Specialised industrial rubber moulding manufacturer MasQtec asserts that its ability to harness cutting-edge technology to reverse engineer and develop rail solutions within its manufacturing operations is key in addressing diverse customer needs with precision and quality.

MasQtec employs innovative European rubber injection moulders and advanced computer numerical control (CNC) machines to enhance consistency and quality in all its rubber components.

“Our dedication to continuous research and development allows us to deliver high-performance products tailored to meet the evolving needs of our clients across diverse sectors. Further, with the latest manufacturing technology, we remain at the forefront of low-cost production,” says MD Alan Palmer.

MasQtec also provides rubber moulding design expertise which includes product shape optimisation, material selection, cost-efficient design, cost analysis, prototyping, 3D printing, reverse engineering and testing facilities.

Highlighting the company’s research capacity, MasQtec manufacturing and technical director Warren Benn notes the movement towards nanotechnology, particularly in terms of some of the additives that are used in rubber compounds.

He highlights that this will not only increase the compounds’ physical properties, but also enable the company to reduce production cycle times significantly, by up to 60%, thereby increasing overall productivity and facilitating greater capacity. “Consequently, these developments translate into more rubber-moulding products, increased economies of scale and lower costs,” Benn explains.

Further, Palmer asserts that MasQtec embraces the growing presence of AI-based rubber-injection moulding machines, with some machines able to self-correct varying temperatures, cycle speeds and chemical formulas. The company plans to get a better understanding of these products.

Increased Collaboration

MasQtec asserts that it positively embraces the idea of public-sector participation in the railway parts and components sector. Palmer avers that publicly-funded incentive schemes for component manufacturers would be welcomed by the sector and would be impactful from a growth perspective.

“The establishment of incentive and rebate schemes would drive the development of this sector. The strategic partnership between government and the railway industry could also lead to an improvement in the country’s rail network,” Palmer notes.

Upcoming Projects

MasQtec highlights that the biggest project that it will be involved in is to provide rubber-to-metal locomotive components and spare parts to State-owned rail and port operator Transnet, following the 1064 locomotive project and the rail operator’s inability to acquire critical components and spare parts from Chinese State-owned rolling stock manufacturer CRRC.

The company states that it has been awarded a R144-million tender for the repair of these locomotives, which it will reverse engineer using older samples.

Further, MasQtec notes that its strategic initiative is to leverage its longstanding industry presence to effectively serve both existing and new market segments, including railway locomotives.

“MasQtec provides comprehensive support from concept through production, ensuring full dimension and material conformity while complying with the ISO 9001:2015 certification. With over 45 years of experience, MasQtec helps you choose the best rubber compound for your application,” Palmer concludes.