Trollip has a PhD in chemistry from the Nelson Mandela University in Port Elizabeth and an MBA from the Henley Management College that has merged with the Henley Business School of the University of Reading in the United Kingdom. He has led various national initiatives, most recently the development of advanced manufacturing technology roadmaps. Trollip lectures MBA students in the management of technological innovation and is a national contact point for the European Union’s Horizon 2020 programme in the field of materials and manufacturing. In 2016, he led a team that developed the CSIR’s advanced manufacturing strategy.

Trollip is responsible for overseeing and reviewing a portfolio of research and development projects worth about R50 million in the field of materials science and manufacturing.

About the talk

Disruptive change enabled by emerging technologies characterises the global manufacturing sector. These emerging technologies include advanced robotics, artificial intelligence, machine learning, additive manufacturing, photonics, advanced materials, new sensors, data analytics, cloud computing and the Internet of Things. The rapid rise and convergence of such technologies is driving the next industrial revolution, also known as Industry 4.0. Under this new manufacturing paradigm, value chains will be completely integrated at a global level, bringing significant opportunities to companies of all sizes. However, mastering the new and emerging technologies driving this revolution will be a key requirement.

The CSIR has developed capabilities in the key enabling technologies that drive the next industrial revolution, and develops and transfers solutions that equip manufacturing firms to compete successfully in the rapidly emerging future. The talk describes these main areas of research development and innovation in the CSIR, and provides examples of successful innovations and technologies still under development. The organisation’s approach to research development and innovation in emerging manufacturing technologies will be explained. This includes conducting open innovation (not limited to activities within an organisation) and facilitating uptake by industry through technology upscaling and demonstration. The plan to establish a smart factory aimed at the next industrial revolution to integrate and demonstrate technologies and principles, and to develop solutions together with industry, is also presented.