The Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering is currently hosting a five-day training themed “Smart SCADA Maintenance Training.” The training is being conducted under a partnership between The Technical TU-K and Universal Technology Associates (UTA). The two institutions signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to collaborate in areas such as capacity building, student job placement, and the pursuit of joint research opportunities.

Through the partnership, the capacity building exercise has brought together engineers and technical staff from Kenya Pipeline Company (KPC), who are attending hands-on training facilitated by industry experts from UTA and TU-K.

Speaking during the opening ceremony, Prof. Alex Muumbo, the Director of the Centre for Open and Lifelong Learning and the Chief Guest, commended the partnership, noting that it strengthens collaboration between the University and industry.

“This is a huge opening for the University to collaborate with industry and promote continuous learning for professionals,” said Prof. Muumbo.

“It is also an opportunity for the University to better understand the needs of the industry and establish new linkages that allow students to interact with industry players,” he added.

According to the Department Chair, Dr. Fredrick Mutua, the training aims to upgrade the skills of technicians and technical staff by enhancing their understanding of Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) operations and the hardware architecture of major systems, including Siemens, Rockwell, and Schneider.

He added that participants will also gain skills in interpreting pipeline PLC logic and understanding permissive interlocks and shutdown sequences used in industrial operations.

Participants will also be taken through preventive and corrective maintenance of PLC models, input and output systems, power supplies, and industrial networks. Additional sessions will focus on troubleshooting faults related to pumps, valve metering systems, batching processes, and leak detection.

Lastly participants will attend practical laboratory sessions where they will observe and apply the concepts learned during the training in the university laboratories.