Sifiso Daniel

Graduate engineer with a strong background in materials science, holding a national diploma in engineering metallurgy and a BSc in mechanical engineering. I have hands-on experience as a turbine maintenance technician at Eskom and as a metallurgical technician at Scaw Metals, where I developed skills in mechanical systems. My combined mechanical and metallurgical expertise enables me to understand material behavior under load and contribute to the design and maintenance of high performance components.

I am adaptable, collaborative, and highly motivated. I am also proficient in Autodesk Inventor, Solid Edge, and ANSYS (FEA and CFD).

Turbine Maintenance Technician at Eskom Grootvlei PowerStation (2022-01 – 2023-01)

• Coordinated maintenance activities and breakdown repairs on turbine, condensate, and feedwater systems to maximise plant availability and minimise downtime.
• Managed the procurement of maintenance spares and ensured the timely availability of critical components for planned and emergency maintenance.
• Supervised contractors, including Rotek Valves, Rotek Centerline, and Sulzer Pumps, ensuring work was completed safely and in accordance with engineering specifications.
• Performed condition monitoring and preventative maintenance on critical rotating equipment to improve equipment reliability and reduce unplanned failures.
• Conducted equipment failure investigations and root cause analyses to identify recurring problems and recommend long-term corrective actions.
• Prepared detailed technical reports documenting maintenance activities, inspections, equipment failures, and recommended improvements.
• Ensured compliance with plant safety procedures, maintenance standards, and operational requirements during all maintenance activities.
• Collaborated with engineers, artisans, and operations personnel to execute planned outages and restore equipment to service efficiently.

Junior metallurgist at Scaw Metals Eclipse Foundry (2017-01 – 2018-01)

• Managed casting heat treatment operations to achieve specified mechanical properties and product quality requirements.
• Supervised melting and casting operations, ensuring compliance with production schedules, process parameters, and quality standards.
• Conducted casting failure analyses to identify defects, determine root causes, and implement corrective and preventive actions.
• Performed metallurgical testing and microscopy to evaluate material properties and verify product quality.
• Led moulding plant optimisation initiatives that improved casting quality, production efficiency, and process reliability.
• Maintained metallurgical production records and performed metallurgical accounting to support process control and traceability.
• Carried out welding repairs on defective castings to restore component integrity and minimise production losses.
• Worked closely with production, quality assurance, and maintenance teams to improve overall foundry performance.

Trainee Metallurgist at Scaw Metals Group (2016-01 – 2017-01)

• Performed metallurgical sample preparation and optical microscopy to characterize microstructures and assess material quality.
• Conducted material failure investigations to identify the root causes of component failures and recommend corrective actions.
• Prepared comprehensive technical reports documenting laboratory findings, test results, and engineering recommendations.
• Performed mechanical materials testing, including tensile, hardness, impact, and wear testing, in accordance with relevant industry standards.
• Assisted with casting simulation and modelling using SolidWorks and MAGMASOFT to optimise casting design and minimise manufacturing defects.
• Participated in pattern making and moulding operations to support the production of high-quality cast components.
• Collaborated with production and quality teams to improve manufacturing processes and ensure compliance with product specifications.

BSc(ENG) in Mechanical engineering – University of the Witwatersrand (2026-01)

National diploma in engineering metallurgy – University of Johannesburg (2017-01)

Matric – IM Manchu high school (2013-01)