CPD 3 credits. CPD Ref. No. SAIChE-434 Provider: E4A (SAIChE-SPV-004)

Includes numerous Sub-Courses such as Variables Analysis for Piping Design, Pipe Sizing, Pipe Materials options and selection, Critical Corrosion Barriers in Piping, Installations, Design of Pressure Piping and more.
There are 6 Design Toolboxes included that serve as powerful backup guidelines for total Process Designs. The Pre, Mid and Post-Reading Files provide unique and useful details of design and operational guidelines.
    

This new, unique and information packed Course enables those involved in design, projects, and plant operations to analyse and design a wide range of piping system applications in greater detail.    

Dates:  4-5 March 2026, 6-7 May 2026, 12-13 August 2026, 21-22 October 2026

This enables more cost-efficient and effective engineering designs aligned with process requirements. Every year we update with new trends and improvements in piping and this Course covers twelve types of piping systems covering metals and non-metals such as plastics through to concrete and combinations of special materials.

This Course first provides special sub-courses covering important aspects of materials fundamentals affecting piping systems design, including the importance of avoiding recycled materials, temperature and pressure inter-relationships, and corrosion factors to consider in all piping system designs.             
Also of importance is the training of the material grades and schedules for both metallic and non-metallic piping and the care to understand pressure downrating for temperatures per the schedules.

The second main section involves training attendees to apply the E4A design algorithm and analytical methods. We discuss in detail the variables stemming from these analyses and how these should be considered in all engineering pipeline designs. We also ‘drill down’ on the critical variables.        
The Course then addresses the design of piping systems from a checklist of steps in the design and using ASME B31 as the prime engineering standard as well as the E4A 3-Part process for selection of corrosion barriers, structural pipe bodies and external protection finishes. There is also a clear focus provided on the pressure and hazards standards of SANS 347 and SANS 310 as affects design of piping systems. Associated equipment such as in-line mixers and valve types are also covered.    
There is much attention applied on the matter of piping sizing and the project cost implications of pipe sizes relative to friction heads and pump selection. There is a supporting sub-course on Economics in Piping Design with interesting examples of cost savings through understanding where leverage in savings can be achieved.

The third main section addresses the important subjects of pipe installations and related design requirements to be considered. There is also consideration given to the total system & inter-locking needs of piping and pumps.
The final summary of the Course that we present at the end of DAY 2 is prepared as a series of DESIGN STAGES OR STEPS in a master chart with control checklists, and the appropriate design standards and design limitations are discussed and finalized. Interesting and unusual case studies are also presented.

MAIN OBJECTIVES

The main objective is to develop skills of attendees to approach pipe designs as a total system design including related key components such as pumps, valves, pump suction and discharge design, and essential protection against water hammer and other system loads. VFDs are also carefully addressed.

Economic benefits are firstly achieved by a thorough evaluation of different materials options and assessing the most effective materials for the service and functional needs, the total process variables, the required and design lifetime, the topographical and installation constraints and all potential risks. Benefits are secondly achieved through optimisation of the design and a deeper understanding of how design approaches and parameters can be leveraged to greater savings and profits, whilst not compromising any safety factors or EHS considerations.

Attendee comments:      
“Informative Course and would highly recommend it to my colleagues. Thank You.”, Boipelo M.;
“Great experience, learned a lot, valuable knowledge was shared”, Christo S.;
“A great Course which I really enjoyed”, Grant D.;
“Thank you for this excellent Training Course”, Anje JvanR.         

Book by email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Cost 2026:
Registered Persons Fees/Rates are R6950 (+VAT) for the 2 Live on-line days and 1 private day CPD Courses. 3 CPDs.
Quantity discounts are available for group attendances or multiple bookings paid in advance.

All courses include:
a. Interesting pre-reading material is sent to attendees normally 2 days prior to the start.
b. Full course materials are emailed ahead to you for the course and your personal library.
c. Videos links through ZOOM or Microsoft Teams still enable samples of products to be shown.
d. The Course framework/plan is sent to attendees as an Excel Document enabling easy tracking.
e. Workshops which include case studies and worked examples are interspersed with tea and lunch breaks and all materials are sent ahead to attendees for these exercises.
f. A Certificate of Attendance with CPD points reflected is provided at the end of the event.

Join us Wednesday, 6 May 2026 at 5:30 to 7pm for our Branch AGM!

We need nominations for the branch committee as there a number of openings!
Click Here for the Nomination Form.  Complete it and email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

REGISTRATION
If you wish to attend this meeting, please Register a.s.a.p via the SAIChE Office This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. We will then email you the official Invitation with the Teams link.
(Link is also in the email sent on 29 April 2026.)

Thursday, May 7, 2026 The event begins promptly at 6pm.

For delegates attending in person:
Venue:  Snape 3C, UCT(University of Cape Town)
Parking available outside the New Engineering Building.
An opportunity for networking with fellow professionals will follow the presentation.

REGISTRATION
If you wish to attend this meeting, please Register a.s.a.p via the SAIChE Office This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. We will then email you the official Invitation.

In the subject line put:
11 MAR - IN PERSON or
11 MAR – VIRTUAL

Please If you are unable to attend, please register to join us online via Teams.  We will then email you the Teams link. (Link is also in the email sent on 29 April 2026.)

Key Speaker: Andre Valkenburg.  Sustainable Biosurfactants: from PhD Research to Commercial Reality

Innovation & Technology

Sophorolipids: The Future of Surfactants

High-performance, biodegradable surfactants produced via sustainable fermentation-based processes.

Integrated Refinery Production:

Technology integrates directly into existing vegetable oil refineries to leverage renewable feedstocks.

Scalable and Cost-Effective:

Commercialization utilizes existing infrastructure to ensure economic and industrial viability.

Research conducted under Professor Pott, now being commercialised with Stellenbosch University.

CPD credits 5. Provider: SHExcellence (Rod Prior) (SAIChE-SPV-005)

Presenting the full UK IChemE course in 5 days

SAIChE-444: Valid from 2024/01/01 to 2027/01/01

Presented by: Rod Prior
Rod Prior is a chemical engineer with over 40 years' experience in process industries, including production, commissioning and health and safety management. Rod was instrumental in introducing PSM concepts into South Africa in 2004.

The course will cover (inter alia):
• Model for PSM & basic hazard science
• Hazards (fire, explosion & toxic) and risks
• Design safety including inherent safety & LOPA
• Management of change
• Human factors and safety culture
• Performance measurement & learning from accidents
• Legal framework
• Mitigation & emergency response
• Several case studies
• Multi-stage case study leading to individual course assessment

You will gain the following from attending this course:
• An understanding of the human, environmental & business consequences of poor process safety
• Knowledge of the key factors influencing the basis for process safety
• An understanding of process plant hazards and the control of risks
• An understanding of the PSM requirements at each stage in the life cycle of process plant from conceptual design to operation, maintenance and modification
• An understanding of the interdependence of the knowledge & expertise of key employees and the need for overall organizational PSM competence
• Awareness of personal limitations & know how to acquire further PSM knowledge
• A course assessment of your understanding of PSM principles

A comprehensive course manual will be provided!

Who: Process plant management, supervisors, engineers, designers and safety experts

Where: Birchwood Hotel & OR Tambo Conference Centre (Map available on request.)
Viewpoint St, Bartlett, Boksburg (12km from OR Tambo International Airport).

Accommodation is not included in the delegate fee but is available at the venue on request.

Discounts: IChemE and SAICE members;
Early Bird discount 5%; Team Discount 12%

For the Brochure, more details or Registration, please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Cell: 082 554 0010

There is the option to have the course run in-house.

Additional Courses Available:
PSM for Senior Managers/Directors (1 day)
PSM for 1st Line Managers/Supervisors (2.5 days)

Rod Prior at SHExcellence cc. 

CPD 3 credits. CPD Ref. no: SAIChE-435 Provider: E4A (SAIChE-SPV-004)

Includes numerous Sub-Courses such as Design for Friction Head and Piping-Pump Cost Optimization Models, NPSH Design, Design to avoid Cavitation and Recirculation, Pumps parallel and sequential layouts, Critical variables in Installation, Special Pump types, Vessel-Basics, Design of Drives, VSDs and PLCs, Design of Seals.

There are special detailed studies of total pump systems and the interfaces with pump and pipe designs. There are also guidelines on pump types and materials selections for capital cost and lifetime savings. The Pre, Mid and Post-Reading Files are also full of an outstanding bank of design and operational guidelines.

All courses of E4A are directed at practical application of the theories of each of the course main topics and thus the courses are introduced with a series of articles for pre-reading to provide an overview to each course and to broadly introduce the attendees to the subject matter. Notes and articles on pumping systems are also frequently added.  In this Course the importance of a total pumping systems approach is presented and emphasized and there is also extended consideration given to the many key and critical variables that are relevant to the design of pumping systems and thus the effectiveness of each design.

This popular, unique and information packed course enables those involved in design, projects and plant operations to analyse and design a range of pumping systems in greater detail – thus achieving more cost-efficient and effective complete engineering designs aligned with process requirements.
This course first provides overviews of the range of pumps available and then addresses all the technical points of pump design such as piping hydraulics, pump sizing, pump curves, NPSH and how a pump’s operation is reflected in the curves. A solid presentation of all pump design parameters including seals is presented.    

This Course focusses firstly on the fundamentals of materials with important coverage of materials used in pump and piping systems design as well as many important material grades, special terminologies and understanding key topics such as extruded versus welded pipe materials. The need to understand the rating of metals and non-metals for pressure and temperature variables is dealt with in detail to ensure a wide understanding of materials in engineering design. There are a range of materials shown in our chart and for total systems there are 12 major materials choices presented.

The Course then addresses unique and special pump types such as slurry pumps, plastic pumps, chemical service steel-shrouded pumps, chemical service sump pumps, diaphragm pumps and other services, such as magnetic-drive pumps. A range of interesting design options for a range of special processes. The assessment of pipe layouts and the conditions of the pump operation (such as water hammer, pump sparing and others) are followed through to a detailed selection of the pump for the relevant service. There are also some sub-courses that are always added such as bellows design and corrosion as materials selection parameters - to broaden the course and provide the full pump system design considerations.     

The final summary is prepared as a series of DESIGN STAGES OR STEPS in a master chart with control checklists, and the appropriate design standards, and design limitations are discussed and finalized. Interesting and unusual case studies are also presented. 

MAIN OBJECTIVES

The main objective is to develop skills of attendees to approach pump designs as a total systems design including upstream and downstream lines, total piping systems and control with VSD and PLC designs.

Economic benefits are firstly achieved through the evaluation of different materials and assessing the most suitable and thus effective materials for the given process variables, service and functional needs, and potential hazards. Economic benefits are secondly achieved through optimisation of the design and a deeper understanding of how design approaches and parameters can be leveraged to greater savings and profits, whilst not compromising any EHS considerations.

Attendee comments:
“This is a thorough and immersive Course. Thank you for the exciting course”, Emile R.;
“The Course covered a broad spectrum of pump design and material selection and pump seals”, Carinee N.

Presenter: John Broli. (MD E4A) 
For more information or to make your booking, contact John Broli at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Cost 2026:
Registered Persons Fees/Rates are R6950 (+VAT) for the 2 Live on-line days and 1 private day CPD Courses. 3 CPDs.
Quantity discounts are available for group attendances or multiple bookings paid in advance.

Dates: 11-12 March 2026, 13-14 May 2026, 15-16 July 2026, 16-17 September 2026, 18-19 November 2026.

All courses include:
a. Interesting pre-reading material is sent to attendees normally 2 days prior to the start.
b. Full course materials are emailed ahead to you for the course and your personal library.
c. Videos links through ZOOM or Microsoft Teams still enable samples of products to be shown.
d. The Course framework/plan is sent to attendees as an Excel Document enabling easy tracking.
e. Workshops which include case studies and worked examples are interspersed with tea and lunch breaks and all materials are sent ahead to attendees for these exercises.
f. A Certificate of Attendance with CPD points reflected is provided at the end of the event.

CPD 2 credits. CPD Ref. No. SAIChE-447 Provider: E4A (SAIChE-SPV-004)

Also called: Knowledge Management, Communication and Report Writing

Includes numerous Sub-Courses such as Technical Presentations, Audience and Message analyses, Wide range of Report samples, Technical Scoping & Communication impacts of ‘The 4^th Industrial Revolution’ and an overview of AI.
The report writing guidance also addresses a project’s economic objectives and benefits, as appropriate.
There is extensive time allocated to presentations for commercially driven engineering projects.

An important Course for all Engineers to practice clear and detailed communication channels in all workplaces, especially formal presentations of technical studies such as project proposals.

E4A addresses knowledge management with respect to current rapid change, complexity and the importance of current knowledge expansion. These topics are introduced as a lead-in to the key topics of communication and report writing. We address approaches to communication and technical report writing with an overview to important fundamentals such as audience analysis, needs statements, target markets, bias and vested interests, impacts on communication and matters such as attention markers or lead-ins to many communications and other report writing requirements. The course then presents analytical tools (system analyses, scope analyses, information analyses) to use in the importance of thorough background analysis for good professional technical reports. There is also analysis of how information can be better presented and the hazards of poor presentation especially in spreadsheets and graphical analyses. Further course content covers types of reports, types of styles and matters of report content.

Important guidelines, rules and good practices for each of the communication and report modes are then presented and discussed. Attendees will also develop and enhance their presentations, reports and overall communication skills. The expectations of the coming 4th Industrial Revolution (4IR) to control processes with Artificial Intelligence (AI), Robotics, Advanced Instrumentation and BIG DATA analyses are then debated under the 4thIR.

MAIN OBJECTIVES

The main objective is to improve technical communication and writing skills of the attendees, thus providing enhanced communication of emails, and technical records and procedures. The course also sets out to provide a sound understanding of the nature of knowledge and information and the dominant role it plays in all communication in modern economies.

Economic benefits are achieved through reduction of errors and miscommunications in the workplace and thus improved control of processes and operations.

Attendee comments:
“The course enlightened me well on the small details that matter in communication”, Tebogo P.;
“A great course. I will especially use the tools for report writing of my technical reports”, Siphamandla B.

2026 Cost:
Registered Persons Fees/Rates are R5950 (+VAT) for the 2 Live on-line days CPD Courses. 2 CPDs.
Book by email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Dates: 26-27 January 2026, 27-28 May 2026, Other dates by agreement and on request.

All courses include:
a. Interesting pre-reading material is sent to attendees normally 2 days prior to the start.
b. Full course materials are emailed ahead to you for the course and your personal library.
c. Videos links through ZOOM or Microsoft Teams still enable samples of products to be shown.
d. The Course framework/plan is sent to attendees as an Excel Document enabling easy tracking.
e. Workshops which include case studies and worked examples are interspersed with tea and lunch breaks and all materials are sent ahead to attendees for these exercises.
f. A Certificate of Attendance with CPD points reflected is provided at the end of the event.