in the FabLab can
be scaled up and further developed at these other facilities. Collectively
these initiatives will work together to support the provincial objectives of
building and diversifying its manufacturing capabilities.

May I, in closing, use this opportunity to issue a special call to women
inventors and technologists in the province to take advantage of the
possibilities that this FabLab offers. The active participation of women in
high-tech environments is vital for our growth and development. I am confident
that the management and partners involved in the FabLab will ensure that the
necessary measures are in place.

Ladies and gentlemen, the opening of this FabLab symbolises my Department's
commitment to reducing the technology and innovation divide that exists within
our communities. We also expect our initial investment to provide a catalyst
for further investments in FabLabs by the province, higher education
institutions and business. We look forward to getting feedback on many success
stories that this FabLab has the potential to create.

I thank you!

Issued by: Department of Science and Technology
23 October 2006