Somebody Shoot Me

Engineering Situation ahead, ignore if you will be bored easily.

It started with an A4-sized spring steel sheet metal that's 0.05mm in thickness.
That's even thinner than your average paper.

It took me almost a month to fabricate several pieces of 30mm x 10mm x 0.05mm spring steel metal sheets as part of my Final Year Project (FYP) to build a whole new cantilever design and analyze the sensitivity associated with it. Not that it's difficult, but the queuing time was a killer. Because the NUS FSAE Race Car Team had priority over all the jobs in the CNC Fabrication Workshop, I was told my job would be ready after 3 weeks, since I wanted the wire-cut machine to be used, and only the workshop assistants knew how to operate it.

So I waited. All of 3 weeks. That period so happened to be the IMF period, so I could still afford for such delay. Imagine, while my other friends were already getting their hands dirty with hammering and sintering their project specimens, I still wasn't.

And then, when it was finally done, it took some painstaking effort to screw 16 pieces of M2 x 3 screws manually into each cantilever, and all afternoon pasting strain gauges onto it. Then there was soldering of all the wires and connections to be done, even though we Mech Engin students were never officially given a lesson about the process.






BUT just today, when my Prof called me and my grad student advisor to a meeting at 3.30pm , he told us what the finalized plan with the external company I'm supposed to be collaborating with was. All along, the "discussion" my department had with this company hadn't generated positive results until now, when my Prof quoted them as saying, "funding anything we need to carry out the project." (Apparently the company has finally decided to fund this project since they want me/us to design, fabricate and test the system under various environmental conditions; so they seek FYP students like us to get involved.)

Instead of the cantilever re-design I started off with, my FYP is now the construction of a smaller, more portable tribometer which can fit inside a customized chamber (both of which I need to construct from scratch) so as to be able to measure 'hard disk' operations in a controlled environment where the temperature needs to be varied from -20 degrees Celsius up to 70 or 80 degrees, and the pressure and humidity varied too .

And that was me making up the synopsis of my FYP.

He showed me a sample of the hard disk, roughly the size of an SD memory card, except twice in thickness, and talked about the motivation for the project. Basically if this was to be put in a mobile phone, could it withstand the shocks, temperatures, pressures and humidity, for example, in a place like Mount Everest?

Sounds really interesting at first, but then the challenges set in.

While Prof was spewing out suggestions intertwined with instructions, thoughts of not graduating on time plagued my mind. So they (the ME Department and the company) waited 7 weeks until the tail-end of the mid-sem break to tell me what my actual FYP now encompasses? With 3 weeks left for my other Design Project (the Autonomous Robot Shooter) before the competition date and 2 other term projects due then, I didn't know what to make of this new task.

Questions aplenty, I might as well put it up here to remind myself what I have to find out, and possibly even receiving ideas from friends like yourself, since we never know when good suggestions might pop up.

1) First of all, it's gonna take a huge amount of time to start off all the Solidworks drawings and assemblies, to be made ready in 2 weeks time before the supposed meeting with the company representatives.
2) Fabrication of the parts takes ages, as I've learnt, along with decisions to use different materials for different purposes.
3) How do I build a double-insulated see-through chamber that allows me to pass wires through it into the computer for analyses?
4) How do I incorporate liquid nitrogen flowing into the chamber via copper tubes so as to keep the internal temperature at minus 20 degrees?
5) How do I devise and program a system where the valve can be automatically controlled as opposed to manual operation?
6) How do I construct a pump that reduces the pressure inside the chamber so as to simulate low pressure conditions like those in Everest?
7) Where can I get the wires and incorporate the tribometer and chamber into one so as to be able to control everything from one computer?
8) Where can I buy all these stuff to fabricate?
9) Where do I find time to do the research? And most of all,
10) How long is this going to take?????

In any case, the picture on the right shows what current tribometers in the lab looks like. The yellow encircled region indicates the cantilever portion I was supposed to study previously. How am I going to start from scratch?!?!

Somebody shoot me please.

On Singapore Idle, I mean, Idol.

Let me begin by saying that everyone is entitled to their own views, so don’t cringe at mine, however honest I can be. Heh.

To begin with, let’s talk about the Singapore Idol show itself. It is no doubt a talent quest, until the opinions are turned over to the public. That’s when the talent contest ceases, and the popularity contest begins. That was how it was with SG Idol 1 and this current one. Singaporeans are not blind, but they certainly are deaf.

I’ve never really followed the show, considering how it all started when I was still in Denmark. So when I came back in the beginning of July, I didn’t see the need to follow the show. In fact, the goggle box (read = TV) was not so much of an urge (after not having any TVs to watch on campus in Denmark). Of course things changed when I started tuning in to MTV and the US Open.

Anyhow, from Sunday’s and Monday’s performance/finals, I’ve reconfirmed how live audiences in a venue like the Indoor Stadium is definitely more electrifying than watching the television from home. As an usher in the Indoor Stadium, no one else can deny that claim. Plus, the fun part is watching the pre-show performance that the audience at home doesn’t get to see, as well as the cock-ups that occur behind/beside the camera’s live broadcast.

Take for example; did you guys at home notice how the fireworks in the background didn’t go off when Gurmit announced Hady as the winner? It only did much later somewhere in the middle of the song? More obviously, when Gurmit was promoting the Hype Up 2006 concert, he read out the wrong website that was displayed on your home TVs? There’s one more thing I’m still not sure about, but harbor great suspicion of: that Joaquim’s rendition of The Click Five’s “Just a Girl” (as part of the Top 10 Finalists’ performance) was played from a tape, i.e., he lip-sync-ed? He just looked and sounded too artificial.

By and large, I enjoyed the company of Electrico, Tanya Chua, Energy, and Rahimah Rahim the most. Of course commercial-break-hosts Vernon A. and Justin Ang (more affectionately known as the “Muttons” on 98.7FM) put in a good effort in keeping the audience’s spirits up all the time.

Okay, so that’s the show. On to the idles, I mean, “idols”.

I’m at a lost for words, in fact, I probably never had anything to say in the beginning. The result was expected; though stronger support seemed to lean towards Jon L. Goes to show how tele-polling actually counts significantly. That makes 2 male Malay singers in two years. If there’s a third season, I would probably have been prepared for another shocker.

What would the show and “idols” be without their ardent fans and supporters? So let’s talk a bit about the patrons I encountered. Of course, you’d expect quirky ones up here, those nice ones who reply back with “thank you”s are too few to mention.

On Sunday’s performance show, this kid in green came up to me and asked about the goodie bags (that were placed on the terrace seats only) and where he could get them. I explained that if his seat was in the balcony, he wouldn’t have them. So he kept asking how he can get one of those bags. I hinted to him the same way I hinted to others who asked me the same question, that “I didn’t see you take anything, and I don’t know anything”.

Obviously he didn’t get the hint that I didn’t care what he did so long no one complained, and even if people did complain, we can’t do anything because it was simply other people’s selfish nature in taking more goodie bags than they were entitled to. Later when the show ended and I was guiding patrons out the exits, these 3 crazy Hady fans ran up to me, tapped me on my shoulders as if they knew me very well, and said in a loud voice, “Vote Hady!” Several minutes later, this girl came up asking where the toilets/exits were, and right after I told her, she walked one step away, turned back and told me to “Vote Jonathan!”

I shy-ly smiled back, and hesitated a “Sure”, accompanied by a nod. Like I was going to waste 60 cents on a popularity contest.

On Monday, before the show started, kids were already asking me if they could go into the mosh pit area. When I told them they had to go one big round up the north entrance, sign an indemnity form and re-enter through the Premiere entrance, this punk replied, asking me if it’s because we don’t want to be liable for anything that happened to them.

Another 3 IJ schoolgirls asked me about the mosh pit admittance, and checked if they would be allowed in given their school uniform attire.

Most of the patrons are the smart “types”. When approached, they avoid looking at me eye-to-eye and say while walking away, “We know where we are”. When they do get there and find someone sitting on their seats, they signal to us to attend to them. Makes me wonder if I’m an usher or servant.

I also stopped this other Malay guy using a digital camera: when I went up to him, he was holding up at the camera and I waved to him to stop, to which he replied: “no I taking video”. Hel-looooo?! Are you blind and deaf at the same time?.

The worst of all must be “the family of goodie bags”, whom I witnessed going around to collect unwanted/leftover paper bags and whatever that was left of it. I was told at the end of the show by one friend how one particular mother was gathering all the available goodie bags from her adjacent seats before other patrons even arrived. When that patron finally did arrive and asked how come her seat had no goodie bag, that mother claimed she “didn’t know” and she got her spares from other seats! My friend/colleague went up to her and testified how the mother’s son just got up from that seat so she cannot deny his presence there, and finally tried encouraging that mother to return the goodie bag to the seat that belonged to someone else.

After the show and during the tear-down, I witnessed the mother’s son walking ALL OVER THE STADIUM collecting flags from various paper bags and the floor, while the father was busy collecting the paper bags! Like father, like son. Who knows what they want to collect so many for.

To end on a good note, it was nice to see 4 “old” friends in the stadium, for whom I helped get arena seats after Electrico’s gig. So Ashanti, now you see why it’s important to have an usher friend? Heh.

I later had my first Indoor ushers’ supper, at the Beef Kway Teow stall in Geylang. Nice. Though Pat and Pam should really stop getting used to calling me “Ah Beng” when my nature totally defies such a title. Daph, remind them please. Heh.

Just another Saturday

For my Singaporean Friends:

I happened to pass by this Char Siew/Roast Pork/Duck Rice Stall enroute from Sim Lim Square to Bugis Village, and decided to make a quick stopover for lunch. After all, "shopping" in Sim Lim can be tiring.



I ordered a plate to see what was so good about it, and soon realised why there were so many posters of food reviews and Channel U celebrity visits pasted up on their stall. Starting from $3 per plate, my $4 plate of Char Siew and Roast Pork was not quite impressive in terms of food portion and the fair amount of fat-inducing meat served. However, for $4 I'd give its taste a 4/5 rating. I say, "Got time must try!"



On my way to the Bugis MRT Station, I entered Bugis Street Village, where the Saturday crowd was, as usual, overwhelming. For my international friends reading this, here's one place you have to visit for shopping and eating. It's almost like a little Bangkok in Singapore.





I don't know why blogger has a limit for the pictures I'm uploading here.

*Shrugs*

Plus I still can't blog from home, so I'm posting this in school right now, where I'm awaiting another event in UCC tonight. It's been some time since I last ushered in UCC, thankfully my friend gave me a chance to do so for LAWN (also check out the review from 2004 here), tonight at the UCC Theatre. Let's hope I get to be inside.

What I'll miss from S2006/IMF...

...or Four Seasons Hotel in particular.

The cosy living room and "work" area. You don't know how difficult it is trying to stay awake, even reading lecture notes makes you drowsy.


The simple yet welcoming front desk area and clean toilets. Pity I didn't get the chance to know the beautiful receptionists.


The incredible variety of food served in the staff canteen - no two dishes are the same in the 7 days I was there.


The salad bar and drink dispensers that welcome you when you enter the staff canteen (called Kutulu) in the background. It's one thing to drink, but more fun when you push the glass against the drink machine yourself, as much as you want, as long as you want. =)

The priceless photo

I was invited to this Interact Session with other selected participants of Singapore 2006 at Suntec Ballroom 3 on Tuesday evening.



More importantly, the VVIP who called for this exclusive meet-and-greet session was none other than our Singapore Prime Minister himself! (Seen in the right talking to Venue Assts, Porters, Bus Hosts.)

I was initially informed that the session was to be held on the 19th Sept, but was later informed only one day prior to the session about the date being brought forward. As a result I had to make a trip down to the tailor to collect my altered jacket, not without the help of Ms Lam from Registrar's Office, who called them to speed up the process in the alteration process.

According to Col Arthur from the organising committee, the purpose of the Interact Session was merely for our PM to come meet the various roles of the S2006 volunteers and understand what our various responsibilities entails. In addition, he would also serve to encourage us in whatever we're about to do.

While everyone stood around and mingled with each other's own clique, awaiting the arrival of the PM, I decided to uproot myself from the IDOs/Helpdesk volunteers after a while, and plant myself in the BMW drivers/TP circle and break the ice. I wouldn't normally have done something extraordinary as that, but my interest in befriending the TP officers and BMW drivers got the better of me. Whilst I didn't reach far enough in my conversation to ask the TP officers about where speed traps are usually set up, I did get some understanding on how the BMW drivers were hired.

Before the PM got around to our small circle where we 2 NUS and 2 NTU students (and our sch. rep. Ms Lam) were standing about, the Minister overseeing S2006, Mrs Lim Hwee Hua, approached us and chatted a bit. When PM Lee finally popped over, I was merely an arm's length away from him in our conversation! Thanks to the other NUS girl, Saleha, who bravely asked the PM if we could take a photo with him at the end of 5 minutes of interaction, we were the only one of two groups who pioneered the initiative and claimed the shot. Of course, thanks to me for bringing my camera too.

Oh and it was pure coincidence I met Jeremy Ee too, the ex-NUSSU President, who now works for MAS. As expected he was walking about taking pictures with his $6000 digital SLR camera.

After the PM turned away to continue interacting other participants, the BMW drivers rushed over and asked if I could help them with that same favour too! They'd better remember me for the next Asian Aerospace or something so I can try my hand at driving one of those BMWs to ferry delegates around too. Heh.

Anyhow, 30 minutes of so passed and the PM had to take his leave. I was still excited with the picture taken (below) and exchanging contacts with 2 of the BMW drivers to notice our PM had even left. But this picture is now priceless.

Next up looking forward to - Ushering for the one-night-only Westlife concert on Friday!

Kid's Central Live!

"When there's trouble you know who to call..."

"Teen Titans!"

Haha! After 3 non-consecutive days (that's 6 sessions altogether) of ushering for Kid's Central Live!, I can honestly say enough is enough. Now it's post Kid's Central phase, and trying to wipe out all the Teen Titans, Justice League and Batman songs. But we'll all be kids in our hearts, always.