{"id":14295,"date":"2024-12-05T07:45:28","date_gmt":"2024-12-05T07:45:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vut.ac.za\/?p=14295"},"modified":"2025-07-24T13:21:20","modified_gmt":"2025-07-24T13:21:20","slug":"from-scrap-to-innovation-a-metallurgical-engineering-students-creative-journey","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vut.ac.za\/en_gb\/from-scrap-to-innovation-a-metallurgical-engineering-students-creative-journey\/","title":{"rendered":"From scrap to innovation: A metallurgical engineering student\u2019s creative journey"},"content":{"rendered":"

“A dedicated Metallurgical Engineering Diploma student in the Department of Chemical and Metallurgical Engineering (Faculty of Engineering and Technology) at VUT, when he embarked on an exciting welding project.”<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

05 December 2024 | Story: <\/strong>Staff Reporter. Photo: <\/strong>VUT.<\/h5>\n\n\n\n

3 minutes read time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"<\/figure>\n\n\n

The team behind the innovative braai stand project (from left to right Mr Hudivhamudzimu Mugeri, Mr Ts\u2019epo Ts\u2019osane, Ms Kathutshelo Nemavhola and Ms Pulane Ranyali<\/strong><\/p>\n

What if discarded metal scrap could be transformed into something useful, inspiring, and a testament to creativity? This was the question that spurred Mr Ts\u2019epo Ts\u2019osane, a dedicated Metallurgical Engineering Diploma student in the Department of Chemical and Metallurgical Engineering (Faculty of Engineering and Technology) at VUT, when he embarked on an exciting welding project. Guided by Ms Khathutshelo Nemavhola, a technologist at VUT, Ts\u2019osane was tasked with designing and building a functional braai stand using scrap materials found around campus. This project became an opportunity for him to showcase the power of innovation, hands-on learning, and sustainability.<\/p>\n

The journey began with a search for reusable components. Ts\u2019osane identified and repurposed an old oil drum and a tank frame, stripping and refabricating them into a functional and visually appealing braai stand. Applying skills from the\u00a0Manufacturing Metallurgy 2<\/em>\u00a0module in the diploma programme, he navigated the intricacies of selecting the appropriate welding process, preparing materials, choosing suitable welding electrodes, and determining the optimal welding position, current, and voltage. Ms Nkele Baloyi, a lecturer, contributed by donating a vibrant green paint\u2014reflecting the Faculty of Engineering and Technology\u2019s official colour\u2014which enhanced the appearance and provided corrosion resistance, ensuring the braai stand\u2019s longevity.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

This hands-on project was more than an academic assignment; it was an opportunity for Ts\u2019osane to apply theoretical principles in a practical context. The welding process demanded precision and attention to detail, ensuring the structure\u2019s integrity and functionality. Using a grinder to remove slag highlighted the critical role of surface preparation for achieving optimal weld quality and an aesthetically pleasing finish. Finally, the application of a protective paint coating demonstrated the seamless integration of corrosion science with practical engineering, exemplifying the transition of knowledge from classroom to real-world application.<\/p>\n

Through this innovative endeavour, Ts\u2019osane refined his technical skills, from welding to product finishing techniques, while fostering creativity and resourcefulness. Beyond technical expertise, he cultivated an entrepreneurial mindset\u2014a key component of VUT\u2019s 2033+ strategic plan, which emphasises the development of\u00a0techno-entrepreneurial graduates and innovators<\/em>\u00a0to drive sustainable societal transformation. By repurposing scrap metal, Ts\u2019osane demonstrated how engineering can create value from discarded materials, setting an inspiring example for his peers and future students.<\/p>\n

The department has more projects of this nature in the pipeline. To support these initiatives, all VUT staff are kindly encouraged to contact the Manufacturing Metallurgy Laboratory (located in Room R002, R-Block) before discarding scrap metal from their daily activities. This effort will enable the lab to assess whether the materials can be recycled or repurposed for innovative student projects. Such contributions will not only provide students with invaluable hands-on experience but also foster the creation of functional and artistic products that benefit the university, its students, and the wider community.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

“A dedicated Metallurgical Engineering Diploma student in the Department of Chemical and Metallurgical Engineering (Faculty of Engineering and Technology) at […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":14297,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[47],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-14295","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-latest-news-vaal-university-of-technology"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/vut.ac.za\/en_gb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14295","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/vut.ac.za\/en_gb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/vut.ac.za\/en_gb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vut.ac.za\/en_gb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vut.ac.za\/en_gb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=14295"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/vut.ac.za\/en_gb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14295\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":25864,"href":"https:\/\/vut.ac.za\/en_gb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14295\/revisions\/25864"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vut.ac.za\/en_gb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/14297"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/vut.ac.za\/en_gb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14295"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vut.ac.za\/en_gb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=14295"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vut.ac.za\/en_gb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=14295"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}