Nelson Mandela University: Supporting rhino conservation by improving and restoring OLLI’s trolley
Nelson Mandela University’s Advanced Mechatronic Training Centre (AMTC) recently sponsored the revamping of a life-size fibre-glass rhino and its trolley for the One Land Love It (OLLI) conservation and education non-profit company.
The company’s initiatives aim to protect the rhino and ensure its survival and success for future generations.
The AMTC, which forms part of the School of Engineering, built a new, small, free moving trailer that the fibre-glass rhino is mounted on for the model to be moved around in malls, at schools and events where cars don’t necessarily have access.
The group also added strengthening supports for the new trailer to hold the model better and the mounting points at the rhino’s feet were fixed to be more robust and weatherproof.
Wayne Bolton and his family established OLLI (One Land Love It) in 2015 with their focus on the conservation of rhinos. “They have done many cycling expeditions covering up to 8000 km and through these expeditions, they got to hear about Mandela Uni’s AMTC through some mutual cycling friends”, said the AMTC’s Jan de Jongh.
The Boltons asked the AMTC to assist them in their project. The AMTC and the Renewable Energy Research Group (RERG) are both into conservation and wanted to do their small part for rhino awareness.
Staff and students involved in the project were Prof Russell Phillips, Damian Mooney, Jan de Jongh and interns Deshaan Pillay and Jared Prinsloo, while Kerry Jeffrey assisted with the artwork on the project.
Students benefited by having to apply a whole design project from the first principles of concept drawings to final design, ordering materials, building the structure, making changes and delivering a finished product with upgrades that should keep the OLLI trolley going for years to come.
The students learned to weld and use machinery and were introduced to epoxies and fibreglass.
“They made a real effort to improve OLLI’s trolley so that we can use him more efficiently and ensure he is protected on the trailer,” said Nikki Bolton from OLLI.