INDUSTRY NEWS
BDS Welcomes New Financial Director
Bytes Document Solutions (BDS) has announced
the appointment of Vivek Venkatkumar as its new
fi nancial director, following the retirement of Perry
Hurri, whose history with Xerox and BDS spans 44
years.
BDS wished Hurri a well-deserved retirement and
extend its sincere gratitude to him for his dedicated
years of unwavering service and high-quality
deliverables at all times.
A chartered accountant, Venkatkumar has an
established career track record and fulfi lled various
operational and fi nancial leadership roles. He has
solid technical skills and expertise, is highly people
centred and demonstrates commitment towards
change, excellence and progress. He is innovative
in his approach to work, a strategic thinker and an
excellent team player.
‘I am very pleased to be joining BDS. I know that
Hurri's sterling example and track record leaves
high standards to live up to. I am looking forward
to the challenges and opportunities that my new
portfolio brings,’ Venkatkumar said.
Johan Basson, CEO of BDS, said, ‘The exuberance
of youth, the high energy, fresh perspectives,
knowledge, expertise and experience that
Venkatkumar brings to our company will strengthen
our governance and fi nancial management
Vivek Venkatkuma, Bytes Document Solutions
capabilities. His appointment contributes to the
consolidation of the leadership at BDS and is
evidence of the great career opportunities that
employment with BDS can offer.’
www.bytesdocumentsolutions.co.za
Platinum Jewellery Produced Through 3D Printing
range of applications where the properties of
Platinum Group Metals (PGMs) are used.’
Lonmin’s contribution to the project involved the
production of the platinum powder. Initial trials
were conducted from August 2016 to produce
pure platinum powder to suit the specifi cations
for the additive manufacturing printing process. In
October 2017, the platinum powder was tested,
the machine parameters optimised and prototypes
fi nally printed.
Platinum producer Lonmin has contributed to the
completion of a 3D printing prototype of pure
platinum jewellery using Selective Laser Melting
(SLM), the fi rst of its kind in South Africa.
The launch of the prototype was revealed at
the Rapid Product Development Association of
South Africa conference in Durban. The process
of producing functional parts using additive
manufacturing required the complement of
different skills, including the design for the 3D
prototype, powder production, machine parameter
www.AfricaPrint.com
settings and post-treatment processing.
Platforum, a partnership consisting of the Central
University of Technology, North West University,
Vaal University of Technology and Lonmin, initiated
the 3D printing project in June 2016.
Wilma Swarts, head of marketing at Lonmin and
director of Platforum, explained the signifi cance
of the printing of the prototype, ‘3D technology
has gained popularity in recent years, and the
introduction of the additive manufacturing using
precious metals will contribute and add to the
Additive manufacturing using precious metals
creates new opportunities for value-added
processing and mineral benefi ciation using
PGMs. ‘The reveal showcases the potential
of 3D printing of PGMs. Through additive
manufacturing, intricate and lightweight PGM
products can be manufactured at speed, presenting
new opportunities for PGMs, socio-economic
development, Lonmin and the platinum mining
sector,’ concluded Swarts.
Looking ahead, Platforum will explore the potential
of 3D printing using precious metals to produce
PGM alloys and existing but also new and novel
applications for the medical, energy and the
automotive industries.
AFRICA PRINT JOURNAL
www.lonmin.com
JANUARY 2018
PG 17