Friday, 27th October 2006 (4510 views)

Jewellers in South Africa (SA) will soon be able to benefit from a new compact and integrated casting machine, according to reports.

Hot Platinum, a black-empowered company based in Cape Town, has patented the technology with help from the SA department of science and technology's innovation fund.

The machine, which is roughly the size of a microwave, features a patented casting mechanism which aids jewellers in their manufacture of jewellery using precious metals such as gold, according to Mining Weekly.

Hot Platinum's managing director, Ali Brey, told the website the machine could help local traders and manufacturers cut costs and speed up production.

"The machine allows small-scale jewellers to take advantage of the efficiencies that the mass-production technique of induction casting provides," he said.

"It also decreases input metal costs and working capital requirements, as the yield per cast is 70 per cent compared with the 40 per cent yield per cast of international machines."

The machine is currently able to get hot enough to melt gold, silver and platinum in very small quantities, meaning it is ideal for jewellers.

 

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